Chapter 224: The Shrine Maiden with the Mask
There was no way Bai Luo would make landfall on Amakane Island.
That place was under the jurisdiction of the Yashiro Commission. If he went ashore there, he'd inevitably have to deal with them—and that kind of headache? No, thank you. Way too troublesome.
So after making sure Sayu was left in a safe location, he vanished from sight and moved toward his nearest marked waypoint.
"It's you again."
The moment he landed, he instinctively reached out to pat the figure's shoulder—only to be smoothly dodged.
Very few people could slip away from Bai Luo's hand when he actually tried to land a hit.
She was one of those rare few.
Just like the first time they met, she remained stationed before a moss-covered statue of the Sky Kitsune, with only a lone wild fox quietly sitting beside her.
Only one fox.
Long ago, the Sky Kitsune and Earth Kitsune had served as messengers of a certain great youkai. After that being vanished, the sky and earth foxes turned themselves into stone statues—sealing away their strength, waiting for her return. They hoped to one day meet her again at the Byakko Plain.
And it wasn't just the sacred foxes. Even the ordinary ones that once roamed Narukami Island—after her disappearance—had lost much of their wit and divinity. Their bloodlines had weakened. Their magic faded.
Probably, the only one left with a trace of her bloodline was that useless freeloader at the Grand Narukami Shrine—the one who conned her way into power with fried tofu.
"Long time no see, Miko-san."
Bai Luo removed the mask from his face, revealing a gentle, disarming smile.
But the shrine maiden standing across from him made no move to take off her own.
"…Your aura has changed," she said softly. "Looks like you've been through quite a lot."
She could see right through him. Especially the way he now concealed his presence so completely—even she couldn't see through the veil.
"Yeah, it's been a ride. Stirred up some stuff in Mondstadt, chopped up Morax in Liyue, had a little run-in with Osial's wife out at sea. Just wrapped up some business on Watatsumi Island. On my way to Narukami now to send in a crew for cleanup. Figured I'd drop by and say hi."
"..."
She didn't know how to respond to that.
Everything that came out of his mouth sounded like absolute nonsense. Like he was just boasting.
But with him…
Maybe it wasn't.
Even if she herself might misjudge someone, her eyes had never once failed.
"You still haven't met the one you're waiting for?"
"No. Someone worthy of the Raiden's blessing, someone brave, someone who treasures bonds… those don't come along easily."
She'd met many over the years.
A wandering swordsman who gave away his fortune. A carefree oni. A nervous shirasagi himegimi. A fireworks girl with a heart like a blazing sun.
They were all brave. They all cherished others.
But none were blessed by Her lightning.
And there were those who had been blessed by lightning—but lacked those beautiful, necessary qualities.
It was like an endless loop with no answer.
"What about me?" Bai Luo asked, grinning. "Don't I qualify?"
If anything, he considered himself braver than brave.
He had, after all, gone toe-to-toe with the Raiden Shogun herself.
And as for bonds…
Wasn't it out of friendship that he helped Tartaglia overcome his obsession with money, spreading scandalous rumors about him and helping him lose his fortune?
Wasn't it for the sake of that old man that he emptied out another friend's savings, paid off century-old debts, and even stabbed himself three times for dramatic effect?
Didn't he personally arrange an "accidental" reunion between Tartaglia and the ever-elusive Morax, just to help his poor buddy complete his mission faster?
The list went on. Bai Luo had done so many good deeds that even he lost track.
A saint in the eyes of Mondstadt, Liyue, and Inazuma. A beacon of generosity.
Truly a great benefactor of the Three Nations.
The shrine maiden said nothing for a long time.
Behind the mask, she gazed at him quietly—expression unreadable.
Then… she sighed.
There was no denying his bravery.
But those "beautiful qualities"...
Was he seriously pretending he didn't know?
More importantly—he was corrupted from the start. A man of filth and trouble.
How could someone like that ever preside over the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual?
If it were possible, she wouldn't still be here, waiting for the one destined to carry out that sacred task.
Because she, like him, was a being of similar nature.
"Wanna make a bet?"
Bai Luo wasn't the least bit surprised by the shrine maiden's reaction. If he really had the ability to solve her problem, she would've asked for his help the very first time they met.
"A bet? What's the wager?"
Fox spirits always did enjoy their fun. It was a trait woven into their very blood.
Even the infamous Hyakkiyakou had been sparked by a certain kitsune hosting a sake party for her own amusement.
So when Bai Luo casually proposed a bet, even though the shrine maiden clearly had nothing of value to wager with… she still couldn't help but ask.
"Let's bet… that a certain little blond will show up within the year and carry out the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual for you. That guy might even have some weird little talking creature with him."
As Bai Luo spoke, a familiar grin slowly spread across his face.
It's as if he had already seen it happen.
"I'd love to take that bet," the shrine maiden replied with a soft sigh, "but unfortunately, I've got nothing to offer in return."
She didn't understand where this guy got such absurd confidence from—right down to knowing there would be something odd tagging along with the visitor.
But, as she said, aside from the memories she inherited from that great youkai, she possessed nothing of worth.
"Hmm… then if I win, how about this—you let me see what you look like beneath that mask?"
As he spoke, Bai Luo pointed at the mask on her face, voice light with curiosity.
And for a brief moment—maybe it was just her imagination—but the shrine maiden felt as if Bai Luo was staring straight through her. As if… he already knew everything about her.
All her secrets.
"Then what if I win?"
She didn't agree right away—instead, she tilted her head slightly and countered.
After all, she hadn't just inherited memories. She had also inherited wisdom.
If not for that, she wouldn't have been able to wrap a certain little blond around her finger so easily—until he realized what was really going on.
"Hmm… then I'll personally go grab that blond myself and drag him here to complete your ritual."
He didn't believe he'd changed the course of the story that much. Just a few little tweaks here and there.
Even if the blond's journey had been diverted slightly, it shouldn't be anything too serious.
And if it came down to it, he'd just go fetch the guy himself.
Worst-case scenario? He could always swing by Katheryne's.
With the Fatui's bottomless budget, he was confident they could offer a reward large enough to make even the most aloof traveler interested.
He wouldn't even have to force him—the guy would come running himself.
"…Sounds fair enough. I accept."
The shrine maiden chuckled softly.
Compared to the face behind the mask, even her laugh was beautiful.
"Just don't regret it when you finally see what I look like."
<+>
Note: The masked shrine maiden is Hanachirusato
https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Hanachirusato
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