Lumine and her two companions, along with Paimon, the emergency food, continued their pursuit of the Riftwolves. However, during this process, Ei's condition seemed somewhat unusual.
"Normally, you'd use a cleaner and more refined technique—like a swift '[Inazuma shines eternal!]'—to crush them, right?"
Paimon looked at Ei in confusion. Her performance in battle just now was completely inconsistent with her usual strength.
Ei's expression remained unchanged as she replied, "No need to worry. I'm simply conserving my energy. Though I've gathered some information beforehand, unexpected situations can arise at any moment. I must be prepared. Even if greater beasts lie in wait around us, I must ensure I have enough strength to face them."
"Oh~! As expected of Ei, the great general who's weathered countless battles!"
Paimon easily accepted Ei's explanation, though she wasn't entirely convinced. As for Sen'emon… she didn't believe a word of it.
The idea of "conserving energy" was meaningless when it came to an Archon. During the Archon War, it was perfectly normal for two evenly matched Archons to battle for years or even decades. As beings transcending humanity, applying human concepts like stamina to an Archon was utterly foolish.
In terms of strength, there were humans who could rival Archons—Sen'emon was one such example. But when it came to endurance, the limitations of the human body made it impossible to compare to an Archon's existence.
It was like how even the strongest humans would inevitably age and die without special means—this was a fundamental difference between species.
In other words, the claim of "conserving energy" was undoubtedly a lie.
So… what was really going on with the Shogun?
Sen'emon had never seen the Shogun display such glaring openings before.
During the earlier battle, Sen'emon had even felt confident that, if she wished, she could have struck the Shogun down in a single blow. Such a massive vulnerability was something the Shogun had never shown before.
Could it be…?
Sen'emon had a guess, but she kept it to herself—because this didn't seem like something others should interfere with.
"Eh? Look, there's light again!"
Paimon's words drew everyone's attention.
Lumine blinked. "Is it the same as before?"
Sure enough, amidst a swirl of smoke, an old man materialized out of thin air.
Ei's eyes flickered slightly, and she couldn't help but step forward. "You are… Furuyama?"
"Hm?" The old man, clearly blindfolded and unable to see, turned toward Ei's voice in surprise. "Shogun? Weren't you heading to the distant battlefield? Why have you returned?"
"Allow me to introduce him. This is Furuyama, my longtime tea attendant," Ei said, first addressing Lumine and the others.
"Though Furuyama cannot see, his discernment far surpasses that of ordinary people. The tea he brews is among the finest in Inazuma."
"You flatter me. It's merely the result of serving the Shogun for so long—practice makes perfect," Furuyama chuckled. "It sounds like you've brought guests, Shogun. Given the current circumstances, I'm afraid I can't offer proper tea or refreshments… But if you don't mind, please take a seat and rest for a while. After all, the outside world has already descended into chaos."
Paimon glanced uncertainly at Lumine and Sen'emon. "Uh… what should we do now?"
Lumine nodded slightly and whispered, "Let's play along."
Sen'emon agreed. "Hearing about the past isn't bad. I've always been curious about what happened five hundred years ago. It's a pity I wasn't born in that era—otherwise, perhaps some tragedies could have been avoided."
Though I've had similar thoughts before… perhaps it's for the best that you were born in this era.
—Ei didn't voice this aloud.
Meanwhile, Paimon spoke to Furuyama, "Um… yeah, the outside is full of beasts. It's pitch-black, and many people are injured…"
"I see. The battle has reached here already," Furuyama sighed. "Most of the nearby residents have fled, but I saw no point in joining them. The Shogun is here—why should I run? If even the Shogun is powerless against this, where could I possibly escape to?"
Lumine asked, "Why aren't you panicking at all?"
"People flee to survive. And they want to survive because there are still things left undone in their lives. As for me… I simply have no such thoughts, nor any regrets left."
Furuyama spoke calmly:
"When the Shogun drinks tea, she often shares her 'dreams' with me. Though I've been blind for years, listening to her, it's as if I've personally wandered through Inazuma's most beautiful mountains and seas… Over time, I've come to understand her romantic and fantastical ideas."
"She always said, 'All beauty fades and vanishes with the passage of time. So while we live, we must seize the moment and enjoy it, leaving no regrets.'"
"This…"
Lumine and Paimon immediately understood—these words clearly didn't sound like something Ei would say. They must have been spoken by the previous Electro Archon, the one known as "Makoto."
Furuyama continued, "So even if things are dire now, I've already experienced countless wonders. I have no reason to be discontent."
Ei let out an almost imperceptible sigh. "Perhaps… you're right."
"Before long, I'll have to bid farewell to the Shogun. What a pity… I won't live to see the Inazuma she rebuilds after this catastrophe." Furuyama's voice remained tranquil:
"But it doesn't matter. Everyone says Inazuma has turned dark, but in my eyes… Inazuma has always been dark."
"After calamity comes renewal. Besides, even if I survived until then, I'd just be a blind old man with no appreciation for beauty… Hahaha, forget it."
"…" Ei couldn't help but sigh again.
"Ah, my apologies. I've rambled on without even serving tea. For the Shogun to visit, and yet there's no tea—what kind of hospitality is this?"
As he spoke, Furuyama turned and began fumbling around.
"Wait a moment, let me… Hm? Where are the tea utensils? Could they have been broken when the others left?"
Paimon shook her head sympathetically. "We… don't see any tea utensils here."
"None? But they were right here… This is truly… I've embarrassed myself before the Shogun and her guests."
Lumine said softly, "We know where to find tea utensils."
"How could I let guests fetch them? That would be a breach of etiquette."
Ei spoke up as well. "It's fine. Rest for now. We'll be back soon."
—And it was at this moment.
"No need to trouble yourselves. If it's tea utensils you need, I have a set right here. Only 888 Mora."
Finally, Ye had found the perfect moment to make his entrance.