In an instant, the fur on Yae Miko's tails bristled upright. Her heart pounded in her chest.
Sky Island!
That was the dwelling place of the gods, the seat of Celestia. None could say how many divine beings truly resided there.
And this man… this Mathew… claimed to be from there?
Her throat went dry. She had just called him "little brother," treating him with flippant teasing. Now, realization struck like thunder. If his status was higher than even Ei's, then her words were not just rude—they were blasphemy.
Her ears twitched, trembling in panic. At first she froze, but then her fox instincts urged her to show submission. She lowered her head respectfully, though her voice quivered with fear.
"It turns out you are the Lord God from Sky Island… This little fox had no idea of your identity. Please forgive my rudeness."
Her voice carried both reverence and desperation. The more she thought about it, the colder her body felt. She had assumed Mathew was just some newly recruited warrior chosen by the Raiden Shogun. His calm demeanor and courage were impressive, but not beyond mortal reason.
Now she realized how wrong she had been.
He must have descended because of Inazuma's corruption—to supervise Ei herself.
And she, foolishly, had called him little brother. The offense was so absurd it was like a mortal walking up to Ei and patting her head.
Her eyes darted nervously toward Ei. Shadow… you won't abandon me, will you? You'll shield me, right?
---
Ei herself—Raiden Shogun—stood stiffly. For once, she seemed hesitant. This "new Lord from Sky Island" radiated a pressure greater than even she could command. If Mathew decided to punish Miko, Ei doubted she could stop it.
Yae Miko had never been this unsettled before Ei, not in centuries. The realization hit her: this god was someone even Ei would not dare to offend.
She swallowed hard. It's over. The clever little fox is done for this time.
---
Mathew, meanwhile, observed all of this with quiet amusement.
Her face shifted from sly confidence to panic, from fear to strained submission. Every twitch of her ears, every tremble of her tails, entertained him.
Truthfully, Mathew admired all the women of Teyvat in his own way. But among them, Yae Miko always stood out—flirtatious, mischievous, clever, yet strangely pure at her core.
The silence stretched. The longer he said nothing, the heavier the atmosphere grew. The room itself seemed to suffocate under the weight of unspoken judgment.
Even Ayato, who had nothing to do with the exchange, felt like his lungs were being squeezed. Why does the air itself feel heavy? Is he really going to punish her?
Miko's fox ears quivered. His smile—playful, knowing, cruel in its patience—was unbearable.
At last, he spoke.
---
"Oh? Why has the atmosphere grown so tense all of a sudden?"
His voice shifted to something lighter, sunnier, playful.
The suffocating air lifted in an instant.
If he had remained silent a moment longer, Miko might have collapsed from fear.
"It was only a slip of the tongue," Mathew continued casually. "I'm not some stingy god. How could I care about something so trivial? A god should have a broad mind."
Relief began to creep into Miko's chest, but then she froze again.
His words carried deliberate sting: "stingy," "trivial," "magnanimous." Each one emphasized his superiority. He wasn't forgiving her—he was mocking her.
Miko's tails twitched in irritation. As a fox, she recognized teasing instinctively. He was toying with her just as she toyed with others.
Her lips tightened, but she forced a smile.
---
Mathew chuckled. "Think about it—if gods truly punished every mortal who uttered insults, then wouldn't lightning fall from the heavens every day? The world would already be in ruins."
He waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry. I'll forget it soon."
Ei blinked. She had expected a divine rebuke, something absolute and final. Instead, his demeanor reminded her of…
Venti.
The carefree drunkard of Mondstadt, always smiling, always mocking even when his power was unfathomable.
For the first time, Ei's stern purple eyes widened slightly. This god from Sky Island could shift so easily—from majesty to playfulness—that even she was unsettled.
---
Mathew stretched his arms dramatically, then rubbed at his shoulder. "Ah, my shoulders suddenly feel sore."
His tone was casual, almost lazy.
Miko stiffened. She had lived long enough to recognize that kind of insinuation. Centuries ago, she had met a goddess with the same playful cruelty—who teased mortals mercilessly. Mathew's tone reminded her of that.
Her stomach knotted. He must be planning to humiliate me further.
She lowered her head. "Lord God of Sky Island… this little fox has some skill in massage. If it pleases you, I can offer that service."
The words left her mouth bitter as ash.
So this was it. He must have noticed my beauty. My earlier offense sealed my fate. If I refuse, I risk punishment. If I accept, I will only be embarrassed further.
Still, she had no choice.
---
"That will do nicely," Mathew said with a satisfied grin. His eyes slid toward Ei. "You don't object, do you?"
Ei's face was unreadable, but she gave the faintest nod. "If the Son of God is willing, I have no objection."
Miko's heart sank. Of course she has no objection. Why would she?
Swallowing her pride, she moved behind Mathew and placed her hands on his shoulders. Her touch was delicate yet skilled, the product of centuries of knowledge in both healing and shrine techniques. Massage, after all, was just another form of medicine.
Mathew leaned back slightly, closing his eyes. "Excellent. To think this is my first time being massaged by a woman… I'm very satisfied."
His voice was filled with amusement, enjoying not only the massage but also the way it forced the proud Guuji of Narukami Shrine into servitude.
"Thank you for the compliment, Lord God," Miko said with gritted teeth. "As long as you are satisfied."
She forced her tone to remain respectful. Yet inside, her pride burned. Not even Ei or the late Kitsune Saiguu had ever made her stoop to this. And yet here she was, forced into it by this Sky Island god.
Her thoughts turned dark. What is he truly here for? If he has come to supervise Ei, then perhaps he will leave soon. I only need to endure.
---
Ayato stood stiffly in the corner, lowering his gaze to avoid notice. As the only human present, he dared not breathe too loudly.
The Shogun broke the silence, turning to Mathew.
"Lord Mathew, earlier you said punishment for Inazuma's corrupt officials was too light. Why?"
Her tone was cautious. She had shifted from addressing him as Lord of Celestia to Lord Mathew. She understood his intention—he did not wish his true identity to spread. She respected that.
But his words still troubled her. Was execution truly too lenient?
---
Mathew opened one eye, his expression calm but sharp.
"Think on this, Ei. Have you considered why men like Kujo Takayuki and Hiiragi Shinsuke behaved as they did?"
Ei frowned slightly. "Greed. Lust for power."
"Exactly," Mathew said, leaning forward. "As a god, you must understand this: human potential is boundless. At their best, they create beauty and progress. At their worst, they sink to cruelty beyond comprehension."
His eyes narrowed. "They exploit their own kind. They enslave, deceive, and bleed the people dry. And for what? To strengthen their families. To pass their stolen wealth to their descendants."
Lightning flickered faintly across Ei's shoulders as she listened in silence.
"If you only kill the man who commits the crime," Mathew continued, "then his children and grandchildren still enjoy the fruits of his evil. Do you not see the problem? A single lifetime of sin becomes a hundred generations of blessing."
His voice dropped lower, harder.
"Isn't that ridiculous? That a man can ruin thousands of lives, yet his descendants live in luxury forever?"
The words pierced the chamber like blades. Even Ayato shivered.
---
Mathew leaned back again, closing his eyes. "That is all I will say. You are the ruler of this land, Ei. The decision is yours."
He had given her guidance, but left her freedom. If he acted directly, Ei's authority would collapse. Better that she face the burden herself.
Ei's eyes dimmed with thought. She understood the truth of his words, but she hesitated. How should she punish not just the guilty men, but their families who lived off their sins?
Her gaze slid toward Miko, who was still kneading Mathew's shoulders with careful hands.
"Son of God," she asked softly, "what do you think?"
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