Although Yae Miko was merely the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine and had no official superior-subordinate relationship with the Inazuma Shogunate, her exceptionally close relationship with the Raiden Shogun and Inazuma's faith in the Narukami—as the shrine dedicated to her—meant Miko indeed held an extraordinary status.
With the Guuji leading the way, the journey to the Shogunate became unobstructed.
Of course, [Mei]'s face still brought some trepidation to those Shogunate samurai.
"Sh-Shogun-sama?!"
Although they could distinguish the differences between [Mei] and the Raiden Shogun—after all, they were quite distinct—but... a face that looked like it was very good at cooking, and the pink-haired woman beside her, this... didn't it all match up?
And even the Guuji was present—aside from those extremely close, who could tell the 'real' from the 'fake' Shogun? Perhaps Shogun-sama, for a change of mood, decided to try a different hair color or style?
To this, [Mei] simply smiled and returned a nod.
This scene left the Tenryou Commission samurai on duty stunned. They began to whisper amongst themselves.
"Did you see that?"
"Shogun-sama smiled at me!"
"What are you talking about! How could Shogun-sama smile!"
While it was undeniable that Shogun-sama might indeed hold a profound love for Inazuma, and her subjects loved her deeply, it was clear that in the eyes of the samurai, Shogun-sama was indeed quite... should one say, imposing? Difficult to approach.
As for smiling gently like this... impossible, absolutely impossible!
"Hehe, Shogun-sama really smiled at me... Long live Shogun-sama!"
"Damn you, how dare you spread such rumors! Hmph! It seems you need a good dose of morale boosting!"
These voices came from behind, causing Yae Miko, walking ahead, to pause for a moment, covering her face with a fan as she chuckled. "It seems our 'Shogun-sama' here is more popular than my old friend."
"But her love for Inazuma is far beyond what we can comprehend, isn't it?"
"...Yes, but perhaps a little too heavy." Facing [Mei]'s counter, Miko fell silent for a moment, then sighed.
However, she was never one to dwell on sentimentalities. Quickly regaining her spirits, she smiled as before. "Hehe, I'm rather looking forward to seeing my old friend's reaction when she meets you."
"Perhaps she'll show quite an interesting expression."
"[Mei]: She has the ability to discern the difference between the 'me' of this moment and herself."
Miko just smiled at that. —But her old friend wasn't such a rational being.
As they spoke, Miss Fox led them into Tenshukaku.
Upon the main dais, the Shogun who ruled the Inazuma Shogunate, the Raiden Shogun, was already waiting.
"I've brought them."
"Next, I'll leave my old friend to you." Miko smiled, slowly departing, and with a 'creak,' closed the great doors of Tenshukaku.
The Raiden Shogun, in turn, regarded the three with a scrutinizing gaze.
"The Hydro Archon of Fontaine, an unknown traveler, but since you can travel with the Hydro Archon, you must have some extraordinary qualities."
"And..." —Her gaze swept past Furina and Elysia, finally resting on [Mei].
The latter, as if in response, smiled.
"...Sister!"
The Raiden Shogun naturally couldn't fail to distinguish the difference between the other and herself—even if they both had faces that looked very good at cooking, the gap between [Mei] and the Raiden Shogun was worlds apart.
However. That tranquil, mentally calming aura, so incredibly similar to her dearest kin from the past, made her... no, it should be said, the true Raiden Shogun, Raiden Ei, unable to hold back.
Almost instantaneously, the surrounding space shattered at an incredible speed.
They were abruptly in a different place.
A place that seemed eternally tranquil.
Its name—the Plane of Euthymia.
To explore Inazuma's future, Ei, who was not adept at governance, chose to entrust all external affairs to the regent puppet she created, the 'Raiden Shogun.' She herself, as the true Shogun, retreated into the eternally tranquil Plane of Euthymia, detached from worldly matters, contemplating how to sustain Inazuma and prevent it from repeating Khaenri'ah's fate.
However, residing in this eternally tranquil Plane of Euthymia—how could one who chose to remain in the present find answers for the future?
Unaware of this point, Ei intended to maintain this state indefinitely.
Until this day—
"Sis... Sister...!"
Unable to remain as calm as when facing a certain blonde traveler, Ei's expression was incredibly agitated. Looking at [Mei], she seemed to want to say something, but perhaps there were too many words, too many emotions to convey, making it impossible to articulate.
To this, [Mei] simply smiled and shook her head. "You should understand clearly—I am not her."
This sentence made Ei's movements instantly stiffen. She looked at the former, her raised hand hovering awkwardly, unsure whether to lower it or keep it raised.
Until... a slender white hand was enveloped in warmth. And the girl, who looked so much like her, smiled gently at an extremely close distance, saying, "Although I am not her, but... if you wish to touch this face, I don't object—as long as that is what you desire."
The delicate touch, honestly, wasn't much different from anyone else's—ultimately, Ei hadn't done such things often. On the contrary, Makoto might have done such things to her more frequently in the past.
At that time, she didn't understand it, nor did she pay much attention. After all, as an Archon, did touching faces truly have any meaning?
It wasn't until that day five hundred years ago, when her sister left her forever, that Ei finally understood what regret meant.
And today, five hundred years later, she felt the same sensation. Although this feeling came from a girl who was not her sister but bore an incredible resemblance to herself, yet... even knowing the truth, knowing the difference in this 'emotion,' Ei still found it difficult to suppress her feelings.
After all, she was inherently a rather emotional being.
"How is it? Does this face make you reminisce about her a little?"
"It's... so similar..." Ei responded, her arms, which had always been steady and unwavering due to her exquisite martial arts, now trembling with excitement. A mere three-tenths resemblance to you in a later person, and I already lost my composure.
What's more, the current [Mei] was more than just three-tenths similar.
Setting aside the differences in her Archon essence, hair color, and attire, the current [Mei] had at least a 98% similarity.
Touching this girl who so resembled her sister, Ei finally showed a smile she hadn't revealed in five hundred years.
However, she also seemed to realize that such an action wasn't entirely appropriate.
"Apologies... you resemble her so much, I was impolite." Ei said, slightly apologetic, though she didn't deliberately create much distance.
"It's alright~ After all, one of the purposes of my trip was for her."
Ei paused, her heart full of confusion. But looking at the smiling [Mei] and thinking about the words the other had said, a hint of 'wariness' subconsciously appeared in her eyes... Visiting Inazuma with the God of Fontaine. A girl who greatly resembled her sister. If the other party knew about her sister, knew her whereabouts, it was hard not to suspect ulterior motives.
However, although she wanted to view the other party with caution, that aura so similar to her sister, that divine resemblance, made it impossible for her to treat the other as an enemy or a suspect.
Thus, she could only create a little distance.
"Your Excellency, please state your purpose for coming." Ei regained her composure—she was an Archon with extreme emotional swings. It was precisely because of this that Inazuma had suffered its current hardships. But it was also because of this extremity that Ei had to adopt a relatively rational attitude towards any existence that threatened what she loved.
She showed neither much hostility nor much closeness, asking about the other's intentions without joy or sorrow.
"Getting straight to the point, are we?"
"Well, you are indeed that kind of god."
"If that's the case..."
"Then, I'll hand this over to you." With a wave of her hand, a 'scrapped' puppet fell before Ei. The latter didn't even know how it had appeared in the Plane of Euthymia. But before she could even feel wary of such methods, after clearly seeing the puppet's true appearance, Ei's expression became complicated.
"This is..."
"As you can see, the puppet you abandoned—due to your negligence, he has done quite a few things that are hardly praiseworthy."
[Mei] spoke calmly—and recounted what he had done in Sumeru.
Of course, she also revealed a little about what happened in Inazuma.
And all of this undoubtedly revealed to Ei just how many 'crimes' this abandoned creation of hers had committed.
It was enough to shock even Ei.
Especially—Scaramouche had even instigated the Fatui to act against Inazuma.
Although Scaramouche, under Dottore's machinations, had been dispatched to Sumeru, before that, the region he was primarily responsible for was undoubtedly Inazuma.
After all, this was Scaramouche's birthplace, and the place he was most familiar with.
Fatui Harbinger assignments were mostly based on corresponding regions, sending the most familiar and suitable Harbinger.
Just like La Signora, who was responsible for Mondstadt, and Dottore, who was responsible for Sumeru, Scaramouche, whose past was hardly praiseworthy, also harbored similar resentment towards his birthplace.
His repeated experiences of betrayal made him deeply hate everything—both insignificant humans and Beelzebul, his creator who had then abandoned him, a 'betrayer.'
And how could Inazuma, which had caused him a series of hardships, bring him joy?
Ei instantly understood—they were here to call her to account. Of course, perhaps Jiang Qiao didn't have such intentions, but by bringing Scaramouche before Ei, his creator, he had effectively created this reality.
However, after learning of Scaramouche's actions, she offered no excuses.
"I will not evade my responsibilities."
It would indeed be unreasonable to blame Ei for everything Scaramouche had done.
But Ei also knew very well—the root of all of Scaramouche's suffering indeed lay with her.
To give birth but not to raise, this is the sin of parents.
Although 'Scaramouche' was created as her 'vessel,' in reality, she could indeed be considered his 'parent.'
However, after creating him, she did not take responsibility for him, but instead abandoned him.
It could be said that Scaramouche's current life, his suffering, though not entirely caused by Ei, Ei indeed bore an undeniable responsibility.
And Scaramouche, for this reason, deeply resented Ei.
If she hadn't wanted him to be born as a person, she could have simply 'destroyed' him—Scaramouche would have had no complaints about that.
But she didn't do that.
Simply because... "...Such karma, it is my fault." Ei sighed.
She hadn't chosen to destroy Scaramouche because she discovered he had developed self-awareness. For this reason, feeling compassion, she had a moment of weakness and abandoned the plan to destroy this less-than-successful 'work.'
As a result, she gave him due expectations but failed to meet them, instead causing him to become excessively attached to them.
As for what followed... if a heart is already broken, how can it walk the right path?
"In the future, I will personally apologize to the God of Wisdom."
She put away the broken puppet—although destroying it was an option, Ei, after careful consideration, felt it was better to repurpose it, modify it, and turn it into a brand new 'puppet.'
After all, Ei couldn't, and wouldn't be able, to bear all the sins Scaramouche had committed, even if she wanted to; it wouldn't be appropriate.
If so, then only a new puppet created from Scaramouche as material could repay this karma.
Speaking of which, when she made it five hundred years ago, due to various reasons, it ended up like this. Now, seeing [Mei]'s existence, Ei couldn't help but have some new ideas.
"I've brought Scaramouche's matter to you, and will say no more."
"As for the second matter—"
"It is to change this stagnant water that is Inazuma." [Mei] was incredibly direct.
Of course, he could also entrust this responsibility to Lumine and the others. If Lumine came to Inazuma, she would surely achieve considerable results.
But Jiang Qiao clearly didn't intend to do so.
It would be one thing if he hadn't come, but since he was here, it was necessary to deal with Inazuma's current situation directly. Moreover, although the unfortunate duo indeed possessed considerable abilities, they might find themselves somewhat powerless when facing certain matters in Inazuma.
If so, then he might as well help them out.
Therefore, [She] had no intention of hiding anything and directly stated her purpose.
However.
To this, Ei clearly wasn't as cooperative as she had been regarding Scaramouche.
Facing [Mei], this girl who so resembled her sister.
She spoke softly—"Do you wish to become an enemy of Eternity?"