"Apologies, honored guest. Narukami Shrine is closed to visitors for the time being."
It was a direct order from Raiden Ei herself.
Naturally, the shrine maidens would never defy the Shogun's decree.
And besides… they didn't receive offerings anyway.
No visitors meant less work.
A win, really.
"I'm here to meet an old friend. He's inside the shrine—in the inner grounds."
If this weren't Raiden Shogun's territory, Tartaglia would never bother to be polite.
Even knowing they would likely fight later, he still managed to speak calmly.
More importantly this might also be the genius's territory.
He couldn't afford to act reckless.
Not when that guy was so terrifyingly mysterious.
"You think I have something wrong with my eyes?"
The shrine maiden stared at him with exasperation.
A foreigner. Claiming to have a friend inside Narukami Shrine.
Really?
Here, every face was familiar.
There was absolutely no second blond, blue-eyed foreigner walking around.
"Do you know 'the Genius'? Have you met him?"
Tartaglia had already pieced things together—
Su Ran was definitely inside.
So why not let him in?
He was being polite only because he knew he'd have to fight the Shogun eventually.
Otherwise, he would have just climbed in from the back.
"We have no one named 'Genius' at our shrine."
Who would use a name like that?
"Then… Su Ran?"
If they didn't recognize his title, they should know the man.
"We don't—wait…"
The maiden suddenly froze, her expression turning strange.
"That guest… if you mean that guest—are you truly his friend?"
The shrine maidens didn't know who Su Ran was, but they knew this:
Lady Kamisato Ayaka served him personally.
The Shogun allowed him to tease her at will.
The Guuji Yae Miko obeyed his every word.
If they didn't know his identity…
They definitely knew he was someone extremely important.
"Of course we're friends! He's the Genius, I'm the Eleventh Harbinger.
We're colleagues—how could we not be friends?"
To Tartaglia, Su Ran was one of the very few "normal" Harbingers.
Not brooding like Dottore.
Not scheming like the Knave.
Not explosive like Arlecchino.
Not unhinged like Scaramouche.
Just… regular.
Relatable.
"Well… please enter, then!"
Su Ran's guest was always welcome.
The shrine maiden was so nervous she forgot she should have gone to report first.
If the two people in the back courtyard happened to be in a… compromising moment,
what then?
Meanwhile, Yae Miko had absolutely not expected visitors.
She was currently acting like a literal fox, letting Su Ran handle her tail however he pleased.
If she didn't have any remaining dignity, she might've transformed into her actual fox form already.
But the sound of footsteps drew nearer.
She assumed it was Ei, Makoto, or Ayaka returning.
Perfectly normal.
But then—
Tartaglia walked in.
Yae Miko's smile froze.
She immediately shot a menacing glare at the shrine maiden.
You didn't even knock!?
She retracted her fox tail instantly.
Her ears remained out—those she didn't mind showing.
But her tail?
Absolutely not.
She refused to let anyone see her being played with like a house pet.
The shrine maiden kept a straight face, pretending she'd seen nothing but her soul was screaming.
She had witnessed something she should not have witnessed.
Lady Guuji would absolutely make her pay for it later.
"You're living pretty comfortably here in Inazuma, huh."
Tartaglia commented, taking in the serene surroundings.
A mountaintop retreat, scenic views, and a beautiful woman in his arms.
He wasn't a man of sensuality but even he understood what kind of paradise this was.
"If I weren't living comfortably, why would I follow the Shogun to Inazuma instead of returning to Snezhnaya with the Tsaritsa?"
Sure, Snezhnaya had plenty of cute girls but compared to endless blizzards, Inazuma's peaceful post-storm climate was far more pleasant.
"So you're planning to stay in Inazuma permanently?"
Tartaglia felt indignant for the Tsaritsa.
But he also understood Su Ran's value.
"How could I? If I announced I'm staying, the Tsaritsa would probably cry and throw a tantrum."
That was the Big Duck after all.
How could Su Ran let her off so easily?
"I don't think Her Majesty is that fragile."
Tartaglia defended the Tsaritsa immediately.
Her dignity must be protected at all costs.
"You sure about that?"
"…"
Fine.
After seeing her personally in Liyue last time…
He admitted the Tsaritsa did have… unexpected sides to her.
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