The Relentlessly Advancing Plan

The book The Wandering Samurai: Fontaine Arc had long been endowed with another meaning by the times.

It was no longer just a novel but a symbol of the Inazuman people's longing for freedom and happiness.

At such a critical juncture, with opposition voices growing louder, the book was announced to be permanently discontinued and no longer published. What did this signify?

The so-called "unavoidable circumstances," who doesn't know what that means?

Isn't it just because it affected "Eternity," and that's why it was banned?

But some things, the more restricted they are, the faster they spread.

The more you suppress it, the more curious people become. The more you try to stop it from spreading, the more it becomes a sacred text among the people.

Thus, the book's circulation spread wider and wider, and the voices of dissent grew louder and louder.

What many people didn't know, however, was that the decision to take the book off shelves wasn't ordered by the Shogunate but was made by Yae Miko herself.

The Shogunate wasn't so foolish as to issue such an order at this moment. To demand the book's removal would only fan the flames and intensify the conflict.

Yet, Yae Miko's decision to pull the book at this moment also seemed like an attempt to stir the pot, which quickly drew questioning from the authorities.

In response, Yae Miko cried innocence:

"Based on recent public discourse, our editors at Yae Publishing House only just realized that this book might affect Eternity. This is politically incorrect behavior. Thus, after deliberation, we decided to pull the book from shelves to demonstrate our unwavering support for Eternity."

This statement was entirely open-ended.

Yae Miko claimed she acted for the greater good and voluntarily discontinued the book. What could the authorities do?

Demand Yae Publishing House to republish it?

But Yae Miko had already stated that the book was discontinued because it affected Eternity.

Do you want to republish it now? Are you trying to let more people be influenced? Are you opposing Eternity? And if the Shogun investigates this later, won't the blame fall on the Shogunate?

Given the severe bureaucratic corruption and mutual buck-passing within Inazuma's administration, they absolutely wouldn't dare to make Yae Publishing House republish the book.

Then perhaps they could issue a public statement declaring that Yae Publishing House discontinued the book of its own accord?

That wouldn't work either, because saying nothing was better than issuing a statement that would come across as "the guilty party giving themselves away."

The people would only think, "Not only did you force them to pull the book, but now you're making them issue a statement claiming it was their decision, pretending it has nothing to do with you."

This would only exacerbate tensions.

So, no matter what they did, it would be wrong. The conflict was bound to escalate.

But what is the Shogun? She is a puppet that resolutely enforces Eternity.

Even in the game, when even Ei herself wanted to change Eternity, she had to fight the Shogun for five hundred years. How could the dissenting voices from the people possibly sway her?

The growing opposition finally provoked the Shogun's wrath.

As a warrior, the Shogun had only one choice regarding voices opposing Eternity: suppression.

With the order issued, vast numbers of Shogunate troops swarmed out, arresting all those who were the loudest dissenters and throwing them into prison.

At the same time, a public notice was issued: anyone who questioned or undermined the principles of Eternity would face severe punishment.

But did this approach work?

It had no effect whatsoever.

Because one of the key principles of a "color revolution" is this: when a regime deploys military force to suppress dissenters, there will always be agents in the shadows recording it.

Later, these individuals will use the photos and videos they've captured to propagate claims that the authorities not only refuse to listen but are also violently suppressing the righteous protesters.

Finally, foreign forces will use this as an excuse to file complaints at international courts, condemning the actions as illegitimate and justifying further infiltration.

Then, under the banner of supporting justice, foreign forces will supply a large number of weapons to arm the local rebel factions.

If local armed forces are unable to prevail, foreign forces can even intervene under the banner of justice, directly deploying troops to fight.

In the end, the flames of war will reduce the nation to rubble, leaving it incapable of posing any threat to foreign powers.

In short, during a color revolution, the hope is that you will resort to military force to suppress the dissent. Some instigators will even infiltrate the crowds to provoke the military, angering them into taking action.

Once you strike, you've truly fallen into the enemy's trap.

For this reason, amidst the chaos, we must always maintain restraint and rationality, leaving no openings for the enemy.

Raiden Shogun's act of suppression undoubtedly fell right into the trap of Felina's plan.

This suppression was like throwing a bomb into a tranquil lake, causing massive ripples!

All the pent-up frustration and discontent erupted in that moment!

With the incitement of Yae Miko, Kamisato Ayato, and countless public intellectuals, droves of Inazuman citizens poured into the streets.

"O mighty Narukami, Please look upon your people!"

"For the future of Inazuma, end the isolation!"

Countless citizens chanted slogans, forming massive demonstration groups marching through Inazuma City, even storming the Shogunate headquarters!

The Shogunate troops resisted firmly, and only after arresting over three hundred radical protesters did the crowds begin to disperse as night fell.

Some might ask, were these people not afraid of death? What were they fighting for?

This is an interesting question.

Let's start with the public intellectuals who played a leading role in the color revolution.

As previously mentioned, they are mostly from the middle class—a stratum with better living conditions and education than the lower class but still inferior to the upper class.

This places them in an awkward position where they can't quite reach the top but refuse to blend with the bottom.

But everything changes once they become public intellectuals.

As public intellectuals, they advocate for the freedom, democracy, and advancements of foreign nations while constantly criticizing their own country's lack of freedom, democracy, and progress.

By promoting the freedom of foreign citizens, they position themselves as thought leaders, giving them a sense of superiority over others and satisfying their desire to feel superior to the lower class.

And what about criticizing their own country's lack of freedom, democracy, and progress?

Who establishes the country's systems? That's right, the upper class, whose position is higher than that of the public intellectuals.

So, criticizing the country's flaws is effectively criticizing and opposing those of a higher status.

In other words, by becoming public intellectuals, they satisfy their sense of superiority over the lower class and find a way to challenge the higher class they usually wouldn't dare confront.

Leading public discourse and rallying a group of lower-class individuals to challenge the upper class they've always feared provides them with immense inner satisfaction and fulfillment.

This explains why these people dare to act as public intellectuals.

They believe they are the leaders of freedom and democracy, and being arrested only adds to their sense of pride.

As for the citizens influenced by their rhetoric who take to the streets in protest, they aren't afraid either.

In their view, they are fighting for Inazuma's future. If they feared death, they wouldn't have taken to the streets in the first place!

Arrest them? Even if they are killed, so what?

To die fighting for the country's future is an honor!

Even in death, as they fall, they would cry out to awaken the world!

Everything is for Inazuma's future!

This is the terror of a color revolution.

At this moment, the flaws of Raiden Ei's puppet nation began to surface.

As a puppet, Raiden Shogun would unwaveringly implement eternity.

Being a puppet, she lacked any flexibility. She would never yield to anyone questioning or challenging eternity.

Thus, during this massive-scale protest, the Shogunate army arrested over three hundred radical protesters at the forefront.

From the perspective of Raiden Ei and the Shogunate army, the arrests were unavoidable. Without using force to intimidate them, should they allow the protesters to keep escalating until they stormed Tenshukaku?

But from the perspective of the citizens, this was unacceptable.

We protested only for the future of Inazuma, driven by our love for the nation, yet you respond by not only ignoring our concerns but also brutally suppressing dissent with force!

Stubbornly persisting on the wrong path, silencing all opposition—is this not the behavior of a tyrant?

As a result, Raiden Shogun's policy of suppression not only failed to deter but further enraged the populace.

This move further intensified the conflict between the citizens and the Shogunate. Rather than diminishing, the protests grew even larger.

"Tyrant!"

"If this continues, Inazuma is doomed!"

"With such a tyrant, what future does Inazuma have!"

The discontent grew to unprecedented levels, with direct accusations even targeting Raiden Ei herself.

At this point, suppression was no longer effective.

No matter how rigidly Raiden Shogun adhered to eternity, she was at a loss in the face of this situation.

Because no matter how steadfast her pursuit of eternity, the ultimate beneficiaries of eternity were still the people of Inazuma.

In other words, her mission was fundamentally to serve the citizens of Inazuma.

Now, how many voices of dissent echoed throughout Inazuma?

Public opinion, fueled by the emotions of the citizens, had caused at least half of Inazuma's population to harbor great dissatisfaction.

Could she execute half of Inazuma's population?

That would go against her mission and principles.

The eternity she pursued did not preserve Inazuma for generations; instead, it would result in her first slaughtering half of its population. Would that still be eternity?

And after killing half of the people? Would the remaining half also rebel?

If they did, would she continue the slaughter?

In the end, pursuing eternity would lead to the destruction of Inazuma at the hands of the very god who sought to preserve it.

For a moment, even Raiden Shogun was at a loss.

Faced with this situation, suppression would only exacerbate the conflict.

But if she didn't suppress it, allowing the unrest to continue, the dissent would only grow louder, and the protests would grow larger.

If the dissenting voices spread unchecked, the entire nation might turn against her as a god. What meaning would eternity hold then?

At this critical juncture, Yae Miko appeared once again!

She issued a public statement in her capacity as the High Priestess of the Grand Narukami Shrine and a retainer of the Raiden Shogun.

After an investigation, we have discovered hidden truths behind the implementation of policies such as the Sakoku Decree and Vision Hunt Decree.

Since the war against Khaenri'ah five hundred years ago, the Shogun's strength has been greatly diminished due to her efforts to safeguard Inazuma from the dark calamities.

Thus, the Shogun chose to remain in Tenshukaku to recuperate, entrusting the affairs of Inazuma to the Tenryou Commission, the Kanjou Commission, and the Yashiro Commission.

This explains why the Shogun has rarely appeared in public over the centuries.

However, power often comes hand in hand with temptation.

Among the Three Commissions, the Tenryou Commission and the Kanjou Commission betrayed Narukami-sama for personal and familial interests!

The Kujou Clan of the Tenryou Commission and the Hiiragi Clan of the Kanjou Commission, in order to protect their own industries and interests in Inazuma from foreign competitors, exaggerated facts and fabricated lies to request that Narukami-sama issue the Sakoku Decree under the pretense of preserving eternity.

Take the Vision Hunt Decree, for example. After investigation, the truth is as follows:

The Fatui of Snezhnaya, aiming to promote their harmful counterfeit Visions, the "Delusions," bribed the Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions.

Faced with the enormous benefits, the Kujou and Hiiragi Clans succumbed to temptation and betrayed the Shogun.

The Tenryou Commission, responsible for military and law enforcement, permitted Fatui troops to operate across Inazuma and allowed the establishment of "Delusion factories" to manufacture Delusions.

The primary material for crafting Delusions is the unique mineral, "Crystal Marrow," produced in the area of Yashiori Island.

To aid the Fatui in collecting materials, the Kanjou Commission mandated that foreign merchants on Ritou pay taxes not in Mora but in Crystal Marrow.

The Kanjou Commission not only imposed exorbitant taxes on foreign merchants on Ritou but also monopolized the Crystal Marrow trade, artificially inflating its price threefold and forcing merchants to purchase it under the guise of taxation.

Such actions plunged foreign merchants into misery and tarnished the dignity of Inazuma and the reputation of Narukami-sama.

These allegations can be verified by speaking to any foreign merchant on Ritou.

Among the Three Commissions, only the Yashiro Commission remains loyal to the Shogun.

The Yashiro Commission's Kamisato Clan has repeatedly submitted petitions to the Shogun, requesting the repeal of the Vision Hunt Decree, but these were consistently blocked by the Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions. The petitions never even reached the Shogun.

The reason they opposed halting the Vision Hunt Decree was simple: only by confiscating Visions could the harmful "Delusions" of the Fatui be widely distributed.

As long as the Vision Hunt Decree continues, the war between the Resistance and the Shogunate forces will persist. Only in a state of war will Delusions remain in constant demand.

In conclusion, the Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions betrayed the Shogun for personal gain.

They exploited the Shogun's period of seclusion for recovery, deceiving her into issuing the Sakoku Decree and Vision Hunt Decree, two disastrous policies.

Entrusted with great power, they were supposed to assist the Shogun in governing Inazuma.

Instead, they betrayed her expectations, deceived her, and betrayed Inazuma!

For personal gain, they incited civil war within Inazuma, forcing compatriots to kill one another and driving countless people to use Delusions, only to become test subjects for the Fatui and eventually die as their life force was drained away!

The Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions have deceived their ruler, squandered divine grace, betrayed Inazuma, and harmed the people—a crime that cannot be forgiven!

I, Yae Miko, as the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine and a retainer of Narukami-sama, cannot stand idle during this national crisis!

From this moment forth, I shall join the Resistance forces of Watatsumi Island.

Here, I appeal to the soldiers of the Tenryou Commission within the Shogunate army: Do not betray the Shogun's expectations, do not continue this fratricide, and do not aid these traitors any longer!

As Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine and a retainer of Narukami-sama, I call all Inazuman citizens to join the Resistance with me.

Expel foreign enemies! Eliminate traitors! Purge the court of corruption!

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