Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kaedehara Kazuha is a simple man.

He loves the wind, fish, and poetry.

He absolutely hates politics.

Which is why he's sighing when he's telling Kujou Sara off.

“Sara-taichou,” Kazuha sighs, “I am, once again, sorry to tell you that I will not be returning to Inazuma as an aristocrat. Please tell the Shogun to keep the money to make Kannazuka and Yashiori habitable again.”

To her credit, Sara looks like she doesn't want to do this either. In fact, he pities her. She looks like she's going to either pass out or pass a mental breakdown right now.

“I think it's time to give up, miss,” Captain Beidou steps next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Kid doesn't want it, and you should know how hard it is to change a Vision holder's mind.”

Sara groans. Loudly. Not even caring to look fine anymore.

“I am not paid enough for this,” she grunts. Sara looks at him straight in the eyes. “Fine, I'll be frank with you. The peace talks with Watatsumi is finally going well, buy they demand a habitable land be given as a sign of sincerity. We agreed to give Yashiori as that gift, but when we're about to sign on it, we found out that the island already has an owner.”

“What does that have to do with me?” Kazuha asks. 

“Because the name in the ownership document is your family's!” she almost shrieks. Almost.

Silence. 

Kazuha blinks. “That's not possible,” he says, “my family were stripped of everything once we fully declined. It should legally belong to the Shogun.”

Sara sighs again. “See, apparently your clan had the highest title in the land — a ducal family. The Kaedehara Clan were also once the Yashiro Commissioner. So naturally, the Electro Archon at the time rewarded your clan with land and honor.”

“That should only be for Yashiori,” Kazuha says after he checks the documents. “We don't own Tatarasuna. The Niwa Clan does.”

Sara looks at him as if he grew two heads.

“Kaedehara-kun,” she starts, “the Niwa Clan was your ancestor. A son of the clan was adopted.”

Kazuha pauses to process that.

Sara sighs. “It's really complicated. An oversight during the aftermath of the first civil war.”

Kazuha blinks.

“You own Kannazuka and Yashiori, Kaedehara-kun. It's legitimately yours.”

Kazuha blinks, turns around, and jumps off the ship.

“What's up with him and his family?” Captain Beidou of the Crux asks as her other crew brings Kaedehara-kun up the ship again.

Sara sighs — because Archons know she is not paid enough for this. 

“The story goes like this,” she starts, “it was the end of the civil war between Watatsumi and Narukami around two thousand years ago. At the time, it was mandatory enlistment, so every man and occasionally women were on the field. Many of them died, as per war regulations. That includes nobility as well, and the Kaedehara Clan was the Yashiro Commissioner.”

“So?” Captain Beidou prompts.

“Long story short, clan head died. His half brother, who is progenitor of fhe Niwa Clan, also died. Kaedehara Clan got no successors, since the clan head's son also died during the war. The chaos for a successor led to the Kamisato Clan rising as Yashiro Commissioner. Paperwork stuff — the chaos of war aftermath left the will and land ignored until a few days ago.”

Captain Beidou pauses for a second. “Didn't Kazuha tell you to sell everything, though?”

“He did,” Sara nods. “I sold everything except his ancestral home, but the thing about Kaedehara Nagamitsu's will is his properties shall belong to the closest blood relative, and well, his only property left was the land.”

“I am genuinely confused,” says Captain Beidou, which is understandable, since Sara herself is mildly confused. She might have to re-check with Shikanoin later.

“The bottom line is that it's all the Shogunate's fault,” she says with a sigh. Gods, her head is throbbing. “If the land certificate was transferred properly two thousand years ago, none of this would have happened.”

Captain Beidou crosses her arms. “So literally nobody knew they owned two islands during this two thousand years old lineage?”

Sara shakes her head. “Not even Kaedehara Nagamitsu's heir.”

Captain Beidou scrunches her face.

Sara glances sideways and sees Kaedehara-kun, already dry thanks to his Anemo Vision, approaching. “We'll be giving you all that belongs to you. Just so you know, if you decline then you're going to go from a living legend to a devil.”

Kaedehara-kun looks unimpressed. “The illusion of freedom,” he says dryly, “I wonder what my patron Archon would say.” Everyone glances at his Vision. It's glowing.

Then her and Captain Beidou's Visions start to glow as well. 

“Hey, so—” Shikanoin steps inside the ship and pauses when he notices his Vision oddly glowing despite him not having enough energy orbs yet. He blinks. “Uh, I can come later?” he says. 

Sara sighs, and their Visions stop glowing ominously (waging war on Mondstadt will make her quit). “No, you arrived just in time, Shikanoin-keibu,” she says. 

Shikanoin blinks but heads over anyways. He frowns, “Since when was I a keibu?” 

“Since Owada-san quit last night,” she informs, then proceeds to pat his shoulder. “Congratulations, Shikanoin-keibu. You now have the station under your command.”

Shikanoin blinks and glances at her hand on his shoulder before brushing it off. “Yes,” he says, wariness in his tone and the eyes glancing at her, “so I discovered this morning. Kujou-taichou, I brought the documents you asked for last night.”

He hands her the (frankly) moth food quality files. “I made friends with the moths there,” he says, unnecessarily, but of course he does because he's Shikanoin.

(If it wasn't for the fact that he's the most capable person in the entire commission she wouldn't have even considered his promotion to head of local security.)

Rolling her eyes as she passes on the dusty papers to Kaedehara-kun, she replies, “You got your raise. Now go.”

He grins, satisfied, but apparently not enough because he still doesn't leave. “A moment,” he says, glancing at her for approval knowing damn well she has to give it.

He smiles, pointing at the dusty file Kaedehara-kun is skimming through, Captain Beidou peeking from behind him. 

“While digging through family lines last night, I found out that the head of the Niwa Clan and the head of the Kaedehara Clan at the time of the Mikage Furnace Incident are cousins. Then Niwa-san's son got adopted into the Kaedehara Clan. That means the fortune from the Kaedehara should be transferred to the Niwa Clan, which, technically, on paper still exists.”

“I'm very much aware of my net worth, as you Tenryou people have been pestering me about it, thank you very much,” says Kaedehara-kun with a glare which doesn't exist in her book because Kujou Sara doesn't give a shit anymore.

A few seconds pass. Shikanoin is still here.

Raising an eyebrow, she turns to him, “Don't you have work, keibu?” 

“No, actually. I had everyone pull all-nighters last night so we're basically done with—” he pauses, finally recognizing her glare, then sheepishly smiles. “Yes, actually. Kamisato-sama just called to, uh, search for Thoma-senpai,” he waves at Kaedehara-kun, “See you at the inauguration ceremony, man!”

Shikanoin leaves the Crux in a hurry.

“So?” Sara raises an eyebrow, glancing between the documents and Kaedehara-kun. “If you're that stingy, just rescind your title after you sign the land transfer contract,” she amends when he doesn't reply. 

“Not stingy, just not willing to give up my current lifestyle,” he replies, probably snapping, but Kaedehara-kun is as calm as a person can be so she can't really tell with him. He sighs, “I know how much power I hold and the influence I can exert, Sara-taichou. It may be a short period, but things can go from zero to a hundred in that short period.”

“I understand,” she sighs. “There is an alternative, but we have to speak with Her Excellency the Shogun for this.”

And he considers it, despite his dislike of the Electro Archon. That means he's serious about all this. 

With a low sigh, he shrugs. “It's happening, anyways. Might as well,” he says, and she agrees. After all.

“What's the worst that can happen?”

“Oh, Kaedehara Kazuha,” Ei remarks upon entering the chamber she usually reserves for tea. “What brings you here?”

She has a feeling that neither one of them likes to be in each other's presence, so might as well keep it brief.

(He obviously holds some grudges about her, whether it be his companion or the Vision Hunt Decree, or something else entirely. She tolerates his presence, but would rather not be as he possesses the power to withstand her one-hit-kill technique. Also because he won't stop glaring at her. Mainly that.)

Kujou Sara coughs. “I apologize for not informing you of his presence, but Kaedehara—” she pauses, “-dono would like to negotiate the conditions of his inauguration as the new Niwa Clan lord.”

“Ah,” Ei blinks. It had slipped her mind with all the peace talks. “Congratulations, Kaedehara Kazuha. I admit, it's been a while since Tenshukaku has received a monthly guest, but it doesn't hurt to liven up the place.”

Kaedehara Kazuha chokes on his tea. Kujou Sara freezes in the middle of sipping hers. 

“Pardon?” the wandering swordsman asks, blinking his wide eyes as he wipes his mouth with a bandaged hand. 

Ei tilts her head. “Are you not aware of your new title?” she asks. “Then, let me tell you; you shall be inaugurated as the first daimyou in five hundred and a half years. I am keen on continuing my sister's tradition of monthly tea tasting with the ducal family.”

(It does, in fact, become the worst thing that can happen.)

There are several things Kazuha wants to address about the Raiden Shogun's sentence.

“I—what do you mean a daimyou—sister??” he stutters, because what the fuck in going on. “I thought I was just a household head?”

“As do I,” Sara-taichou interjects.

The Shogun calmly sips on the (frankly delicious) green tea. “You own two regions in the archipelago, Kaedehara Kazuha. It simply won't do for you to be a mere household lord.”

This is — bullshit. Archons. 

“Why now?” he asks. “No, wait, don't answer. That's a stupid question — I know why now,” he mumbles. The Shogun patiently waits for his ramblings to end. 

“If you ask why I hadn't taken the lands you own and your fortunes when your clan fell, it's because I don't wish to take back what my sister had given,” she explains, turning somber. “It doesn't feel right,” she almost whispers. 

She clears her throat. “Also because times were hectic when your clan lost its ducal status, so nobody noticed and here we are.”

Sara-taichou groans. “Archons, this feels like a fever dream.”

“Anyways,” the Raiden Shogun begins, “is that all you came here for?” Her eyes visibly light up when a servant brings a tray of dango and dango milk to the table.

“No,” he replies on reflex, then coughs to compose himself. “How willing are you about my freedom?”

The Shogun blinks. “You are not my prisoner,” she states.

“He meant about after he receives his title, Shogun-sama,” Sara-taichou supplies. 

The Shogun nods in realization. “It depends on your willingness,” she says, pointing the dango stick towards him.

“I wish to continue my travels after this ordeal is over,” Kazuha says. The Shogun doesn't look like someone who appreciates complicated ways of talking.

“Then you shall,” she nods, chewing on another stick of dango, “but I expect your presence during certain events and ceremonies.”

“And the reports?” he inquires.

“Only about tax and land management,” she says. “The Tri-Commission handles things well before you arrive — we don't need to shake that equilibrium. Of course, I expect you to keep up the tradition of visiting Tenshukaku as well.”

That's reasonable enough. He can hire someone to file the reports, and can check on them during his monthly visits. Bonus points if there's an event — he can do all those in one go. 

He nods. “Then I shall take my leave. Thank you, Raiden Shogun.”

He can live with this.

Ei scoffs. 

Kujou Sara glances at her in curiosity. A smile creeps upon the Shogun's face — and she mumbles.

“Such boldness,” she stares at the back of the young swordman, “never once referred to me as 'Almighty Shogun',”

Kaedehara Kazuha, Head of the Niwa Clan.

She will remember him.

Chapter Text

“Sangonomiya-chan!”

Kokomi yelps, jumping out of...where she fell asleep last night, which was on the table, knocking the candle—

Yelping, she tosses some Hydro on the tatami floor, which got slightly singed. 

“Uh, Sangonomiya-chan?” Oh, it was Kirara-san — wait, she hasn't ordered anything recently, why is Kirara-san here?

“Kirara-san,” Kokomi nods, shoving the table a little to the left to hide the burn marks of the (frankly expensive) tatami floor. “I don't recall ordering any new books lately, so why are you here?”

“Here,” Kirara-san hands her an envelope — with the seal of the Raiden Shogun. “I've been going all around Inazuma searching for Kamisato-san, Kujou-taichou, Gorou-taichou, Kamisato-bugyou and now you. All these people just for an invitation.”

“For what?” she asks, not particularly to Kirara-san, just wondering aloud. “Why invite Watatsumi?” they are, in fact, in the middle of peace talks. It would be weird to invite the party who's pressuring to a ceremony, unless it's meant to suck up to her. It's not the Raiden Shogun's style, so that's highly unlikely.

The nekomata shrugs. “I'unno. But I've heard that it's a ceremony of sorts, and every single person I've sent the invitation has wide eyes and—” Kokomi gasps, Kirara-san looks unimpressed, “—there it is.”

To the Head of the Sangonomiya Clan, the Divine Priestess, Sangonomiya Kokomi,

     As the war between Narukami and Watatsumi settles down, the peace talks begin. In a gesture of goodwill and an attempt to ease the public in a show of solidarity and friendship, I would like to cordially invite you, Sangonomiya Kokomi, to the inauguration ceremony of soon-to-be Koshaku, Kaedehara Kazuha of the Niwa Clan. 

    I heard that he was once part of the Resistance Army, and had forged close bonds with you and General Gorou. Therefore, you are to be invited as his friend, and also as an esteemed guest of the Shogun. 

    I hope to see you during the ceremony, and we can talk about the land distribution together with its owner after the ceremony ends. 

In the hope of peace.

Perpetua, perennis, impervia,

Raiden Ei, Shogun of Inazuma.

“Oh my gods, Kazuha!” yells Sea Drake the evening after Sara-taichou's rather offensive visit to the Crux. Kazuha barely jumps (with the power of Anemo, bless the Anemo Archon) from Drake's frontal assault of a hug. 

“How's the meeting?” asks Juza, clearly worried out of his mind what with Kazuha's own history with the Shogun and the sheer implication a meeting with not only a god, but one of the Seven Archons, brings. 

“It was fine,” he says, sitting on top of one of the barrels, “Apparently I got a promotion before I even got my position.”

“Elaborate?” Yinxing places a hand on her hip. 

Hm, how to explain Inazuma's aristocratic system to non-Inazumans...

“Basically, I was supposed to be the head of the Feiyun Guild, but I became a Qixing member instead,” he says, and — yup, expected reactions. Everyone's looking at him like he's joking.

Suling is the one to laugh first. He pats Kazuha's back (rather harshly but that's nothing new), and says, “Funny joke, kid. You can't be serious.”

“But I am serious.”

Suling blinks. Then faints.

Kazuha sighs. This is going to be a long... week.

Thoma frowns at his master — Ayato has been staring at the invitation letter from Tenshukaku, slurping on his twentieth milk tea (he might ask for a spar later to burn off all that calories), and then laughs hysterically, rather unhingedly, and then repeating the cycle all over again. 

Ayaka doesn't bode (cope, more like) too well with the letter either. She's been burning the woods of their front porch by walking in circles, looking very deep in thought. 

He sighs, taking a seat near the little fish pond Yoimiya-chan and Ayaka built a few weeks ago. Of course, they forgot to care for it, but that's what he gets paid for. Another reason to ask for a raise, he supposes.

He takes out the same letter the Kamisato lord and lady have been going insane over. The contents are roughly the same, without the formalities and with the added apology. 

It surprises him that the Shogun wrote each and every invitation letter herself — usually that job falls into the Yashiro Commission, or some other servant in Tenshukaku. She really goes out of her way for Kazuha-kun's inauguration ceremony. 

Maybe, in Thoma's very much humble opinion, she wants to, uh, atone for her absence? Can gods even atone? To whom, Celestia? 

That said, Her Excellency has been more proactive in her duties — for one, she's the one handling all the peace talks. Sara-san is only there as her bodyguard (though he doubts she even needs one).

Then Thoma, who was about to stand up and help prepare dinner, yelps and falls into the pond. Why? Because his dearest mistress just slams open the door to her brother's office. 

“Holy fucking Barbatos,” he mutters, as Hirano-san rushes to help him out of the pond. He dries himself with his Vision, mumbles a thank you to Hirano-san, and runs after Ayaka.

Ayato yelps, spilling his precious milk tea on his very much expensive (fifty years of Thoma's salary type of expensive) tatami floor (complete with heating pads because winter in Inazuma can be quite brutal — not as bad as Mondstadt or, gods forbid, Snezhnaya). 

He glares at his sister, who is stomping towards him (somehow) gracefully. “Archons, Ayaka,” he mumbles. “What's the matter?”

Ayaka (once again) gracefully sits down, opens her fan and covers her mouth. 

Ayato feels compelled to look presentable as well, so he fixes his sitting position and tries to look as Commissioner-like as possible. 

“Onii-sama,” Ayaka starts, voice sweet but calm, “I wish to be betrothed to Kaedehara-san.”

Kazuha sneezes. 

“You okay, bud?” Captain Beidou asks, pouring another glass of sake to his cup. “Maybe you should go to sleep.”

“I feel a bad omen is approaching,” he remarks, then shrugs, “which makes sense, considering.”

The captain snorts, downing her beer. “So,” she starts, dangling the handle of the mug with her index finger, “how long are you going to be gone?”

Kazuha shrugs. “A few weeks, maybe,” he says, “you don't have to wait for me. You can leave after the ceremony.” 

Captain Beidou scoffs. “Nah, kid. You know better than that. 'Course we ain't leaving without you,” she says, patting him on the back , “'sides, 't's kinda funny yer actually a certified rich kid now. Gods, Ning's gonna be laughing her ass off when she hear this.”

“I'm glad my suffering's enjoyable for you,” he snarks, rolling his eyes. “But I'm serious. This thing could take more than a week.”

Beidou snorts, downing another glass. “I doubt it,” she says, “that Shogun e' yers — she's a good leader. People may think the opposite because,” she motions at Ritou, “y'know, but things have been really peaceful until some third party interrupts the tranquil. I doubt she'd hold you for long if she's like how I think she is. 'Sides, the pretty girl from Watatsumi's also very smart, so she won't drag it long.”

“If you say so,” he shrugs, taking a shot, then hums to the hidden melodies of the night wind. “The ceremony is two days from now. All of you are invited.”

“Free dango!” yells a very much drunk Juzo, with someone's scarf as a headband, standing on a barrel while raising his mug. “Glory to the dango and the everlasting Shogun!”

Beidou cackles for a good five minutes.

“Alright, alright,” she says, “I think that's enough alcohol for one night. Clean up, everyone! I don't want anybody drunk on the job! We also don't want to embarrass Mister Richman right here.” Kazuha glares, but they only laugh.

“But captain!” exclaims Drake, “You always drink on the job!”

“Shut the hell up, Drake.”

Two days come in a flash.

“I can't believe I'm actually doing this,” mutters Kazuha, right as he stands in front of the Raiden Shogun, fully clothed in these frankly itchy garments, and wishing he doesn't instead.

A few words from the Shogun later — "As per my bla bla something" — the ceremony ended without a hitch. 

Keyword; the ceremony. The celebration after is something else entirely. 

Now, Kazuha doesn't know what got into the Raiden Shogun that she, for the first time in a great while, actually, opens the door of Tenshukaku to those that are not the heads of the Tri-Commission for a party.

He doesn't think he did anything worth noting (aside from, well, parrying her divine technique but we don't talk about that here), and there should be no political reasons for making this entire thing a huge deal. So unless he misreads his entire worth and the bigger picture of the situation, it is, in fact, out of character for the Shogun to be so sociable.

“You do, in fact, misread the situation,” whispers one Kujou Sara, sitting next to him despite her being a female tengu ("General perks," as she puts it). 

He raises an eyebrow. “How so?”

She takes a sip of the sake someone (you never really know who's trying to suck up to you when there's more people in the room you barely know than the ones you do) poured for her whenever ago. “Easying tension,” she says, motioning to the Shogun conversing with Sangonomiya-dono. 

“Ah,” something clicks in his head and he nods. “To show cordial communications between Watatsumi and Narukami,” he takes a sip. “At the risk of sounding blasphemous and treasonous, I didn't expect Her Excellency to be capable of such ideas.”

And of course Sara glares. But instead of arresting him or kicking the shit out of him, she merely scoffs. “Have Inazuma been in great peril before the decrees?”

“You do know that Kamisato Ayato-bugyou exists, right?”

“Yae-guuji would skin you alive if she heard that,” Sara mutters, looking like she's reliving an Experience™. “But I digress. Her Excellency is a good ruler at heart.”

“And I don't doubt that,” he clarifies. “During the five hundred years of her reign, we barely have any sort of national crisis at all. The most that happened was the Mikage Furnace Tragedy, and the Case of the Eccentric, but that's two in five hundred years.”

Sara raises an eyebrow. “And the bottom line being?”

Kazuha takes a shot. He glances at the Raiden Shogun — it lines up with what the Traveler told him. The Shogun is a puppet. The real Electro Archon is within that puppet. The lively movements and facial expressions the Raiden Shogun is showing now does not match with the Raiden Shogun he saw growing up. 

“Merely the fact that she's a god,” he says. He pauses, waiting for Sara to reply, but she doesn't, so he continues. “The decrees proved that she will do anything in pursuit of her Divine Ideal. Although, in her head, it's for the better sake of us as well. That is to be expected. A certain bard once told me that a god has to love humanity to even become an Archon.”

He turns to the General. “But loving humanity is not understanding humanity. To her, we may have been insignificant in her pursuit of Eternity. After all, to be an eternal nation is to preserve what we have. That is why I did not expect her to be so proactive in changing the status quo between Narukami and Watatsumi.”

Because at heart, Inazuma is a militaristic nation. History dictates that the Shogun slew Watatsumi's patron god during the Archon War with reconquest in mind. The reason why Narukami didn't conquer Watatsumi Island as well is because Watatsumi has nothing to offer. The only reason why Watatsumi never tried to retaliate again is because they don't have enough resources to do so.

It was a perfect balance for Narukami. So why tip the scale to Watatsumi's favour when clearly, they have a chance to strike back?

He takes another shot (his cup was already filled, so why not?), giving Sara time to think. 

“I can't believe you just made me listen to your philosophical rambling about our theocratic society,” grumbles the General. 

Kazuha merely smiles, setting his cup down. Too much sake is not very good for these types of situations. “Believe what you want, Kujou-taichou. I didn't mean to change your worldview.”

Sara glares at him, looking between baffled and indignant. “I acknowledge your views,” she says, and there is probably more to it, but she decides not to disclose her thoughts to him. 

“Kaedehara-kun.”

Kazuha turns his head — it's Ayato-san. Or, well, Kamisato-san he supposes. 

“Oh, Kamisato-san,” Kazuha nods in return. Ayato-san wears his usual business smile — perfectly sculpted and practiced, but he smells an air of... well, an ominous aura around Ayato-san. It's not strong enough to actually be from Ayato-san, so maybe some rival clan or something?

“Can you spare me a moment?” he mumbles, eyes glancing away. That's weird — Ayato-san's favourite intimidation technique is to have eye contact. He likes that technique so much it leaks into his everyday life. But now, he's avoiding eye contact like his life depends on it.

Curious.

“Of course,” Kazuha agrees, more keen on figuring out what makes Ayato-san so jittery today than anything else. 

Ayato-san nods, and they move to another location — near the bonsai garden in Tenshukaku. It's quiet, mainly because there's only about five people in the entire nation that can freely visit this garden, and it just so happens that both Kazuha and Ayato-san are part of the VIP club. Perfect for a private discussion.

...If only Ayato-san speaks the moment they are alone..

“...Is there anything you wish to say to me, Ayato-san?” Kazuha prompts. It's been five minutes, and if they're not back within the next ten, there would be a possible scandal brewing. Something along the lines of "single men" and "boldly experimenting" in "the sacred palace". 

Ayato-san opens his mouth. 

“Spare me the pleasantries,” Kazuha interjects. 

Ayato-san clears his throat. Then he takes a deep breath.

“Kazuha, would you like to be my brother-in-law?”

Ayato internally cringes. That... is probably not the best way to break the news.

Kazuha blinks. 

“Pardon?” he asks.

Shoving down the embarrassment and an undignified croak, Ayato clears his throat. “I am proposing to you an engagement with my little sister, Lady Kamisato Ayaka,” he repeats, more formally this time.

Kazuha-kun blinks.

Ayato waits, his smile threatening to waver as the time passes by. Gods, it is quite hard to maintain the Commissioner face when with Kazuha-kun for some reason.

(Probably because he's an Anemo Vision holder. Those airy folks are quite difficult to deal with — all with their "wind talks to me" thing.)

“Is,” Kazuha finally talks, hesitating a little, a small, awkward smile on his face, “is Ayaka-dono the one who asks?” He glances into Ayato's eyes, “Or are you asking without her knowledge?”

“Please, I would never,” he nervously chuckles. Ayato sighs and says, “It was Ayaka who came to me a few days ago to ask permission to be engaged to you.”

Kazuha sits on that for a minute before replying. “Why?”

“To avoid marriage proposals,” he answers. “She has been "having early gray hairs", as she puts it, since the season starts,” he barely manages to control his eyes to not roll. 

“Right,” Kazuha says blankly. He blinks. “Actually, that's pretty smart,” he says, nodding his head sagely. He looks at Ayato and nods, “Yeah, sure. Now both of us won't have to deal with the season.”

Ayato stares. “I admit, I did not expect you to cave so easily,” he says. “You do want to wander around the world, still? I thought you'd refuse because the engagement would be too binding.”

Kazuha shrugs. “I would come here monthly anyways,” he says casually.

After a brief period of silence — and to not make it awkward — Ayato clears his throat and extends a hand. “So,” he starts, glancing at Kazuha, “we have an agreement?”

Kazuha reciprocates but frowns as they shake hands. “Is this how marriage agreements go?” he asks.

Ayato shrugs. “Never saw my father did it,” he replies.

Kazuha raises an eyebrow. “Really? Not even when your sister's first engagement with me happened?” 

Ayato shakes his head. 

“Huh,” Kazuha says thoughtfully.

Silence occupies the air for a solid moment.

“Wait, Ayaka's first engagement—?”

“Psst! Gorou-kun!”

Nope. Gorou, you are hearing things. There's nobody there. Certainly not someone who's throwing rocks from the Shogun's garden to you for your attention.

“Gorou-kun! Hey!”

“What, Shikanoin-san?!” he snaps, mildly glaring at the Doushin who is beaming from below the balcony Gorou is currently sitting about. Growling, Gorou asks, “What are you even doing here? Can you even be here? This is for high ranking officials only, you know?”

Shikanoin, while infamous for his unorthodox ways of doing, well, everything, has lines he will not cross. That being his boss. He likes his job, apparently, not that his actions prove anything about that.

Shikanoin blinks, confused eyes staring back at him. “Wait, you don't know? Did Sara-taichou not tell you?”

Gorou tilts his head. “About?”

“My promotion,” Shikanoin says calmly. “I'm Head of Local Security now, apparently,” he shrugs.

Gorou blinks. “Huh,” he says, very much eloquently. Then he narrows his eyes at the detective, “Well, why aren't you up here, then?”

“Eh,” Shikanoin waves him off, “taking a breather from the lies upstairs. 'Sides, the food's too sweet for my taste. Didn't know the Shogun has a sweet tooth. I'd much prefer being out here basking in the cold wind rather than sitting there.”

Gorou rolls his eyes. “Anemo users and the wind,” he mutters. “Why bother me then? You know I'm officially a Watatsumi delegate.”

Shikanoin's eyes glint, and Gorou knows that is when he fucked up. 

“Aren't you tired of being up there as well, my friend?” Shikanoin asks, just because he likes to be proven right, probably. He's not wrong though, and that irks Gorou a bit.

“Well, I can't exactly just leave,” Gorou replies, placing a hand under his chin, “y'know, like you. It wouldn't be fair to Her Excellency.”

Shikanoin perks up. “I'm sensing a 'but' there,” he remarks, looking up hopefully.

“Although,” Gorou says belatedly, just because he doesn't like everything going Shikanoin's way. He glances at the place he left — the shogun and Kokomi are busy chatting, that kitsune woman already left, Kujou-taichou left the second she saw an opening (she went with guuji-sama), and Kazuha-kun and Kamisato-bugyou aren't even inside. 

Shikanoin rolls his eyes. “Right. Do you want me to get you out or not?” 

Gorou hums.

Since Kujou-taichou and Kazuha-kun left, he doesn't have any reason to stay inside. Kokomi's also busy talking things out with the shogun, and he doesn't have to worry about running into that unsavoury character if he does go out...

Gorou hums.

“Well?” Shikanoin offers again.

On a scale of silent treatment to cutting his pay, how mad is Kokomi going to be?

(But going out with Shikanoin, though...)

...He's sure she's fine on her own.

“Sure,” Gorou nods, leaping off the fence. Shikanoin grins and uses the power of Anemo to smooth his landing.

"Nice!” Shikanoin places his arm around Gorou's shoulders. “So, do you want to get some sake and get wasted or,” he grins, “get some sake, play TCG and get wasted?”

“The latter,” he replies, readying his fist. Shikanoin laughs and fist bumps him.

It's gonna be worth it.

Kokomi is going to kill Gorou.

“...Are you feeling alright, Sangonomiya?” asks the Raiden Shogun, looking unbothered but the tone in her voice certainly carries. 

Kokomi gives a strained smile. "Yes, thank you for asking,” she assures, because she's tired of peace talks and wants to get this over with stat.

The Raiden Shogun nods, gracefully placing down the cup of sake she just finished. She adjusts her sitting position, making sure her sleeves are folded nicely. 

“Shall we start then?” the shogun announces, but Kokomi nods anyways. “Ask away, Sangonomiya. I'm sure you have a lot of questions. You should soothe your curiosity before Kaedehara arrives.”

“Then, shall I ask if giving Kaedehara-kun such a massive amount of lands and a title higher ranked than the lord commissioners is a political move on your part?” 

It's not like they don't have their own spies inside of Narukami's systems. One that's disguised as a shrine maiden had reported that Kazuha-kun should only need to sign the lease and he can go on his merry way unbothered forever. 

So why bother with this massive event with Kazuha-kun? Why even bother forcing (because Kazuha-kun would prefer not being an aristocrat unless forced) the highest title in Narukami — aside from the Shogun — to this guy who was a wanted criminal just a while ago?

Kazuha-kun may be a friend, but if there's political value in him, Kokomi wouldn't think thrice. 

The Shogun takes a sip of... the tea she got from somewhere. She doesn't look shocked with the question.

“I can't say it wasn't a political move,” she starts, “but I have to add that I wish to honor my sister's will. Thus, all that she has bestowed during her tenure as Shogun shall not be revoked unless proved unworthy.”

Kokomi blinks. “You have a sister?”

She has read that one book about the Electro Archon being twins and the whole kagemusha situation, but it's fiction. She doesn't think much of it, specifically because it's fiction.

The Shogun casts her a glance. “Have you read the book 'Treasured Tales'? If you haven't, I suggest you read it. That book holds a largely accurate representation of what happened in the past, before the establishment of Inazuma.”

And she doesn't elaborate on that. Great.

Getting the message, Kokomi changes gear. “Kaedehara-kun has proved worthy, then?” she asks.

“He was able to parry my ultimate technique,” the Shogun says, “that was enough proof for me. But, he has yet to present me with a blade as per tradition.”

So personally, the Shogun has already acknowledged Kazuha-kun as the head of the Niwa Clan, but formally, he has yet to be so.

“Did you postpone the blade giving ceremony?” Kokomi asks, tilting her head slightly. "I haven't seen Kaedehara-kun with a blade.”

“I have,” The Shogun nods. “He shall present the blade that he has forged to me two weeks after the end of this agenda we are going to discuss.”

Kokomi gets the hint. “One more question, Shogun-sama,” she says, adjusting her back to be straighter for the upcoming talk. “Did Kaedehara-san consent to this lavish afterparty?”

The Shogun smiles, and sets down her tea cup, her eyes filled with amusement. “Would you like to guess?” 

Kokomi's lips upturn, as Kazuha-kun enters the private chamber, a—ring occupying his finger. 

(Oh, she's so going to gossip about this.)

“I'd say the answer is obvious,” she replies, and readies herself for the discussion regarding the distribution of land as Kazuha-kun takes a seat.

“So,” Kazuha deigns to start the discussion, one of the reasons being that he's not going to give Sangonomiya-chan more tea by reading his body language (happened to his good friend Gorou and he hasn't heard from the man since. RIP, Gorou-kun) and because he still gets some tingling whenever he's in the vicinity of which the Raiden Shogun can see him. He turns to Sangonomiya-chan. “You want Yashiori Island?”

Kokomi blinks at Kazuha-kun's very blunt approach to the situation. Despite his often flowery and poetic speech, he's surprisingly awkward when it comes to matters like this. 

“Yes,” she nods, a bit taken aback. She expected some openings to the conversation. 

“Well, you can have it,” Kaedehara Kazuha says, blunt and to the point.

Ei isn't going to deny that she's starting to like him. She admires his resistance and perseverance, and respects his decision for freedom. Many unfortunate events he had faced, and yet his resolve, and his ideals had never once changed. 

This, to Ei, is what eternity is. The unchangeable motive, and unbreakable will. 

It's one of the reasons why she secluded herself in the Plane of Euthymia. An unchangeable desire for eternity, and an unbreakable will to defend it. 

Ei sips her tea, hiding a small smile behind the cup. 

Kaedehara Kazuha is truly the child of Eternity.

Kokomi glances at the Shogun — who is sipping her tea while smiling — to see if the Shogun objects Kazuha-kun's words. A few moments pass, and no objection is heard.

“...Sure?” Kokomi replies, genuinely confused by this whole ordeal.

“Great.”

Kazuha takes out the land change of ownership agreement that Ayato-san had given him as a "brotherly gesture" since he knows Kazuha didn't know he needed to write this contract and he can tell that Sara forgot to write one up either.

“Sign here please. The Shogun will be our witness,” he says, pointing to Sangonomiya-chan where she needs to sign.

Sangonomiya-chan takes the pen the Shogun had prepared on the table. It looks to be custom made, with a signature of something along the lines of "Fu-something-a d. Font-somethi"—

Boom!

“What the fuck—” Sangonomiya-chan looks like she could kill someone when she stomps towards the window of the private chamber the three of them are in, with Kazuha and the Shogun following behind her, to see what's it all about.

Kokomi is going to kill a person. 

It was literally the simplest political situation she has ever been in and some motherfucker had to ruin it by causing a goddamn explosion!

“Who is it?” Kazuha-kun's voice barely registers in her fury, and he peers his head under hers.

“HAHAHAHAHA!”

....Oh.

Arataki-kun steps exaggeratedly as he enters the literal hole he made through the walls of Tenshukaku. 

“Where there's a party, there's an oni! Arataki Itto and the boys, plus a girl, are here to rock this partaaaaay!” he bellows, and Kokomi registers Kamisato-kun's laughter from somewhere. 

Arataki-kun motions towards a very much drunk Gorou and Shikanoin Heizou, who are holding a whole ass drum set and electric guitar.

“Hit it, boys!”

“Ay!” Shikanoin Heizou says into the mic, and Gorou starts to hit the beat.

“Shikanoin?!” Kujou-taichou exclaims, bewildered, as she leans down dangerously along the fence.

Shikanoin Heizou starts to rap.

“Holy fuck,” Kazuha-kun's cackles on the floor. “Itto-kun's really done it.”

Kokomi slumps down on the floor with a frustrated scream, echoing into the night.

Ei is enjoying the show from the topmost floor of Tenshukaku, when she's joined by Miko, and... one of her shrine maidens? She recalls seeing the green haired girl with her a few years ago.

“My, what a night it has been,” Miko says, her voice the same sweet tone as it was centuries ago. “The one night where fun actually overrides all the politics of before.”

“A pleasant surprise,” Ei agrees, nodding her head, as she takes in the sight of Kamisato Ayato hand wrestling with Hiiragi Chisato and immediately lost.

Oh look, Kujou Sara is having a rap match with an oni.

“My apologies for interrupting, but I take it you aren't pressing charges on Arataki Itto for causing this mess?” the shrine maiden with green hair asks. 

“I will not,” Ei replies, then, she tilts her head.

“But who is this Arataki Itto you're talking about?”