The song ended, and Raiden Makoto slowly woke from her immersion. Only when she was immersed in the Four Arts—zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting—could she find a sliver of solace.
Kamisato Ayaka's ice-blue eyes sparkled with brilliance. She had even become lost in the melody and had yet to snap back to reality even after the song finished.
The old woman was the same.
After a long while, Kamisato Ayaka slowly raised her head. There was a certain depth in her ice-blue eyes as she looked at Raiden Makoto thoughtfully. "Makoto, what is the name of this piece?"
"Spring in the Sunshine and Snow on the White Clouds."
"Spring in the Sunshine and Snow on the White Clouds?"
In truth, she played "Spring in the Sunshine and Snow on the White Clouds" to cleanse the gloom of the old house. Moreover, the piece perfectly matched her current state of mind. As the first step in conquering the Genshin Impact world with traditional style, "Spring in the Sunshine and Snow on the White Clouds"—one of the ten great ancient melodies of Huaxia—was just right.
"Spring in the Sunshine and Snow on the White Clouds" is divided into two parts: "Sunny Spring" and "White Snow." Raiden Makoto had naturally played "Sunny Spring," which symbolized the awakening of spring for all things.
"Good..." Kamisato Ayaka didn't know how to praise it; she could only utter a "good." She had never heard such a magnificent piece, and the performer's skill was so superb that she had been immersed in it for a long time.
"Child, I am truly ashamed that I cannot match your friend's skill." Because the old woman was blind, she had always relied on listening. When she heard the piece Raiden Makoto played, she felt a sense of being right there in the scene.
"Grandmother, you flatter her."
Kamisato Ayaka's greatest hobbies in life were the Four Arts, followed by eating delicious food. The person she had happened to meet during this outing actually possessed such high-level skill on the zither.
At this moment, her beautiful eyes were even filled with expectation. Could Raiden Makoto be the person she had been waiting for? Someone who wouldn't treat her as the Demoiselle of the Kamisato Clan, someone who could discuss the Four Arts, tea ceremony, and swordsmanship with her, and someone who could tell her interesting stories.
Would Raiden Makoto be that person?
"What's wrong, Kamisato?" Seeing Kamisato Ayaka dazed, Raiden Makoto felt a bit puzzled. "Is there a problem?"
"No." Kamisato Ayaka quickly shook her head, a slight smile appearing on her lips. "Makoto, let's say goodbye to Grandmother. It's time to head back."
"Mhm."
"Grandmother, we'll be leaving now."
"Alright."
After coming out of the old house, Kamisato Ayaka stopped at the entrance and quietly looked at the cherry blossom tree in front of it.
"Sometimes I feel that if things could always be like this, it would be good. But as a member of the Kamisato Clan, I cannot do that." Kamisato Ayaka was somewhat lost in thought. "Inazuma today..."
"Sigh..."
"Just be yourself. Grasp the beauty of the moment, for those things are always fleeting."
Ever since becoming a Lady, she had completely accepted her fate. She could still promote traditional style in the Genshin Impact world. If Huaxia culture completely invaded the Genshin Impact world, wouldn't that be another way of promoting traditional style?
"Grasp the beauty of the moment?" Kamisato Ayaka stared blankly at the purple-haired Lady beside her. Makoto was the first and only person to say such things to her.
One must know that what Inazuma revered was [eternity], but that so-called [eternity] was the [eternity] pursued by the Raiden Shogun. The people of Inazuma rarely had such thoughts.
Did Makoto share her ideals?
"Makoto, that piece..."
"It comes from a distant land." Raiden Makoto knew that Kamisato Ayaka wanted to ask about the origin of "Spring in the Sunshine and Snow on the White Clouds." She couldn't take credit for her ancestors' heritage; wasn't promoting traditional style exactly about promoting Huaxia culture?
Yashiro Commission, Kamisato Clan Estate.
"Demoiselle, you've returned?"
The Kamisato Clan Estate wasn't large, but it still had servants. Since her parents passed away, she had always lived with her older brother, Kamisato Ayato. While Kamisato Ayato was responsible for the political affairs of the Yashiro Commission, she was in charge of the Kamisato Clan's internal affairs.
In the eyes of the servants and vassals, Kamisato Ayaka's status was even more important than that of the current head of the Kamisato Clan, Kamisato Ayato.
"Is this lady the Demoiselle's friend?"
"Yes."
"Please prepare some fine tea for Makoto."
"Also, have Thoma come see me." Kamisato Ayaka nodded. After the servant left, she turned her gaze back to Raiden Makoto. "Makoto, come with me."
"Alright."
The Kamisato Clan courtyard wasn't large—at least, it was much smaller than Raiden Makoto had imagined. It looked like a normal courtyard. Based on what Kamisato Ayaka had said about the Kamisato Clan being one of the Three Commissions of Inazuma, she had imagined it would be a grand family.
She imagined a great clan's residence would be luxurious, but the Kamisato house was quite normal. Raiden Makoto followed alongside Kamisato Ayaka.
Passing through various parts of the estate, Raiden Makoto judged that Inazuma was likely modeled after Japan.
"Please, have a seat."
"Makoto, do you have any memories of your home?" Kamisato Ayaka naturally remembered her promise to help Raiden Makoto find her family, but helping an amnesiac Lady find her family seemed a bit difficult.
Raiden Makoto shook her head. There were far too few memories of her original self in her mind. She only remembered that slightly mature voice saying "Sister."
From that cry, she could only judge that her original self should have a younger sister. As for anything else, she simply didn't know.
"I only remember that I should have a younger sister."
A younger sister was also a distant existence for Raiden Makoto, but she was actually quite looking forward to having one.
"You only remember having a younger sister?" Kamisato Ayaka looked at Raiden Makoto thoughtfully. "Makoto, do you really not remember anything else?"
"I don't remember anything."
If she had memories, that would obviously be for the best. After all, she was someone who knew very little about the Genshin Impact world, let alone Inazuma, which had never appeared in the closed beta.
At that time, she only knew that a place called Liyue, modeled after Huaxia, would be released later, but she knew nothing else.
"Alright." Kamisato Ayaka nodded. "Then finding your family won't be easy. However, the Yashiro Commission is the closest to the people, so it shouldn't be a major problem. It will just take some time."
"During this time, you might have to stay at the Kamisato house." Kamisato Ayaka was naturally more than happy to have Raiden Makoto stay longer; she really wanted to get to know Raiden Makoto better.
"Speaking of which, if you don't remember anything, why can you play music?" Kamisato Ayaka asked thoughtfully. "Is it that you only don't remember things about your family?"
"Yes. I still have impressions of what I'm good at. I have memories regarding the Four Arts, theater, tea ceremony, and culinary arts." Raiden Makoto nodded.
"The Four Arts and tea ceremony?!" Kamisato Ayaka's eyes lit up. "Makoto, you are skilled in those as well?"
"Yes."
"I happen to be very fond of the Four Arts and tea ceremony." Just as Kamisato Ayaka was about to have a deep conversation with Raiden Makoto, a cheerful voice came from outside.
"Demoiselle, you were looking for me?"
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