"Of course," Mathew said, his golden eyes fixed on the nervous figure before him, "the most important thing now is to see how you execute the plan."
The Raiden Shogun stood stiffly in the Castle Tower. Outwardly, her aura was calm, but within she was uneasy. She was the ruler of eternity, the God of Inazuma, yet before this new Heavenly Principle she felt strangely small.
After all, Mathew was no longer just another power among gods—he was the supreme law of Teyvat. To the Archons, he was not an equal but their commanding sovereign. His very presence in Inazuma made the air feel heavy.
Mathew studied her carefully. The Shogun was unmatched as a warrior, but when it came to governance and diplomacy, she faltered. If asked to lead soldiers, she could strike down foes with unmatched ferocity. But asked to manage a nation? She was as helpless as a child.
His concern was simple: if the Raiden Shogun left the annexation task to Inazuma's political rulers—the Tri-Commission of Kanjou, Tenryou, and Yashiro—it would spell disaster. These families had grown complacent, corrupt, and greedy across generations. For power, they no longer treated the people as human. How could such rotten bones be entrusted with a mission as critical as annexing another world?
"I am prepared," the Raiden Shogun said firmly. "I will summon the leaders of the Sangonomiya resistance, the Tri-Commission, and Narukami Taisha to the Castle Tower. We will plan the annexation together."
Mathew's lips curved into a humorless smile. "As expected. Fortunately, I came with you. Otherwise, the first annexation would have ended in complete failure."
The Shogun blinked, her face still but her eyes puzzled. "Why do you say that?"
Behind Mathew, the radiant Ring of Heavenly Law manifested, its runes glowing with authority. His voice deepened.
"Do you truly think Inazuma remains uncorrupted? You shut yourself away, gave your duties to a puppet, and clung to your idea of eternity. But you do not understand human greed."
His golden gaze sharpened. "For a god, five hundred years is but a blink. For mortals, it is generation upon generation. The first leaders may have been loyal, but their descendants learned to love power more than duty. They deceive their superiors, exploit the weak, and even use Inazuma's god as a tool to entrench their own rule. Entrust this annexation to them, and it will fail. And with that failure, Teyvat loses its last chance at survival."
The Shogun's expression did not flicker, but the puppet consciousness within her spoke.
"That is impossible," the puppet intoned. "The Tri-Commission has enforced law impartially. I have pursued eternity. I have responded to every petition faithfully. Inazuma thrives; the people live in peace."
To Mathew, the words sounded painfully naïve. He lifted his hand. The Heavenly Ring flared with multicolored light, and time itself bent to his will.
"Then see for yourself. Look upon the past five centuries. See what truly became of Inazuma."
---
Scenes unfolded like a vast projection across the chamber, each moment drawn from history.
In the first century after the Shogun retreated into her puppet, the Tri-Commission did indeed govern well. The land was stable. The people prospered.
But by the second century, corruption spread like rot in the roots of a tree. Officials quietly siphoned wealth, taxing farmers far beyond reason.
By the third and fourth centuries, greed no longer hid. Land was seized from commoners. Food prices manipulated. Rice farmers starved in their fields while the rich grew fat.
And in the last century, the corruption became monstrous.
The Tri-Commission colluded with the Fatui, preying upon Inazuma's people. They abandoned their sacred duties to purify demonic corruption, letting evil fester across the land. Worse still, they sold the sacred materials meant to maintain the Mikage Furnace. The furnace shattered, and Tatarasuna was poisoned, its soil forever unfit for human life.
The puppet Shogun's voice droned again. "No… impossible. I would have known."
"Would you?" Mathew said sharply. "You left eternity in the hands of liars. Every report you read was their deception."
The vision shifted.
The Tri-Commission, fearing challenges to their power, forged reports and manipulated you into enacting the Sakoku Decree and the Vision Hunt Decree. The nation was locked down. The gifts of the gods were stripped from the people.
Lightning flickered in the Shogun's violet eyes. Outside, thunder cracked as dark clouds rolled over Narukami Island.
The vision darkened further. Under Fatui manipulation, Inazuma fell into war with Watatsumi Island. The sacred stone there, which suppressed demonic energy, was shattered. Madness spread. Thousands perished.
The Shogun's lips tightened as she saw the soldiers of the Tenryou Commission massacre fleeing civilians, all to hide their negligence. The dead were blamed on Watatsumi rebels.
And then came the final, bitter image: Kujo Takayuki, head of the Tenryou Commission, bowing with a smile as he presented a report to the puppet Shogun. The words upon it read: "Inazuma prospers. The people live in peace."
The irony was sharper than any blade.
---
The Raiden Shogun's body trembled. Her hand tightened on her sword, lightning crackling at her fingertips. Her wrath poured outward, filling the skies. The will of a god enraged shook the nation.
The citizens below glanced nervously at the storm, muttered about the weather, and returned to their business. In Inazuma, thunder was a common thing. But this thunder was different.
The visions of history faded, leaving only silence.
Mathew spoke.
"Now you understand why I summoned only four Archons to Sky Island. The other nations are worse. Sumeru's sages imprison their god. In Snezhnaya, the Tsaritsa herself has been hollowed by the Fatui. Corruption festers everywhere."
His eyes glowed like molten gold. "If Phanes still reigned, the Nail of Cold Sky would already have fallen, crushing Inazuma as punishment. But you have a chance. Purge the corruption. Free your people. Compared to Sumeru and Snezhnaya, your burden is lighter. That is why I chose you for the first annexation."
The Raiden Shogun's hand no longer shook. Her violet eyes burned with fury and clarity. For centuries she had sought eternity through stillness, through isolation. But what use was eternity if her people starved while their rulers fattened on lies?
Eternity meant nothing without justice.
The storm outside howled, lightning spearing the clouds like blades.
The Raiden Shogun lowered her head, her voice low but deadly.
"Those who deceived me will pay."
---