Chapter 148: Chapter 148: It’s So Good to See You Alive with My Own Eyes

Snezhevna—that was Ksenia’s surname.

Or rather, it was the surname bestowed upon all the children adopted by the Fatui.

It meant "Daughter of the Snow", also known as "Daughter of Snezhnaya".

Ksenia Snezhevna—

Her full name meant "The warm and hospitable daughter of Snezhnaya."

She had thought she would die in a foreign land, but never did she expect that the man who had effortlessly subdued her was none other than that new Fatui recruit she had once briefly met.

She had considered the possibility that he, like herself, might have gone undercover.

But she never imagined that he would have...

No, this wasn’t just undercover anymore—this was an outright betrayal!

He was actually the legendary Battousai of Inazuma?!

"Shhh."

With a finger to his lips, Bai Luo gestured for silence before pulling the blanket over Ksenia and heading toward the door.

Because the sound of hurried footsteps was already approaching.

"Lord Battousai, are you alright? We heard sounds of battle from this room."

An urgent knock sounded at the door as a patrolling soldier called out anxiously.

Although Bai Luo’s name as Himura Kenshin had already spread, the resistance soldiers still preferred to call him Battousai.

"Himura Kenshin" was just a name.

But Battousai—that had already become a symbol of hope.

After quickly hiding the Mist Grass Wick, Bai Luo reached out and pushed open the door.

"No worries, just a few Cicins. I’ve taken care of them."

Inside, the room was a complete mess, still crackling with traces of Electro energy.

But judging from Bai Luo’s calm demeanor, he clearly hadn’t suffered any harm.

Which made sense—after all, this was a man who had wounded a god.

How could he possibly be injured by a few Cicins?

Although, looking at the extent of the damage in the room...

This didn’t seem like the work of Cicins.

It looked more like the destruction caused by Specters.

Perhaps Lord Battousai had just mistaken them?

"Would you like us to prepare a new room for you?"

The night patrol soldier asked warmly.

"It’s just some broken furniture. The bed is still fine. I’m used to sleeping outdoors, so as long as I have a bed, that’s enough."

"Understood. We’ll continue our patrol. Call for us if you need anything."

After confirming that Bai Luo was unharmed, the patrolling soldiers left.

Bai Luo turned his gaze back to the bed where Ksenia lay.

In truth, he could have easily confirmed whether she was really Ksenia by checking for the mark he had left on her before.

However, in his Battousai form, he lacked the abilities of his "Hei" form and couldn’t verify the mark.

The Shrine Maiden of the Sangonomiya Shrine was a special case, and Bai Luo wasn’t sure if the floating jellyfish-like entities in the air had any surveillance capabilities.

So, he couldn’t risk switching to Hei.

Fortunately, he had a technique called "Breast Assessment"—a foolproof way to recognize women.

He walked over to the bed, picked up a scorched wooden stool, and gently tested its stability.

Hmm... Not bad. Still usable.

After sitting down, Bai Luo spoke softly:

"They’re gone now. You can come out."

The person under the blanket remained silent for half a minute before slowly pulling back the covers.

Humiliating. Absolutely humiliating.

If she had lost to the legendary Battousai, that would be understandable.

But to lose to someone she personally knew—

And worse, her former junior...

She wanted to disappear. Maybe even start her life over from scratch.

"Back then, I was wondering why I couldn’t find you in the camp... Turns out you were assigned to Watatsumi Island?"

Sensing the awkward tension, Bai Luo broke the silence, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Mm. The resistance forces on Watatsumi Island were making major moves at the time. And since I had learned some shrine maiden rituals from Lyudochka before, my superiors assigned me here... as a shrine maiden."

Still sitting on the bed in a seiza-like position, Ksenia slowly explained how she had ended up here.

She was never the reserved type, and with Bai Luo’s deliberate guidance, she gradually regained her usual liveliness.

"Is that so? No wonder you managed to blend in among the shrine maidens of Sangonomiya. But are you sure it’s okay for you to be out this late?"

"Don’t worry. Even though I became a shrine maiden of Sangonomiya, they clearly don’t trust me much. So, unlike the others, I don’t live in the shrine—I stay alone in Bourou Village."

For her to serve so close to Kokomi, that was already the limit of what they were willing to allow.

After all, she wasn’t a native of Watatsumi Island.

The fact that they even promoted her to this position wasn’t just due to Igor’s efforts—Sangonomiya wanted to send a message to the rebels who had defected to their side:

"Even outsiders will be treated equally among us."

But whether this so-called equal treatment was truly sincere... that was up for debate.

"I gotta say, kid, you’re really full of surprises. Back then, you were that little lost newbie in Inazuma Forest, and now you’ve become the legendary Battousai? If you ever hit the big time, don’t forget to help your dear sister out, alright?"

Her seiza sitting posture slowly shifted into a more relaxed cross-legged one.

Ksenia was getting comfortable.

It was as if they were back in that old forest, sitting inside a worn-out tent, boiling milk they had scavenged from Hilichurls, brewing red tea looted from Treasure Hoarders.

The only thing missing was the fruit jam, the firewater, and the gentle moonlight.

"I’d love to, but given my current position, I don’t think there’s much room for promotion."

"Don’t be discouraged! I have high hopes for you. You may not be born in Snezhnaya, but the Fatui doesn’t care about nationality. That so-called ’Ausbilder’ got lucky—he’s also from Liyue, just like you."

She grinned.

"Honestly, if you ask me, instead of making him the Twelfth Harbinger, they should’ve just given the spot to you. You’re strong, you look good, and ’Battousai’ sounds way better than some boring ’Ausbilder’ title."

Her little feet dangled over the edge of the bed, swinging happily as she spoke.

At some points, she even burst into girlish giggles.

Compared to when she was fighting... she really was much cuter when she smiled like this.

"You’re right. One day, I’ll drag that Ausbilder down from his seat and make him taste our homemade milk tea. Hmm... and Childe too."

Bai Luo flashed a mysterious smirk, his expression suddenly turning playfully menacing.

"Wait, wait, wait! You can joke about that with me in private, but if anyone else hears you, you’ll be in serious trouble!"

She could joke around all she wanted—after all, high-risk operatives like them often used dark humor to relieve stress.

But Bai Luo was different.

With his potential, even if he didn’t end up as a 13th Harbinger (if the Tsaritsa ever broke the rules again), he was definitely capable of replacing any Harbinger who died or retired in the future.

He had unlimited potential.

She didn’t want her careless words to end up ruining his bright future.

"Relax, I know what I’m doing. Besides, it’s just the two of us here."

"You still remember that line, right?"

She paused for a second—then suddenly grinned.

"Heh, of course I remember."

"The world is vast, but I am the biggest!"

They laughed together.

Bai Luo rarely let his guard down in front of anyone.

Even when facing Childe or Zhongli, he remained cautious, always watching for potential dangers.

So far, there were only two people who could make him completely relax—

Collei.

And Ksenia.

In this chaotic era...

Being able to see you alive with my own eyes—

That’s all that matters.

. . . . .

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