Grand Narukami Shrine.
Mu Yang stepped out of his room and arrived at the shrine's central area.
Yae Miko was currently deep in thought beneath the Sacred Sakura.
Her gaze was directed toward the Yashiro Commission—the Kamisato Estate.
Based on Mu Yang's speculation,
Yae Miko had most likely been involved in orchestrating this series of events related to Lumine.
After all, she was the one who most wanted the Raiden Shogun to emerge from the Plane of Euthymia.
Moreover, Miko's relationship with the Yashiro Commission had always been special.
Many years ago,
the masterpieces of the "Five Great Swordsmithing Schools" were hailed as national treasures.
Yet within just a few years, most of the five lineages had been lost.
Undercurrents of conspiracy implicated countless nobles and officials.
The noble families involved faced varying degrees of reprimand.
The Kamisato Clan, due to their failure in supervising their subordinates, suffered heavy repercussions.
Just before the Shogun delivered her final judgment,
Miko, who had long abstained from political affairs, suddenly intervened and advised the Shogun.
She managed to protect the Kamisato Clan amidst the storm.
Though the Kamisato Clan was severely weakened, they at least retained their position in the Yashiro Commission.
Mu Yang knew that Miko and the Kamisato Clan had deep ties.
The other two Commissions had already been thoroughly infiltrated by the Fatui.
Yet Kamisato Ayaka was waiting for an opportunity to oppose the Vision Hunt Decree.
This might very well have been Yae Miko's doing.
Miko noticed Mu Yang approaching.
She donned yet another of her thousand masks.
"What's the matter? Here to pester me again about urging Ei to accept your challenge?"
Mu Yang couldn't be bothered to expose her.
He hadn't brought up the matter recently either.
He already had a plan in mind.
Now that Lumine had arrived, the gears of fate had begun to turn faster.
As for the Raiden Shogun—she would leave Tenshukaku on her own.
"Did you miscalculate? Underestimate Lumine?"
Yae Miko visibly stiffened for a moment.
And that expression was exactly what Mu Yang wanted to see.
Though fleeting, it was enough.
Miko quickly masked her reaction, replacing it with an amused smirk.
"My, my, I truly thought you cared about nothing but swordsmanship."
"It seems this little one really does possess something special."
Mu Yang neither confirmed nor denied.
Yae Miko, however, had endless patience.
"Ayaka isn't one to be trifled with either. Let's wait and see."
——————
That afternoon.
Kamisato Estate.
Lumine and Paimon rested briefly in the luxurious guest room.
By evening, a servant came to invite them—
Lady Ayaka had requested their presence.
The two followed behind the servant.
"What's this about?" Paimon whispered.
"Obviously, it's Paimon's favorite part—a feast!"
"Really?!"
Paimon was already drooling.
The servant opened the gate to a small courtyard and gestured for them to enter.
When Lumine stepped inside, the tranquil atmosphere felt less like a grand banquet and more like a private rendezvous.
Sure enough, Kamisato Ayaka, now dressed in a sky-blue yukata, had been waiting for them.
"You're here. Please, come sit."
The dinner was just for the three of them.
The portions weren't large, but every dish and dessert had been prepared by Ayaka herself.
[I declare, I voluntarily oppose the Vision Hunt Decree.]
[An open scheme—truly no way out.]
[Can this yukata Ayaka's wearing become a skin???]
[MIHOYO DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW TO MAKE MONEY?!]
[She cooked for me with her own hands—I'm in her heart!]
"Ayaka, you're amazing! This food is so good!"
Paimon stuffed her face while praising.
Ayaka covered her mouth with a light laugh.
"Really? I'm sure it still falls short compared to Lumine's cooking."
"Ah—is it alright to call you that? Is it too...?"
Lumine shook her head—she didn't mind.
As long as Ayaka didn't suddenly bring up serious matters.
Throughout the entire dinner, Ayaka didn't mention anything about the Vision Hunt Decree or the Yashiro Commission.
Instead, she steered the conversation toward Lumine and Paimon's adventures.
She listened with genuine fascination—something impossible to fake.
Between dishes, Ayaka also shared some of her own stories.
Things even Kamisato Ayato didn't know.
She rarely had friends to share these things with...
By the end of the dinner,
Lumine's misunderstandings toward Ayaka had mostly dissipated.
Meanwhile, players were already considering storming miHoYo's offices to demand this yukata as an in-game outfit.
For the players, after this quest concluded,
they entered Kamisato Ayaka's Story Quest.
Lumine accepted Ayaka's request, to accompany her in searching for her mother's notes.
Which eventually turned into visiting a festival together.
As they grew closer, Lumine began to see Ayaka as a friend.
She realized she was getting to know Ayaka as an ordinary girl,
not as the Shirasagi Himegimi of the Yashiro Commission.
And this ordinary Kamisato Ayaka was nearly flawless.
Especially that moonlit dance.
"Please... watch me closely..."
When the dance ended, Lumine was left wanting more.
On the way back from Chinju Forest,
Ayaka asked, "So... how was my dance? Passable?"
"It was so pretty! So elegant and beautiful! I—I don't know how to describe it, but it was definitely art!"
Lumine also praised its gracefulness, perfectly matching Ayaka's aura.
The three chatted and laughed as they returned to the Kamisato Estate.
In the days that followed,
whenever she wasn't busy, Ayaka would take Lumine and Paimon around Inazuma City.
Today was no exception.
As the three walked down the street, someone suddenly bumped into Lumine.
Given Lumine's physique, it was the other person who went flying, nearly falling over.
Ayaka steadied her. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, sorry for bumping into you..."
Ayaka glanced at the woman's attire.
"You're a disciple of the Meikyou Shisui style?"
The woman nodded.
Ayaka pressed further. "You're in such a hurry, did something happen?"
The woman then explained the situation.
She was one of the Meikyou Shisui disciples—her name was Nanako.
Lately, their master had undergone a drastic change in temperament for unknown reasons.
After discussing it with her senior brother, they concluded he must be possessed.
After all, during the previous battle, their master had been ambushed by the "Swordsman Slayer."
Though the Swordsman Slayer had since been eliminated,
it was possible some lingering effects remained.
So she had been on her way to the Grand Narukami Shrine to seek help from the shrine maidens.
Lumine was still processing the information.
"Aside from the Swordsman Slayer, did your master experience anything else?"
Nanako replied, "First, he lost a duel against a swordsman from Liyue, and then he was ambushed by a monster..."
Lumine and Paimon gasped in unison.
"A swordsman from Liyue?!"
——————
Guinaifen's livestream.
"It's happening, folks! The plot's finally picking up!"
"My husband is about to make his grand entrance!"
[Things are finally getting interesting—those early quests were painful as hell.]
[The return of the king—Mu Yang rises once more!]
[Did Mu Yang really make it all the way to Inazuma?]
[Will we get to see Mu Yang fight the Raiden Shogun? I'm curious.]
Mu Yang was in the livestream.
Of course, he saw this unfolding.
What was coming had finally arrived.
The only question was—whose idea was this?
Kamisato Ayaka's? Kamisato Ayato's? Or Yae Miko's...?
Whatever.
Lumine had enjoyed herself these past few days—time to get back to work.
If she slacked off any longer, he'd grow moldy waiting at the Grand Narukami Shrine.