Chapter 8: Kujou Sara
Though Kujou Sara bears the Kujou name, she has no blood relation to the Kujou Clan.
She originally lived in a peaceful mountain forest. However, at some point, evil forces began to stir, and the surrounding tranquility was no more. Despite possessing the power of a tengu, her youth made her unable to single-handedly combat the demons. In one such battle, she was struck down and fell from a cliff, her wings damaged.
As she plummeted, unable to spread her injured wings, she was on the verge of despair, certain she would crash to the ground. But at that moment, she caught the attention of an Archon and was granted a Vision.
Afterward, she lost consciousness, and when she was found because of her Vision, she was adopted by the Kujou Clan, one of the Tri-Commission of the Shogunate, specifically the Tenryou Commission.
The head of the Kujou Clan, Kujou Takayuki, bestowed upon her the name "Sara."
Though raised among humans, Kujou Sara retained many of her tengu instincts. When she had free time, she would often return to the mountains. On this particular visit, beyond her usual training, she had brought some fruit for a few small tanuki who had taken refuge in the area. These mischievous tanuki were known for stealing food, and only after her scolding did they begin to curb their habits. Ever since, she'd often bring them food to prevent more trouble.
However, the cawing of crows and the reaction of elements from outside the forest caught her attention. To prevent the tanuki from provoking intruders with Visions, she decided to personally investigate.
The first moment she saw Bai Luo, she sensed something was off about him.
What he was hiding in his sleeve, based on its outline... seemed to be a weapon. And the insignia on his sleeve? It belonged to the Fatui. But what stood out most was the mask on his face.
Yes, just as Sara noticed his mask, Bai Luo noticed hers as well, and the same question arose in both their minds:
Do the Fatui have masks like that?
"The forest is full of evil spirits; it's best not to linger here. If you've lost anything, you may report it to the Tenryou Commission. We will dispatch someone to register your loss and help you recover it."
Sara was not usually one to speak so civilly with strangers, much less with a member of the Fatui.
Out in the wilderness, it would be all too easy to eliminate one Fatui agent. However, her clan head had recently cautioned her not to make enemies of the Fatui lightly.
As diplomats from Snezhnaya, any rash conflict with them could jeopardize relations between the two nations.
More importantly, it would create unnecessary trouble for the Shogun herself.
Though she was only an adopted daughter of the Kujou Clan, Kujou Sara knew better than anyone that her survival after falling from the cliff was due to an Archon's grace. The Archon's gaze in that critical moment bestowed upon her a lifetime of power. Everything she enjoyed, she owed to the Shogun's benevolence.
She could disobey the head of her Clan, but she would never do anything to trouble the Shogun, for she was the Shogun's most loyal follower.
"No, I didn't lose anything. I just instinctively chased after... something."
Bai Luo explained, though in truth, he had been toying with a tanuki.
"Good to hear. The forest grows dark and treacherous at night. If you don't mind, I could escort you out. What do you think?"
Seeing the tanuki peeking at them from the trees, Sara made the suggestion.
She didn't trust Bai Luo to wander the forest alone, especially given that he was a dangerous Fatui agent. For the tanuki nearby, this was nothing short of a disaster waiting to happen.
"Sure, why not?"
Bai Luo agreed without hesitation. He was eager to stay with her as long as possible. As a close confidant of the Raiden Shogun, Kujou Sara had been on his mind since he'd begun plotting ways to use his Silver to mark her. This would make future operations in Inazuma far easier.
"Follow me."
Sara's gaze lingered on the Dendro Delusion hanging at Bai Luo's waist for a moment before she started walking ahead, leading the way.
It appeared she wasn't afraid of being ambushed by him, but in reality, her muscles were tense, her wings ready to spring into action. If Bai Luo tried anything, she was confident in her tengu abilities to evade his attack and take him down.
Of course, Bai Luo had no intention of attacking her. Using the Silver to mark someone prevented him from making any aggressive moves. If he attempted to strike, the progress bar would reset, and he'd have to start over, something he was not willing to let happen.
As expected from someone born into the tengu clan, Kujou Sara moved with grace through the forest, her wooden geta gliding effortlessly over rocks and roots, all without unfolding her wings.
But still…
"Haven't we arrived yet?"
By the time the mark was complete, Sara had continued leading him deeper into the forest. Bai Luo was pretty sure he hadn't wandered this far in earlier. Could she be planning to ambush him in some secluded spot?
His right hand subtly curled, and a dagger slid into his palm, ready to strike if Kujou Sara made any sudden moves. Though characters from the game could bring him plenty of goodwill, he had no qualms about defending himself if things turned violent.
After about an hour, they finally emerged from the forest.
"The Tenryou Commission has urgent matters to handle. During your stay in Inazuma, I advise you to act cautiously. If you violate Inazuma's laws, the Shogun's thunderous judgment will be no less fearsome than your Tsaritsa's wrath."
With that, Sara unfurled her wings, and under the moonlight, she flew towards Inazuma City, leaving Bai Luo standing alone at the edge of the forest.
"Where... is this?"
As someone who had scoured the land of Teyvat countless times, Bai Luo was very familiar with Inazuma. But the real Inazuma was vastly different from its artistic representation in the game. He wasn't even sure if he was still on Narukami Island anymore.
"This is going to be a problem..."
Looking back at the forest behind him, he doubted he could retrace his steps. His best option was to search for signs of human habitation nearby. Preferably someone from the Fatui.
As luck would have it, Bai Luo's instincts weren't far off. In the dark of the night, he found some traces. Based on the signs, it seemed that someone from the Fatui had set up camp nearby. He wasn't worried about a hostile reception; as the 12th Fatui Harbinger, he was effectively the leader of all Fatui forces in Inazuma.
He just needed to figure out how to explain his embarrassing situation. Maybe an inspection? Yes, that would be a good cover story.
Following the signs, Bai Luo arrived at a makeshift camp. It was set up with heavy red canvas, somewhat crude but enough to shield from wind and rain. This type of canvas was a specialty from Snezhnaya. Inside, straw mats were laid out, with a cotton cushion on top. At one end, there were some delicate tea sets and basic personal items.
Was it just his imagination, or did he catch a faint scent of something fragrant?
As he began to search for the Fatui members stationed here, a voice called out from the shadows:
"I've spotted you, intruder!"