A cool, crisp wind brushed past the sleeves of a little boy and girl running hand in hand down the street, and tousled the hair at the brows of two girls who sat on a bench beneath the sakura trees—girls who, having just finished their sword practice at the Kamisato Estate Dojo, were now reading with earnest expressions on their faces. Carrying the smoke-and-fire warmth of Inazuma City, the wind swept northward all in a rush, blew into the rear courtyard of the Grand Narukami Shrine, and settled upon Ei, who stood before the Sacred Sakura.
She had already reconciled with the Raiden Shogun. From this day forward, the Raiden Shogun would no longer resist her will.
"I no longer chase after a stagnant eternity. That being so, there's no longer any need to seal off the nation."
Ei gazed at the Sacred Sakura before her, which Yae Miko had trimmed into the shape of a fox.
The Sacred Sakura rustled in the wind, as though answering Ei's words.
"Wonderful—things have finally come to a settling point, and Inazuma's national isolation is about to end too."
Paimon said with a smile.
"Mm-hm."
Lumine nodded.
"Oh? So the isolation is finally going to be lifted?"
Yae Miko said, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Miko, what wicked little scheme are you cooking up this time?"
Paimon said, shooting Yae Miko a glance.
"Little one, you mustn't go wrongly accusing people. I haven't said a single thing yet."
Yae Miko said with a smile.
"I don't need you to say it to know you're definitely plotting something."
Paimon put on the air of a great detective, pushing up an imaginary pair of glasses as she spoke.
"I never expected a little one like you to understand me so well."
Yae Miko gave a chuckle and said, "However, what I'm planning shall remain a secret for now. You'll all find out when the time comes."
Paimon was about to say something more when Ei turned around and asked, "By the way, Traveler—do you have some time in a little while?"
"I do."
Lumine nodded and said, "Is there something you need?"
Paimon, too, wore a puzzled look.
"Now that I've decided to move forward, I naturally need to examine the Inazuma of today carefully—to take stock of the present and weigh the future."
Ei said, "So, I'd like to ask the two of you to take me around Inazuma City once more."
"Understood—leave it to us!"
Paimon said with a nod.
"Oh? Shogun Almighty, you don't intend to invite me along too?"
Yae Miko said with a smile.
"I do not."
Ei shook her head.
"Such a decisive refusal? I'm truly hurt."
Yae Miko heaved a sigh and, feigning heartbreak, said, "Fine, fine, off you go. Since Inazuma is going to lift the Sakoku Decree, I'd best go plan some new activities for the Yae Publishing House too."
After chatting a few words with Yae Miko, Ei, the Traveler, and Paimon got ready to leave.
"After fighting for so long, I'm getting a little hungry. Let's go eat something tasty first—I want to eat lots and lots of good food: tempura fried shrimp, Tonkotsu Ramen, assorted fried noodles, Tricolor Dango, tuna sashimi, Egg Roll, dry-roasted grilled fish, and Dango Milk too!"
Paimon said, "Observing the food the populace likes is also an important part of the investigation."
"Paimon obviously didn't do anything at all."
Lumine rolled her eyes at Paimon and said.
"While you and Ei were fighting, I was cheering you both on the whole time!"
Paimon said.
"Dango Milk? What a far-off-sounding name."
Ei reminisced.
"Well, of course—after all, Ei, you battled the Shogun for five hundred years inside the Plane of Euthymia. The last time you drank Dango Milk was five hundred years ago."
Paimon said.
They passed through the torii gate and left the Grand Narukami Shrine.
"Hold on tight to my hand."
Ei stretched out her hand and said, "I'll take you back to Inazuma City."
"Mm."
Lumine nodded, reached out and grabbed hold of Ei, while her other hand grabbed hold of Paimon.
Once she saw that they had a firm grip, Ei took a single step forward, and in an instant transformed into a streak of purple lightning, hurtling toward Inazuma City.
In almost no time at all, they appeared outside Inazuma City, in a deserted spot.
"So fast! I didn't even have time to react!"
Paimon said, her eyes going wide.
"All right, let's get going."
Ei said.
"Mm."
Lumine nodded, and they made their way into Inazuma City.
As they walked along the street, almost instantly they drew the attention of everyone on either side.
"Look, it's the Shogun Almighty!"
"Those two following beside the Shogun Almighty—aren't they the legendary Traveler and Paimon?"
When they reached the vicinity of the Yae Publishing House, however, they saw a long line of people stretched out in front of it.
"What are they all doing?"
Ei asked.
"Today is a book-release day. On this day, novel enthusiasts will line up at the Yae Publishing House to buy the new books they have their hearts set on."
Lumine said.
"I see."
Ei nodded thoughtfully, then said, "I think I've heard Kujou mention it—you accepted Miko's commission, so that every time Fang Qiu releases a new book, you make a trip to Liyue to bring the book back and publish it at the Yae Publishing House?"
"Mm."
Lumine nodded.
"Is there a new Fang Qiu book this time?"
Ei asked.
"Ei, do you like Fang Qiu's books too?"
Paimon asked.
"The truths conveyed in her books happen to coincide with what Makoto told me."
Ei said, "Once, I failed to understand the meaning behind Miko recommending Fang Qiu's books to me. After finishing Your Lie in April, all it stirred up in me was the pain of loss—I failed to see that Arima Kousei was reborn anew because of Miyazono Kaori, that he carried Miyazono Kaori's hopes upon his shoulders and kept walking forward. When Makoto told me this very truth in the Plane of Euthymia, the first thing I thought of was Fang Qiu's books. This is the eternity that Makoto pursued. I suspect Miko also hoped I might come to understand this truth, and that's why she recommended her books to me."
"So there was such a meaning behind it?"
Paimon said, her face full of sudden realization, "Then it's perfect timing—Miss Fang Qiu's book is being released today. Let's go buy it together."
"Mm. So many people love Fang Qiu's books—I'd like to see what kind of content the populace enjoys nowadays, too."
Ei nodded.
They made their way toward the Yae Publishing House, and as they drew near, they saw a group of people coming out of a teahouse, discussing something heatedly.
"Hey, have you all heard?"
"Heard what?"
"Just now, Thoma of the Kamisato Clan said that this new book by Old Thief Fang Qiu, The Forest of Fireflies' Light, was written because he sent a letter asking that old thief Fang Qiu to write it."
"Is that so? Where did you hear it? Is it reliable?"
"That fellow said it himself, with his own mouth, while chatting with Yoimiya—there's absolutely no mistake."
"This is the absolute truth. What's more, I suspect the reason Old Thief Fang Qiu writes so many tragedies is all at Thoma's instigation—he wrote a letter telling Fang Qiu that the people of Inazuma love tragedies, so he specifically had that old thief Fang Qiu change happy, all's-well endings into tragic ones."
"Although we don't know whether the earlier works had anything to do with Thoma, The Forest of Fireflies' Light was definitely at his instigation!"
The crowd buzzed with discussion.
"Hm?"
Ei arched an eyebrow.
"Traveler, back when we were eating before, Fang Qiu did indeed seem to mention something about Thoma sending her a letter..."
Paimon said.
"She did indeed mention it."
Lumine nodded.
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