"..."
It wasn't just Kokomi—everyone around them looked equally stunned.
A Fatui spy?
Well, the special forces members already knew that.
They had been the ones tailing and monitoring Igor during his operations on Watatsumi Island.
But they never expected the Fatui to just... admit it outright.
This move caught Kokomi completely off guard.
Noticing Kokomi's momentary shock, Tatyana's lips curved into a faint smirk.
Just as The Instructor had predicted, these rule-bound types would flounder when faced with unconventional tactics.
"By openly admitting to planting spies in Watatsumi, are you declaring war on us?"
At this point, even if Kokomi wanted to retreat and strategize, the other side wouldn't allow it.
So she had no choice but to stand her ground and assert Watatsumi's position.
"Divine Priestess, you misunderstand. I lack the authority to make such decisions."
Though her words sounded conciliatory, Tatyana's demeanor remained haughty.
Following The Instructor's instructions, if Kokomi had already sent word to her general, now was the time to deliver the next line.
"In that case, send someone who can make decisions. You may leave."
Kokomi desperately needed time. Even if the Fatui later sent a higher-up, a prepared Kokomi would fare far better than this flustered version.
So she didn't hesitate to dismiss them.
Such was the Fatui's intimidation.
Despite being outnumbered a hundred to one, they could still make Watatsumi hesitate to act.
Tatyana didn't speak. Instead, she lowered her head slightly.
Her subordinates immediately knelt and bowed in unison.
Huh? What's this about?
Kokomi was baffled.
Were they surrendering? Or...
Whoosh—
The space above Tatyana's head split open, revealing a pair of crimson eyes that rolled wildly before locking onto her.
The eyes merged into a vertical pupil, alternating between black and red—unnerving to behold.
A flash of azure light later, the black-clad Instructor materialized behind Tatyana.
He had intended to tap her shoulder, as usual, to signal his arrival.
But all he could reach was her bare back.
Eh, whatever. Don't want to get reported for inappropriate touching.
Might as well pat her butt.
Gracefully brushing nonexistent dust off his coat, Bai Luo stepped forward onto the soft sand.
If his calculations were correct... this was the line.
"Miss Sangonomiya, you wanted someone who can make decisions, yes?"
His bone-white mask bore a blood-red sneer that looked particularly vivid under the moonlight.
Though shorter than Tatyana, the danger he exuded dwarfed hers entirely.
It was a suffocating pressure that seemed to freeze the very air.
What had Bai Luo been doing on Watatsumi Island all this time? Just lazing around?
Of course not.
While seemingly just teasing the fish, he had actually been studying her personality and habits.
He could predict most of her reactions with near-perfect accuracy.
Like now.
Upon learning the Fatui were investigating the anonymous donation, her first move was to contact Gorou on Yashiori Island.
Would she recall Gorou? Or summon Bai Luo?
Neither.
The message contained just one line:
Do not let Battousai return
When Kokomi sent the message, the punctuation indicated urgency.
A single period meant casual greetings.
An exclamation mark signaled danger.
Three exclamation marks meant extreme urgency.
And no punctuation? That meant the situation was so dire there was no time for formalities.
So when Bai Luo noticed Gorou receiving Kokomi's note during their discussion about Miss Hina, he knew exactly how things stood on Watatsumi Island.
His task?
Calculate how long it would take Kokomi to reach Tatyana from Sangonomiya Shrine.
Too hard to estimate?
Not at all.
Back when he was at the shrine, why had he arranged to spar with Teppei in the southern clearing—and arrived early?
Because he had been laying the groundwork for this very moment.
Or rather—the moment he realized Igor's exposure, this scheme had already been set in motion.
Even Scaramouche's arrival was part of the plan.
Otherwise, how else would he borrow troops for this performance?
Though running into Tatyana and Sayu had been unexpected.
Originally, this task was meant for Ah Qi, whose expertise made him the perfect candidate.
It was his job, after all.
But after meeting Tatyana, Bai Luo changed his mind.
Who could resist a tall, gorgeous, obedient female subordinate?
"Divine Priestess, allow me to introduce you to one of Her Majesty's mightiest twelve—the guardian of the entire world, the Fatui Harbinger, 12th Seat: The Instructor!"
This string of titles made the atmosphere even more oppressive. Some Watatsumi elites gulped audibly.
They were no strangers to The Instructor.
Not long ago, his name had been a frequent topic of discussion.
But to them, The Instructor was no hero.
Thanks to Bai Luo's subtle hints, the conflict between The Instructor and Battousai was now common knowledge.
And the Liyue visitors, led by Beidou, became the perfect witnesses.
While the average merchant knew nothing, Beidou and Kaedehara Kazuha did know the truth.
Thus, The Instructor's reputation on Watatsumi Island carried far more weight than other Harbingers.
Let's not forget—Battousai hadn't returned to Inazuma for a triumphant homecoming.
He had fled Liyue after injuring a Fatui Harbinger.
Based on her intel, Kokomi deduced that Battousai had likely pretended to defect to The Instructor, infiltrated his ranks, and then ambushed him.
But he hadn't expected The Instructor to survive, forcing him to retreat to Inazuma.
This was partly why she had told Gorou to keep Battousai away.
Not only to protect him from The Instructor's retaliation but also to prevent the Harbinger from taking his anger out on Watatsumi.