Chapter 17: The Fox of Both Beauty and Brains...
Tn: This chapter is re-written at 5 / 19 / 2025
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"Yikes?!"
The sudden voice made Sayu jump in fright, her fluffy tail shooting straight up like a startled cat.
There was no mistaking it—that was her voice.
Sayu slowly turned around, and just as she feared, the woman stood there with a sweet smile on her face.
Even though that smile looked warm and friendly... Sayu knew better.
This woman was anything but harmless.
In fact, she was exactly the type Sayu imagined when she thought of a cunning, manipulative fox.
Scheming, sharp, and always a step ahead.
"N-nothing! I was just complaining about the mean lady at the city gate who wouldn't let me wash my face! So rude! Totally deserved to be called names!"
Sayu's sleepy little brain, usually in snooze mode, was now working overtime.
It was probably the first time she'd ever lied so fluently.
Guess it's true what they say: desperation unlocks hidden potential.
"Did you bring what I asked for?"
The woman took a bite of the Tricolor Dango in her hand, the soft, chewy texture lifting her mood instantly.
The shiny surface of the dango sparkled like morning dew on cherry blossoms. One bite brought the sensation of spring in full bloom—a perfect snack for flower viewing.
With something this delicious in hand, it was hard not to feel like the whole year ahead would be as bright and colorful as a petal-strewn path.
"I-I brought it!"
Sayu quickly reached back and rummaged through her oversized tail, pulling out a scroll not long after.
Inside was everything she and the other Shuumatsuban ninjas had gathered over the past few days on Narukami Island.
Details like the mysterious Fatui Harbinger's codename, mask patterns, Vision attributes, and even what he'd been up to lately.
Not even Bai Luo's top-secret strategy meeting at the Hiiragi estate escaped their eyes.
"You did well, little mujina ninja."
"It's not tanuki—wait, what did you call me?!"
Sayu blinked, stunned at first—then positively beamed with joy.
Someone finally realized she was a tanuki, not a mujina!
Wait, no—other way around! She's not a tanuki, she's a mujina!
Still—this woman... was amazing.
A genius, even! A truly stunning and sharp-minded...
Wait.
Sayu's face froze.
Hold on.
She suddenly took several cautious steps back, her eyes wide with suspicion.
That was dangerous.
Just one sentence and she'd almost been completely charmed—she even felt like it'd be fine to let the woman pat her on the head.
That's not normal.
Normally, Sayu hated being patted on the head.
If not for her strong aversion to that exact thing, she might not have noticed how dangerously persuasive this woman was.
"Fine," the woman said, casually flicking her dango stick.
"Since you delivered the intel before our guest even arrived, I'll let you off this time. Tell your boss they don't need to keep watching the Kabukimono. Just keep an eye on this so-called Ausbilder from the Fatui."
"Before he arrived...?"
Sayu blinked in confusion and followed the woman's gaze toward the lower district of Inazuma City.
Inazuma Castle was built along a slope, so the deeper one went inside, the higher the elevation climbed—until the peak where the Tenshukaku, residence of the Almighty Shogun, stood tall.
From their mid-level vantage point, they had a clear view of the Fatui carriage just now entering the city.
"I got it," Sayu said with a nod.
Just the thought of Bai Luo, who had chased her halfway across the island the night before, sent a shiver down her spine.
She was already pretty skilled at escaping—but that man had somehow kept pace the whole time.
Terrifying.
Definitely made it to Sayu's "Never Ever Mess With" list.
Top five, at least.
Weaving her way around the roads that Bai Luo was likely to pass through, Sayu showed off her true ninja talent and quickly melted into the shadows of the steep cliffs flanking Inazuma City.
The woman, meanwhile, stood leaning casually against a wooden railing at the cliff's edge, dango in hand.
She narrowed her eyes at the approaching Fatui carriage down below.
"The Ausbilder, huh... You seem like a fun one."
. . . . . . . .
The outskirts of Inazuma City painted a picture of old-world tranquility.
Unlike the bustling heart of the city, this area seemed untouched by the vibrant chaos within. Though it lay far from the Tenshukaku where the Shogun resided, her presence and grace extended even here—bringing a quiet vitality to the land, like a calm spring breeze sweeping through an ancient village.
But once you crossed that invisible line into the city proper…
You stepped into the pulsing heart of Narukami Island.
This was Inazuma City, the most prosperous and lively district across the entire region.
From Hanamizaka to the town streets, the path wound uphill along the natural slope, guiding visitors past traditional shops and eateries that gave Inazuma its timeless charm.
Here, you could savor local delicacies like the iconic Tricolor Dango or kitsune ramen, steeped in regional flavor.
Of course, there were a few quirky dishes too—like the infamous dango milk.
To the more traditional Inazumans, that particular recipe bordered on blasphemy.
"An insult to culinary heritage!" they'd say.
As a result, only a few brave or curious souls ever dared to try it.
Still, who knows?
Maybe someday, after some big-shot gives it a taste, this odd little treat would finally get the recognition it deserves.
Among the many institutions nestled within the city stood the Tenryou Commission, which oversaw public security and military affairs under the Shogunate.
And at the center of it all?
The formidable General Kujou Sara.
Everyone knew she was a tengu—and yet, her unshakeable discipline and dedication earned the people's respect.
So much so that rumors circulated passionately through the streets:
"General Kujou isn't some youkai! People are just slandering her!"
Sara herself never cared about the whispers.
To her, being a tengu didn't matter.
What mattered was serving the Shogun.
As long as she could be of use to her lord—even as a youkai—it was worth it.
Her absolute loyalty belonged to the Shogun, and to the ideal of eternity that the Shogun represented.
The way she saw it, as long as the Shogun's lightning-imbued naginata continued to crackle with power, her own conviction would never waver.
Where the Tenryou Commission's district met the main thoroughfare, the Tenshukaku stood tall—Inazuma's undoubted seat of power.
Under the silent, eternal gaze of the Almighty Narukami Ogosho, it was believed that all worldly obsessions and strife would one day dissolve.
In that paradise envisioned by the Shogun, there would be no more need to chase ambition or desire.
Though... what kind of paradise did the Shogun truly see?
Of all the things Inazuma was famous for, few were as beloved as the sakura blossoms.
When they bloomed, the petals fell like a gentle rain, blanketing the streets like a cloud of pink mist.
If you weren't careful while passing through, you'd be covered in blossoms before you knew it.
Before the lockdown, this place had been a haven for wandering poets and curious scholars alike.
Even now, locals took great pride in the petal-strewn walkways that marked Inazuma's identity.
But with the Vision Hunt Decree, that warmth had vanished.
The bards had stopped singing. The scholars had gone quiet.
Now, beneath the cherry trees, there were no more drunk poets with ink-stained sleeves—only fallen petals and lingering sighs.
. . . . . . . .
Upon entering the city, even Bai Luo, despite his status as a Snezhnayan envoy, had to follow local rules.
This was Inazuma, and here, rank didn't buy you privilege.
After all, Anemo Slimes were still monsters.
Bringing one into the city was practically an invitation for the Tenryou Commission to pad their arrest records.
As curious Inazumans looked on, Bai Luo stepped down from his slime-drawn carriage, pausing beneath the same cherry tree where Sayu had once rested.
The Anemo Slime would be taken care of temporarily by the Tenryou Commission.
He could retrieve it after his business was finished, but if it caused any trouble in the meantime, Bai Luo would bear full responsibility.
Not that he cared much.
After all, the Fatui would cover it.
He could stir up all the chaos he wanted, and someone else would foot the bill.
At least he wasn't spending money like Childe.
Compared to Zhongli, who threw mora around like confetti and had no concept of bargaining, Bai Luo was practically frugal.
No matter what Bai Luo did, there was no way he could outspend those two.
Those two would order a full imperial banquet just for lunch.
So... he'd let them keep the top spot.
. . . . . . . .
After his documents were checked and approved, the Tenryou Commission waved him through.
As Bai Luo reclaimed his pass, he suddenly paused—
Something caught his eye.
He looked up—and his gaze met that of a woman standing nearby.
She didn't look away.
On the contrary, she smiled and raised a stick of Tricolor Dango, waving it lightly in his direction.
As if to say:
Welcome to Inazuma.