Tenshukaku, located at the highest point of Inazuma City, boasts an extremely high elevation and excellent views, allowing one to overlook the entire Inazuma City. However, despite the beautiful scenery, no one dares to come here.
This is because Tenshukaku is a palace filled with majesty and luxury, not only due to the heavy guard stationed there, but also because it serves as the Raiden Shogun's office and private residence.
Given the Raiden Shogun's strength, it's unclear whether the Shogunate Army soldiers stationed there are protecting the Raiden Shogun, or being protected by her.
What is certain, however, is that in such a grand Tenshukaku, the people who work there serve only one person: the Raiden Shogun, the deity of Inazuma.
However, as a puppet, the Raiden Shogun has very low worldly desires; she needs no luxurious items, has worn the same clothes for thousands of years, and for a god, not eating is a minor matter. Her identity as a warrior also means she needs no one to attend to her.
Therefore, those who work in Tenshukaku are quite fortunate: good pay, little work, and safety. They only need to patrol daily and keep Tenshukaku spotlessly clean.
The people of Inazuma built the magnificent Tenshukaku for their deity to reside in, but this does not mean the Raiden Shogun is like Lesser Lord Kusanali of Sumeru, confined to an exquisite birdcage, unable to leave all day. The former simply doesn't want to, while the latter cannot.
In the evening, after handling state affairs, the Raiden Shogun, with her purple eyes, purple attire, purple socks, and purple braided hair, most enjoys ascending to the highest point of Tenshukaku during her leisure time. She gazes upon the mortal world, feeling content as she observes the unchanging scenery under her rule for centuries.
When she descended to her office, she unexpectedly found a small plate of Tricolor Dango and a bottle of Dango Milk on her desk, seemingly out of nowhere.
She had not requested any food to be sent. Had someone acted on their own initiative? But she had long ago given orders to those people: those who trespass here shall be immediately eliminated! Who could be so bold?
The Raiden Shogun immediately turned to face the empty, vast room before her. After sensing for a moment, she found no suspicious individuals. She walked to the door, opened it, and the soldiers guarding outside, startled by the sudden opening, quickly snapped to attention, bowing and kneeling on one knee.
"Answer me! Did anyone enter this room while I was away?"
"R-reporting, Your Excellency, n-no. We have been guarding here the entire time; no one has entered," one of the gatekeepers stammered in reply.
He had no idea what had happened to make the Shogun so angry. Had someone secretly entered her room? This was a serious dereliction of duty! Oh no, oh no, it's over!
The Raiden Shogun pondered for a moment. It was clear these guards were not lying. She turned and returned inside, closing the door.
The moment the door closed again, the guards outside instantly collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Under the Shogun's terrifying pressure, they had not dared to breathe, almost fainting from fear.
Who said guarding the Shogun's door was an easy job? I'm going to give him a buff and a blessing on his head.
The Raiden Shogun returned to her desk, looking at the unknown sweet dessert and sweet drink. She was uncharacteristically conflicted. For food of unknown origin, most people would surely discard it and ignore it.
But as a puppet, she slowly sat at her desk, reached for a skewer of Tricolor Dango, and examined it closely. After a few minutes of hesitation, the Raiden Shogun finally brought the Tricolor Dango to her lips, enveloping one piece and chewing it carefully.
The next moment, the Raiden Shogun's pupils immediately glowed with a purple light, and her previously blank expression suddenly became lively and soft. One bite, then another; one skewer, then another. Soon, the three skewers of Tricolor Dango on the small plate had vanished.
She then casually picked up the bottle of sweet drink beside it. Unsure of the flavor inside the bottle, she was somewhat cautious, at first taking only a small sip. Safe, no problem. Then she began to drink heartily, downing the liquid in the bottle in one gulp, a satisfied expression on her face.
"What kind of drink is this? Milk that can be chewed? The texture is quite novel, and the taste is good. Sweet dessert, sweet drink, such nostalgic things. Kitsune Saiguu, how I wish you were still here."
After finishing everything, the Raiden Shogun finally noticed a report tucked under the Tricolor Dango plate. She picked up the report, and merely glancing at its title, the Raiden Shogun froze.
The report bore a large, striking title: "Inazuma's Public Birth Rate Has Been Declining for Twenty Consecutive Years; the Decline in the Past Year Is the Steepest Ever!"
This survey report detailed how the number of newborns in Inazuma has been steadily decreasing over the past twenty years, especially since the implementation of the Vision Hunt Decree a year ago, which saw a 5.6% drop compared to the previous year, marking the largest decline in the past two decades.
After reading the report, the Raiden Shogun's face showed displeasure; the good mood from eating the sweet dessert vanished instantly. Even if she was not adept at governance, she knew how important newborns were to a nation.
But now, she only just learned that Inazuma's birth rate had been declining for twenty consecutive years. Most critically, the report contained a heart-wrenchwrenching sentence: "This report only contains data from the past twenty years and does not imply that Inazuma's birth rate decline has only lasted twenty years."
The Raiden Shogun was somewhat angry and wanted to immediately dismiss the survey report. She was not a god who believed everything she was told; the veracity of the data in this survey report was still questionable. She had clearly governed the nation with such dedication, yet the birth rate could still decline for twenty years. She did not believe it.
Early the next morning, she summoned her most trusted subordinate, Kujou Sara, the General of the Tenryou Commission. She instructed her that she wanted to know the birth rate situation of newborns in Inazuma in recent years and tasked her with preparing a survey report.
The Raiden Shogun did not directly give Kujou Sara the report from yesterday to investigate its authenticity. Instead, she asked her to create a new one, so she could use it for comparison later.
Kujou Sara was initially bewildered by the Shogun's command. Wasn't she a warrior? Why was she being assigned such a task?
However, Kujou Sara's loyalty to the Raiden Shogun was undeniable. Although she had questions, since it was the Shogun's command, she would simply execute it. If she couldn't do the report herself, she would find someone who could.
Moreover, the Shogun's command sounded quite legitimate. Investigating Inazuma's recent birth rate situation clearly related to the well-being of Inazuma's people.
How wonderful! The Shogun is wise! The Shogun is eternity!
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