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Walking around Inazuma city became a habit for Raiden Ei. The Archon never thought she would like to observe the details of every street and every house in Inazuma.
Every day there was a change, and Ei could remember every one of them. It was curious. One day, there was a bird’s nest on the roof of a house; the next day, a beehive appeared in the branches of a tree.
To the humans, it was a surprise when she shared that with them. Or when she noticed they'd painted the house or bought a new vase of flowers. Full of devotion, they thanked her. They seemed so happy…
Ei didn't understand. Why were they happy? Her saying she liked their house meant nothing to Eternity. And yet, they were happy. They were impressed that she knew the color of their house, as if they believed that was something a god shouldn't worry about.
However, Ei was concerned about it. She worried about every house and every human in Inazuma. The Archon needed to know everything that was going on in her nation. She should hold absolute control over Inazuma.
Ei wouldn't let anything or anyone hurt Inazuma. The Shogun seemed to have her own doubts about the meaning of human happiness, but both were in agreement that they should protect the citizens. Ei was confident they could work together to create a better nation.
The god stopped at Tomoki’s shop to buy dango milk. She was relieved to see he was in the city.
Ei heard that the Traveler was in Inazuma again. Miko said they came because of the Arataki Glorious Festival or something like that. The Archon had never heard of this festival before, but it didn't seem like a threat to Eternity.
Despite Lumine’s presence, Arataki Glorious Festival must be an insignificant festival. The city streets were full, and nobody talked about this festival. Tomoki hadn't heard of it.
She stopped at the Kujou Estate, meeting Sara during her daily bow practice. In silence, Ei watched the General, not wanting to disturb the tengu. Sara’s shots were perfect. It was as if the warrior and the bow were one. And the arrows were the embodiment of her will. It was beautiful to witness.
“Shogun-sama”. The tengu greeted after the fifth arrow hit the target on the dummy’s head.
“As usual, your aim is perfect, General”.
“I still have a long way to go to reach perfection, but I’m glad to be at your service”.
Ei smiled.
“Is this a new bow?”
“Yes”. Sara raised her eyebrows and extended the bow to the god. “Lumine brought it from Liyue for me. It’s called Fading Twilight. I don't know why she wanted to give it to me, but she said it would be a good bow for me”.
“A good name. What did you think of it?”
“I still need time to adjust to it, but it’s a good bow”.
Ei was happy to hear that. The Traveler has a talent for making friends. And out of all her friends, Lumine chose to give Sara the bow. The Archon imagined the tengu must have had a hard time accepting the gift. That was cute of her. The god could understand the feeling.
When Chiyo created a dance for her, Ei didn't want to accept it. Just like when Sasayuri wrote a song for her. Ei didn't want to accept any gift. She was not worthy of it. There were better people to give gifts to.
“May I test it?”
“Of course.”
Ei took the bow and tested the string. Fading Twilight was a beautiful bow, but it was not from Inazuma, and it was a gift from the Traveler. Sara wouldn't switch bows, would she?
She raised the bow and shot an arrow. It went flying and hit a spot close to the target. The god looked at the arrows the tengu shot. They all hit the target, right in the center. Ei shot another arrow and another and another. Her arrows hit the dummy, but those weren't perfect like Sara’s shots.
The Archon didn't want to lose. Somewhere in her mind, the Shogun was saying that it was not a competition and that she should praise Sara’s talent. Ei agreed with her, but she wanted to hit the target. She shot some more arrows and, one of them, landed on the target.
“Yay!”
Ei stopped. The god remembered that light novel, ‘Pretty Please, Kitsune Guuji?’; she sounded like the main character of that story. The Archon looked at Sara, who was trying to hide her flushed face. Yet, the tengu didn’t say anything.
“Here, General”. Ei returned the bow to Sara. “I won't take your time anymore”.
“My time belongs to you, Shogun-sama”. Sara put her hand on her chest.
Ei smiled. Sara acted as if the Yay! hadn’t happened. The tengu really was a good soldier. Good thing that Miko was not around. The kitsune would never ignore that. Miko would talk about it for years, decades maybe. Just the thought of it scared Ei.
“You must attend the Arataki Festival. Am I correct? Lumine told me about it, but no one seems to know about this festival”.
A frown grew on the tengu’s face. That topic seemed to be a headache for the General. But, by Sara’s reaction, there was a festival happening.
“I wouldn't call it a festival. It’s more like… a group of unemployed men hanging around”.
“I see. It's really not a festival”. Ei smiled. “I’m glad people didn’t get involved with these men”.
“Me too”.
Ei could see the ghost of a smile on the tengu’s face. Sara should have a beautiful smile. It was a shame the god had no talent to make others smile. Or more specifically, make Sara smile.
“I assume you also practice swordsmanship”.
“Yes. At the end of the day”.
Ei looked at the sun. She would have to wait for the end of the day.
“Between the bow and the sword, you chose the bow, am I correct?”
Sara looked at the bow, as if thinking about the next words she was going to say.
“I wouldn't call it a choice. During the war time, the bow was a better weapon to assist my men. I could save their lives, even though I was far away. I just needed an arrow”.
The tengu stopped. Ei realized Sara had more to say. The god wanted to hear more. Ei couldn’t imagine why she would be mad. Not when Sara picked her weapon to protect, not to kill. Not when, even in the war, the General did not abandon her comrades, staying true to the ideals of a samurai.
“You are allowed to speak, General”.
“I could shoot an arrow into an enemy’s thigh or shoulder. That would be enough to get them off the battlefield. With a sword, I would need to kill them, or cut their hands off”.
Sara showed kindness even to enemies. This was new to Ei. She had no mercy against the enemies of Eternity. They all needed to be eliminated. Sara’s way was not wrong. If it was possible to fight and protect Inazuma without killing, Ei would accept this way. She would ask Sara to teach her how to win a battle without killing.
“Why did you try to hide it from me?”
She remembered Sara chose the sword when she faced the Snezhnaya’s diplomat. A sign that the General was ready to kill.
“Shogun-sama! I didn't mean to…”
“Answer me, General”.
“My father didn't approve of my methods”.
That was all Ei needed to hear to understand. To go against the will of an elder, and the will of the father, was the same as going against the ideal of a samurai. This girl must have suffered. Being broken and shattered again and again with no one to hold out a hand, no one to help her. Not even her god.
Even so, Sara kept walking down that path. She didn’t give up or falter. Such a beautiful and honorable soul. Ei wished she could hold the tengu in her hand and never let her go. She wanted Sara to be hers.
“I see. I understand why she calls you a hero”.
“She?”
“The Shogun”.
“But… you’re the Shogun”.
Ei’s eyes widened.
“Oh. Didn't Lumine tell you about me?”
Ei blinked. Did she misinterpret? That day at Irodori Festival, the egg roll the tengu made for her, the days they spent together. The Archon thought the General was aware of her nature. Sara never asked anything.
“Come with me. We have a lot to talk about”.
---
Ei invited Sara to the imperial tea room. She narrated her tale to the General. Ei told Sara everything. Sasayuri and Chiyo’s life. Kitsune Saiguu sacrifice. The Cataclysm and Khaenri'ah fall. And Makoto. The kindness and life of the former Archon. How Ei was her kagemusha and failed to protect her twin sister. Finally, Ei told about the construction of the puppet Shogun, the fear of erosion, how she put her consciousness into the Musou Isshin and created the Plane of Euthymia.
Ei stopped talking, waiting for a reaction from the tengu.
“General, I should…”
“Shogun-sama! I’m sorry”. Sara bowed down, pressing her forehead to the floor. “I’m so sorry. I noticed that… that you were in pain. Even before the war and the Vision Hunt Decree, I saw that you were alone and suffering. Yet, I didn’t do anything to help you. I thought I shouldn’t help you, that I couldn’t do anything to help a god. I’m sorry. I should have helped you. I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
The Archon blinked. She didn’t expect this. Even now, Sara didn’t think about her own pain. The tengu really was a hero with a beautiful soul.
“Sara”. Ei held Sara’s face, forcing the tengu to look her in the eyes. “This is not a guilt you should bear”.
“But, Shogun-sama…”
“You helped me. You didn’t ignore my pain”. Ei ran her fingers through Sara's hair. “Even if you didn't say anything, you were always by my side. Your presence brought me peace and still does”.
The god spoke the truth. That wasn't enough to erase her pain. Even so, Sara still helped her.
“I want to help you more”.
“You will, Sara”.
Ei got up and went to a shelf, where she took a bowl full of dried persimmons.
“Aneue used to give these to people she favored”. Ei smiled. “I remembered when she gave one to Miko. It was all that girl talked about for months. I think it's a tradition we can keep”.
“If that's what you wish, Shogun-sama”.
“You can call me, Ei, Sara”.
“I will keep that in mind… Ei”.
“Here, try one of these''.
The Archon took a dried persimmon and offered it to Sara. The tengu blushed and bent down to bite a piece of the dried persimmon.
“It's very sweet”.
“Yes. And now you are officially one of my favorite people”.