Kamisato Ayaka began to cough violently the moment the tip of her tongue touched a Jueyun Chili. For her, who had always eaten bland food, the spiciness of the Jueyun Chili far exceeded her tolerance limit.
Yet, despite this, Kamisato Ayaka ate it with a frown.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Kamisato Ayaka coughed repeatedly, her hands braced on the floor beside her, her chest heaving.
"Here, have some iced milk. It's very effective at relieving spiciness!"
Feng Yi took out a bottle of milk from the Serenitea Pot and handed it to Kamisato Ayaka.
Kamisato Ayaka was really giving it her all.
"Thank you... cough..."
Kamisato Ayaka took the milk and drank a few mouthfuls. The spicy sensation on her tongue gradually cooled down.
The hot pot game gradually returned to normal. Thoma, who had been trailing behind, eventually emerged victorious, defending his honor as the Hot Pot King.
Perhaps, only Thoma was truly playing the hot pot game for its own sake.
After the meal, Kamisato Ayane and Thoma, having eaten too many Jueyun Chilis during the game, both ended up with upset stomachs and coincidentally went to the restroom together.
"Mr. Feng Yi, I have been eagerly anticipating your arrival. From Thoma's accounts and the letter from Ningguang, Tianquan of Liyue, I believe you possess the power to 'change the tide.' Inazuma today, under the implementation of the Vision Hunt Decree, the people's wishes are being wantonly trampled upon.
Although the Yashiro Commission serves the Almighty Shogun, due to its duties, it is also the closest to the people's livelihood. The Commission's authority originates from the people's trust. If we were to stand idly by in such a situation, how could we find peace?"
After the others left, Feng Yi and Kamisato Ayaka were the only ones left in the room. In their solitude, Kamisato Ayaka's determined yet gentle gaze met Feng Yi's eyes, pleading for his help.
"Ayaka, I am merely a traveler. How can I possibly defeat the highly skilled Raiden Shogun?"
Feng Yi shrugged. He could roughly guess what Ayaka wanted.
This was bringing the story of a year later forward.
Setting aside whether he could defeat the Raiden Shogun, even if he could, he had learned from Yae Miko that he had some untold past with the Raiden sisters six hundred years ago.
He couldn't bring himself to do it!
"Mr. Feng Yi, please don't be too quick to refuse. If it's convenient, could you accompany me for a walk?"
Seeing Feng Yi's troubled expression, Kamisato Ayaka immediately stood up and said.
Ayaka believed that if she could bring Feng Yi to see the bewildered lives of those who had their Visions taken away, perhaps it could change Feng Yi's mind.
"Of course. Where shall we go, though?"
"To meet some people who have lost their Visions... Perhaps after you see them with your own eyes, you will understand... However, before we depart, please wait for me for a moment. I need to disguise myself slightly. If I appear in my capacity as a Kamisato, it might cause some unnecessary trouble."
Kamisato Ayaka then left the room. When she reappeared, her appearance had changed dramatically. Although still youthful and beautiful, she had shed the distinctive attire of the Kamisato clan and donned clothes resembling those of a servant, along with a veil to conceal her face.
However, while her outward appearance could be altered, her elegant and gentle demeanor was difficult to hide. Any discerning observer would likely see through Kamisato Ayaka's disguise at a glance.
Let's hope there are no unexpected incidents...
"Let's go!"
Kamisato Ayaka smiled faintly. Apart from her brother and her trusted retainer Thoma, she rarely went out with other men.
Therefore, Kamisato Ayaka had an inexplicable feeling of sneaking out to go on a date behind her brother's back.
Feng Yi accompanied Kamisato Ayaka, and they traveled all the way to Konda Village.
At the entrance of the village, an argument was taking place. Judging by the situation, someone wanted to leave the village, but the villagers were reluctant, hence the dispute.
Having gone through the story before, Feng Yi knew what was happening without looking. However, this time he was accompanying Kamisato Ayaka, so he had to pretend ignorance and cooperate with Kamisato Ayaka's act.
"Feng Yi, let's go take a look!"
Kamisato Ayaka nodded at Feng Yi and led the way towards the arguing villagers.
"What are you doing? After all these years, why do you suddenly want to leave?"
"Yes, we had no warning at all. We only heard this news suddenly... Our children were still looking forward to you taking them out to play again. Please, we implore you, reconsider!"
As they drew closer, the villagers' voices in dispute became clearer.
"Hello, may I ask what is happening here?"
Kamisato Ayaka stepped forward and inquired.
"Who are you?"
"Please don't worry. We are travelers who have come to Inazuma. We were passing by and saw that there seemed to be some argument, so we came over out of curiosity..."
Kamisato Ayaka gave a faint smile, disguising herself and Feng Yi as travelers who happened to be passing by.
"Oh, it's a young couple..."
An old woman with white hair, seeing Feng Yi and Kamisato Ayaka walking side by side, said with a chuckle.
Kamisato Ayaka: ???
Feng Yi: ???
The villagers seemed to have misunderstood something. Just as Kamisato Ayaka was about to explain, the old woman began to explain the current situation.
Kamisato Ayaka felt a bit helpless. Why had her and Feng Yi's identities inexplicably been mistaken for a couple?
However, seeing that Feng Yi did not object and was listening attentively to the old woman's account, Kamisato Ayaka had no choice but to go along with it, temporarily acting as a couple.
For some reason, Kamisato Ayaka felt a strange sense of excitement.
Perhaps it was because she had a very good impression of Feng Yi. Even though she had been labeled as a couple by the old woman, Kamisato Ayaka not only did not reject it but also felt a thrill from it.
"Mr. Teshima, ever since he came here thirty years ago, he has been guarding this place, driving away treasure hoarders, repelling nearby monsters, and mediating disputes among the villagers... He has put so much effort into this place, and we all consider him the most respected person. Yet, he suddenly wants to leave. Could it be... that we have done something wrong?"
The old woman's tone was sorrowful, filled with reluctance and confusion about Teshima's departure.
"If possible, we are willing to apologize to Mr. Teshima, just to ask him to stay here..."
"Alas~ If you ask me, this matter might be related to the 'Vision Hunt Decree.' Mr. Teshima did nothing wrong, yet his Vision was confiscated. After that, he seemed to have... become a different person..."
An old man beside her took over from the old woman, sighed, and added.
"I can't quite explain it, but it feels like he lost something important. He walked around the village alone for several laps, and then suddenly said he wanted to travel the world. We don't really know if we should try to keep him, but it just feels... wrong to let him leave in such a dispirited state."
The old man dared not express his anger towards the Almighty Shogun's Vision Hunt Decree, for she was, after all, the powerful deity who protected Inazuma!
"Feng Yi, what do you think?"
"My dear wife, I'll listen to you!"
Feng Yi smiled faintly. He should call her "my dear wife" more often while he could get away with it without being punched!