Makoto took her sister aside to talk privately behind the shrine.
Yae Miko, ever the considerate one, graciously left them to it.
As for Zhu Zi—she'd gone completely numb the moment Raiden Ei appeared.
My roommate… is the Raiden Shogun's relative?!
After a few minutes, though, she managed to calm herself.
It's just the Raiden Shogun. No big deal. I've chatted with Azhdaha before.
Still—how her boss ended up as Raiden Makoto's cousin was a mystery.
Then again, she'd always known her boss was special. Knowing gods personally? For him, that sounded almost normal.
Almost.
She looked up at the drifting sakura petals and sighed.
Ying'er tilted her head. "What's wrong?"
"Just… feeling a little homesick."
Ying'er smiled. "Your home's right in Inazuma City, isn't it? We'll be back in a few days."
Zhu Zi grinned. "Yeah. Can't wait to give my parents a good scare."
---
Behind the shrine, the sisters sat facing each other.
They talked first about how much they'd missed each other.
Then came the inevitable part—Makoto scolding Ei.
Ei bowed her head in silence.
Inazuma had been entrusted to her—but she hadn't protected it well.
The truth was, she'd never been suited for governance. She was a soldier, born to fight under her sister's command, not to lead a nation.
Seeing her sister's quiet shame, Makoto's anger melted away.
She sighed softly. "It's not all your fault. I was the one who forced this burden on you despite your protests. That was my mistake."
Back then, catastrophe had struck. Kitsune Saiguu had died. The oni clans had been wiped out.
Only Ei and that little fox Miko had survived.
What else could she have done?
Ei looked up and whispered, "It's enough that you've come back, sister."
She hadn't changed. Still the same Ei—forever believing in her sister.
Makoto wrapped her arms around her, feeling the cold touch of her body, and sighed again.
---
That afternoon, Yae Miko took everyone for a stroll around the shrine grounds to enjoy the sights of Inazuma.
She couldn't help noticing everyone had a phone in hand.
Curious, Xia Ci gave her one—and handed another to Ei.
Yae Miko fiddled with it for a while, immediately enchanted by its wonders.
Once she discovered all its functions, she was hooked—an instant heavy user.
Ei, on the other hand, barely glanced at hers.
Her gaze never left her sister, following Makoto everywhere like a loyal shadow.
Total sis-con behavior.
---
That night, everyone stayed at the shrine.
Yae Miko provided enough rooms for everyone and had the shrine maidens prepare a lavish dinner.
During the meal, Xia Zhi noticed something—Lady Miko seemed very fond of fried tofu. He quietly made a mental note of that.
After dinner, Yae Miko mentioned there was a natural hot spring behind the shrine—great for the skin and said to wash away bad luck.
Naturally, everyone was intrigued.
A few people snapped photos to share in the group chat.
It was an open-air hot spring, veiled in white mist, the water's surface scattered with floating sakura petals—a picture-perfect scene.
Though, after actually trying it, they all agreed it wasn't as comfortable as the bathhouse inside the Serenitea Pot.
Still, it was worth it for the experience.
Once the girls were done, Xia Zhi took a soak himself, feeling his body and mind unwind completely.
---
Later that night.
Fischl came looking for Qiqi. "Wanna go out tonight?"
Qiqi thought for a moment, then nodded.
The two transformed into their Magical Girl forms and had just stepped outside the shrine when they ran into Yae Miko.
Miko blinked, momentarily speechless.
She'd never quite figured Qiqi out—so she held her tongue.
But Fischl she remembered well. The girl had been an ordinary Electro Vision wielder... so why was her aura now so overwhelming it actually threatened her?
Yae Miko eyed them suspiciously. "And what exactly are you two doing?"
Fischl straightened proudly. "We're off to punish evil!"
Miko: "???"
Qiqi added flatly, "We couldn't sleep. Just going for a walk."
Miko nodded slowly. "There are bandits and monsters outside Inazuma City, but with your strength, you'll be fine. Just be careful."
"Thanks for the warning," Qiqi said.
As the two Magical Girls disappeared into the night, Miko unlocked her phone and tapped Fischl's profile.
Age: 15.
She sighed. "Five hundred years of life... for this?"
Still, she had to admit—their outfits were pretty damn cute.
---
At the foot of Mt. Yougou lay Konda Village, and beyond the Plain stretched the road to Inazuma City.
It would've been a long journey on foot, but with the help of their Wind Gliders, the two girls descended the mountain in no time.
Fischl and Qiqi stepped into Inazuma City together.
Their Magical Girl outfits had been redesigned—not plain-colored anymore—so walking around in them didn't draw much attention.
They followed the street ahead.
Even at night, Inazuma's streets were lively and full of color.
Vendors lined the roadside, calling out as they sold snacks and grilled skewers that sizzled in the night air.
Fischl didn't stop. Oz soared overhead, scouting the area, and through his eyes she quickly spotted her destination—
The Adventurers' Guild of Inazuma.
At the front desk stood a familiar girl wearing a headband.
"Ad astra abyssosque. Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild…"
"I'm here to take a commission," Fischl said, presenting her Adventure License.
Katheryne accepted it—and her eyes widened slightly at the sight of five glittering stars engraved on the card.
It was a mark of honor, and of privilege.
"Esteemed Five-Star Adventurer, what kind of commission would you like to accept? You have priority access to all available tasks."
"Any legendary commissions?"
"One moment please… let me check. Yes, there is one legendary commission currently available. Would you like to review the details?"
"Yeah."
Katheryne handed over a special parchment embossed with five stars.
[Commission: The Great Cleansing of the Sacred Sakura.]
[Client: A masked shrine maiden.]
[Objective: Purify the Thunder Sakura Trees as instructed.]
[Reward: 1,000,000 Mora and a special Electro artifact.]
Fischl had never taken a legendary commission before. The rewards looked generous, but the details were vague—too vague to gauge the difficulty.
Qiqi took the paper from her, scanning it once. "Doesn't look that hard."
As a Light-element Magical Girl, purification tasks were easy for her.
"Should we take it?" Fischl asked.
Qiqi shrugged. "Up to you. I'll help."
"Alright then. Let's do it."
Katheryne confirmed, operated the device on her desk, and a few moments later, returned the Adventure License with both hands.
"Esteemed Five-Star Adventurer, the commission has been registered. Here's the map the client left behind. Follow the markers and you'll find her."
"Got it."
Leaving the Guild, Fischl and Qiqi followed the map to a peculiar fox statue.
There, a masked shrine maiden stood waiting quietly.
Fischl approached. "You're the one who posted the legendary commission?"
The shrine maiden nodded. "Yes. I take it you two are the adventurers who accepted it?"
Qiqi studied her silently, then nodded slightly. "Mm."
The maiden raised a hand, pointing toward a direction. "Over there—you see that Sky Kitsune statue? Within it lies a sacred ward. It's said that only those favored by lightning, who possess courage and value their bonds, can retrieve it."
Fischl extended her hand, channeling her Electro power. In an instant, the ward floated into her grasp.
"As I thought. I wasn't mistaken." The maiden's tone softened. "You are the one fated for this task. With your skill and experience, this should pose no issue."
She bowed slightly. "My name is Hanachirusato. I serve as a shrine maiden."
Qiqi tilted her head. "Why do you wear a mask? I've met shrine maidens from the Grand Narukami Shrine—they don't wear any."
Hanachirusato hesitated for a moment before answering. "Forgive me. I have my reasons… I cannot remove it. But it has nothing to do with our commission, so please don't be concerned."
After receiving the details of the purification sites, the two Magical Girls left.
Fischl glanced sideways. "Qiqi, do you think that shrine maiden's suspicious?"
Qiqi shook her head. "Not suspicious. But her existence itself is… odd. She doesn't seem human."
Fischl blinked. "Not human?"
Qiqi nodded. "I'm a zombie. I can sense non-human presences clearly. When I got close to her, I realized—she doesn't breathe."
"Then is she a monster? A youkai?"
"I can't say for sure," Qiqi murmured. "But she didn't seem hostile."
Fischl thought about it. "Then let's not worry. Adventurers just take commissions, not judge clients. If she managed to post a legendary quest at the Guild, she can't be the dangerous type."
She looked back once more.
By the Sky Kitsune statue, the masked maiden still stood quietly—so still she looked like another stone carving.
----
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