Chapter 446: An Unpleasant Loop

"The sacred tree that shelters all people, now exists unseen by mortal eyes. When it takes root and where it sprouts depends entirely on the heart and dreams of the one who brings it to life. Give it life, Ei."

Makoto's gentle narration confirmed something in Ei's heart. She clenched the seed in her hand, then released it. The purple seed fell to the ground as if sinking into water, disappearing beneath the surface.

"Eternity stretches time infinitely, while dreams make every moment shine. When these two intertwine, the Sacred Sakura will bloom unbound by worldly constraints, emerging from the darkness."

The seed sprouted, rising from the water's surface. Its thick trunk grew rapidly, becoming a towering tree in the blink of an eye. This symbolized where the seed had taken root.

"Thus the nightmare disperses, reality becomes whole, and the future you both yearned for still lies ahead."

Illusory pavilions appeared - torii gates, long corridors, shrine rooftops - the very architecture of Grand Narukami Shrine. This showed where the seed had chosen to sprout.

"Though I regret that I cannot witness Inazuma's future, nor walk beside you any longer."

Pink cherry blossoms adorned the tree, a beautiful scene that would never fade through the seasons, symbolizing that bright future. Petals swirled around the tree before reforming into that glowing sphere before everyone.

"Ei, do you know? I'm truly happy now, because my final wish has been fulfilled. Your naginata once shielded me from countless disasters, and I've always felt I owed you. Though this is but a small repayment, before you truly awaken to new encounters, this Sacred Sakura will buy you time. I believe it has served its purpose, hasn't it?"

Ei didn't answer. As if anticipating what would come next, she slightly raised her hand, then let it fall.

"This time, it's truly goodbye, Ei."

The sphere dispersed into petals again. A shower of petals moved as if guided by some force, passing by Ei who instinctively reached out but caught nothing. Then those petals, as if restrained by some power, returned to the Sacred Sakura.

Witnessing this, Li Mo silently closed his eyes and mouth, ceasing all movement, only a self-satisfied smile playing on his lips.

Here, everything reached its conclusion. Not only was the conflict between Ei and the Shogun resolved, but even the origin of the Sacred Sakura had been revealed. Truly cause for celebration.

For Li Mo, this final journey had simply been a recreation of events. The interaction between sisters was interesting - he made note of the "you must have wanted to cry" comment to share with Yae later. She'd probably find it amusing.

After leaving Makoto's consciousness space, Ei suddenly spoke: "Li Mo, you knew the Sacred Sakura was planted by me, didn't you?"

"Why do you say that?"

"When we first entered Makoto's consciousness space, you seemed prepared. Did you know from the beginning that hundreds of years would pass there?" Ei reasoned backward from the outcome - not a difficult technique.

Li Mo replied: "I wouldn't say that."

"Very well. Then let's return to the shrine and discuss how this traveler came to be here."

"Agreed."

Had Li Mo not been present, Lumine and Paimon would have been the ones to change Ei's mind. As Ei's friends, with Yae Miko's help, they would have re-entered Makoto's consciousness space.

This time, their entry was entirely guided by Li Mo. He'd realized Makoto's consciousness space became an independent pocket dimension during Ei and the Shogun's battle, with time flowing differently from the outside world.

While Li Mo had no particular expertise regarding time, in mysticism it was formidable. Unsure if he could handle all possibilities there, he decided to follow existing solutions - stabilizing the time flow between dimensions by bringing someone in from outside. That someone was Lumine, though at the time he'd considered her more as a tool than a person. He'd completely overlooked how Yae had become lazy in his presence, cutting corners when dealing with Lumine - practically a slacker on payroll.

After explaining everything, Li Mo suggested to Ei that they return together to teach the fox a lesson.

Ei asked no further questions and quickened her pace with Li Mo. Not because of any trouble Yae might cause, but because she suspected Yae wouldn't have properly completed her tasks.

At Grand Narukami Shrine, in the central office, the fox was leisurely propping her cheek with one hand while slowly responding to documents with the other. Each document took considerable time - several times longer than it would take Ei or Li Mo.

"Yae, couldn't you even wait briefly in the cave before rushing back to the shrine?" Li Mo bluntly asked upon arrival.

"My, you're back already. Little one, isn't it too harsh to question me the moment you return? Your dear sister has been working hard here," Yae replied sweetly.

Ei stepped forward, scanning the piled documents. "After just one or two days, this many documents remain. Yae, have you actually been working?"

Li Mo, experienced in such matters, estimated the pile represented one or two days' worth of documents. In other words, Yae had barely processed any.

"Actually, I've been conducting field inspections," Yae claimed.

Most work from the Tri-Commission came as documents. The Shogun only needed to process these to govern effectively - the system from centuries past. Nowadays, the Shogun occasionally conducted inspections to verify completion - these were the "field inspections" Yae mentioned.

"I asked Kujou Sara. You never left the shrine!" Li Mo countered.

"Oh? Could it be you never actually asked?"

Regardless of Yae's excuses, she was promptly put to work. Li Mo insisted on dragging her into the paperwork, prioritizing fairness over efficiency. Yae's habitual laziness particularly irked him.

As they worked through the documents, Yae learned what had transpired in Makoto's consciousness space.

Over dinner, Yae remarked: "So our Ei spent five hundred years taking a detour before finally choosing the main road?"

"In the past, you wouldn't have commented like this," Ei noted.

"Hasn't the little one rubbed off on me? Would my venerable Narukami Ogosho be angry?"

Ei shook her head.

Li Mo interjected: "Yae, how can you phrase it like that? Ei merely took a roundabout path - not the most pleasant detour - but now she's walking straight."

"What a euphemistic way to put it. But little one," Yae narrowed her eyes, skillfully shifting topics, "didn't you do anything noteworthy in all this?" She felt Li Mo's presence in the story was conspicuously faint.

Li Mo simply pointed at the Sacred Sakura visible through the window, remaining silent.

After a long pause...

Yae asked: "What did you do to the Sacred Sakura? Don't tell me you put Makoto inside?"

The previously calm Ei fixed her gaze intently on Li Mo.