A day like any other. A routine that the body and mind are accustomed to.

An item will appear to replace something you lost, which will bring you great happiness.

Relations with the acquaintances you see most frequently will improve, and some may even become the best of friends.

Even the most ordinary of days can become a treasured memory.

Your lucky object for the day: Shining Crystal Core

Crystalfies are tiny life-forms born of coalesced elemental energy.

And the elements are blessings promised by the world to the people who inhabit it.

"Ah, and hello to you too Traveler! Are you here to decipher your fortune slip today?"

Fortune in hand, Ayaka took a step to the side to allow Aether and Paimon to get their fortune slip deciphered by Gendou Ringo, the Shrine Maiden managing fortune slips. As Ayaka read over her fortune and thought to herself, she couldn't help but also listen in slightly on the conversation that Paimon and Aether were having with the Shine Maiden.

"Ms. Gendou! How's it going? Paimon hopes you are doing well!"

Hmmm, my lucky object of the day is a Shining Crystal Core. Perhaps I should try and catch one on our way back…

"...Haha, Well, after all, these are... the basic skills of a Shrine Maiden!"

…..'Relations with the acquaintances you see most frequently will improve, and some may even become the best of friends…'

Only becoming the best of friends huh? I suppose I have been seeing Aether quite frequently lately, and our relationship is improving. But we can only become the best of friends…..

"Hey Ayaka! Paimon wants to know what your lucky object of the day is! Aether's is a Shining Crystal Core! What's yours?"

"Oh, it appears that we have the same lucky object for the day. Mine is also a Crystal Core…." Ayaka replied with a look of deep thought on her face. "Oh is that so? In that case, we should both try and catch one before the day ends huh?" Aether replied with a smile. "...But first, we need to finish the Dango Milk deliveries. You said that the milk for the shrine is already here?"

"Ahh, yes it is. It is my understanding that it should be in the storeroom, we will need to talk to the Head of the Shrine. She should hopefully be around, I did inform her that we would be coming today after all…"

"Oh-oh, if it isn't the Golden Trio. I've been expecting the three of you all day so far, and you only make yourself known now."

Surprised, the trio in question turned around on the spot and saw that the Head of the Shrine, Yae Miko, was looking at them from the middle of the small courtyard of the Shrine. Her head was tilted slightly and her arms crossed. She already looked bored and ever so slightly annoyed.

"Oh! Hey Miko! How long have you been standing there? Paimon didn't see you when we first arrived, so we decided to get our fortunes first before we went looking for you." As Paimon spoke to Yae, Ayaka and Aether quickly got over their surprise and began to make their way over to the Head of the Shrine.

"Hmmm, I'm always around, people just never know it. It never ceases to amuse me how people don't know that yet." Yae looked at Ayaka. "I assume you are all here per the Dango Milk Decree by the lovely Almighty Shogun?"

"Yes, that is the reason why we are here. I'm glad to see that we managed to get word of our arrival here to you. I will openly admit that The Yashiro Commission has been stretched a bit thinly due to the Decree. Deliveries have been made throughout Inazuma but the Grand Narukami Shrine was placed as a high priority for all of us." As she spoke, Aether noted that Ayaka responded to Yae Miko with her usual serious, business tone. It was the tone that she used when they had first met and that she used when doing her formal work at The Yashiro Commission. It differed greatly from how Ayaka spoke moments ago when they were alone. It was clear that Ayaka did not want to mess up in front of the Head of the Grand Narukami Shrine.

"Hmm, yes, the crates of Dango Milk arrived a little while ago, but it's my understanding that the Grand Narukami Shrine is one of the last places you are personally visiting and handing out Dango Milk. Care to explain why that might be?"

Yae Miko asked the question in her usual stern, but carefree tone. Though Aether could tell that the question was loaded and serious. The question implied that Yae did not like the idea that the Grand Shrine was one of the last places they would visit, implying its possible unimportance in eyes of The Yashiro Commission. Unsure of how to respond, he was surprised when Ayaka spoke first, seemingly with a preplanned answer. "Ah, actually it was the Shogun herself that requested the Grand Narukami Shrine be one of the last places we visit. She said it was so that we did not disturb the daily happenings of the Shrine and yourself….." Aether could tell that Ayaka was holding in her breath ever so slightly, hoping that she had just given the right answer.

"Hmmm, I see. Heh, took her long enough. And here I was thinking that goddess had forgotten those small details and all about little old me." Yae paused for a moment, before looking over at Aether. "No matter. Here, Traveler, this key will open the storeroom over there on the other side. Be a dear and grab us a crate of this Dango Milk that the Almighty Shogun speaks oh so highly of."

Raising an eyebrow, but not wanting to say no to Yae Miko, Aether reached out to take the key from Yae's hands, only for her to quickly move her hand away in a flash. "Along with this key, the lock on the doorway makes use of a special puzzle lock. One of the ones you usually see here in Inazuma. I put it on the door to make sure this Milk that the Shogun speaks oh so highly of stays…..safe and fresh. I'm sure you and Paimon will be able to figure it out." With that final comment, Yae then placed the key into Aether's hand.

…

….

…..

….

"...Well, go on. We don't have all day. I think me and Ms. Kamisato will wait here in the Courtyard for your eventual return."

"What!? Why does Paimon and Aether have to go and solve a puzzle to get the Dango Milk from the Storage Room!? That's not fair! You put it on the door! Don't you already know the answer to it?!"

Yae struck a not-so-convincing thinking pose. "Hmmm, Ooops it seems that I've forgotten the solution to the puzzle lock. Best you two go and solve it for me, huh? Or else we will never get the Dango Milk and I'll be very sad. Here, I'll even throw in some compensation for your trouble." Yae Miko ended her reply with a carefree wave, motioning for Aether and Paimon to move along.

Not fully convinced, Aether looked at Yae again before turning his attention to Ayaka, who was still standing next to her. Their eyes meeting, Aether raised an eyebrow, asking Ayaka silently what she thought of the situation. Ayaka in turn, replied with a look of confusion, telling Aether that she was also unsure and not fully convinced of Yae's forgetfulness as well.

Giving Ayaka a nod of understanding and reassurance, Aether turned back to Yae Miko. "Okay, I'll go and have a look. I've solved and looked at many different puzzles here in Inazuma, so it shouldn't be too hard. Come on, Paimon." Aether turned on his feet and began to make his way towards the small storehouse, which was on the other side of the main shrine building. Paimon followed though she made many Paimon noises that clearly showed that she was not happy with this setup.

As Ayaka watched Aether and Paimon walk away and around the corner, she couldn't help but be slightly worried about what Yae Miko was up to. Thanks to Ayaka's work with the Shuumatsuban and other dealings with the Grand Shrine , she knew that Yae was someone to be reckoned with. And now that she was separated from Aether, she couldn't help but wonder what was going on.

….This is all a bit too telegraphed and suspicious, what is Yae Miko up to…..

"Mmmhmmm, Ms. Kamisato, now that we are alone, on to bigger matters. I believe that you have something you wish to speak to me about, is that correct?"

"I beg your pardon? I don't believe I do…." A look of what could only be described as surprise appeared on Ayaka's face, as she wondered what Yae could possibly want to talk to her about.

"Are you sure~? This downtime we are currently facing is perfect for some small talk…I can tell that something is on your mind. Don't be shy, speak!" Striking a thinking pose, Ayaka raked her mind trying to figure out if she had forgotten something. If something had indeed slipped her mind, then she would never hear the end of it.

Hmmm, everything was in order when I left the Estate, and as far as I know, there is nothing urgent regarding the Shuumatsuban…oh, Aether asked about repairing that bridge.

"Ah, yes actually. On our way up here to the Shrine, we ummmm… crossed the damaged footbridge, which spans the small ravine at the base of the mountain. Aether mentioned that he offered to repair it when I first arrived here and said that you declined his offer….."

As Ayaka ended her sentence and looked up at Yae, she saw that the Head Shrine Maiden simply returned her gaze, with a look of indifference. A moment of silence passed before she replied. "Yes, I do recall that. I believe I said that it 'wasn't the Shrine's responsibility' at the time. Though, that was back when there were much bigger things to attend to. But now that things have calmed down, I suppose it would be nice to have that bridge back. I trust you will see to it, Ayaka?"

Not expecting to be called by only her first name, Ayaka flinched slightly before quickly recomposing herself. "Heh, of course. I believe this sort of thing would fall under the Yrashio Commission. But I'll have my staff check with Kujo Sara and the Tenryou Commission before I draw up any substantial repair plans with Aether. I'll see to it immediately after we are done here." After her reply, Ayaka glanced away shyly as Yae simply continued to stare her down. Unsure of what to make of her sharp stare, she was a bit surprised to hear the next comment from Yae Miko.

"... Sigh ...You can drop the act and formalities. I already know a great deal about you and the little one, don't worry."

"...little one…who?"

Ayaka's eyes went wide at Yae's comment, shock and surprise overtaking her face. Noting the look and confusion on Ayaka's face, Yae Miko continued. "Goodness me, very well, perhaps I must be the one who moves the conversation along." Yae paused for a moment before continuing.

"Your relationship with The Traveler. Am I correct to assume that things are progressing along well?"

If Ayaka was drinking Dango Milk right now, she would have for sure done an unladylike spit take at Yae's sudden question. Instead, she made some unladylike coughs as she choked on air in pure shock. That sudden question definitely caught Ayaka off guard. Surprised at how forward the famous Head Shrine Maiden was being, she found herself unable to respond.

As she looked at Yae with a continued look of shock and surprise, Yae sighed to herself before speaking again. "...Okay, perhaps this is the wrong way to go about this. I'm going to be a bit frank, and I apologize, but anyone here in Inazuma can see that the famed Shirasagi Himegimi has recently gotten much closer to a certain someone. It's been published and talked about in the monthly magazine, "That's Life." I'm sure you are aware of it, yes?"

Digesting the information before her, and recovering from her shock, Ayaka answered hesitantly. "Ummmm, Yes, I and the Traveler have a very healthy working relationship. He has assisted and done many deeds for the Yrashio Commission, and for myself. I suppose it's no surprise that it has become the talk of the town….."

"A healthy working relationship~." Yae paused for a moment, before turning away from Ayaka. "I believe there is more to it, yes?" She paused for a moment before turning around and taking a few steps closer towards Ayaka. Yae leaned forward and brought her face right next to Ayaka's as she made her next comment. "It's okay, there is no need to be stoned-faced when dealing with matters of the heart. If anything, your mood should be joyest. Everything shared with a Shrine Maiden is confidential. As the Head Maiden, I make sure of it~."

Ayaka's heart skipped a beat in nervousness. For whatever reason, Yae wanted her to speak up and talk to her about this. It was well known throughout Inazuma that Shrine Maidens were confidential and were trusted people you could talk to about problems you were facing. They were always reassuring and gave you helpful advice and guidance. And now, Yae Miko herself, was offering Ayaka that same thing, though in her own roundabout way.

Swayed by Yae Miko's words, Ayaka did something uncharacteristic of herself. She decided to briefly open up about her problems. If anything, she would talk about this sort of thing with Yoimiya or Thoma. Definitely with Yoimiya, but here she was about to open up to the Head Shrine Maiden. Perhaps Yae could help her after all?

…..There is no need to be stoned-faced when dealing with matters of the heart….

Ayaka let out a deep breath. "...I admit that I and Aether have gotten a lot closer over the past little while. It all started back during the Vision Hunt Decree, where during the downtime we spent a lot of time together. He, not having anywhere to go, hid out at the Teahouse. Even when things got worse, he always had the determination and smile to keep on going. Plus, he even put up with my antics with the Hot Pot Game and so much more! Oh, there was also when…."

Ayaka suddenly found herself simply happily talking and recalling all of the fun times and good memories she had with Aether during the Vision Hunt Decree and the events that happened after. No matter what she or Aether was up to, he somehow always found the time in their busy schedules to see each other. Their weekly chats in the Estate's courtyard, or him simply barging in when she was handling other matters, every time she saw him, a warm smile was always on her face.

As Ayaka kept gushing, Yae simply nodded along. Seeing the smile and light blush on Ayaka's face told her everything that she needed to know. The famed Shirasagi Himegimi definitely had a crush on the famous Traveler of Teyvat. Yae had finally broken through Ayaka's professional shell and found that on the inside, she was indeed a young woman at heart.

….This is all well and good, but we need to advance their relationship. Otherwise, it's gonna throw off the release window for the next chapter! We need to know the conclusion for it to sell well. Plus, Ei has that thing that she is so concerned about…..

"….can I really talk to you about his Lady Guuji? I don't want to be a bother, and if there is something else that you should be doing, I don't mind just waiting by myself for Aether to return…."

Ayaka interrupted Yae from her thinking. A light blush was still on her face. Judging by the way she was now talking to Yae, Ayaka seemed to have fully opened up to her. Things were going well, but a certain someone was solving a puzzle a bit too quickly for her liking. She needed a bit more time. Yae, smiling to herself, waved her hand before looking at Ayaka.

"...Something tells me that we are gonna be by ourselves a little while longer. A certain birdie tells me the difficulty of their puzzle just got a bit harder. We have plenty of time."

"...What?"

"Anyway, what seems to be the problem? By the sounds of it, the two of you are quite close and it's clear that both of you want to take the next step, no?"

Hesitant to say anything more about their relationship, Ayaka played with the helm of her dress before eventually relented "...That's the problem. I'm unsure of what the next step is. While we are close, I am aware that he is also close with many others, including with some of my contemporaries, and I don't know if…."

"...By contemporaries, you mean the likes of Kujo Sara and Sangonomiya Kokomi specifically, correct?"

Ayaka paused for a brief second as she was interrupted by Yae, before continuing. "...Just like me, they and many others are grateful for what Aether has done. The Tenryou Commission's, and Watatsumi Island's affairs couldn't have been resolved any better, and we have him to thank for it. Those two are lovely, talented, and hard-working women working for their people. They are always out in the field, alongside him working to resolve matters. What am I compared to that? Not to mention the fact that he has met many others on his journey so far, and that he is bound to keep doing so. Just what do I….."

Yae Miko simply raised her hand in front of her, stopping Ayaka's rambling completely. Ayaka, realizing that she had been rambling for so long, covered her face in embarrassment. Recovering herself, Ayaka looked back up to see Yae simply looking at her, with a simple smile on her face, which turned into a frown when they made eye contact. A moment of awkward silence came over the two of them.

"Ayaka, do you recall what the Shogun told you when she summoned you to the Throne Room?"

"...Despite what you may think, The Traveler desires a lot more than just finding those missing to him. He also desires something else. And I think you desire that same thing as well."

"The two of you still have great roles to play, here in Inazuma and afar. His story will end when he manages to complete his first desire. Will you be there for him when he looks for his second desire?"

"...is what she said, am I correct on that?"

"...yes that is exactly what she told me, how do you know?"

Yae Miko smiled. "I have my ways, and I will say that is a very colorful way to put things. That phrase would fit quite well in the introduction to a light novel chapter…..but besides the point, if you look past the cryptic phrasing and take it at so-called face value, she speaks the truth."

Ayaka suddenly leaned forward, excited. "Oh, so it's true then? Will all of that indeed happen? His Sister is indeed here and he will get to meet up with…"

Again, Yae raised her hand in front of her stopping Ayaka from rambling on. "I have no say in what will happen, but you do. Answer me this, You're positively smitten with him, aren't you?"

Ayaka simply blinked in response, before Yae Miko continued. "You are. Good. What needs to happen now is that your true feelings need to become your commitment to him. Then, a certain catalyst will take things from there."

Silence overtook the pair as Ayaka digested what Yae Miko just told her. Ayaka could not really believe what she was being told. Here was the Head Shrine Maiden, telling her that she needed to fully commit her feelings to Aether. Only then would a separate catalyst move things along.

…..I need to be sure of my feelings…..but how do I go about that?

Ayaka, still thinking things over, looked back up at Yae, who responded with a look of indifference, but with a small smile on her face. "Are you sure this is what I have to do?" Ayaka asked.

Yae Miko chuckled to herself. "I'm not sure of anything, my advice is purely based on what happens in light novels. Your situation fits into one perfectly."

…

….

…..

….

"…He could always become your consort, you know. Do whatever. I don't really care. Just find me a good ending, will you?" After a brief moment of silence, Yae finished her comment with a laugh.

"...Become my consort?…..Uh I think it's too soon to be…."

"...Oh, so you haven't ruled it out, all the more interesting…."

"Ayaka! Miko! We're back! Sorry, we took so long! Aether almost had the door opened a little while ago, but as he moved the last piece into place, the puzzle reset and became so much harder! What type of puzzle did you put on that door, Miko!?"

"Hmhmhmhm, just one of my usual ones. I didn't think it was too hard." As Miko responded to Paimon, Ayaka looked over to see Aether just coming around the corner, with a crate of Dango Milk in his hands. When he noticed that Ayaka was looking at him, he simply smiled at her as he walked over to her. Ayaka simply blushed and looked away.

…..I need to confirm my feelings for him, that shouldn't be too hard, right?

AN/ I think I did a pretty good job writing Yae Miko, it was quite hard to capture her cheeky antics and persona, which is why this took so long.

Already in the mist of the writing the next chapter, Till next time.