"We are not here to fight!" I yelled out as the guards ran at us, most wielding some form of spear or the seemingly higher-ranking soldiers wielding katanas with more ornate armor. "We are registered adventurers from Liyue on a mission!" I continued as I flashed our VIP adventurer badges that marked us as vision wielders that could take high-level missions.
Seeing the badge, the guard's hostile stance eased a bit as they knew that we were out of their leagues and seeing we weren't trying to bully our way into the shogun's palace, they decided to take a step back in their treatment of us.
"Please wait for Lady Sara to escort you for questioning!" A voice yelled towards us from the steps into the Shogun's palace and in response I just waved my hand creating a couple of stools for me and Lumine to sit on out of Geo stone.
"No problem," I replied relaxedly putting the nearby guards at ease as the two of us clearly just relaxed on the stools while Paimon looked around before shrugging and flying over to sit in Lumine's lap.
A few minutes later our first hurdle, power walked out of the Shogun's palace. Kujou Sara was a strict-looking woman with black hair, a kind of half shirt that only covered the top of her breasts leaving the underside that was covered by her tight-fitting body suit to be viewed and wore a long-segmented skirt that covered the front and back sides of her legs but left the middle of her legs clear to view.
"What business do you have on the lands of the Raiden Shogun!" Kujou Sara loudly demanded not exactly rudely but obviously trying to put us on the backfoot as we came unannounced.
Seeing Lumine hesitate as to what to say I decided to wing it. As just saying, 'hey we completely unknown people have come to see your god can you scooch over'. Is going to go absolutely awfully with her and the soldiers surrounding us.
So, I pulled the most bullshit excuse I could. "I seek to meet the Raiden Shogun, the great Electro Archon for tutoring in the arts of manipulating the element she presides over as no other god is as powerful as their own," I said making lightning flash between my hands as I waved at the Geo stool, I made, breaking it down into elemental particles to show I also had control over Geo as well subtly.
Kujou Sara gaped at me as not only did I use Electro energy without a vision which could be explained by being some kind of supernatural being like a Tengu like she was or Liyue's Adepti. But the pure manipulation of the element I performed was done without any assistance from flaring out some kind of supernatural tell like her own Tengu wings.
"I... Inazuma has strict laws about those graced that those with visions must be seized or otherwise must leave Inazuma." Kujou Sara said uncertainly as she most certainly didn't expect my request.
I shook my head as I lifted my arms and even unbuttoned my jacket so she could see me under my jacket. "I am afraid neither myself nor my companion have a vision for you to seize, Lady Kujou Sara... Is it possible that I can make my case directly to her for her to accept myself as a student to her teachings so that she can pass down her eternal mastery over the Electro element and perhaps her swordsmanship as well?" I asked respectfully.
Lumine looked at me with some confusion but she thankfully hid it so Kujou Sara didn't throw us off the estate, but honestly, I truly needed an actual foundation for my fighting style as although I was getting by with overwhelming power when it came to my summons and slamming people with powerful elemental abilities, I was... Yeah, I was shit when it came to melee combat against the likes of Childe and other people who have trained for decades.
Sara hesitated and so did the guards as now this was no longer a scenario of whether I was some oddity without a vision making noise. I was now someone that could ever so slightly become a disciple of the Raiden Shogun. And with the Electro Archon being so visible in Inazuma she was even more beloved and respected than the Anemo and Geo Archon of Mondstadt and Liyue.
Granted sure Ei was a shut-in, who never left the palace but that didn't change the fact that every single citizen in the island chain of Inazuma could say without a doubt that their god was here and through the various Commissions that ran Inazuma could even send their god their requests and offerings.
Finally, Kujou Sara brushed a gloved hand through her shorter black hair before she nodded. "Fine! I will approach the Almighty Shogun while you and your companions rest after your journey here to Inazuma from Liyue... Do not impeach upon the goodwill, I and the Tenryou commission offer you in our hospitality lest I be forced to deal with you most harshly for this treachery." Sara said seriously and I nodded in agreement as Paimon gulped beside me at how serious and kind of scary she looked. And then the Tengu woman blurred, and I think teleported with her Tengu magic as she probably went to approach Ei.
A couple minutes later all three of us were escorted into a nice meeting room in one of the palace's side rooms. And the obvious grilling began as Paimon whirled on me. "Jake what in the world are you thinking?! Paimon thought you would be against the Shogun, and we just met with Kokomi a couple of hours ago!" Paimon hissed quietly.
Lumine herself just rose an eyebrow as she simply added. "What are you thinking Jake." Lumine asked quietly and I honestly just shrugged and at Lumine's raised eyebrow twitching in irritation I explained.
"Lumine, my melee is crap but knowing the ins and outs of one of our elements could help greatly in increasing the power and skill of our control over the other elements... I mean think about asking Venti for lessons on how to better use Anemo." I finished dryly and Lumine shuddered at the thought.
I could even see the interaction in my mind's eye; Venti would be like. 'Anemo is just about being as free as the winds you know! So here, drink up and when all your worries are drowned out in great alcohol, I will teach you how to throw a mountain into the ocean!'