"So, you must be Mr. Ye. You're quite handsome."
"Lady Yae is also quite beautiful."
In the Komore Teahouse, where they had agreed to meet, Yae Miko, the chief editor of Yae Publishing House, finally met the rookie light novel author whose work was destined to be a hit.
As soon as they met, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes slightly.
"By the way, when I first saw your pen name, I was quite shocked. To use the same name as the legendary Supreme Bishop of Fontaine—that's quite bold of you. Even though we're in Inazuma, and the nation is currently under the Sakoku Decree, if the Supreme Bishop were to find out, he could still come after you, you know."
Ye's expression remained calm, his tone steady. "Oh? The legendary Supreme Bishop of Fontaine is named Ye? This is the first I've heard of it. As expected of Yae Miko, to know such a well-kept secret."
"It's not exactly a secret. If you put in a little effort to investigate in Fontaine, it's easy to find out."
"I didn't expect the Yae Miko to have people stationed in Fontaine as well. Truly impressive."
"Hehe, it's not that I have people stationed there. I was just a little curious about the Supreme Bishop, so I sent someone to inquire. Anyway, before publishing, would you like to change your pen name?"
"Of course. After all, he's a figure as lofty as Guuji Yae in a foreign nation. It's only right to show some respect."
"Then, what pen name would you like to use? Would you like me to help you come up with one?"
"No need to trouble Yae Miko. I've already thought of one—I'll go with 'Lumine.'"
"'Lumine'… a good name, truly a good name."
"What's so good about it?"
"I've heard that the Traveler, famous across nations, is also named Lumine."
"Is that so?" Ye frowned. "But it shouldn't be a problem, right? With Inazuma under the Sakoku Decree, she shouldn't be able to come here, should she?"
"You never know. After all, she is the Traveler."
"Hmm, now that I think about it, you're right. If it's the famous Traveler, even if she were to tear open the skies of Inazuma and end the Sakoku Decree, it might not be all that surprising."
Yae Miko's eyes narrowed sharply, her smile growing more enchanting as her heartbeat quickened. "Indeed. After all, she's the Traveler who has solved various crises in two nations. It's entirely possible. But I think if it were the Supreme Bishop, he might be able to do the same. It's just a shame that he doesn't seem to have a reason to do so, no?"
"Why wouldn't he? A nation's isolation affects other nations as well. How can Inazuma's Sakoku Decree have no impact on Fontaine? I think it's possible that the Supreme Bishop is considering how to resolve Inazuma's issues through diplomacy."
Ye and Yae Miko locked eyes as he spoke calmly:
"But even if he wanted to, it would be useless. After all, the Shogun's will is not something an ordinary person can change. Although the Supreme Bishop of Fontaine is said to be as powerful as a god, to our Raiden Shogun, that likely means nothing."
"Power isn't everything. The Supreme Bishop of Fontaine is feared across nations not just because of his strength. I think what's important is that even if Inazuma's isolation truly affected Fontaine, the Supreme Bishop probably wouldn't oppose the Shogun or interfere in Inazuma's affairs over such a reason, right?"
"Then, Lady Yae, what reason do you think would make the Supreme Bishop interfere in Inazuma's affairs and oppose the Shogun?"
"For example…" Yae Miko leaned forward, crossing the table until her face was mere inches from Ye's, their eyes locked. She exhaled softly, her breath brushing his lips as she whispered, "A Gnosis?"
Feeling Yae Miko's warm breath on his lips, Ye's heart remained unshaken.
This level of provocation wasn't enough to ruffle him. His tone stayed as calm as ever. "What's a Gnosis? I've only heard of Visions. What's the connection between a Gnosis and a Vision?"
There's a universal truth: force is mutual.
Naturally, Ye's breath also brushed against Yae Miko's lips as he spoke.
Not seeing the reaction she had hoped for, and instead being countered, Yae Miko felt a slight ripple in her heart. But it was only a ripple. Her expression remained unchanged as she gracefully leaned back, her radiant smile returning. "It's normal that you wouldn't know. Visions are external magical organs for mortals, while gods have no use for such lowly tools. Instead, they possess a Gnosis—a magical organ that connects them to Celestia."
"What use would the Supreme Bishop have for a Gnosis?"
"It seems he has no use for it, but I've heard that the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya is very eager to obtain the Gnoses of other nations' gods. If he could acquire Inazuma's Gnosis, perhaps he could strike a favorable deal with the Tsaritsa? Or, perhaps, to prevent the Tsaritsa from obtaining it, he might collect Gnosis in advance. That's not impossible, right?"
"But the Gnosis is in the Shogun's hands. Even if it's the legendary Supreme Bishop, does he have the ability to take it from the Shogun?"
"Well…" Yae Miko tilted her head, smiling. "If the Supreme Bishop were to find me, perhaps he could trade for the Gnosis directly from me?"
Ye picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said softly, "Perhaps. It's just a shame that we don't know if the Supreme Bishop will come looking for you, Lady Yae. By the way, weren't we here to discuss the publication of my light novel?"
"Hehe, indeed. We got a little sidetracked by some trivial matters."
Yae Miko chuckled softly:
"Mr. Ye—oh, pardon me, Mr. Lumine—I'd like to discuss your plans for the upcoming plot of your light novel."
"There's not much to discuss about the plot. I'll just say this: the bond between the protagonist and the 'cow monster' is far from over. In future chapters, they will fight again."
"Oh? The 'cow monster' refers to the Minotaur, right? Didn't he die?"
"As the true heroine of this story, how could he die so easily? The souls of monsters reincarnate within the dungeon, and the cow monster's soul will be reborn. Like a rare few heretical monsters, he will retain his most vivid memories and aspirations. And his memory, his aspiration, is to fight the protagonist once more."
"Ohhh, just hearing this makes me feel so excited…"
In the Komore Teahouse, discussions about the light novel continued leisurely. As for the earlier casual conversation, it was never brought up again until the meeting concluded.