บท 21: Chapter 21: Journey to Tatarasuna
"Why don't you just kill them if they want to kill you?"
The Raiden Shogun tilted her head and looked at Liam with confusion. In her view, anyone who posed a threat to Liam should be eliminated immediately.
"I agree with the Shogun on this! I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't want to lose anyone else..."
Raiden Ei's voice echoed in Liam's mind.
To Ei, Liam was the benefactor who brought her sister back and held a significant place in her heart, nearly equal to that of Raiden Makoto. If something happened to Liam, she couldn't fathom how she would cope.
Liam wasn't too surprised that Ei's voice could reach his mind. After the comprehensive enhancement from the [Heart of the Puppet], even the souls of both Ei and the Shogun had been significantly strengthened. Now, both Ei and the Shogun could directly transmit their thoughts into others' minds.
Liam understood the concerns of Ei and the Shogun, but he wasn't worried about any accidents. Given his current strength, Scaramouche alone couldn't kill him outright. As long as he wasn't killed in one strike, Liam could rely on the [Dew of the Eternal Garden] to recover.
Moreover, it wasn't that Liam underestimated Scaramouche; with his current equipment, if Scaramouche dared to show up, Liam would simply lift his [Honkai·Beyond Destiny] and test its power. He wondered how many shots Scaramouche could withstand!
Thinking about this, Liam took out the [Dew of the Eternal Garden] from his system backpack, shook it in front of the Raiden Shogun, and smiled.
"Don't worry, as long as I have this, I won't die. Besides, don't you know my strength? Or do you think, Shogun, that I would encounter danger in Inazuma?"
Liam said, ruffling the Raiden Shogun's hair.
"...No."
The Raiden Shogun's eyes, as calm as still water, looked at Liam, finally uttering the two words. Even before, she had the confidence to say this, let alone now, with her strength having undergone a tremendous transformation.
"Isn't that settled then? I believe that you and Ei can protect me, so please believe in me too!"
"I... believe in you!"
The tone of the last words changed noticeably, and Liam, taken aback, saw a pair of purple eyes filled with various emotions.
It seemed that Ei had kicked the Shogun offline again. After all, strictly speaking, this body belonged to Raiden Ei, giving her more control.
"I am willing to believe in you, but please don't act recklessly! Let me handle everything!"
Raiden Ei looked at Liam with hopeful eyes. She was genuinely worried that the still relatively weak Liam might get into trouble. Although spatial abilities were mysterious, her concern remained.
At this moment, Raiden Ei had forgotten that Liam had mentioned before that even if he died, he would revive fully healed, and it would be Teyvat that should be worried.
Seeing Raiden Ei in this state, Liam restrained his smile and seriously said to her, "I won't get hurt. I promise, for your sake, I won't let anything happen to me!"
Having said this, Liam felt like an old general on a stage, flags waving behind him.
Shaking his head, Liam dispelled the odd thoughts from his mind and slowly walked away. Leaving Tenshukaku this time, Liam did not teleport but walked step by step like an ordinary person.
For the first time, Liam realized that he had always teleported away from Tenshukaku before, never walking out. He understood that overly convenient abilities could make one lazy.
As soon as Liam left Tenshukaku, he was noticed by those with ill intentions. But this was all within Liam's expectations. He noticed the oddities right away but continued to act as usual.
After walking out of Tenshukaku, Liam waved to a nearby samurai, who then jogged over, bowed, and asked, "Lord Liam, do you have any orders?"
"Not much. I'm planning to inspect Tatarasuna today, but I'm not very familiar with that place. Could you tell me about it?"
Liam smiled at the samurai, looking quite approachable.
"Ah! Lord Liam, you are really diligent, going to such a far place to inspect!"
The samurai looked at Liam with admiration.
"Since my master granted me such an honorable position, I must work for Inazuma's welfare. I am going around to inspect and then form some policies."
Liam waved his hand modestly. An outsider might think he was truly handling official duties.
Hearing Liam's words, the samurai's respect deepened, and he quickly shared what he knew about Tatarasuna, particularly emphasizing the Mikage Furnace.
"The Mikage Furnace, huh?"
Liam nodded. He was well aware of it, known as the nuclear power plant of Inazuma. When it exploded, that area of Tatarasuna was devastated. Although not as bad as the contamination from the Orobashi remains, it was quite severe.
After listening quietly, Liam smiled and nodded, "Alright, that's enough information. Thank you very much!"
"Lord Liam, you're too kind. These are just some easily gathered information, no need to thank me. We should be the ones thanking you for tirelessly working for Inazuma!"
The samurai said with a face full of humility. Before him stood the Shogun's direct disciple, who also had the authority to command the Shogunate. His power was unmatched in Inazuma; how could he accept thanks from such a figure?
"Hehe, regardless, thanks to you, my work will be much easier!"
Liam continued smiling at the samurai and then turned to leave, leaving the samurai watching his back in puzzlement.
"The bait has been laid. I wonder if the fish will bite. Ah, what am I thinking? With Kujou's arrogant nature, they'll probably come attacking soon enough!"
Walking on the road to Tatarasuna, Liam kept stroking his chin, pondering what might happen once he reached Tatarasuna.
If these people do come, it will likely be the Fatui making a move. I wonder if my current status is enough to attract Scaramouche personally. If only small fries come, then today's effort will be wasted.
...
Five days ago,
In the Kujou Encampment
Kujou Takayuki sat quietly in a hidden room, but the deep furrows in his brow indicated his foul mood.
Originally, Kujou Takayuki had planned to have a face-to-face meeting in the Tenryou Commission's domain. However, the proximity of the Tenryou Commission to Tenshukaku made both the Fatui and Kujou Takayuki wary of any accidents. Thus, they chose the Kujou Encampment as their meeting place.
After all, the Kujou Encampment was under his control as the head of the Tenryou Commission. But the distance was inconvenient, especially for an elder like him, who was accustomed to a life of ease and comfort. Having to travel so far and wait this long put him in an exceptionally bad mood.
"Damn Fatui, making me wait this long! If it weren't for the need to use their hand to get rid of that little brat, I would never have cooperated with them!"
Kujou Takayuki slammed his teacup on the table. Despite his annoyance, he still carried an air of arrogance, believing that the Fatui should consider it a great fortune to work with him. His arrogance and ignorance were typical of his character.
Unbeknownst to him, the Fatui saw Kujou Takayuki as nothing more than a mere clown. And clowns deserve no respect.
"Heh, what could possibly make the head of the Kujou clan so angry?"
A raspy yet magnetic voice, dripping with sarcasm, suddenly sounded behind Kujou Takayuki.
"Who's there?"
Kujou Takayuki jumped in fright and barked back angrily.
"Hehe~! Lord Kujou, you truly have a poor memory. Didn't you summon us here?"
The owner of the voice seemed amused by Kujou Takayuki's bluster, their tone becoming even more mocking.
"Fatui?"
Kujou Takayuki calmed down, realizing that his visitors were the partners he had summoned. Yet, the fact that he had been startled by the Fatui only fueled his anger.
"I informed you long ago. Why are you only here now? Is this how you Snezhnayans keep your promises?"
Kujou Takayuki's loud voice was an attempt to cover up his earlier fright.
The visitor stepped forward and sat down in front of Kujou Takayuki. The newcomer was of short stature, dressed in a purple-black kimono, with a hat shading his face. His chest bore the symbol of the Fatui and the Raiden Shogun's emblem. If Liam were present, he would instantly recognize the visitor as Scaramouche, the Sixth of the Fatui Harbingers.
Scaramouche, or Kunikuzushi—the failed prototype of the Raiden Shogun that Ei had not destroyed.
Scaramouche hadn't given Kujou Takayuki a single glance since arriving, an act that deeply wounded Kujou Takayuki's fragile pride. The old man immediately glared and barked, "What is the meaning of this, Fatui?"
"Hehe, Lord Kujou, you only mentioned meeting here today without specifying a time. How is that breaking a promise? Allow me to introduce myself: I am Scaramouche, Sixth of the Fatui Harbingers."
Scaramouche's pride as a creation of the gods made Kujou Takayuki, a mere weak mortal, unworthy of his anger. Yet, his disdain for Kujou Takayuki grew.
"Haha, so this is the head of one of the three commissions? Such a pitiful state. It seems Inazuma's days are numbered."
Scaramouche never held back his words, saying exactly what was on his mind.
"You!"
Kujou Takayuki almost choked on his own breath in fury. No one had ever dared to insult him so blatantly. He thought to himself, "How dare this mere Fatui dog insult me? I am the head of the Kujou clan, appointed by the Shogun, commanding the Tenryou Commission. This person is merely a dog of the Tsaritsa! How dare he look down on me!"
Though seething inside, Kujou Takayuki suppressed his rage for the sake of his plan. With a stern face, he coldly said, "Harbinger, I did not summon you to quibble. Recently, a mysterious direct disciple of the Shogun has appeared in Inazuma. The Shogun has granted him extensive authority, allowing him to command all commissions unconditionally. His existence severely disrupts our plans. I believe you need to eliminate him."
Kujou Takayuki handed over a photo of Liam with the Raiden Shogun, taken while they were out in the city.
"A direct disciple of the Shogun, huh? Heh!"
Scaramouche picked up the photo with a sneer. He was aware of the Shogun taking on a disciple but had never considered it important. To him, this disciple was just another weak mortal, not worth his attention.
"However, it seems that puppet cares for this mortal quite a bit, taking him out for a stroll. Heh!"
In truth, Scaramouche harbored a deep dislike and disdain for the Raiden Shogun, considering her a failed creation. Other people might not notice, but as a fellow puppet, he could see that the Shogun cared about this mortal.
"Heh! Foolishness! Emotions are all fake! But if something were to happen to this ant, I wonder how the puppet would react? Heh, this could be interesting!"
Scaramouche's smile grew as he stared at the photo. Initially, he wouldn't have bothered with this ant, but seeing the relationship between them piqued his interest, making him want to handle it personally.
As for failure, it never crossed his mind. As he mentioned before, he had the pride of being a creation of the gods. Even if this so-called disciple was stronger than the average person, to him, it was just a slightly bigger ant.
"You want me to deal with him? Fine, I'll handle it personally when I get the chance! Heh!"
Scaramouche then left without another word, ignoring Kujou Takayuki's furious expression. Throughout the conversation, Scaramouche hadn't initiated a single word nor given Kujou Takayuki a proper look.
After Scaramouche left, Kujou Takayuki could no longer contain his rage. He overturned the tea table and roared in fury.
"Damn him! How dare that dog act so high and mighty! And that little brat, just lucky enough to be noticed by the Shogun! How dare they look down on me!"
Kujou Takayuki continued to roar and rage inside the room.
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