Lin Mo felt the gentle touch brushing across the back of his hand.
He simply continued smiling, gazing out at the beautiful scenery of Narukami Island without responding.
Raiden Makoto, the wise ruler who had propelled Inazuma to prosperity in just five years, easily understood that Lin Mo's silence was his answer.
"Why?" Makoto couldn't help but ask.
After five years of inseparable companionship, even without crossing that final emotional boundary, she had long seen Lin Mo as her other half.
She couldn't fathom why he would reject her.
Lin Mo stared at the slowly setting sun and sighed. "Makoto, love is all about timing—who comes first."
"Narukami Island has no such law," Makoto said unwillingly.
She knew exactly who he meant: his childhood sweetheart and lover, the shrine maiden of the Grand Narukami Shrine, Kitsune Saiguu.
"Kitsune Saiguu lent me to the shogunate for a full five years, and now it's time to return me to her," Lin Mo said with a bitter smile. "She'd be heartbroken otherwise..."
"I... understand..." Makoto lowered her gaze, unable to look at his profile any longer.
She feared that one more glance would make it impossible to let him go.
"By the way, Makoto," Lin Mo spoke up again.
"Hm?" she replied softly.
"Over these five years, your sister has often been alone under that sakura tree, hasn't she?" Lin Mo asked, his eyes turning toward a cherry blossom tree within the shogunate grounds.
"Yes, she's not great at socializing," Makoto nodded slowly, her voice tinged with sadness. "If you're not at the shogunate anymore, I might be too busy to look after her..."
"Do you need my help?" Lin Mo asked with a smile.
"But... she's been under my care since she was born. She's never really interacted with anyone else," Makoto said, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.
"Don't worry, leave it to me," Lin Mo said with a gentle smile. "I may not be able to help you with shogunate duties like before, but taking care of your sister? I can handle that."
"Will you come to the shogunate every day to pick her up?" Makoto asked hopefully.
"If she doesn't mind us, then... probably, yeah," Lin Mo said uncertainly.
"Alright... then I'll entrust Ei to you."
Makoto had thought that with Lin Mo leaving the shogunate, their chances to meet would dwindle.
But she soon realized that entrusting Ei to him was the best decision she'd ever made.
Thanks to Ei, she could see Lin Mo almost every day.
The quiet, reserved Ei became the bridge that connected them.
She couldn't remember exactly when it started, but every morning, Lin Mo would arrive early with homemade breakfast, heading to the shogunate to wake the sisters.
He didn't completely abandon shogunate affairs either.
During their shared breakfasts, he would patiently and thoroughly answer all of Makoto's questions.
For her, even without having Lin Mo fully as her own, this life was still fulfilling.
But good times don't last.
One day, exhausted from work, Makoto turned in early.
Her sister Ei was much the same, worn out from learning to make sweets, and they fell asleep embracing in the Tenshukaku bedroom.
That very day, the people of Watatsumi Island, suffering from scarce resources, begged the god Orobashi to launch a campaign to seize what they needed to survive.
Narukami Island had grown immensely powerful in recent years, guarded by two gods.
Orobashi knew victory was unlikely, but he sensed that the auras of Narukami's two gods were weaker than usual that day.
If war was inevitable, then striking today offered the best chance.
Gazing at his struggling people on Watatsumi, Orobashi made his choice.
He left behind hope on the island and set out to conquer Narukami.
That day, Lin Mo had been waiting.
He left Narukami Island immediately, heading to Yashiori Island to intercept Orobashi.
But even as a member of the tengu clan—stronger than humans—Lin Mo couldn't stand against a god like Orobashi.
All he could do was delay him briefly.
By the time Ei arrived, it was too late.
From that day on, Makoto changed.
She was no longer the god who devoted herself to Inazuma's people.
Though she didn't retreat into the Plane of Euthymia like Ei, she secluded herself in the Tenshukaku, refusing to emerge.
From then on, she ignored all affairs of Inazuma City and Narukami Island.
Makoto sat alone on the Tenshukaku balcony, staring toward Yashiori Island.
A tear slid down her cheek.
"So... I never truly wanted this nation to prosper..."
"It was because I promised you I'd become the highest authority of Narukami Island."
"All these years of effort were just to show you I'd fulfilled my duty."
"Watching Narukami Island thrive under our work..."
"It felt like our child, growing strong."
"But now that you're gone..."
"None of it matters anymore."
From that day, Inazuma's progress halted.
Civilization, technology, and the scale of Inazuma City froze in place.
Because of the tengu general's death.
The god of Narukami had utterly abandoned her nation and her people.
Her divine rule became an empty title.
The past was too painful to recall.
The depth of Makoto's heartbreak back then matched her joy now.
Even now, she wrapped her arms around Lin Mo's neck.
Her eyes brimmed with tenderness and a smile: "Sasayuri, this time you can't leave me behind."
"This is my second order to you as the supreme ruler of Narukami Island!"
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T/N:
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