Multiverse: Why does the world show a health bar? !

"Are you the only one left here now?"

"Hey, Gozaburo, won't you join me for a drink?"

On the eaves of the Narukami Grand Shrine, Lady Yae Miko lay half-reclined, holding a bottle of sake in her hand, looking utterly carefree. Anyone who saw her like this would find it hard to believe she was the Head Priestess of the Narukami Grand Shrine.

The shrine maidens would avoid Lady Yae Miko when she was like this. But the visitor this time didn't mind.

With a round, chubby figure, it was clear this wasn't a human. Gozaburo, of course, wasn't a human. He was a tanuki, a tanuki yokai.

"I don't drink. The way you are now is quite different from that fox back in the day."

"Come on, that was Lady Saiguu."

Lady Yae Miko replied lazily.

The previous Head Priestess of the Narukami Grand Shrine was Lady Saiguu, a graceful and skilled yokai. She was an indispensable aide to the Raiden Shogun. Back then, the Narukami Grand Shrine wasn't just responsible for managing divine affairs but also assisted the Raiden Shogun in overseeing the Tri-Commission.

The position of "Hoju" that Gozaburo held was also granted by Lady Saiguu from the Raiden Shogun.

Back then, Lady Saiguu was so diligent. But look at Lady Yae Miko now, so lazy. She probably doesn't even want to handle the shrine's duties.

Gozaburo didn't bother with these matters. In Inazuma today, Lady Yae Miko was likely the only one with the "Hakutaku" bloodline. If not her, who else could be the Head Priestess?

Sitting beside Lady Yae Miko, Gozaburo asked, "Where did that kid go? Is he afraid I'll come after him?"

"Him? He's probably gone home by now," Lady Yae Miko said, taking a sip of sake.

That kid left so abruptly. One moment he was drinking with me, and the next, he was gone. Although he did mention it, it still left a bad taste in my mouth.

Is life at the Narukami Grand Shrine really that boring?

—Well, maybe it is.

"Home? Isn't he from Inazuma?"

"Sort of. He's more of a Liyue person."

"What do you mean, a Liyue person? You're even less reliable than that fox!"

Lady Yae Miko wasn't bothered by Gozaburo's criticism. "Oh, Gozaburo, I don't want to be as reliable as Lady Saiguu. That workload was insane. Managing the shrine, dealing with yokai, overseeing the Tri-Commission. Is that being a Head Priestess? More like a secretary."

Gozaburo didn't respond. Back then, Lady Saiguu was like that, handling everything and earning the Raiden Shogun's trust.

"Why did that kid leave so decisively?"

"He finished watching the fireworks, so he left. Oh, Gozaburo, do you really want to know?"

Gozaburo fell silent. He didn't have a good impression of the human who had broken his seal. Decades ago, during that big incident, Lady Saiguu didn't come to find him. Instead, it was the "Shadow Yakuza" who appeared before him, hinting at Lady Saiguu's fate.

But he preferred to live in his own dream. Wasn't a false happiness still happiness?

Unfortunately, reality was cruel.

"Gozaburo, you've been pretending to be foolish for fifty years. Isn't it time to stop? You're the Hoju appointed by the Raiden Shogun. Shouldn't you do some work?"

"The Chinju Forest is safe. I didn't come here to find work for myself. I wanted to ask, how is Inazuma now? The children often say there are large groups of foreign armed personnel active around Narukami Island."

Inazuma, as an island nation, usually saw foreigners as merchants or tourists. They might carry weapons, but never in such large numbers as now.

Or rather, an army.

"My old friend is changing policies, trying to walk her own path of 'Eternity.'"

"If it were the Shogun, she wouldn't have done it so roughly," Gozaburo said.

He had once met the Raiden Shogun, brought by Lady Saiguu. Back then, Inazuma wasn't as prosperous as it is now, but the Shogun would never do something that could harm the nation's foundation.

Lady Yae Miko said, "Oh, Gozaburo, have you been foolish in your seal? Oh, I forgot no one told you. The Shogun is alone now."

There were two Raiden Shoguns, something the yokai knew. Gozaburo had once seen them from afar during a banquet hosted by the Shogun. Two Shoguns, identical in appearance, sat there.

Now, alone.

Did that mean one of the Shoguns had fallen?

"I think I'll go back to sleep."

Gozaburo sighed.

Lady Yae Miko said, "Suit yourself. I didn't expect you to help me anyway. As long as your little tanuki friends help, I'm satisfied."

"What are you having my little ones do?"

"Just wandering around Inazuma City, listening for anything valuable and reporting back to me," Lady Yae Miko said.

Gozaburo shook his head. "Just make sure they're safe. I'm going back to sleep."

"Not staying to chat? I haven't told you why that kid left yet," Lady Yae Miko said.

Gozaburo's first question had been about why Li Mo left so quickly. But Lady Yae Miko had brushed it off. Now she was using the topic to try and keep Gozaburo around.

Gozaburo stopped and asked, "Is there something unspeakable behind it?"

"That kid probably couldn't stand it anymore. He was afraid he'd impulsively challenge someone to a duel before the throne and get cut down by the Musou no Hitotachi."

Lady Yae Miko took a sip of sake. "The Sakoku Decree has affected the living standards of Inazuma's people. More are falling below the poverty line. The Yashiro Commission has started to act. For the next few years, it'll be manageable."

Gozaburo didn't understand matters of governance. His duty was to protect lives, part of the military organization.

He listened as Lady Yae Miko continued.

"That kid saw a glimpse of Inazuma's situation from Konda Village. He thinks my old friend made a mistake. Honestly, he could have asked me to meet with the Shogun to resolve this. But he didn't.

I guess he understood my mindset. After all, this was my old friend's decision. I'm not entirely sure if it's the right one. Maybe after the pain, Inazuma will move toward a better future?

I'm not Lady Saiguu, with all those乱七八糟 talents."

Lady Yae Miko sat in the Narukami Grand Shrine. As an Inazuman, she too had grown up under the Shogun's glory. Her old friend was Ei, not the Shogun.

As part of Inazuma, she followed the Raiden Shogun's orders. She was part of the Shogun's "Eternity."

She couldn't change the Shogun's will. Ei's avoidance of her was proof. Back then, she had protected the Kamisato Clan because it didn't affect "Eternity."

Would the winds from another world change Inazuma? Kid, when you return, what will you do?

I'll be waiting, kid.

"Lady Yae, have you found a good friend?"

"Huh? That kid? We just get along, that's all."

Lady Yae Miko responded to Gozaburo.

Getting along is enough to be friends. Gozaburo shook his head and prepared to leave. He had come to see an old friend and hoped she would look after his clan.

Since she needed the tanuki's help, she would surely take care of them.

"Oh, by the way, we've preserved Hanachirusato's consciousness and are looking for a way to revive her."

"Hanachirusato is Hanachirusato. She's not Lady Saiguu. Why are you telling me this?"

Gozaburo left.

Watching this yokai, who had shared her era, leave, Lady Yae Miko remained as she was.

How many people from her time were left in Inazuma now?

"Finding someone to bicker with is such a hassle. Kid, now that you're gone, the Narukami Grand Shrine is so much more boring."