Chapter 8

Although Kujou Sara bears the surname "Kujou," she does not share the bloodline of the Kujou family.

She originally resided in a peaceful mountain forest.

At some point, evil spirits began to cause chaos, and the tranquility of her surroundings was shattered.

Despite possessing the power of a tengu, the young Sara was still unable to fight the monsters alone. During one battle, she was even struck off a cliff, damaging her wings.

As she fell from a great height, her injured wings unable to open, she was on the verge of despair, about to crash to the ground.

It was at that moment that she caught the gaze of a god and was granted her Vision.

Afterward, while unconscious, she was discovered by the Tenryou Commission of the Tri-Commission, specifically the Kujou family, who took her in and gave her the name "Sara."

Although she grew up among humans, Kujou Sara retained the habits of a tengu.

Whenever she had free time, she would venture into the mountains and forests.

This time, aside from her usual training, she had also come to bring some fruits to the small youkai hiding in the area.

The tanuki in this forest were gluttonous and often stole food.

It was only after her intervention that they began to behave.

Since then, she had often brought food for them.

However, the cawing of crows and the elemental reactions coming from the edge of the forest had caught her attention. To prevent the tanuki from provoking any Vision-wielding intruders, she decided to investigate personally.

The moment she laid eyes on Bai Luo, she sensed something was off about him.

The object hidden in his sleeve, judging by its outline... was likely a weapon.

And the insignia on his sleeve belonged to the Fatui.

What caught her attention the most, however, was the mask he wore on his head.

Yes, just like Bai Luo, she had noticed his mask.

And in her mind, the same question arose.

Do the Fatui have masks of this style?

"The mountains and forests are filled with evil spirits. It would be best if you didn't linger here for too long. If you've lost something, you can report it to the Tenryou Commission. We will register your case and help you recover your belongings."

Given Kujou Sara's personality, she wouldn't normally be so polite to a stranger.

Especially one from the Fatui.

In such a remote place, it would be easy to kill a Fatui agent.

However, the head of the Kujou family had warned her not to provoke the Fatui unnecessarily.

Because the Fatui had arrived as envoys from Snezhnaya, any conflict with them could create tension between the two nations.

Most importantly, it would cause a lot of trouble for the Shogun.

Although she was an adopted daughter of the Kujou family, Kujou Sara understood better than anyone that the reason she had survived her fall from the cliff unscathed was because the god had glanced at her in that moment.

That single glance had granted her a lifetime of power.

Everything she enjoyed could be said to be a gift from the Shogun.

She could ignore the head of the Kujou family, but she absolutely could not cause trouble for the Shogun.

Because she was the Shogun's most steadfast follower.

"I didn't lose anything important. I just instinctively chased after the thief."

While he claimed it was instinct, Bai Luo was actually just toying with a certain tanuki... ahem, a certain small raccoon dog.

"That's good to hear. The forest is deep and dark at night. It would be best if you didn't wander around. If you don't mind, I can guide you out of the forest. How does that sound?"

Glancing at the small youkai peeking out from the trees, Kujou Sara made the suggestion.

She didn't feel comfortable letting Bai Luo roam the forest alone.

Especially since he was a dangerous Fatui agent.

For the tanuki nearby, this could spell disaster.

"Sure."

Bai Luo didn't hesitate and immediately agreed to her proposal.

He was more than happy to spend more time with her.

As a close confidant of the Raiden Shogun, Bai Luo had been thinking of ways to stay with her longer so he could use [Silver] to mark her.

This would make his future actions in Inazuma much more convenient.

"Please follow me."

Her gaze lingered on the Dendro Delusion at Bai Luo's waist for a moment before Kujou Sara took the lead, guiding him out.

While it seemed like she wasn't afraid of Bai Luo attempting a sneak attack, her muscles were already tense, and her wings were ready to spread.

If Bai Luo dared to attack, she was confident she could dodge using her tengu abilities and subdue him in one move.

In reality, Bai Luo had no intention of attacking her.

Because while using [Silver] to mark her, he couldn't perform any attacks or use skills.

If he did, the progress bar, which was nearly halfway complete, would reset.

And that was the last thing Bai Luo wanted.

As a tengu born in the mountains and forests, Kujou Sara moved effortlessly across the uneven terrain, even in her tall wooden sandals.

And this was without her wings spread.

However...

"Are we there yet?"

Even after the marking was complete, Kujou Sara continued to lead him deeper into the forest.

Bai Luo didn't remember walking this far in.

Was she planning to take him to some remote corner and finish him off?

With a slight flick of his finger, the dagger slid into his hand, guided by the wire.

If Kujou Sara made any suspicious moves, he was ready to act.

While he had a certain fondness for characters from the story, if they tried to harm him, he wouldn't hesitate to strike.

After about an hour, the two finally emerged from the forest.

"The Tenryou Commission has important matters to attend to. During your stay in Inazuma, it would be best if you acted cautiously. If you violate Inazuma's laws, the Shogun's lightning is no less formidable than the Tsaritsa's frost."

With those words, Kujou Sara's tengu wings appeared on her back.

Flapping her wings, she soared into the night sky, following the moonlight toward Inazuma City.

Leaving Bai Luo alone, standing at the edge of the forest.

"Where... is this?"

As someone who had explored every corner of Teyvat, Bai Luo was quite familiar with Inazuma.

But the Inazuma in the game was heavily stylized, and the real Inazuma was quite different.

He wasn't even sure if he was still on Ritou.

"This is troublesome..."

Rubbing his temples in frustration, Bai Luo didn't think he could find his way back.

All he could do now was look for signs of human activity nearby.

Hopefully, he would run into his own people.

Like the Fatui.

As it turned out, Bai Luo's luck wasn't too bad.

In the pitch-black night, he managed to find a trace.

And judging by the markings left behind, the people nearby were indeed Fatui members.

He wasn't worried about being harassed by these Fatui agents.

As the Twelfth Harbinger, he was essentially the leader of all Fatui operatives in Inazuma.

The only question was how to explain his embarrassing situation of getting lost.

An inspection?

Yeah, that's a good excuse.

Following the markings, Bai Luo arrived at a temporary campsite.

It was made of thick red canvas, simple but enough to shield against wind and rain.

This type of canvas was a specialty of Snezhnaya.

The ground beneath the canvas was covered with straw, and someone had thoughtfully placed cotton padding on top.

At the end serving as a pillow, there were some delicate tea sets and simple daily necessities.

Was it his imagination, or did he catch a faint, pleasant fragrance?

Just as he was about to look for the Fatui members stationed here, a soft voice called out from the shadows.

"Found you, peeping Tom!"