A Bond of Eternity - Genshin Impact

Chapter 11: Living Changing Lives

- Ritou, the day the Traveller arrives... -

The skies are clear in Inazuma today. It was early in the morning and the people of Inazuma as well as the foreigners are just starting to wake up to do their daily routine. Whispers on the streets is that the Traveller will be arriving on Inazuma today and one young man in particular is walking towards the docks to wait for them due to an arrangement.

Thoma greeted some of the people walking by before he soon arrived at the docks. Walking past the Kanjou Commission guards and the foreigners, he looked up to the morning sky, smiling as he thought of his old home.

"Going to meet someone, aren't we?" Someone suddenly said to Thoma as he passed by, startling him. He looked to see who and immediately recognized the person to be (Katsuo) who is leaning on the side of a building and under it's shade with his arms crossed.

"M-Master (Katsuo)! You scared me..." Thoma replied before understanding what the enenra said. "Ah, well, not really. I was just... on a stroll." He said to (Katsuo) who raised an eyebrow.

"Lying will get you nowhere, Thoma." (Katsuo) told the young Mondstadter as he stood up straight and walked towards him, revealing his new outfit that consists of some armor with a well-crafted purple jinbaori complete with the mitsudomoe of the Shogunate over it. "I know that you have been sent here by the Shirasagi Himegimi to welcome them and enlist their help. I know the Yashiro Commission too well." He mused as he walked towards Thoma.

"Ah, is that so...?" Thoma trailed off.

"You have nothing to worry about. I don't intend to arrest you for your collusion with my old disciple or the Crux." (Katsuo) told him. "I am simply here to see them for myself."

"I see. If I may ask, Master, what for?" Thoma inquired.

"Hmm. Let's say that I am interested on someone who has defeated a god by themselves." (Katsuo) answered. "And if possible, I would like to test them of their might and see if they truly are as powerful as the rumors say."

"Now that you mention, it does make them quite an interesting character." Thoma said as he put his hands behind his back. "But that said, no one knows if they could actually be trusted so I made up something to test them." He added.

"Is this her instruction?" (Katsuo) asked and Thoma shook his head.

"No, not really. This is something I came up on my own." Thoma answered and (Katsuo) hummed. "I want to make sure that they can be trusted first before I bring them before Miss Kamisato."

"I reckon that once they pass your test, you will then try to convince them into helping you in abolishing the Vision Hunt Decree. Is that your intention?" (Katsuo) inquired and Thoma looked at him in surprise, wondering how he got word of it.

"I... How did you know?" Thoma asked him.

"The Shuumatsuban are excellent operatives, but I've taught my disciples well." (Katsuo) cryptically said, but Thoma understood what he meant.

"So it was Enkō..." Thoma murmured. (Katsuo) shook his head.

"He's not spying on you, but the Shuumatsuban have tried once to exile him from the Kamisato Estate." (Katsuo) told Thoma. "I understand that you have your concerns about him and us enenra in general, but I assure you that we are not enemies. In fact, we might be on the same side all along." He added and Thoma glanced at him.

"What do you mean, Master (Katsuo)?" Thoma asked and (Katsuo) shook his head.

"Move along, young man. I'll be elsewhere in the docks, but I'd appreciate it if you don't mention me at all once you've met the Traveller. I will make myself known to them when the time is right." (Katsuo) said as he turned around to leave, ignoring Thoma's question. "... As for what I meant, all I can say for now is that I've always had my reservations about the Decree." He mused before he disappeared into smoke while Thoma watched him before he turned around and made his way to one of the platforms where the Alcor usually docks.