Outside the Tenryou Commission, Akio and Kujou Sara arrived to find a number of soldiers guarding the entrance.
As the two approached, the soldiers stopped them and said coldly, "Halt! The head of the household has given orders. He is entertaining an important guest, and no one is allowed to enter."
"How dare you! I need to see the head of the household! Step aside, or I won't be held responsible for what happens next," Kujou Sara said angrily.
"Why waste words?" Akio snorted, waving his hand lightly. The guards were instantly flung aside, crashing into the wall and falling unconscious.
"Stop!" The patrolling soldiers quickly surrounded the two, weapons drawn.
"How dare you…" Kujou Sara was about to shout when she saw a large number of well-equipped soldiers surrounding the entire Tenryou Commission.
"The Okuzumeshuu are here on official business! All unrelated personnel, leave immediately!"
Many of the citizens of Inazuma had gathered outside, watching curiously. This was the Okuzumeshuu, the Shogun's personal guard. They had direct access to the Shogun and could act with impunity. Even the Tenryou Commission was nothing in their eyes.
Why had the Okuzumeshuu surrounded the Tenryou Commission? The citizens whispered among themselves, trying to figure out what the Tenryou Commission had done.
"The… the Okuzumeshuu?" Kujou Sara's eyes widened. She knew exactly who they were. Though she was the general of the Tenryou Commission, she was also a member of the Okuzumeshuu.
"Lord Akio! The Okuzumeshuu are here under the Shogun's orders to arrest Kujou Takayuki," Saizou, the leader of the Okuzumeshuu, stepped forward and saluted. Of course, Akio's status was now equal to the Shogun's, and he also had the authority to command the Okuzumeshuu.
"Surround the Tenryou Commission and make sure no one escapes," Akio nodded. "Kujou Sara and I will go inside."
"Yes, Lord Akio," Saizou nodded and immediately arranged for the Tenryou Commission to be tightly sealed off. Not even a fly could escape.
"Sara, let's go. Let's meet your head of household," Akio said, leading Kujou Sara into the Tenryou Commission.
At that moment, Kujou Takayuki was in the middle of a discussion with a woman—La Signora, who had come to Inazuma. She hadn't listened to Akio's advice to seek him out immediately. Instead, she had gone to Kujou Takayuki, warning him to lay low for now.
"La Signora, we are partners. You don't need to interfere so much," Kujou Takayuki said coldly, clearly displeased with her words. "I will take care of Inazuma. There's no need for the Fatui to meddle."
"Is that so?" La Signora sneered. "Who do you think you are? A traitor, yet you can say such things with a straight face?"
"You!" Kujou Takayuki glared at La Signora, the word "traitor" cutting deep into his heart.
"The Fatui are so arrogant. I hope you can remain this proud when you meet the Shogun," Kujou Takayuki said, taking a deep breath.
"Did you bring what I asked for?"
"Of course," La Signora nodded, pulling out a large box.
"These are the Delusions? They can give ordinary people power comparable to a Vision?" Kujou Takayuki's eyes gleamed with desire as he looked at the box full of exquisite Delusions.
"Don't say I didn't warn you. You'd better not touch these things," La Signora said mockingly. "Gaining power comes at a cost. The price of a Delusion's power is life. Even a twenty-year-old will burn through their life energy in a few months and become a dying old man."
"As for you, you'd probably die in a few days," La Signora's words were as sharp as ever.
"Hmph…" Kujou Takayuki sneered. He wasn't foolish enough to use these things himself. He valued his life too much. These were for the loyal followers he was training. The gap between those with Visions and those without was too great. Besides, as long as they completed their tasks, what did it matter if they died? They were expendable.
Just then, the door was suddenly thrown open, the loud noise startling both La Signora and Kujou Takayuki.
"Fools! Didn't I say no one was to disturb us?" Kujou Takayuki shouted angrily.
The two looked over, and both Kujou Takayuki and La Signora's expressions changed drastically.
Kujou Takayuki saw Akio and Kujou Sara standing there, and a bad feeling washed over him. Something was wrong.
La Signora, on the other hand, saw Akio, and the fear in her heart was reignited. She saw the faint smile on Akio's face as he looked at her, and her fear grew. She had learned in Snezhnaya that Akio was the Great Divine Sovereign of Inazuma.
"You… what are you doing here?" Kujou Takayuki asked, trying to steady his nerves.
"Head of the household! I've seen your official reports and ledgers! I demand an explanation," Kujou Sara said coldly, holding up the evidence.
"What?" Kujou Takayuki's face turned pale as he saw the documents in Kujou Sara's hands. He quickly searched his desk and realized the documents were indeed missing.
"You dare steal from me?" Kujou Takayuki roared.
"So it's true…" Kujou Sara's expression darkened. Kujou Takayuki's reaction had confirmed the authenticity of the evidence.
"Have you truly betrayed Inazuma?" Kujou Sara asked calmly, her hope for Kujou Takayuki already gone.
"Hmph, it's true that I've been in contact with the Fatui. This is La Signora, the Fatui Harbinger, and I did submit those reports," Kujou Takayuki said coldly, no longer hiding anything. "But so what? I haven't betrayed Inazuma."
"We have the invincible Raiden Shogun! The Fatui are nothing in the face of her Musou no Hitotachi," Kujou Takayuki said dismissively. "They're just tools I'm using. What can they do against the Shogun's blade?"
"You're still deluded! Look at what's happened to Inazuma!" Kujou Sara shouted, her bow materializing in her hands. "Surrender now, and you'll avoid unnecessary suffering."
"You think you can arrest me? I still have La Signora here!" Kujou Takayuki said. "La Signora! Don't forget our deal! Do something!"
---
The room fell silent. Kujou Takayuki turned to look at La Signora, only to find the usually arrogant Harbinger standing completely still, her eyes fixed on Akio.
"Hmph…" Akio chuckled, looking at Kujou Takayuki. "Is she your trump card?"
Then he turned to La Signora and said calmly, "Come here."
La Signora's body trembled, but she didn't hesitate. She walked over carefully and stood beside Akio, looking unusually obedient.
Kujou Takayuki was stunned. La Signora, the Fatui Harbinger who was always so arrogant and disdainful, was now acting like this?
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