52 Yae's cruelty

"Why are you so nervous? Isn't it a bit late for that?" asked Yae with a smile I knew was fake.

"Shogun-sama, when are we going to start?" I asked the judge here. The earlier we start the earlier I can start talking.

"The duel started the moment you were seated in front of each other" she sternly said. 

Oh, my bad.

"Then, Yae Miko, I will talk to you as an equal. There will be no positions, and no personal relationships between us" I started, making Yae narrow her eyes. She knew what I was doing, I had been talking to her but I was telling the Shogun to not be influenced by their friendship.

"Very well Kenshin, I will do the same" she formally said, but I felt her anger. She now had to treat me as an equal when I was nothing more than a kid she picked up.

"Then, the writer of this morally degenerated book is trying to harm your reputation, isn't he?" I asked with a smirk. I will try to let the Shogun get a picture of our writer, to later convince her that leaving this matter alone is not a good idea.

"Yes" she nodded.

"That's a lie" I widely smiled.

"Why do you-" she narrowed her eyes at me. We never decided that my ability was not permitted.

Now she realized that I could call her bullshit, but she couldn't do the same with mine.

"This is an unfair duel" and she cried to the judge, who looked conflicted.

She, just like Yae, forgot about my ability, they had been too focused on the affair thing.

"Indeed it is" I admitted. "I, a 15-year-old human need to duel a 500-year-old youkai. It's extremely unfair" I sent Yae a a mocking look.

"Hmm, that should balance things" Ei nodded, making Yae frown.

Things were greatly in my favour.

"Are you going to answer?" I taunted her.

"No, I don't think his or her purpose is to harm us" she gritted her teeth and answered, making the Shogun look at her with surprise.

"Shogun-sama may be confused, but you should know that we knew about this dastardly person from a while ago. He/She has been profanating Yae's characters, making them do extremely lewd and complex rituals of mating, also known as sex" I explained to the lost person here.

Ei looked confused but nodded seriously. She was really into her role as a judge.

"Then why do you think he did this? It is harming the stability of Inazuma" Yae asked me this time. Playing the 'harming Eternity' card is very effective against Ei.

Even if the duel was between us, to make the other admit defeat, at this point, we were trying to convince the supposedly impartial judge. We both are sly and cunning people.

"Hmm, maybe" I admitted. "But it doesn't matter. You could kill him or imprison him, I don't care"

"Indeed, what we need to focus on is the problem at hand" Yae also nodded. 

"But before that, I think we both agreed that this writer is doing all this for money right?" I asked Yae. It was a lie, I was doing it for fun, but nobody sane would do this for fun, so the only plausible reason is money.

"Yes" Yae nodded.

The Shogun was confused about this, even if her face didn't change. Yae saw my look and looked alarmed for the first time

I had another advantage, I could gauge the Shogun's reactions while she couldn't.

"What do you think will happen if we speak to say that the book is false?" asked Yae with a frown, and I could feel her nervousness. I had everything in my favour.

"People will start talking about it more, and even those who didn't learn about it will now be interested. As a result, the book will be sought after even more. Ultimately, more people will have doubts and the author will get rich". In fact, that is what is going to happen regardless of what we decide to do here.

Yae and Ei are both girls, and a man has some thoughts only another man can understand. They are overestimating men, sometimes 2 tits pull stronger than 2 carts.

The book is bound to be famous.

"Then why did you propose to speak up?" asked Yae with a sharp look.

"Because the alternative is worse. If you shut up, some people won't even learn about it, and the ones that do will forget about the thing" I honestly admitted.

"Are you surrendering?" asked the Shogun in her calm voice.

"Of course not. Until here, I agree that Yae's decision is better. But what happens when the next book is published?" I asked with a serious expression.

"Why..why do you think there will be a second volume" asked Yae with a trembling voice. I guess expecting a second one was too weird.

"Why not? I saw a few boxes of books being sent to Liyue, and they will probably sell very well. Even you admitted that the writer was very good right?" I asked Yae with a raised eyebrow".

"Yes" she grudgingly admitted.

"Then the writer will find himself swimming in money. Why wouldn't he write a second one?. In fact, as long as he is winning money, he will probably make an entire collection". Now the ideas are flowing in my mind. I need to start writing now.

"...." Yae fell silent.

"Your idea is way better if it was only about this specific case, but for the situation in general, mine is better. Of course, but our ideas are only a stop-gap, the only way to solve this is to catch that bastard" I ended my speech.

"Miko" Ei said, prompting Yae to speak.

"You are basing your argument on the fact that the writer will make a second volume. You are acting without having solid proof, and that is irresponsible. We may catch the writer tomorrow, and no second volume will be published, but then we will have already messed up" she desperately said.

Heh, do you think that's enough? That's a stupid argument, I have all the proof I need. As you said before, the writer's objective is money and money he is making. So he will not stop, so even a fourth volu-

"Kenshin" the Shogun looked at me, and I returned her gaze with confusion. "Something to defend yourself?"

"Huh?" was all Yae could say, she was as shocked as me.

Why does it look like I'm about to lose?

"What do you mean something to defend myself? That was a stupid argument even she believed to be stupid, I don't even need to defend myself, her argument is not coherent" I tried to understand what was happening.

"Her argument is valid. Taking measures against an attack you consider to be assured when you don't have proof is foolish. You need to save your troops and deploy them in the most appropriate way to get the maximum benefit. You should only try to prevent an attack when you know for sure it's coming" she explained to me in terms I'm not sure to understand.

"What soldiers?" was all I could say.

"Then Miko wins the duel" she took my questions as a way to admit defeat.

Even Yae was stunned by this development.

"Okay, I lost" I noticed, once again, that this person puppet or not was too stubborn. "But let me ask, we already know that the writer's objective is money and that he or she accomplished it, so it's obvious he will try again".

"It's not" she denied my argument. "He could be satisfied with the money he got, or he could be scared of retaliation, or he could be caught. It's not sure that he will try again. I will mobilize the army to catch him before he has time to make the second volume, in case he is going to make it".

Hmm, I see now. Her way of thinking is like her policy, extremely aggressive. If she sees a problem, she cuts it. She is thinking about going on the offensive and neutralizing the writer. This way of thinking shows that she can solve problems with her own might.

And that's an extremely foolish way of thinking.

She doesn't contemplate that the enemy is able to fool her. And in the case the enemy is stronger than her, she will get stomped. Of course, I don't know if there is anyone in the world capable of that, maybe only the Being, but he is not from this world so it doesn't count.

But yes, she attacks from the front and annihilates all resistance.

"Don't worry Kenshin, I won't treat you badly. I will have to punish you of course" she said, malice appearing in her eyes.

"*Sigh*, do whatever you want, I will send the Shogun off. Call me when you are done" I tiredly said and stood up. I think they need some space to talk.

I still can't believe I lost, even if it was an irrational loss.

After 10 minutes, Ei came from the room with her perpetual calm expression.

"I will send you off to the base of the mountain. You can probably teleport to the Tenshukaku anyway" I smiled, and she only nodded.

And we started descending, and she asked me.

"Are you unsatisfied with the result?" she calmly said, without an inflexion in her voice. And I couldn't sense any emotions from her, maybe a slight curiosity.

"No, I admit I lost. Of course, I think that I'm the one with the right idea, but you were the judge and you decided on your impartiality. I disagree with your reasoning, but I admit that you were impartial. And it's your country, after all, I can only advise. Even if you dismissed my advice, I would have accepted it. The fact that you went along with the duel means that you were ready to listen to me. I'm happy with that" I honestly said.

"That's an admirable thinking" she nodded, and I could feel that she was honest.

"It would be a lot easier if you came out more frequently" I muttered with a wry smile.

"Why is that?" she asked curiously. The puppet she made was built specifically to rule Inazuma and pursue Eternity, there should be no problem with that.

"You are a lot more reasonable. The normal Shogun is extremely inflexible, but I don't know all your circumstances, so I won't speak about it" I don't like the puppet at all. But Ei was at least willing to listen to me, and that was something that in there 3 years I wasn't able to get the puppet to do.

We finally arrived at the bottom of the mountain.

"I had a lot of fun today, even if I lost. I can't influence your actions in any way, and I don't know a lot of things. But if you ever want to talk or take a walk like today, I'm always available" I offered sincerely.

She didn't answer, but I felt that she received my goodwill.

"Take care of Miko" she said, but I spoke before he could leave.

"No"

She turned around to look at me in surprise. Probably nobody said that word to her in half a millennium, maybe even more.

"Do it yourself. I can't offer her what you can. From today's outing I learned that you always try to eliminate the problem from its source, so resolve whatever is holding you back from speaking with her. Then, with your pardon" I left with a smile after saying that.

From my weekly talks with Yae, I feel how much she misses her friend. No matter how much I try to cheer her up, what she needs is her 'dear friend'.

After putting my hand on the wall, I started climbing the wall to the top.

"Well, well, well, looks who is here" of course Yae was ready to mock me. "The loser who couldn't see reason came back to be punished".

"Aren't you a bit too cruel? Making fun of a blind guy" I need to clench my teeth to avoid jumping in anger.

Even if told all that to Ei, the loss stung a lot. Yae was way better than me even with all my advantages. I was only able to fight back because I knew what the author would do and Yae was being pressured because of my ability. If she had more time, she would have asked about who I bought the books from, why I bought them, what did I do with the other books...

And of course, she couldn't reveal that I was the one spreading them around. And even with all that I lost.

"Don't be a sourpuss Kenshin, you are the first one who is making jokes about your blindness" scoffed Yae with a mischievous look. "Now, what should I do as punishment?"

"Have mercy please" because I won't have it.

"Maybe I could make you read a book" she said, and I saw her excitement.

"I'm not going to spend that much 'soul liquid' to read you a book" I instantly denied.

"Don't worry, you don't need to do anything. I did it for you" she showed me a book I could now read.

"You entered my room" I narrowed my eyes at her but sighed. "Really, you spend more time in my room than in any other part of the shrine".

"That's....true now that I think of it" she looked stunned when she said that.

"So you didn't realize it. Are you sure that's proper? I mean the Head Priestess stays every Sunday in the room of the only male in the shrine.... Now that I think about it, it almost sounds like an argument of a smut story" I thought out aloud.

"Heh" she disdainfully said.

"Heh, indeed. You have no chest, even Ei's is better than yours" I didn't think that, but I felt hurt by that disdainful grunt. Well, half hurt.

"You don't know what you are saying" she muttered darkly.

"Oh, I think I do. I can't see anything now, but I remember it. And a granny is not going to grow any bigger right?" I mocked her. "But wait, does the Shogun's puppet even have a hole down there?. If that's the case, why?".

"Kenshin" Yae said in a sweet voice. "I have decided your punishment. You need to learn how to respect your superiors, so I will make it extra hard. Kanao!" and a miko appeared in front of us.

And I felt fear, this miko was crazy, even by my standards.

"Kenshin will read this book changing these 2 words for these other 2. Make sure he ends the book" she said with a devious smile and left the room.

"Oh Kenshin, thanks for the tofu, I will enjoy it while you suffer. And be thankful, the alternative was to order every miko to leave the plunger in the toilet" and she was out. 

I couldn't feel even a bit of gratefulness from her, just scorn.

I opened the book and looked at the words I needed to change. Indeed, it was going to be awkward tomorrow.

"And Ayato buried himself deep within Kenshin, who was shouting in pain and ecstasy. 'Ayato, love me more!...." I hate my life.

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I watched how the young man left showing his back to me. 

His hand found the wall and started slowly climbing the stairs.

I wasn't stupid, just very direct. The moment I implied that he was about to lose, I could feel his surprise, just as Miko's.

It made me feel like I made a mistake, as Miko is way more adept with the words than me. The fact that even she thought she was going to lose told me that Kenshin should have won.

But I was the judge, and as one I couldn't lie, not even to myself.

I followed my ideals and delivered judgment.

And despite the unfairness both Kenshin and Miko perceived it to be, Kenshin accepted the result without complaining.

I could see that he was angry about his loss, but that anger was not directed towards me or himself, not even Miko. He was just stung by his loss.

And that was admirable, I genuinely think so.

I have watched thousands of duels during my long life, and I saw a lot of disgraceful people who reneged on their vow to accept the result of the duel. Those people made me nauseous.

And Kenshin accepted his loss with elegance.

I honestly found myself enjoying the little tour we had in the town.

Things changed a lot, and it left me disoriented, but almost as if he sensed it, he eased me into the new town.

He showed me all the places I may recognize or the older families I may have known. I knew some, others didn't, but I talked a lot and listened a lot.

It made me realize that the city continued without me, and it made me a bit sad. A lot of the families I knew disappeared and nobody remembered them anymore, but new ones surged.

I noticed that he truly loved Inazuma. Even without sight, he knew where every single place was located, even the empty buildings he had no way of identifying. In every place or business, he showed me, he mentioned how the people living there were, their hobbies, their likes, and their dreams.

I think my sister Makoto would have loved to have someone like him by her side. This young man loved Inazuma with an intensity only she had.

Obviously, I noticed that he knew Yae's favorite food, so I didn't complain when he stopped to buy it, but I was surprised when he decided to give it to me so I could in turn give it to Yae. I realized then that he knew a few things nobody should know, but he cared about Yae and Inazuma, and that was enough for me.

Despite the apparent enmity they showed towards each other, I know that they have a strong bond of trust between them. Just like I noticed how lonely Yae is sometimes.

I wanted to talk with her more, but I fear the Erosion, a curse placed in the world that everyone is subjected to.

The longer a soul lives, the more it 'erodes', until only a shadow is left. Then the being will rage, destroying everything in its path, or just slowly disappear.

I need to meditate and avoid leaving the Plane of Euthymia because of that, as no one can stop me if I go on a rampage. I don't want to be the one who will destroy this beautiful place.

Inazuma needs to reach Eternity, that's the only way to avoid another dreadful war.

Like the one that robbed me of my sister.