"Mm///, l-little—"
"—Girlfriends///"
The two girls flushed red at the word. Seeing the sphere approach, they both dropped to their knees with straight backs, sitting properly as if meeting a parent.
"Makoto... d-don't make things difficult for them///"
Seeing this, the Shogun also blushed. She curled her toes slightly, bending her legs as she softly reminded her mother.
"I won't~ Mm—very nice indeed. Both of you are smooth and lovely, a perfect match for our Shogun."
Makoto looked at the two kneeling nervously before her and smiled teasingly.
"Th-thank you for your praise, Lady Makoto."
Ayaka lowered her head in a bow, and Kokomi followed suit.
"The second daughter of the Kamisato Clan hardly needs introduction. As for this one... so fair and beautiful. Lovely hair ornaments, hmm~?"
Makoto teased Kokomi meaningfully, alluding to the dragon horns she had been trying to conceal.
"Thank you for your compliment..."
Kokomi's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly suppressed her nerves and expressed her gratitude.
"If my eyes do not deceive me, you are from Watatsumi Island, correct?"
Makoto asked.
"Lady Makoto is perceptive. My name is Sangonomiya Kokomi. I reside on Watatsumi Island and serve as the Divine Priestess of that region."
Kokomi nodded.
"No wonder. As expected of a people renowned as the 'Beauties of Watatsumi.'"
"You flatter me."
Kokomi bowed slightly. Inwardly, however, she was delighted. She had long known her appearance would be an advantage in attracting the Shogun and leaving a good impression on her mother-in-law. She excelled at planning ahead—even when it came to her own feelings.
"However... you must all get along harmoniously, hm~? Do not let your feelings toward my child create discord between you. I believe the Shogun would not wish to see that either. After all, blessings are to be shared, and hardships endured together. You are both outstanding beauties capable of toppling kingdoms. For my Shogun to receive the love you bestow is her blessing—and the honor of our Raiden family. As head of the Raiden household, I, Raiden Makoto, hereby express our deepest gratitude."
The sphere before them lowered slightly in a gesture of respect.
"We wouldn't dare! Lady Makoto, please don't say that~!"
Ayaka hurriedly waved her hands, feeling as though their positions had been reversed.
"Indeed, you overpraise us. It is our honor instead."
Kokomi quickly corrected her as well.
"Good. That is what I wished to see—mutual respect. You both pass."
Makoto smiled.
"Haa..." ×2
Both girls let out breaths of relief.
"Makoto... it's not that exaggerated. You make it sound like—"
Those oddly ceremonial words made it sound as if she were about to marry Kokomi and Ayaka herself. The thought embarrassed her terribly, her face turning bright red.
"Hehe~ And isn't that so?"
Makoto teased.
"O-of course not...///"
She immediately refuted.
"Mm~" ×2
Unexpectedly, at her instinctive denial, Ayaka and Kokomi both pursed their soft lips and looked slightly disappointed, like two adorable girls who had just been rejected.
"See? You've made them sad."
Makoto continued teasing.
"Wait—don't the two of you start playing along with her~"
The Shogun propped herself up helplessly and gently poked each of their cheeks, puffing her own in a cute complaint.
"Mmya~" ×2
Both of them leaned their heads back before bursting into laughter, as though exposed.
"Even so... we were only acting true to our feelings, Shogun?"
Ayaka hid her lips behind her folding fan and hinted meaningfully.
"///"
Due to her personality, Kokomi simply blushed and gazed at her.
"Mm... l-let's talk about that later... I still need some time... is that alright?"
The Shogun turned her face aside shyly before looking at them and asking softly.
"Mm~! Of course. We will wait for your answer."
Ayaka nodded proactively with a smile. Kokomi looked at her gratefully—truly, the Shirasagi Himegimi was her voice.
"You three..."
Ei shook her head helplessly.
"Alright~ Let's attend to the important matter. Ei, catch it. This crucial step must be done by your own hand..."
As Makoto's tone shifted, the violet sphere began to shrink, eventually condensing into a delicate oval violet crystal. It slowly descended into Ei's upturned palm.
Since the Shogun had propped herself up, Ei was able to stand once more. She clenched the dreamlike glowing violet crystal in her hand, feeling the warmth within.
Without Ei's support, the Shogun's upper body wavered slightly from lingering weakness. Fortunately, Kokomi caught her and drew her gently back into her embrace.
"Thank you... Kokomi..."
Resting in Kokomi's arms, breathing in the girl's scent, the Shogun lifted her slightly weakened yet alluring violet eyes and whispered her thanks.
"It's nothing~"
Kokomi smiled at her with affection and lightly brushed her cheek with her fingertips.
Meanwhile, Ayaka looked toward Ei.
"Is that... a seed?"
Ayaka stood and approached Ei, asking curiously.
"Mm. The divine seed formed from the miraculous tree that shelters all people."
Buzz~
With Makoto's answer, the seed resonated with Ei's body and mind. Her eyes once again shone with divine brilliance.
"At this moment, it remains an unseen and unfamiliar existence. When it takes root, and where it sprouts, depends entirely on the heart and dreams of the one who brought it forth."
The seed's glow intensified.
The Sacred Sakura at the Grand Narukami Shrine also began to shimmer.
"...?"
Yae Miko and Hanachirusato stepped out, surprise evident on their faces.
"Ei... when will you return?"
Gazing at the darkened sky, Yae murmured softly.
On the other side—
"...! This is..."
Holding the seed, Ei sensed its meaning and instantly understood. Closing her eyes, she raised her hand and opened her palm, allowing the seed to fall into the soil of the Plane of Euthymia.
Rustle~
It merged with the earth upon contact, spreading outward like rippling water across the entire realm, as though bearing a galaxy of stars.
All of them watched in fascination.
"Eternity stretches time without end."
In the next instant, accompanied by Makoto's clear, ethereal voice, a radiant trunk began to grow from the trembling ground. It rose upward continuously, branches extending one after another...
"Dreams cause every moment to shine brilliantly."
Pat pat ×N
Countless little foxes manifested from the void and gathered around the growing trunk, gazing up with bright eyes.
"When the two reflect one another, the Sacred Sakura shall no longer be bound by heavenly principles."
"—It shall bloom even in the deepest darkness!"
Rustle~
Cherry-red leaves sprouted along the branches, growing denser until the tree took on the form of a fully matured cherry blossom.
Buzz~
The surroundings shifted. Light transformed into the appearance of the Grand Narukami Shrine, and this cherry tree's image overlapped with the Sacred Sakura there.
"Thus, nightmares disperse, and reality is fulfilled."
Ei walked alone to the Sacred Sakura, lifting her hand to touch its trunk and the fragrant falling petals.
"The scenery we both longed for still lies ahead. Only... I can no longer witness Inazuma's future, nor walk beside you any longer."
Buzz~
The divine scene faded, returning to the original Plane of Euthymia. The Sacred Sakura before them had fully grown, though smaller than the one at the shrine. Makoto's sphere of light reappeared before Ei.
Ei raised her hand and touched the sphere gently. That warmth was deeply familiar—it belonged to her sister.
"However... even if I cannot witness it, someone will walk beside you. Everyone—the Shogun, and those children as well. Ei... you now have many family members, do you not?"
Makoto asked.
"..."
Ei pressed her lips together and nodded quietly.
"Ei, your naginata once shielded me from countless calamities. I have always felt I owed you."
"..." (shakes head)
Ei silently shook her head. Even with her divine brilliance, her eyes were beginning to redden. She bit her lip, desperately holding back tears.
"Though it is but a trivial repayment, before you truly awaken and encounter new bonds, this Sacred Sakura will buy you time. Look~ It is already working. Those around you now are all people who cherish you."
No wonder... when I returned to Inazuma, I found the Sacred Sakura already there. You fool... it was all for me. Even in death, it was still for me...
"..." (sniff)
If before she had been forcing herself not to cry, now she could no longer endure it. Tears fell, then turned into sobs. Though everyone was present, she could not stop herself from crying aloud.
Seeing Ei finally unable to suppress her tears and break down in sobs, the Shogun felt her own heart ache fiercely as if their hearts were connected. She too began to lose control, tears slipping down her cheeks.
Slowly, with Kokomi's support, she rose to her feet. She glanced at the girl beside her. Kokomi immediately understood her intention and nodded silently, helping her walk over to Ei. Ayaka had originally intended to take out a handkerchief to wipe Ei's tears, but when she saw the Shogun approaching, she decisively withdrew her hand and stepped aside, yielding the space.
"Ei... don't cry."
Supported by Kokomi, the Shogun walked slowly to Ei's side, gently wiping her tears like a little padded jacket caring for her.
"..." (sniff)
Ei sniffed softly. When she saw the Shogun, she forced a fragile smile.
"I'm not crying anymore."
The Shogun took the initiative to embrace her pitiful mother, slowly stroking her head and smoothing her hair in comfort. These past few days, Ei had been especially prone to tears—though she herself hardly had the right to say that.
"I'm sorry... I didn't expect you to cry..."
Makoto's tone carried a trace of awkwardness as well. Seeing her younger sister like this, she paused and did not continue.
"It's alright. Ei has been emotionally sensitive lately. She cries easily."
The Shogun smiled at the violet orb and explained.
"Mm... and you still—(sniff)—say that about me~!"
Ei puffed out her cheeks and lightly smacked her.
As if she didn't know her own habits—she cried even faster than Ei did.
"Hehe... you two, honestly... haa..."
Buzz~
Makoto sighed helplessly at their banter. Then the particles of the glowing orb began to reorganize. At last, a transparent, gentle woman in a kimono appeared before them.
"!" ×3
Ayaka and Kokomi were both astonished. It was their first time seeing the former Electro Archon. Ei, meanwhile, was stunned because she was finally meeting her beloved elder sister again in the truest sense.
"Makoto!"
Ei rushed forward to embrace her—but she passed straight through. It was not that Makoto had avoided her; she simply had no physical form.
"I am in a spiritual state. You cannot touch me, but you can see me."
Makoto tried to reach out to steady her, but she could not touch Ei either. In the end, it was the Shogun who supported Ei back.
"Seeing me like this makes you feel a little better, doesn't it, Ei?"
Though she could not truly touch her, Makoto still lifted her transparent hand toward Ei's cheek. Ei obediently stood there, allowing herself to be 'touched.'
"Ei, do not be sad. I have always been by your side, feeling your every movement. After all, my heart is the Shogun's heart. As long as the Shogun exists... so do I."
Makoto comforted her.
"If you miss me in the future, you can come here and talk to me. Anything at all. As long as it eases your heart, I will gladly accompany you."
Makoto smiled.
"...You won't leave us?"
Ei froze, asking cautiously.
"Leave? Why would I leave you?"
Makoto blinked in confusion.
"..." ×2
Ei and the Shogun exchanged a glance.
"With your personality, the next line should be some kind of farewell. Something like 'this is truly goodbye,' perhaps."
Ei knew her sister far too well.
"Hehe... that is true. I might say such words one day—but not now~ Though I am only a fragment of consciousness within the Shogun's heart, these centuries of quiet cultivation have made this fragment quite resilient. So that sentence... I shall save it for later."
Makoto spoke lightly.
"Really?"
Ei asked.
"Of course it's true. Would Makoto ever speak falsehoods?"
See? There she goes again... making jokes like that.
Ei complained inwardly.
"Besides, if I were to leave again, wouldn't that only make my dear little sister, my precious daughter, and everyone else sad once more? I do not wish for you to grieve because of me again. So I will remain here. Just as I said before—though I cannot personally witness your path or walk beside you, I can cheer for you from here. When you encounter setbacks, you may come and confide in me. I will always be here."
After speaking, Makoto transformed back into a crystalline sphere of light, floating before them.
"It's a promise."
Ei said firmly.
"Mm. A promise."
Makoto replied.
"Alright~ That is all I wished to say. Ah... except for one more thing—for the Shogun."
Makoto suddenly remembered something.
"...What is it?"
The Shogun looked at her in confusion.
"Regarding Musou Isshin—its power is far greater and more mysterious than you imagine. It responds to your heart and releases its true strength accordingly. That strength is not limited to combat. After all, the blade was never meant solely for battle. As its name suggests, the applications of great power are broad. How you choose to wield it... that will be up to you, Shogun."
She would look forward to the answer the Shogun would one day give her.
"...?"
A hint of puzzlement appeared in the Shogun's eyes as she lowered her gaze, pondering the meaning behind those words.
"I have said all I wished to say. Then I congratulate you all on achieving merit and fulfillment. May you guide Inazuma toward an even brighter future. I shall await good news here~"
Buzz~
In the next instant, the sphere gradually dispersed. Violet light particles transformed into falling cherry blossoms, flowing across the sky like a vast ocean. A galaxy formed from a sea of petals stretched endlessly overhead, dreamlike, filling the entire Plane of Euthymia before finally descending together like fine snow.
"Thank you, Sister."
Watching the falling blossoms, Ei wiped away her remaining tears and steadied her heart before turning to the others.
"Let's return... We should inform Yae and the others that we are safe."
"Mm..." ×3
Buzz~
Thus, they finally departed from the distant Plane of Euthymia. What surprised Ei was that although she and the Shogun had experienced centuries within, the outside world appeared unchanged.
The cave was exactly the same—fireflies drifting, the clear pool, small animals moving to and fro.
"How many years have passed here?"
After exiting the cave and seeing the pitch-black sky, Ei could not help but ask.
"Hm? Years? It has only been a little over an hour."
Ayaka and Kokomi exchanged a glance before answering.
During that time, the two of them had retrieved the shoes they had left in the Plane of Euthymia, slipping them back over their slightly worn socks. Kokomi had also picked up the hair ornament she had discarded when releasing her power. When no one was looking, she allowed the dragon horns atop her head to fade, replacing them with the original ornament of the same shape.
"An hour? Time did not change?"
"Perhaps... maybe the time outside and within the Plane of Euthymia are independent of each other."
The Shogun rested her chin in her hand thoughtfully. Just as their travels to other worlds seemed detached from Teyvat's time, though whether that was truly the case remained uncertain.
"I see... it seems I overthought it. Haa..."
Ei sighed in relief. That meant Ayaka and Kokomi had only been expelled for an hour before returning—while centuries had passed for her.
How mysterious.
"Let's go back to the shrine..."
All of them, mentally and physically exhausted, dragged their weary bodies up the path toward Mt. Yougou, returning at last to the somewhat long-missed Grand Narukami Shrine.
After arriving, they did not immediately recount everything that had occurred. Their energy was depleted, and the events had unfolded too suddenly. They needed time to process it all.
Although it was nearly midnight, the most outrageous part was that none of them—Ei, the Shogun, Ayaka, or Kokomi—had eaten at all.
Rather, they had forgotten to eat. In that critical moment, hunger had been irrelevant. But now that things had calmed down, the sensation returned all at once.
The first sign of the problem came from a very obvious stomach growl—
Grrr~
"...?" ×N
Seated in Yae's room, they all froze and looked at one another. Their gazes eventually settled on Ayaka.
"...///!"
Realizing it had been her stomach, Ayaka's face flushed bright red. She raised her folding fan to cover her entire face without leaving even the smallest gap.
"I'm sorry... everyone. I haven't eaten since noon."
She spoke embarrassedly.
"Pfft... I see... then—"
Grrr~
The very next second, Ei's stomach growled as well.
"...///"
She flushed instinctively, then quickly regained her usual composure, coughing awkwardly.
"Hehe~!"
Yae laughed the loudest of all, earning a glare from Ei.
"In that case, although it is late and none of us have eaten—and since I bear some responsibility—why don't we gather at Tenshukaku? The meal will be prepared. What do you say?"
"!" ×N
At the Shogun's invitation, they exchanged glances and smiled.