Chapter 269: The Chosen One: Arataki Itto
Among the Fatui Harbingers, it wasn't uncommon for one or two to suddenly vanish from sight.
Take Bai Luo, for example.
Not that he'd ever call it "vanishing." As one of Snezhnaya's most infamous assassins, disappearing from public view was simply part of his professional charm.
This time, however, his disappearance had a particular purpose—
To set everything in motion for Gorou.
Having once lived among the Watatsumi resistance, Bai Luo knew those ragtag soldiers far too well. Most of them couldn't even spy on a campfire without getting caught, much less infiltrate the shogunate's intelligence network.
So, under his careful design, several "soldiers" under the Tenryou Commission were instructed that if they spotted resistance scouts, they weren't to arrest them.
Instead, they'd casually strike up small talk—and "accidentally" let slip that Kujou Takayuki's messenger had recently come to deliver a secret letter.
A little bait, casually dropped.
And sure enough… Gorou took it.
Bai Luo's plan worked beautifully. The general didn't make him wait long.
When Ksenia delivered the second round of correspondence, Gorou—who'd been pretending to play it cool and was planning to accept the next invitation anyway—noticed that this time… there was no letter from Battousai enclosed.
His composure cracked instantly.
And so, he himself asked Ksenia to deliver a letter back, in which he earnestly expressed his willingness to attend the "handshake event" that Bai Luo had mentioned earlier.
He only had one small request—
That the first event not include too many people.
Otherwise, the pressure might be too much for him to handle.
After all, holding a handshake event in the heart of enemy territory was no small thing.
Perhaps this was the last shred of pride left in the loyal little dog, refusing to wag his tail too easily.
Meanwhile, back in Inazuma City, things were moving along swiftly.
After Bai Luo had sent Georgy to deliver the mail to Yae Publishing House, the editors there wasted no time sorting through the mountain of letters. Replies were sent out to each writer, and a selection of the most interesting questions was printed in the newest issue of That's Life, under the anonymous Q&A column.
But thanks to a bit of behind-the-scenes cooperation between Bai Luo and Yae Miko, one letter—originally dismissed by the editors as too silly—was placed in the most prominent spot on the page.
Yes. That letter.
From him.
. . .
Arataki Itto was not having a good day.
Ever since he'd tried to pick a fight with the Tenryou Commission, Shinobu had been keeping him on a short leash—dragging him off to Byakko Plain to "live like a true outlaw."
If not for their dwindling funds, she probably wouldn't have let him return to Hanamizaka at all.
After half a day of honest labor, they finally earned enough Mora… only for Shinobu to snatch it all away, claiming it was for "essentials."
"Tch! So stingy!" Itto grumbled. "It's not like I was gonna waste it! I just wanted to buy that super rare Genius Invokation TCG card set! Doesn't she realize that's crucial for my plan to conquer Hanamizaka?!"
With his dreams of glory thwarted, he decided to find some entertainment instead.
As the Arataki Gang swaggered their way down the streets of Hanamizaka, Mamoru, the sharp-eyed one among them, suddenly pointed ahead.
"Boss! Isn't that the letter you sent to Miss Hina?!"
Today marked the release of the latest issue of That's Life. Outside Yae Publishing House, several display copies had been placed on stands for passersby to browse.
And right there—front and center—was his letter.
Of course, every question and answer printed in the magazine was anonymous.
But when Itto had written to Miss Hina, he'd done so with the entire gang's help. Every single word had been passionately debated, every sentence fine-tuned.
So, naturally, his underlings recognized it instantly.
"Where?!" Itto's eyes lit up like fireworks. "Show me! Show me now!"
The whole Arataki Gang crowded around the display, craning their necks to confirm what they already suspected.
Sure enough—there it was.
Their boss's letter.
Front and center.
Printed in bold.
Right on the cover of That's Life.
"B-Boss!" one of his lackeys stammered, eyes wide. "Didn't that editor guy say something before? That the people whose questions got printed would be invited to a real-life meetup with Miss Hina?"
"Yeah— that sounds about right!" another piped up.
For a moment, Itto blinked in surprise. Then his face lit up with a grin that could've outshone the Raiden Shogun's lightning.
Back when he'd sent that letter, he'd declared—with absolute confidence—that of course he'd be chosen. But deep down, he'd known how slim the odds were.
There were hundreds—no, thousands—of fans writing to Miss Hina every month!
Yet here he was. Chosen.
Destiny itself had smiled upon him.
"Hahaha! Knew it! As expected of the one and only Arataki Itto!" he bellowed, puffing out his chest so hard it almost tore his vest. "When you're this awesome, fate just can't help but notice you!"
"Hey, hey! Don't touch that if you're not buying!"
The irritated voice came from Kuroda, one of the clerks inside Yae Publishing House, who'd finally noticed the gang sprawled on the ground outside, blocking the entrance and pawing through magazines.
Technically, Kuroda didn't need to deal with this kind of nonsense anymore.
Ever since he'd become Bai Luo's editor, his position had risen quite a bit.
Unfortunately, Bai Luo had this terrible habit of… not turning in manuscripts.
And Kuroda? He didn't have the courage to chase down a man who could probably kill him with a single finger flick. So, he watched helplessly as his once-promising career slid right back down the ladder.
And then—bam!—Yae Miko herself had stormed in one day to demand Bai Luo's overdue drafts. The next thing Kuroda knew, his salary had been docked for a month and he'd been reassigned to front-desk duty.
All because, apparently… he'd been "soaking in the hot springs too often."
He still had no idea how that counted as an offense.
Ah… the whims of upper management were truly unfathomable.
"Hey! Look closely, pal!" Itto declared proudly, holding the magazine high above his head. "That's my question right there! I was personally chosen to attend Miss Hina's exclusive in-person meet and greet! So maybe watch your tone, yeah?"
Kuroda blinked at him. "That's your letter?"
"Of course it's mine!" Itto grinned ear to ear. "Now, tell me—where's Miss Hina? She's inside, right? Let me meet her! Oi! Miss Hina! You in there?"
Before anyone could stop him, he whipped out a comb, slicked back his hair with dramatic flair, and started stepping over the book displays toward the back of the shop.
In his mind, it all made perfect sense.
He'd sent the letter to Yae Publishing House.
Her reply had come from Yae Publishing House.
So obviously, Miss Hina must be inside Yae Publishing House!
"Hey, hey, don't be ridiculous!" Kuroda rushed forward, waving his hands frantically. "Miss Hina isn't here! Even if she were, you'd have to wait for the official event to meet her!"
His heart ached as he watched Itto trample right over a display of newly printed light novels and collectible goods. Each crushed book was another deduction from his paycheck.
He knew the Arataki Gang's situation all too well.
They'd never be able to pay for the damages. At best, he could make them do some grunt work to make up the loss.
Still, the financial pain was very real.
Neither Kuroda nor Itto noticed that, just outside the shop, someone wrapped head to toe in a cloak had paused mid-step.
The moment the words "Miss Hina" were spoken, that cloaked figure instinctively lowered their head.
. . . . .
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