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- Honkai Impact 3rd Story Guide: Part 2 Season 1
- Honkai Impact 3rd Story Guide: Part 2 Season 1
Beidou promised the Traveler safe passage to Inazuma as a reward for winning the Crux Clash. After some delays and preparations, it’s finally time for the Traveler to set foot in the Nation of Eternity.
You must progress through Act I to access Inazuma
A pair of siblings have inherited the Kamisato Clan, one of the three most respected and prestigious clans in Inazuma City.
The elder brother, Ayato, is the head of the clan and is in charge of government affairs.
While his younger sister, Ayaka, known by all as the Princess, takes care of the clan’s internal and external affairs.
Ayaka often appears at social occasions and has more interactions with the common folk. As such, she is better known by the people and has gained a higher reputation than her elder brother.
This has earned her the elegant title of Shirasagi Himegimi.
As is known to all,
Ayaka, the daughter of the Kamisato family, is a figure greatly admired by the people for her beauty, dignified demeanor, and noble character.
Across Inazuma, all affairs of state that do not go up to the Raiden Shogun are largely handled by the Triarchal Council.
The Council’s executive powers are, in turn, divided amongst three groups known as the Tri-Commission: the Yashiro Commission, the Tenryou Commission, and the Kanjou Commission.
The three clans that hold power over these Commissions are as follows: Kamisato, Kujou, and Hiiragi. These three great clans are known throughout Inazuma.
Kamisato Ayaka is the young lady of the Yashiro Commission’s Kamisato Clan, known far and wide as the Shirasagi Himegimi.
When asked the whys and wherefores of such a nickname, many Inazumans have their own explanations…
“Lady Ayaka is as graceful and pure as an egret. And just look at her elegance, her clever yet proper speech — why should she not be named a Princess?”
“Lady Ayaka may be of noble birth, but she is gentle and polite to us. She is kind, loyal, and is willing to help others. She even went against the opinions of others and took in that commoner, Thoma.”
There are as many opinions concerning this as there are people, but none can say where the “Shirasagi Himegimi” nickname actually originated.
Still, Ayaka’s popularity amongst the people is quite plain to see.
As the daughter of the Yashiro Commission’s Kamisato Clan, Ayaka always has to remain alert to the jostling for power between noble families.
Being young, yet already famed throughout the land, she has been the inevitable target of provocation on the part of other noble scions who have grown jealous of the Kamisato siblings.
The creation and maintenance of a public image may be a formality, but for a house of standing like the Kamisato Clan, even meaningless routine has social significance.
Failing to take part in the tangled web of Inazuman political relations risks their position as head of the Yashiro Commission. As such, the two siblings came to an accord.
The elder brother, Ayato, preferring not to show his face too often, would busy himself with government affairs, while the act of maintaining the clan’s image would be the responsibility of the elegant, socially-adroit younger sister, Ayaka.
Through her dignified, demure and polite posture, Ayaka has very much secured a place for herself in the social arena. Whether she is negotiating with potential partners or dealing with difficult nobles, her actions are all well-founded and beyond reproach.
The internal clan affairs are also in her care. Indeed, their estates may have descended into chaos already, if not for her.
One autumn afternoon, Ayaka was on her way home from completing certain minor affairs when she happened to hear an old voice singing from within an old house.
Within was an old woman, blind in both eyes, whose stick-thin fingers produced music like flowing water as they plucked at her instrument’s strings.
Perhaps it was due to her sharp ears, but the old lady heard Ayaka’s footsteps and inquired as to who was outside. Not wishing to trouble the old lady, Ayaka replied that she was a nearby resident who had gotten lost and entered this place.
As a member of the Yashiro Commission, Ayaka was well-acquainted with the peoples’ lives and quickly recognized this solitary old lady as the very same person who busked in the city streets when the weather was good.
The tune was outdated, and so was the song. As one who could not see, this lady had long fallen out of step with the times. Even in the nation that pursues eternity, some still endured such hard lives.
Out of the goodness of her heart, Ayaka, thusly incognito, spent a long time chatting with the old lady. Taking Ayaka for an ordinary maiden, the old lady spoke of the method of making and playing the koto, and even gave her some tea leaves that she had kept stored up.
Compared to the exquisite leaves that the Kamisato Clan had in stock, these rough leaves may as well have been grass, but Ayaka accepted them while profusely thanking her.
That day, she thought of her parents many times. Had they been around, would they not have grown this old someday?
Returning home, she spoke of her encounter with her brother, and the two siblings shared the rustic tea gifted to her by the old lady.
Afterward, Ayaka would come to see that old lady again every few days, each time posing as a person living nearby, and each time bringing with her some daily necessities that were well-loved by the common folk.
“The sakura trees in the streets have bloomed again,” Ayaka said to the old lady with a smile, “and they are as lovely as your music.”
In people’s imagination, the nobility’s living expenses are orders of magnitude above the common folk. So for someone as noble as Kamisato Ayaka, surely she too must lead a life of wanton luxury.
This statement is only half right, however.
Ayaka does ostensibly live in a much more particular manner than the ordinary citizen.
The costs of studying flower arrangement and tea ceremony, sampling fine teas, and enjoying exotic flowers daily are also by no means small. However, these are all skills that she must master as a young lady of a noble house — such commitments can hardly be called “wanton.”
The things that can truly make Ayaka smile are, in fact, ordinary things that even the common folk can enjoy.
The making of snacks, fishing for goldfish by the ponds, squirreling herself away to read the latest novels from Yae Publishing House… Each one of these is but a tiny matter.
At such times, she is not the adored Shirasagi Himegimi, or Lady Ayaka, mistress of the great Kamisato estates. She is just “Ayaka,” an ordinary girl like any other.
Here, she sets her dignified externalized persona aside and sets her true, casual self free. Only as “Ayaka” can she lay down her heavy burdens and do the things that ordinary girls can do.
When hungry at night, she sneaks past the servants into the kitchen and makes herself some chazuke while humming a little tune. During tea ceremony classes, she might surreptitiously try to use the tea leaves to indulge in some romance-related astrology… The list of her little escapades goes on.
Though she has never told anyone this, Ayaka treasures her time as an ordinary girl above all else, for these moments of freedom are things she rarely ever has.
The tutors who guide Ayaka in her various arts once used to say: whether in tea ceremony, chess, the art of the sword, or all other affairs of elegance, Ayaka is already a master.
She is clearly already a noble lady of superb bearing, skilled with both the pen and the sword. To be able to teach such a pupil is a teacher’s pride and joy.
Still, Ayaka thinks quietly to herself, does she truly have no regrets?
The essence of tea is peace and quiet.
The heart of the sword is the keenest edge.
The soul of chess is the wisdom to grasp the bigger picture.
These three she has grasped indeed, and the spirit of true friendship also.
And yet, Ayaka is still waiting for a friend to emerge who can walk alongside her on equal footing and stand by her side.
That person cannot see her as a member of the Yashiro Commission, or as the Shirasagi Himegimi, nor will their conduct towards her be bound by decorum or status. And if possible, they might also be well-versed in a great many fields of study, and have witnessed all manner of interesting things… and perhaps they might even be able to tell her a story in a pinch.
Only such a person might become Ayaka’s bosom friend.
“Surely, this is not too much to ask… But where might I find such a person?”
“Come, come, come,”
“Let’s play Temari!”
“1, 2, 1, 2, 3,”
“The Temari goes up the Sacred Sakura Tree.”
“4, 5, 4, 5, 6,”
“Woosh, and over Mt. Yougou it flicks!”
“7, 8, 7, 8, 9,”
“The Temari returns into these hands of mine.”
“Yes, into little~ Ayaka’s~ hands~!”
This was Ayaka’s favorite nursery rhyme back in the day.
Back then, she gave her favorite Temari the name “Moriwakamaru,” and she would dribble the multi-colored Moriwakamaru about while humming this very song.
Hearing her song, her parents and brother would be unable to stop themselves from smiling. Indeed, they would often join in the fun, tossing the Temari between them as a family.
But that was a long time ago, and Ayaka no longer plays games of Temari.
She has become an independent, powerful figure in her own right — and Moriwakamaru, the symbol of her childhood and the bearer of her precious memories, has also been stored away within Ayaka’s cabinet.
Some years ago, the Clan underwent a huge change, and a heavy burden fell upon Ayato’s shoulders. At that time, Ayaka was not yet the mature and capable person she is now.
She was originally a playful child, one who knew nothing of the clan’s duties, and thus lacked the skill and experience needed for dealing with various kinds of people altogether.
But seeing her mother on her sickbed and her brother hard at work, Ayaka sensed that she too had to grow up.
So she decided to take up her long-disused sword arts and poetry, both staples of nobility. If she could master these two, she could at least pass for a decent lady of the Kamisato Clan, and thus help her brother show up at some festivals, alleviating his burden.
Truth be told, Ayaka was not preternaturally gifted and would spend much time being troubled by her inability to memorize poetry, write elegantly, or brandish her sword.
Yet she did not waver — a poem she failed to memorize once would be memorized fifty times, a poorly-written word would be written fifty times over, and a sword technique that failed would be swung fifty times more.
“None may deflect a swing that has been practiced a thousand times.” — This was something her mother told her.
When her mother left this world, Ayaka was no longer “Little Ayaka.” She was now Kamisato Ayaka, the young lady of the Kamisato Clan, one of the Shogun’s three great clans.
Sword art training thus became part of her daily life and has remained so to this day without pause.
On one particular day, Ayaka, at last, defeated an opponent in a single strike. In that instant, as she stood in the middle of the dojo, icy flowers condensed all about her. And there, upon the tip of her sword, now hung a Vision, icy and bright.
“None may deflect a swing that has been practiced a thousand times” indeed — and even the gods may thus be moved.
Kaeya Alberich is the adopted son of one of the old Aristocratic families of Mondstadt, the Ragnvindr family. As such he’s Diluc’s adopted brother, although the two of them haven’t been going along for a while. As of now, Kaeya works as one of the ten Chivalry Captains of the Knights of Favonius.
Kaeya is often seen frequenting taverns rather than in the Knight of Favonius’ Headquarters. From the looks of it, Kaeya likes to act as a laid back man who loves fun, becoming popular with the elderly in the process, but this act is part of his work. In these taverns he often talks with bandits and hunters, lowering their defences with his smooth talking and making them spill out any secrets they may have.
He’s the type of guy that believes that “the end justifies the means”. He once triggered a Ruin Guard to cut off some bandits he was chasing, putting his own man at risk. He’s reckless, but has a cavalier attitude. Although Jeans trusts him, she can’t do anything but shake his head in disapproval when such occasions occur, but that’s what Kaeya likes: putting people in difficult situations, and the look of fear in his enemies’ eyes.
There was a time when a knight found out that when the drink called Death After Noon was out of season due to lack of supply, criminal activities plummeted, just to increase again once it was once again available. Instead of praising that knight’s findings, Kaeya simply said “Interesting, I’ll look into it” with a wry smile.
Kaeya doesn’t like to talk about his past, even when Grand Master Varka asked about it, he didn’t go into much detail. He only said that he was abandoned by his father near the Dawn Winery, and left. After that, he was found by Diluc’s father, who took him in. But that’s not all there is to his past, a well crafted lie. He remembers his father firmly squeezing his shoulders as he looked into his eyes, seemingly looking through Kaeya into some place beyond. “This is your chance. You are our only hope” his father said. What his father saw in his eyes was their homeland, Khaneri’ah. Kaeya still remembers the look of hatred and hope his father had before leaving.
After Crepus, Diluc’s father took him in, both he and Diluc became very close, almost close as twins, till one day, Crepus’ convoy was attacked, and to fend off the monsters, Crepus used a power he shouldn’t have used, that took his life. Diluc was with him. Kaeya was late. Seeing the power Crepus used, Kaeya could only utter “This world is truly… fascinating.”
The power their father wielded was called a Delusion, and in that heavy rain, Diluc took his father’s life to put him out of his misery, Kaeya decided he didn’t want to interfere. Kaeya was still coveting his secret: being an agent of Khaneri’ah, placed in Mondstadt to serve their interests. He often asked himself which side he’d pick if Mondstadt and Khaenri’ah went to war, unable to make a decision. Crepus’ death triggered something in him, he didn’t save him, and didn’t share Diluc’s grief. That night he revealed everything to Diluc out of guilt, that maddened, drew his blade against him. During that fight, Diluc’s flames fought Kaeya’s ice as he received his Vision. From then on, the two brothers went their separate ways. Kaeya’s Vision thus became a reminder of the burden of his lies.
Yoimiya’s name is renowned throughout Hanamizaka.
She is the most skilled pyrotechnician in Inazuma and is known as the “Queen of the Summer Festival.”
Yoimiya, who has inherited the mantle of “Naganohara”, is able to give people an unparalleled experience with her ever-changing and spectacular fireworks.
In addition to being a craftsperson, she is also the “heroic sister” in the eyes of many children. No matter how big the problem is, Yoimiya always has a solution to save the day.
Be it the illusions of fear or the shadows of cold reality, they will all dissipate under the starlight magic of Yoimiya’s fireworks.
The children are not the only ones she helps — as long as one is willing to talk to her about their troubles, she will lend a helping hand, and try her best to help them through the crisis.
Splendid fireworks, warm starlight and passionate lights all join in a swirling dance in Yoimiya’s hands. Her bright smile is always able to inspire fellow travelers and light up the way for them.
To Inazumans, fireworks symbolize summer.
The various festivals that take place at fixed times feature a rotation of various events, with fireworks being the sole constant.
Over a century ago, the Yashiro Commission once organized a dazzling fireworks display with “commemoration” as the theme.
The fireworks then were made by the greatest pyrotechnicians in the land, and this was the origin of the Naganohara Fireworks Show.
In latter days, fireworks would become more common, and the Naganohara Fireworks Show would slowly become an event in which all people would participate.
During the Fireworks Show, everyone can light their favorite fireworks, and the owner of the Naganohara Fireworks store will pick an appropriate time to set up a most lavish performance.
The year Yoimiya took over, her first fiesta was already jaw-droppingly good.
On the night before that Fireworks Show, Kamisato Ayaka enjoined Yoimiya thusly: “Her Excellency will be watching this fireworks display personally. As such, please add Her Excellency’s emblem — the Electro Mitsudomoe — into the fireworks repertoire, if you would.”
“Haha, just wait for it!” Yoimiya replied, agreeing with great confidence.
Before the show could begin, Yoimiya ran all about the city, placing thousands of launch tubes in every nook and cranny. At the festival’s finale, the blazing fireworks formed a gigantic picture scroll that depicted the city of Inazuma in the skies.
Yet Ayaka did not find the critical emblem in any one of these fireworks, and wondered if Yoimiya had made an error in her arrangements.
It was only after speaking with Yoimiya that Ayaka discovered that the image of Inazuma in the skies had an “angling” trick added to it.
If viewed from the Tenshukaku, the fireworks would form a huge, clear, and orderly image of the Raiden Shogun’s house-crest — with some playfully lacy decorations on the side to boot.
Of course, how could Yoimiya miss a beat at a fireworks performance? This way, she won the praise of both the people and the Raiden Shogun, and this feast would become a timeless classic deeply rooted in the memories of countless people.
With Yoimiya around, the Inazuman summer shall not lack any glorious fireworks — thus was her nickname, “Queen of the Summer Festival,” coined.
Naganohara’s fireworks are loved by all, and work in the shop is always in full swing. As such, people often feel that coming up to the door without important matters might hinder the work.
However, it’s just the opposite with Yoimiya, for chatting is her other great hobby. In fact, if there’s no one to talk to, she might actually find it hard to focus.
If chatting with the guest is her way of “understanding their mood and way of thinking, such that the best fireworks can be crafted,” then going with the flow and sitting down for tea and an idle chat with them after delivering the goods is how Yoimiya rewards herself. Sometimes, if that is not enough, she will make some small-talk with her neighbors on the way, give them some small trinkets, and receive a basket of small treats in return…
Yoimiya is always able to strike a balance between listening and speaking in such chats.
She doesn’t repeat herself, doesn’t cross boundaries, doesn’t come off as indifferent or overly invested. After a talk over tea, everyone leaves in a good mood.
Her neighbors are all ordinary folk, and their lives are not exactly full of extraordinary things. Sometimes, the same news will be told by different people over and over, but Yoimiya does not find this upsetting.
What she enjoys is the process of talking to others — even if they speak of the same matter, different people will have different viewpoints.
After taking over the fireworks shop, Yoimiya’s relationships with her neighbors became still more harmonious. Many old folks have taken her for an old acquaintance, and often invite her to their place to sit and recount the festivals of yesteryear. Middle-aged parents will ask Yoimiya to mediate the relationship between themselves and their children and will regale her with the little trivialities of daily family life. The young people treat Yoimiya as a sibling of sorts, volunteering to help her cart heavy fireworks-making materials around, hoping that Yoimiya will get off work faster and take the children out to play.
Yoimiya puts it this way: “I believe in the unique power of language. There’s nothing that can’t be talked through somehow!”
Craftsmen seeking perfection are often rigorous and self-disciplined, but Yoimiya is an exception, acting freely and taking unscheduled breaks.
Sometimes, she even has to work late into the night when she misses her daytime work due to chatting for too long. But when the sun begins to rise, she will climb up to the heights to see the sunrise with a sense of accomplishment at having finished her work in her heart. Looking out at the hazy amber-gold clouds, Yoimiya often gains new inspiration, imagining all manners of new fireworks in her mind, even as sleep draws near…
Her neighbors have often found her sleeping in places like eaves, tree branches, and stopped waterwheels. Sometimes, she even falls down, before blearily watching her sweet dreams and golden stars fade away into the distance.
Fortunately, she has never been seriously injured in such incidents, but she has gotten a number of scrapes and cuts, and it was on that account that she learned how to deal with wounds.
At some other times, Yoimiya will sleep until midnight, settling all matters with gusto before heading out for a stroll.
Perhaps it may turn out to be an impromptu adventure, or perhaps a test of courage. If a friend is interested, she might call upon them. If she wishes to be alone, she will travel in solitude.
Living as she pleases gives Yoimiya a sense of freedom. As for others, they may encounter her at any time at all. She enjoys this freedom, often saying that it has made her life very interesting indeed.
Of course, she will restrain herself on the eve of celebrations. Mistakes shall not be made during these all-important performances — her “official business.”
Apart from selling fireworks, Naganohara Fireworks also sells various intricate knickknacks. This can be said to be Yoimiya’s second career.
All manner of trinkets adorn the shelves, with some of them being exotic imports from Beidou that were modified and made into highly distinctive handicrafts, and others being practice works created during bursts of Yoimiya’s explosive inspiration.
From the Scatterbloom Marbles that will blossom when they knock against each other, Leaping Tops that chirp like birds as they spin, the Neon Dragonfly that changes hue as it ascends into the air, and the somewhat-failed Onikabuto Chariot… All these toys are inspired by the little games that the common people play.
They are not only popular among the children, but are much-loved by adults as well. Even Arataki Itto, the head of the Arataki Gang, comes over to buy her specially-made knickknacks, which he then brings to go challenge the one he has declared his nemesis.
Yoimiya’s knickknacks are not just toys. With some thought, they can be very useful in one’s daily life. The most classic example of this is the Katydid Coil, which is a ring that can contain a variety of flammables and spices. When ignited and hung up in the summer, it can be used to repel mosquitoes.
Many people have come to ask Yoimiya for help on account of her excellent craftsmanship. And though she protests, saying, “Hey now, this is a fireworks shop, not an everything shop. Even I can’t possibly do it all,” she will still try her best to help, even if her earnings for the whole day are only enough to buy a few snacks. She’ll enjoy the whole thing, too — everyone in Hanamizaka is her friend, after all.
“The rainbows become fireworks, and they my wishes know, my wishes rise into the skies, and through the night they show.”
This nameless folksong has been around for a long time now. In recent years, it was misconstrued by the children to mean that as long as they brought some shiny trinkets, they could exchange them with Yoimiya for fireworks that belong just to them, and that if they lit those fireworks up, their wish will come true at some point in the future.
As such, the children of Hanamizaka set about searching for beautiful little trinkets with this song on their lips, before bringing them to Yoimiya, with expectation eagarly written on their faces.
Yoimiya was quite troubled by this at first, but after hearing how the children had interpreted that song, she accepted their requests gladly and even added her own spin to the tale: the “rainbows” in the song not only refer to shiny treasures persay. As long as she found them “sufficiently shiny,” whether they were colored rocks from the creeks or shell fragments from the beaches, she would take them and make lovely fireworks as per the agreement.
Indeed, if they were to bring her expensive things, she might, in turn, say that they are too ordinary, and take the child to look for the owner of those lost goods.
But it really did not matter if the treasures were shiny or not. The important part was the conviction the children had that “rainbows” could indeed be exchanged for “fireworks.”
Though some might take it for naivete, Yoimiya will give her all to protect the lovely wishes that only children can have.
“The things we believed in and experienced as children become irreplaceable treasures.”
The legendary picture books of Inazuma are often filled with the following images: the cute and playful Great Mujina Youkai, the majestic Shiba Warrior, the Origami Nue who appears out of nowhere…
Perhaps those who drew demons in such cute forms also had a similar intention to Yoimiya.
The children gather around Yoimiya, enjoying a gladsome time even amidst Inazuma’s lockdown.
Yoimiya’s own child-like heart and liveliness never dulls, like fireworks and stars that shimmer and shine in the night sky.
Every festival, Yoimiya not only tries snacks from every store, but she also collects all sorts of candies, wraps them up with care, before storing them away inside a small candy box.
Yoimiya’s candy box is a small crimson ball that has been decorated with delicate lanyards and ornate accessories, much like the hair accessories she often wears.
Each time she encounters a joyous event, she will take one candy out of the box and eat it. If her friends or the children are around, she will share the sweets with them.
Yoimiya’s neighbors often mistake her hair ornaments for the candy box, hence its erroneous nickname “Sweet Pearl.”
The speed at which the box lightens is taken for an important measure of happiness.
The quicker it empties, the more pleased Yoimiya is.
Sometimes, when things get busy, she sometimes absently uses the candy box as a hair accessory, realizing her mistake only after the day is done.
Still, even this error would inspire Yoimiya. From then on, she would wear them interchangeably.
“Take a guess: does my hair ornament have candy in it today? Free pick of the sweets to anyone who gets it right!”
Yoimiya is always up for a chat. It is only when the fireworks are ascending into the skies that she quiets down and just watches the lovely scenery.
People often say that fireworks come and go in a fleeting heartbeat, but if they are memorable enough, they will remain in bloom forever in people’s hearts.
Those who accompanied you and the loveliness of the moment itself, will burrow deep into your mind as a beautiful memory.
And as you look upon the same fireworks, many years later, that same memory and the feelings that came with it will surely rise again to the forefront of your heart.
Is this not also “Eternity”?
The special firework formula slips that belong solely to the Naganohara family exist for precisely this purpose.
By incorporating goodwill and wishes into the gorgeous fireworks, ephemeral things are etched into eternity. This is the meaning of Yoimiya’s line of work.
On one summer night following her taking over Naganohara Fireworks, Yoimiya could not sleep, and thus she continued in her research till daylight came.
Suddenly, she heard a tinkling sound, and a burning-red object fell into an unused launching tube.
At first, Yoimiya used her Vision as a sort of lighter. Fortunately, her father discovered it and explained a Vision’s significance to her.
So, this tiny gem could grant a person astonishing and mysterious powers. And yet what else could it do other than protect the children or chase some mischievous monsters away?
“Even if it could have other uses,” Yoimiya thought, “it may not ever need to do these things in my hands. I’m just someone who pursues happiness, a fireworks-maker who enjoys living life.”
Time has flown since then, and Yoimiya has grown ever more skilled in the manipulation of “fire,” with her skill at making fireworks having likewise increased.
Sometimes, she stops to ask herself this: “How did someone as ordinary as me receive the acknowledgment of the gods? Do the gods… enjoy fireworks, by any chance?”
Kaeya Alberich is the adopted son of one of the old Aristocratic families of Mondstadt, the Ragnvindr family. As such he’s Diluc’s adopted brother, although the two of them haven’t been going along for a while. As of now, Kaeya works as one of the ten Chivalry Captains of the Knights of Favonius.
Kaeya is often seen frequenting taverns rather than in the Knight of Favonius’ Headquarters. From the looks of it, Kaeya likes to act as a laid back man who loves fun, becoming popular with the elderly in the process, but this act is part of his work. In these taverns he often talks with bandits and hunters, lowering their defences with his smooth talking and making them spill out any secrets they may have.
He’s the type of guy that believes that “the end justifies the means”. He once triggered a Ruin Guard to cut off some bandits he was chasing, putting his own man at risk. He’s reckless, but has a cavalier attitude. Although Jeans trusts him, she can’t do anything but shake his head in disapproval when such occasions occur, but that’s what Kaeya likes: putting people in difficult situations, and the look of fear in his enemies’ eyes.
There was a time when a knight found out that when the drink called Death After Noon was out of season due to lack of supply, criminal activities plummeted, just to increase again once it was once again available. Instead of praising that knight’s findings, Kaeya simply said “Interesting, I’ll look into it” with a wry smile.
Kaeya doesn’t like to talk about his past, even when Grand Master Varka asked about it, he didn’t go into much detail. He only said that he was abandoned by his father near the Dawn Winery, and left. After that, he was found by Diluc’s father, who took him in. But that’s not all there is to his past, a well crafted lie. He remembers his father firmly squeezing his shoulders as he looked into his eyes, seemingly looking through Kaeya into some place beyond. “This is your chance. You are our only hope” his father said. What his father saw in his eyes was their homeland, Khaneri’ah. Kaeya still remembers the look of hatred and hope his father had before leaving.
After Crepus, Diluc’s father took him in, both he and Diluc became very close, almost close as twins, till one day, Crepus’ convoy was attacked, and to fend off the monsters, Crepus used a power he shouldn’t have used, that took his life. Diluc was with him. Kaeya was late. Seeing the power Crepus used, Kaeya could only utter “This world is truly… fascinating.”
The power their father wielded was called a Delusion, and in that heavy rain, Diluc took his father’s life to put him out of his misery, Kaeya decided he didn’t want to interfere. Kaeya was still coveting his secret: being an agent of Khaneri’ah, placed in Mondstadt to serve their interests. He often asked himself which side he’d pick if Mondstadt and Khaenri’ah went to war, unable to make a decision. Crepus’ death triggered something in him, he didn’t save him, and didn’t share Diluc’s grief. That night he revealed everything to Diluc out of guilt, that maddened, drew his blade against him. During that fight, Diluc’s flames fought Kaeya’s ice as he received his Vision. From then on, the two brothers went their separate ways. Kaeya’s Vision thus became a reminder of the burden of his lies.
The blood of the tengu runs through Kujou Sara’s veins, but she does not dwell in the forests and mountains as they do. She was fostered from a young age by the Kujou Clan and has served since then as part of the Tenryou Commission.
The Tenryou Commission is one arm of the Tri-Commission, and is in charge of the security of Inazuma. Today, Sara is a general of the Tenryou Commission, and hers is the vital task of maintaining order within Inazuma City itself.
She governs well and is ever determined to set a good example for her subordinates. No matter how tough the issue, if it falls under the Tenryou Commission’s jurisdiction, Sara can solve it in good time.
Sara smiles little and is swift and resolute in the pursuit of her missions, and so many Inazumans consider her an inaccessible, stone-cold military person.
However, such an assessment might be too surface-level for someone like Sara, who seems cool on the outside but burns within.
In Inazuma, the Vision Hunt Decree is the manifestation of the Raiden Shogun’s will to pursue Eternity, and Sara is the main enforcer of that decree.
Sara believes that Visions, in the hands of those with incorrectly-aligned minds, will destabilize the foundations of Inazuma, thus necessitating the Vision Hunt Decree.
However, this does not mean that Sara will stoop to any means necessary to enforce it.
When citizens are inevitably affected as the decree is carried out, she will expend the utmost patience and sincerity to attempt to explain the Almighty Shogun’s long-term goals.
She has also given clear orders forbidding the harming or exploiting of civilians during the pursuit of the decree, as such evil deeds will only drag the great name of the Archon through the mud.
Unfortunately, the vast ideals of the Archon are too great for mortals to perceive, and resentment arises nonetheless, with some even uniting to resist those who enforce the decree.
In such circumstances, where she has no choice but to take action, Sara often sighs helplessly before facing the enemy.
The Shogun’s Army has Kujou Sara’s leadership to thank in large part for the fearlessness and unity of its soldiery.
Surveying battle lines, setting up training plans, selecting weapons and armor… Unlike many generals who prefer to strategize and plan from the rear, Sara prefers to do such things herself.
Sara is very harsh on herself during training, with her personal regimen being over ten times tougher than that which the ordinary troops go through. Even when night has fallen and the world has gone to sleep, one can still hear the sounds of her bow being drawn echoing through the dojo.
On the battlefield, she has always been at the tip of the spear, leading the troops with absolute heroism and awe-inspiring fighting spirit.
When the dust has settled, she will also personally see to the wounded, and give reward and mete out punishment based on merit. Every step of the battle that passes through her hands is managed well, with missteps being very few and far between.
Sara’s troops are all witnesses to her words and deeds. No one who has fought alongside her does not hold her in the highest regard.
The general is the soul of the army, and fine generals are hard to find. Small wonder, then, that Sara has always been the pride of the Shogun’s Army.
Even when she is not training, Sara brings her austere, strict nature into her daily life.
Her life seems to follow some sort of eternal, unchanging rule. She wakes up on the dot, trains on the dot, eats a fixed amount…
From things as large as training regimens to things as small as food consumption, Sara has her own perspective and pursues her self-created standards to the last letter.
“Miscellaneous objects are to be sorted by category, and furnishings are to be arrayed in straight lines. There is to neither be dirt in any corner, nor on the ground.”
These are the standards Sara holds her dwelling up to.
She views excellence in such matters to also be a part of her training, and handles them herself, not requiring the aid of any servants.
That said, how could her servants ever just stand idly by? Every time they meet Sara, they will implore her to put the cleaning cloth down and leave the matter to them.
Having repeatedly declined their offers to no avail, Sara eventually took to cleaning up behind closed doors, posting up this sign outside her room—
“Training in Progress, Do Not Disturb.”
Although she has grown up amongst humans, Sara still maintains the various habits of the tengu. When she leaves the Tenryou Commission Headquarters on occasion, it is mostly to go to the mountains.
She knows them like the back of her hand, and has witnessed many strange creatures not often told of in human tales.
Among them are many fierce and evil things, but there are also little creatures that mean no harm. To Sara, however, these are just differences in form.
There was a time when a sizable spate of thefts was reported to the police station in quick succession, and they could not find the culprit. Walking through the woods on higher alert than usual, Sara quickly espied the bake-danuki running along hurriedly while carrying their plunder.
Of course, bake-danuki are not evil by nature, but only steal food out of gluttony.
Capturing the creatures, Sara had only this to say as she reclaimed their ill-gotten gains:
“Hiding in the mountains will not let you escape judgment. Listen closely, for this is your final warning. Do not make yourself a nuisance to civilians again, or else…”
The bake-danuki were chilled to the bone, nodding as they balled up in a corner. After this, they would keep to that agreement and did not again do such ill.
As for the sharp-tongued Sara, she would bring various melons and fruits that could keep for a longer period up to the mountains while training there, making sure to deposit them in the bake-danuki’s dwelling whenever she passed through.
She did not explain herself, and in any case, did not consider this any sort of gift. If she had to describe it… then perhaps a sort of consolation to those who had turned from an unrighteous path might be the best description for such things.
Sara has been training with the Shogun’s Army ever since she was taken in by the Tenryou Commission. The soldiers actually thought that she was a boy at first due to her coming to train at an early age, and they took care of her very well.
Having been a little frightened of crowds at first, Sara became much more outgoing due to this warm reception, and would even play games with the other troops.
However, the soldiers she played alongside were severely punished by the Clan Head, while she was merely given a cold chastening.
“Not following military law and neglecting your training… I did not take you in just to have you do such pointless things.”
Since then, Sara would be conscientious in maintaining a certain distance from others. Rather than blending in with the crowd, she sought first to attain surpassing martial prowess, bearing in mind at all times that she would someday take command.
“The Raiden Shogun’s helper. An example to the Tenryou Commission. The pride of the Clan Head.”
None of these three identities put her first in any way. But to Sara, this was her. She was a warrior whose being was calm and austerity.
No one ever told her that she should give herself more consideration, and Sara did not necessarily lack such concerns either.
Her chains as an adopted child and the solitude of a non-human had always accompanied her mission and status.
But to stop due to such obstacles is the dilemma of the weak, and being Kujou Sara, her path would not end here. She would be the Electro Archon’s staunchest adherent and the most clear-headed of her generals.
Out of their worship and love for the Raiden Shogun, many merchants have created and sold artwork related to her.
The most popular product among them is the “Statue of Her Excellency, the Almighty Narukami Ogosho, God of Thunder,” a lacquerware doll made using the deity’s image as its template.
Sara rose early the day it went on the market, easily becoming first in the queue to purchase the statue. This became something of a hot topic for a while.
Sara would make no retort concerning any such stories. From her perspective, she bought that item with pious respect in her heart.
In all matters related to the Shogun, she had never once committed a perfunctory or negligent act. Indeed, she went forth personally to select and purchase a statue and even personally prepared a shrine within which it might be kept upon her return.
She placed five such statues in specially-placed display cases, and would clean them whenever she returned home. If she could not be there, she would arrange for artisans to perform that maintenance instead…
To someone like Sara who lacks friends and who is too busy to have much of a private life, the Raiden Shogun is not merely a deity, but also a form of repose.
The Shogun is her will, her future, her strength… even the harbinger of her fate — the confluence of all that is noble. Sara’s adherence is one born out of recognition and trust.
The intricately-made Archon statue makes Sara feel like the Almighty Shogun is not far off in her Tenshukaku, but is a wisdom, an ideal, a strength of heart that supports her every step of the way.
These moments of tranquility bring her indescribable enjoyment.
When she obtained her Vision, she had not yet been given a name or surname.
She originally lived in a quiet mountain forest that had, from a time unknown, become plagued by great evils that robbed it of its former peace.
Though she had the strength of the tengu, she was still young and could not stand against the monsters alone, and was hurled from a cliff during the battle, her wings having been damaged prior.
Plummeting from the heights, and unable to unfurl her injured wings, she seemed fated to fall to her death.
“No! It can’t end like this! I… I always believed that I could protect this place forever with my strength…”
When day dawned the next day, some passers-by discovered an unconscious girl by the roadside. She looked a little worse for the wear but seemed otherwise unharmed, adding to the mystery of how she had ended up here.
Astonished, the people brought her back to the city and reported the matter to the Tenryou Commission immediately.
That was when the Kujou Clan Head, Kujou Takayuki, noticed that the glowing item in her hand was a Vision — a thing that many desired but few ever gained.
Realizing that she had gained the attention of an Archon even at her young age, Takayuki believed that she was a destined child, sent to the Tenryou Commission by the heavens.
Taking her in, he named her “Sara,” and would train her to become an all-around warrior, asking that she serve the Shogun and fight for Inazuma.
Kujou Takayuki believed that in raising such an excellent general, the status and future of the Kujou Clan would become more secure. And indeed, all that he had hoped would steadily come to pass.
Sara, armed with her Vision, would swiftly distinguish herself, rising through the ranks to become a general of the Tenryou Commission at a young age, just as many had hoped.
Yet it was precisely because she possessed a Vision that Sara knew this better than anyone: her surviving that fall unscathed was due to the Archon looking upon her with favor in that instant.
In but a single glance, she had been given the power that sustained her life. Everything she had, therefore, could be described as existing by the Almighty Shogun’s grace.
Fighting for the Shogun…
Sara believed that this was neither her duty nor a result of her foster father’s schemes, but was instead her truest calling.
Kaeya Alberich is the adopted son of one of the old Aristocratic families of Mondstadt, the Ragnvindr family. As such he’s Diluc’s adopted brother, although the two of them haven’t been going along for a while. As of now, Kaeya works as one of the ten Chivalry Captains of the Knights of Favonius.
Kaeya is often seen frequenting taverns rather than in the Knight of Favonius’ Headquarters. From the looks of it, Kaeya likes to act as a laid back man who loves fun, becoming popular with the elderly in the process, but this act is part of his work. In these taverns he often talks with bandits and hunters, lowering their defences with his smooth talking and making them spill out any secrets they may have.
He’s the type of guy that believes that “the end justifies the means”. He once triggered a Ruin Guard to cut off some bandits he was chasing, putting his own man at risk. He’s reckless, but has a cavalier attitude. Although Jeans trusts him, she can’t do anything but shake his head in disapproval when such occasions occur, but that’s what Kaeya likes: putting people in difficult situations, and the look of fear in his enemies’ eyes.
There was a time when a knight found out that when the drink called Death After Noon was out of season due to lack of supply, criminal activities plummeted, just to increase again once it was once again available. Instead of praising that knight’s findings, Kaeya simply said “Interesting, I’ll look into it” with a wry smile.
Kaeya doesn’t like to talk about his past, even when Grand Master Varka asked about it, he didn’t go into much detail. He only said that he was abandoned by his father near the Dawn Winery, and left. After that, he was found by Diluc’s father, who took him in. But that’s not all there is to his past, a well crafted lie. He remembers his father firmly squeezing his shoulders as he looked into his eyes, seemingly looking through Kaeya into some place beyond. “This is your chance. You are our only hope” his father said. What his father saw in his eyes was their homeland, Khaneri’ah. Kaeya still remembers the look of hatred and hope his father had before leaving.
After Crepus, Diluc’s father took him in, both he and Diluc became very close, almost close as twins, till one day, Crepus’ convoy was attacked, and to fend off the monsters, Crepus used a power he shouldn’t have used, that took his life. Diluc was with him. Kaeya was late. Seeing the power Crepus used, Kaeya could only utter “This world is truly… fascinating.”
The power their father wielded was called a Delusion, and in that heavy rain, Diluc took his father’s life to put him out of his misery, Kaeya decided he didn’t want to interfere. Kaeya was still coveting his secret: being an agent of Khaneri’ah, placed in Mondstadt to serve their interests. He often asked himself which side he’d pick if Mondstadt and Khaenri’ah went to war, unable to make a decision. Crepus’ death triggered something in him, he didn’t save him, and didn’t share Diluc’s grief. That night he revealed everything to Diluc out of guilt, that maddened, drew his blade against him. During that fight, Diluc’s flames fought Kaeya’s ice as he received his Vision. From then on, the two brothers went their separate ways. Kaeya’s Vision thus became a reminder of the burden of his lies.
With the aspirations of the people of Inazuma on their side, Yae Miko and the Traveler have managed to convince Ei to abolish the Vision Hunt Decree.
To unlock this quest, talk to Gendou Ringo at the Grand Narukami Shrine for the first time, and then come back for four more days afterwards and select the dialogue option “In the middle of a hazy night” when giving her the bamboo slip for a fortune. Complete the task she gives you each time
Once you’ve done this four times, the World Quest should start the following day in-game the next time you approach the Adventurers’ Guild in Inazuma
If you didn’t already during Act II, start this quest by approaching Toranosuke and Miyuki in the Kujou Encampment
This quest takes several days to complete. You can progress in other quests in the meantime, and come back and continue it whenever it becomes available again
If you didn’t during Act II, start this quest by talking to Kaji east of Fort Fujitou overlooking the Musoujin Gorge
This quest is given to you by Katheryne
This quest takes several days to complete. You can progress in other quests in the meantime, and come back and continue it whenever it becomes available again
Start this quest by talking to Tsuyuko overlooking the Sangonomiya Shrine
This quest was released around this time, but is not necessary to play now. You can wait until “The Still Water’s Flow” is listed to play it if you’d prefer
Most Inazumans are unaware of the existence of the Shuumatsuban. In fact, the Shuumatsuban is a secret organization under the Yashiro Commission.
There is also a little ninja who goes by the name of Sayu in the Shuumatsuban, and this fact is even less known.
Sayu is a special existence in the Shuumatsuban. She has been raised in the Shuumatsuban since she was a child, and is extremely loyal to the organization.
That said, her most prominent trait is not “loyalty”, but “laziness.”
Lazing around is what Sayu does best. She has long mastered the various arts of ninjutsu, particularly those that help her to slack off or shirk her duties, such as escape techniques and aura concealment.
People who don’t know about her habits will have to make a lot of effort to find her.
However, if you ask Sayu about her slacking, she will shrug and reply, “It’s not that I’m lazy, I just want to spend my time on more meaningful things.”
Sayu is petite and can even be described as delicate.
This is also something that bothers her —
One by one, her peers are growing taller, but she still has the stature of a child, as her height has not changed at all.
Sayu is really anxious about this matter.
Day by day, the world seems to be sprouting skyward, and only she remains small as ever.
Growing taller has gradually become an obsession in Sayu’s mind.
“As long as I sleep long enough, I can definitely grow taller!”
She came to believe this ever so firmly, seizing every opportunity to sleep as much as possible, creating every opportunity and circumstance, even when there were none.
People around little Sayu often let her be, as they don’t have the heart to disturb her sleep.
So now, the situation has progressed such that Sayu is able to fall asleep, even whilst standing.
The ninjutsu that Sayu has learned is not very powerful in combat, but it is quite useful in the matter of slacking off.
She is extremely skilled at hiding and covering her tracks, and is an expert in this area. Therefore, if she has the intention to hide, ordinary people absolutely cannot find her.
However, even the most ingenious puzzles have answers, and even the most elusive treasures have clues for people to find them. This also holds true for Sayu.
After spending enough time with Sayu, one will understand her habits and preferences. Trying to find her doesn’t seem so difficult anymore.
For example, if you go to Sayu’s room early in the morning and lift the covers, the odds are that you will find her in bed.
At noon, you can check out the trees near the shrine and who knows, you may find something unexpected.
It will be more challenging to find Sayu at night, but it’s a good idea to go to her house and wait for her to emerge.
However, please remember not to disturb Sayu, who is busy growing taller, unless it is absolutely necessary.
Even gentle rabbits bite when provoked, let alone Sayu…
That said, finding Sayu doesn’t mean that she can be put to work quietly.
Moreover, Sayu’s work at the Shuumatsuban is not that of a fixed daily routine, but missions that pop up if and as needed.
And so, this happens:
When new missions are assigned, you won’t see hide or tail of her.
By the time she has been found (and with much effort), a more suitable person has been assigned for the mission.
And in case there is no other suitable candidate other than Sayu, all the more she will try to slip away, so as not to be overwhelmed by the mission.
It’s just that… If Sayu used her ninjutsu to work hard, she would have had great accomplishments in the Shuumatsuban.
Sayu is the last successor to the Ninjutsu Art — Yoohoo Art.
In this school of ninjutsu, which is known for teasing its enemies, Sayu has learned only ninjutsu such as escape and clone techniques.
These ninjutsu are of little use in actual combat, but have an undeniable aesthetic flair.
Amongst falling leaves, a silhouette vanishes in a flash, a gentle breeze blows, and a kite suddenly appears on the ground… The incredible scene is comparable to an artistic performance.
Thus, whenever there is a festival, Sayu will be invited by various parties to perform her mysterious ninjutsu.
If it’s Yoimiya who’s searching for her, Sayu can still find ways to hide.
But if the person in question is Lady Guuji Yae, resistance is futile for Sayu.
Clone techniques do nothing to fool the Lady Guuji’s sharp eyes, and aura concealment doesn’t help Sayu at all in escaping from the Lady Guuji’s grasp.
Running for the hills is even less feasible, and might even risk angering the Lady Guuji…
Fortunately, there are very few circumstances that require Lady Guuji Yae to make a personal appearance.
For as long as Sayu can remember, she has been studying ninjutsu with her sensei in the Shuumatsuban.
Although the Shuumatsuban is a clandestine organization, the elders are very kind and have taken good care of young Sayu.
“Being overly reliant on others is never a good thing for a ninja.”
After Sayu had reached a bottleneck in learning ninjutsu, her sensei observed her situation and thought thusly.
As the years passed, Sayu grew steadily. Once she was capable enough to defend herself, her sensei chose to leave quietly.
A young animal that leaves the protection of its parents will grow up rapidly. The same is true of the sensei’s expectations for Sayu.
The young ninja did not disappoint her sensei. Soon after, Sayu obtained a Vision.
And then, she started working diligently in the Shuumatsuban… diligently shirking her duties.
Sayu is always busy sleeping and hiding from people, so in that sense, she also has a lot to do.
Occasionally, when Sayu is free and alone to enjoy the moonlight, she feels lost deep inside.
The people who have always been with you will one day leave…is this how life is meant to be?
But perhaps someday in the future, I will also meet the person who will always be with me.
Pondering the matter, the little ninja fell asleep again…
Sayu’s outfit is said to be a gift from her sensei.
The style references the form of a small animal — the “mujina,” and Sayu’s favorite colors were also specially chosen for it.
It is light and flexible, thus making it suitable for a ninja.
Sayu is especially fond of the huge hood, as it brings about a sense of security.
The long tail is designed for Sayu to maintain balance on the branches.
As for the only drawback… this outfit probably looks too much like a tanuki, and Sayu often gets misunderstood because of it.
Initially, she would seriously explain to the other party that:
“I’m not a tanuki, I’m Sayu.”
However, over time, similar incidents have occurred too many times, and Sayu now bears a grudge against tanuki.
Nowadays, if such a situation happens again, Sayu will pout in anger.
So, in order to get along well with Sayu, please memorize the following:
Sayu is not a tanuki, but Sayu.
Her outfit is also not that of a tanuki’s, but a mini mujina.
This is the story of Sayu when she just started being on her own.
Fragile beings walking alone in this world inevitably find themselves in scary situations. The only way to understand what it’s like is to have experienced it.
This is exactly what happened to Sayu. Adept at observation and evasion, she has always understood that she is not suitable for combat.
Her overly petite stature gives her no advantage in terms of strength to speak of, and her ninjutsu will not be of much use in actual combat.
Yet missions do not wait for ninjas to grow fully before descending upon them. In an era of turmoil, Sayu would also find herself in trouble because of not-so-important work.
Surrounded by strong foes, she had to do her best and barely managed to escape. It cost her almost everything to bring the information back safely.
Exhausted and wounded, Sayu was about to faint, but only one thing lingered in her mind:
“It’s not only strong brute force that can overpower everything, the weak have their own way of surviving. It’s because you’re weak that you can notice those unseen moments that change your fate… The chances of escaping from here are slim, but that’s what my ninjutsu is for.”
The moment the leaves fell, she disappeared. All her pursuers were incredulous. The tiny ninja disappeared as if she were dust in the wind.
The next morning, Sayu struggled to get up, and found that the ninja pack strapped to her leg had long since disappeared.
However, a surprising object appeared in the same place instead — a Vision gleaming in the sunrise.
Now, with the power of the Vision, Sayu can wield a claymore taller than herself. She no longer has to fear the omnipresent strife of a chaotic world.
Unfortunately, Sayu’s most immediate worries have not yet been resolved.
Regarding her growing taller, it seems that even a Vision is unable to do anything about it.
To be written…
Thoma’s official title in the Kamisato Clan is that of a “housekeeper,” and as such, he is responsible for matters such as cleaning and cooking.
Whenever he appears at the Yashiro Commission, Thoma is almost always busy with such work. He is able to get everything done well, and even Furuta, the butler of the Kamisato Clan, is full of praise for his housekeeping skills.
However, most of the time, Thoma does not stay in the Yashiro Commission, but goes elsewhere to deal with some special matters discreetly.
For example: solving the problems encountered by the Yashiro Commission, asking for information for the head of the Kamisato Clan, fulfilling Ayaka’s wishes, etc.
In those unknown corners, Thoma has always used his own way to develop the influence of the Yashiro Commission.
Thoma seems to have been born with a good temper.
Regardless of whether he’s dealing with a dignitary or a street vendor, Thoma can easily find an opening to join the conversation and have a good time with them.
Thoma, who is good at socializing, has a wide range of contacts in Inazuma. When he first arrived in Inazuma, he relied on his insight and communication skills to make friends with people in various industries. Later, many people would take the initiative to get to know Thoma.
The more people you know, the more resources you can get. Thoma would learn a lot of first-hand information from them, or quietly strike “deals” that are beneficial to the Yashiro Commission.
However, although Thoma has a vast network of contacts, he has never used it for personal gain, nor has he ever forced others to do things in the name of the Yashiro Commission.
Sociability, precise judgment, and just the right amount of tact. Perhaps this is the reason why Thoma can thrive as a “fixer” in Inazuma.
Surprisingly, the handsome and cheerful Thoma has no resistance when it comes to cute animals.
When Thoma’s out, he always carries some small snacks for animals, and feeds stray cats and dogs when he sees them.
It never fails to make him smile seeing animals scarf food down.
To Thoma, these animals, like himself, are part of what makes up the world.
Even if they don’t seem to be eye-catching, they are still trying to live.
As long as you live, good things will always happen… This is what Thoma has always believed in.
Even if these animals had not encountered good things before, he hoped that at least his presence would be a good thing worth celebrating for.
As the housekeeper of the Kamisato Clan, Thoma is an “all-rounder” when it comes to housekeeping.
Whether it’s cleaning, cooking, sewing, gardening, caregiving, or socializing, he can handle it all with ease.
For Thoma, housekeeping is not only a job and duty, but also his hobby.
He would clean the house like new, making sure that there was not a single grain of dust left on the railings. He would be in a very happy mood when faced with a clean and tidy Yashiro Commission.
Perhaps it’s the sense of accomplishment that comes with cleaning. Whenever he has the chance, Thoma will pick up a broom or duster and sweep away any unsightly stains.
In addition, he also takes special care of the daily lives of his colleagues around him.
There was a winter when Inazuma’s temperature suddenly dipped, and a guard of the Yashiro Commission accidentally caught a cold while out on patrol. A few days later, he unexpectedly received a sweater hand-knitted by Thoma.
The sweater that was just the right size made the guard think back to the clothes he received from his mother every winter. Now that his mother was old, she hadn’t sent him clothes for many years.
With this in mind, the guard took a long leave of absence to visit his family. The day he came back, he brought Thoma a special souvenir from his hometown, and they became good friends.
Thoma’s father is an Inazuman and his mother is a Mondstadter.
Thoma grew up in Mondstadt and has been accustomed to its carefree and happy atmosphere since he was young. Influenced by this, he can easily mingle with anyone.
However, he has also been taught by his father since he was a child and places great importance on the word “loyalty”.
After Thoma’s father returned to Inazuma, he was worried that his old man would not be able to drink Mondstadt’s wine there, so he sailed to Inazuma alone in a boat carrying Dandelion Wine.
On the way, a huge wave overturned the boat and Thoma fell into the water. Fortunately, he just drifted unconscious down the water until he got washed ashore on a beach in Inazuma.
At that time, Thoma had nothing and no family with him, but still started his life in Inazuma with optimism.
However, despite his best efforts, he was unable to find his father, who was supposed to be in Inazuma.
But at his most difficult moment, Thoma met someone in Inazuma who was worthy of his “loyalty” to the end.
Due to his hailing from Mondstadt, Thoma is often regarded as an “outsider” by the local residents of Inazuma.
Despite the strange looks and gossip directed towards him, Thoma never showed any dissatisfaction, and always smiled at all doubts.
Thoma is recognized as the most amiable person in the Yashiro Commission, but to outsiders, it is another story.
“Don’t offend Thoma! Otherwise, things will be difficult to handle.”
No one is sure when it started, but this saying has gone around so much that many people are convinced of this when they hear it.
As for those who have had unpleasant run-ins with Thoma, the mention of him still instills fear:
“Don’t be fooled by that guy! He’s always smiling kindly, but all I did was cheat the Yashiro Commission of a small sum of money, and he…”
That’s right, if anyone dares to harm the interests of the Yashiro Commission or disrespect the Kamisato siblings, Thoma will make them pay.
He sees this as his duty and does his best, but does not like to boast about his achievements. Even if he is criticized for this, he will not defend himself too much.
“Gee, who cares about such trivialities? And it doesn’t matter what kind of person I am, as long as those who should know know it.”
Thoma’s favorite duster has been with him in many “conquests”.
As it has been used for too long, no matter how Thoma cleans and takes care of it now, it still looks old and gray. Despite this, Thoma is still reluctant to discard it.
This duster was given to Thoma when he was first assigned cleaning duties at Yashiro Commission. As soon as he sees it, he recalls those hard but happy times.
At that time, Thoma had yet to comprehend various cleaning techniques. Due to his lack of experience, he was often busy doing all kinds of cleaning and tidying work until late at night.
Accompanying him were the moonlight above his head, the chirping of insects in the summer night, and the sound of a duster tapping on the beams.
There are many different kinds of cleaning. From a simple cleaning to an all-out deep cleaning, Thoma has experienced it all.
At first, he found the work boring, but after he got used to it, he found that he could think more quietly when cleaning.
So to this day, Thoma often uses this duster to perform his work.
While brushing away the dust in front of him, he also brushed away the fog in his head in a quiet and steady state of mind.
In his early years living in Mondstadt, Thoma did not have particularly strong aspirations.
Each day, he was awakened by the early morning sun and the fresh fragrance of flowers. After breakfast, he could choose to take a relaxing stroll through the city or explore the wilderness freely.
At that time, Thoma thought that people should have the happiness of living a leisurely life. Perhaps it would have been better to live a peaceful life.
This calm mood disappeared the moment when he was swept into a strange country by the waves, across the ocean in a small boat.
Here, he had to receive a favor to survive, and thus the thought of “repayment” arose.
Ten years ago, when the Yashiro Commission’s Kamisato Clan was losing its power.
Kamisato Ayato, who was embroiled in the dispute over the succession rights of the clan due to the death of both parents, told Thoma:
“Now that the situation in Inazuma is unclear, the trouble the Kamisato Clan faces will only increase. You are someone who can see what’s at stake, so if you don’t want to get involved, leave early.”
Could Thoma, who had received so many favors from the Kamisato Clan, just leave like that? Choosing to leave would mean that he would have to return to his ordinary, stable life with regrets and guilt.
The storm was imminent, and Thoma was like a leaf drifting in the sea.
But after much deliberation, Thoma’s answer was:
“If I leave at this time, I will lose my loyalty and righteousness. Father has always taught me to be a loyal and righteous man… I would like to do my best to do my part for the young master and the young lady. You will certainly need me as a helper in the path you embark on in the future.”
The will to burn for loyalty and righteousness forged a strong desire that drew the attention of the gods.
As if to respond to Thoma’s choice — on this night of divergent destinies, a Vision, bright red like a blaze, appeared beside him.
To be written…
You need to progress with the World Quest to explore most of this island
Since the dawn of life, humankind has always borne an intense yearning for and curiosity about the world. This is the anchor point of their cognition and is the foundation of all reason.
The world of the people of Inazuma is also thus. There, thunder, lightning, wind, and rain were primordial facts of life, as well as light, and the sea… and the Raiden Shogun.
Babes nestling in their mothers’ arms hear tales of the Shogun’s slaying of many gods and conquering of other races.
When young men and women roam the islands, they see the gorge split asunder by a blade of lightning and the pale, still-standing bones of the giant snake.
Soldiers take to the battlefield with “glory to the Shogun and her everlasting reign!” upon their lips.
The people work in contentment and peace, knowing that the Shogun and her loyal Tri-Commission are there.
The great name of the Raiden Shogun has long shaken off the shackles of mere life, becoming the eternal traditional belief of Inazuma.
People trust in this great name and its might, believing that their descendants shall witness the same sights, that the same faith will form the foundations of their inner worlds, and that this will pass on from generation to generation.
This is the eternal paradise that the Almighty Shogun promised her people.
The true name of the Raiden Shogun is “Raiden Ei.”
In her long road, she has witnessed the price that Inazuma has had to pay for progress over the hundreds and thousands of years.
The happiest years of her life had passed her by, and those she once considered friends became her foes. In the end, she even lost the reason for which she had wielded her sword.
“Where there is progress, there must be loss.”
Ei believed that this was the iron-clad rule of the world, with time as its merciless enforcer.
The greatest and most prosperous nation of men collapsed overnight, and even that most ancient Liyue Harbor would say farewell to its Geo Archon. The winds of parting came whistling in from the outer edge of time.
However resounding the Raiden Shogun’s name, centuries later, millennia later… Someday, Inazuma would lose the protection of its deity.
As a warrior, she was wary of all foes. Even if that enemy was a crisis as intangible as time’s passage, she had to find a countermeasure, a weapon she could use to defeat it in time.
Her answer? “Eternity.” Only Eternity could freeze all things under the sky, make Inazuma truly deathless.
“Then, while things are still good, let us have stillness… Let us march towards Eternity.”
For beings with a perishable form of flesh to pursue Eternity, they must first solve the unavoidable problem of lifespan.
This limited time troubled Ei greatly, until one day when a mysterious technique came before her eyes as if by a stroke of fate.
Using such techniques, one could create intricate puppets indistinguishable from true life.
In theory, this puppet could perfectly imitate everything about Ei. It could surpass the limits of her lifespan and defend Inazuma forever. Yet, how could creating a copy of an Archon be a simple affair?
Ei conducted countless experiments to this effect, discarded a great many failed products, and spent an unimaginable amount of time and resources—
But at last, by her dogged pursuit and warrior’s spirit, she was able to create a flawless puppet.
The newborn Raiden Shogun sat there silently, listening to Ei speak all about her, “her,” and even about them. The future of Inazuma was here, inscribed upon a gorgeous blueprint.
The automaton had but one question to ask Ei: “There is no turning back from forsaking your form. Do you regret nothing?”
“Your existence is my answer.”
Then, Ei transferred her consciousness into her blade, and thus was born the Plane of Euthymia.
Before Raiden Ei became the Shogun, she was a samurai responsible for seeing that the previous Shogun’s orders were carried out.
The previous Electro Archon, Raiden Makoto, was no great fighter, and the things Ei had charge over were mostly matters of warfare and slaughter. However, Ei also had moments of repose away from battle, sitting with her friends under the sakura trees and playing karuta.
Due to her character, Ei was always the most wooden player. She was never the final victor, nor did she ever have a taste of the prizes that the Kitsune Saiguu reserved for the winners.
Thus, she poured the effort that she put into swordsmanship into karuta practice, often pestering Makoto or Mikoshi Chiyo to karuta matches, or spending much time by moonlight reading the poetry inscribed on the cards out loud.
At last, the day came that under the sakura trees, Ei would defeat opponent after opponent. Even the mighty tengu would be felled after a hard-fought battle, and thus was she crowned the champion.
Ei let out a victorious whoop at her victory, only to be greeted by the sounds of her friends’ laughter. Only then did she realize that she had lost her usual composure entirely, before snapping both arms back down and reverting to her usual cool facade.
Of course, her friends did not intend to make sport of her. Indeed, they understood her character and the manner in which she had worked ever so hard to come out on top.
As for the Kitsune Saiguu, oh, how amused she looked as she presented Ei with some pastries.
“I said it was a reward, yes, but it was simply some hand-made cakes of mine. I didn’t think that you would be so concerned about it, Ei. Well then, enjoy the spoils of your victory to your heart’s content.”
Ei was hardly one to be greedy for snacks. But as a samurai, she firmly believed that what she lost must be reclaimed. These pastries were more akin to a vindication of her desire to win.
—But it was not long before that cool demeanor of hers broke into a smile again. The cakes were lovely — just like the taste of victory. As for her clumsy attempts to hide that smile, one could only say that it was an entertaining sight all around for her friends.
To this day, Ei still often remembers that sakura tree.
…Even though she has not gone to see it in a long time, and even though no one sits under it anymore, she wishes that time might stop forever.
Ei still remembers the way in which Makoto greatly loved the scenery of Inazuma, its cuisine, and the stories of its people — and how she loved telling Ei all about it.
Though they both understood the concept of erosion well, Makoto was unlike Ei, who worried about the future more often. Instead, Makoto’s energies were focused on the present.
“It is precisely because we know that this scene is but a fleeting shadow that we should enjoy it all the more.”
Then, Ei could only smile wryly, realizing that she, the kagemusha, was even more old-fashioned than the real Raiden Shogun. She thought to herself that she must learn to be more leisurely, just like Makoto.
Yet the times changed all too quickly, all but catching Ei off guard. Before she knew it, her hands already held the blade that the dying Raiden Makoto had passed on to her.
This day, the kagemusha was now the true Raiden Shogun.
And it was on this day that Ei truly felt the agony of erosion.
As time marched forward inexorably, even this blade, this sakura… All life on Inazuma would fade before her eyes.
This was the foundation of Inazuma, and it was the thing that the Raiden Shogun must defend.
“If you look at it this way, thinking ahead is not meaningless, nor is it vain arrogance.”
Having resolved herself, her life exceeded its mortal shell, and eternity descended upon the mortal plane.
One night, Raiden Ei entered a beautiful dreamscape while meditating.
Here, there was nothing left between heaven and earth but her, and a “her” that was akin to looking into a mirror.
The automaton’s voice flowed into her ears like a sigh: “the eternity you resolved to establish in your heart has been shaken by the countless wishes of the people. Thus, you have become my enemy.”
Back when she was creating the puppet, Ei had considered all the hidden risks involved.
She believed that anything was possible — including the worst-case scenario… in which she too would someday become a threat to Eternity.
But she had to press on. She had to reach Eternity. This, she would not permit to be stayed by any outside force.
The puppet’s words were something that she had asked herself long ago:
“You believe that you are more firmly convicted now than you were yesterday, and that is why you are presently correct. Is that so?”
“Do you presently have some new ideas, or have you, too, fallen victim to inexorable ‘erosion’?”
Their faces were the same, but they spoke of different ideals. The battle with herself, with her past, would come someday.
But it was not this day. Ei knew well that she was not yet ready.
Her heart was clear, and she would have remained in that state, but hearing the cries of her people, she had to command her feet to stop.
The sky above the mirror was no longer empty, and all about the silent halls, she heard the cry of crows. Dawn was coming. The samurai must take up her sword.
This dream was ever so real, and it, too, passed like a shadow.
A sword that, once passed on, has accompanied Ei to this day.
This sword has had two wielders, and has witnessed both time and eternity.
It was born from Raiden Makoto’s divine might, but it was never once sharpened. It took after its owner, of course, for Makoto was not one for battle. It was but a symbol, a sign of true peace.
The day Makoto passed on, it was given into Ei’s hands. The sword was stained with blood, then, and as the blade drew its first taste of crimson, the dripping ichor was blown aside by wild winds and blazing thunder.
Makoto gave it the name Musou Isshin, and desired to have it witness an Inazuma as lovely as a dream and the noble hearts that dwell in this world.
Ei did not change its name. For she, too, had looked out over that vast scene of beauty, and the sight of it had engendered a stronger, purer dream in her own heart.
The aesthetic of lightning is precisely to capture that which is precious amidst fleeting transience.
Before she came to dwell in the Plane of Euthymia permanently, Ei was troubled for a time concerning where she might store her Gnosis.
She no longer had any need of it, but such an important item could not simply be placed anywhere. She had initially intended to have it modified into a energy supply device, but no matter what she did, her techniques had no effect on the Gnosis at all.
And that was when she thought of someone: the cunning and clever Yae Miko. She was not precisely someone to be trusted, but she was in many ways also Ei’s best choice.
Upon hearing this request, Miko could not help but joke: “Aren’t you afraid that I might just sell this off?”
“You understand the value of a Gnosis. Even if you sold it, I trust that you would have exchanged it for something of equal value, and that is no easy price to pay.”
With someone of Yae Miko’s character, it would be no surprise if she ever sold the Gnosis, yes, but she would not allow herself to lose out in any such exchange.
Such, then, was the tacit agreement between the two old friends. Yae Miko understood Ei’s intent and took the precious Gnosis with a smile.
“Well, this is your idea, not mine. Don’t end up regretting this, now.”
Kaeya Alberich is the adopted son of one of the old Aristocratic families of Mondstadt, the Ragnvindr family. As such he’s Diluc’s adopted brother, although the two of them haven’t been going along for a while. As of now, Kaeya works as one of the ten Chivalry Captains of the Knights of Favonius.
Kaeya is often seen frequenting taverns rather than in the Knight of Favonius’ Headquarters. From the looks of it, Kaeya likes to act as a laid back man who loves fun, becoming popular with the elderly in the process, but this act is part of his work. In these taverns he often talks with bandits and hunters, lowering their defences with his smooth talking and making them spill out any secrets they may have.
He’s the type of guy that believes that “the end justifies the means”. He once triggered a Ruin Guard to cut off some bandits he was chasing, putting his own man at risk. He’s reckless, but has a cavalier attitude. Although Jeans trusts him, she can’t do anything but shake his head in disapproval when such occasions occur, but that’s what Kaeya likes: putting people in difficult situations, and the look of fear in his enemies’ eyes.
There was a time when a knight found out that when the drink called Death After Noon was out of season due to lack of supply, criminal activities plummeted, just to increase again once it was once again available. Instead of praising that knight’s findings, Kaeya simply said “Interesting, I’ll look into it” with a wry smile.
Kaeya doesn’t like to talk about his past, even when Grand Master Varka asked about it, he didn’t go into much detail. He only said that he was abandoned by his father near the Dawn Winery, and left. After that, he was found by Diluc’s father, who took him in. But that’s not all there is to his past, a well crafted lie. He remembers his father firmly squeezing his shoulders as he looked into his eyes, seemingly looking through Kaeya into some place beyond. “This is your chance. You are our only hope” his father said. What his father saw in his eyes was their homeland, Khaneri’ah. Kaeya still remembers the look of hatred and hope his father had before leaving.
After Crepus, Diluc’s father took him in, both he and Diluc became very close, almost close as twins, till one day, Crepus’ convoy was attacked, and to fend off the monsters, Crepus used a power he shouldn’t have used, that took his life. Diluc was with him. Kaeya was late. Seeing the power Crepus used, Kaeya could only utter “This world is truly… fascinating.”
The power their father wielded was called a Delusion, and in that heavy rain, Diluc took his father’s life to put him out of his misery, Kaeya decided he didn’t want to interfere. Kaeya was still coveting his secret: being an agent of Khaneri’ah, placed in Mondstadt to serve their interests. He often asked himself which side he’d pick if Mondstadt and Khaenri’ah went to war, unable to make a decision. Crepus’ death triggered something in him, he didn’t save him, and didn’t share Diluc’s grief. That night he revealed everything to Diluc out of guilt, that maddened, drew his blade against him. During that fight, Diluc’s flames fought Kaeya’s ice as he received his Vision. From then on, the two brothers went their separate ways. Kaeya’s Vision thus became a reminder of the burden of his lies.
The inhabitants of Watatsumi Island once lived in Enkanomiya, at the bottom of the sea.
It was only by the grace of the god Orobaxi bringing them up to the surface that the civilization of Watatsumi Island exists today.
When Orobaxi was slain by the Electro Archon, its body was left as a skeleton and its resentment permeated the land, giving rise to Tatarigami.
Yet its desire to protect Watatsumi Island never faded. This will lives on in the bloodline of the Sangonomiya Clan, and follows them from generation to generation.
The current heir to this bloodline is known as the Divine Priestess.
The meaning behind this is as such: to inherit the will of a god in a mortal’s body, and to defend this land and its people in that god’s stead.
The day Kokomi ascended to the role of Divine Priestess, countless inhabitants of Watatsumi Island came to Sangonomiya Shrine of their own accord to see her.
Surprise, suspicion, confusion, chuckles… Their expressions were strange, all on account of her overly-young appearance in their eyes.
Plots were hatched and questions were endless. The ambitious planned to make their move. The storm was approaching, and all was not at peace on Watatsumi Island.
Yet all went back to business as usual not long after Kokomi ascended to her position.
She was fair in distributing rewards and punishments alike, appreciated the contributions of the people, and was militarily skilled. Her many abilities quickly won the hearts of most of the people.
“Things will be alright as long as Her Excellency is here” soon became the most widespread saying on the island.
There are many factors involved in deciding victory or defeat.
Terrain, weather, differences in military strength and equipment quality… All of these require careful consideration.
Those who study the details too closely tend to miss changes on the field, and most who speak of strategy speak of it in a vacuum.
Only those who can grasp both the big picture and the small details can create miracles on the battlefield.
And behind all this lies countless hours of hard work delving into the reasons behind one’s failures.
Few if any ever persevere to the end, but Kokomi was not only good at this but also possessed a unique tactical style.
“Manipulate the larger strategic situation to force the other side to give up, and to win wars with the least amount of cost possible.”
Whether on the battlefield or off it, Kokomi tries to “know thy enemy” as much as possible.
She tends to predict all possible scenarios beforehand and devise strategies to address them, which are then delivered as directives to those who enforce her will.
This has given rise to the issue of some of these directives being rather thick and heavy, but this method has guaranteed the stable development of Watatsumi Island.
Today, Watatsumi Island moves each day towards greater prosperity, and as more talented people have been appointed to office, the directives that Kokomi has to deliver have decreased.
As far as she is concerned, that is something worth celebrating.
When Kokomi has the time to spare, she will go on walks on Watatsumi Island alone.
She often tries to avoid crowds, pacing slowly through the violet forests, sometimes sitting by the seaside and looking out into the distance.
The sun and the moon rise over the sea, the stars shine in their skies, and the sound of the waves is pleasing to the ear, relaxing the soul.
Sometimes she will even place a seashell on her head, only to put it back where she found it when she leaves.
In her mind, perhaps some wandering crab will burrow its way inside and call this shell home.
Sometimes, Kokomi will also go diving, enjoying the calm atmosphere by herself, her worries sinking into the ocean depths as schools of fish swim all around her.
Kokomi treasures every sight there is to be seen on Watatsumi Island, and she remembers the name of every person.
Sadly, while scenery remains, people’s hearts are complex and changeable.
Victory is simple enough to attain compared to the mammoth task of making sure that everyone lives happily.
This dilemma has always troubled her.
Kokomi has been well-read since she was young, and has a particular love for military treatises.
As such, Kokomi has a broad store of knowledge to be used in every field.
But another result of her constantly being buried in such treatises of war and illustrated military texts is that Kokomi lacks skill in social interaction. She does not know when it started, but interacting with people eventually became tiresome to her.
Having ascended to the role of Divine Priestess, Kokomi had no choice but to learn many things that she wasn’t any good at before, whether it was dealing with people or performing duties that she had little interest in.
However, forcing herself to do things she holds little love for is a serious drain on her energy reserves, leaving her feeling quite exhausted.
As such, Kokomi set up an “energy” system of measurement for herself. When she does things she enjoys, her energy levels will increase, and the reverse is true when she trudges through unenjoyable slogs.
When she runs out of this energy, Kokomi will temporarily put her duties as the Divine Priestess aside and resume being an ordinary homebody.
Engrossing herself in the close reading of a book on military strategy, walling herself off from the rest of the world — thus does Kokomi reclaim a temporary respite from her busy existence.
These moments are of utmost value to her.
“As the ruler is, so shall the people be.”
This precept was something Kokomi heard from her mother a long time ago.
The Divine Priestess’ role is one of utmost importance to Watatsumi Island, and its people’s eyes are always upon her every move.
The things she loves will be in fashion, and the things she dislikes, the people will also distance themselves from.
Kokomi, in truth, has no wish to affect the people’s lives, and as such has rarely ever revealed much of her personal likes or dislikes.
She treats all things with an egalitarian manner, and holds “fairness of judgment” and “justice in dispensing rewards and punishment” to be her guiding principles.
However, these are not necessarily her true feelings, and so she prepared a book of secret notes for herself.
Here, she records the fluctuations in both her energy levels and mood.
When the night deepens and the world falls silent, Kokomi will open this book and write the day’s experiences, whether they be joyous, sad, or frustrating.
…Of course, this object is for her eyes only — and so it must remain.
A leader with a strong will can lead those around them in a clear direction.
However, Kokomi lacks such strong ideals. Instead, she respects the will of the people and wishes that they can each find their own way.
Just as the vast ocean can accommodate countless souls and their individual desires, so does Kokomi wish her rule could be.
When the Vision Hunt Decree came about, the resentment of the people turned into cries of revolt, and so Kokomi led them in raising the banner of resistance.
And once the war was over, the hearts of the people turned towards peace and stability, and so did Kokomi direct her energies towards governance and economics.
But what was the source of this toil? Was this the role of the Divine Priestess speaking? Or was this a product of her own sense of duty? Or perhaps… it was a bit of both?
As the Divine Priestess, Kokomi naturally has her own Vision. And ever since the day she looked out at the sea outside Sangonomiya Shrine, her wish has never once changed—
“I wish to protect all of Watatsumi Island and allow its people to lead happy lives.”
Kaeya Alberich is the adopted son of one of the old Aristocratic families of Mondstadt, the Ragnvindr family. As such he’s Diluc’s adopted brother, although the two of them haven’t been going along for a while. As of now, Kaeya works as one of the ten Chivalry Captains of the Knights of Favonius.
Kaeya is often seen frequenting taverns rather than in the Knight of Favonius’ Headquarters. From the looks of it, Kaeya likes to act as a laid back man who loves fun, becoming popular with the elderly in the process, but this act is part of his work. In these taverns he often talks with bandits and hunters, lowering their defences with his smooth talking and making them spill out any secrets they may have.
He’s the type of guy that believes that “the end justifies the means”. He once triggered a Ruin Guard to cut off some bandits he was chasing, putting his own man at risk. He’s reckless, but has a cavalier attitude. Although Jeans trusts him, she can’t do anything but shake his head in disapproval when such occasions occur, but that’s what Kaeya likes: putting people in difficult situations, and the look of fear in his enemies’ eyes.
There was a time when a knight found out that when the drink called Death After Noon was out of season due to lack of supply, criminal activities plummeted, just to increase again once it was once again available. Instead of praising that knight’s findings, Kaeya simply said “Interesting, I’ll look into it” with a wry smile.
Kaeya doesn’t like to talk about his past, even when Grand Master Varka asked about it, he didn’t go into much detail. He only said that he was abandoned by his father near the Dawn Winery, and left. After that, he was found by Diluc’s father, who took him in. But that’s not all there is to his past, a well crafted lie. He remembers his father firmly squeezing his shoulders as he looked into his eyes, seemingly looking through Kaeya into some place beyond. “This is your chance. You are our only hope” his father said. What his father saw in his eyes was their homeland, Khaneri’ah. Kaeya still remembers the look of hatred and hope his father had before leaving.
After Crepus, Diluc’s father took him in, both he and Diluc became very close, almost close as twins, till one day, Crepus’ convoy was attacked, and to fend off the monsters, Crepus used a power he shouldn’t have used, that took his life. Diluc was with him. Kaeya was late. Seeing the power Crepus used, Kaeya could only utter “This world is truly… fascinating.”
The power their father wielded was called a Delusion, and in that heavy rain, Diluc took his father’s life to put him out of his misery, Kaeya decided he didn’t want to interfere. Kaeya was still coveting his secret: being an agent of Khaneri’ah, placed in Mondstadt to serve their interests. He often asked himself which side he’d pick if Mondstadt and Khaenri’ah went to war, unable to make a decision. Crepus’ death triggered something in him, he didn’t save him, and didn’t share Diluc’s grief. That night he revealed everything to Diluc out of guilt, that maddened, drew his blade against him. During that fight, Diluc’s flames fought Kaeya’s ice as he received his Vision. From then on, the two brothers went their separate ways. Kaeya’s Vision thus became a reminder of the burden of his lies.
Rock ‘n’ roll originates in Fontaine and is just starting to find its feet in Liyue Harbor, where Xinyan is pioneering the art.
Every night, she slings on her self-built instrument, steps onto her self-constructed stage, and plays her self-composed songs to a crowd of enthusiastic supporters.
Her music reflects her personality: bold and defiant, loud and proud.
She is no virtuoso, but this doesn’t bother her dedicated fans one bit as they let loose and enjoy the show, singing their hearts out and shaking off the stress of the day.
In the heat of the moment, the fire that leaps from Xinyan’s Vision seems ready to turn night into day.
“She is a rare rock ‘n’ roll talent and a master performer who really knows how to create an atmosphere,” said a review of one of her live shows in The Steambird.
Living in Liyue is expensive, especially when you want to enjoy the finer things in life. But as Xinyan would say to those tied down by worldly worries:
“If you know how to rock, then it’s easier to roll.”
Xinyan does not adhere to traditional performance norms at all. Anything can be used as her instrument.
The pillars on-stage, the floorboards, the cheers and yells of the audience, and even the explosions and sparks created by her Vision are valid brushes with which she paints her performance.
The impromptu stage often starts to burn somewhere after the halfway mark of the performance, till all that’s left is a smoking pile of charcoal.
After many warnings, the Millelith were finally forced to tighten their patrols and try to find ways to stop Xinyan from staging her performances.
The subsequent battles of wits tended to turn out in Xinyan’s favor — she was often able to find a place to perform, set up a stage with frightening speed, and begin a raucous night with her audience.
The more reliable word on the street is that many patrolling Millelith were themselves infected by the “spirit of rock ‘n’ roll,” becoming her loyal fans in the process.
Xinyan would get wind of the Millelith’s latest patrol plans from these “friends of rock,” and was thus able to avoid their eyes with ease.
Eventually, tiring of the lack of results, and in the absence of any evidence that anyone was harmed during Xinyan’s performances, the Millelith came to adopt a “one eye open, one eye shut” approach to her actions.
Xinyan is tall, has a sharp gaze, and always wears her stage costume in public to keep herself in the right mood for her music.
In the eyes of bystanders, this makes her quite the imposing sight as she walks down the street, and many assume she means trouble.
When she lines up to buy a snack, people in front of her in the queue will panic and move well out of her way.
If she happens to lock eyes with a young child, even for a brief moment, they will run crying to their parents.
Even when she has done nothing at all, Xinyan is often suspected of wrongdoing, purely because her fierce appearance makes her look like some sort of heinous villain in the eyes of some people.
Xinyan didn’t care all that much about how other people saw her, but she did think that it wasn’t a good thing to scare others and make trouble for them, if she could at all help it. Thus, she constantly looked for ways to make a change.
Every day when she woke up in the morning, she would look at herself in the mirror and massage her face with her fingers to stretch and relax her eyes a little.
She would even practice smiling and study expressions — verbal and facial alike — of great elegance.
After a significant amount of practice, she once came across a group of children bullying another child, and instinctually she went over to rescue the bullied child.
She gave the kid what she thought was a friendly smile and a gentle pat on the head. To say that the upset child quietened down after this would not be incorrect…
However, the reality of the matter was that the child was stood there frozen in fear as urine dribbled down their pants.
As for the would-be bullies, they screamed and fled in panic.
“Run! Run! The angry lady’s turned into a monster! Sh—She’s gonna eat us all!”
“Hey!!! I ain’t gonna eat y’all! …And I ain’t no monster, either!”
But it was to no avail. The moment she raised her voice, all her hard work was undone.
Xinyan has one standard by which she judges all things: is it or isn’t it “rock ‘n’ roll?”
All that is just and upright — standing up for those who have been wronged, taking on challenges — is “rock ‘n’ roll,” and all that is reprehensible — fearing the wicked, oppressing the kind, dirty tricks, scheming ways — is “not rock ‘n’ roll.”
Rock is the spirit of rebellion and resistance, yes, but patently immoral acts are nonetheless “not rock ‘n’ roll.”
Xinyan reserves the right to make these judgments, and whether these judgments are based on results or her mood, the difference between the things covered by these two opposing terms is clear.
The only catch is that these standards sound odd in certain contexts.
Due to her fierce appearance, Xinyan nearly has no friends, with Xiangling of Wanmin Restaurant being one of the few exceptions with whom she can speak most freely.
Xinyan has a special reason for coming to Wanmin Restaurant — for musical inspiration.
Whenever Xiangling is researching new recipes, others may run for the hills, but not Xinyan. She intentionally eats all the experimental products, and amid the taste bud explosion that results from the never-before-seen flavors, inspiration flows into her mind.
“Tell you what, Xiangling, that dish rocked!”
Though Xinyan considers this to be the highest praise, Xiangling finds it a little hard to be happy about such ratings.
The eternal subject of rock ‘n’ roll is resistance.
But the thing that Xinyan resists is not a concrete thing, but rather, the conceptual shackles of “prejudice.”
She was born into a poor family, and her parents placed great stock in her, giving her the best of what little they had in the hopes that she would be able to rise to “become a phoenix.”
Of course, this “phoenix” would have to be something that they would recognize.
But things don’t always turn out as planned. Xinyan grew to be taller than most girls, and her looks were far from anything that might be considered “cute.” Nor was she any good at any of the feminine arts, whether it was cooking, chores, needlework.
So, since her childhood was so deeply impacted by such “prejudices,” Xinyan understands how terrifying they could be.
Yet becoming a rock ‘n’ roll star has not caused her to give up on these other arts.
This is not only because she hates losing, but because she feels that “giving up because you have no talent” is itself a prejudiced belief.
Not long ago, a fan of Xinyan’s named Yun Jin was invited to her place as a guest.
But if Xinyan hadn’t opened the door herself, Yun Jin would have thought that she had the wrong house.
The house was spick and span, the windows were clean, and the home ornaments were hand-made and immaculately arranged.
The cooktop was still moist, indicating that someone had been cooking not long before, and there was half-sewn cloth by the bedside that looked much like the decorations Xinyan wore during her performances.
Why, this was practically the room of some refined lady of reputable upbringing, with nary any spirit of rock ‘n’ roll to be found!
Xinyan was quite worried that this fan of hers would find the difference between their impression of “rock ‘n’ roll” and this reality too jarring.
Unexpectedly, Yun Jin’s support and fandom would only grow more intense after this.
The way Xinyan sees it, many adults fail to realize their potential because they are tied down by prejudice, giving in to fear and endless anxiety.
They do not understand what life is about, or where they are going.
She wrote these thoughts into her songs, but invited scorn from the very same adults. “What does this brat know?”
Even so, Xinyan did not waver. After all, such mockery was born of prejudice towards her age.
And if prejudice were something so easily overthrown, there would be no value in resisting it, would there?
She believes that rock ‘n’ roll is like a seed. After every performance, some seeds might sprout within the hearts of those adults who listen.
When they wake up the next day, perhaps they might receive some inspiration, or perhaps a change of mood will come over them…
Even if it only changes their thinking a little bit… Perhaps they might find that the real-life troubles they are facing are nothing but a storm in a teacup.
Of course, few people other than her audience and the “friends of rock” would credit this to rock ‘n’ roll.
But people do nonetheless say this around the tables after tea.
“Well, having a girl who plays rock ‘n’ roll is pretty interesting, no?”
Xinyan’s main instrument is a hand-made lyre of a very unique design. She based it off the rock ‘n’ roll instruments that were imported from Fontaine before adding additional modifications based on personal understanding.
For example, she mounted a crescent-shaped axe-blade on the tail end of the instrument so it might serve as a weapon in a pinch.
She also connected it to her Vision, allowing it to spew flames and sparks. Its internals can also spew flame, all the better for it to self-destruct if it falls into the wrong hands, preventing its misuse…
The list of modifications goes on, and they are too numerous to count.
This instrument is thus unique, and its sound profile is also special.
—Sorry, what? What do you mean, “these modifications sound like they have nothing to do with music?”
Sounds like you, too, need to attend one of her performances. You’ll understand then.
Xinyan was someone who never fit in in Liyue Harbor, and she only found where she belonged when she encountered rock ‘n’ roll.
But because she lived in a land that had no place for rock ‘n’ roll yet, she needed to be able to attract enough attention.
She immersed herself in the world of music, looking for a way to move people’s hearts. She broke many an instrument and played till calluses formed on both hands, but still, it was unsatisfactory.
“Who’d want to listen to this racket?”
The rotten-tomato reviews she received were starting to get to her. She wondered if she should quit.
Sitting on top of Mt. Tianheng, she looked down over Liyue Harbor. But though the lights lit the streets and alleys of the harbor, they could not light the flame of the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll.
She considered leaving, to go someplace where rock ‘n’ roll was appreciated. But would this not be running away? Would it not be a betrayal of rock ‘n’ roll’s spirit of resistance?
No, she would not leave. She would become a “flame” that could light Liyue Harbor up.
She started experimenting with the use of fire to move people, adding sparks and explosions to her music.
But this was no mean feat for an ordinary person.
Who knows how many times she must have burnt her fingers or blown her instrument up. But still, she continued to practice every single day on top of Mt. Tianheng.
And perhaps it was that the gods themselves had great expectations of this new form of music that would soon grace the seven nations…
But regardless, the boiling-hot Vision would be the final stroke of perfection.
Xinyan dashed down the mountain and began her very first rock ‘n’ roll concert in Liyue Harbor.
Thus did her musical journey begin, with showers of sparks and explosions keeping time.
To be written…
While walking through Hanamizaka, it is hard not to notice a young man of the oni race named Arataki Itto.
Never mind his horns or piercing voice sticking out like sore thumbs — the sight of him enthusiastically joining in to play childrens’ games is enough to set him apart from the crowd.
In any case, his obvious lack of things to do stands in stark contrast to Hanamizaka itself, where craftspeople gather in droves and busy themselves all day long.
Itto claims to be the “first and greatest head of the Arataki Gang,” the responsibilities and duties of which he tried to explain to some Tenryou Commission officials when they came to him to investigate a rather harmless street brawl. Unfortunately, they interrupted him not two minutes into the explanation before marking him down as “unemployed.”
That designation is not exactly accurate, of course: other than the Gang’s activities, which the Shogunate does not acknowledge, Itto does also do some odd jobs to stay solvent, usually working one day before taking three days off.
As such, a more accurate designation should have been “three-quarters unemployed.”
Objectively speaking, Itto’s reputation leaves much to be desired within Inazuma City.
Even though he is not considered a villain, he is certainly no law-abiding citizen either. If one really had to assign some sort of hazard level to him, then perhaps the level of being used by parents to keep naughty children in line (“If you don’t behave, Arataki Itto will come and snatch your snacks away!” for example) might suffice.
That said, unlike threats of “the Great Mujina Youkai grabbing you and taking you deep into the mountains,” or “being inlaid upon the Shogun’s statue,” the scenario threatened here can actually occur.
Still, “snatching” is, again, not accurate, for the fate of these snacks is decided fair and square by ritual combat!
In the eyes of many, winning snacks off kids in competitions is exceedingly shameless, but Itto believes that every battle must be taken seriously, whether one’s foe is a 5-year old child or the Almighty Shogun herself.
It is also due to this conviction that Itto can lose to a child without any reservations at all.
And while the adults have much to say about his behavior, the children find Itto the big oni to be a rather good playmate.
He is knowledgeable about all manner of street games and plays them all with great gusto. He also stands up for any who are being bullied.
Lately, the children have been very into Onikabuto battles against Itto.
The rules of this game are simple and the fighting is both fierce and very watchable. Most importantly of all, they actually have a pretty decent chance of winning this one, unlike with other games.
For the longest time, the Tenryou Commission has regarded the Arataki Gang as a group of only occasional troublemakers who do not require that much attention.
This group only has less than 10 regular members and there are many internal disagreements concerning the date of its founding.
Akira believes that it all began when Itto saved him from a few two-bit ruffians. That day, Itto persisted even after having been knocked to the ground 7 times, ultimately causing the punks to back off in annoyance. Helping Akira up from the ground, Itto declared: “Well, guess you’re with the Arataki Gang now!”
Genta and Mamoru believe that the Gang was truly founded at the end of a certain year when they all squatted on the outskirts of Inazuma City and roasted Lavender Melons.
That day, not one of them had a single Mora to their name, and they were all very hungry indeed. While gorging himself on a melon, Itto said with a sigh, “We should roast Lavender Melons like this every year!”
That said, neither Genta nor Mamoru thinks that these experiences need much memorializing.
For Kuki Shinobu, the Gang was officially formed the first time she had to drag Itto’s sorry behind out of Shogunate gaol, for this was the first time any official records had ever made mention of the Arataki Gang.
As for Itto, he believes that the Arataki Gang existed from the first moment those words entered his mind.
Unfortunately, he no longer remembers when that was.
And as for Granny Oni, who has taken care of Itto since he was young, she believes that the Gang was never formed.
To her, these children are just “Itto and his friends.”
The land of Inazuma has been home to the oni race since antiquity.
They existed here alongside the lordly Hakushin kitsune bloodline and the tengu.
Such youkai often have supernatural abilities that humans could only look upon in envy, but the oni lack many special traits in that regard.
Other than the horns on their heads, they are mostly remembered for their explosive tempers and penchant for making trouble.
As for their legendary fear of beans, it has a scientific basis.
As it turns out, oni are allergic to beans. However, because the oni bloodline has thinned out greatly over time, most people display only very minor allergic reactions.
Unfortunately for Itto, his allergies are still pretty severe. Forget eating beans, so long as he makes skin contact with them, Itto will get itchy all over and even find it hard to breathe.
This thus makes beans the only thing that the usually carefree Itto is particularly wary of in his daily life.
For their part, the Arataki Gang members do not order any dishes made with beans, not even in private, as a mark of respect for him.
Of all products made with beans, Itto fears Fried Tofu the most — indeed, he even says that the very sight of it leaves him feeling queasy for three days straight.
And when one mentions Fried Tofu, a certain pyrrhic victory immediately comes to mind.
The battle that caused that incident began as a rather pedestrian conflict: a fox-eared lady had happened to sit in the chair that Itto would customarily sit on while eating at his favorite food stand… and on his payday, no less.
The two began a contest of words over whom the chair belonged to, culminating in a straight-up (unnecessary) battle.
Itto, hungry from a hard day’s work, chose an eating contest, while the fox-eared lady chose a theme of “kitsune ramen.”
Itto was momentarily at a loss when he realized that said ramen contained Fried Tofu, but with the oni race’s pride on the line, he soldiered on gamely en route to victory nonetheless.
And as for that innocent chair, it was ultimately given to Itto as a trophy by the rather mortified owner of the food stand.
Regarding the various contests he has been in, there are two that still weigh on Itto’s mind quite heavily.
One of them is the rematch that he demanded of Kujou Sara, who defeated him and took his Vision as part of her duties in the Tenryou Commission.
To this day, the Kujou has not agreed to the street corner sumo match, something that frustrates Itto to no end.
The other incident happened many years ago when Itto was young. Then, he had gotten into an argument with a young tengu, the result of which was a sumo match in the Byakko Plain. Unexpectedly, the ensuing furor sent them both rolling down a mountain.
In the end, it was the tengu who carried Itto, who could not walk after spraining his ankle, all the way home. Of course, the match went unsettled.
Just his luck, Itto often thinks, that both such incidents had to do with tengu!
Also, how on earth were these tengu all so strong despite looking so skinny?
Every oni child has probably heard the story of the Crimson Oni and the Blue Oni:
The gentle, helpful Crimson Oni defeated the wicked Blue Oni, thus winning the respect of the humans.
This was Itto’s favorite story when he was young, and he was proud of his red oni horns and his Crimson Oni lineage.
However, this simple pride was shaken by a certain incident.
When incidents of robbery occurred in the village in which Itto lived, the Arataki family fell under suspicion on account of their oni heritage.
Itto no longer remembers the details of that incident, but he remembers the wary, disgusted stares the villagers gave him and his parents as they left, and the parting words they said, which Itto has heard countless times since:
“Once an oni, always an oni.”
No matter the time period, all oni are the same as far as humans are concerned. In that case, would it not be better to become the Blue Oni, whom people feared? Surely that was preferable to being like his parents, who were driven out despite having done nothing wrong.
After his parents died of illness, the young Itto was turned out onto the streets, where he would lay into anyone who spoke ill of the oni race.
Well, Itto was mostly the one getting laid into. But he proved quite the pain in the neck, never giving up no matter how many times they knocked him down.
Still, he was only a child and eventually collapsed on the street due to exhaustion and hunger after a terrible round of beatings at the hands of some ruffians who had banded together against him.
At this moment of crisis, Itto was saved by an old human woman.
“Why did you save me? Can’t you see that I’m an oni?” “You must be hungry. Come, I’ve made some porridge.”
“I told you, I’m an oni! Can’t you see them horns?” “Oh, I can see them. Do you want some of that porridge, by the way?”
“Agh, you know what, you’re not listening to me at all. Oh, alright… One bowl of porridge, please.” “Coming right up.”
As the year was drawing to a close, the Arataki Gang met to discuss how they might celebrate the turnover of the year.
As opposed to more reputable organizations, the Arataki Gang did not have any fixed venues to hold their activities, which posed some… logistical issues.
The Lavender Melon suggestion was quickly eliminated. While roasting melons itself was certainly not an issue, eating only that to celebrate the new year certainly was.
An Onikabuto festival was considered, but the year’s end was not mating season, and so the contestants would not be half as motivated as they usually were.
Ultimately, lots were drawn, and the “Great Singalong” was selected.
This activity was suggested by Itto himself, and it entailed everyone standing on a cliff and singing against the ocean wind to express their innermost feelings and well-wishes for the future.
The various gang members actually rejected this in their hearts when they found out about it. After all, screaming into the wind was nowhere near as fun as eating melons. Kuki Shinobu even indicated that she would like to take leave to return home on that day.
However, the event went through nonetheless. The yelling and hollering were indeed quite soothing for the soul — and as things unexpectedly turned out, Itto was quite the good singer as well.
Itto’s Vision was something he found under his hip after waking up one morning. By that point, he had already been in Hanamizaka for many a year, and his livelihood was at least somewhat stable.
“Well I never! Dad, Mom, Gramps, Granny, and Granny Oni, this… Now isn’t this something?”
These were Itto’s real thoughts as he first looked upon his Vision.
That day, he would excitedly show his Vision to every person he met, even showing people where it had made an indentation on his back until everyone was thoroughly sick of hearing the story.
A few days later, however, the story would change a little:
“Now as you know, I wasn’t surprised at all when I first saw that Vision. I mean, you’d expect as much out of the first and greatest head of the Arataki Gang, after all!”
“More importantly, a person’s worth isn’t something that can be determined by a mere Vision, oh no, sir!”
The keen-eyed, however, would notice that Itto had bought a very soft spectacle cloth.
Also, a certain question showed up in the advice column of the “That’s Life” magazine that went like this:
“Ms. Hina, how should I best take care of my Vision and make it shinier? And when I say ‘shinier,’ I mean shinier than everyone else’s, of course!”
When gang members read this and excitedly showed the magazine to Itto, they were surprised to see the long-time fan of Ms. Hina just look at the mag casually before laying it aside.
Kaeya Alberich is the adopted son of one of the old Aristocratic families of Mondstadt, the Ragnvindr family. As such he’s Diluc’s adopted brother, although the two of them haven’t been going along for a while. As of now, Kaeya works as one of the ten Chivalry Captains of the Knights of Favonius.
Kaeya is often seen frequenting taverns rather than in the Knight of Favonius’ Headquarters. From the looks of it, Kaeya likes to act as a laid back man who loves fun, becoming popular with the elderly in the process, but this act is part of his work. In these taverns he often talks with bandits and hunters, lowering their defences with his smooth talking and making them spill out any secrets they may have.
He’s the type of guy that believes that “the end justifies the means”. He once triggered a Ruin Guard to cut off some bandits he was chasing, putting his own man at risk. He’s reckless, but has a cavalier attitude. Although Jeans trusts him, she can’t do anything but shake his head in disapproval when such occasions occur, but that’s what Kaeya likes: putting people in difficult situations, and the look of fear in his enemies’ eyes.
There was a time when a knight found out that when the drink called Death After Noon was out of season due to lack of supply, criminal activities plummeted, just to increase again once it was once again available. Instead of praising that knight’s findings, Kaeya simply said “Interesting, I’ll look into it” with a wry smile.
Kaeya doesn’t like to talk about his past, even when Grand Master Varka asked about it, he didn’t go into much detail. He only said that he was abandoned by his father near the Dawn Winery, and left. After that, he was found by Diluc’s father, who took him in. But that’s not all there is to his past, a well crafted lie. He remembers his father firmly squeezing his shoulders as he looked into his eyes, seemingly looking through Kaeya into some place beyond. “This is your chance. You are our only hope” his father said. What his father saw in his eyes was their homeland, Khaneri’ah. Kaeya still remembers the look of hatred and hope his father had before leaving.
After Crepus, Diluc’s father took him in, both he and Diluc became very close, almost close as twins, till one day, Crepus’ convoy was attacked, and to fend off the monsters, Crepus used a power he shouldn’t have used, that took his life. Diluc was with him. Kaeya was late. Seeing the power Crepus used, Kaeya could only utter “This world is truly… fascinating.”
The power their father wielded was called a Delusion, and in that heavy rain, Diluc took his father’s life to put him out of his misery, Kaeya decided he didn’t want to interfere. Kaeya was still coveting his secret: being an agent of Khaneri’ah, placed in Mondstadt to serve their interests. He often asked himself which side he’d pick if Mondstadt and Khaenri’ah went to war, unable to make a decision. Crepus’ death triggered something in him, he didn’t save him, and didn’t share Diluc’s grief. That night he revealed everything to Diluc out of guilt, that maddened, drew his blade against him. During that fight, Diluc’s flames fought Kaeya’s ice as he received his Vision. From then on, the two brothers went their separate ways. Kaeya’s Vision thus became a reminder of the burden of his lies.
Gorou is the great general of Watatsumi Island’s military, and he is deeply loved by his subordinates.
During the period of the Vision Hunt Decree, Gorou led the forces of Watatsumi against the Shogun’s Army, and successfully held the line against them.
The troops call him the “ever-victorious pointy-eared general,” a nickname that has also seen broad use among Shogunate warriors.
In private, however, Gorou puts on no airs and is a straightforward person, which has led him to be regarded by all as the man with the plan.
But even such an exemplary general must have his fair share of troubles…
Gorou was once an ordinary Watatsumi soldier.
During a certain special operation, Gorou’s unit, Gorgasia II, faced an unprecedented crisis.
Their captain had been felled by a stray arrow, and the survivors were surrounded deep in the mountains.
To continue their mission, to ask for reinforcements, to open negotiations with the enemy… Countless choices lay before them, but the mountain was silent.
Leaderless and without any supplies, the unit was on its last legs. With their morale flagging, thoughts of surrender shrouded many minds.
At this critical moment, Gorou stood up. He rejected negotiation and surrender, and instead proposed a bold plan.
They would not hide any longer. Instead, he would lead the larger part of the platoon in a feigned attack to buy the others a chance to call for reinforcements. Once those reinforcements arrived, they could perform a pincer attack together.
When asked what they should do if they failed, Gorou replied:
“If the enemy surrounds us any further, our options will be even more limited. The way I see it, we still have a chance, so we’ve got to give it all we’ve got.”
“I’ll take responsibility if the plan fails.”
After holding the line for several days without rest, the exhausted Gorou and his companions were finally relieved by a force led by Sangonomiya Kokomi herself.
After that, he was promoted to serve as the captain of Gorgasia II, and from there he would work his way up to the rank of General.
In the eyes of the men, Gorou is a strict but humble general.
He is straightforward and easy-going, and he treats his subordinates like his own family, sharing weal and woe with them.
Sangonomiya Kokomi once told Gorou that material, supplies, and salaries were the three most important things to an army.
From that day on, he would personally explain weapon maintenance to his subordinates. Every time the granaries were opened, he would supervise the process strictly to prevent any unlawful deductions.
And as General Gorou, he will always lead from the front.
The sight of him charging at the tip of the spear is like a rallying banner, encouraging the troops behind him to continue advancing.
These are all reasons why the troops greatly respect him. As with Kokomi, Gorou greatly treasures the lives of his troops, but by contrast, values his own quite little.
Some who understand little of the thought process behind this occasionally joke that Gorou is a “kid” who doesn’t seem like a general at all.
But to the soldiers of Watatsumi Island, this kid is the best general they could ask for.
Gorou is valiant and decisive, often leading inferior forces to victory over superior opposition.
However, he does have a shortcoming of his own — a sometimes unstable temper.
That is to say that the blood sometimes rushes to his head at the height of a battle.
War is cruel, and Gorou does indeed lack experience compared to veterans who have been scrapping it out on battlefields for decades.
Fortunately, he learns fast and is currently trying to make up for his various small failings.
Sangonomiya Kokomi often provides her various commanders with directives, but how they are used is up to the skill of the commander in question.
For his part, Gorou is always able to execute the courses of action that best suit the present situation from the directives he has been given.
Gorou believes that over time, he will come to internalize the concepts behind them. Perhaps then, he can take the field with even more confidence than before.
At Yae Miko’s request, Gorou has taken up a certain extra “job” at Yae Publishing House.
With the end of the Vision Hunt Decree, and the successful negotiations between Watatsumi Island and the Shogunate, relations between the two sides are beginning to warm.
Gorou has also visited Narukami Island quite a few times to check out the changes, buy a few popular books, and go to Yae Publishing House to complete the task he agreed to help with.
Yae Miko set up an anonymous column for Gorou in the “That’s Life” magazine. Here, readers will write about the things that trouble them and send them to Yae Publishing House, upon which Gorou will give them some suggestions.
Yae Publishing House will take special care to redact any personal information revealed on the part of the write-ins or Gorou’s replies, and will replace real names with pseudonyms.
According to Yae Miko, she chose him because she’d heard that he often listened to his subordinates when they chatted about personal matters.
The column proved to be very popular indeed, but for whatever reason, every time an editor delivers the royalties to Gorou, they might sheepishly ask:
“Ah, speaking of which, Gorou, have you heard of Ms. Hina?”
“I’ve heard that she’s a rather popular columnist, and a recent one, too. Is something the matter?”
“Oh, no, no… It’s nothing…”
Just as the troops don’t exactly tell Gorou everything happening in their lives, Gorou, too, has some troubles that are difficult to share.
For example, how his tail fur starts to get dull and look haggard after being exposed to the elements for too long, and how he’d love to tend to it — if he could only spare the time out in the field.
Or how he sometimes feels a bit inferior about his slight physique when bathing together with his subordinates.
Or about how encountering inscrutable women like Yae Miko sends him into defense mode instantly, rendering him unable to properly interact with them…
In trying to maintain a respectable image, Gorou refrains from telling his soldiers about such troubles.
And while they have been able to guess at his troubles to some extent, the Watatsumi soldiers often just play along and pretend that they don’t notice.
As such, his worries just kept piling up, until the Traveler arrived, thus granting the Watatsumi general, ever good at banishing the worries of others, someone who could help relieve him of his own woes.
Of Gorou’s various hobbies, “mountaineering” is likely up there in the top three.
Sweating it out while climbing a mountain with companions before admiring the beauty all around you helps to train both the mind and body and is a great camaraderie-builder.
To better enjoy this hobby of his, Gorou bought a set of mountaineering gear from a traveling merchant.
The set is not particularly pricey, but it is both sturdy and durable and has seen Gorou through many dangerous ascents.
Just as he maintains his weapons well, Gorou has also kept this set of gear in tip-top shape. There is little doubt that it will accompany him through many future journeys as well.
There was a time when Gorou ascribed responsibility for victory or loss in battle entirely to himself.
“If only I became a little stronger, perhaps I’d be able to turn the tide.”
It was in this spirit that Gorou trained his archery day and night, hoping to rely on his strength to lead his comrades to victory.
But after some time on the battlefield, Gorou saw powerful warriors being isolated and captured alive, while weak troops in inferior positions could rout their enemies through unity.
That was when Gorou realized that a single person’s battlefield capabilities are limited.
Getting stronger is important, naturally, but uniting the troops to fight as one is even more crucial.
A troop can only be unbeatable if they are strong together.
Having realized this, Gorou no longer pursued the apex of excellence in archery, but instead invested time and effort in those around him, helping everyone improve together.
Thinking back on it, this may have opened the door for Gorou to obtain his Vision.
To be written…
Ei finally left the Plane of Euthymia and witnessed the change always present in Inazuma. She has had much to consider as of late.
You may come across this quest while exploring, or you can start it by talking to a ghost somewhere beneath the Dainichi Mikoshi
Start this quest by talking to the ghost just east of the westernmost waypoint in the Serpent’s Heart
After battling her puppet for centuries and meeting her sister one final time, Ei has finally abolished the Sakoku Decree. It’s time for some journeys in other nations!
Last time in Dragonspine, the Traveler worked with Albedo to uncover the secrets of Durin and the snowy mountain, but now something new seems to be stirring.