The Sunsettia, a bountiful fruit as radiant as the setting sun, is a natural blessing found throughout Teyvat.
Reirei was familiar with the effects of this fruit.
It possessed a peculiar sweet fragrance, making it a rare and delicious treat. Moreover, it had an incredibly potent refreshing effect—a single bite could invigorate one's spirits.
But... were Sunsettias really this effective? Why did it look like he had eaten some Jueyun Chili from Liyue?
"Mr. Himura, it seems Teppei has fainted again."
Looking at the strange liquid seeping from the corner of Teppei's mouth, Reirei spoke with uncertainty.
Was Teppei really alright?
"It's fine. Feeding him another piece of Sunsettia should help him recover."
As he spoke, Bai Luo actually pinched off another piece of the fruit.
Teppei, who had been unconscious, seemed to vaguely hear Bai Luo's words. He took a deep breath and abruptly sat up.
"I... I'm fine."
Staring fearfully at the Sunsettia in Bai Luo's hand, Teppei felt his heart tremble.
He had thought the Kairagi in Tatarasuna were the most terrifying things in the world—never did he imagine something even worse existed.
"Since he's awake, I'll leave the rest to you, Miss Reirei."
Casually pocketing the Sunsettia, Bai Luo spoke.
Perhaps it was her imagination, but Reirei felt a hint of regret in his tone—as if he had wanted to feed Teppei again.
The rest of the treatment was no longer Bai Luo's concern.
But before leaving, he left one last remark.
"If you still wish to learn swordsmanship from me, meet me at the usual place tomorrow. I'll wait for you once. If you don't come, I won't go there again."
Bai Luo's words were simple—summed up in four characters: come if you want.
But if Teppei didn't show up, his relationship with Bai Luo would likely end there.
"Lord Himura is really... Even if his heart wasn't injured, this wound is still serious. How can he continue learning swordsmanship?"
Helping Teppei lie back down, Reirei couldn't help but complain after confirming Bai Luo had left.
"No... I should be fine."
Teppei lightly touched his wound, the sharp pain making veins bulge on his forehead.
But... he was fine.
That's right—he knew his own body. Despite the pain, he could tell the injury wasn't severe.
Or rather, the wound only hurt—it didn't carry the sensation of impending death or fading vitality.
Lord Battousai was truly a remarkable man.
...
With Teppei's matter settled, Bai Luo found himself with some free time.
Originally, he had considered seeking out Kseniya for a chat, but unexpectedly, Kazuha came looking for him first.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Himura."
Watatsumi Island wasn't Kazuha's home, but it was still part of Inazuma.
Compared to other times, Kazuha's expression carried more ease and smiles.
As usual, he walked at a leisurely pace, yet an intangible breeze seemed to perpetually swirl around him.
"Free now?"
As the bridge between the Crux Fleet and Watatsumi Island, Kazuha had been quite busy these past few days. If he had time to chat with Bai Luo, he must have finished his tasks.
"Yes. Due to the situation on the frontlines, the Divine Priestess has many matters to handle today, so business discussions have been postponed."
Mentioning the frontlines, Kazuha's previously uplifted mood dampened slightly.
"I visited a few friends I met in the resistance earlier. Their conditions aren't good—many are permanently disabled, and some have already... War is truly a terrible thing."
Indeed, no matter the world, the topic of war is always heavy. Perhaps Bourou Village seemed idyllic, with smiles on everyone's faces. But the wounded soldiers returning from battle were the unhealed scars beneath that beauty.
Those with lighter injuries could recover and return to the battlefield.
But those who lost limbs or went blind locked themselves indoors, drowning their sorrows in alcohol. Sometimes, they'd be fine one day, only to be found dead the next.
Later, the Divine Priestess took notice. Contrary to expectations, she didn't visit them with words of encouragement. Instead, she established small workshops—factories of sorts—and assigned these disabled soldiers to produce military supplies.
Many thought the Divine Priestess was cold-hearted, exploiting heroes who had bled for Watatsumi Island.
But to their surprise, these soldiers not only didn't complain—they grew to love the work.
Having fought on the frontlines, they knew exactly what was needed and how things could be improved.
Not only did this solve many problems, but the suicide rate also dropped significantly.
Only then did people admire the Divine Priestess's wisdom.
Suffering requires empathy and practical help—not empty sympathy and sentimental words.
Visits and condolences might earn her fame and support, but what then? These soldiers would still succumb to despair or take their own lives.
And those who stood by, shedding hypocritical tears, only sought fleeting self-satisfaction.
Hehe, I cried for a poor soul today—aren't I wonderful?
For Sangonomiya Kokomi to remain in her position for so long, she truly had some skill.
Unfortunately... she had chosen the wrong opponent.
A cunning foe was frightening enough—but when that foe also knew all her weaknesses and habits...
The game was over before it even began.
Bai Luo had already devised over a dozen plans in his mind—some despicable, some psychological, some... extracting eggs from fish.
There was bound to be one suitable for our dear Lady Sangonomiya.
If he wasn't mistaken, her so-called "handling affairs" was likely just an excuse to retreat to her secret base and replenish her "energy."
Honestly, the fact that she had lasted this long already exceeded Bai Luo's expectations.
"By the way, I've been meaning to introduce you to a friend. He happens to be free today—would you be willing to meet him?"
Just as Bai Luo considered paying a visit to Kokomi's secret base, Kazuha—who had been chatting cheerfully—posed the question.
This friend of his had long wanted to meet the legendary Battousai. Unfortunately, the tense frontlines had kept him too busy.
Now, with some free time and no tasks from the Divine Priestess, it was the perfect opportunity.
"A friend of yours? Of course."
When Kazuha mentioned a friend wanting to meet him, Bai Luo already had a guess.
After all, during their journey to Inazuma, Kazuha had mentioned this before.