Ritou.
Unlike the grand reunion unfolding at the Thousand-Gated Vessel, Lumine and Paimon were still running around the island like headless chickens.
"Where do you think Harrison went? Why isn't he home?"
After intimidating Werner and confirming that Keijiro was the true culprit behind the exploitation scheme, Lumine had decided something.
Keijiro had been corrupt for this long — another day wouldn't change much.
But Harrison?
Harrison was volatile.
So she and Paimon chose to find him first.
"Why don't we split up?" Paimon suggested.
Lumine looked at her.
"And if you find him first, how exactly are you going to notify me?"
"…Oh."
Of course, Lumine had another reason.
If they split up, Paimon would probably get lost.
Again.
"…Then let's just wait outside his house."
That was, surprisingly, one of Paimon's more reasonable ideas.
So they waited.
From afternoon…
Until midnight.
Finally, Harrison returned.
But he wasn't alone.
Seven or eight young men followed behind him — faces tense, expressions grim.
Paimon was about to float out when Lumine grabbed her.
"Wait."
"What?"
"…Something's wrong. Let's hide."
The group checked their surroundings carefully before sneaking inside.
Paimon swallowed.
"They're planning revenge… aren't they?"
Inside, voices rose.
Anger.
Desperation.
Broken livelihoods.
The first target mentioned was Keijiro — the most arrogant and abusive official among them.
Lumine: "..."
Paimon: "..."
What were the odds?
They hadn't even searched properly yet, and the problem had delivered itself.
"We have to stop them!" Paimon whispered urgently.
"This isn't like threatening Werner. If they attack an official… it'll spiral out of control."
Lumine remained calm.
"Even if we stop them tonight, they'll just try again another day."
She thought quickly.
Better to stall Harrison through President Kurisu.
Meanwhile, she would gather evidence of Keijiro's corruption.
If she secured proof linking him and Werner, everything would fall into place.
They could:
Present evidence to higher authorities.
Or confront Keijiro directly.
Or leverage political rivalry within the Kanjou Commission.
The plan was elegant.
Precise.
Strategic.
Unfortunately…
Reality rarely cooperates.
The Next Day
Lumine told Kurisu everything — Harrison's plan, the brewing unrest.
She asked him to stall Harrison while she searched for evidence.
She tailed Keijiro for an entire day.
Nothing.
He never kept anything suspicious on him.
Which made sense.
No one incompetent enough to extort merchants would store written proof in their pocket.
So Lumine pivoted.
If brute force wouldn't work…
She would use reputation.
A New Approach
Days later, after confirming Keijiro was scheduled as gate guard, Lumine formally requested an audience with the head of the Hiiragi Clan — Hiiragi Shinsuke of the Kanjou Commission.
The Traveler's fame had already crossed the storm barrier.
The upper ranks of Inazuma knew her name.
Including Shinsuke.
Especially Shinsuke.
The man who secretly cooperated with the Fatui.
Rather than avoid her, he received Lumine and Paimon with excessive courtesy.
Outside the commission gates—
Keijiro watched Lumine pass with obvious respect.
Anyone personally received by Lord Shinsuke was not someone he could afford to offend.
Lumine noticed.
And internally fist-pumped.
Her strategy was working.
Instead of asking about travel permits, she spent several days "casually visiting."
Complimenting Inazuma's culture.
Discussing scenery.
Drinking tea.
Chatting nonsense.
Shinsuke was confused.
He had prepared excuses to delay her departure permit.
Instead—
She never even mentioned it.
Was she probing?
Testing him?
Did she know something?
His paranoia grew.
Meanwhile—
Her presence elevated her status in Keijiro's eyes.
Additionally, Hiiragi Chisato began speaking with her frequently.
They chatted like ordinary young women.
Everything was going perfectly.
Lumine's confidence soared.
This was the first time she felt she had outplayed someone purely with strategy.
She couldn't wait to brag to Luo Li about it.
And then—
The pig teammate struck.
Harrison acted.
Without warning.
He and the bankrupt youths ambushed Keijiro off-duty.
They failed.
Miserably.
Not only did they fail—
They were now wanted criminals.
Lumine stared at the notice in disbelief.
Paimon slowly turned toward her.
"…We had a plan."
"Yes."
"…A really good plan."
"Yes."
"…And now?"
Lumine covered her face.
"…Now we clean up the mess."
Somewhere in the distance—
Keijiro was shouting about rebellion.
The Kanjou Commission tightened patrols.
And Lumine's perfectly layered strategy crumbled overnight.
Sometimes, the hardest enemies weren't villains.
They were teammates.