Aboard The Crux Fleet 3

"A Treasure Map?!" As expected of a pirate, she knows what she wants.

"Indeed! As someone who is well versed in the study of the geography of Inazuma, while being an Inazuman myself..." The merchant proclaimed.

"I have marked every location throughout the Archipelago in which a treasure might exist!" Lumine looked so done with this.

"Where exactly did you get this information?" Beidou carefully questioned.

"From my own research, naturally! Inazuma had a lot of history in terms of war, and countless gems was buried underground because of it." He lamented.

"I also had experts help me to figure out the locations accurately." Aka, The Raiden Twins.

"Treasure... Did I hear treasure?! Ah-" The blonde shoved a fish into the critters mouth with no remorse.

" *Clap* An outstanding achievement." Kazuha praised. Let's see how far these two can keep this up...

"...Hmm... How can we trust you for this information? I'd rather not set off on a senseless voyage..." The Captain inquired.

Kazuha had a stare off with the merchant in which Lu nodded in affirmation. The wanderer then whispered something to the pirate that made her wide-eyed.

"... Is that true?" Beidou asked for confirmation.

"Umu. Keep it between all of us. I wouldn't want to wake up a sleeping dragon~." Lu sent a grin, signaling the end of him playing the fool.

"No wonder my intuition was telling me that there's something else with you. That handsome face of yours was simply a waste for a merchant..." She replied with her own grin.

"Oya? Are you trying to play with my heart, Miss Beidou~?" The deity sent a wink.

"Nothing of the sorts. I'm merely relying my thoughts." The captain seems like someone who is hard to crack.

" *Cough* Actually, I was the one who recommended you, Beidou. Can you take this on my behalf?" Lumine interrupted with a mysterious smile.

"Sure! There has been nothing to do in the seas nowadays, so this is actually a blessing from the ones above." Beidou indirectly complimented Lu, yet it seemed to be more targeted to the blonde.

"But still... For something this grand of a scale, I was expecting you to be the first to volunteer, Lumine. You really love this kind of things, after all." The pirate teased.

"Hmph! I simply had something better to do." The traveler murmured.

"Okay... I won't pry! How's the payment gonna be, Your Majesty?"

"Lu is fine. The cut is 50-50. We get our old artifacts back, your group gets half of its price. If you fancy a treasure then tell me, you can have it but it will be deducted from your final payment." Everyone in the room was shocked by the generous offer.

"Just make sure you don't covet too much... I can only give so much of our national treasure." Lu chuckled.

"This is too good to be true... is what I would say if it was somebody else. But I'll trust Lumine on this one. I accept your offer, Lu." Beidou accepted with a smile and offered a handshake.

Needless to say that the deity didn't reject it. Though the moment it was done, she immediately took the map for herself. She really enjoys this kind of thing, doesn't she?...

"Don't worry, Beidou. If this guys tries to trick you, I'll help you teach him a lesson. He can't keep getting away with every scheme he does..." What a dangerous support...

"Now then... Kaedahara Kazuha, I actually have something else planned for you." Raiden Lu stated in a serious tone.

"What may it be, Your Majesty?" The young samurai fixed himself once he heard his clan name getting mentioned.

"Should I leave?" Beidou raised a question.

"Please stay, Captain. I trust you enough for this... And it reassures me go have a great ally on my side." Kazuha answered on Lu's behalf. The former merchant only shrugged.

...

At this moment, there were two wanderers listening intently to what the deity might say. One pirate eavesdropping while mesmerized by a treasure map. And a creature that still hasn't finished eating...

"The thing is... I want you to continue the legacy of your clan, Kazuha. Out of the Raiden Gokaden, the bladesmithing clans of Inazuma, only one remained standing. If we could get your help, there will be another one at least..."

"... That's a tall order, Your Majesty..." The young man replied.

"Don't misunderstand. I'm not suggesting that you should halt your path as a wanderer. I merely want you to come back occasionally to pursue the Isshin Art that your clan created. And..." He remained silent for a second, then took a deep breath.

"I hope you can accept my sincere apology on behalf of my wife, The Raiden Shogun." Raiden Lu bowed before the flabbergasted young man.

...

"R-Raise your head, Your Majesty! I held no grudge for the fate of my friend-" Kazuha panicked.

"This doesn't pertain to that event. The disastrous incident that happened to the Raiden Gokaden. Ring a bell?" It seemed like it did.

"That event was caused by Scaramouche. A rouge puppet made by Ei. It wasn't precisely her fault, of course. But I believe an apology is still needed for the fact that no one came to aid them..." Lu bowed deeper to showcase his sincerity.

"... I see... Sigh* Raise your head, Lu. This apology of yours, I accept it... But regarding your first offer, lend me some time to go over it more." Kazuha answered.

" *Whistle* What a scene. Never thought I would see a god bow down in my whole life." Beidou joked.

"I-Is that really you, fake merchant?! You didn't get possessed, did you?!!!" Paimon's finally done...

"Was it really that big of a thing? I wanted Ei to apologize in person, but I couldn't really shamelessly ask her since I'm the root cause of all that happened in the end. Hahaha..." The deity chuckled awkwardly.

What he said definitely caused some questions for others. But it was too much of a shocking day for them to think more of it.

Though the one that was taken aback by the series of events the most was Lumine...

...

"Ziya... Ziya..." She deluded herself into thinking that the person she was with was simply an ordinary man.

An interesting one that's for sure, but ordinary in the end. She kept averting her eyes from the truth like she once did as she traveled throughout the stars...

'Everything will once again fade by the end of my journey', she told herself.

But...

"Lu... Lu..." Lumine could no longer focus on her sole goal...

"....."

"..."

"Lu." The traveler of the continuously repeated in her mind while gripping her fist.

Rough enough for it to bleed...

***

Don't forget the powerstones! It's the easiest way for me to check how many people read the latest one.

If we reach 200 powerstones this week, I'll upload a bonus chapter by the end!