No wonder she suddenly invited me to the Tenshukaku.
I guess she wanted to see what kind of person could actually make the mistress of the Raiden Shogun suffer a loss.
Various thoughts swirled in my mind.
Only after collecting my thoughts did I realize that after saying those words, the goddess in front of me remained silent, instead staring directly at me.
There was a strong sense that we would remain locked in this stalemate unless I told the truth.
She possessed a considerable degree of patience, and she didn't seem the least bit embarrassed by the staring contest. Her noble and cold face was constantly radiating the brilliance of divinity.
From a third-party perspective, we looked like a couple engaged in a mutual kneeling ritual, except for the lack of bowing.
After a long time, I ended the standoff by looking away.
It wasn't that I couldn't handle it.
A beautiful face so captivating and charming would be impossible to tire of, no matter how long I looked at it.
The main reason I looked away was that I was distracted by a faint sound of movement coming from deep within the tower.
Looking past the Raiden Shogun's radiant silk shoulders, which didn't reveal a single inch of her skin, I clearly saw a shadowy figure moving slightly behind the screen.
Based on the outline of the braided hair, clearly similar to her sister's, there was no doubt that the figure hiding there was none other than the current Shadow Warrior, Raiden Ei.
It was obvious that Ms. Ei couldn't stand it anymore and was deliberately reminding her sister.
However, your sister had no intention of ending the confrontation.
I could sense the Raiden Shogun's unwavering focus and calmness. If I didn't speak, she would definitely stare at me forever.
I had no choice. Taking advantage of the perfect emotional buildup, I finally spoke.
"I have lost my memories and powers from the past, and I am searching far and wide for my lost past in order to recover my former self."
Upon hearing this, the Raiden Shogun was stunned for a moment, then seemed to understand something.
"Therefore, I cannot answer your question, Your Highness."
I couldn't help but give myself a thumbs-up for the excuse I had crafted earlier, which also seemed to apply in this situation.
"I see."
The Raiden Shogun nodded slightly.
It was no wonder she found it difficult to speak. This was a secret belonging to someone else. The fact that she was willing to share it must have been after careful consideration.
"My apologies for my oversight. I was careless in my thinking."
Apologizing naturally for her mistake, the Raiden Shogun lowered her chin slightly.
If it was someone who had lost their power and memories, then it was easy to explain why they possessed a faint yet pure divinity.
Luo Chen waved his hand and said, "It's not much of a secret. There's no harm in telling you."
"No wonder someone like you suddenly appeared in Inazuma, causing such a stir."
The Raiden Shogun smiled again, gently saying, "Since your arrival in Inazuma, how do you feel about this land?"
The reason she asked wasn't just to learn about my thoughts. She also wanted to see if she could gain inspiration from other deities and discover any shortcomings in her own actions.
Unlike her sister who wished to maintain the unchanging eternity of the mortal world for a thousand years, the Raiden Shogun cared more about the dreams of the people in the present.
That is, the "fleeting" present.
All things beautiful will change and disappear due to the flow of time, so while we're alive, we must seize every opportunity to enjoy ourselves and leave no regrets.
She didn't care about the outcome, only about the driving force that made humans constantly generate new "desires," which she called "dreams."
After pondering for a moment, I shared my own perspective.
"Unreasonable birth and death, insoluble bonds, I see the impermanence of the mortal world, the seclusion of individual joy."
The Raiden Shogun's eyes gleamed slightly.
Not noticing this, I continued, "In Hanamizaka, I met a couple in love who had to separate due to differences in their social status. I still remember before that, they used Mizuhiki craftmanship to weave a charm they called a 'Omamori,' which was said to bind their wishes and fate together.
"Later, to prove their true love and remain together, they decided to run away together, leaving everything behind. Luckily, they managed to escape the search by their families. Before leaving, they returned the 'Omamori' to the shrine, believing it had helped them.
"I cannot judge the right or wrong of it, but that so-called 'Omamori' clearly had no power to fulfill wishes. They were able to make it eternal through their interwoven bonds.
"Everything in the universe is like a vast river, flowing along predetermined rules, but sometimes there are rogue waves that deviate from the path.
"Therefore, I believe that one opening and one closing is called transformation, and endless coming and going is called interconnection. This is the way of heaven and earth."
The ease within difficulty.
That is the rule followed by heaven and earth.
After listening to my insights, the smile on the Raiden Shogun's lips became even brighter, her eyes rippling with joy.
My words resonated with her pursuit, naturally causing a sense of shared understanding.
"Indeed. The current state of Inazuma's people is the result of their ever-changing pursuits."
"I love the scenery, the food, and the stories of this land. By the way, have you seen any traditional plays performed in the city?"
Midway through, the Raiden Shogun suddenly changed the subject, bringing up something completely unrelated.
Traditional plays?
I was taken aback.
If we're talking about plays, I've only seen Yun Jin's opera performances.
Seeing my startled expression, the Raiden Shogun clapped her hands softly, as if understanding, "If you have the chance, I recommend you go see the 'Kinran' and 'San'getsu' plays. You won't be disappointed, and there's also..."
I remained silent for a while. For the rest of the time, I could only listen as the owner of the divine beauty, the Almighty Narukami Ogosho, continued to tell me about Inazuma's customs and culture.
It seemed as if a switch had been flipped. The Raiden Shogun was no longer like a deity, but like a child eager to share good things with a peer, hoping to impress them.
This Raiden Shogun...
She was very lovely, very beautiful.
She truly loved everything about Inazuma, and was willing to dedicate everything to it.
The conversation continued until the night was filled with stars.
During that time, I clearly heard several reminders from behind the screen in the form of soft coughs, but the Raiden Shogun surprisingly didn't interrupt our chat.
It wasn't until it was truly late that we had to end the conversation.
【Your first meeting with the Raiden Shogun has come to an end, but this is just the beginning.】
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