Master of Knights Jean had banked on the Liyue Qixing joining the diplomatic mission to Inazuma, and lend them a ship to cross the perilous storms. Two nations, especially with Morax's backing, would have resulted in a strong mission. But with the scandal that occurred between Sumeru and Morax, it seemed Liyue was focusing on their western neighbours too much to even consider aiding Mondstadt. After such a fiasco, however, the Freiheit arrived at the Harbour.

Freiheit wasn't the best ship Mondstadt had to offer. It was small, with barely any room for many cannons or any type of bulk cargo. But what it lost in capacity, it gained in speed. It was the first full-rigged ship of Mondstadt, surpassing in speed the old carracks of Dornman Port. Small, complex and free to sail any type of sea. It represented Mondstadt's spirit perfectly. And as such, it was the perfect ship for the Grandmaster's diplomatic plan.

The square sails seemed too big to even resist the storms of Inazuma, but the crew were very insistent on the small ship's strength. Although they left Liyue empty-handed, the journey had to continue towards Inazuma.

And there were no storms. Rain drizzled and wind blew the sails, but there was no thunder hear or lightning to fear. Excepting an oddly big wave at the start of the journey, there was little interesting going on aboard the Freiheit.

Half a day after passing the rainy clouds, Narukami island appeared on the horizon. And as the sun set, two Inazuman vessels stopped them. There was a brief stand-off, but Jean managed to defuse the situation before it got awry. They merely got escorted towards Ritou's docks, where they wouldn't be able to leave the ship until the Kanjou Commission allowed them to do so.

So Jean readied her papers, pens and uniform to the utmost detail and left her personal quarters. She had read up all types of Inazuman customs, as well as the usual diplomatic openings and apologies. There was no way any representative of the Shogun could get the upper hand.

Through the deck, the retinue of diplomats wandered around aimlessly. With them, twenty Knights of Favonius accompanied the envoys. Shiny armour, sharp weapons and perfect postures. A mere formality to display that Mondstadt wasn't a band of disorganised rabble. And the crew of the ship? The best of the best. Nobody else knew how to deal with the rigging of such a complicated and new ship. Not even one crew loss could be spared.

She glanced around the docks, hoping that the sheer difference in comparison to the smaller Inazuman ships would inspire respect. Instead, Jean found something a bit bigger.

"The Alcor's here too?" Jean muttered as she walked through the deck. "They were supposed to check the path on our behalf… But the Qixing might have wanted us to waste time."

With a sigh, she leaned against the rails facing the dock. The wait was always awful. And with peace between two nations hanging on by a thread, it was almost overbearing.

"Excuse me! Master of Knights!" A man's voice called her from the dock below. He was accompanied by two other people, an odd mage and a local. "We need your help!"

Jean wasn't ready for such an encounter, but she answered nonetheless. "What's the issue? You are from Mondstadt, are you not?"

"Uh, yeah! We've actually ta-" The man's answer was cut off by the mage.

"We're friends of Barbatos! We need your help!"

The Captain's cabin of the vessel was located on the aftercastle. It had four windows decorating the back, where a wide desk filled with documents and trinkets filled the view. There were a few other elements around the room, such as cupboards, chests and bookcases.

While Mona explained the situation of Barbatos, Jean sat at the desk while listening intently. Then, Thoma resumed what was going on in Inazuma for the past few months.

"You two claim to have talked with Barbatos," Jean repeated as if it would help her believe their stories. "And he wants you to delay the Shogun for… what exactly?"

"He's too cryptic. I suppose he wants to heal and prepare himself to face Baal. Or apologise, I assume." Mona answered.

"It does sound preposterous," Thoma added with a worried smile. "But if we could hide here for a few hours, that would be good too."

Jean pondered for a brief moment. "I don't distrust your story, this is a time of trouble after all. But do you two have any proof of his identity?"

"Well… He defeated a Harbinger and knows things nobody else could." Mona answered before noticing that this couldn't prove anything. "The id-… He hasn't given me anything to prove his identity."

"Anyone in town has heard or seen the Kazemaru, however." Thoma quickly addressed the issue. "Since they're the same being, it proves his identity."

"And you say Kazemaru… Barbatos has incited a riot." Jean pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I'm sorry, but I cannot threaten the peace of Mondstadt over this. I also cannot offer you a safe haven aboard the Freiheit."

"But he's your Archon. You have to listen to him." Mona's stance became tenser. "The Fatui wanted him here, and he willingly came anyways. It has to be related to Mondstadt in some way."

"Barbatos has always liked to dwell in troubled lands. This is something normal for him. But that doesn't mean he's representing Mondstadt, and that's a difference we must show the retainers of the Shogun." Jean calmly explained. "You shouldn't follow a God if you don't wish to do it, that's the Mondstadt way. Because if you do, your freedom will be restricted by them."

Scratching his neck, Thoma spoke up. "I'm not sure about the fortune teller, but I didn't follow his words because he was Barbatos or Kazemaru or whatever. Doing this was better than waiting to be captured and exiled. If I can return to my family as quickly as possible, I'll take any chances."

"I do wish to help but…" Jean stared at the desk, tapping her index finger nervously. "What are the chances the Shogun will lead the negotiations?"

"Well, she's been pretty on hands lately. Not many people know, but she's been very paranoid around the subject of Barbatos. My Master believes that Mondstadt has just been caught in the middle of some type of grudge between those two. He didn't find any evidence incriminating Mondstadt before, well, I had to run away." Thoma thought out loud, looking around the cabin. "I'm not one for politics, but you can use that to avoid a war and maybe the exile as well."

"Yes, we could use that for our advantage. Do you know where he is?"

"Hold on, are you two selling out Barbatos?" Mona made her repulsion clear, turning towards Jean. "That fool is a walking death wish, the Shogun's going to kill him if you rat him out."

"Have some faith in Barbatos, he's faced Archons before and made it out unscathed." Jean reached out behind the desk and pulled out a blank piece of paper. "If he was here, he'd tell us to sacrifice him for Mondstadt if that meant he could save Inazuma."

"You don't understand," Mona took a step closer to the desk. "I've spent many days with him. He continuously puts himself at unnecessary risk, casting aside any planning because of whims. His luck will run out at some point."

Taking a quill in her hands, Jean paused for a moment. She observed the falcon feather for a long moment before answering.

"I will use Barbatos if it means Mondstadt will be at peace. However, I will try to prolong the negotiations as much as possible to aid him. I don't know what Baal is capable of doing if she realises my stalling. So I want to be absolutely sure: Are you sure whatever Barbatos is doing now will help end the turmoil in Inazuma?"

Thoma shared a glance with Mona and shrugged. "I don't know him as much as she does. He is a pretty funny guy though, he even healed my friend for no reason. He also smelled like he was dead, so… Fifty-fifty?"

"Barbatos is either very competent or a tactless clown. So I suppose the chance is not zero." Mona summoned her scryglass. "I'll read your fate if you don't mind, Master of Knights. It may help you in your negotiations."

"You can do so if you're curious, but I rather not be bound by your predictions." Jean declined the offer, writing down a few lines on the blank paper.

While Mona continued to use the scryglass, Thoma approached Jean's desk. It was so tidy, that he could only dream of Ayato doing the same arrangement. A neat paper tray organiser in the top left corner. Quills, pencils and ink on the top right. An elevated stand to write. And the best part, labelled documents.

"Is there something on your mind?" Jean asked him, still writing.

"Oh, not at all! Reminiscing of past times, that's all. My Master is just awful at organising his desk, I've been gone for less than two weeks but he must be going mad by now."

"Your Master… Does he know anything else about the Shogun?

"Well… She beheaded the Head of the Tenryou Commission. No pun intended. I suppose she's very straightforward too. Other than that, not even he has met many times with the Shogun. Hopefully, he's fine."

"If that's the case, it will be very hard to stall for time… Perhaps I could ask for an absurdly long timeout. She might just disappear or take it for an insult though." Jean thought out loud. "Dealing with an Archon… This will be difficult."

"Er… Excuse me…" Mona suddenly interjected, still dealing with her scryglass. "Something is weird. I cannot check the fate of anyone as if… there's fog preventing me from checking."

"Is that bad?" Thoma asked, looking over to the scryglass as if he could understand it.

"It didn't happen thirty minutes ago. Or ever, at least to me. So yes, it's bad. It could be some device or some astray ley lines interfering with my scryglass. Or it means we… whoever is in Ritou has no fate anymore." Mona dispelled it, much to Thoma's disappointment. "So let's hope it's not something permanent."

"So do we all die? That's harrowing."

"Don't assume the worst. Regardless, you two should stay in this cabin until things calm down at the port. But you'll have to leave the moment you're able to." Jean said, standing up from the desk. "I'll try to figure out something in the meantime."

The Master of Knights left the cabin, leaving Mona and Thoma alone. He immediately took the quill from the desk and placed it in the proper place.

"Hah! I knew she couldn't be perfect." He turned to Mona, who didn't even notice his sudden movement. She was checking, or at least looking, at the bookcase of maritime laws and charts. "We didn't get lunch in the end. I haven't drank any water in ages either."

"I don't understand why you all act so carefree." Mona suddenly said. "This situation is very serious… At least, the Master of Knights knew has the excuse of believing in Barbatos. But you were worrying about death not even a minute ago. And now you're hungry?"

"Hey, I'm taking it seriously. But what can I do besides watch? They're two Gods itching to clash, and we're just little ants beside them." Thoma leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. "As long as my family is not in the Shogun's sight, I'm content."

"I suppose you're right. I'm just…" Mona shook her head, shifting in place and turning towards the bookcase. "Resigned. I haven't been able to help anyone in the end. Hopefully, the stars clear up soon."

Thoma walked behind the desk, crouching behind it. "I understand that. I feel helpless as well... By the way, I'm not one to drink much, but!" He pulled out a wine bottle from below the desk. "It's an old Mondstadt tradition to always have alcohol hidden in a room."

"No thanks, I drank once and forgot everything… And that's not yours." Mona mulled it over. "I suppose Venti would take a swing anyways."

"Relax, I'm not going to drink either. There are many types of wines in Mondstadt, maybe I know this one too." He turned the bottle around, blinked once and gave up. "No clue. It doesn't have anything written. Ah, but you're right. Barbatos loves wine. Maybe he was planning on us getting Baal plastered."

"I wouldn't put it past him. He forced a merchant to come here full of beer, wine and whatever he could gather in Liyue. Apparently, Venti wanted to use the merchant to enter Inazuma, but… I suppose he could have planned that." Mona slowly trailed off. "No, let's not think that."

Thoma didn't disregard the idea immediately, instead choosing to develop it. "Well, we'd have to sneak into Hiiragi Estate full of alcohol and somehow choose alcohol that the Shogun likes. We could actually use the diplomatic mission for that… And the servants know me, they could help. Of course, yes. Negotiations take time, we could use a break in the talking to offer her alcohol."

"No, stop it. We are not doing this. It's a suicide mission, the Shogun will be able to tell we've been in contact with him and then…" Mona tried and failed to stop Thoma.

"That one is easier. We could use the Statue of the Seven near the estate to clean whatever residue of Barbatos we have. The issue will be having the Shogun drink… if she even drinks. Maybe I could use my vision to raise the temperature of the room, but even then we don't know her tastes and I doubt anyone does."

Thoma sighed and returned the wine bottle to its hidden place. This time, however, Mona realised something.

"The Ballad of Thunder and Wind… It's a ballad that Venti sang about him and Baal. I didn't hear all verses, but the Merchant, Ignatz, has heard the first part where they drink wine. Maybe he knows." Holding back a yell, she aggressively ran her hands through her hair. Her hat almost fell to the ground but she regained her senses. "That idiot didn't plan this, I refuse to believe it! It's a horrible idea!"

"Yes! Awful idea. But by your description, he's an awful God." With a laugh, Thoma sat at the desk. "So we can either do nothing or do that."

A Shogunate soldier approached the ship a few minutes later. As she had been informed, the Shogun herself had asked to lead the negotiations between Mondstadt and Inazuma. Again, like she had been briefed, the meeting was in the headquarters of the Kanjou Commission. The Hiiragi mansion.

The closer Jean and her knights approached the Estate, the more she realised the severity of her situation. Diplomats and other bureaucrats were predictable, they worked by the book. But the Shogun herself was a wild card that nobody could comprehend her motives or intentions. Baal had thousands of years of experience in all matters of statecraft and diplomacy.

And as the moons rose on that cloudy night, the diplomatic mission was greeted by several servants of Hiiragi estate.

Only one person could meet the Shogun. Jean was the obvious choice, but they decided to hold a vote below the attentive gazes of Inazuman servants and soldiers.

After Jean was elected, she was escorted into the mansion. There was a custom in Inazuma to remove your shoes before entering past the entrance. In their haste or fear, the servants didn't allow her a moment to do so.

The clacker of her heels against the fine wood of the halls felt overbearing. Everyone knew she was there. Nobody cared, however. There was something greater, something much more oppressive inside the household. Jean had felt her even before she entered the Estate. That completely foreboding tension in the air, like needles prickling her whole body.

The servants stopped after a certain point. They merely told her to go to the last room and ran away from there.

She didn't hesitate in the slightest. The moment the door slid open, she entered a wide meeting room with a long short table. To her left, there were decorative paper walls. To her right, opened screen doors showing an inner yard.

And there, staring out into the night sky, was the Electro Archon.

Her eyes were glued to the tall mountain of Narukami Island, though it was impossible to tell from the angle. She didn't acknowledge Jean as she turned away and walked to the end of the long table. She sat down, placed her hands on top of the table and looked at her. In a hurry, Jean did the same.

"I am Jean Gunnhildr, Master of Knights of Mondstadt and representative of its people." Jean gauged the Shogun's reaction. Rather, the lack thereof. "I will not waste your time. We are here to refute the accusations of supporting, inciting or aiding any type of rebellion in your lands."

Baal didn't answer, which disrupted Jean's rhythm.

"If there are any more allegations, we can also help disprove them. We don't want any conflict with Inazuma or its Archon."

After what seemed like an eternity, the Shogun answered.

"You wish to amend the relations between my nation and Mondstadt. Yet the trust between our nations has crumbled in the matter of a few weeks." The Shogun didn't shift from her seat. "I will always strive for peace, but I cannot do so if you do not seek it."

"Mondstadt has always respected Inazuma and its Raiden Shogun. These accusations of igniting civil strife and the upheaval in Watatsumi are baseless. If you have any evidence, we wish to see it." Jean paused, trying to give her body a rest. "The Sakoku decree has also soured relations with the rest of Teyvat, including Mondstadt. The favour shown to Snehznaya has also spiked up tensions towards the Ice Tsardom."

The Shogun blinked, her emotion impossible to gauge. "That will not be a problem. Snezhnayan diplomatic and trade privileges will also end."

"But that's not—"

"I did not finish, Gunnhildr." The Shogun head tilted slightly. "Is Mondstadt at the helm of international relations now? Have any other nations shown support for this cause? The answer is no. You will not gain any points for goodwill, Gunnhildr. We are going to discuss Mondstadt's and its patron's involvement in this war. Nothing else."

"Mondstadt has been unjustly accused and punished by Inazuma. We have been blamed for things we have never even heard about. To see that Inazuma trusted us so little has made the people of Mondstadt filled with anger and fear." Jean shifted uncomfortably in the tatami, her expression as measured as possible. "We are showing you respect by coming here on our own. The least we can receive is to have our interests be heard."

Jean readied herself to receive any kind of retort. The Shogun had shown herself to be imposing and clearly above any diplomat of their entourage. Being direct was the best course of action, but it could end up badly. However, it seemed the Raiden Shogun showed a sparse tinge of sadness.

"I see. This is a time of war and I had to act on the evidence I had been presented." The Shogun replied, her eyes slowly drifting to the table between them before looking at Jean. "I am willing to stop the exile of all remaining Mondstadt citizens, as a token of goodwill from me. However, I ask for something in exchange."

The Raiden Shogun stopped talking, so Jean filled the silence. "With all due respect, we didn't come here for…"

"Don't interrupt me again. I understand that your trust has been breached by this unfortunate accident. You have brought countless documents to prove Mondstadt's innocence… But I am afraid that will be pointless. I will repeal the Exile act. In exchange, you will tell me what Barbatos has done in this past century."

Holding her breath, Jean waited for the Shogun to stop talking for a few more seconds. "Allowing Mondstadt citizens to reside in Inazuma is not a bargaining chip. For Mondstadt to cooperate any further with Inazuma, it has to be repealed with no strings attached."

"Or else?" The tense mood in the room suddenly became filled with static electricity as the Shogun elevated her voice. "I have already shown you quite the respect by allowing you to be here. But don't think for a moment that we are equals, Gunnhildr. Either take my offer or I will visit Mondstadt personally."

Jean had made the mistake of believing that the Shogun was willing to negotiate. This was an interrogation. A threat. Either follow Baal's wishes or disappear.

She mulled over an answer, gripping the table. "Barbatos hasn't appeared in the past five hundred years. Not that we are aware of, at the very least. You must have known that enacting such… tyrannical decrees would awaken him. You will only make him stronger by antagonising us."

"That is what I intended." The Shogun answered, unconcerned by the premise. "If his cowardice doesn't let him face me eye to eye, then I had to threaten the only thing he had left. Let him get stronger. Even if he intends to use this little Kazemaru to harness the faith of Inazuma, I will not fail. But, Gunnhildr. You are lying to me. You know more about Barbatos than you let on. Is it pride or stupidity that made you lie to a God?"

The confusion on Jean's face immediately transformed into staidness. What the Astrologer and that man told her… They had made a mistake by contacting her. However, if she had to use Barbatos to come up on top, she would. Jean wasn't a prisoner, and she wouldn't be used.

"The only apparitions of Barbatos are in Weinlesefest. But those are not comparable to these events." Jean clasped her fingers above the table. "As I have said, your deliberate acts have brought him here. And his actions are not Mondstadt's responsibility, nor are our actions his responsibility."

The Shogun didn't blink. "You cooperated. Very well. I will allow your citizens to stay in Inazuma."

Jean held back a sigh of relief as she shoved away a flock of hair from her eyes. This had been easy. Too easy. Something was wrong here.

"You believe Barbatos will defeat me, don't you? I know the Gunnhildr family are the first and most loyal followers of that God. But none of you believes in him, do you? Mondstadt is a traumatised nation, weak and solitary because of his inability to act. All of you pray to Barbatos, yet nobody believes that he will answer. How does it feel to see him act in other nations rather than his own?"

"I am here to discuss Mondstadt's diplomatic ties with Inazuma." Jean tried to be as diplomatic as possible. "We are saddened by each apparition of Barbatos because it means tyrants have reappeared on Teyvat."

The Shogun cocked her head. Jean realised too late that she had fallen into her trap.

"Are you calling me a tyrant, Gunnhildr? Tyrants rule against the will of their people. Inazuma loves and respects me. The tyrants are those that… simply lied to the people of Watatsumi to rebel. Mere 'followers' of Barbatos. Because nobody, even those rebels seeking a fake ideal, believes in Barbatos. He will not save them from me, just like he hasn't saved Mondstadt."

Again, Jean wondered what she was trying to accomplish.

"Insulting someone behind their back—"

"You interrupt me again, Gunnhildr. I am appalled to see such bad manners in front of an Archon. Perhaps this is normal in Mondstadt. So let me remind you: You are not free in Inazuma. Nobody believes in Freedom on these islands. Right now you are my subject, and you shall act accordingly."

Jean gripped the end of the table again. This was going to be a long night.

The full moon had fully swallowed Watatsumi island. There was little to no activity on the rebel island, except for patrols and small critters.

With the ebb of the tide, the waves retreated onto a rocky beach. A small anemo orb then sucked up the humidity of the rock before swirling almost instantly, dispelling the water from the orb.

Scaramouche clicked his tongue and tried again. Without constant rain, he lacked the proper control to use several elements as Barbatos did. He could barely maintain two elements for more than a few seconds, while the Archon moved air from half Teyvat away. Worst of all, with his chest wound healing, he could barely maintain his inherent Electro ability. Unlocked due to Dottore's tests, they seemed tenuous and weak at the moment. He dreaded to think that the wound was locking away his power once again.

The waves receded once again. He decided to stop and take a look at his vision. A bit of foam and sand had become stuck on it, so she cleaned it and polished it.

"I don't understand, why can't I use you like last time?" He asked the vision. "I want to become stronger than Barbatos, just like in that fight. So why?"

"Ah, there you are." Kokomi's voice prompted him to hide away his vision. "You shouldn't exert yourself, the hydro film of your wound will dissolve with sweat."

"You took your sweet time." He crossed his arms, refusing to stare at the priestess. "Especially since you asked for this meet-up."

"There's been a surprisingly lax response from the Shogunate forces. I've been trying to figure out all possible scenarios… At this rate, we'll be able to advance into Kannazuka and put their forces in check." Kokomi trailed off, shaking her head. "That isn't important to you, is it? I've heard you've stirred up trouble in Bourou village."

"Trouble? I was defending myself from that dog you call a General. A mortal like him should have…" The Wanderer twisted his lips. "That man should have realised that I am better than him."

"Is that why you were playing tag with the kids?"

"It wasn't tag, they were worshipping me by… running…? Just shut up. Tell me what you wanted to talk about, priestess." He looked away from the sea, avoiding Kokomi's stare even further.

"Understanding my people is the duty of my priesthood, that includes you." She sat down on the rocky surface, her feet being washed by the small waves.

"Your people? I am not your people."

"You are a Mercenary of the army. You are now my people, just like I am your people." Kokomi tapped the ground beside her. "Come, sit. Tell me your troubles."

"Why would I… You understand that I am not like the rest of your riff-raff, right? I don't have troubles or anything comparable. Even if I did, they'd be too much for your pitiful mind to comprehend."

With clear sympathetic intent, Kokomi nodded and tapped the ground next to her again. Scaramouche's frowned and turned towards her. Her expression didn't budge.

"I have the burdens of many people resting on my shoulders. Even if your pain is so much greater, I can take it. Nobody else will know either." She placed a finger on her smiling lips. "Seal of confession?"

Looking away, he sat down an arm's length away from Kokomi. He didn't say anything, his eyes staring at the dark sea stretching into the horizon.

"Well then, what is troubling you?" Kokomi started, noticing his reluctance. "Does it have to do with the state we found you in?"

"How about we start with what you wanted to meet up for?" He ignored her question.

"Mm? I already told you. For this."

He scoffed at her answer. "You can't be serious. You won't get anything out of this, I will not help your war effort more just because I tell you what's on my mind."

"I've already told you, Mercenary. This is my duty as a priestess. You seem to have some trusting issues." Kokomi glanced at Scaramouche's reaction. "You haven't even told me your name."

"My issue is not trust. I was under the belief that my new-found power would be enough to best that drunkard. That weakling… utterly defeated me. I wasn't even worthy enough to kill. And now, I am here following the words of the man who crushed my ambitions. Be free to choose your purpose, he said. Unlike my mother, he tried to guide and aid me. But I cannot see any options to choose." He shook his head, cracking a laugh. "So what could you accomplish if I even told you these details? This isn't a matter of trust. You cannot do anything to help someone who has nothing left but a simple concept of freedom. You who… are fulfilling your duty."

Filled with regret, the Wanderer didn't notice that he was clutching his vision against his chest.

"I'm not sure, I think trust is still the issue. You don't trust yourself to make the right choice."

Anger flared in Scaramouche's face briefly, before he noticed the vision in his hand.

"Perhaps…" He threw it beside Kokomi. "Even when I got this… It was a lie. A better fake past where I had a father and a loving mother. They told me to be better than the Gods… To be stronger than them. That was my purpose. Such a foolish thing. To be awakened by something that never was. But still, I tried doing so and failed miserably." He tried to fold his hands but lost equilibrium for a moment. "It must have been just an illusion. My mind convincing itself to do better."

"That must explain why your powers lack finesse. You're not only directionless but also distrustful of your actions." Kokomi took his vision and handed it over to Scaramouche. "Do you know why that is?"

Confused, he took the vision back from Kokomi and reattached it to his coat. "The drunkard told me to take responsibility for my own actions. Well I don't feel any better and I've become weaker. I can barely even use my vision like this."

"I see, you're not sure of your ambition either. You said that you wanted to be better than the Gods? Perhaps it could be worded differently. If Gods are perfect beings, then every day you should be better than the you of the previous day. Become better every day until you reach their level. But that implies knowing yourself intimately… If you don't know your past self, then that can be your first objective."

Kokomi saw first-hand how Scaramouche turned away from her, as if embarrassed or ashamed of what that entailed.

"Once you begin to understand yourself and the world, you'll see that nobody can control you." Scaramouche paraphrased Barbatos. "I'll believe that fool. What I saw when I received my vision… Yes, those two gave me a heart. But now I must earn it. My purpose must be that, to be better than what I was." He suddenly realised that Kokomi was still staring at him with those empty eyes. "Yes, I'll try to become better every day. Happy now? Go away already, your eyes freak me out."

"Then, perhaps you can trust me a little bit?" She asked, sitting slightly closer to him. "How about you tell me your name?"

"I don't have a worthy name anymore." He stood up, fixing his clothes and wiping away the sand and water. "I'll think of a new one."

"Oh, that's…"

"Yeah, better shut your mouth next time, seafood." The Wanderer walked away, glancing back at Kokomi. "What are you waiting for? Get up already. I'm not like your servants, I won't carry you."

"I didn't foresee this scenario so soon. I must have misinterpreted the signs…" Kokomi slowly stood up, thinking to herself. "I was hoping you'd say your name was Kazemaru."

"Son of the wind? That's a stupid name."

"A shrine maiden from Ritou came here following it… Lightning and wind follows after that Kazemaru. Somewhat like you. And it disrupted the peace of Narukami island. Like you've done to Kannazuka."

Kokomi walked behind the Vagrant, who kept his pace just slightly faster than hers.

"That was probably Barbatos stirring up shit as he does. Which means he truly means to face the Shogun." He glanced back at the priestess. "Ergo the window for attacking Kannazuka is now."

"Barbatos is in Narukami Island?" Kokomi stopped, her mind searching for all possibilities. "We haven't even coordinated the possible assault on Tenshukaku."

"Don't tell me you plan to aid him? That fool is going to get himself killed. And then the Shogun will kill the Resistance. But don't you worry jellyfish girl, if I can get the drop of the Shogun, I'll use her gnosis to…" He noticed that she wasn't listening anymore. "Why do I even bother?"

"I need you for a mission." Kokomi snapped out of her thoughts. "Can you cross the sea?"