I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm as I stood before Yae Miko, the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine. She raised an eyebrow, assessing me from head to toe, her sharp gaze making me feel as though she could see straight through me.

“Is something the matter, Shogun?”
Yae asked, her tone casual yet laced with faint suspicion. My stomach tightened instantly. Damn it—I hadn’t even said a word, and already I felt like she was onto me.

“Yae is testing the waters,”
Ei commented in my mind, her tone thoughtful yet alert. “I would suggest telling her that you are me so the conversation could be more informal, but the Shogun’s body does not radiate my elemental energy, so she would realize it immediately.”

“Then what am I supposed to say?!”
I muttered under my breath, keeping my eyes on Yae, who was watching me with growing suspicion.

“Calm yourself,”
Ei said firmly, her tone more focused. “Repeat after me—and this time… don’t stumble.”
I knew that last part wasn’t merely a suggestion. As I waited, I felt the weight of Yae’s scrutiny grow heavier.

“My apologies for this unexpected visit, Guuji. The reason for my presence is a direct order from Ei.”
Ei recited calmly in my mind, and I took a deep breath before repeating it as best I could.

“My apologies for this unexpected visit. My presence is due to a direct order from Ei.”
I tried to make my voice sound as firm as possible, though I couldn’t prevent a slight tremor at the end. Yae seemed to relax just a little, though she continued to study me with those piercing eyes.

“Well, that wasn’t too bad,”
Ei said in my mind, her tone faintly approving. “It could have been worse.”

You weren’t born to encourage people, Ei, I thought, but I kept the comment to myself—for now.

“An order from Ei?”
Yae replied, tilting her head slightly, though the spark of suspicion hadn’t fully left her expression. “That is certainly new. And if I may ask, Shogun, what exactly does this order concern?”

“Miko, your perceptiveness is ill-timed,”
Ei grumbled with a sigh in my mind. I only felt more uncomfortable as the Guuji refused to be fooled so easily.

“All right, repeat after me,”
Ei said after a moment of thought. “The reason is confidential. However, Ei has sent me to retrieve the scrolls containing the ‘Genryuu Style,’ ‘Dreamlike Truth,’ and ‘Malignant Omen.’”

I drew in a breath before reciting the words, this time forcing myself to sound more confident.

“The reason is confidential. However, Ei has sent me to retrieve the scrolls concerning the ‘Genryuu Style,’ ‘Dreamlike Truth,’ and ‘Malignant Omen.’”

When I finished, I felt relieved that I hadn’t stumbled as much as before. Ei gave me a sign of approval in my mind. “Good. It’s a start.”

Yae Miko paused, narrowing her eyes as she observed me in silence before replying.

“Very well. If this is an order from Ei, I cannot refuse. Please, wait here a moment.”

Her tone still carried a hint of curiosity, but she didn’t question me further. Silently, she turned and disappeared into another room to retrieve the scrolls.

Once Yae stepped deeper into the shrine, I let out a long, heavy sigh. My heart was still pounding, and I placed a hand over my chest, trying to calm myself. Pretending to be the Shogun was far more difficult than I had imagined.

“That didn’t go too badly,”
I murmured to myself, but Ei was quick to intervene.

“Do not relax. Yae is extremely perceptive. We cannot lower our guard for even a second.”

I nodded, remembering what Ei had told me about the Guuji. She was one of the most intelligent and cunning people in Inazuma. Playing games with her was dangerous.

After a few minutes, Yae returned, carrying three scrolls. She handed them to me with a slight bow. Just as I was about to thank her, Ei’s voice echoed in my mind once more.

“Do not thank her,”
she warned quickly. “Remember, the Shogun would never express gratitude for something like this. Such behavior would be unthinkable for what she once was—a puppet.”

I swallowed and, keeping my expression impassive, took the scrolls without saying a word. Yae Miko watched me with a faint glimmer in her eyes, as if she were waiting for something.

“If that is all, Shogun, I hope your affairs proceed without complication.”
Miko said with a smile that seemed harmless, yet there was something in her tone that made me think she hadn’t fully dismissed her suspicions.

I nodded, turned around without another word, and left the hall. As soon as I was outside, I released a small sigh of relief—though Ei didn’t allow me to relax completely.

“You did well, but be careful. Yae is suspicious—I can hear it in her voice. We will need to be more cautious with her in the future.”

Her warning left me uneasy. I knew she was right. Yae Miko was not someone easily deceived. Every interaction with her would be a test of nerves and wit.

As I walked through the corridors, adjusting the scrolls under my arm, I couldn’t stop thinking about how long I could keep up this farce before someone discovered that behind the Shogun’s mask was not Ei… but me—Estela, a stranger in a body that did not belong to her.