Yae Miko chuckled. "Not bad. I like your answer."
With that, she handed Lumine a token.
"This is a pass. Show it to the gatekeeper, and they'll let you in."
"Although my question was just a joke, since you've answered, don't let it be mere words. Oh, and remember to return the pass to me, alright?"
[Navia: Hahaha, Miko really does seize every opportunity to joke.]
[Yae Miko: Well, it makes things more fun!]
[Paimon: Is playing around all that Miko thinks about?]
[Yae Miko: Mostly. After all, I've seen mountains of gold and silver and weathered all the ups and downs of life.]
Inside the Tenshukaku.
Ei was pacing back and forth in the hall.
Paimon whispered, "Ei seems... a bit restless."
As Lumine entered, the Shogun glanced at her expressionlessly. "How did you break in?"
"Those who trespass here should be eliminated immediately."
Paimon quickly explained, "Wait, it's us! Why are you looking at us like we're enemies again?"
"We've already made up, haven't we? And we came in through perfectly proper means!"
The Raiden Shogun seemed caught in some contradictory state, refuting her own words. "No. The use of force is prohibited."
"In any case, return. Do not disturb my cultivation."
[Furina: Why does Ei seem so strange?]
[Kamisato Ayaka: Perhaps this isn't Ei, but the puppet Shogun, only capable of executing simple rules.]
[Ei: The Shogun possesses full intelligence. To be precise, she is an independent soul—not a simple execution machine. She has her own thoughts. That's why I entrusted Inazuma to her.]
[Paimon: That's incredible! Though the Shogun still seems quite rigid.]
[Ei: That's because I established many rules for the puppet Shogun to follow.]
Lumine asked, "Prohibited? What's wrong with you?"
The Raiden Shogun replied coldly, "No need to know. This is simply my state while pursuing quiet cultivation."
Paimon looked at Lumine. "Do you sense something... off?"
Lumine looked at the puppet Shogun. "Does a puppet need quiet cultivation too?"
The Raiden Shogun answered, "This body does not require rest. But I am ultimately the internal assistant. Quiet cultivation is her will. I shall follow her wishes."
[Zhongli: Fashioning one's own divine body into a puppet to substitute for oneself in divine duties—and on a 24-hour work schedule. A truly ingenious idea.]
[Venti: Indeed. Work is far too exhausting. If only machines could replace us.]
[Furina: You could bring Mora to Fontaine and order a batch of machines. They can handle simple tasks and possess decent comprehension.]
[Paimon: Right! Fontaine's machines are so useful—why haven't they spread across Teyvat?]
[Neuvillette: Energy. Without the Oratrice providing power, Fontaine's machines quickly lose power.]
[Paimon: So those machines, leaving Fontaine and unable to replenish energy, would simply stop working?]
[Neuvillette: Yes.]
Paimon said, "I understand. The quiet cultivation inside is Ei interfering. But why? Even if the Shogun acted outside, it shouldn't disturb the Plane of Euthymia. That place is a vast courtyard—the most suitable environment for recuperation."
The Raiden Shogun stated, "Following her wishes. Beyond that, nothing to say."
Lumine looked at the Shogun earnestly. "Everyone is worried about Ei. We hope to see you."
The Raiden Shogun refused outright. "No. In my current state, even going out would leave me with nothing to do."
"Unwilling to handle affairs—because I am unable to handle any affairs."
Paimon pressed, "Ah? What does that mean?"
The Raiden Shogun covered her face in pain. "All prohibited matters. Sigh... just let me stop talking."