Chapter 54: When Raiden Shogun and Shenzi Walk Into the Kitchen

“Alright, Aying, it’s over now, it’s over—sister knows everything, this isn’t entirely your fault.”

Lei Dian Zhen gazed at her beloved younger sister with deep sorrow, taking in her disheveled state.

Since her sister’s transformation, her consciousness had begun to awaken according to protocol.

Therefore, she knew just how much pain her sister had endured during this time.

Her sister, having nearly lost everything, had almost been utterly destroyed.

“Enough. Your sister is now only a fragment of consciousness; I must take her back and undergo a series of recuperations before she can recover. Itachi cannot interact with her now.”

Hermes reached out to stop Lei Dian Kage’s further contact, explaining gently.

Baizhong Shenzi looked at Lei Dian Zhen and Lei Dian Kage before her, her eyes involuntarily moistening.

Memories from five hundred years ago surfaced unbidden—back then, she had still been a naive little fox, carefree and blissful every day.

But on that day five hundred years ago, everything changed.

As a tiny young fox spirit, she had been forced to shoulder the duties of shrine maiden, exhausting herself to lead the shrine maidens across Inazuma, sealing dangerous places one by one…

Lei Dian Kage had lost everything—so too, had Baizhong Shenzi?

“Shenzi, Itachi’ve worked hard these past years.”

After soothing her sister, Lei Dian Zhen turned to the transformed little fox and spoke softly: “I know Itachi did your best. This was all because the events unfolded too suddenly—I left abruptly without proper arrangements, forcing Itachi to bear the burden.”

Hearing Lei Dian Zhen’s words, Baizhong Shenzi could no longer hold back; tears began to trickle slowly down her cheeks.

Only heaven knew how Baizhong Shenzi had endured these past days.

After centuries of mental and physical exhaustion, she had barely stabilized Inazuma’s situation—only to discover the Thunder God had withdrawn into self-imposed isolation.

Then the Inazuman nobility began stirring, and the situation steadily worsened.

But what could she do?

This wasn’t her duty!

Lei Dian General’s rigid, inflexible logic paid no heed to her advice.

And now, Inazuma’s situation had deteriorated to the point of explosion—just as Lei Dian Kage’s true self had finally returned, she had gone mad!

In that moment, Baizhong Shenzi felt the heavens themselves were collapsing.

After a long while, Lei Dian Zhen finally calmed the emotions of her sister and the little fox.

Then, Lei Dian Zhen finally turned to Hermes, bowing respectfully.

“Lord Hermes…”

Just as Lei Dian Zhen was about to thank him, Hermes said gently: “From now on, the entire Teyvat world is mine. Once Itachi’ve recovered, help me manage my growing pile of trivial matters.”

The adepti of Teyvat are all rule-bound lifeforms, exceptionally gifted; once they reach the greater cosmos, they will inevitably enter a period of explosive advancement.

Though none may reach the level of Buer, they are all rare talents.

Moreover, their moral standards are higher than one another.

As long as Hermes doesn’t lose his temper, these beings are nearly impossible to betray.

Even setting aside past sentiments, their sheer value alone makes it worthwhile for Hermes to invest effort in soothing, winning them over, and securing their loyalty.

Lei Dian Zhen quickly replied: “Yes, Lord Hermes—I will do everything within my power!”

With matters temporarily settled, to prevent Lei Dian Zhen’s fragile consciousness from dissipating, Hermes gently squeezed Shenzi’s palm, bid farewell, and swiftly departed Teyvat with her.

Watching Shenzi’s older sister stare blankly at the spot where Hermes had vanished, San Yueqi’s lips curled into a sly smile. She slipped quietly beside Shenzi and asked in a casual tone: “Sister Shenzi, how far have Itachi and Senior Hermes progressed?”

“When’s the wedding?”

“Oh? Little San Yue, Itachi seem quite eager?”

Shenzi snapped back to reality, unflustered, turning with a warm smile and replying confidently: “If it’s a wedding, there must be a banquet, right? Your sister Shenzi is planning to design some banquet desserts—coffee pudding, for instance. Surely Itachi’d be happy to give me your tasting feedback?”

“If Itachi’re interested in making desserts, I have some unique ingredients from Inazuma.”

At that moment, having finally regained her composure after reuniting with her sister, Lei Dian Kage smiled with gratitude: “If Itachi don’t mind, I can help out in the kitchen!”

“No! Sister Shenzi, we’re sorry!”

Instantly, San Yueqi’s face betrayed unmistakable horror. She turned to Star, still lost in thought: “Star! Don’t just stand there—talk some sense into Sister Shenzi! Coffee pudding is definitely a heretical dish!”

“But… dessert called coffee pudding? It sounds delicious.”

“Star! Eating everything will only ruin Itachi!”

San Yueqi stared at the pure, innocent gleam in Star’s eyes and let out a wail.

“Aying, don’t rush! I’ll personally gather the freshest ingredients, and I’ll assist the benefactor in cooking!”

“Itachi absolutely must not go into the kitchen!”

On the other side, hearing Lei Dian Kage wanted to enter the kitchen, Baizhong Shenzi’s eyes widened. The bright smile she had just worn vanished instantly.

Though centuries had passed, Baizhong Shenzi still could not forget that one dish—the ultimate assassination of Inazuma’s elite—

Fatal Chicken Soup!

The dish gleamed brilliantly, as if a dream from a manga had stepped into reality; its aroma was intoxicatingly rich…

But the moment she drank it, even now, when she recalled that day, her mind could not recall what had happened…

…

Sometime unknown, within Hermes’s residence on Blue Star, expanded into a dimensional space.

Thunder rumbled and flashed within the viewing pool before Hermes.

Beneath the earth, the newly formed ley lines (star-force version) surged like a dam breaking, pouring star-force endlessly into the pool.

Then—

In midair, a giant egg, human-sized and crackling with lightning, absorbed the liquid-like star-force and transformed it into infinite thunder.

Hermes watched this scene, slightly astonished. Then, intricate shadows resembling divine talismans materialized in midair, confining the thunder—enough to drown half of Blue Star—within the small viewing pool.

He swiftly calculated, mimicking Lei Dian Zhen’s origin and ontological rank, designing the optimal environment for gestation and hatching.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Sensing the change in environment, it felt as if returning to the womb.

Lei Dian Zhen’s consciousness, within this setting—where heaven and earth were the placenta and thunder the amniotic fluid—began slipping into the hazy state of renewed gestation.

Soon—

Under Hermes’s manipulation, the viewing pool gradually transformed into a thunder pool.