Under Ei's rule of [Eternity], Inazuma's current situation was plain to see.
Even setting aside the Vision Hunt Decree and the Sakoku Decree—the former was manageable, only affecting a small portion of the population, but the latter's impact on Inazuma, an archipelago nation, was enormous.
Although stagnation could indeed slow Inazuma's progress—technology, culture, politics, and the like not advancing—the people of Inazuma could still live their lives, no different from five hundred years ago.
However, Inazuma's population couldn't be restricted by this method.
Or rather, if one insisted on achieving population stagnation through eternal means in this resource-scarce archipelago, the end result would inevitably be extremely tragic.
Backward, corrupt rule—the Raiden Shogun only knew how to protect Inazuma, but had no idea how to govern it. Of course, she didn't need to think about this problem either; after all, [Eternity] was indeed a very convenient thing.
—Just do nothing.
The Tri-Commission would manage Inazuma in her stead. Aided by the Archon's authority, the Tri-Commission was Inazuma's greatest political correctness.
And the Raiden Shogun, acting like a machine, a human emblem day after day, was completely unaware of how much harm her authority had brought to the people of Inazuma.
With internal stagnation and continuous population growth, Inazuma's resource scarcity problem became increasingly severe. Fortunately, ample trade with the other six nations could alleviate this conflict to some extent.
Until the Sakoku Decree appeared.
The Sakoku Decree not only made Inazuma's situation like a pool of stagnant water but also sealed off Inazuma's external trade channels, further worsening the situation for Inazuma, which was already resource-scarce and relied on external trade. In this process, the severely corrupted Kanjou Commission took full advantage of its power.
Currently, the Yashiro Commission, responsible for Inazuma's internal affairs, had no choice but to adopt a 'rationing system' to barely maintain the lives of Inazuma's commoners.
Unlike the NPC faces in the game, the clearly visible pallor on the commoners' faces was the true depiction of Inazuma.
The main island of Inazuma, as the core area, was still somewhat better off. As for the other islands capable of supporting a population... in fact, as far as is known, many couldn't endure this terrible situation and chose to brave the thunderstorms or hitch rides on the few passing merchant ships to flee Inazuma and emigrate to other nations.
"Has it... already become like this?" After five hundred years, seeing the unchanging scenery wasn't unacceptable for Ei. But seeing the state of Inazuma's citizens, she slightly clenched her hand, holding it to her chest, muttering as she looked at everything that now belonged to Inazuma.
Different, completely different from five hundred years ago.
She still remembered, clearly, five hundred years ago, the people of Inazuma had smiles on their faces, with longing and anticipation for the future. But now, it was almost gone.
They were just living for the sake of living.
Like a machine programmed to function—although Ei did indeed wish for Inazuma to endure, such an Inazuma was something she never wanted to see.
"You should have heard the voices of Inazuma's citizens by now, right?" [Mei] asked softly.
Ei remained silent, not moving forward.
Musou no Hitotachi, Inazuma shines eternal.
She was the God of [Tranquility]—yet she possessed the ability to perceive the dreams of others.
As Inazuma's Archon, having broken free from the shackles of the Plane of Euthymia, she could clearly feel the hearts of Inazuma's citizens.
—The unwillingness to stagnate, the longing for the future.
Although [Eternity] was merely to prevent Inazuma from heading towards destruction, it was Ei's ultimate love for Inazuma.
But, just like Mondstadt's Decarabian, the God of Storms. To shelter Mondstadt during that era of war, Decarabian chose to protect his people within a 'swaddling cloth' of fierce winds.
This was his love for the people of Mondstadt.
But this love eventually became an obstacle for the Mondstadt citizens who yearned for 'freedom.'
Thus, they chose to rebel against the Archon who had once sheltered them.
And now, the [Eternity] Ei had chosen seemed to have become the same thing.
"I understand." Ei nodded, the emotion in her eyes incredibly firm. If before she had blindly trusted the other simply because she believed 'sister' was more correct than herself, then now, even Ei had to admit that the current Inazuma could no longer continue to stagnate in [Eternity].
Such an Inazuma was definitely not what Kitsune Saiguu, Ioroi... and her sister, would want to see.
Inazuma, for which countless people had sacrificed and strived, should absolutely not become such a pool of stagnant water.
Ei subconsciously looked at [Mei]. Sister, you came back to Inazuma specifically to tell me this, right?
Looking at Inazuma's current state, Miss Ei couldn't help but connect the former's arrival with [Mei]'s—in her mind, her sister must have discovered Inazuma's situation, which is why she came seeking change.
For this, Ei couldn't help but feel somewhat ashamed. Her sister had entrusted this nation to her, yet it had ended up like this.
"I'm sorry..."
"You should say that to the people of Inazuma, not to me." [Mei] shook her head.
Of course—from an Archon's perspective, Ei didn't really owe Inazuma anything. After all, she was Inazuma's protector. In reality, having protected Inazuma for so many years, the people of Inazuma might owe her even more.
But Ei was not just an Archon sheltering a region; she was also Inazuma's supreme ruler.
This destined her to bear undeniable responsibility for Inazuma's current state.
"Mm." Ei had long been aware of this.
"However, before that, I need to settle things with the Shogun."
Having seen Inazuma's current state, she could no longer cling to Eternity.
But if so, then the Raiden Shogun would become the greatest obstacle to Inazuma's progress.
After all, she embodied Ei's will, serving as the cornerstone for Inazuma's pursuit of [Eternity].
"For Inazuma, I must overcome her."
"Fighting yourself? You Inazumans are really strange. Didn't you consider this situation from the beginning and leave a backdoor or something?" Furina twitched her lips, understanding what Ei was about to do.
"After all, for the me of that time, [Eternity] was everything—if so, then naturally, there was no need for a so-called backdoor."
"Of course, even if there really was some backdoor, I wouldn't use it."
"After all, that is my will. Only by personally overcoming it can I truly step into the future. Otherwise, it would be meaningless."
"That's understandable." Elysia nodded in deep agreement—just like her rivalry with Bad Ely, when dealing with that bad version of herself, she wouldn't want to use any petty tricks either. After all, as the real Elysia, if she had to resort to petty tricks against the impure Bad Ely, wouldn't she have lost from the very beginning?
"I don't get it..." Furina, who got along quite well with Focalors, didn't feel much about this. "Just don't mess up."
Ei wasn't annoyed by this, just smiled. "If I already possess the will to overcome [Eternity], then this body will definitely not lose to the Shogun."
"Miko, I'll leave it to you to show these guests from Inazuma around next."
"Honestly, ordering people around as soon as you come out." Although Miss Fox complained, Miss Ei, who wasn't very considerate, seemed completely unfazed. After leaving her words, she turned and left, returning to Tenshukaku.
"Alright, everyone, please follow me."
"My old friend, ah, will probably need to spend quite some time resolving this matter."
"Given my old friend's stubbornness and thick-headedness, probably... at least a few hundred years?"
"How many?" Hearing Miko's number, Furina, who initially had no concept of it, directly widened her eyes. "A few hundred years?"
"They're going to fight for a few hundred years?"
"Alas, who told my old friend to be so set in her ways?" Miko shrugged. "Rather, the fact that you were actually able to change her mind and make her reconsider, that's what surprises me more."
"I'm rather curious how you all managed to do it."
"Regarding that question, I'm also very curious~" Elysia said with a beaming smile—the two pink-themed 'girls' of advanced age both had faces full of curiosity at this moment.
Honestly, regarding Ei's 'conquest' progress, even Furina and she were very interested. After all, just going in for a little while and then pulling out a real Raiden Shogun, it's quite magical, isn't it?
[Mei] looked somewhat helpless and said frankly, "I just slashed her once, that's all."
"Oh, so it was just one slash..." Miko looked enlightened. Indeed, given her old friend's stubbornness, if she encountered opposition, she would definitely go in with a slash. She just didn't expect that even [Mei], who looked so much like her, wouldn't be spared by Ei... Wait a minute...
"You slashed her once?" Miss Fox, suddenly realizing something was amiss, looked astonished.
"Yes." The latter admitted frankly—making Miss Guuji's jaw drop a little.
This was a complete reversal! Ei didn't cut her, but instead got cut... and then was brought out? Was Ei that easy to talk to? Miko somewhat doubted reality, both about the former slashing Ei and about Ei being dragged out after just one slash...
"Wait... you're not concerned about her at all?"
"Concerned about what?"
Facing [Mei]'s puzzlement, Furina was somewhat speechless. "She's going to be fighting for several hundred years."
"Are we going to stay here all that time?"
Though it didn't seem impossible; everyone present had lifespans that could support it.
But really staying here for several hundred years... uh, it didn't seem impossible either?
Although Furina was the Hydro Archon, Fontaine's governance no longer had much to do with her. Being away for a long time wouldn't matter much. And after merging with Focalors and regaining her true Archon essence, her lifespan fully supported it.
And the rest, needless to say—even [Mei], due to her Herrscher essence, also supported super long standby. Elysia was a super cyber-ghost hybrid who had been on standby for fifty thousand years. Every single one of them was an ultimate endurance king.
"Don't worry about that. Although it's said to be several hundred years, due to the special nature of [Eternity], it won't actually be that long for us."
"Right now, they might have already finished fighting."
"Miko, how's the situation over there?"
"Mm, it should be about over."
"So fast?" Furina was somewhat astonished.
"After all, there's a time difference."
"If so, then take us there." [Mei] smiled. "I also need to take care of the last thing I came to Inazuma for."
"Hmm?" Miko looked puzzled.
If Scaramouche and ending Inazuma's isolation were this person's goals, then after Ei had resolved the Raiden Shogun, the last obstacle to the latter goal, was there anything else [She] needed to do in Inazuma?
"What do you plan to do?"
"Fishing."
"?" Miko was even more confused. Where would Ei get fish from?
"Alright, these Aburaage are for you~" [Mei] smiled, patting the former's head—which made Miss Fox a bit unhappy, I'm not some small animal. But upon smelling the incredibly fragrant Aburaage, her favorite, she instantly gave up thinking.
Speaking of which... where did this person get this Aburaage? It smells so good! It feels even better than the place I usually buy from... Chewing on the fragrant Aburaage, Miko squinted her eyes happily.
Then, with a wave of her Kagura Suzu, the surrounding environment changed.
They returned to that space.
The battle between the two seemed to have reached its conclusion.
In the end, Ei was the superior one.
The very enthusiastic Miss Ei successfully subdued the Raiden Shogun and regained her body.
"With this, everything is over."
"Inazuma will move towards a new tomorrow." Seeing [Mei] and the others arrive, especially [Mei], Ei was in a particularly good mood as she said this.
However, the next moment, something unexpected happened.
The sword at her waist—Musou Isshin—flashed, and then, a seed-like sphere of lightning floated out.
And this was the first Raiden Shogun who had died in the Khaenri'ah war five hundred years ago—Raiden Makoto.
Although she had indeed met her end in Khaenri'ah five hundred years ago, because she couldn't bear to leave her foolish, stubborn younger sister, Makoto had made preparations in advance.
She entrusted a part of her consciousness into her personal sword, 'Musou Isshin,' precisely so that one day in the future, she could help Ei, help the Inazuma that she and Ei loved.
Only when Ei truly understood what true dreams were, and no longer stubbornly clung to that [Eternity], could Ei unleash the power of this sword and release herself.
However, this long wait—even Makoto didn't know how much time had passed.
But none of that mattered.
After all, this long wait was just for this moment.
Already prepared, Makoto subconsciously wanted to take one last look at Ei. After all, for her current self, whose consciousness was already fragmented, this was probably the last time she would see her dear sister.
After this, it would be etern...