Chapter Text

ETERNITY OUTSHONE

The Sakoku Decree lifted: Remembrance, and An unexpected visitor's arrival

Even though the quiet, elegant Inazuma would normally be silent or surrounded by minimal noise, today was a day of enjoyment and celebration; after many years, the Almighty Shogun decided to lift the Sakoku Decree. This was yet another great news for Inazumans, especially for Inazumans who wished to leave the islands and explore the world outside, or outsiders who longed going back to their nations. Just a few minutes after the decree was lifted, the streets were filled with the roar of happiness of many citizens, and soon these same streets were busy, with shopkeepers and food vendors rushing through each new client who stopped by the store. 

A few days after the Sakoku Decree was lifted, and the news spread like wildfire to the other nations, an inmense influx of visitors suddenly found themselves in Ritou, completing whatever paperwork was necessary in order to access Inazuma City. Such was the amount of incoming visitors that the Kanjou Commission -which was under the leadership of Hiiragi Chisato and doing everything in their power to abandon their abusive past towards foreigners- had to get help from both the Tenryou and Yashiro Commissions to better aid the foreigners who came to the islands (and aid the overwhelmed Kanjou Commission as well). The arrival of many outsiders was fantastic news for the Tri-Commission, for it meant an opportunity for Inazuma and the Tri-Commissions to flourish economically (especially the Kanjou's). 

This, however, was not good news for everyone. 

Amidst the foreigners who came visiting Inazuma City for the vistas or the chance to travel, there were also those fixated on visiting one of Narukami Island's most alluring places; the Grand Narukami Shrine. Whether it were citizens from Mondstadt or Liyue visiting the shrine out of pure curiosity or interest and to try their luck with Fortune Slips or students of Sumeru's Akademiya doing research on the Ley Lines, the elements, Biology, History and so forth, the Grand Narukami Shrine was packed with visitors, who came prepared with a myriad of questions. Even though the shrine maidens tried their damndest to answer the shower of questions and inquiries made by the visitors, they knew they had to resort to Yae Miko for help, despite her stern warning that she should not be bothered, for this many visitors would just make her age quicker. 

"Should we really bother Lady Guuji? She was very clear that no one should dare bother her at all." Said Inagi Hotomi, as she took a small break from the many visitors. "If we go and bother her, chances are a thunderstorm will smite us all!" 

"A-are you serious!?" Said Maki. "I don't think that Guuji Yae would do that to us?" 

"Come on, girls." Intervened Kano Nana. "Yae is not going to smite any of you for bothering her. She simply can't bother to deal with the stress of handling so much people. I told her she should have recalled Miyuki from the Kujou Encampment, but she refused to." 

"So... what are we going to do? We clearly can't handle all of these visitors." Asked Inagi.

"Ugh. I will go and ask her if she can lend us a hand, don't fret." Said Nana. "I'll probably convince her, but if I can't just prepare for the worst. Now everyone, back to your duties!" 

The shrine maids eyes lit up the second Nana said she would try to enlist Lady Yae's help with their chaotic occurrence, and after thanking her profusely, they returned to their duties. Likewise, Kano Nana made her way towards Yae's quarters as she muttered what to tell her so she could bring her onboard. 

Besides having a personal, private room in Tenshukaku, away from any prying eyes, Yae Miko also had a personal chamber in the shrine, that despite being visible and in the open, would never suffer from any intrusions, as it was labelled as a "sacred place for exorcisms and other manner of mystical activities" that would "bring ruin and misfortune upon those who dare tread on it" (a description Yae herself told most visitors and made explicit in a small signboard oustside said place). To make it even more private, only Yae, the Shogun and a maid of her trust (in this case, Nana) carries a special key that opens the doors of her extra private shrine quarters. 

As Nana approached the doors, she took off a collar where she carried the key, but before opening the door, she knocked on it, just as a preventive measure.

"Yae? The shrine maidens need your help, we have way too many visitors. May I come in?" Nana asked. 

"Dear Nana, did I not tell you to not bother me? I am sure you girls can handle your recurring visitor, hmm?" Miko responded. 

"Y-yeah, but, as I said, there is a lot of visitors today, and we can't take them all. You know, we could really do with your help, Yae. I know you hate this but it's your duty as-" Nana said, before being interrupted by the door opening.

"Ugh. Just come in and we will discuss this, Nana." Yae said, somewhat annoyed. 

Even though Nana herself had this key since she and Yae became close friends, she never entered the room, so she was surprised and curious about how it was inside. Her expectations of this room was to see something simple; a bed, a desk, and maybe a tea set, but she was taken aback by what she saw; not only was the room beautifully decorated with various ornamentations, but also perfectly painted, with a pink tone similar to Miko's hair. The windows, although covered to ensure nothing inside could be seen, allowed the sunlight to enter and give this vibrant place an even better feel. There were also two bookshelves filled to the brim with distinct manner of literary works, from light novels to encyclopedias and books about history and mythology. There was also a desk, where a pile of letters sat, and a very comfortable-looking bed. But what caught Nana's attention the most was a Statue of Her Excellency, the Almighty Narukami Ogosho, God of thunder, sitting on what looked like a medium-sized stone pillar, cautiously and neatly maintained, and in a perfect condition. Nana wondered to herself why would Miko have one of these, but she didn't give it much thought, thinking Yae maybe kept one as memorabilia from the latest Irodori Festival. Nana was so lost and distracted with her inspection of Miko's room, that she failed to notice her sitting in the bed, arms crossed and staring at Nana.

"Are we done snooping my room?" Yae asked, snapping Nana out of her curiosity trance. 

"S-sorry, Guuji Yae!" Nana quickly apologized. "It's just that I've never seen your room before... it's way different than what I pictured."

"Oh? And what exactly did you picture, dear? A boring, empty room with a simple bed and desk?" Yae said, as if she read Nana's prior thoughts. "A person as distinguished as I deserves a distinguished bedroom, don't you think? But anyways, what is this racket about you girls needing assistance from me?

"Oh yeah, about that." Nana said. "Yae, we are dealing with a humongous influx of visitors to the shrine. We have curious Mondstadt and Liyue citizens asking us about everything on the shrine, Inazuman pilgrims wondering how Guuji Yae is doing, and Sumeru scholars interrogating us about the ley lines and the uniquity of the Sacred Sakura. It's mayhem out there and the girls are beyond exhaustion!" 

Yae was carefully listening to Nana, but she couldn't help but laugh once she saw her face of concern and seriousness. Nana was clueless as to what was so funny. 

"Oh wow, you are really in trouble, aren't you? My, what a shame... and to think this is just the first batch of visitors this morning." Yae said. "If only you knew a divine shrine maiden that happened to know every nook and cranny of this place, your day would be saved, wouldn't it?" 

"For crying out loud, Yae, this is not funny! We really could use your assistance. This is your shrine, you know? If anything were to happen, it would impact your image and your salary." Nana told Yae, slightly angered by her indifference. 

"Alright, alright..." Yae relented. "I was just pulling your leg, Nana. When did you lose your sense of humor? I will just finish some small preparations and I will come out and save the day. Again." 

"Sorry, and thank you, Yae. You don't know how much this means to us." Nana said. 

This was the only topic that Nana wanted to discuss with Yae, but she wanted to ask her about something else, something Miko easily caught on.

"What are you thinking about, Nana?" Yae asked. 

"What? Oh, nothing. I was just thinking why did you keep one of those statues from the Irodori Festival, and... why is it in such a perfect condition. Almost as if you make sure it's in pristine condition or something..." Nana wondered. 

The question caught Yae kind of off-guard. The reasons she kept the statue was not only because of its amazing craftmanship, but also because it reminded Miko of Ei whenever she couldn't visit her. The statue meant so much to Miko that she even got General Kujou Sara to tell her what her methods to maintain her collection of statues were, for it held a lot of personal and emotional meaning, and a single scratch on it would be unacceptable. After all, Miko loved Ei, and was deeply infatuated with her, and the sentiment was mutual. Only the traveler knew that Ei and Yae were in a relationship, and while Nana had her suspicions, she always shrugged it off. What was Yae going to tell Nana? Could she trust her with such information? These thoughts ran through her brain a lot, but considering that Yae had planned to one day summon Nana and tell her the truth, she decided today was the day.

"Nana, please take a seat." 

"Huh? Why the sudden shift of tones? Is everything alright, Yae? If the reason why that statue is here is personal, I'm ok not knowing about it." 

"No, everything is perfectly fine. It's just that I need to tell you something." Yae told Nana, who sat down in Yae's desk chair. "You see... the reason for this statue being here is more than just its beauty. The other reason is that... well... me and E- the Raiden Shogun, are in a relationship, and this statue reminds me of my god whenever she's not present. So, this statue holds not only a physical meaning, but also an emotional sentiment. Whenever I'm doubting about something, I look at this statue and ask myself 'what would my beloved but pig-headed shogun say about this?' And just like that, an answer pops in my head. I love her, and when I declared my feelings for her, I was glad it was reciprocated." 

Nana was surprised, but her face didn't say complete surprise, so Yae realized she had something of an idea about her and Ei. 

"Well... this is quite the news, but I had a small suspicion that you and the Shogun were dating. After all, I'm your closest friend, and while there's a lot of mystery surrounding you, the way your ears softly wiggle as her excellency visites the shrine give away your heart's language." 

Yae was surprised that Nana had noticed that little detail about her. This meant her judgement to tell her the truth was correct. After all, does Lady Yae commit mistakes? 

"Why didn't you tell me? I mean, I understand why, but you know you can trust me with anything." Nana inquired. 

"Well... if I am bluntly honest, I didn't trust you to keep that secret, or any secret, whatsoever. After all, such juicy gossip could lead to blackmail, and silencing someone attempting to blackmail me or the Shogun would lead to questions. But I trust you won't betray your friend, right? Yae replied, with her eyes slightly becoming brighter afterwards.

"N-no! Not at all, you can trust me!" Nana scarily said. "A-anyways, was that the reason why you were locked in here for many hours? It's almost 14:00 and we've all been here since 07:00." 

"Haha, I know you won't. And as for your other question, well... today happens to be our 400th anniversary, so I was also getting prepared for our special occasion. Do you realize how much work this hair and fur takes? I need to make sure to be beyond perfection for our anniversary." 

400 years. It was somewhere around 500 years ago that Yae had taken the mantle as head of the Narukami Shrine, a short while after Kitsune Saiguu told her she was going on a long trip. Although Yae had her suspicions of Kitsune Saiguu's fate, she preferred to ignore it and tell herself her predecessor was indeed in a long trip. These events were unforgettable for Miko, and every time she remembered them, she couldn't help but relive and talk about it.

400 years ago, while Miko was attending the shrine, she saw Ei walking in, looking to clear her head from some intrusive thoughts. As it was the shogun (whom she had a crush on), she decided to personally attend this meditation and help her cleanse her mind. Such was the importance of their anniversary, that she recalls everything they told each other during that day.

"What seems to be troubling you, almighty shogun?" 

"You can call me Ei, Miko. We are close, after all. For what the problem is, I have been troubled by the memories of my former friends... of Sasayuri and Saiguu giving their lives to defend Inazuma, of Chiyo and me fighting, and of Makoto... I just started meditating on the Plains of Euthymia, and these awful memories are interrumpting my meditation." 

"Ei... are you, perhaps, feeling lonely?"

"Lonely... who could have thought such a mundane thing would represent one of the biggest obstacles in my pursuit for eternity. I don't know how to put it, but you might be right. I dearly miss them all. Please don't take this wrong, I'm truly grateful to have you, but the pain lingers still..." 

During that day, Yae could see the Shogun was, for lack of a better word, needy. She was indeed alone, and while she filled a part of that void, she could not fill her whole heart. She was, however, decided to take a course of action so extreme it could mean victory or complete defeat. 

"I see... don't worry, Ei, for I shall help. Please, close your eyes and enter into a deep state of meditation." Yae told Ei.

Following her request, Ei sat down, closed her eyes, and meditated. As Ei meditated and lost herself in this state, Yae walked behind her, kneeled, and grabbed Ei by her shoulders. Ei softly flinched from this unexpected action, but didn't object to it. 

"Ei... my dear Ei, you are the embodiment of eternity. Yours is a vessel of perfection that none shall ever hope or dream to reach, no matter how hard they strive to. Your mind is strong, and so are your feelings, so this war they are waging amongst each other is hurting you the most. Take solace in the fact that I will be eternally by your side, no matter what.

Yae gulped, and carried on with her confession.

I... I love you deeply, my dear god. Ever since I saw you for the first time, I dreamed of holding your hands and comforting you after your battles, healing your scars and hearing your stories. I desired to be with you and only you, and felt slight jealousy of whatever pretender tried to claim your heart. I'm sorry if my declaration comes at an inopportune time, but I feel my words shall bring you the companionship you need. If you wish so, I will always be with you, not as your friend, but as your lover. Never you shall feel nor face your problems alone, for I will be a powerful beacon of light, illuminating your precious heart amidst the darkness that surrounds it." 

Shortly after such a heartfelt declaration, Yae couldn't help but tightly hug Ei. 

"Miko..." Ei muttered, deeply surprised by such a declaration. 

Yae was ready for the worst. She was ready for the Shogun to push her aside, stand up and brush away her feelings, before storming off the shrine and never speaking to her ever again, or for her to simply stand up, ignore her feelings, and walk away from the shrine, never bringing up the topic again. She was not, however, ready for what happened next; Ei held her hands as Yae was hugging her. 

"Yae... had I known our feelings were mutual, I would have seeked you. I love you too." 

As Ei said that, she stood up -with Yae following suit-, and turned around, staring into Yae's eyes.

"Let us, then, seal these feelings we have for each other. Today shall be an important day, for even though feelings stand in the way of eternity, you are my sole exception." 

Thus Ei reached for Miko's cheeks with her hands, and while closing her eyes, leaned in to kiss her. Yae, with her heart racing too fast and her thoughts scrambled because of Ei's confession, simply closed her eyes and let her newfound lover take the lead. Thus words afterwards were not necessary, for such a tender kiss marked the begin of an eternal relationship. 

After reminiscing for a while, Yae came back into the present, just to see Nana, smiling from ear to ear with a smug tone. 

"That was a cute story. Have you noticed your ears start to twitch and your tail inadvertently pops out and starts wiggling around when you think of the Shogun?" Nana said, trying her best to hold her laugh.

"Haha. Very cute." Yae told Nana. "Now, think carefully of what you will say next, or this shrine maiden will pretend you girls are handling yourselves well outside and don't need my help."

"Alright, alright, I won't bother you any further." Nana said. "Jokes aside, the way you remember each detail with such profoundness... it must have been the best day of your life." 

"It was, but there is also the day the Shogun gifted me a ring, or when we first read a light novel together... you know, practically all days I hang out with her are fond memories I hold dear. But anyways," Yae interrupted herself. "You girls need help around the shrine, so let's go and help the poor shrine maidens in distress..."

Having finished their conversations, Yae and Nana stepped out of her abode in the shrine and directed themselves to the crowd. The faces of the other shrine maidens lit as fireworks in the night as they saw Yae walking towards them. Likewise, many visitors turned their attention to the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine. Even if she was surrounded by some of these visitors, she easily and gracefully dispatched them, an impressive but feasible task for none other than Miko.

"L-lady Yae, over here, please!" Shouted a Mondstadt visitor. "What is the best sake you have ever tried?" 

"Oh? Well, my favorite sake comes from Uyuu Restaurant. You can tell them that Yae sent you to try it, but be advised, it is really strong, almost as strong as Snezhnayan Firewater, so you better beware..."

"Are you the head shrinemaiden?" A Liyue visitor came to ask. "Have you thought of making a collaboration with Wanwen Bookhouse in order to expand your sales and increase your revenue?"

"Oh, let me guess... you come here from Wanwen Bookhouse looking to expand your sales through my work? Sorry, but I will have to think about it very, very carefully." 

"Guuji Yae!" An elderly Inazuman lady called. "I finally got to return to Inazuma City. How have you been?" 

"Ah, miss Hashirawaru! I've been doing well, taking care of business in the shrine and the publishing house, you know? Please send my best regards to your husband and son, and let them know they are more than welcome to visit the shrine."

"You must be the Lady Yae Miko I have heard so much about." An Akademiya scholar from Sumeru said. "I come from the Spantamad darshan of the Akademiya, and I'm writing a thesis on the Sacred Sakura. Is this tree an unique Ley Line that mutated due to the overflow of electro element in Inazuma?" 

"The Sacred Sakura holds many secrets, but one thing I can tell you is that it's not the product of the Ley Lines. It actually comes from a seed, like many trees do. Maybe you should consult some of your friends in the Amurta darshan, shouldn't you? For all I know, their field of expertise is Biology, and the Sacred Sakura is nothing but pure biology." 

Just like that, Yae Miko dispatched many visitors without any problems, and by the time the shrinemaidens realized, many of these visitors were happy and leaving the shrine. Thanks to the efforts of Yae, the shrine was almost emptied of visitors by 18:00, which meant that Yae was perfectly on schedule to visit Ei later and celebrate their 400th anniversary in Tenshukaku. 

"Phew... there were more people than I imagined." Yae sighed. "Good work, girls. You all owe me something, so... how about we go tomorrow to Uyuu Restaurant and have a fine meal? Your treat, of course." 

While everyone agreed to invite Yae to a nice dinner tomorrow and cover her expenses, Nana protested, saying that everyone's combined effort should be rewarded with Yae inviting the meal instead. Amongst the arguments, there were hearty chuckles and an overall good vibe in the air. However, as Yae was laughing with the other shrinemaidens, she noticed a strange, somewhat familiar figure creeping in the corner of her eyes.

"Seems we have a last moment visitor. You go ahead and clean up, girls, and I'll attend this person." 

Yae approached the figure that had emerged from the stairs leading to the shrine. It was a very tall man, with  brownish-yellowish hair and a long ponytail, limping towards her and using what seemed like a stick or a spear to support himself. His eyes were the same color of Cor Lapis, and his stare so powerful it could petrify anyone that looked too long. Additionally, he was wearing fantastically elegant clothes, made out of textile that Ogura Mio would kill to have. It was none other than Zhongli, the consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, and a friend of Ei and retired archon. Yae was too distracted thinking on leaving to Tenshukaku that she didn't notice at first. 

"Hello, kind visitor. We appreciate your pilgrimage to the Grand Narukami Shrine, but unfortunately, time for visitors is almost. However, there's nothing to worry about. While you won't be able to visit the courtyard, I, the Guuji of the Shrine can help you with what you need." Yae told Zhongli, unaware who was the latter. 

"Y-yae... It's... It's me, Rex Lapis... I need to... I need to speak with you. It's urgent... it's about the archons, about Ei..." Zhongli said, in a forced, exhausted tone.

Immediately after he spoke and Yae noticed who he was, Zhongli almost collapsed on the floor, tightly gripping his polearm, which looked heavily deroded. This was no laughing matter, the former Geo archon was extremely tired and feeble. Upon noticing this, Yae picked him up and support carried him, and before heading to her quarters to tend to the old man, she called for Nana.

"You called, Yae?" Nana said.

"Yes. I need you to keep anyone, both the girls and any last-time visitors away from the main courtyard as best as you can. I've got a situation here that I need to handle, and I must be alone, so I'm trusting you with control over the shrine's duties for a while." 

For a second, Nana thought Yae was making up excuses to slack off and was about to give her a rant, but as soon as she noticed the man being carried by her, breathing as if holding to dear life, she decided to remain quiet. 

"Don't worry, Yae." Nana told Miko as she nodded. "I will take care and make sure no one comes here. Just let me know or call for me once you're done. And don't mind the visitors at all, I think there's no one else coming."

Yae nodded back at Nana and headed over to her quarters. She quickly opened the door and, once inside, sat Zhongli on the nearest chair. She then proceeded to open a pantry, pulled out a small tea set, and some teas and herbs she got from Liyue and hurried to prepare some tea for the former Geo archon. As quickly as she could, she prepared said tea and gave it to Zhongli, who slowly started to drink it, but then chugged it entirely.

After a bit, Zhongli let out a relieved sigh, and regained his composure.

"Ahhh... Violetgrass tea with Qingxin and a bit of Mint... with how much you loved this tea, I thought there would be none left." Zhongli said. "Seems you are not the same little kitsune you were many years ago, drinking my tea while I was distracted discussing with Baal about our nations' affairs." 

"Oh, believe me, old man, I would have drank it all, but I know my beloved's friends will always be in trouble, so I save something for them. I hope it's not too bitter, after all, these are the same bags you gave Kitsune Saiguu long ago..." 

The two then laughed at their own banter. Seeing as Zhongli was calmer, she sat down across him. 

"Very well, Rex Lapis." Yae said, about to interrogate Zhongli. "What is it you wanted to tell me? I got a few bits but I still don't have the complete picture."

As he remembered the reason he came to the Grand Narukami Shrine, his smile transformed into a sad face. 

"A few days ago, as I was sitting in my usual spot listening to the Storyteller of my favorite tavern, I found myself forgetting many details he shared with the public. I often remembered these, as I lived through them, but when he spoke of the five Yakshas, I couldn't remember their names, let alone their faces... at first I thought I was just distracted, so I didn't mind, but a few hours later as I was strolling around the harbor, I heard someone talk about the Adepti, and I couldn't remember any of them, either..." 

Zhongli gulped, and his grip tightened around the tea cup.

"What's worse is that today, a few hours prior to arriving to the shrine, I was struggling to remember its name, as well as your name." 

"Rex..." Yae said, trying to comfort the old archon. "Maybe you're just very distracted or tired these days. Are you sure taking it easy with your new life as a mortal? Is something weighing on your conscience so bad it's disrupting your memory?"

Zhongli, however, didn't reply. He simply took a big breath and laid everything out to Yae.

"No, Miko... it's none of that. I'm afraid that Erosion has started to take effect on me, and at a rather fast pace, it seems." 

As Yae heard the word "erosion", her whole world begun to move in slow motion. Her heart started to race somewhat rapidly, and her palms went cold, as well as sweaty. Her pupils constricted as she was processing these news.

"Before coming here, I managed to talk to Barbatos, and it seems he's also being affected by Erosion..." Zhongli told Yae, before revealing the heaviest of news. "And I regret to inform you, but I feel Baal will be suffering from Erosion soon, if not right now." 

Normally, Yae would always have an answer to anything that was laid upon her. She would laugh off grim situations and come up with a solution almost instantly. This time, however, the only thing in her mind was that word: "Erosion". Yae stood up and faced Zhongli away, staring at the almost-night sky through her window. 

"Hah... surely you must be pulling my leg in the worst of ways, right Morax?" Yae said, her voice almost in the verge of breaking. "Ei isolated herself away for a long time in the Plane of Euthymia to avoid this... and you are telling me the moment she leaves and begins to enjoy life anew, this damned Erosion comes to haunt her? It's not fair... not for her, not for me, not for anyone." 

Even though Zhongli couldn't see Yae's face, he could tell she was a small step from becoming a crying mess. Nothing he would say could comfort the poor kitsune, whose god and lover was about to face the worst challenge any archon could struggle with. 

"Miko..." said Zhongli, as he stood up from his chair. "I thank you profusely for the tea. It helped me collect my thoughts. Before I leave, I wanted to tell you I was planning on speaking with the Adepti and the Liyue Qixing to tell them. I know I faked my death and no mortal knows, but I trust in the Qixing's judgement. Barbatos plans to do the same, and will speak to Acting Grandmaster Jean about his condition. We are both trusting this to those we deem responsible enough to bear the information, and I assume Ei holds you in that same regard, so you should talk to her. For all I know, she's probably not aware of her Erosion." 

"No." Yae replied, just as Zhongli was close to the door. "Tell me, Morax. If Ei is going to suffer from Erosion, wouldn't the little archon from Sumeru suffer the same?" 

Zhongli sighed, for Yae was grasping at straws. 

"I admit I have no clue why, but Buer is a special case. Besides, we both know Ei, just like Makoto before she passed away, has been roaming these lands for a long time. Forgive my harshness, Miko, but just accept that it's going to happen." 

Having said that, Zhongli opened the door of Miko's quarters, but before he closed it to leave the Guuji to her thoughts, he said one last thing.

"If I were you, I would rush over to Tenshukaku and try to create as many meaningful memories as I can. Not for Ei, but for you. Happy anniversary, you two. Please give her my regards and felicitations." 

With that, Zhongli left Yae Miko alone. 

She was devastated about the news, but somehow, she still held a shred of hope within her heart. She was not going to let this ruin her anniversary, let alone her life with Ei. Besides, she never got news of the Shogun feeling unwell or acting bizarrely, so maybe Ei had more time, at least enough time for Yae to accept the reality of it and cope with it better. Just like that, Miko hyped herself up a bit, and managed to not shed many tears. After giving herself a few minutes to recompose and gather her thoughts, Miko looked at the clock. It was 18:30, so she had thirty minutes, or one our at best, to redo her makeup and head over to Tenshukaku to meet up with Ei.

"30 minutes... well, I've had worse." Miko thought to herself. And so, she began to prepare herself for her big anniversary. She quickly served herself some tea to relax her mind and body first, then went on to comb her hair, do her makeup again, and apply Ei's preferred perfume all over her. The way she was done with this was so quick, she had spare time to take a leisure walk from the Grand Narukami Shrine to Tenshukaku. 

"I told Nana perfection takes time to achieve... but I guess I was lying. Ater all, it didn't take long to look like this." Yae smugly thought to herself. "Despite what Morax said, I will prove him wrong. Ei is fine, she's going to receive me with open arms as soon as I arrive to Tenshukaku, and the two of us will have the best anniversary. I already reserved a great spot in Uyuu Restaurant for the two of us, and I know Ei won't say no to the two of us visiting the Royal Hot Springs." 

Hyping herself even more and being fully prepared, Yae left her private quarters in the shrine, and headed over to Inazuma City. Before she could leave, however, she approached Nana, who was done with today's shrine duties.

"Miko!" Nana exclaimed, as she saw Yae. "It's good to see you. How did everything go with that man? I saw him leaving not too long ago. He didn't say anything to us, so I assume things went well?" 

"Yes." Yae responded. "He's a good friend from Liyue, and came here just to tell me he was doing well in his business and to have some tea. It was unexpected, of course, but I didn't mind. Anyways, I'm leaving for Tenshukaku to meet up with Ei, so I'll leave the shrine in your capable hands, Nana."

"Sure, don't worry. And good luck in your anniversary, Yae!" 

And so, Yae departed towards Inazuma City to meet up with her shogun. Despite the whole Erosion talk she had with Zhongli, she didn't care. Ei was fine, otherwise she would have told Yae, and even if anything was going on, a solution always appeared at the worst of times. For now, she focused solely on her dear Archon, and how they would spend their anniversary night together. 

"I will be ready for anything that happens." Yae told herself one last time, as she left the Grand Narukami Shrine.