"Steamed Lion's Head, Crystal Shrimp..."
"You should be able to get used to the taste, right?" Raiden Makoto had honed her culinary skills under her master's guidance since childhood. Thus, cooking was likely her only skill, aside from Peking Opera, that didn't rely on the national style master system. She had a basic understanding of the Eight Major Chinese Cuisines.
She naturally preferred spicy food, as her master was from Bashu, and the opera troupe usually stayed in Bashu as well.
However, she hadn't found any chili peppers within the Kamisato Clan's grounds. She didn't know if chili peppers existed in the Genshin Impact world. Considering that the locals of Inazuma preferred very light flavors, she chose Su cuisine, which is relatively mild among the eight major cuisines.
"It smells so good..." Ayaka Kamisato swallowed her saliva somewhat sheepishly, her mouth smacking. She was a foodie by nature, but she had never tasted such fragrant dishes before.
"Makoto, is it that you can't do anything else and only know how to cook? Ah, no... I forgot that Makoto is also top-tier in the tea ceremony..." Ayaka blinked. "Thoma, what do you think?"
"Although I've never experienced Makoto's tea ceremony, Makoto's culinary skills are truly the most outstanding I've ever seen," Thoma acknowledged from the bottom of his heart. "And these look completely different from local Inazuman dishes."
Since Inazuma was an island nation, most of the food consisted of various types of seafood, either steamed or served as sashimi.
He was actually a bit unaccustomed to it.
"Alright, alright."
Raiden Makoto felt a bit embarrassed by their praise, a faint blush appearing on the Lady's cheeks.
"Try it first before you say anything else."
"I... I can taste it now?" Ayaka was a bit excited. "Thoma, I'll go first!"
"Yes." How could he dare to compete with the Demoiselle for food? Although the rich aroma made Thoma somewhat impatient as well.
"Mmm... delicious..." As a piece of Lion's Head entered her mouth, Ayaka couldn't help but let out a shameful, decadent sound, her pretty face also flushing red.
Compared to Raiden Makoto's cooking, she felt her previous ochazuke was truly the worst.
"Delicious, so delicious..." If Raiden Makoto hadn't been there, Ayaka might have let herself go, but with Raiden Makoto present, her reason told her she had to remain somewhat reserved.
As for Thoma? She didn't care; after all, Thoma already knew what kind of person she was.
"Makoto, this is the best food I've ever eaten. You must have been the God of Cooking in your past life!" Ayaka said with a serious face.
"Thoma, you should try some too." Although Thoma tried his best to restrain himself, his eager look didn't escape Raiden Makoto's eyes. She couldn't help but chuckle softly, "Give it a try."
"Okay."
"It's just a pity some seasonings are missing; otherwise, it could have been even better." Raiden Makoto sighed slightly. An otherworldly realm was still an otherworldly realm; things that existed on Earth might not necessarily exist here.
"Seasonings? Tell me what you need, and I'll have Thoma collect them."
"???"
Just as Thoma was enjoying the delicacy, a deep voice came from outside.
"Brother?"
When everyone turned their heads, they saw a white-haired youth dressed in samurai attire at the door. His eyes and brows bore some resemblance to Ayaka's, and the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.
"Sister."
"Brother, you should come and try some too. Makoto's cooking is really quite good." Seeing Ayato Kamisato return home, Ayaka immediately became much more dignified, though her tone held a hint of joy.
"Mhm."
"I heard you rescued a girl by the shore; I assume this is her?" Ayato Kamisato's gaze fell upon Raiden Makoto. A hint of surprise appeared in his icy blue eyes, which were similar to Ayaka's.
"You... how can you look so similar to the Shogun?" Ayato felt that Raiden Makoto was indeed very similar to the Raiden Shogun, but upon closer inspection, there were significant differences between the two.
"Brother, Makoto does indeed resemble the Shogun, but there must be similar-looking people in this world, right? Besides, when we were young, didn't Grandmother once say that the Raiden Shogun can do everything except cook? Although that might just be a legend... but Makoto's cooking is the best I've ever seen, so Makoto is definitely not the Raiden Shogun." Ayaka said with great seriousness.
"I see."
"The taste is excellent..."
"Brother, how long are you staying?" Ayaka was much more formal in front of Ayato, but there was still expectation in her gaze as she looked at him.
"Not for long... there have been many affairs lately." Ayato sighed. "As you know, with time, the Vision Hunt Decree has become increasingly severe... those matters..."
"Brother, there's no need to avoid Makoto. Makoto is already on the side of our Kamisato Clan; she is no outsider."
"And..."
"Makoto and I have already come up with a strategy to resist the Vision Hunt Decree. Makoto thinks there's a problem within the Tenryou Commission. We just need to find evidence of the Tenryou Commission's fraud... Makoto also said she wants to negotiate with the resistance on Watatsumi Island to jointly oppose the Vision Hunt Decree." Ayaka told Ayato everything she and Raiden Makoto had discussed regarding how to resist the Vision Hunt Decree, her eyes still filled with expectation.
As the Demoiselle of the Shuumatsuban Kamisato Clan, which was closest to the people's livelihood, Ayaka naturally felt that the sooner the Vision Hunt Decree disappeared, the better.
"No. The Kamisato Clan is the head of the Yashiro Commission and a subordinate of the Shogun. How can we have contact with the resistance? Resisting the Vision Hunt Decree in private is one thing... but the resistance is actively opposing the Shogunate."
"I know."
"But we can investigate the Tenryou Commission... As for the person contacting the resistance, it can be Makoto." Ayaka looked up, her eyes shining. They couldn't do it, but Raiden Makoto could.
"Me?"
"Didn't I say? I'm really not good at fighting..." Raiden Makoto felt she truly lacked the strength to truss a chicken, whether in her past life or this one—especially now that she was just a weak Lady.
"Hmm..." Listening to Ayaka's words, Ayato fell into deep thought. Like Ayaka, he actually opposed the Vision Hunt Decree; otherwise, he wouldn't have silently watched Ayaka help those with Visions. Moreover... "The Tenryou Commission and the Commission of Retainers indeed have some issues. They are the ones vetoing our proposals to cancel the Vision Hunt Decree." Ayato nodded. "But Makoto doesn't look like the type suited for combat."
He didn't sense any martial arts temperament from Raiden Makoto, nor did he see a Vision.
"Makoto isn't good at fighting, but we can find someone to assist her, right? She can act as our liaison with the resistance, and we can deal with the Vision Hunt Decree together." Ayaka spoke with great earnestness; she had to make this happen today.
"Who?"
"Sayu."
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