"Right away!" Arataki Itto instantly switched to lackey mode and scampered to the front. "This way, My Lord! I'm very familiar with this back alley; I could navigate it with my eyes closed. I guarantee it's fast and safe!"
Just as the group prepared to follow Arataki Itto out—
"Wait, wait a moment!"
A voice laced with panic and urgency came from behind them.
Yae Miko chased them out of the side room, faint red marks still lingering at the corners of her eyes, her face paler than usual.
She looked at King's back, her fingers clutching her sleeves.
"My Lord," she took a breath, trying to keep her voice steady, "are you heading to the Kanjou Commission?"
King didn't stop, only giving her a cold rhetorical question.
"Where else?"
"To... to do what?"
Yae Miko pressed, her heart in her throat.
She feared most that in his grand fury, King would go and slaughter everyone in the Tri-Commission.
While the vermin inside deserved to die, there were also countless loyal and righteous people among them.
This would inevitably cause a violent upheaval, making an already fragile Inazuma lose all hope.
King stopped and looked at Yae Miko's worried expression, seeing her fear that he would go on a killing spree, feeling somewhat speechless.
"I'm just going to reason with them."
"If you do something wrong, you have to pay the price."
Yae Miko: "..."
(Now I'm even more worried, big brother!!!)
She watched helplessly as King's group, led by a smug Arataki Itto, grandly departed Tenshukaku.
They were heading straight for the Kanjou Commission.
Zhongli strolled slowly at the back.
His amber eyes swept over the collapsed walls, scattered rubble, and the Inazuma citizens trembling in fear at the street corners, letting out a faint sigh.
This Guardian of Fontaine acted directly, but his concern for the common people was not feigned.
His words accusing Yae Miko, though sharp, hit every vital point.
Only... using such a violent method for "reform," how would the aftermath be handled?
Zhongli felt a faint sense of worry.
But mostly, he was curious.
He wanted to see what King would do next.
Could Liyue learn something from this?
...The Kanjou Commission estate was located in the most prosperous area of Ritou.
High walls, grand courtyards, vermilion gates, and carved beams—it was exceptionally magnificent.
Compared to the low-slung civilian houses nearby, it was simply two different worlds.
At this moment, deep inside the estate.
The Acting Clan Head, Hiiragi Danzo.
He sat on a large chair covered in soft animal fur, unhurriedly sipping tea.
He had a thin build and a sinister face; one eye was habitually half-closed, while the other was slightly obscured by his deliberately hanging fringe, radiating a gloomy aura of "I carry the darkness" and "Only I can see the path ahead."
On the table were not official documents, but a set of extremely exquisite tea tools; he was slowly brewing the second pot of tea, the curling steam blurring the faint, controlling smile at the corner of his mouth.
He looked down on the short-sighted greed of the former-former clan head, Hiiragi Shinsuke, and even more so on the naive weakness of the previous head, Hiiragi Senri.
In his heart, only a wise man like himself, who could "endure humiliation for a heavy burden" and "use any means to achieve an end," could truly lead the Hiiragi Clan, and even all of Inazuma, out of hardship and restore its glory—just like that legendary ninja leader from a long, long time ago.
When Hiiragi Shinsuke fell, he thought his opportunity had come.
Who knew that Raiden Ei, that single-minded woman, would actually appoint Hiiragi Senri to take over?
Heh, she must be blind!
Hiiragi Senri was nothing but a brat whose head was filled with romance; what could she accomplish?
No matter, he had plenty of tricks.
With a small scheme, he exploited Hiiragi Senri's eagerness to prove herself and her complete ignorance of the situation below. With a grand speech about "opening sources for the nation," using these goods to open the Fontaine market and earn foreign exchange for Inazuma, he easily convinced her to approve the export of those "special minerals."
That stupid girl actually signed the clearance documents herself.
When that batch of crystallized bone marrow, mixed with the intense resentment of the tatarigami, was successfully shipped to Fontaine, he knew that Hiiragi Senri's political life, along with the clan head position she might have secured, was over.
As expected, Fontaine was enraged, and diplomatic documents flew in like snowflakes.
Hiiragi Senri had no way to defend herself and was thrown into prison.
And he, Hiiragi Danzo, as an "enlightened" and "exceptionally capable" distant relative of the Hiiragi family, naturally took the position of Acting Clan Head.
Hiiragi Senri's imprisonment was only the first step.
Next, an "accident" in the Tenryou Commission prison, a "serious illness," or a "suicide out of remorse"... Hiiragi Senri, blame yourself for standing in my way.
The throne of the Hiiragi Clan Head will eventually fall rightfully into my hands, Hiiragi Danzo.
As for Fontaine's anger?
Hmph, with the Sakoku Decree just lifted, diplomatic friction is inevitable.
He had already calculated that once the heat died down, he would squeeze some Mora from the national treasury as compensation and then have those below find a few insignificant scapegoats to behead; the matter would naturally settle.
Raiden Ei's Musou no Hitotachi awed all of Teyvat; no matter how angry Fontaine was, would they really dare to cross the sea and attack?
At worst, he could just squeeze the people of Inazuma a bit more. For the Hiiragi Clan... no, for the "big picture" and "future" of Inazuma, necessary sacrifices were worth it.
This time, he had to scrape a few layers of grease off those commoners and merchants.
Of the grease scraped off, he'd give twenty percent to Fontaine as compensation.
By then, Fontaine would bear the infamy, while Hiiragi Danzo would reap the benefits. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
He picked up his teacup, brought it to his nose to sniff the aroma, his eyes deep, as if he could already see himself standing at the peak of power, influencing the future of all Inazuma.
Soon, once he fully secured this position, he could carry out his ambitions, clear away those decaying stumbling blocks, and make Inazuma gre— "BOOM!!!"
The heavy pearwood door of the study, inlaid with steel plates and strong enough to withstand axes and swords, was smashed as if struck by the palm of an ancient giant beast, the entire door exploding instantly!
Wood chips, rubble, and dust swept through the room like a tsunami!
"Pfft—!"
Hiiragi Danzo sprayed out the hot tea he had just sipped, coughing violently. The expensive teacup slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor with a crisp crack.
He looked up miserably through the thick dust and saw only a tall figure in a blue windbreaker, emerging from the smoke like a God, stepping into this private space he thought was perfectly safe.
"Who... who are you?! How dare you trespass into the Kanjou Commis—"
Hiiragi Danzo was both shocked and enraged. While coughing, he tried to stand up, reaching for the emergency alarm hidden under the table, while his mind raced through countless lines of official jargon, excuses, and even threats.
He was confident that as long as he was given a chance to speak, he could... King didn't question him, didn't confront him, and didn't even bother to confirm with a "Are you Hiiragi Danzo?"
It was as if he had seen a pile of foul-smelling trash on the road.
And then he naturally raised his hand and threw a punch.
BANG!!!!!
A massive boom.
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