"Huh?"
Raiden Makoto widened her eyes slightly when she saw the little pink fox.
She took it from Yae Miko's arms. The tiny creature flailed its four legs, its fluffy tail brushing against her hands and tickling her palms.
"So cute," Makoto murmured, her eyes softening.
"Mhm. Quite a rare color, isn't it?" Yae Miko said proudly. "Can you believe my luck? I just found her by the roadside! So, what do you say? Want to keep her to amuse yourself?"
The pink fox squirmed as if trying to escape, but Makoto held it tighter, then turned to Gu Chen. "Do you want to pet it?"
"If you want to keep it, then keep it. It's a beautiful little thing," Gu Chen said casually after glancing at it.
"Yay!" Makoto smiled brightly.
Yae Miko twirled her pipe with a smirk. "Let's go. The celebration's about to begin — those yokai can barely hold back anymore."
"Let's," Makoto agreed.
[Ganyu]: Little Miko was so cute as a baby fox! (🙏)
[Gu Chen]: Don't even start, seriously — that fluffy pink fur is too cute. Makes me want to raise one!
[Kamisato Ayaka]: So that's what Lady Yae looked like in her fox form… adorable.
[Lumine]: So this is "Lady Fox"? I love her already! (Can I buy one for one mora?)
[Paimon]: Baby Miko looks so shy in Makoto's arms! So different from the elegant, confident Miko we saw in the first-life video — the contrast is huge!
[Yae Miko]: That's not me!
[Kokomi]: Oh, come now, Lady Yae. Have you forgotten that the Shogun once posted a picture of your fox form in this chat? (😏)
[Raiden Ei]: Correct. (nodding)
[Yae Miko]:Raiden Ei!!! (angry noises)
Yae Miko wanted to die of embarrassment.
The elegant High Priestess, the dignified Yae Miko of today — reduced to a silly, clumsy fox in her childhood memories.
Still, she sighed to herself. Who doesn't have a few dumb moments from their youth?
In the video, the festival soon began.
Makoto and Gu Chen, of course, were seated at the highest place of honor, followed by Miko and the other great yokai.
It was a grand celebration — the night of the yokai, lively and full of laughter.
This wasn't Gu Chen's working time, so he didn't wear his usual stern, commanding expression.
"General, you seem much more approachable tonight," said Sasayuri with a smile.
"Oh? And what am I normally like?" Gu Chen asked.
"Well…" Sasayuri thought for a moment. "Usually, you have the aura of an emperor who rules an entire empire — powerful and awe-inspiring. Even a veteran like me can hardly breathe when you glance at me. But tonight… you're like a noble — refined, yet warm and kind."
Gu Chen chuckled. "Is that so?"
"You know me, General — I don't tell lies," Sasayuri said, grinning.
Gu Chen nodded with amusement.
"General, let me toast to you."
"Regent, I'll toast you too!" said Chiyo, the oni girl who served under Raiden Ei.
Gu Chen gave them a long look, smiling faintly. "So that's your plan — to get me drunk tonight?"
"Come now, General!"
"Only you can outdrink us all!"
Gu Chen laughed. "Very well then — let's drink!"
"Long live the General!"
"Bottoms up!"
While the laughter and clinking of cups continued, Makoto sat aside, still holding the little pink fox. Yae Miko leaned close, a mischievous look on her face.
"What's wrong, afraid he'll actually get drunk?"
"I–I…" Makoto's face flushed, her hands tightening unconsciously. The little fox yipped in protest.
Ignoring the fox, Miko whispered, voice dripping with mischief: "You know, I personally talked to each of them. Tonight's been arranged — just for you. This is your best chance. Are you going to seize it? Or are you going to let him slip away again?"
"W-what?" Makoto's face turned scarlet. "You wicked, scheming priestess…"
"I only want to help you." Miko's smile was like that of a devil whispering temptation. "Everything's in place. No one will interrupt you. Don't you want to strike while the iron's hot?"
Makoto's head was spinning.
[Nilou]: With Yae Miko as a strategist, how could Lady Makoto ever lose? (excited)
[Collei]: The Makoto stock is skyrocketing!!
[Paimon]: Buying more! Buying more!!
[Jean]: This is better than most light novels… (thinking)
[Yae Miko]: Does no one care that I was pinched in that scene? That looked painful!
[Ayaka]: Poor Lady Yae… come, let me hug you. (💕)
[Yae Miko]: Such a sweet girl. Unlike the rest of you heathens.
[Lumine]: This fox priestess is too cunning. (😨)
[Kaeya]: You're afraid she'll help Makoto overthrow you and become number one? (😉)
[Venti]: I can't wait! This drama is my new bedtime story!
[Furina]: You're all horrible — just watching Lumine's downfall. Not me though. I only pity Gu Chen~ (😏)
[Lumine]: ?
[Gu Chen]: What's going on? (confused)
[Furina]: Oh come on, you really think when your harem starts fighting, you'll get out of it alive? (😂)
[Gu Chen]: …I'm already trembling. (😨)**
Just as she finished, Lumine appeared — smiling faintly, but the look in her eyes made Gu Chen's scalp tingle.
"Already worrying your backyard might catch fire?" she asked softly.
"I—"
"Thinking about Makoto?" she said, stepping closer and closer. "Don't worry. Soon… you'll get to experience her yourself."
Gu Chen blinked. "Wait, what?"
"That's right," Lumine smirked. "Just wait here. I need to prepare."
Then she turned and left, leaving Gu Chen staring after her — suddenly not sure if he was terrified or excited.
Dawn broke.
Even yokai with endless stamina were exhausted after such a night.
Makoto looked at the nearly unconscious Gu Chen — her heart filled with both worry and anticipation.
"I'll take him back first," she said quickly, blushing as the others burst into laughter.
Outside the shrine, as soon as they were alone, Gu Chen suddenly straightened.
A breeze swept away the smell of wine and food from his clothes.
"Work time's about to start," he said, adjusting his collar.
Makoto blinked, stunned. "You… weren't drunk?"
"Hm?" Gu Chen arched his brow. "Just a little wine. They're your and my loyal subjects — it's good to let them enjoy themselves."
Makoto bit her lip, her shoulders drooping.
Gu Chen noticed. "What's wrong?"
"The little fox… she's gone!" Makoto gasped. "I must've been careless. She was so cute too…"
"Wait, where are you going?" she called when he turned back toward the shrine.
"To find her, of course. Can't let my goddess be sad all day, can I?"
Makoto's eyes softened. "Okay. I'll ask Miko if she's seen it. You check the corners of the shrine."
"Got it."
[Kirara]: I saw it! Lady Makoto handed the little fox to Miss Miko earlier! (Please give me five stars, meow!)
[Collei]: You can see how flustered Makoto was — and Gu Chen noticed, but didn't say it out loud. That's love!
[Paimon]: The regent's been acting like an emotionless ruler lately, but little details like this prove he's not as cold as he seems.
[Yae Miko]: So they like each other but neither will confess? Is this some kind of new-age courtship ritual? (confused)
[Furina]: I don't get it. (shakes head)
[Zhongli]: Nor do I. (shakes head)
At the shrine, Makoto rushed to Miko and saw the little pink fox in her arms.
Before Miko could speak, Makoto said quickly, "Remember where you found this fox. She keeps running off — I almost lost her again!"
"You came all the way back just to tell me that?" Miko asked, surprised.
"There was… an accident," Makoto sighed. "He sobered up the moment we left the shrine."
After hearing what happened, Miko looked impressed. "If I didn't know you were the true god, I'd think he was one. That's the way of an emperor — he just tightened the bond between ruler and subject again. A shame my plan failed."
"What should I do then?" Makoto asked anxiously.
"If Inazuman sake can't bring him down," Miko said, her eyes gleaming mischievously, "then… I heard there's a kind of immortal brew in Liyue — strong enough to make even a god drunk. All we have to do is trade for some."
"Would that work?" Makoto asked, worried.
"You never know unless you try." Miko grinned.
"You're right!" Makoto's eyes brightened. "The Archon War's nearly over anyway. When I go to Celestia to receive the divine title, I'll ask the Geo Archon himself!"
[Venti]: Wait, that timeline doesn't make sense!
[Ganyu]: Indeed, the chronology seems off.
[Furina]: What do you mean? Did I miss something?
[Venti]: @Zhongli — you see it too, right?
[Zhongli]: Yes. Something is… inconsistent.
[Raiden Ei]: It's confusing.
Seeing the Archons themselves puzzled, everyone grew curious.
[Ganyu]: As far as I know, Lady Miko is around five hundred years old, yes?
[Yae Miko]: I'd rather not discuss my age, but yes, roughly.
[Venti]: Exactly!
[Kaeya]: Can someone explain already? I'm dying here!
[Kaveh]: What's going on?!
[Venti]: If Miko is about 520 years old now, and she already existed as a sentient fox back then — yet the Archons were about to ascend to Celestia — that would've been over a thousand years ago! See the problem?
[Heizou]: So… we're missing a few hundred years?!
[Furina]: Or maybe Gu Chen's presence delayed the ascension of the Seven?
[Zhongli]: A reasonable hypothesis — but Gu Chen's influence never extended beyond Inazuma. The discrepancy must come from something else.
[Albedo]: A small disturbance can shift the course of history. The worldline we see in the video differs because of Gu Chen — but since his recorded actions are limited, some other element must have been altered as well.
[Cyno]: Like a chance encounter that completely changes your path. You meet Gu Chen, he sells you a gorgeous deck backing, you starve a month to buy it — a tiny thing, but the ripple changes everything.
[Venti]: Exactly. If Gu Chen's small acts already cause big ripples, imagine what happens when his story is broadcast to all of Teyvat.
[Furina]: You're overthinking it! To them, that's just their history — and to us, it's ours. Two versions of truth, both valid, both shaped by one man's existence.
[Venti]: Heh… maybe you're right. I hope so.
"Was it really just the wind god overthinking?"
Raiden Ei thought back to what Yae Miko once said —
That Inazuma's political system had long since lost trace of its origin, its beginnings swallowed by history.
The truth of how Inazuma was first governed… had become blurred.
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