"It was me."
Lora nodded without hesitation. "You were speaking with Rosalyne just now, and I was in a hurry. I didn't have time to argue with the Okuzumeshuu, so I simply held them in place."
Ei inclined her head slightly.
"They are my subordinates. They act under my orders. Release them."
"Alright."
Lora flicked her fingers. A ribbon of blue light slipped from her fingertips, winding through Tenshukaku before sweeping past each member of the Okuzumeshuu and dissolving the restraints around them.
The instant they were freed, they rushed to Ei's side, forming a tight protective ring around her.
"Raiden Shogun! Please be cautious—this person is dangerous!"
"There is no need for such alarm. She is—"
Before Ei could finish, Lora stepped forward, lightly catching her by the shoulder and covering her mouth.
The surrounding Okuzumeshuu froze in shock. They stared at the two of them as if their understanding of the world had just shattered.
Was there truly someone who dared treat the Raiden Shogun this way?
"Raiden Shogun, this—"
Lora suddenly burst into laughter.
"Ah—hahaha… Everyone, please, calm down. Your Shogun and I are friends. I'm an envoy from Liyue. See? She isn't resisting, is she?"
The Okuzumeshuu turned to look at Ei. She made no move to struggle. In their minds, no one could possibly restrain the Raiden Shogun against her will—her strength stood at the very pinnacle of this world.
"So… you truly are a friend of the Raiden Shogun?"
A few of them slowly lowered their weapons, though they continued to watch Lora with caution.
Lora smiled and gave a small nod.
"Mm."
Lora withdrew her hand. Ei smoothed the faint creases in her clothing and gave a small nod.
"She speaks the truth. We are old acquaintances."
Oh? Not bad. She caught on quickly.
Lora let out a soft chuckle.
"Alright. Let's head outside."
She had taken only a few steps when Ei, still standing where she was, added,
"Her name is Lora. She is a deity from a foreign land. You will show her the same respect you show me."
Lora stopped mid-step, going rigid.
The Okuzumeshuu immediately straightened, their expressions turning solemn.
"Yes, Raiden Shogun!"
They turned to Lora and bowed deeply.
"Lord Deity! We were disrespectful earlier. Please forgive us!"
Lora slowly turned back, staring at Ei, who regarded her with the faintest hint of a smile.
"You—"
"Don't waste time. Didn't you want me to see the state of Inazuma's people?"
Ei walked past her toward the gates of Tenshukaku. The Okuzumeshuu followed in orderly formation, offering respectful nods to Lora as they passed.
Watching Ei's retreating figure, Lora muttered under her breath,
"Careless… I walked straight into that."
There was no point trying to explain. To the Okuzumeshuu, the Raiden Shogun's word was absolute. If she declared Lora a deity, then a deity she was—nothing Lora said would change their minds.
After letting out a long sigh, Lora was practically dragged along by Ei's pace.
"Alright, alright! I'm not even the one in a hurry—why are you rushing…"
With another helpless sigh, she followed.
...
When they stepped out of Tenshukaku, the broad plaza stretching toward the Statue of the Omnipresent God lay completely deserted. The silence felt unnatural. Even the Okuzumeshuu stationed at the gates had been frozen in place by Lora earlier.
Under Ei's steady gaze, Lora gave an awkward smile and lifted their restraints as well.
"So," Ei said, surveying the empty streets of Inazuma City before turning back to Lora, "is this what you wished to show me?"
Lora's smile didn't falter. She shook her head.
"Of course not. Look over there."
Following her gesture, Ei saw the resistance forces advancing down the main street. Lumine and Kokomi led them at the front.
"The resistance! How did they reach this place? Protect the Raiden Shogun!"
The Okuzumeshuu immediately closed ranks around Ei and Lora, forming a defensive perimeter.
"There is no need," Ei said evenly. "With Lora and me here, they cannot accomplish much."
"We are well aware of the Raiden Shogun's power—and that of this deity," one soldier replied firmly. "But as Okuzumeshuu, protecting the Raiden Shogun is our duty."
Ei did not respond. Her gaze remained fixed on Lumine and Kokomi at the head of the resistance.
"That Traveler… is she one of yours?"
Lora shook her head.
"Not exactly. She's simply a companion."
"She is an enemy of Eternity," Ei said quietly, Lumine's reflection glinting in her eyes. "One who does not belong to this world. One who stands in opposition to Eternity."
A chill entered her voice, as though her blade might be drawn at any moment.
"They could not have reached this place on their own. Among the Tri-Commission, who is aiding you?"
Ei quickly grasped the heart of the matter and fixed Lora with a steady gaze.
Lora answered without hesitation.
"The Yashiro Commission. Those under Kujou Sara within the Tenryou Commission. And Yae Miko."
At those names, something flickered in Ei's eyes.
"Even Yae Miko would defy me for their sake?"
"She only wishes to save you—to save Inazuma," Lora replied. "Before Inazuma sinks into a true and suffocating eternity, something must change."
As they spoke, the resistance forces had already reached the open square before the Statue of the Omnipresent God, facing Ei and the assembled Okuzumeshuu before Tenshukaku.
Lora stepped forward, glancing toward Lumine and Kokomi as she continued speaking to Ei.
"Because of Fontaine, I once spoke with your sister about how a nation—and its people—might endure. In my view, her understanding of eternity was the more fitting one."
"People continue moving forward. Nations continue to grow. Nothing remains unchanged forever. Nothing is truly immutable."
Step by step, Lora came to stand beside Lumine and Kokomi. She turned to face Ei, who watched them from a distance, and finished:
"An eternity imposed against the will of the people cannot endure. It is nothing more than a reflection in a mirror, a moon upon water—beautiful, but fleeting. An illusion that vanishes the moment it is touched."