Chapter 9: Kujou Sara

Although she bore the Kujou name, Kujou Sara had no blood relation to the Kujou Clan. She originally lived in a tranquil forest. But over time, the peace of her surroundings was disturbed by evil spirits, leaving her unable to fend them off alone due to her young age. During one battle, she was struck down and fell off a cliff, injuring her wings.

As she plummeted, her wings damaged beyond use, she was about to meet a grim fate when she received a god's favor and was granted a Vision. Unconscious, she was found by the Kujou Clan of the Tenryou Commission and taken in due to her Vision. The head of the Kujou Clan, Kujou Takayuki, named her Sara.

Though she grew up among humans, Kujou Sara retained her tengu habits. Occasionally, she would return to the forest for training or to bring food to the small youkai hiding there, especially the mischievous tanuki, who often stole food. Her efforts to persuade them to behave had somewhat curbed their thievery. Since then, she regularly brought them food.

Tonight, however, the cawing of crows and a sudden burst of elemental energy from outside the forest had caught her attention. Worried that the tanuki might provoke a Vision-bearer, she decided to investigate personally.

When she first laid eyes on Bai Luo, Kujou Sara sensed something was off. Whatever he had hidden in his sleeve was likely a weapon, judging by its outline. The emblem on his sleeve indicated he was a member of the Fatui. But what stood out the most was his mask.

Like Bai Luo, Kujou Sara noticed each other's masks and had the same question: Did the Fatui even have masks like that?

"The forest is full of dangerous creatures. It would be best for you not to linger here. If you've lost something, you can report it to the Tenryou Commission, and we will register it and help you retrieve it."

Normally, Kujou Sara wouldn't be so polite, especially to a member of the Fatui. In such a deserted area, it would be all too easy to eliminate a Fatui agent. However, the head of her clan had recently advised her not to engage with the Fatui unnecessarily. As the Fatui envoy was officially recognized, provoking them could jeopardize diplomatic relations between the two nations. More importantly, it would bring trouble to the Shogun.

Although she was adopted by the Kujou Clan, Kujou Sara was keenly aware that her survival from the fall was due to the Raiden Shogun's divine intervention. The Shogun's gaze had saved her, granting her power. Everything she had now was thanks to the Shogun's favor. She could ignore the orders of her clan, but she would never cause trouble for the Shogun, whom she revered above all.

"No, nothing was lost. I just followed on impulse," Bai Luo replied, pretending he had pursued the thief instinctively when, in reality, he was merely toying with a certain tanuki.

"Very well. The forest is deep and dangerous at night. If you don't mind, I can guide you out. What do you say?" Kujou Sara offered, glancing at the little youkai peeking at them from the underbrush. She couldn't trust Bai Luo to wander the forest alone, especially since he was a dangerous Fatui agent. This could spell disaster for the nearby tanuki.

"That works for me," Bai Luo agreed without hesitation, eager to spend more time with her. As a close associate of the Raiden Shogun, he had been trying to figure out a way to spend more time with her to use his [Silver] skill and mark her. This would make his future operations in Inazuma much easier.

"Please follow me."

Kujou Sara's eyes lingered for a moment on the Dendro Delusion at Bai Luo's waist before she started walking, leading the way. Though she appeared unafraid of a sneak attack, her muscles were tense, and her wings were ready to spring into action. If Bai Luo tried anything, she was confident she could dodge and subdue him, using her tengu speed and agility.

In reality, Bai Luo had no intention of attacking her. While using his [Silver] skill to mark someone, he couldn't make any attacks or use skills. If he did, the progress bar would reset, and he would lose all progress. That was the last thing Bai Luo wanted.

Despite wearing geta with heels several centimeters high, Kujou Sara moved effortlessly through the forest, which was of rocks and tree roots. She hadn't even unfolded her wings yet. It was impressive.

But...

"Aren't we there yet?" Bai Luo asked, noticing that the mark had completed, but Kujou Sara continued to lead him deeper into the forest. He didn't recall walking this far earlier. Could she be planning to take him to some hidden spot and kill him?

With a flick of his finger, Bai Luo adjusted the steel wire at his waist, causing his dagger to slide into his hand. If Kujou Sara made any suspicious moves, he would strike without hesitation. While interactions with characters from the storyline could be beneficial, he wouldn't hesitate to use force if necessary.

After nearly an hour of walking, they finally emerged from the forest.

"The Tenryou Commission has other matters to attend to. During your stay in Inazuma, you should exercise caution. If you violate Inazuma's laws, the Shogun's lightning is no less deadly than the Tsaritsa's ice," Kujou Sara warned. As she spoke, her tengu wings unfurled, and with a powerful flap, she soared towards Inazuma City, leaving Bai Luo standing alone at the edge of the forest.

"Where... am I?"

As someone who had explored Teyvat countless times, Bai Luo was quite familiar with the land of Inazuma. However, the real Inazuma was vastly different from the one depicted in the game, which had been artistically rendered. He wasn't even sure if he was still on Ritou.

"This is troublesome..."

Bai Luo sighed, glancing back at the forest. He doubted he could retrace his steps to find his way back. The only option now was to search the area for signs of life, hoping to encounter someone—preferably an ally, like a fellow Fatui member.

Fortunately, Bai Luo's luck held. In the pitch-black night, he managed to find a trace—a mark left behind that indicated the presence of Fatui members nearby. He wasn't worried about being treated harshly upon arrival; as the Twelfth Harbinger, he was the leader of all Fatui advance teams in Inazuma. The real challenge would be explaining how he had gotten lost without losing face.

"Inspection, perhaps?" he mused. It seemed like a reasonable excuse.

Following the trail, Bai Luo arrived at a temporary encampment. It was made of heavy red canvas, clearly a Snezhnayan specialty. Though simple, it provided adequate protection from the elements. The ground was covered with straw, topped with carefully laid cotton padding. At one end, serving as a pillow, were some finely crafted teacups and simple personal items. A faint, elusive fragrance lingered in the air.

As he prepared to search for the Fatui members stationed here, a voice called out from the shadows.

"Found you, spy!"