Ayaka: Th-The Shogun Has Appeared Beside Me?!
"The second person was a Shogunate samurai named Kurosawa," Lumine continued. "Before his Vision was taken away, he was a genuinely good man who spent his entire fortune distributing food to the poor."
"That was the conviction he upheld his entire life. But after his Vision was taken, he completely forgot about it and no longer remembered any of the people who had once received his help."
"He was even confused about why everyone kept coming to him for rice," Paimon added. "He even thought we were among them."
"Later, Treasure Hoarders broke into his home. After we helped him drive them off, we found a huge pile of IOUs in his house. We went to Netsuke no Gen and asked the shopkeeper, and that was when we learned the truth."
Lumine continued, "Mr. Kurosawa purchased large quantities of grain every month and distributed it to the poor for free. Whenever he ran out of money, he wrote IOUs. Even after becoming deeply indebted, he never stopped."
"The shopkeeper said he had tried to persuade him to sell his sword to repay his debts, but Kurosawa always refused, saying the sword embodied the conviction he had sought to uphold throughout his life."
Lumine sighed. "After learning the truth, Kurosawa remained dazed for a while. Then he said that he had apparently always wielded his sword to uphold benevolence and righteousness. Unfortunately, his memories were already gone, and it would be difficult to recover his former passion. But now that he knew about his past, he was still willing to try helping everyone again."
Paimon shook her head. "Someone who carried such a gentle wish nearly forgot the path he had upheld his entire life. The Vision Hunt Decree is far too cruel."
"The third person was Domon, the master of a swordsmanship dojo," Lumine paused before continuing. "The first person we met was his disciple, Junya. Junya said his master's lifelong dream was to become the greatest swordsman in the world. He used to train diligently day and night, but now he forbids his disciples from practicing swordsmanship and spends every day in a daze."
"All they could do was place their hopes on an exorcism ritual at the Grand Narukami Shrine and pray that their master would return to normal."
"But even after the ritual, Domon didn't recover. A shrine maiden who appeared to hold a high position told us there was no need to search for an evil spirit. A Vision carries a person's wish, and when that wish is forcibly stripped away, the person loses the motivation to keep moving forward."
"All of Domon's obsessions had been entrusted to his Vision. Once his wish was taken away, he naturally denied the swordsmanship he had pursued his entire life."
"Three people and three completely different lives, yet all of them met the exact same tragedy. The convictions that supported their lives vanished along with their Visions."
"Miss Mei," Kamisato Ayaka looked at Xia Yu, "what do you think of these three stories?"
"You're asking me?" Xia Yu raised her head and glanced at her. "Oh, I don't really want to say. If I told you what I truly thought, you might find it…"
"Far too treasonous."
Besides, the shrine maiden Lumine mentioned… Had Yae Miko really moved that quickly? Had she already repaired the seal?
"I believe people should be honest with one another," Kamisato Ayaka took a deep breath before continuing. "Inazuma is now shrouded beneath the shadow of the Vision Hunt Decree. Innocent people have their Visions forcibly confiscated, lose their wishes, and fall into confusion. The wishes within mortal hearts are being wantonly trampled upon."
"Before the Eternity pursued by Her Excellency the Shogun, the wishes of mortals seem as insignificant as dust. But precisely because of that, we cannot allow this suffering to continue spreading."
At this point, she gave a bitter smile. "To tell you the truth, I have submitted multiple petitions to the Shogunate questioning the Vision Hunt Decree. Every document was intercepted and shelved by the Kanjou Commission and the Tenryou Commission. All legitimate channels of remonstrance have completely failed."
"So you intend to resist the Vision Hunt Decree?" Xia Yu asked with interest. "Do you understand what that represents?"
"Resisting the Vision Hunt Decree is equivalent to opposing the Shogun's will. It is almost the same as questioning a god. But I do not intend to oppose Her Excellency the Shogun." Kamisato Ayaka slowly spoke while looking at the woman before her who claimed the surname Raiden. "I am unwilling to imagine the worst possible scenario. The Shogun has protected Inazuma for thousands of years. I have always believed that she does not disregard the suffering of her people."
"She has merely dwelled within the Plane of Euthymia for too long and has no way to see the state of the Human world. If the countless shattered wishes of mortals could be delivered before her… perhaps there would still be a chance to change everything."
Yes, this was the choice she had made.
Although the woman before her had an unknown background, the fact that she dared to claim the surname Raiden in Inazuma was enough to prove that her identity was extraordinary.
Either she was a madwoman who did not care about Her Excellency the Shogun, in which case she could be recruited as an ally and used to strengthen the foundation of Ayaka's plan.
Or… she was a trusted confidante and informant of Her Excellency the Shogun, someone close enough to joke about using the Raiden surname.
In other words, the Electro Archon's Retainer.
But if that were the case, wouldn't it be even better?
It meant her words would finally reach Her Excellency the Shogun. No matter what, she was a member of the Yashiro Commission. Now that she had voiced such opinions, any decision to punish her would require the personal review of Her Excellency the Shogun.
The Kanjou Commission and Tenryou Commission would no longer be able to obstruct her remonstrance.
"I know what you're thinking," Xia Yu said with a smile. "Unfortunately, your hopes have fallen through."
"I'm merely a passing traveler. And in my opinion, compared to the Vision Hunt Decree, which is destroying Inazuma's long-term future, the Sakoku Decree may be even more important."
Indeed, the Vision Hunt Decree was destroying Inazuma's future.
After all, those who could earn the recognition of a Vision were already among the most talented and creative Humans. The Vision Hunt Decree was equivalent to crippling all of them, and the consequences for Inazuma's future were obvious.
Of course, perhaps that was precisely Raiden Ei's goal. Without those people, Inazuma would never advance again. It would forever remain in the pastoral age she envisioned and forever retain the appearance most familiar to her.
Forever unchanging.
Confiscating Visions was merely the method. Taking away their wishes and preventing Inazuma from advancing was her true objective.
Perhaps the destruction of Khaenri'ah after its relentless advancement, along with the simultaneous death of Raiden Makoto, had dealt her too great a blow. When she returned, she discovered that Kitsune Saiguu was also gone, while Chiyo had been corrupted by the Abyss and driven mad…
One tragedy after another led her to make this judgment: as long as nothing continued to advance, destruction would never arrive, and she could keep everything she had left by her side.
How should one put it? She really was stubborn.
"I traveled all the way here from Watatsumi Island and witnessed the true state of Inazuma," Xia Yu said. "Hunger, war, disease… Death is ravaging this vast land."
"Every sentence you speak focuses on the problems caused by the Vision Hunt Decree, but from what I have observed, the Watatsumi resistance's opposition to the Vision Hunt Decree is more like a slogan used to unite people."
Xia Yu slowly continued, "What they are truly resisting is the Sakoku Decree. After the nation was closed, Watatsumi Island's channels for purchasing grain sharply diminished. The Shogunate then raised grain prices several times, eventually forcing Watatsumi Island to rebel."
"Because if they didn't resist, the entire island would starve to death!"
"Huh? Why?" Paimon was stunned. "Aren't the people of Watatsumi Island… also people of Inazuma?"
"Because Inazuma's land can no longer support this many people," Xia Yu calmly explained. "After centuries of development, Inazuma is no longer the isolated nation it once was, capable of relying solely on domestic agriculture for self-sufficiency."
"After the great calamity five hundred years ago, rapid advances in oceanfaring technology caused Inazuma's ties with other nations to quickly deepen. You exported various local specialties in exchange for Mondstadt's wine and grain, Liyue's silk and porcelain… At present, at least thirty percent of Inazuma's grain depends on imports."
"Not to mention that the ring of thunderstorms surrounding the outer seas has dealt a devastating blow to Inazuma's deep-sea fishing industry, reducing this island nation's food supply by another ten percent or more. After all, how many fish can possibly be caught in shallow waters?"
"Now that the Sakoku Decree has been issued, Ritou may still remain as a channel for foreign trade, but you have both seen how the Kanjou Commission conducts itself." She looked at Lumine and Paimon. "Do you genuinely believe trade like that can continue for long?"
"Capital—or rather, merchants—instinctively avoid turmoil and conflict. Its nature is timid. That is true, but it is not the whole truth. Capital fears a lack of profit or profits that are too small, just as nature abhors a vacuum. Once there is sufficient profit, capital becomes bold."
Xia Yu gave a mocking smile. "With a profit of ten percent, it will ensure its employment anywhere. At twenty percent, it becomes lively. At fifty percent, it becomes reckless. For one hundred percent profit, it will trample upon every Human law. At three hundred percent, it will dare commit any crime, even at the risk of being hanged."
"But merchants will never conduct business at a loss. When the taxes they must pay completely erase their profits, who would risk crossing the open ocean to trade with Inazuma?"
Paimon exclaimed in astonishment, "But… if that's the case, can't the people of the Kanjou Commission see it?"
"It isn't as though the Shogunate has no intelligent people," Xia Yu snorted. "Of course they know what it means."
"That is why Watatsumi Island was forced to rebel."
"After all, when there is a problem with the food supply, there are generally two solutions: increase the supply or reduce consumption. Increasing the supply is impossible, because that would mean the esteemed lords of the Kanjou Commission losing their source of wealth. How could they possibly allow that?"
"So they can only reduce consumption. If fewer people need to eat, wouldn't there be enough food? As long as Inazuma's population returns to a number the land can support, wouldn't their task be complete?"
"As for whether the people of Watatsumi Island die, or whether Yashiori Island has already been reduced to a living hell, they don't care. Those esteemed lords only care about how much money they can stuff into their pockets."
"As for the Electro Archon? Who cares about a god who locked herself inside Tenshukaku and isolated herself from the world? As long as the reports submitted to her appear flawless, it doesn't matter. She won't come outside to take a look anyway."
"Even if her Dominion has already become a living hell."
"You truly are wise," Kamisato Ayaka said earnestly. "Just as you said, the harm the Sakoku Decree currently inflicts upon Inazuma is indeed far greater than that caused by the Vision Hunt Decree."
"But Ayaka has her own difficulties. Compared to the Sakoku Decree, the Vision Hunt Decree is somewhat easier to overturn."
After all, the Sakoku Decree was the main policy, while the Vision Hunt Decree was merely attached to it.
Kamisato Ayaka intended to proceed one step at a time.
"Ayaka has never hated Her Excellency the Shogun. I understand that the Shogun pursues Eternity in order to preserve Inazuma's peace for thousands of years."
Kamisato Ayaka continued, "I only wish to remonstrate with the Shogun, allow her to see the tragedies the Vision Hunt Decree has inflicted upon the people, and persuade her to revoke the decree herself."
That truly was her plan. She had neither plotted a military coup nor intended to overthrow the Shogunate. Her approach was completely different from Watatsumi Island's path of armed resistance.
According to the standards of Xia Yu's previous life, Ayaka would unquestionably be considered a compromiser. Political power grew from the barrel of a gun, and blind compromise would only lead to further concessions. Rather than fantasizing that those in power would repent and reform, it would be better to overturn heaven and earth oneself and personally change the world.
But this was Teyvat… Friends, Her Excellency the Shogun could genuinely wipe out entire groups of people with a single slash… Even Watatsumi Island only dared to raise the banner of resisting the Vision Hunt Decree and did not dare mention opposing the Raiden Shogun in the slightest.
Judging from the likelihood of success, Kamisato Ayaka's idea seemed far more reliable than Watatsumi Island's.
It could only be said that each case had to be analyzed according to its specific circumstances. Everything depended on the broader environment.
"I have now honestly revealed all my thoughts to you," Kamisato Ayaka looked at everyone—though she was mainly looking at Xia Yu. "May Ayaka ask what you think of my ideas?"
"Of course we support you," Paimon said as though it were obvious. "The Vision Hunt Decree is the worst! Taking away someone's wish is really terrifying. Paimon doesn't even dare imagine a future where she can no longer feel interested in delicious food!"
"And the Sakoku Decree Sis Mei mentioned is even scarier if so many people are going to die. Of course we have to oppose it!"
Lumine nodded in agreement.
"And you, Miss Mei?" Kamisato Ayaka looked at Xia Yu.
"I don't think you've done anything wrong," Xia Yu replied with a nod.
"Then would Miss Mei be willing to show Ayaka her true face?" Kamisato Ayaka stared fixedly at the kasa on Xia Yu's head. "Ayaka believes we have had a pleasant conversation today. We should already be considered friends, shouldn't we?"
"Yet I don't even know what my friend looks like. That truly makes me an unqualified friend."
"…You won't be happy once I actually take it off," Xia Yu said with a soft laugh.
"Why wouldn't we be?" Paimon rubbed her hands together. "Actually, Paimon is also really curious about what Sis Mei looks like."
Lumine nodded in agreement, then stared intensely at Xia Yu, intending to memorize her face so she would never lose track of her wherever she went.
After all, she had only just managed to obtain information about her brother.
"Then I'll do as you wish." Xia Yu shrugged before gently removing her kasa. Truthfully, with two Oni Horns protruding through it, taking it off was rather troublesome.
"What? You're obviously so beautiful." Paimon looked at Xia Yu's face in confusion. "Then why were you hiding it? Huh? Ayaka, what's wrong?"
Kamisato Ayaka had already frozen in place.
The two foreigners might not recognize the Raiden Shogun's appearance, but how could she, the Princess of the Yashiro Commission, possibly fail to recognize her?
"Sh-Sh-Sh…" Her voice trembled as she stammered for a long time without managing to complete the word.
"Sh what?" Paimon scratched her head.
Lumine frowned, realizing that something was not right.
"Your Excellency the Shogun?!" Kamisato Ayaka finally overcame the overwhelming shock in her heart. "Why are you…"
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