Kano Nana was a unique figure within both the Yashiro Commission and the Grand Narukami Shrine, primarily because she held positions in both organizations simultaneously.
However, unlike others who spent their time fighting and killing, her duties mostly involved supervision... or rather, taking care of the daily life of a tiny ninja.
That ninja was Sayu.
Having grown up in the Shuumatsuban under the Yashiro Commission, Sayu's loyalty to the organization was high, but the little thing had a terminal case of chronic laziness.
In the past, thanks to her years of experience dealing with the girl and a few tricks learned from Shuumatsuban colleagues, Kano Nana could usually catch her.
But since returning from her last mission, the little thing had become increasingly shrewd. Even for Nana, finding her had become an exhausting ordeal.
Even more baffling was Sayu's new sleeping habit: she no longer hid in wooden crates or Muji-Muji Darumas. Instead, she'd drive a wooden peg into a high wall and hang herself from it by her clothes.
The first time Kano Nana saw this, she nearly died of fright. She had thought Sayu, unable to cope with some unknown trauma, had hung herself.
[A/N: Hahaha...Bai Luo's habit of picking Sayu by the scruff of her neck nearly game Nana a heart attack]
Today, Sayu had been "train-slacking" as usual. Afterward, she happened to run into some Shuumatsuban colleagues coming up the mountain via a shortcut. No one knew what they said to her, but the normally listless Sayu suddenly snapped her eyes open. Heaven as my witness, in all the time Kano Nana had dealt with her, she had never seen the child's eyes go that wide.
And then... she vanished.
Usually, when the child disappeared, she would lead with Yoohoo Art: Fuuin Dash to break line of sight before using ninjutsu to hide. It was said that in the entire Yoohoo Art style, only a handful of people could vanish right in front of someone without being noticed.
Even then, they usually needed cover—leaves, a kite, or a slip of paper. To vanish into thin air like that required not only the recognition of the gods (a Vision) but also half a lifetime of hard practice.
What on earth had the child discovered to force that kind of potential out of her?
"Excuse me, would you happen to be the lovely Ms. Kano Nana?"
A gentle male voice sounded beside her. It was a shy, soft tone, like cherry blossoms blooming in early spring, sending a pleasant tingle through the listener. Even the habitually stern Kano Nana couldn't help but let a smile slip onto her face.
But the moment she saw the pitch-black silhouette, her smile froze.
Unlike the other shrine maidens, her position in the Shuumatsuban meant she knew exactly how terrifying this man—who looked like nothing more than a gentle, cultured youth—really was.
The title of "Fatui Harbinger" alone was enough to make him a guest of honor (or terror) in any nation. Moreover, his strength was immense; even the Lord Commissioner of the Yashiro Commission was incredibly wary of him.
She began to understand why Sayu had hidden. The child had been "tormented" by this man for a long time during her last mission. He had clearly traumatized her to the point where she couldn't function, leaving her to wander aimlessly around the Grand Narukami Shrine, receiving "cleansings" from the shrine maidens every day.
Compared to her, Bai Luo was in a fantastic mood.
As mentioned before, one should never underestimate any of Bai Luo's small actions. Every move was a potential setup for a future play. Take today, for instance.
Since coming up the mountain, whether in front of Miyuki or the red fox, he had been intentionally broadcasting one thing: he intended to give a Sunsettia to Yae Miko.
Even when Miko tried to delay him, he had cooperatively stayed behind to "chat" with Miyuki, further lowering Miko's guard. He might have missed some minor intel by doing so, but he enjoyed the process more than the result—specifically, the process of making Yae Miko look like a fool.
This ensured that their attention would be fixed on the Sunsettia rather than his new toy—the bookmark.
From the look of things, that "Sly Fox" hadn't decoded the true meaning of the poem yet. While that was mostly because she couldn't decipher his Liyue script, as long as he achieved his goal, he was happy.
These Teyvatians simply don't understand art! This is called Art! Ever heard of Cursive Script? Ignoramuses!
He was still quite indignant that Xingqiu was the only person capable of reading his handwriting. Fortunately, the pink fox hadn't just accepted the bookmark; she actually seemed happy about it. This was far more satisfying than tricking her into eating a Sunsettia.
After all, they had been clashing for so long, usually coming out as equals. Even the "Hot Spring Incident" had felt like he was being counter-played. This was his first true, absolute victory over her.
Even if he had to rely on a "Cursive Script" that looked like a bird's nest, it was still part of his strength. He eagerly anticipated the look on her face when she eventually realized what the poem meant.
"Does the gentleman have some business? If you wish to draw a fortune slip, please see Ms. Gendou. I do not handle those affairs," Kano Nana said.
Her professional ethics as a shrine maiden, combined with her Shuumatsuban training, made her acting skills second only to the centuries-old Yae Miko. Even facing such a terrifying presence, she remained calm and composed.
"I've just come from Lady Guuji. I'd like to borrow Ms. Kano Nana's... little tanuki for a moment."
Bai Luo phrased it ambiguously. Saying he "came from Lady Guuji" made it sound like he had her permission. In reality, Miko had just told him to handle Kano Nana himself and hadn't issued any orders.
"My apologies. That child has been missing since this morning. I'm currently looking for her myself. If you need her help... perhaps wait until I find her, and then I can notify you?"
Being entrusted with important roles by both the Shuumatsuban and the Shrine meant Kano Nana was much sharper than Bai Luo expected. She saw through his wordplay instantly.
But she wasn't Yae Miko.
Yae Miko would have analyzed the layers of Bai Luo's words and prepared multiple responses to find the safest one. This man was like a chain for a fox; every link led to another, making him impossible to defend against. If Kano Nana had recognized his true identity immediately, she would have found a concrete reason to refuse. But by using "I can't find her" as an excuse, she walked straight into his trap.
"If *I* can find her, may I borrow her?" Bai Luo asked, following the logic of her own answer.
"Of course. But that child's ninjutsu is quite unique. If you wish to find her, I'm afraid—"
Before Kano Nana could finish, Bai Luo drew a dagger and hurled it toward a nearby Yumemiru tree.
Whirr—
The sound of a steel wire spinning rang out. The dagger nimbly looped around a branch and snagged something. With a sharp tug from Bai Luo, a tiny "tanuki" was suddenly pulled into the air, hanging upside down from the branch, looking utterly soul-crushed.
Kano Nana: "..."
You could have at least waited for me to finish my sentence!
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