Uyuu Restaurant stood as one of Inazuma City's premier dining establishments. The first floor served casual patrons while private rooms upstairs hosted business negotiations.
Li Mo had visited several times - even for someone who had sampled cuisine across worlds, Uyuu's offerings were exceptional. Though lacking the so-called "Divine Tongue" that could detect the slightest imperfections in food, he still appreciated their quality.
Yet he never expected to encounter Yae Miko here of all places.
With two of Inazuma's three major figures present in Uyuu Restaurant, that left only one question - where was the Raiden Shogun?
Still working overtime at the Grand Narukami Shrine?
Alone?
The thought instantly filled Li Mo with guilt.
"My, my, if it isn't our esteemed Divine Priest? Skipping official duties to laze about - how very irresponsible," Yae Miko remarked upon noticing him.
"With someone as wise and beautiful as Lady Guuji assisting Her Excellency, what need would she have for someone as insignificant as myself?"
"Oh? Wasn't my position as Head Priestess rendered meaningless by you ages ago?"
Their exchange immediately turned into a battle of veiled barbs and sarcastic remarks, the tension so thick even Lumine and the surrounding authors grew uncomfortable.
Kujou Sara remained unfazed, utterly indifferent to the verbal sparring.
"What are you all doing here, Lumine?"
"Hey Sara! Didn't expect to see you with His Excellency," Paimon chimed in.
Sara and the Traveler had met before the Vision Hunt Decree's abolition. She explained how Li Mo had been training the Tenryou Commission officers these past days.
Paimon blinked in surprise. "Wait, His Excellency is that skilled in combat?"
"Naturally. Before becoming a youkai, the little one was already an exceptional warrior - his sword style belongs to no known Inazuman school," Yae Miko interjected during a lull in their argument.
Paimon gasped. "Huh? You two made up already? That fast?"
"Not 'made up' - let's call it a strategic ceasefire. Anyway, what brings you here? I thought you'd have left for Tsurumi Island by now," Li Mo redirected.
"Lady Yae gave us a side quest," Lumine admitted.
"Oh? What kind?"
As Paimon explained, Li Mo learned about Yae Publishing House's counterattack against True Tales of the Supernatural's popularity. Yae Miko had gathered her best authors to adapt the Traveler's adventures into bestsellers.
"Ah. Am I interrupting your work then?" Li Mo asked innocently.
"At least someone has self-awareness!"
"No, what I mean is - unless you bribe me properly, Lady Guuji, I might just keep interrupting."
In the end, a free meal served as sufficient bribery. Never mind that Yae Miko charged it to Yae Publishing House's accounts - that wasn't Li Mo's problem.
As long as he wasn't paying the mora himself.
Soon Li Mo and Sara were feasting on the most expensive dishes, with Lumine and Paimon joining the indulgence.
Amidst the noisy restaurant chatter, Sara suddenly posed a question: "Your Excellency, why did you choose the Tenryou Commission?"
"You mean why I came here after stepping back from politics?" Li Mo set down his chopsticks. "Initially, I came to Inazuma City at Neko's request to consult with Kuki Shinobu. Then I saw you training and decided to offer guidance. In today's Inazuma, Kujou Sara, you represent purity."
Among Inazuma's vision holders - the Kamisato siblings, Sangonomiya Kokomi, Yae Miko and others - they broadly fell into two categories: ancient beings like the Raiden Shogun and Yae Miko, and the younger generation. And among the youth, Sara stood out as the most single-minded warrior.
The Kamisatos and Kokomi bore the burdens of leadership. Even freelancers like Shinobu and Arataki Itto had their own affairs. But Sara? She embodied straightforward dedication.
"Inazuma lacks elite combatants."
Could Sara match someone like the Tianquan Ningguang? Probably not. But she had potential.
After this pointed remark, the no-nonsense tengu finished her lunch efficiently and departed - likely returning to the Tenryou Commission for extra training. Li Mo made a mental note to ask Ei to personally mentor her. What self-respecting God of War wouldn't nurture such talent?
"How much longer do you plan to eat, little one?" Yae Miko asked sweetly.
"Until you go bankrupt."
"Then I'll have to seal you away as a starving ghost." The kitsune produced her ceremonial wand, clearly ready to demonstrate exorcism techniques right there.
Li Mo rolled his eyes but stopped eating, granting her this small victory.
"You knew about the book's sales days ago. Why only act now?"
"Because our dear Traveler was busy! I only recruited her after we exorcised some evil spirits together."
Yae Miko explained how Lumine had recently handled a case in Konda Village where a man became possessed by a samurai's lingering will.
"The Kato brothers?" Li Mo recalled. "Ah yes, Konda Village's resident layabouts. Hopefully this taught them a lesson."
As a Konda Village native himself - like the recently promoted Tenryou Commission officer Kamaji - Li Mo knew the local gossip. He'd instructed Sara to treat the man fairly despite his reputation.
"Anyway, that's your business to handle," Li Mo concluded dismissively.
As the group left Uyuu Restaurant for Yae Publishing House, Yae Miko suddenly asked: "So you're leaving soon? What will become of poor Ei, drowning in paperwork all alone? How tragic."
"Then she should delegate properly. The current system was always meant to be temporary - just necessary adjustments. Surely Ei can handle that much?"
"Who knows? The Tri-Commission system was Makoto's creation after all."
Li Mo fell silent. It seemed he needed to return to the Grand Narukami Shrine after all.