"Ei, you really don't need to check up on me every single hour."
Ever since she learned that Su Ran might be able to leave the dream, Raiden Ei had acted as if possessed.
She constantly came to probe his condition, then rushed back to her sister's side.
It was disrupting his daily life.
"And aren't you tired? Running back and forth all the time, just to take one look at me before hurrying off again.
Doesn't it feel like a waste of time?"
Sure, she was beautiful.
But appearing so suddenly, checking on him like a prison guard, then leaving just as abruptly— it was more than a little strange.
"Unless you can guarantee you'll never leave this place."
If not for the fear of him escaping— fear that the dream itself would collapse— she'd never be so obsessive.
Coming every hour was already being restrained.
If she saw the slightest sign of him wanting to leave, she'd come every five minutes if she had to.
"I can't guarantee that."
Making promises to a girl so casually would only cheapen their weight.
"So you really are thinking of leaving!"
Ei grabbed him again.
If he couldn't even promise, then he must have the thought.
"But I'm not even from Inazuma.
What's so wrong with leaving?"
Facing her stubbornness, Su Ran could only feel tired.
If this went on for long, even if he hadn't intended to leave, her yandere-like behavior would drive him away.
"Inazuma has the Sakoku Decree!
No one may enter or leave!"
She even tried to use national law as a reason.
It had been issued to preserve Eternity itself.
Even if the Shogun had been the one to enforce it, the law still held weight.
Therefore, Su Ran couldn't leave.
"Oh? But this isn't Inazuma—it's my dream.
Your decree doesn't apply here."
Even if the dream mirrored Inazuma in every detail, it wasn't the land she had once fought for.
"Ugh…"
Ei faltered.
He was right.
This dream wasn't the Inazuma she had carved out with her own hands.
"Would staying here really be so bad?
Didn't you say you like looking at pretty girls?
Inazuma has plenty—aren't we enough?"
Having lost one excuse, she quickly pulled out another.
"But there are pretty girls outside Inazuma too."
Su Ran remained unmoved.
Why settle for a few trees, when the whole forest awaited?
Teyvat wasn't short on beauty.
"Yae, me, the Shogun, even that Kamisato girl…
or the strategist you locked in prison, or even Kujou Sara.
All these women, and none of them can keep you?"
"What about… Makoto?"
"Not her!"
Raiden Makoto was the absolute line she would never let him cross.
Anyone else was negotiable, but Makoto was untouchable.
"Then I refuse."
"…!"
Rejected, Ei ground her teeth, glaring at him.
She could feel it— this man was testing her limits, step by step.
Was tormenting her really that amusing?
"I look exactly like Makoto.
Can't you just treat me as her?"
Even if she had to settle for being a substitute, she'd swallow her pride!
Su Ran smiled:
"But Makoto's gentler, more cultured, more understanding.
You don't have those qualities."
The sisters' personalities were very different.
You couldn't replace one with the other just by appearances.
"Gentleness and understanding are personality traits—I can change!
As for knowledge, I can learn!"
If that was all it took, Ei didn't care.
Imitating her sister wouldn't be hard.
"Then… if you were truly as understanding as Makoto, you'd let me leave for a while, wouldn't you?"
"…!"
His words hit her like a blade.
If she refused to let him go, wouldn't that prove she wasn't understanding?
And wasn't that exactly what she'd promised to become?
"You really have to leave?"
Back when he teased her in front of Makoto, all she'd wanted was to beat him up.
But now, hearing him talk about leaving, she wanted to break his legs— make him stay forever.
"The Rite of Descension in Liyue is about to begin.
Aren't you curious what will happen if Morax doesn't appear?"
Su Ran didn't mind bringing Ei along.
"Not curious."
Clearly, this Ei wasn't made for joy.
If she were to walk the paths of the Aeons, hers would surely be Nihility.
"Well, I'm curious."
The Liyue arc revolved around the death of the Geo Archon.
But if Morax never showed up at all— how would the story unfold?
That, Su Ran had to see.
Preparations in Inazuma were mostly done.
It was time to check in on Liyue.
"You can always come with me."
"No! I have to stay here and protect Makoto!"
Back in the Khaenri'ah war, Makoto had gone alone into battle, and tragedy had followed.
Ei would never risk that again.
"Then how about this:
let the Shogun come with me instead?"
Ei hesitated.
After all, the puppet no longer obeyed her.
What if the Shogun chose Su Ran,
and never returned?
"Or… let the Shogun stay here with Makoto, and you come with me?"
This time, Ei didn't reject the idea outright.
But she was torn.
Push him too hard, and he might leave in anger— Makoto following him out of spite.
And against him, she had no chance of stopping it.
She'd be truly helpless then.
"Fine. But you must promise— while you're gone, Makoto will be safe in this dream."
"She's my sister-in-law.
Like I'd ever let anything happen to her!"
Seeing her finally relent, Su Ran made the promise without hesitation.
After all, in a dream of his making, nothing would happen— unless he willed it.
~~--------------------------------------
To read 30+ future chapters head over to patreon:
patreon.com/YonkoSlayer