Chapter 410: Mediation

Today's weather was gloomy, the sky heavy with dark clouds. It felt like rain could start falling at any moment. 

Kamisato Ayaka didn't like this kind of weather. 

She hated the oppressive atmosphere. 

When she was a child, after her parents passed away, the house had felt just like this. 

It was suffocating, as if she couldn't breathe. 

Back then, it was her brother who shielded her from the storm, and with the help of Lady Yae, they managed to overcome the crisis. But... not long after the Kamisato family's troubles were resolved, a new crisis befell Inazuma. 

The Sakoku Decree and the Vision Hunt Decree. 

The Shogun had issued two decrees in a row, and the situation in Inazuma had changed drastically. The entire nation had begun to decline. 

In truth, as soon as the Sakoku Decree was announced, the Kamisato family had keenly sensed that this decree would bring more harm than good to Inazuma. To be precise, it was all harm and no benefit. 

At the time, Ayaka hadn't fully understood her brother's concerns. But later, as data and reports reached her hands, she realized that her brother hadn't been exaggerating. 

The standard of living for the people of Inazuma had declined. 

The Yashiro Commission's duties involved managing the nation's cultural affairs and festivals. Of the three commissions, it was the one closest to the common people. Because of this, Ayaka knew exactly how ordinary citizens were living. 

After collecting her thoughts, Ayaka finally set aside her complicated emotions. She straightened her attire, and the familiar White Heron Princess emerged once more. 

Today, she set out for the Komore Teahouse again, to meet with that shrine priest. Her brother had said that he was the key to breaking the current deadlock in Inazuma, but how exactly would he do it? Through a duel before the throne? 

That was the only possibility Ayaka could think of. 

The Yashiro Commission had submitted reports to the Shogun based on the current state of Inazuma, but the Shogun had remained unmoved. She hadn't even responded. Was she indifferent, or was she criticizing them? 

Ever since the incident with the Raiden Gokaden, the Yashiro Commission had lost its direct line of communication with the Shogun. All reports had to be forwarded through the Tenryou Commission. If she thought about it pessimistically, could it be that the Tenryou Commission was suppressing their reports? 

The Shogun was benevolent. She had protected Inazuma for a thousand years. Based on the education she had received, Ayaka found it hard to believe that the Shogun would stubbornly trample on the lives of Inazuma's people. 

After having breakfast at Shimura's, Ayaka left once more. The proprietress was still experimenting with dishes that had a foreign flair, such as mushroom pizza. 

It reminded Ayaka of her friend, Lumine. 

Was the Sakoku Decree really good for Inazuma? 

When she arrived at the Komore Teahouse, Ayaka wasn't sure what kind of mood she was in. Greeted by the smiling female attendant, she responded with a polite nod and made her way inside. Upon seeing Taro Maru's adorable demeanor, her mood lightened considerably. 

No matter what was happening outside, Taro Maru was always the same. 

Ayaka walked down the corridor and finally reached the teahouse at the far end, where she found a weary Thoma and the shrine priest. 

"The Shogun…?" 

At first glance, Ayaka thought she had mistaken the shrine priest for someone else. She saw a shadow of the Shogun in him. 

—Yes, they were very similar. 

Though their appearances were completely different, there was an uncanny resemblance to the Shogun. 

"Miss, you're here," Thoma said, his expression one of resignation. 

"What happened?" 

Ayaka observed carefully and noticed that the shrine priest had his eyes closed, as if he were taking a nap. But sitting so properly while sleeping seemed strange. 

Then she noticed the exhaustion on Thoma's face. 

"Did you two not rest last night?" Ayaka asked in a hushed voice. 

Thoma shook his head. "Miss, you wouldn't believe what I saw last night. Also, the shrine priest isn't sleeping. He's meditating. No matter how loud we are, he won't hear us." 

"Is that so?" 

"Yes, miss." 

Thoma's voice wasn't particularly quiet, but Ayaka relaxed her own tone. 

The shrine priest didn't react. 

Later, Ayaka pressed Thoma for details about what had happened the previous night. Thoma told her that the shrine priest had left the room without a sound, using some unknown method. Moreover, under Thoma's watchful gaze, the priest had begun to resemble the Raiden Shogun more and more. 

"Miss, you know how I escaped the Shogun's blade with the traveler. Back then, I really thought I was going to die. So, I'll never forget the Shogun's presence. Over the course of the night, I could feel him becoming more and more like her." 

Thoma wore a complicated expression. He was still a wanted man by the Tenryou Commission and could only move freely within the Komore Teahouse. The teahouse held a special status, as it was land granted to the Yashiro Commission by the Shogun. Without the Yashiro Commission's permission, the Tenryou Commission had no right to enter. That was why Thoma could live here in peace. 

Ayaka spoke up, "Is that so? Does that mean the shrine priest is really planning to challenge the Shogun to a duel before the throne?" 

"That's the simplest solution." 

Li Mo's voice answered Ayaka. "Normal methods won't change the Shogun's current mindset. What you don't know is that the Shogun sitting in Tenshukaku right now is merely a puppet, a creation of hers. The real Shogun is meditating in the Plane of Euthymia, resisting erosion through endless meditation. 

If it weren't for this, the current situation in Inazuma could have been easily resolved by Yae." 

He didn't mind sharing this information. After all, even a foreigner like La Signora knew about it. What did it matter if the Yashiro Commission knew as well? Could the Raiden Shogun not handle people talking about her actions? 

Even if La Signora had learned this from Scaramouche, the reality was what it was. 

The Raiden Shogun's actions seemed... less than fully considered. 

Yet, at the same time, the Raiden Shogun was ruthless. 

Not to others, but to herself. According to Yae Miko, Ei was someone who loved liveliness. When her sister, Makoto, was still alive, Ei had been passionate about martial arts and forging. She was the origin of Inazuma's martial arts and the founder of its weapon-crafting traditions. She was someone who loved being around people, yet now she had locked herself in the unchanging Plane of Euthymia. 

"For the sake of her vision of eternity, the Shogun has chosen to press on, refusing to even meet her closest friend for fear of being swayed. 

Ayaka, Thoma. What does eternity mean to you?" 

Eternity. 

It was a noun. 

It referred to something that would never change, no matter how the world shifted or crumbled. 

It was a concept unique to the Shogun's contemplation. 

Ayaka and Thoma were stunned. They hadn't expected to touch upon such a core secret today. 

Suddenly, a strange feeling arose. The shrine priest before them seemed to be... making preparations for his own end. 

"Eternity? There's no such thing in this world. 

Everything in this world will fade away. Only death is eternal." 

Li Mo's concept of eternity had been born. 

And with it, the final piece of the "Musou no Hitotachi" had fallen into place.