Unexpected Guest 1

Three and a half people gathered at the fifth floor of Tenshukaku, just below the highest one, the bed chambers.

The time for Tenshukaku to open to the masses is nearing so they decided to settle in and wait for the others. The one and a half part of this group, is naturally the beloved traveler and her guide.

"Don't look only at his bad sides, Lumine. I can assure you, even though some of his methods might be questionable, the old Sasayuri that I know, and the current Lu, are both good people." Dainsleif said to the silent traveler. The last person you would think about that would praise the shady deity.

" 'That guy' and 'good person' doesn't match up at all! Paimon might be a bit... stupid sometimes, but I can point out a bad guy if I see one." Her partner said.

"I see what's going on! Both of you sided with him already! And you're enticing Lumine to join the dark side-" The other person with them captured the talkative fairy and forcefully closed her mouth with a hand.

"You shouldn't intrude upon the talks of grown ups young child~. Now stay here in my lap and behaveee~, Okay~?" The only one that talks like that, the oni Shuten-dōji, said... more like warned, with a dangerous smile. Paimon immediately stopped resisting as expected.

"As I was saying, you can trust him Lumine. He hasn't done anything that damaged anyone-"

"Yet..." Shuten interrupted. The Khaenri'ahn knight only stared at her in disbelief, he couldn't comprehend if she was actually trying to help like she promised, or just making the situation harder.

"Yet... Is what I would say if I didn't know his true nature." Dainsleif sighed in relief, while Shuten was just enjoying his expressions with a smirk.

"What... do you mean by that?" The quiet Lumine finally talked. It seemed like the oni's words piqued her curiosity. Even Dainsleif was curious about it.

"You see~, Taikoubou is a person of nature. I wouldn't be surprised if some people thought of him as a nature spirit because of his behavior~. He's the last person that will antagonize you, as he counts every creature in the world as part of the nature he protects and resides in~." The oni started.

"That's a big reason why there was a lot of casualties during Daji's reign of terror~. He tried a lot of times to solve things peacefully... And I'm sure he didn't regret doing it one bit~."

"Then, when he met the kitsune's incarnation, he did the same and even achieved a happy ending that time~. Though, that did cost him his life, and now we're here~. Do you understand now, hon~?" Shuten finished her small story.

The other people, excluding the timid Paimon, digested the new information silently. Both Lumine and Dainsleif never really understood why someone as strong as him died.

"We can have him use that status thingy on himself if you want next time~. Even make it so detailed that he can't hide anything too. It would be unfair if we don't know anything about his abilities while he knows ours right?" The oni slyly suggested.

Raiden Lu only knows about her abilities and a few people, not all of them in actuality. The two accepted her proposition without knowing that.

As for the reason why they're clearing up the deity's image. You could say that even though both of them agreed on it, they don't actually share the same motives.

(The old man has been helping me over and over since I arrived here. This should be proper compensation for now.) Dainsleif thought, his motive was simply repaying a debt.

(Fuaahhhnn~ How truly fun it would be to break that stoic face of yours, piece by piece~. Fufufufu~!) I didn't know you could moan in your mind... Em- Shuten hid her malicious smirk.

***

"Yo! I hope everyone is here now?!" Lu, together with Raiden Ei, barged into their planned venue, the fifth floor.

The first to third floor was open to the public. The fourth floor for the officials. The fifth for them. And it goes without saying that on the sixth floor, the bed chambers, were a restricted zone.

"You're late! Both of you, get onto you're seats already~!" A cheerful Makoto greeted the two.

(Oh?! She's back to normal, that's good.) Lu sighed internally in relief. The former archon has been acting weird lately.

"Ahaha... I've been busy inside my workshop as usual." The deity excused himself, and sat on one of the only two seats on the northern side of the long rectangle table.

"And some other duties~." Ei said aloud before sitting next to him, donning a victorious smirk.

(Is there really a need to flaunt your superiority, my beautiful wife?! A few females are staring daggers at me now!) He nervously scanned the place, and saw all of the key figures of Inazuma, including the busy Sata, when his gaze coincided with a mad Lumine.

They stared at each other for a while until Lumine averted her gaze while blushing furiously. The deity was bewildered by her actions until he heard a familiar laughter ring in his head.

"Anyway! Now that we're all here, we should have fun too. I would say that we deserved it." The place was suddenly filled with food, instruments and other stuff.

When they first arrived, the place was mostly empty. Due to him informing Ayato to leave the preparations to him.

"Don't ask any questions~. Who knows~, maybe he has an entire world in his sleeve~." Shuten stopped all the incoming questions, and took the bowl of sake in front of her. The others then followed through the mood.

"Without further ado, Cheers! For a more fruitful year of Inazuma!" Raiden Lu announced, and their late afterparty finally started.

***

(Change POVS)

After my long adventure, I finally arrived here at the core of Inazuma. Sheesh... The palace is really crowded. Is there an occasion today?

Now, where to go~ where to go~. I can't fail at some, the Tsaritsa ordered herself.

Especially when the task is nothing but simply delivering a letter.