Narukami Island.
The Kamisato Estate.
After bidding farewell to Hiiragi Chisato and Kujou Kamaji, Thoma rushed home in a tearing hurry.
Inside the dojo.
A figure clad in a loose white kendo uniform was diligently practicing swordsmanship.
"Kamisato Art—Soumetsu!"
A cold flash of the blade swept past, and several deep sword-marks appeared on the wooden target before her.
Boom——
The wooden target shattered completely.
Having accomplished all this, Kamisato Ayaka stood there panting, sweat dripping down her hair and sliding onto the long sword.
Soaked through with sweat, the originally loose kendo uniform now clung tightly to those graceful curves.
A slender waist, long and lovely legs, a snow-white neck, delicate collarbones, and the budding swell upon her chest.
Drenched in fragrant perspiration, the breath of exertion came surging forth.
"Milady, you've been practicing for a long while now—do take a rest!"
Several maids accompanying her at the side could bear to watch no longer; from the moment she awoke this morning until now, three whole hours had passed!
Kamisato Ayaka, breathing rapidly, glanced at the weather outside the window and nodded. "All right, let's end today's practice here."
She put away her long sword and went to the bathing room at the side.
After training in swordsmanship, one would always work up a great deal of sweat.
At such a time, soaking in a bath was the most comfortable thing—it could ease fatigue and relax the muscles.
However, she had only just settled into the bathtub, ready to enjoy a moment of leisure, when a voice came reporting from outside.
"Milady, Thoma is back, and says he needs to see the head of the family."
"He's asking where the head of the family has gone."
Hearing the inquiring voice outside, Kamisato Ayaka recalled, "Brother is paying visits to several of the branch families today; he's not at home right now, and likely won't return until evening."
"But... Thoma says it's something extremely important."
"Haah..."
Kamisato Ayaka let out a sigh and said, "All right, have Thoma wait for me. I'll come out right away."
She had originally wanted to enjoy a proper soak, but it seemed that plan had fallen through.
She washed up briefly, then dried her body, dressed neatly, and walked out.
"Thoma, what exactly is so urgent?"
"Milady, the truth is, something major just happened over on Ritou...."
Thoma recounted to Kamisato Ayaka everything he had just seen and heard.
"....An honored guest of Her Excellency the Shogun?"
"So that's how it is."
Kamisato Ayaka fell into thought, unraveling the matter strand by strand in her mind and piecing together the information she had just received.
Not only an honored guest of a God, but he had also become the new master of the Southern Cross fleet.
She knew of Beidou's affairs, and knew that Beidou was a heroine among women, possessed of great mettle.
To be able to win Beidou over and take the Southern Cross fleet—this showed that Ye Xi was by no means an ordinary person.
What's more, Yae Miko had personally gone to Liyue to extend the invitation, and Kujou Sara had escorted him—such a status was absolutely unprecedented in Inazuma.
One had to understand, Yae Miko was a kin of God!
Beyond that, there was that enormous steel ship.
If it was truly as Beidou said, that the ship had been built by Ye Xi, then the treatment Ye Xi was now receiving was only to be expected.
These deeds, without a doubt, all indicated that Ye Xi not only held a very high status, but also possessed extraordinary abilities.
With such a figure appearing in Inazuma, the help he could bring to Inazuma would surely be tremendous!
She had already thought of many important directions.
For instance, regarding the commerce guilds under the Kanjou Commission.
With ships like these, it would absolutely be a very positive boost to Inazuma's economy.
Or again, regarding the military under the Tenryou Commission.
If Ye Xi were to give Inazuma a few such ships, Inazuma would become incomparably safe and stable.
For such an important figure to become an honored guest of a God was thus entirely within reason!
Thinking of this, Kamisato Ayaka already had an idea: "If Brother were here, he would surely go to pay his respects to this Master Ye Xi."
"Right now Master Ye Xi must be meeting with Her Excellency the Shogun, so it isn't the time for us to call on him just yet."
"Thoma, go into the city and make inquiries; find out exactly where Master Ye Xi is lodging."
"Once Brother returns, we'll go pay our respects together!"
Thoma nodded. "I understand, Milady."
However, at that very moment, an inquiring voice suddenly came from outside the gate.
"Is the Lord of the Yashiro Commission at the residence?"
"By order of Her Excellency the Shogun, the head of the family is requested to present himself!"
Kamisato Ayaka and Thoma hurried over, and saw an Okuzumeshuu standing at the entrance.
The Okuzumeshuu were the personal guards of the Raiden Shogun, and also the Raiden Shogun's most trusted direct subordinates.
They were responsible for protecting the safety of the Raiden Shogun, patrolling the Tenshukaku, and relaying messages on her behalf.
"May I ask, does Her Excellency the Shogun have some important matter?"
"Oh, it's Miss Kamisato."
The Okuzumeshuu performed a salute and explained, "It's like this: Her Excellency the Shogun has commanded the three great Commissions to proceed to the Tenshukaku to discuss an important matter!"
"You are to go at once, immediately!"
Hearing this string of emphases, Thoma grew rather worried and hurriedly asked, "The head of the family isn't at home—what are we to do? There simply isn't enough time."
"This... I am only relaying the message on her behalf..."
"However, Miss Kamisato spends her days alongside the Lord of the Commission, day and night. For her to go in the Commissioner's stead should not be out of the question."
"Eh!?"
Kamisato Ayaka was slightly taken aback.
Have herself attend the meeting in place of the Commissioner?
How could that do!?
Thoma, however, found it to make perfect sense, and nodded in agreement, "Milady, why don't you go?"
"The head of the family definitely won't make it back in time now, and if Her Excellency the Shogun were to mete out punishment later...."
Kamisato Ayaka had originally wanted to shrink back, but upon hearing the words "mete out punishment," she could only force herself to nod. "All right..."
"I'll keep a proper record so I can relay it to Brother."
She had never expected such a sudden situation to arise today.
· ·Flowers please 0 ········
Matters having come to this point, she had no choice but to step up.
And so, Kamisato Ayaka, in a great fluster, followed the Okuzumeshuu to the Tenshukaku.
"Miss Kamisato, Lady Guuji is right inside the meeting room. Please make yourself at home."
"Mm."
Kamisato Ayaka cautiously approached the door and pushed it open.
....
Inside the meeting room of the Tenshukaku.
Ye Xi was waiting, growing rather bored.
"Had I known, I'd have just sent down the orders first and stayed a bit longer in the Serenitea Pot before coming."
A moment ago he had taken Raiden Ei to tour the small Western-style house and picked out a room for her for the night, then hurried back.
Mainly it was to discuss matters concerning the planning for Inazuma.
He hadn't expected the message to travel so slowly!
Yae Miko sat idly to one side reading a light novel, looking thoroughly engrossed.
Seeing that the wretched fox was paying him no mind at all, Ye Xi suddenly thought of Yae Miko's tail.
Earlier that morning he had wanted to take advantage of the pink-haired fox being asleep to sneak a touch of her tail, but in the end Yae Miko had woken up.
Today, no matter what, he was determined to have a feel of it!
Thinking of this, he snatched away Yae Miko's light novel and said, "Miko, let me touch your tail."
"Eh? No way~ unless you promise me some perks, Master."
Yae Miko laughed softly and swung her pert little bottom off to the side.
Ye Xi folded his arms and said teasingly, "One touch equals one big ship."
"You said it yourself—no taking it back now~"
At the mention of a big ship, Yae Miko's eyes lit up.
In truth, if Ye Xi had tried to ravish her on the spot, she definitely wouldn't have agreed.
Because she didn't want to do so before Raiden Ei, nor in such an unsafe environment.
At the very least it would have to be inside the small Western house, where she could let loose to her heart's content.
But if it was just touching her tail, then that was quite a bargain!
Ye Xi propped up his chin and countered, "When have I ever gone back on my word?"
"All right then, in that case..."
Yae Miko swung her pert little bottom back around, revealing a fluffy fox tail.
That tail was quite playful, twitching about in the air.
Ye Xi reached out and gently stroked it; the feel of it in his hand was unexpectedly silky-smooth!
"Not bad at all!"
"Of course. I cherish my tail very much, you know, and groom it diligently every single day."
Ye Xi praised it again and again, unable to resist squishing and rubbing it with both hands.
The more he stroked this tail, the more addictive it became!
What's more, this tail was soft and quite large.
This was probably just one of them.
If the other several were all revealed together, they could perhaps even serve as a little blanket to pull over oneself!
It would surely be very warm!
Just as Ye Xi was utterly engrossed and reluctant to let go, the door of the meeting room was suddenly pushed open.
Kamisato Ayaka walked in with a composed and dignified expression.
"Lady Guuji Yae, I...."
Before Kamisato Ayaka could even finish her greeting, she was struck dumb by the scene before her eyes!
"Eh——!?"
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