"Inazuma naturally also has many magnificent landscapes. Inazuma City, the Grand Narukami Shrine, the Chinju Forest, Araumi... If there is a chance in the future, I can take Mr. Zeyan to see them," Kamisato Ayaka said softly from behind her folding fan.
"Although I feel like Miss Kamisato might be saying polite words, I will take them seriously," Zeyan replied with a smile.
"Please do," Kamisato Ayaka chuckled lightly, her mood visibly lifting.
However, when she looked up at Tenshukaku again, her heart grew heavy once more.
Tenshukaku, such an important place, yet there was not even a single guard, allowing them to enter without any resistance.
Ahead and to the left and right were towering and majestic buildings. A river stretched before them, with a wooden bridge adorned with fluttering cherry blossoms spanning across it.
The two crossed the bridge and saw a long staircase paved with bluestone. They began to ascend, moving slowly toward the interior of Tenshukaku.
The steps were not too long, but even so, Zeyan noticed that Kamisato Ayaka's pace was gradually slowing.
Was she tired?
Or was she afraid to continue?
After a moment of silence, Zeyan suggested gently, "Miss Kamisato, how about... we do not go into Tenshukaku?"
Kamisato Ayaka paused, then forced a small smile toward Zeyan. "Do not worry. Let us keep going. No matter what, we still need to visit the Shogun's residence and see the situation for ourselves."
"But..."
"Do not worry," she repeated more firmly.
Without giving him a chance to argue, Kamisato Ayaka quickened her pace and continued climbing.
She was afraid. Part of her wanted to give up. But she knew she could not. No matter what, she had to face the answer waiting for them.
Seeing her determination, Zeyan could only follow.
Tenshukaku was vast, but even so, as they walked through the various pavilions and courtyards, it did not take long to cover the entire complex.
They found no one.
Not a single soul.
And the Raiden Shogun was nowhere to be seen.
Unknowingly, they reached the highest point of Tenshukaku. Leaning against the red railing, they gazed into the distance. Inazuma City stretched out before them, its houses arranged in neat order, the cherry trees blooming in exceptional brilliance.
But the sunlight was dim.
At some point, the sky had darkened. Thick clouds now covered it like an upside-down black ocean, pressing down with a heavy, suffocating feeling.
After surveying the view for a while, Zeyan turned his gaze back to Kamisato Ayaka.
"The Shogun is very powerful," Kamisato Ayaka began to speak as if lost in thought. "Once, on Watatsumi Island, there was a god named Orobashi who invaded Inazuma from the east. In the end, he was slain by the Shogun. His remains are still on Yashiro Island, where a canyon cleaved by the Shogun's single strike pierces through the entire island."
Zeyan remained silent.
No matter how powerful the Raiden Shogun might have been, at least in this world, she did not seem to exist anymore.
Still, Zeyan did not interrupt Kamisato Ayaka. He simply stood quietly, listening as she recounted the Shogun's past glories. In her words, the Raiden Shogun sounded invincible and majestic.
Until a clap of thunder rumbled across the sky, cutting her narration short.
She seemed to snap out of her daze, turning to Zeyan with an apologetic expression. "Zeyan, I was a..."
Zeyan's expression grew a little strange. After even the Raiden Shogun had vanished, could Kamisato Ayaka still believe there was hope for Inazuma to recover?
"It will recover. Inazuma is a beautiful place, and I like it here. If possible, I would like to settle down," Zeyan said with a smile. "Does not Yae Publishing House always accept submissions? I think I could become a writer and live off the royalties. Besides writing, I could travel around to gather inspiration."
"That sounds wonderful. It truly makes one yearn for such a life. In fact, I also really enjoy reading the novels from Yae Publishing House. Lady Yae Miko's decision to establish it was truly wise," Kamisato Ayaka said with a soft laugh, perhaps recalling the exciting stories she had read.
The smiling Kamisato Ayaka was serene and beautiful.
"But all of this has to wait until Inazuma recovers, does it not?" Kamisato Ayaka gazed down at the city below.
"Yes," Zeyan nodded.
"Next, I plan to visit the Grand Narukami Shrine. Perhaps the Raiden Shogun has gone there. Lady Yae Miko is usually there too. She always gives off a mysterious feeling. Perhaps she has not disappeared."
Kamisato Ayaka looked toward the distant Mt. Yougou. At the mountain's summit stood the Grand Narukami Shrine. From afar, one could see a flurry of crimson cherry blossoms falling from the peak, a rain of petals covering the entire mountain in a magnificent and romantic scene.
Perhaps one day, holding the hand of a beloved and walking along the path up Mt. Yougou would be an unforgettable experience. Drawing a fortune slip at the shrine together, and hopefully receiving a blessing, would make the future feel even more full of promise.
Unexpectedly, Zeyan said, "I thought you would choose to return to the Kamisato Estate first."
Kamisato Ayaka explained, "Zeyan, you have been staying in Ritou, so you probably are not familiar with the geography here. The path leading to the Grand Narukami Shrine begins not far from the Kamisato Estate. Visiting the shrine will not prevent me from returning home afterward."
"I see," Zeyan replied, understanding at last.
Kamisato Ayaka once more turned her gaze toward Mt. Yougou and said, "Let us go. We will head to the Grand Narukami Shrine. It is a long journey, so we must be careful."
With that, she began to walk out of Tenshukaku.
Zeyan silently followed her.
Throughout the descent, neither of them spoke. Each was lost in their own thoughts.
Kamisato Ayaka looked down at the faint shadow cast by Zeyan, faithfully trailing behind her. In the current situation, having someone accompany her was undeniably much better than being alone.
But... in the vastness of Inazuma City, aside from her and Zeyan, there was no one else. Did they not seem strangely out of place? Why had they not disappeared like everyone else? Could the cause of the people's disappearance be related to the two of them?
Kamisato Ayaka knew with certainty that she was not the cause.
So... could it be Mr. Zeyan?
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