"Hey—little beauty~? Did you hear me? Are you buying or not? If you're not, don't just stand there spacing out~"
A blurred hand waved in front of her eyes. She snapped back to her senses and looked at the apple vendor before her. He was frowning deeply now.
It was only because the one standing there was a beautiful girl that he hadn't already chased her away.
"Uncle..."
She sighed softly and called out to him.
"Huh?"
He looked at her with mismatched squinting eyes, an unintentionally comical expression.
"Have you... seen me before?"
Just in case, she confirmed.
"Seen you? What nonsense are you talking about? This is the first time I've seen you. If it weren't for that pretty face of yours, I wouldn't even bother recommending my apples. So, are you buying or not?"
He fanned himself impatiently.
"Apples?"
"Yeah, look—th—"
"Sweet?"
"Uh... yeah."
"Seven coins."
"Eh? That's right, seven coins! Hey~ you've got a sharp eye, guessing the price so accurately!"
The vendor was clearly startled by her cutting him off, then let out an awkward laugh.
Crunch~
Looking at the apple and the man in front of her, she silently took out her wallet again and opened it, flipping through the coins.
"..."
She froze slightly.
The number of coins had been restored? She had clearly spent twenty-six coins earlier. Why...?
And...
She raised her eyes to the vendor and the apple, falling into thought.
"Hey~ little beauty~ if you keep dragging this out, I'm going to lose my patience. Not enough money?"
He urged.
"Haa... here. I'll buy one."
She handed him seven coins once more and took the apple, habitually biting into it.
Sweetness spread across her tongue.
As expected... even the taste was identical.
'Ei? Are you still there?'
She suddenly remembered her mother and asked with faint concern.
[Do not fear. I am always here.]
Hearing the worry in her tone, Ei comforted her gently.
'Haa... good. Then you noticed it too, didn't you?'
She asked.
[Mm. How intriguing. It seems we—]
'Have returned.'
[Indeed... but why?]
Ei crossed her arms and began pacing within her Plane of Euthymia.
'No idea...'
She lowered her gaze in confusion. That event had happened so abruptly and irrationally. Could it be related to the woman who attacked her? That female assailant had apparently slaughtered everyone inside the building. For what purpose? The more she thought about it, the more mysterious—and dangerous—it seemed.
[It appears this world is even more complicated than I imagined...]
'Mm.'
Most importantly, after the return, both mother and daughter still retained their memories from the previous timeline. That point was crucial.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard a familiar voice call from behind.
"Eh... Shogun?"
"...?"
She paused and turned around.
A silver-haired girl with pointed ears came into view.
Waist-length silver hair. Clear blue-violet eyes gazing at her in confusion. Soft features that were both delicate and striking. She wore a long robe with a white base and purple accents—simple, yet carrying a faint air of dignity. Altogether, she resembled a white angel.
Yes. This was the one Ram had asked her to find—Emilia.
...
...
"Why is the Shogun in the royal capital? Don't tell me you're out for a stroll?"
Emilia leaned lazily against the edge of a tall tower platform, gazing at the magnificent and boundless city below. She then turned to the person beside her, asking in confusion.
"Haa... not a stroll."
Seeing her like this, the Shogun casually rested her arms on the railing as well, looking out over the cityscape.
"Eh? Then... what?"
Emilia blinked.
"...I came to find you."
She glanced at the girl beside her and answered.
"Find me? Why?"
The silver-haired girl tilted her head innocently, pointing at herself.
"You had been missing for some time. I was concerned something might have happened to you in the royal capital."
She straightened slightly as a breeze swept through, lifting their silver and violet hair like interwoven silk. Their skirts fluttered as well, revealing two pairs of slender legs.
"Ah... I see. Um... s-something did happen, actually. Ehehe~"
Emilia covered her face awkwardly and gave a helpless laugh.
"..."
The Shogun narrowed her eyes at her, silently conveying, I knew it.
"D-don't look at me like that~/// I was... well... caught off guard!"
Emilia flushed and turned her face away, muttering defensively.
"Haa... so, what happened?"
She sighed and relented.
Humm~
"Actually, Lia's badge was stolen by a thief, and no matter how much I chased, I couldn't catch her~"
A white glow appeared beside Emilia and condensed into a small cat-like creature. It resembled a tiny spirit—round, fluffy, with bright, intelligent eyes. Clearly something mysterious.
It often stayed by Emilia's side. And from the way it occasionally referred to her as "my daughter Lia," it was not difficult to guess it might be acting as her father. Not biological—certainly not biological. Emilia didn't have fur.
"W-wait—Puck~! Don't say it so casually~!!///"
Emilia flushed instantly, trying to stop him, but she was a step too late. Everything had already been revealed. She covered her face and crouched down.
Losing her badge right under her own nose—she felt she must be the first to ever do something so embarrassing. This was awful. She couldn't show her face anymore!
"Don't be so shy, Lia. It's just a badge. We'll find it again later, won't we?"
Puck laughed lightly, soothing the mortified girl.
"'Just'?! That's something extremely important to me, Puck!"
She stood up and shouted at him, both exasperated and exhausted.
That was proof of her status as a royal candidate! If it was lost, everything would be over! And yet she had lost it!
"...A badge?"
After listening to their back-and-forth, the Shogun focused on that word. Could it be the same badge as before?
"!"
She instinctively reached into her pocket.
It was gone.
As expected... it had been erased by the return.
"What's wrong? Do you have some idea, Shogun?"
Emilia's eyes lit up immediately. She stepped closer and grasped the Shogun's hands, looking at her earnestly.
"Mm... was it a triangular badge, black base, golden dragon pattern?"
She stepped back slightly and asked from memory.
"Yes, yes! That's the one! It's the most important item proving my identity as a royal candidate."
Emilia nodded rapidly.
"You said it was stolen?"
"Mm... yes. The thief had short golden hair, a small figure. She snatched it while I wasn't paying attention."
She described.
[So that's it... then there's no mistake.]
Ei understood as well.
Which meant—the badge had been stolen from Emilia. In her haste to escape pursuit, the thief must have accidentally dropped it at the Shogun's feet.
"Shogun, you've seen her, haven't you?"
Emilia noticed the subtle change in her expression and asked keenly, still holding her hands.
"I have. She passed by me earlier. I happened to see the badge in her possession."
She answered.
"But I didn't know the situation at the time, so I didn't pursue her."
She shook her head faintly, a hint of regret in her tone.
"I see... it's not your fault. It's mine. I was careless."
Emilia gave her a gentle smile in reassurance, then released her hands and leaned against the railing again, looking discouraged.
"I have to find it. That's the one thing I absolutely cannot lose."
She lifted her head, gazing at the sky that would turn to dusk within the hour, determination in her voice.
"Where would we even start? Lia, you don't have any clues about that girl, do you?"
Puck floated in the air, arms folded in thought.
"If I did, I wouldn't be standing here worrying..."
Emilia sighed.
"Then... perhaps we should take a look in the slums?"
Seeing their troubled expressions, the Shogun smiled faintly to herself and offered the information she had obtained in the previous timeline.
"...The slums?"
Emilia fell into thought after hearing that.
"Why do you think so?"
Puck looked at her in confusion.
"When I saw her leave earlier, she was heading directly south from the royal capital. Since she couldn't be found anywhere within the city, the only possibility left is the slums along the southern border."
She explained.
"That makes sense. Then... let's go take a look, Shogun."
Emilia gathered her spirits and invited her.
"All right..."
She nodded. Just like that, the two of them—along with one spirit cat—set off again. Along the way, they passed through the marketplace once more. The Shogun had a thought and, just like before, approached the apple vendor and sketched a portrait of Felt for him to confirm.
Sure enough... his words were exactly the same as before. The vendor recognized the girl in the drawing and confirmed she was from the slums. This allowed Emilia to solidify their destination. The two of them then headed toward the dilapidated settlement in the south.
Crackle—!!!
Boom!
A dazzling streak of lightning slashed down from the sky, landing with a heavy impact that sent thick dust billowing into the air.
Crack~
The lightning faded, dispersing the dust and revealing two women and one cat.
"Wow~ Even though I've seen it plenty of times, I still have to say—it's incredibly flashy~!"
Puck teased, sounding rather enchanted.
"Puck, I don't think you're really in a position to say that."
Emilia walked forward and shot back dryly.
"Ahaha, fair point... but mine is ice, you know. The Shogun's is lightning. Lightning symbolizes conquest, doesn't it? Don't you think that's cool?"
Puck floated between them, speaking with admiration.
"Cool? Is that so? I don't particularly feel anything about it."
The Shogun shrugged casually. To her, this was merely habit. After all, elemental power was common in Teyvat. She had never thought of herself as especially cool because of it.
"No, no~ That's just because you lack self-awareness. And there isn't even lightning-element magic here."
Puck complained.
"I'm not a mage."
She replied.
"That's exactly why it's rare~! Someone like you, a being like thunder itself, could stand at the pinnacle of martial strength. How about sparring with Reinhard?"
Puck was clearly trying to stir things up.
"Puck~ Don't say strange things to the Shogun."
Emilia scolded her spirit father in dissatisfaction.
"...Reinhard? Who is that?"
She asked curiously. The three of them continued walking through the ruined slums, paying little attention to the gazes directed at them.
"You don't need to listen to him, Shogun. Living peacefully is better than anything. Fighting and killing all day—hmph."
Emilia shot Puck another glare.
"Wah... I was only joking. Lia is so strict~ My magic's almost depleted, Shogun~ I'll leave Lia in your care, all right~?"
Puck puffed up in mock grievance. After a brief notice, he let out a soft humm and dissolved into shimmering particles of light, condensing into an emerald gemstone.
"Haa... honestly. If your magic is low, don't talk so much."
Emilia sighed in weary exasperation and pressed the gem back into the pendant at her chest.
"Is he troublesome?"
The Shogun asked as she walked beside her.
"Eh? Hehe... how should I put it? Sometimes when he goes on and on, it really does get a little annoying. But... Puck has been with me for years. He's already family. Sometimes just hearing him talk makes me feel at ease. If he suddenly went quiet, I'd probably feel uncomfortable instead."
Emilia smiled bitterly as she explained.
"I can understand that feeling..."
The Shogun replied.
"You can? Do you also have a spirit like Puck?"
Emilia asked curiously.
"Something like that..."
She answered ambiguously.
[Please do not compare me to a cat.]
Ei's dissatisfied voice echoed within the Plane of Euthymia.
"..."
Her steps faltered slightly, a hint of guilt surfacing.
[I am your biological mother. Those words were rather hurtful.]
Ei admonished her with faint grievance.
'Sorry...'
She apologized obediently.
[Haa... I forgive you. Do not say such things again.]
Ei exhaled and pardoned her, her tone carrying a faintly adorable maternal warning.
'All right~'
She responded in cooperation, like a child.
"Shogun? Wh-what's wrong?"
Emilia noticed the subtle complexity in her expression.
"Nothing... I merely drifted off for a moment."
"Hehe, I feel like you space out quite often, Shogun."
Emilia covered the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, smiling with a faint blush and a trace of indulgence in her tone.
Indeed. Because her mother often talked to her out of boredom.
Tap tap~
At that moment, a middle-aged man approached from ahead. His clothing was tattered—clearly a resident of the slums. With his hands in his pockets, he gave the two women a casual glance—
"Tch..."
Then he looked away disdainfully and brushed past them.
"Excuse me—!"
Emilia called out to him.
"...Huh?"
Though still disdainful, the man stopped and turned back impatiently.
"May I ask... is Felt around here?"
She politely asked, ignoring the impatience in his gaze.
"...Ha? Felt?"
He paused, then swept his eyes over their clothing and faces before letting out a mocking laugh.
"Heh... up ahead is Old Man Rom's stash den."
Stash?
The Shogun frowned slightly.
"Ladies, did Felt steal something from you~? Well... if you talk nicely, you might be able to buy it back, haha~!"
He grinned smugly.
"Anyway, stay strong and keep living, beauties."
He waved at them in a sleazy manner.
"How laughable."
The Shogun folded her arms and mocked him coldly.
"Huh? What did you just say?"
The man froze, then asked with displeasure.
"Stealing someone else's belongings and still acting justified? That item belongs to us. Taking it back is only natural. Why should we buy back what is already ours? Utterly ignorant. No wonder you're filth bred from the slums."
She mocked the man before her coldly and without mercy.
"Wait—Shogun~!"
Hearing those words, Emilia immediately tried to stop her, but—
"Ha?! You bitch, are you looking for trouble?! Don't think just because you're a woman I won't—ugh!!!"
The man stepped forward, intending to grab the Shogun by the collar. But the moment he took a single step, an overwhelming pressure descended upon him—far beyond what he could endure.
Cold sweat poured down his face. His complexion turned pale. His eyes widened gradually, terror flooding them as he stared at the woman whose pupils now glowed violet.
Thud—!
In the next second, he dropped to his knees. His entire body trembled violently. He dared not lift his head. Even his trousers were soaked. His expression twisted in fear.
Throughout it all, the Shogun looked down at him with frigid indifference, her gaze sharp enough to pierce through flesh.
"Shogun~ stop~"
Emilia quickly grasped her hand, breaking her focus.
"...?"
She turned to look at the girl beside her.
"Haa... please... don't do this."
Emilia pleaded softly, then looked at the man kneeling on the ground in a daze.
"You should leave. Go. Leave this place."
She urged him.
"Ugh..."
The man, still muddled, crawled away on all fours.
The faint glow in the Shogun's eyes gradually dimmed, returning to normal.
"Have you calmed down?"
Emilia reached up and gently touched her cheek as she asked.
"...I was never angry."
She replied evenly.
"Hehe. He was almost scared to death just now."
Emilia gave her a helpless smile.
If she hadn't intervened, his heart likely would not have endured the strain.
"It was within my control. Rather than me, you should grow accustomed to such things."
With that, she turned and continued walking toward the large building in the distance.
"Mmm~ I can't get used to it, that's the problem~ honestly..."
Emilia muttered in complaint, shaking her head as she followed after her. Why did everyone make her worry so much?
The so-called 'Old Man Rom's Stash House' stood before them, half-shrouded in drifting dust beneath the golden dusk.