Chapter 215: We Fatui Were Villains to Begin With
Kokomi had accounted for many scenarios.
But what she hadn't accounted for was for the Fatui would be so brazen—so arrogant, that they wouldn't even bother to hide their crimes.
And to make matters worse… One of the Fatui Harbingers had shown up in person.
In this kind of way.
"I've long heard of the Ausbilder's name. It is truly an honor to meet you today. Might I ask what business brings you to our humble Watatsumi Island?"
Kokomi's voice was calm, but the pressure on her shoulders was heavier than ever.
But no matter how overwhelming the presence before her, she could not falter—for she was the pillar of Watatsumi Island.
If she crumbled, the entire island would follow.
"Is conducting official business in the middle of nowhere… your island's idea of hospitality?"
The sea breeze blew gently.
The Ausbilder's tone, while unexpectedly smooth, carried a sharp and overwhelming force behind every word.
"Forgive our offense. This way, please."
If it had been just Sveta, Kokomi might have simply turned her away.
But this man—this real Fatui Harbinger—was not someone she could dismiss.
One word from him could determine the fate of all Watatsumi.
She had no choice but to take him seriously.
And now, she understood how Battousai had managed to impersonate this Ausbilder so well.
Their voices… were nearly identical.
Perhaps the Ausbilder's voice had a deeper, colder timbre… but that gentle tone—that almost disarming cadence—was the same.
The only real difference?
Their presence, and their appearance.
Battousai was like a reversed-blade sword, sheathed and resting.
He could project a silent pressure, but if you spent enough time with him, you'd realize he was much more gentle than he appeared.
But the Ausbilder?
He was a blade soaked in poison, bared and pointed straight at your heart.
That venomous aura—even someone as composed and high-ranking as Kokomi—found herself slightly overwhelmed by it.
"This is Bourou Village," Kokomi explained carefully. "It is the foundation of our resistance force. I trust it will meet your standards?"
She wasn't just being diplomatic.
She was playing a subtle trick.
By "inviting" the Ausbilder to the village, it seemed as though she was offering full transparency.
But the true core of Watatsumi Island was the Sangonomiya Shrine, located at its center.
Still, what she said wasn't a lie—Bourou Village was indeed the military heart of the rebellion.
"Hmm… not bad," Bai Luo muttered absentmindedly, casually flipping his dagger in his hand.
But the glint of the blade caught the light—and the air around them seemed to drop a few degrees in temperature.
At Kokomi's subtle signal, a retainer stepped forward and guided Bai Luo and Sveta to a makeshift war room nearby.
His accompanying entourage was assigned elsewhere.
This level of discussion wasn't for their ears.
Once seated, Kokomi made the first move:
"If your visit concerns funding, I'm afraid I must decline to disclose anything. All support we've received was anonymously donated—something that has occurred regularly since our conflict with the Shogunate began."
She had to take control early.
The current conflict revolved around the missing Mora from the Fatui. But thanks to Battousai's foresight, all transactions had been done anonymously, creating enough ambiguity for her to work with.
"Funding?" Bai Luo raised an eyebrow. "Ah… I don't care about that. That amount of money? That's about a day's pocket change to me."
He waved it off with a smirk.
"What I am interested in… is the man lying out there. The one enjoying his eternal rest."
Kokomi paused.
Her earlier offensive move… had just sunk into a pillow of air. No resistance. No clash. Just—gone.
But Bai Luo's words held a much more ominous message.
The man "lying out there"?
That could only refer to Igor—whose body now lay in pieces, nothing more than rotting flesh.
And Igor had been eliminated… by Battousai.
So…
This Ausbilder had already noticed something—even from that pile of rotting flesh.
"Igor once contributed much to Watatsumi Island. I truly didn't expect him to meet such an unfortunate end… and even more surprising—what he truly was. Rest assured, Mister Ausbilder. We will make sure justice is done on his behalf."
From this moment on, Sangonomiya Kokomi was on the back foot.
In negotiations, what matters most?
Momentum.
Regardless of right or wrong, momentum and presence define the outcome.
Earlier, Kokomi had the upper hand—she had asserted herself as Bai Luo's equal.
But the moment she addressed him with honorifics like "Mister", the balance of power had already shifted.
Now, anyone watching could tell: Bai Luo sat at ease, calm and commanding—while Kokomi appeared just slightly tense and uncertain.
"Justice?" Bai Luo sneered. "You think I came here for something so boring and worthless?"
"All I know is this."
"One of our Fatui died, and the Mora he carried has mysteriously shown up here, on Watatsumi Island."
His dark, cold eyes gleamed through the holes in his mask, locking onto her with a playful yet chilling stare.
Kokomi felt her skin prickle.
He was clearly trying to dump the blame on her—forcefully.
"If you want to talk about blame," Kokomi replied, avoiding direct eye contact as she raised her tea to her lips, "your side has been planting spies within Watatsumi for a long time. Shouldn't we be the ones asking for justice?"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Bai Luo suddenly laughed.
A low, amused chuckle—like he'd just heard the best joke of the day.
Then he stood up.
And in one smooth motion, he walked right up beside the visibly on-edge Kokomi.
With a flick of his dagger, he lifted her chin—leaning in close, his breath warm against her ear.
"Haven't you always thought we Fatui were the bad guys? Then what's wrong with bad guys planting spies in the camp of so-called 'good people'?"
Kokomi froze.
Was she afraid?
Not exactly.
It was more a sense of powerlessness that washed over her.
She had believed—based on all her investigations into the Fatui—that she understood their strategies and could counter them.
She never expected that instead of trickery or schemes, they'd come at her with such blunt, overwhelming force.
No deception.
No misdirection.
Just a blade to the throat.
Crude? Maybe.
But undeniably effective.
And perhaps that was the most frustrating part.
There was no defense against something this simple.
"What is it you actually want?" she demanded, cheeks flushed with anger and humiliation, fists clenched at her sides.
"Watatsumi Island has nothing that would interest the Fatui."
But as she spoke, an uneasy thought bloomed in her mind.
Something beneath the Sangonomiya Shrine…
Could it be… the Fatui were after Enkanomiya?
But… during all her past dealings with Igor, he had never shown any interest in that place.
"Oh?" Bai Luo raised an eyebrow, pulling the dagger away as he chuckled.
"From where I'm standing… this whole place is one big treasure trove."
His gaze slowly drifted over her again.
"Take this ornamental fish right in front of me, for example."
. . . . .
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind to pay $5 monthly to read till the latest chapter, please go to my Patreon[1]
Current Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 255: The Fallen Star Who Never Returned[2]
Link to the current chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/139681554?collection=174425[3]
https://www.patreon.com/collection/174425?view=condensed[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/174425?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/139681554?collection=174425
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/139681554?collection=174425
[4] https://www.patreon.com/collection/174425?view=condensed