Kokomi held her head in pain as she tried to collect herself, having felt incredibly off ever since she had gotten news about the happenings in Inazuma City.

It felt like something was controlling her, but as far as she could tell, she still had the blessing of Orobashi that was given to all the priestesses of Watatsumi Island, meaning there wasn't anything left on this planet that could possibly affect her.

With that comforting thought, she decided to focus on the plan in front of her. The plan to prevent Kazuha from potentially falling into the hands of another woman.

That was why Kokomi had reached out for Beidou to appear sooner to accompany Kazuha.

It was an unknown fact, but the day Kokomi had first met The Captain of the Crux Fleet, she had felt threatened by how close she seemingly was to Kazuha, but with time, she realized it was a seemingly platonic relationship.

However, despite her knowing that, it was unlikely for either The Raiden Shogun or Kujou Sara to know that too, resulting in Beidou being a perfect shield to prevent any woman to try and pull anything with the young ronin.

Was she taking things too seriously over what seemingly wasn't even someone for her to stake her claim on? Possibly, but she didn't care.

Kokomi is a strategist and everything shall fall under her plans one way or another, be it underhanded ways or not.

The Leader of Watatsumi Island rested her head in her hands as she thought back to what she had already had to do to reach the position of where she was at.

After all…

She knew the Fatui were the secret benefactors to The Resistance.

She wasn't proud of it, but everything leading up to the situation where she was at now was exactly how she planned things.

Kokomi may look like a fool to an outside viewer who would see her accomplishments as nothing but luck and her unawareness of crucial details showcasing her weaknesses as a leader…

However, she herself had judged that her troops were worth less than a swift end to the hostilities in Inazuma. She kept such thoughts a secret so that they'd try to impress their superiors which included the idolized image of her that they themselves created and their loved ones, resulting in them unflinchingly sacrificing all they had.

Of course, that wasn't all she had planned. It was rather lucky that the Traveler had appeared, resulting in her creating a new plan with a lower mortality rate.

That was why the moment Kamisato Ayaka sent her over, she quickly made her a captain. At the same time, she had placed what was essentially a walking corpse for her to grow attached to, so once the pieces were set in motion, it'd end with her being able to easily have her Elite Vanguard walk into Tenshuukaku to claim victory for Watatsumi Island.

Which led her to the Fatui who "outsmarted" her and "used" her without her knowing.

In the end, The Fatui was made into scapegoats for everyone in Inazuma including the Traveler to point their anger at, in spite of some resentments still lingering between The Shogunate and The Resistance.

In the end, their attempts to make a profit off of the war merely lead to her feigning ignorance, playing the victim card to draw all attention off her.

Her hands are clean and Watatsumi Island is now a powerhouse in Inazuma politics where even after the merging of forces, she'd still have influence and control over the armies.

Every player played their role out flawlessly and now it was time for her to once again guide things to the way she wanted it to be.

Kaedehara Kazuha would be hers. The Electro Archon is nothing but a sword whose influence has diminished thanks to her laissez faire way of handling Inazuma while Kujou Sara was nothing but a political face that could only follow orders.

All who go against her will fall.

Kokomi's eyes glowed green without herself seeming to notice as she gazed across the land from where she stood.

Be it Gods, The Fatui or Demons.

With Kazuha

"Rosalyne… It's nice to meet you. You can call me Kazuha. Are you able to leave this place or are you tied down to this one spot?" Kazuha was questioning the spirit calmly, trying to see what could possibly be keeping her in the realm of the living.

"U-um… Yes… It's just that I'm unfamiliar with this country, so it scares me to think about simply walking outside…" She timidly answered, not meeting his eyes.

Kazuha noticed her fidgeting nervously as she seemed to shrink in on herself. She seemed self conscious of her burn marks, covering them up as best as she can, but it wouldn't be good for her to hide anything from him if he was trying to help her move on.

"I understand, but you don't have to be so nervous around me. I'd like to help you move on or at least be at peace. It seems like you've suffered a rather terrible fate, so the least I can do is keep you at ease." He gave her a kind smile, causing her to relax a bit, but she still seemed guarded.

"I don't think you'd wish to help me if you knew what i've done…" She murmured.

"Then don't tell me. No matter what your past is, it looks like you've suffered enough for it. If you remain in this world for too long, you'll become something much worse than whatever it was you could've been in your time among the living." Kazuha dissuaded her worries before gently moving his hand to take one of her wrists.

One of the few things Kazuha had learned to pick up during his travels was the ability to heal those with his anemo powers.

While he wasn't a master at it like how he heard some Anemo wielders were capable of, such as a Captain from Monstadt, his ability was somewhat more unique in that he was able to grasp the essence of nature, which included spirits.

Rosalyne seemed surprised, not even able to react reflexively to pull back as Kazuha's hands glowed a faint green.

When she regained her thoughts, she pulled back to see that the burnt scars that she had had on her wrists were now somewhat healed.

"H-how?" She asked incredulously.

"I'm not an amazing healer. I'm unable to heal myself even." Kazuha explained, holding up his bandaged hands to show that some damages were beyond his capabilities to heal. "However, spirits are less complex. As long as I stay in tune with nature, I can grasp you and even my amateurish healing abilities can heal you eventually. Will you agree to stay with me long enough for me to assist you at the very least?"

He was no exorcist. He didn't have such training to properly exorcize spirits properly, but that was fine as he preferred to simply aid whatever spirits he came across to help them pass on. This was rather easy in some cases where he could help ease a spirit by healing their spiritual body gradually until they felt fully comfortable to leave.

"I… I… you… I'm afraid of what awaits me ahead…" Her voice was quiet, causing him to raise an eyebrow.

Ah, one of these types.

Fear of what awaits one after death is a common one that has plagued everyone be they young or old once they grasp the concept of death.

For one who was as young as her who didn't exude any malicious aura, Kazuha doubted that she'd end up anywhere damning, yet she seemed so certain of it.

What could a girl who the wind was telling him was as pure as they came be so worried about?

"Then at least stay with me until you feel like you've done enough to make up for the mistakes of your past." The ronin offered.

If she was someone who truly deserved damnation, he'd have requested the assistance of an exorcist himself, but in this case, he didn't feel like he'd need to do such a thing and was willing to take his time to lend his aid.

"I… I don't want to be a bother…" She lowered her head, looking down to the floor.

"You won't be eating or taking up any space. Simply follow me as you wish and assist me until you feel as if your sins have been cleansed." Kazuha was patient with her. If she truly didn't want his assistance, he'd leave her to a priestess who seemed more qualified.

"O-okay… I'll follow you."

With that, it seemed like things were settled.

He'd need to probe more on who she was and her circumstances as this was an extremely strange situation.

If the wind could tell him, it would, but it was strangely rather silent with this situation.

Kazuha didn't control the wind, he merely listened to it and it wasn't good to try and control what was generally free.

"Good. First I have a meeting, so we'll have to wait a bit. Would you rather stay here and wait for me to come back or do you want to follow me now?"

The spirit looked hesitant at first before she held out to hold his sleeve, somewhat surprising him as a spirit is generally unable to touch something in the present world unless they had a rather strong presence when they were alive.

"I-I'll follow you… Thank you…" Her voice was faint and she seemed to be already fading out, but he didn't pay that any mind as he simply walked ahead, letting her stay behind him as he finally after all this time met face to face with the Electro Archon.

Ei

Ei polished off the last skewer in front of her, blissfully enjoying these few moments of being able to enjoy herself before she would decide to go back and continue in her endeavor to change the Raiden Shogun.

She was aware of what she would have to do in the future if she wanted to fully usher in the new change that she had decided on, but right now she needed to properly tweak a few things with her puppet before she committed.

It was truly strange though. She had made the Puppet to react the moment she herself would show signs of changing, but it looked like right now she was trying to detect why the puppet herself was changing and how to fix that.

"It's a strange bug or glitch…" She thought to herself, pondering over what was happening. She didn't think there'd be such a thing with what was essentially a whole new consciousness, but it seemed that she still didn't quite fully understand the intricacies of what she had created.

"I've yet to fully change to stir up any defense mechanisms from The Raiden Shogun and yet… Why does it feel like she's rejecting my control so heavily right now…?" Ei was incredibly confused and worried about her own state of being right now, but she didn't let it show.

"Good afternoon, Raiden Shogun. I am here for our appointed meeting." A voice called out, causing her to turn her head in the direction to see a young man wearing what looked like traditional Inazuman samurai garb.

"Ah? Ah. This must be a meeting with one of the nobles again. It appears I've come at the wrong time, however, I should be able to handle whatever is needed." She decided, already planning to use her limited knowledge to make the guest leave as soon as possible so she could get to her own tasks.

The man's eyes locked to hers with an unusual look, going from her face to down her legs and back up with a peculiar stare as if he found some strange beast that had not yet been documented.

?

Ei was not wearing the same outfit she had grown used to for (redacted) years. She couldn't understand why this was the case as there was no reason to ever really change her attire.

What was she wearing? A formal Inazuman gown that covered both of her legs while tightened around her waist, accentuating her body's slender figure. To top it off, there was also a bow tie before her chest that gave a slight bit of mischief to her appearance.

At least that's what the description from Yae's monthly published magazine had described it if the Raiden Shogun were here to explain it.

This look had caught Kazuha so off guard that he couldn't resist taking a second look. While the Raiden Shogun had always been described as cold and calculating in an almost robotic way, there was no denying that she was rather beautiful.

His eyes falling on her flat stomach had his heart nearly skip a beat, but he cooled his thoughts by reminding himself that he did not wish to have any relations with this person as far as things went. He knew little about her and the few times they had met were not under the best circumstances.

The two were completely unaware of what was supposed to be happening, but one thing was sure.

They still had to maintain some professionalism despite the circumstances.

Ei quickly scanned over what she could read from the Puppet's memories, doing a quick skim of the circumstances.

"Aha! This was a member of the Kaedehara Clan! Yes. I remember that lineage!" She nodded her head, seemingly getting a gist of the situation.

This was an attempt to retake the control that they once had! Just like The Kujou head's attempt to gain power, with the current turmoil in Inazuma being in a state of disarray thanks to the recent events, people like these were seeing if they could squeeze in, taking advantage of the situation.

"It's unfortunate that he was a thousand years too early to even try to get one over me." Ei patted herself on the back as she sat with a dignified pose, remembering that she had to answer him.

"Of course. You may sit and… have one of the snacks prepared on the broken table."

"There's no need. I don't believe this meeting should take that long with what there is to talk about."

"What there is to talk about"? Ah, he must be trying to hasten the conversation, believing that if I didn't have time to think that i'll slip up with some things." She inwardly shook her head, finding his cheap tactics ridiculous, but she acquiesced.

"If that is how you wish for things to be. The discussion we are having today is simply about the matter of your clan's reinstatement, correct?"

"Yes, I'd like to thank you for your consideration of my clan and what it once was and while I don't quite understand your intentions, it is nonetheless flattering for someone as long lived as you to even remember what my lineage once was." The man gave a polite bow, imparting such nice words that seemed like nothing but a formality.

"There's no need. The contributions your clan have brought were integral towards making Inazuma what it is today. I believe it's only fair for me to pay back what is due." She gave her own formalities, but the meeting as of now was simply incredibly stiff still.

Generally, Nobles were incredibly skilled at verbally maneuvering through meetings such as this to get what they want, but it seems this young man was still quite too young.

What had happened to that Noble clan of Scholars and Samurais to have this man as their representative and heir?

Ei inwardly chastised, despite being equally as terrible with such formalities, having left much of it to the default settings of her puppet.

"Then I believe the only thing left for me to ask is what it is you are expecting from me."

"Me"?

How strange. Was he the only one left of his clan or was he trying to shoulder any blame in case this meeting were to go down south? No… If it was the latter, he'd have never been sent, even as a scapegoat. It was too disrespectful and too much at stake. This would explain why he was here despite his inexperience.

Ei felt bad that someone so young was now shouldering the responsibility of an entire clan quite literally alone, but that was it. She had to remain neutral. If Yae were here, she'd tell her that she needed to get the best possible outcome for Inazuma and not for the specific interest of one clan, so she needed to be sure that she got the best possible outcome for the country's interest even if it meant taking advantage of this young man's naivety.

"I only ask that you do what is expected of any other noble. Maintaining your territory is expected, lest you lose your land while it is important for you to provide a service like anyone else. It wouldn't do for you to simply do nothing as your countrymen work, regardless of your finances or status. We will of course pay you the appropriate amount. I would recommend you follow your heritage to take over what your ancestors once did." Ei calmly explained, closing her eyes before peeking at the man.

He held a hand to his chin, having his own eyes closed as if to process what she was saying. Surely someone so young couldn't see anything wrong with something so simple as this was what she was sure Makoto would have said.

"I'd like to discuss the rates and work needed, as well as how you will gauge how adequate I am doing in my duties. As of now, as I'm sure you know, I am the sole member of my clan and it is quite unlikely that I will be capable of doing as well as my entire clan has done in their prime."

He was straightforward and she could tell that he wasn't trying to play any games with her. He simply wanted to wrap things up in a quick and concise manner.

"Of course. I believe I already have an idea of how we can continue to support each other in the future. I believe that…" EI began to panic, trying to think of a good price to start off with since inflation has apparently gone up rather highly.

"T-ten million Mora per month would be an adequate amount if you're able to provide the services of your ancestors, no?" She thought of how prestigious the clan had been in the past, recalling the amount sent to them. The Kaedeharas were once paid handsomely when they were one of the largest noble houses, but with inflation and Kazuha being the only one, she should be able to just knock it down by two zeros, right?

"Ten million?!" Kazuha exclaimed incredulously, the first time he had raised his voice since being here.

This surprised Ei so much, mistaking his tone as anger, causing her to panic as she immediately gave a new offer.

"A-ah! I'm sorry! Would one hundred million suffice?"

Kazuha had to do his best to focus on breathing when the Raiden Shogun just immediately jumped up his pay, but he had to maintain himself.

"N-no. It's more than enough. There's no more need to go higher." He held his hands up in front of him to signify her to stop.

"Oh, okay. Ahem." Ei did her best to recollect herself, unsure where that outburst came from. It didn't feel like her at all. Even if it wasn't enough, she should have used her authority to strong arm him into accepting it, yet for some reason, she felt the urge to do good by this man as if she had done something wrong before. "If that is it, then I believe we can end the discussion here and leave the more refined details once you become settled in say… a month?"

"Um… Actually, there's something I must also inform you about my situation… I believe that in about a few weeks time, I must travel to Liyue to do some obligations I had set up prior to receiving news of my clan's reestablishment." Kazuha awkwardly interjected, still feeling rather mortified with how much the Shogunate paid those that worked under them when he wasn't even fully sure what he had to do yet.

"Oh? What business do you have in Liyue?" Ei looked somewhat interested, recalling that that was where Rex Lapis once ruled until recently.

"My captain has requested of me to stay in Liyue to assist in helping The Yuheng prepare for a battle soon." He explained, not finding much reason to keep too much a secret since he doubted that Inazuma would be making contact with Liyue soon.

"A battle? What could be so dire that you'd need to assist?" Now this was truly perplexing. Surely any battle that could be so dangerous would have Rex Lapis appear out of retirement at worse, no?

"My Captain is on good terms with the leader of the Liyue Qixing, Lady Ningguang. In about a month's time, we're led to believe…" Kazuha began, giving her the full explanation of what was to happen, not seeing any advantage to leave out details as it didn't affect her nation.

However, the moment he spoke about his role in taking an active part in defending against a god in it's own territory…

CRACK

The Raiden Shogun's hand which had been on the remains of the table suddenly clenched and fractured it further, shocking Kazuha.

"I FORBID it." She growled and suddenly, it felt like he was talking to someone else.

"Raiden Shogun?" Kazuha asked warily.

"I said I FORBID it."

Unbeknownst to Kazuha who was unaware of the truth behind their body, Ei was no longer in control as The Raiden Shogun's consciousness snapped back into control, leading to somehow forcefully regain control of the body they shared.

The look of surprise on Kazuha's face made her realize that she was overstepping some boundaries, however, with the Sakoku Decree still in effect, it wasn't as if she was doing something strange.

"With all due respect, Raiden Shogun. I do believe I am allowed the freedom to mobilize as I wish and even if you forbid it, I believe we both know that in terms of escaping, you will not be able to detain me." Kazuha recovered rather quickly, before his voice turned cold, not being the type to let his freedom be suffocated as such, especially by one who's policy resulted in his friend's death.

While he was sure that if the Raiden Shogun truly wanted to, she could easily apprehend him right here, but it wouldn't look good with the recent politics.

Inviting a member of The Resistance under the guise of peace solely to detain or kill them? That'd simply ruin the lengths everyone had come to to reach their current amicable relations.

Unfortunately, he came into the building believing he was talking to a well educated and dignified ruler with years of expertise under her belt in regards to such things.

In reality, even if it was Ei, there was very little actual managing experience from either the Puppet or Ei.

Raiden Shogun's mind was not one of rationality. She was not made to be too complex, having only been created for the simple task of making sure Inazuma stayed the same. However, with new changes within her that even her creator couldn't fully understand, it wasn't surprising that no one could predict how she'd react.

The air crackled with electricity as the room's atmosphere suddenly became incredibly intense. Kazuha's senses were screaming for him to flee as it was certain that she was about to execute him then and there for his insubordination.

Then, without any warning, it happened.

"W-why… I just want you to be safe… *sniffle*" The Raiden Shogun began tearing up in front of him, leading him to be completely at a loss for words.

"R-Raiden Shogun…! Um…" He was completely unaware of what to do, having wished she had actually attacked him as opposed to what was happening currently.

"Why are you going out of your way to get into danger and leave me like this?!" She cried out, the tears flooding out as if she was a wife who was being left behind.

"Leave you like what?!" Kazuha was blushing profusely now, all normal manners of stoicism lost as he waved his hands frantically in front of himself.

"Ah, you don't seem to know, but I believe they swapped consciousness…" Rosalyne stated from the side, having been present for everything after her death, though Kazuha couldn't hear due to what was happening.

He moved to try and console the crying leader of a nation, but then something else peculiar happened.

The moment he placed a hand on her shoulder, a light seemed to emanate from her.

He wasn't sure what was happening, but before he could react, the whole world was engulfed in the bright light for him and his last moments before his consciousness seemed to have been pulled was reasonable given the situation.

"I should've went back to Liyue." He thought.