"Eh? That man is here too?!"

Paimon immediately hid behind Lumine.

"Which man?"

"He’s the only man here."

Although that man was indeed annoying, Lumine had to admit she couldn’t do anything about him.

Setting aside the fact that he possessed power surpassing even the Seven Archons—

Just the three Raiden Shoguns alone were more than enough to overwhelm her.

And then there was the Tsaritsa backing him.

Lumine couldn’t find a reason to oppose him.

Or rather, maybe one day when she decided she no longer cared about living, she could come to him and ask to be sent off properly.

But until then—

Better not.

Still, it was good that he happened to be here.

"I’d like to ask you for help. It’s about Kitsune Saiguu."

Perhaps only this man could solve what seemed impossible.

Originally, Lumine had planned to ask Yae Miko.

If Miko couldn’t manage it—

Then she would have to request Su Ran’s help.

But now he was already here.

Saved her the trouble.

"Something about Kitsune Saiguu? Let’s hear it."

At the mention of Saiguu, Miko’s interest was piqued.

Could it be that Saiguu had left something behind in Inazuma?

Lumine quickly explained how she had met Hanachirusato near Konda Village.

How she had helped perform the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual.

And how she ultimately learned Hanachirusato’s true nature.

After discovering her inevitable fate—

Lumine couldn’t accept it.

She and Paimon had accompanied Hanachirusato for quite some time.

Perhaps they hadn’t formed an unbreakable bond—

But they couldn’t simply watch her dissolve alongside the corruption.

So they came to the Grand Narukami Shrine.

Hoping Yae Miko could help.

"Ah... but she herself is a form of corruption. Even I... can do nothing."

That was the core problem.

Hanachirusato wasn’t a living being.

She was a manifestation of filth—

One that inherited Saiguu’s memories.

At her core, she was still part of the corruption.

Even if Miko wished to save her, she couldn’t think of a way.

But sometimes—

Fortune aligned perfectly.

Su Ran had returned.

With him here—

What problem couldn’t be solved?

"I just got back and instead of welcoming me with a feast, you’re already putting me to work?"

Not even a proper reception—

Just straight to labor?

Yae Miko was shameless.

And Lumine had terrible timing.

"That’s someone who inherited Lady Saiguu’s memories. I can’t bear to watch her disappear. Just help the little fox, won’t you?"

It had to be said—

A five-hundred-year-old fox spirit’s charm was formidable.

An ordinary man would already be hopelessly bewitched.

Even Su Ran felt a flicker of temptation.

He was still a man, after all.

"Fine. Let’s recruit her to work at the shrine. She’s a shrine maiden anyway—fits the job."

"I knew you were the best!"

If others weren’t present, Miko might’ve rewarded him with a kiss.

She now understood Ei’s joy.

Su Ran truly was a wish-granting machine.

When they arrived—

Lumine had come with only Paimon.

When they left—

She had two major figures accompanying her.

She practically walked with the wind at her back.

At the foot of the mountain, they passed a Fatui Electro Cicin Mage who often lingered near the Kamisato Estate.

Seeing Su Ran behind Lumine—

The mage didn’t dare provoke them.

She even waved cheerfully.

"It seems Lord Su Ran holds quite the reputation within the Fatui. There are many informants around here. The moment you appear, they greet you happily."

The Fatui were everywhere in Teyvat.

Even the Grand Narukami Shrine wasn’t exempt.

There was even a Fatui agent within the shrine itself.

Miko had noticed—

But since the girl worked diligently and might even be poached over—

She hadn’t exposed her.

Anyone else would’ve long since become a wandering spirit.

At the massive cave entrance at the foot of the shrine’s mountain—

A wave of corruption surged outward.

The sheer malice made Miko frown.

Purifying corruption was the duty of shrine maidens.

She knew the proper method.

But the oppressive aura below made her instinctively cover her nose and mouth.

Meeting the corruption that inherited Saiguu’s memories—

That was fine.

But the rest of the filth below—

That was something else entirely.

It felt as though it hungered for prey.

Even standing at the entrance—

Su Ran found the stench nauseating.

Truly worthy of being called "filth."

He had no desire to descend personally.

But for Hanachirusato’s sake—

The power of the Path of Erudition gathered in his hand.

Though Erudition wasn’t specialized for purification—

Brute force would suffice.

The power of the Path directly eradicated the source below—

The Tumor of Filth.

However—

He deliberately left a small portion intact.

Because of that—

Hanachirusato wasn’t eliminated along with it.

Deep in the cave, Hanachirusato couldn’t comprehend what had happened.

Someone had skipped the ritual process entirely—

And directly destroyed the tumor.

But why leave some behind?

She watched as Lumine and Paimon glided down with wind gliders.

Alongside a man she had only heard rumors about—

And the current Guuji of the shrine, Yae Miko.

"So you’re the shrine maiden who inherited Lady Kitsune Saiguu’s memories?"

Miko stepped forward with interest.

Watching this scene—

Su Ran couldn’t help feeling something was... off.

He half-expected Miko to suddenly tilt her head charmingly.

After all—

They were both foxes.

—------------------------------

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