"My existence?" Ei's eyes lit up. "I think I understand now. I am me, only one, but there can be countless forms of existence. What form I take actually doesn't matter. For example, the Shogun is one form of my existence. Whether she is truly me is not a question that can be decided by any part of her body."
[Kamisato Ayaka: The Shogun also exists in the hearts of every Inazuman as a belief.]
[Paimon: That sounds even more complicated.]
[Furina: It's not that complicated, really.]
[Paimon: Then can Furina explain it for us?]
[Furina: Well, um, it's just not complicated, okay?]
Paimon nodded. "So that means this picture is also one form of your existence."
Ei fell into deep thought. "Even I, who pursue eternity, have my form of existence constantly changing."
"So how can I demand that Inazuma and everyone living in Inazuma remain unchanged?"
Lumine said, "But the essence of Inazuma isn't so easy to change."
[Yae Miko: Ei, the path of eternity you pursued was too extreme. There is only one scenario that matches your vision of eternity.]
[Ei: What scenario?]
[Yae Miko: Time stands still. All things fall silent. Only then would everything come to a halt. But if time stops and all things fall silent, does Inazuma even exist anymore?]
[Ei: Thank you, Miko. I understand.]
[Zhongli: Beauty fades, but it also re-emerges. As long as what fades and what remains find a balance, then beauty will always exist. The desire to preserve beauty is admirable, but loss cannot be prevented. We can only create new beauty together.]
[Ningguang: After the Jade Chamber fell, a new Jade Chamber rose again.]
Ei said, "Walking with you all this way, everything I have witnessed lies outside my understanding. You may not realize it, but these things have truly impacted my cognition."
"If I define things by what I have seen today, the current Inazuma is vastly different from the one in my memories. But that does not mean the current Inazuma is no longer Inazuma, does it?"
Lumine nodded. "That's right."
"The Vision Hunt Decree, the Statue of the Omnipresent God... all of these were meant to bring about eternity. But if I were truly getting closer to eternity, none of these stories would have happened."
"Ah... have I been holding on too tightly?"
Paimon was delighted. "It seems Ei has figured things out!"
"I think our tour guide service was absolutely worthwhile."
[Zhongli: With the livestream's presence, the value of this tour has been magnified.]
[Paimon: Yeah, it's like so many people got to travel with us!]
[Keqing: We also witnessed the change of a god.]
[Ningguang: Perhaps more than one.]
On their way back, Lumine and Paimon overheard Ippei from the Tenryou Commission searching for his young master. They approached and asked, "Ippei, what happened?"
Ei followed along.
Seeing the Shogun, Ippei was extremely nervous. "Your Excellency Shogun! Are you here to see Young Master Kujou Kamaji? I apologize, but he has not returned yet. If it pleases you, may I relay your message on his behalf?"
Ei said, "No need for formalities. I am not here on official business. I simply heard your voice calling out."
Lumine asked, "Are you looking for your second young master?"
Ippei was very anxious. "Yes. To be honest, the young master went to negotiations and has not returned. I am very worried."