"Three days later, I'll definitely be there."
Bai Luo had indeed said that, but he hadn't said that *he* would definitely be the one to show up.
As a fellow Fatui member, Bai Luo felt it was necessary to help Tartaglia find Morax as soon as possible.
Even if Tartaglia used this as an excuse to trouble him later, he could simply fob him off with some nonsense like, "I just wanted to help you find Morax faster."
As for the Emperor...
By introducing him to a new "wallet," surely he'd let him off the hook? If not, he could always compensate him with a few extra boxes of Sunsettias. The Archon shouldn't be that petty.
Now, he had to consider making a run for it... no, going back to Inazuma was a legitimate job, working 996 hours; how could he call it running away? As for the escape method, he had already found it.
The Geo Emperor and Tartaglia were definitely unreliable. If those two knew the truth, even if they didn't kill him, they would find a way to beat him up. So, he turned his attention to someone else.
...
At Heyu Tea House, although Sir Yun wasn't present today, it was still bustling with people. Not everyone was a fan of Sir Yun; some also loved listening to the storyteller's tales.
Though it was the age-old sagas of adepti and demons, it was still better than lazily basking in the sun at the harbor.
"Last time, we spoke of how the villagers, in order to protect themselves, reluctantly offered the Heron-Crane Twins to ensure their safety..."
The storyteller took a sip of tea, clearing his throat in a practiced manner, and continued the story he had heard in the wilderness from where he left off.
The original tale wasn't particularly convoluted, but after his embellishments, it had become splendid and vibrant.
It was said that Sur Yun's father, that extremely famous composer, even intended to adapt it into an opera. And it was custom-made for Sir Yun.
The patrons in the tea house listened with great relish. At exciting parts, they couldn't help but clap and cheer, some even instinctively picking up the chopsticks from their tables, grinning and making a few gestures, as if they themselves had transformed into the brave divine maiden fighting evil.
Occasionally, a few guests would accidentally knock over a fruit plate while gesturing, making the waiting apprentices swallow hard, as the boss would never allow them to touch such things.
However, not everyone was listening intently. A ronin dressed in Inazuman attire, though also paying attention to the storyteller's tale, was mostly filled with sorrow.
Certain scenes involving the Heron-Crane Twins reminded him of his friend. Though they had only met by chance, their bond was already like brothers.
If he had only sensed the determination in his friend's words that day, perhaps he would have stood with him before Tenshukaku?
"Battousai..."
He stretched out his hand, and resting in his palm was a dull, lusterless Vision. After his friend died, the emotions he had placed in his friend seemed to have transferred to Battousai.
He didn't know why he felt this way, perhaps... it was because Battousai, like his friend, was willing to face the insurmountable thunder.
With a "clack," a uniquely distinctive katana was placed on the table in front of him. Kazuha was startled at first, then looked up to see a smiling mouth and a cat mask covering the upper half of the person's face.
"Battousai!"
Kazuha had already started to get excited when he saw the person's red robe. After confirming it was him, he couldn't control himself and involuntarily stood up.
Why was Kazuha here? Because he had heard from the Adventurers' Guild that a red-robed ronin from Inazuma had once visited here; he had merely come to try his luck.
He hadn't expected Battousai, whom he had sought for days, to finally appear.
"Shh!"
Bai Luo made a shushing gesture at Kazuha and directly pulled him away from the spot. Kazuha's actions had already displeased the surrounding audience; after all, no one wanted a noisy person beside them while watching a show.
"You... Why is Sir Ronin in Liyue?"
Kazuha initially used "you" but quickly switched to a more respectful form, as Inazuma values strength above all else, and Bai Luo, a mortal, being able to injure the Raiden Shogun, was already considered an idol by many warriors.
"The Shogunate's pursuit was too close, so I secretly hid on a Fatui ship and went to Mondstadt. However, Mondstadt wasn't entirely peaceful either, so I eventually made my way here to Liyue." Bai Luo's explanation was flawless.
"So that's it. No wonder there was no news of you; we all thought..." Kazuha breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Bai Luo's explanation.
Everyone had thought he had died under the Raiden Shogun's blade, but he had actually escaped. No one would despise him for running away, because the person he faced was the Raiden Shogun.
If you wanted to despise him, you could go to Tenshukaku yourself, challenge the Raiden Shogun, and then wound her in front of the Tri-Commission.
In that case, everyone could not only join you in despising Battousai but also treat you as a new idol. That is, if you could actually do it.
"Let's not talk about that for now. I recently heard you're working with the Crux Fleet? Is that true?"
"Yes, the leader of the Crux Fleet was kind to me. To repay her kindness, and because I was temporarily homeless, I joined her ship as a sailor." Kazuha had no intention of hiding this, as it wasn't anything shameful. He did, however, vaguely guess Battousai's intentions.
"I have urgent business and wish to return to Inazuma recently. I hear only those from the Crux Fleet can traverse that thunderous storm. Might I trouble you to introduce me?" Yes, this was Bai Luo's escape route.
When he chose to save Kazuha back then, besides the request from the young boy, it was more so to use Kazuha as a connection to the Crux Fleet, hoping to find an opportunity to travel to Liyue with the fleet for fun. He never expected to use it now to return from Liyue to Inazuma.
"Of course. Big Sis should be very happy to meet a strong person like yourself." Kazuha didn't doubt him and readily agreed to Bai Luo's request.
Moreover, when Beidou promised him a leave, she had also said that if he found this Battousai, he must bring him to meet her.
"Then, if you please, lead the way, young brother."
"You're too kind. I am Kaedehara Kazuha; you may call me Kazuha." In Inazuma, unless they are very close, people don't casually call others by their given names, but by their surnames.
Kazuha saying this indicated his profound trust in Bai Luo, even though they were only introducing themselves for the first time.
"Kaedehara Kazuha? That's a good name; it reminds me of a certain distinguished family."
"You flatter me, but it's merely a small, long-fallen family, not worth mentioning." Kazuha gave a bitter smile, not hiding his family's past glory. But the glory was gone, and he still had to live his current life well. And his current life was quite good.
"Well said. I am a ronin, a wandering swordsman, Himura Kenshin."
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