"It seems that to break the water curtain, we'll have to start with these stone pillars."
However, Shiki shook her head and said, "No need for that much trouble. Wait for me up there."
With that, she opened her umbrella and jumped directly from the mountain. Then, Kujikanesada lightly cut across the death lines on the water curtain.
In an instant, the water curtain burst open like a drop of water hitting the ground, revealing the inlaid bead and Warding Stone inside the barrier. Shiki, using a shield formed by electro element, blocked all the water droplets.
"Done. Come down, Ayaka."
For Shiki, puzzles were something she never needed to do. No matter what kind of seal or mechanism, a single sword strike was enough to break it.
To be honest, Ayaka also didn't expect that the girl would break the seal in such a simple and brutal way.
Gracefully leaping from the mountain, Ayaka came to the girl's side. Then, the two of them, one picking up the inlaid bead and the other the Warding Stone, returned to the original shrine, holding their umbrellas.
When the two of them placed the inlaid bead and Warding Stone back into the shrine, the pouring rain instantly stopped. Then, the dark clouds in the sky dissipated at a visible speed, but this only happened above this particular Warding Stone.
"There are three more Warding Stones. We should be able to get them done today," Shiki said, looking at the sun in the sky.
Before, on Yashiori Island, due to the curse gods, the sun couldn't be seen at all, just like Chinju Forest; without a clock or similar item, you wouldn't know what time it was.
But when some of the curse gods are sealed by the Warding Stones, you can see the sun in the sky, and seeing the sun lets you know what time it is.
It's not even noon yet, so even if it takes two hours per stone, they can finish by evening, not to mention it won't even take two hours.
Shiki only needed to find the water curtain, then slash it once, and she could take the Warding Stone and inlaid bead back to the shrine.
...
Ritou
"By the way, shouldn't we tell Ryougi about this Traveler who's done so many big things?" Kazuha asked.
"From my perspective, not for now. Besides, once she leaves Ritou, we can tell Miss Ryougi then, it won't delay anything," Thoma said with a smile.
"Honestly, just looking at her face, I really can't believe such a somewhat naive person could repel a Archon," Fujiwara said.
"You also know Captain Beidou's personality. She wouldn't lie to us about this, so these things are basically true."
"But she still looks so naive..."
At the same time, the Traveler had already gone to the Kanjou Commission, preparing to have a good talk with Hiiragi Shinsuke to see if she could get a permit for free entry and exit from Ritou.
However...
"Why are there so many Fatui here! What kind of wicked schemes are these guys up to now?" Paimon said, stomping her little feet.
"I don't know. We're new here, so let's not cause trouble yet." Lumine shook her head. She didn't know what status the Fatui held in Inazuma, and besides, without a legitimate reason, it could easily escalate into a diplomatic incident.
Just think about it, if a Fatui died inside the Kanjou Commission, one of the Three Commissions, wouldn't she, the culprit, end up on a wanted list!
"You're right. We're here to find the Raiden Shogun, not to cause trouble." Paimon nodded in agreement.
The Traveler continued to walk inside, but soon she and her Emergency Food were stopped by the Kanjou Commission guards.
"Hey, what are you doing here? If you want to process permits, go over there. No unauthorized personnel allowed here!" one of the guards said with a fierce attitude.
"We are here to discuss some very important matters with Hiiragi Shinsuke."
"How dare you! Is the Family Head's name something you can just call out?" the guard shouted sternly upon hearing this.
Just as Souta was about to say something, an old voice came from behind the guard.
"What's going on? What's all this noise about? How many times have I told you to mind your manners?"
Upon hearing this familiar voice, the guard quickly bowed and said, "I apologize, Family Head!"
"No matter." Hiiragi Shinsuke waved his hand, then looked at Souta: "I am Hiiragi Shinsuke. Is there something you need?"
But Souta, being so straightforward, didn't even think about being subtle and directly said, "I want a permit to enter and exit Ritou."
"Cough, cough…"
Upon hearing this, Ioroi almost dropped the pipe he had conjured. Where did this simpleton come from? Didn't she know that Ritou was now so blockaded that even a Crab had to be interrogated?
"That's impossible! Under the Shogun's sakoku decree, no one can freely enter or exit Ritou!"
To be fair, Ioroi's imitation was quite convincing, at least it perfectly captured Hiiragi Shinsuke's shameless character.
What talk of "for the Shogun"? If Ritou wasn't blockaded, wouldn't the news of his exorbitant taxes spread!
"Really impossible? I can help!" The Traveler immediately became anxious. She couldn't stay on this island of Ritou forever!
"Oh? Then you can help me deliver letters." Hiiragi Shinsuke said with a smile.
"Alright, deliver them where?" The Traveler agreed without thinking, but the following words stunned her.
"Alright, a total of 3621 letters. The addresses are marked on the envelopes."
"Wait, how many? 3621? Did you hoard a whole year's worth of letters?"
"Oh, is that too many? How about this, I heard you just came from Liyue, so give me 999 Qingxin flowers, freshly picked."
"…Are you intentionally making trouble?" The Traveler glared at Hiiragi Shinsuke.
"How can you say I'm making trouble? If you won't do this and you won't do that, why should I risk being dismissed to give you an entry/exit permit?" Hiiragi Shinsuke still smiled broadly, not taking the Traveler's little temper seriously at all.
"Come find me when you've thought it through. I still have official business to attend to."
With that, Hiiragi Shinsuke ambled back to his room, leaving only the Traveler and the guard stunned in the courtyard.
'I knew it wouldn't be that easy.'
Lumine sighed helplessly. Look at these conditions: either deliver over three thousand letters in one day, or a thousand freshly picked Qingxin. Isn't this just asking for trouble?
She realized that this Hiiragi Shinsuke simply didn't want her to leave Ritou.
"Traveler, what should we do?" Paimon scratched her little head. With her brain capacity, which only knows about eating, she couldn't think of what to do.
"Let's see first." Lumine said, making to leave. Then, as she exited, she grabbed Paimon and transformed into a purple lightning flash, disappearing from the doorway.
"Eh!!!"
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