Chapter 23: The Shirasagi Himegimi
Tn: This chapter is re-written at 5 / 20 / 2025
. . . . . . . . .
Just as Bai Luo had predicted, his relationship with Kujou Sara spread like wildfire across Inazuma City overnight.
Even elderly folks in the outskirts—who rarely left their homes—had heard whispers of the rumor.
At first, everyone treated it like idle gossip.
After all, no matter how you looked at it, the stern and incorruptible Lady Kujou didn't seem like the kind of woman who'd fall in love, let alone be involved with someone.
It was hard for anyone to picture her standing beside a man with that soft, affectionate look on her face.
Sure, people in the town streets and along Hanamizaka had seen her with a mysterious stranger. But that alone didn't prove anything... until—
Someone from Uyuu Restaurant let something slip.
Apparently, Lady Kujou had once sweetly accepted a Tricolor Dango dango from the man's hand and ate it.
Everyone in Inazuma knew how much Kujou Sara hated sweets.
And then there was the matter of Kujou Takayuki, head of the Kujou Clan, who reportedly held a banquet at Uyuu Restaurant that very night... supposedly in honor of this same mystery man.
At first, people assumed the young man had rudely stood Lady Kujou up—and that Takayuki would be furious.
But instead... the cold, strict clan leader just chuckled warmly and brushed it off.
"Young people are often a little capricious," he had said, with an uncharacteristically gentle smile.
Wait—what?!
The entire city did a collective double take.
Since when did that stiff old man know how to smile, let alone make excuses for someone?
...Unless?
Unless he was treating that man like a future son-in-law.
That one scene tipped the scales.
More and more people started to believe the rumor might actually be true.
Of course, someone could've just gone and asked Kujou Sara directly. That would've settled everything.
But no one dared.
Lady Kujou had a reputation: swift, decisive, and unyielding. People didn't even have the nerve to mention the rumor in her presence, let alone ask her about it.
And as for the Kujou Clan—the only ones who truly knew the truth—Takayuki had already issued a gag order.
In fact, no one was more pleased about this development than Takayuki himself.
If this relationship truly turned into something real, then even as someone who'd aligned himself with the Fatui, he stood to gain immensely.
It wasn't compassion that had led him to take Kujou Sara in all those years ago.
Who would pity a youkai?
Even if the tengu were benevolent guardians of the forest, humans would never show them sympathy.
Takayuki had adopted her because she had a Vision, and that meant power—leverage for the Kujou Clan in the Shogunate.
In that regard, his gamble had paid off.
Sara had grown strong, reliable. She was now Raiden Shogun's most trusted aide.
And in return, the Kujou Clan's status had risen.
But Takayuki wasn't done. Now, he needed Sara to generate new value—even if that meant throwing her into the Fatui's web.
He never once considered how damaging the rumors might be for his foster daughter.
What if their schemes were exposed?
What if she became a pawn—discarded by both the Shogun and the people?
Lately, Raiden Shogun had grown even colder, less forgiving.
. . . . . . . .
And while that scandal continued to swirl in Inazuma City, far away, in a different corner of the land...
Another story was quietly beginning.
In the land of Inazuma, matters that did not reach the Raiden Shogun herself were managed by the Commission of Appraisal.
This council was divided among three great clans, known as the Tri-Commission:
The Yashiro Commission, the Tenryou Commission, and the Kanjou Commission.
These three commissions were ruled respectively by the Kamisato, Kujou, and Hiiragi Clans.
They were household names. The most influential noble clans in all of Inazuma.
And at the heart of the Kamisato Clan stood a young noblewoman:
Kamisato Ayaka, heir to the Yashiro Commission.
Known far and wide as the Shirasagi Himegimi.
Why the title, "Shirasagi Himegimi"?
Well, if you asked the people of Inazuma... each person had their own answer.
"Because Lady Ayaka is as graceful and pure as a heron. Just look at her—the elegance in her appearance, the refinement in her speech—how could she not be called a princess?"
"She may be of noble birth, but Lady Ayaka treats us commoners with warmth and courtesy. She's gentle and kind-hearted, always willing to lend a helping hand. Did you know? It was thanks to her resolute efforts that Lord Thoma was accepted, despite being born outside the nobility."
Countless voices praised her, though none could say for sure where the nickname "Shirasagi Himegimi" had originally come from.
But one thing was clear—the people of Inazuma adored her.
Though she stood as the public face of the Kamisato Clan, Ayaka wasn't actually the one managing its affairs.
Her role, as the esteemed Shirasagi Himegimi, was to represent her family with grace in public. Through her poised manner, refined speech, and calm demeanor, she upheld the Kamisato name in every social setting she graced.
Whether negotiating with potential allies or tactfully maneuvering through the agendas of difficult nobles, Ayaka held her ground with dignified composure.
The day-to-day governance, however, was the responsibility of the clan's head—Kamisato Ayato, her elder brother.
Only when no one else was around could Ayaka truly let down her guard and relax, even if just a little.
As she walked along the quiet corridor of the Kamisato estate, she carefully balanced a tray of sweets she had made herself.
During her spare time, she often enjoyed making confections.
Normally, Thoma was the one who sampled her work.
But with him currently assigned to Ritou on a mission for her brother, Ayaka wasn't confident in having the servants taste her experiments—what if they got poisoned?
So…
"Oniisama, I made some sweets. Would you like to try them?"
She entered Ayato's study and gently shut the door behind her, speaking softly.
The pen in Ayato's hand visibly trembled.
"Ah, Ayaka… come, have a seat," he replied, doing his best to stay composed.
His eyes darted toward the tray.
It wasn't that he doubted his sister's cooking skills. When it came to normal dishes, she did fairly well.
The problem was—she had a tendency to get… creative.
Sometimes dangerously so.
She once nearly blew up the kitchen trying to experiment with some "flavored combustion" technique.
Normally, Thoma could handle it—no matter how blackened or mysterious the result, he would always find a way to clean up the aftermath.
But Thoma wasn't here.
He'd sent the poor man to Ritou to establish new intelligence networks. He wouldn't be back for a while.
'Please don't tell me she's going to ask me to taste it…'
"This is…"
As Ayaka set the tray down on a small side table, her eyes were drawn to a list of names on her brother's desk.
Ayato noticed immediately—very few things ever truly piqued Ayaka's interest.
Naturally, he wasn't about to let the opportunity pass.
"You've heard of Master Masakatsu, haven't you?"
He casually slid the list toward her.
Even though Ayaka had declared she wouldn't meddle in political affairs, Ayato still confided in her from time to time.
As her older brother, he knew better than anyone—his little sister had a mind sharper than any court official.
"The artisan from Hanamizaka?" Ayaka asked, unfolding her elegant fan to gently cover her lips.
What was once a simple tool for cooling had, in the hands of a noblewoman, become a mark of refinement.
Ayaka wielded hers with graceful precision.
She'd even integrated it into her combat technique—a weapon hidden behind elegance.
When the Shirasagi Himegimi danced, she dazzled all who saw her… but behind that beauty lay the sharp chill of winter's frost.
"Yes," Ayato nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "That very craftsman. I managed to get my hands on some rather… interesting creations of his."