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ellitx · 9 months

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Derisive 2 | Heizou x Reader

Where Heizou decided to investigate and uncover Watatsumi Island's secret, and further investigate the mysterious shrine maiden in his own way.

part 2 of Derisive and one of my birthday fics for him. One year later and ive finally finished it lol. I might make this a series but updates will be sporadic since i still have to draft more outlines for a good plot and progress

fem!reader

artist: max_eera

word count: 6.4k

“Are you really that wary of me, Miss Shrine Maiden? I have told you, I’m here for a little trip.”

Ignoring his attempt in making a conversation with you, you could only huff as you put a good distance between him.

“I have my own intuition whether I trust you or not, Detective Heizou. Sure, you may be the renowned greatest detective in Inazuma but that doesn’t mean we’d let you do as you please.”

Cold fierce eyes, squared-up shoulders, gritted teeth—

“Intuition you say?”

He smirked, looking over his shoulder to peer at your frowning face. Without a doubt, you’re an aggressive woman. It’s a shame you always seem so grumpy and your temple would grow out wrinkles the often you do that.

Quite ironic he detests prejudice yet he’s doing it now. For a young shrine maiden such as yourself, you’re quite the character.

At his silence, you raised a brow at the young man before you in bafflement as he softly chuckled to himself. Whatever he was thinking, you hoped he wasn’t plotting against the island or planning to poke his nose around to where it shouldn’t be. Hearing rumors of him, the only way to silence him is through force— even if he’s the Shogunate’s loyal dog.

The man stopped in his tracks— almost having you bump into him if not for your quick reflex to notice his figure pausing. You eyed him intuitively whilst he stared at the scenery of Watatsumi Island.

Heizou’s breath slowed down. All pastel hues of this island will surely attract tourists to visit this side of Inazuma since the Sakoku Decree has ended. A small smile lifted up on his face before he turned his gaze back to you.

“Say, Miss Shrine Maiden—“

“[Name]. I have a name, Mister Detective.”

“Miss [Name]," He corrected. "Are there any cases arising here? Perhaps cases of a thief who stole a precious item, or mysteries left unsolved here such as the long lost treasure left by the Watatsumi Omikami?”

“There are no cases here and no treasures as well. If you want to go adventuring you’d be better off to go back to Narukami Island and take some commissions provided by the Adventurer’s Guild.”

Your eyes flashed open upon the realization of your words. That’s it! Giving him a case would have him preoccupied and absorbed. Once he’s gone, then the concern is finally out of the way. And you can finish discussing your unfinished business with General Gorou…

“Ah, actually, I do have a case for you.”

Heizou had his attention on you. His eyes glimmered in interest as he folded his arms over to his chest.

“Oh? Do enlighten me, please.”

“I have asked a friend of mine, who’s a traveler from afar, to assist us in finding the Heart of Watatsumi. Perhaps you’d be interested in taking this commission?”

Once his demeanor changed, you knew you caught his attention with your interesting offer. This is the chance he’d stop nosing around, and he wouldn’t bother anyone because after all, the traveler has already—

“Miss [Name], I’m disappointed you have the audacity to lie right in front of a detective. But I commend you for having the courage to do so.”

He smiled— or rather, sneered— at your petty attempt in fooling Inazuma’s greatest detective.

Staring back at him, you drove the corner of your lips to turn up and hid your clenched fists underneath your sleeves. Very cunning, without a doubt, but who said you couldn’t battle him through wits?

However, before the flames arose, a bundle of blonde locks of a certain traveler came into view together with her companion. Disappointing with the turn of events that Lumine unintentionally intervened, yet a blessing that she put an end to the silent fume between the detective and a shrine maiden lest it could lead to another war.

It would bring shame to you as the loyal servant of Lady Sangonomiya if that were to happen after all the efforts of bringing down the Sakoku Decree and the Vision Hunt Decree.

“Heya, [Name]! And hello… um…" Paimon looked over to the man next to you and leaned close to her partner to whisper. "Traveler, do you know who this guy is?”

Paimon asked the latter to her partner, yet both you and Heizou heard it clearly. After all, Paimon is never the type to be discreet and she’s in fact the opposite of considerate. Being conscionable wasn’t necessarily a bad thing yet when you partner it up with the floating creature, it’s much worse than bad.

Lumine berated Paimon with gritted teeth and apologized to you and Heizou on behalf of her.

“Oh! You must be the esteemed traveler!” The detective’s eyes glimmered in excitement as he leaned closer to the said female. “I’ve heard a lot of stories about you. From fighting dragons to saving the nation from a disastrous attack from a god. To see you this close in person, it feels like I am now taking the role of the main character in your story.”

His fingers were settled on his chin as he examined her carefully from top to bottom.

“Uhm…”

Raising her hands to block him from invading another inch of her space, she took a step backward to put a distance between them, yet the universe was conspiring against her as her heels slipped at the unevenness of the surface causing her to lose balance.

She searched for an object to grab onto— anything that her eyes and hands could catch on— and yet she did not do so as she feared you’d be dragged along if she attempted to. Preparing for the worse, she braced herself for the harsh collision with the ground and hoped she wouldn’t fracture any of her bones.

But the concussion has never arrived, for a tenacious pair of arms wrapped around her slim waist and caught her on time before she meets her demise. To say that you’re the one who caught her was no surprise, yet her heart hammered and rang loudly in her ears at how close your face was to hers.

“Are you alright?”

You asked lightly, like the whispers of the wind lulling in the gentle breeze here on Watatsumi Island. Lumine’s shoulders squared up, her face heating up abruptly as she nodded vigorously and held on to your clothes for dear life.

Is it just her or does the lighting behind you make you even more charming than ever? The way you gazed at her with your deep-hued eyes, eyelids lowered as your hand gripped onto her waist firmly, almost slipping out a surprised squeak out of her lips when your fingers grazed against her bare back.

She averted her gaze from you, the tips of her ears yet to cease their steaming warmth from how cool and handsome you looked when you saved her.

“Lumine?”

“Oh! Uh, yeah… thanks, [Name].”

The traveler fumbled as she struggled to stand up straight. She can’t help but think you smelled nice—

No! Now’s not the time for that!!

Meanwhile, Heizou whistled in amusement at the intriguing turn of events. Just from Lumine’s reaction alone, he can already deduce there’s something going on between you two.

Would he use this chance to investigate further? Nah, as much as interesting it was, he wasn’t the love angel, and being a wingman isn’t his kind of field or specialization. He can simply observe from afar rather than confront.

And even if he did ask Lumine, she’d only deny it.

Man alive…

Despite how she finally recovered from her clumsiness and shock, she still swayed albeit unnoticeably whilst Paimon cooled her off with her scarf.

“Wow, you’re all red right now. Do you have a fever?”

Paimon inquired as she flew over to her partner and peeked underneath her burning visage. In turn, Lumine turned her away and forced out a chuckle— a really poor and discernible attempt to brush things off. Even a mere child can connect the dots altogether.

“I-I’m fine— anyways, enough about me,”

Clearing her throat, she turned her head to you, golden eyes displaying a serious demeanor.

“I’m here for a commission to bring Shikanoin Heizou back to the Tenryou Commission.”

A loud click resonated in your head, the spark of plugs roaring into the purr of anticipation when her little partner held out a letter over to you with the eligible and elegant handwriting of the sender.

As your eyes scanned over the significant details of this so-called “missing person”, you can’t help but laugh and jutted your thumb in Heizou’s direction.

“Well, aren’t you lucky? This man right here is the one you’re looking for. Now go on and have safe travels going back to Narukami Island.”

“Woah now hold on there, Miss [Name],”

Heizou butted in and curled his lips. His right hand hovered over to the commission letter you’re holding and lowered it down. His smile gradually became wider and condescending which irked you the most. At this point, you’re like a walking bomb, ready to explode once the time runs out.

“Who told you I was going with the traveler? For all I care, the Police Station can handle themselves when Madam Kujou is there to supervise them.”

Oh how much you wanna wipe off that smug smirk etched on his face.

“And besides, I can send a letter and have Traveler hand it to them. Honestly, I’m really flattered they missed me.”

Heizou drew his shoulders displaying his satirical indifference to the situation. It can’t be helped then… It’s better to have someone watch over him if he insists on staying on this island.

“Fine,”

Heizou didn’t miss the sharp tone in your voice. He can tell you were holding yourself from lashing out at him. Though everything he does is mundane activities and nothing suspicious of sorts, it’s like passing by the lion’s cage and roaring at him.

“Lumine, pardon for this sudden request but please keep an eye on Detective Heizou. I need to get going and assist the shrine maidens.”

Giving them a short and brief bow, you bid your last farewell. “I’ll be taking my leave. If you need any assistance you can always approach General Gorou or any of the Watatsumi soldiers.”

With that, you waved your hand in goodbye to the three and left off as you withdrew from your misadventures with the detective.

“Heizou, if you don’t mind me asking…” Lumine called out to him. “I’d like to know what you’re doing here.”

The detective chuckled as he rested his elbow over his arm, deep in his thoughts. “Well, let me think for a moment… It all started a long time ago, during the war…”

Heizou began to explain his purpose for being sent here. The former Tenryou Commissioner, Kujou Takayuki, ordered him to investigate the military capabilities of Sanganomiya. However, the detective wasn’t interested in abiding by his orders and decided to treat his free trip on this island as a vacation.

“As for the mission, I thought I’d just come up with some random excuses or whatever when I reported back hence why I proposed sending a letter to the commission instead of having me go back there.”

Heizou cheekily smiled and chuckled after looking at Lumine’s perplexed state. She can already sense mischief in him and begins to understand why some folks of Inazuma are irked by him— even the shrine maiden of this island was affected by it…

Poor, [Name]…

She internally prayed for you. No wonder why you seemed so aggravated when she came onto the scene.

“So will you be sending a letter then?” Lumine inquired though the detective clicked his tongue at her and wagged his finger. Heizou’s green eyes glinted under the sunlight, his smirk widening— an announcement of sorts that was yet to unveil its magic to his audience— and it was hard to miss that he had something up on his sleeves.

“Nope, but rather, I would like to invite you to come join me.”

“Join you…?” Lumine’s suspicion grew further. It’s best to be cautious and wary around him. And knowing he’s pretty cunning and smart that he can already tell their purpose of being here based on their appearance and demeanor that gave it away, who knows if Shikanoin Heizou is a trustworthy detective as they say.

But what I’m thinking is contradicting… I heard he’s solved hard cases to help those people…

Whatever plan or motive he has, she has to make sure it’s not something dangerous or that would affect everyone here…

Eyeing him in suspicion and doubt only caused him to laugh, not even worrying the slightest bit that in front of him was the famed traveler who defeated a god and saved a nation. For all he knows, he could easily be pinned to the ground by her.

But Heizou knows.

His intuition is telling him that she was the key to solving the mystery of this island.

Walking up to her, he leaned close to her ear and whispered. The words ingressing through her ears had her shuddering as a surge of turmoil coursed through her veins.

—

“The survey status of Great Omikami’s resting place is complete and no sight of Fatui has been detected.”

“The Mouun shrine is still in development and it’s slowly rebuilding to its former glory.”

“The sango pearls are kept in the warehouse. Do not worry, we stored all the high-quality ones in preparation for the shipping tomorrow.”

“The villagers in Bourou Village are having a shortage of goods. We need to transport plentiful of produce as soon as possible…”

The last statement was inevitable given the fact how dense and barren the soils are… You heaved a heavy sigh and took a mental note of the samurais’ and shrine maidens’ reports.

Hopefully, everything goes as planned…

“Thanks. Please report this as well to General Gorou.”

This is bad. Really really bad.

Dismissing all of the samurais, you have a bad feeling something bad might happen. You know for sure the major problem here is the lack of medicines and produce. Not only that, you have to keep the Fatui away from stepping on this land after the Delusion incident that affected all the soldiers who were deceived.

And that detective…

Shikanoin Heizou is one of the major disturbances you need to handle lest he discovers Watatsumi’s affairs… Hopefully, he doesn’t cross paths with General Gorou and have the traveler bring him back to Narukami Island.

—

“W-wh-whoa, hold it right there! Are you saying Gorou’s a thief? As in, he took something valuable?!”

The little fairy hollered. Disbelief and perplexity were written all over her small round face as her brows curled up and her nose scrunched after Heizou’s proclamation.

“It’s not simple, I can’t fully explain it… It’s just my intuition.”

Heizou sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. He then eyed Lumine who was beginning to be slightly uneasy.

“This certainly doesn’t line up with the Gorou I know…” She muttered under her breath. If anything, Gorou is one of the trusted fellows she knows and for anemo-user to say something absurd about him is beyond logic. There’s no evidence of it nor good reasoning as to why Gorou would do such a thing.

“Sure, I trust your judgment. But if that’s still not enough to convince you then what about Miss [Name], the shrine maiden I was with before?”

Lumine felt herself snapping. She silently clenched her fist, her nails digging deep into her palm as she harshly glared at the young detective before her. Hearing your name spew out of his lips and claim you as a thief is even far worse than pointing out Gorou’s suspiciousness— at least by her standards.

She puts you above anyone else she has met in her travels in this vast world.

“What makes you say that?” She asked through gritted teeth and Heizou did not miss the sharpness in her tone, yet he merely brushed off her change of behavior.

“Given from her strength alone, she’s most likely trained in combat. I wouldn’t even be surprised if she’s part of the army guising as a shrine maiden to watch out for suspicious activities happening around here.”

That’s it. Lumine had enough of Heizou’s “intuitive” remarks.

“No, you’re overthinking this,” She grabbed his wrist harshly then pulled him away from the shrine. “I’m going to take you back to Ritou no matter what and investigate this Godot character.”

But Heizou broke free from her brutal grip and stayed put in his place.

Well, this is getting interesting.

“Getting too suspicious, am I?” He rubbed his wrist which was reddening, but it didn’t hurt as much as he expected. He stared at Lumine with the same vigor she was radiating before sighing. It was a big disappointment the traveler wasn’t on the same page as him for taking this adventure and solving the mystery.

“In which case, I’ll stay here and get back to you once I figure out the secret of this place.” Heizou turned his heels and waved them goodbye, taking his leave. However, Lumine rushed into view before him, using herself to stall him and prevent the detective from going anywhere.

“Fine. I’ll go with you on your investigation. But on one condition,”

Lumine, who was increasingly provoked by his previous comments, scorned then turned up her nose, declaring something remarkable— something Shikanoin Heizou himself was awaiting for this specific event to occur.

“If we don’t find any of this secret you keep talking about, you take back what you said about Gorou and [Name] and never interact with them ever again. And if you were right about [Name] and Gorou who are involved in this so-called “theft”, then I won’t get in the way of all of your investigations no matter how suspicious it may be.”

Heizou’s hunch was right. A smirk was itching on his face. One that makes this day more interesting for him than spending his time at the boring Police Station flipping through all mundane and typical missing items cases.

His front was now directly facing the traveler and he rested his hand atop of his chin.

“May I add on that offer then? If I crack the case, then tell me all you know about [Name]. Of course, an equivalent exchange must be done and it would be unfair if I get all the things I want, no?”

Heizou walked towards her and patted her shoulder. Leaning in close to her ear, he then whispered. “Think this thoroughly on what you would add to this proposition you started yourself. I’m even willing to offer myself up to assist you in any way I can, that is if you win, Traveler.”

—

After Lumine and Paimon had a thorough discussion on what to do, they decided to investigate Borou Village late at night and follow Todoroki, the man responsible for the caravans. It’s the best time to trail after them yet a risky job because of how open the village is.

Although, it would’ve been better if the little fairy had kept her mouth shut. Heizou had his hand over Paimon’s mouth to silence lest Todoroki and Tokuda could catch sight of them.

“Keep quiet! We don’t want to be caught when we’re this close to finding out the truth!”

Heizou lightly scolded her as Lumine looked over to her shoulder and took a peek over the fence if the coast was clear. Signaling to the detective, both moved swiftly towards the small house and kept a good distance where they could still eavesdrop on their conversation and note down important details.

Just as Lumine was about to steal a peek at them again, the familiar sight of her dearest shrine maiden was walking to where the two men were. Your hair was tied into a ponytail that swayed as you strolled along the trail. And the big crates you were carrying were hard for her to miss.

Her heart dropped. She knew right away where she was going.

“[Name]?!” she whispered to herself in dismay.

Paimon was startled by Lumine's reaction and turned back to look at her with wide eyes. But thankfully, Heizou was able to suppress her voice and keep her down before she could act recklessly and ruin their cover.

“I guess that’s all of them?” They heard your voice behind the small hut, the sound of a crate’s woods crackling on one another can be heard as well. Heizou deduced you must have stacked them up.

“Amazing as ever, Todoroki! Your intel was spot on!” One of the Watatsumi soldiers exclaimed with a laugh. “We wouldn’t have done this without the assistance of [Name].”

The soldier slapped his hand over your shoulder, earning a groan from you before taking his hand off of you. “Everyone did their part as well. Don’t give all the credit to me.” You remarked.

Todoroki circled the area, checking for any damages to the supplies. “Everything seems in order and the price of the grain in the village has decreased thanks to you.” He hummed in appraisal.

“It’s great you’ve brought medicine for us, Todoroki.” The other Watatsumi soldier said before continuing, “I would have never thought the injuries we sustained in the war would have a lingering effect on our bodies…”

“Don’t push yourself you two,” Patting both of their shoulders, you gave them a lighthearted smile. “The island still needs you and don’t you dare die on me when you still owe me for that drink I made you.”

Both of the soldiers chuckled at your joke and thanked you profusely. You just let it slide and continued, "Oh! I almost forgot!" You turned around to the two men, "The wagons are prepared!”

“Before that, what’s the state of the village's inventory?” Todoroki questioned. The voices faded out from Lumine’s ear, still in disbelief you were part of this suspicious activity. You’re not that kind of person, right? That’s not the [Name] she knows so well!

In the background, you and the soldiers walk away from the scene, giving the opportunity to Heizou and his companions to further investigate the area and in this case they’re dragged with.

“The soldiers seized the Nobushi’s stolen goods?!” The little fairy’s comment made it even more difficult for the traveler.

“And they never intend to return it to the International Trade Association…” Lumine added. Her heart feels heavy and her stomach churning from discovery. Bringing her palm to her lips, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. With everything that’s going on here, it might take some time for her to digest this information.

Heizou eyed her from the sidelines, observing her pale features and change in behavior. He can’t blame her. If he were in her shoes, he’d lose his trust in his friend too. But as a detective, you shouldn’t always trust what’s in front of you and only trust yourself.

Heizou patted Lumine’s shoulder, snapping her out of her train of thought. “Todoroki said he’ll get instructions from Gorou tomorrow. There’s something else behind this.” His touch was almost reassuring her that he’d crack the case and reveal the hidden truth. Lumine can’t help but scoff coldly to herself. It’s ironic, really, that the detective was showing her sympathy despite their recent negotiation about [Name] and Gorou.

But despite all these, she can sense no malice or mockery from his touch. Maybe he has a good heart after all, and yet…

No, I have to focus on this. Snap out this, Lumine! I still know [Name] is a good person! Maybe she has a good reason behind all these things…

Investigating through those boxes it’s mostly herbs and flowers such as qingxin flowers and glazed lilies… And according to Heizou’s deduction, it should be for medicinal purposes. From the corner of Lumine’s eye, she saw a piece of paper sticking out from the crate and faded written letters of “Foreign Trade Association”.

Perhaps a bill of sorts…

“If these crates were to be imported from Ritou, the price would be jaw-dropping,” Heizou remarked.

[Name]’s a good person!

“On top of that, these items seem to lack a tax clearance certificate, meaning they were most likely smuggled.”

That’s right! It’s all those thieves' fault. It had nothing to do with them.

“Did you find anything else, Traveler?” Lumine jumped and shook her head.

“Oh, ugh, unfortunately nothing…” Heizou squinted his eyes at her and she was practically sweating bullets when he never took his eyes off of her. She coughed to divert his attention to somewhere else.

The detective can only sigh and leave her be to give her some space. Across his vision, two figures were coming their way. Oh, speak of the devil. The two soldiers who were with you are now here. Heizou smirked behind his hand, closely observing and listening to their conversation. Now’s the good time to dig for information from them to confirm his suspicions.

—

The goods are prepared and ready to set off. The last thing to do is to wait for the ship to arrive. You sighed and wiped off the sweat rolling down your face with the sleeve of your kimono.

Please let everything go well.

The sun is bright, the corals are more colorful than ever, and Todoroki was with you at the Sangonomiya Shrine. You smiled and the man chuckled, taking in the breathtaking scenery, hoping for a peaceful voyage ahead.

“Today’s a good morning isn’t it?” You began and Todoroki could see the flowers blooming around you because of your positive state.

“Indeed a good morning.”

Huh, that’s weird. Todoroki’s voice seemed so different. “Todoroki did you drink something? Your voice seems younger.” You chuckled and the man looked a bit perplexed but then burst into laughter.

“How odd. I thought I heard someone else when it’s just the two of us here.” He laughed along with you, finding the situation quite amusing.

“Weird isn’t it? Because there’s actually someone here with you, Miss [Name].”

Your eyes were now wide open. The brightness in them had faded and transformed into one of darkness and annoyance. Though the smile on your face remained, Todoroki saw the corner of your lips twitch and the broom in your hand almost snapped into two pieces.

“Oh my. I take back what I said. This is a rather horrible morning.” The man’s laughter slowly died down as he noticed the change in your behavior and the appearance of a new guest— well, three guests to be exact— who was behind you.

The playful atmosphere vanished in mere seconds and he can sense your annoyance. Todoroki cleared his throat nervously and cautiously observed the unfamiliar red-headed man who had a striking smirk donning his youthful face.

“Ahem… uh, who are you?” The old man asked, his brows knitted together.

“Hello, Todoroki and Miss [Name]. I'm Shikanoin Heizou, special detective of the Tenryou Commission.” The detective introduced himself and he never missed the way you glared at him. He simply smiled at you and his eyes glowed as he crossed his arms over his shoulder, preparing the confrontation to finally seek the answers he’s been looking for.

“I believe you two have been manipulating large-scale illegal trades for some time now. Mind if we talk about that for a bit?” He didn’t hesitate to ask. It was now or never when the two main culprits were here before his eyes.

Lumine clenched the hem of her skirt. She’s helpless and unable to do anything to stand up for you. Even though things have already been discussed yesterday to clear things up, she still believes in you no matter what.

Todoroki was about to storm off but you managed to stop him. The baffled and shocked reaction was clear and expressive and things may get out of hand if he raged and shouted to the detective. “I don’t understand what you mean, detective.”

The detective's smirk only widened as he leaned in, maintaining his composure despite the tense atmosphere. "Oh, I think you understand perfectly well," Shikanoin Heizou said, his voice calm and collected. “Well let me make it clear for you: we've been closely monitoring the activities, and all the evidence points to the two of you."

Todoroki's face flushed with anger, his usually composed demeanor shattered by the baseless accusations. Clenching his fists, he struggled to contain the seething rage building within him. “Ridiculous! I don't have time to listen to this. Get out of here, you little brat!”

“Todoroki, calm down.” Your restraint on him was tight and firm, though his anger can never diminish at least he held back from lashing out.

You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose to alleviate the building headache. Your morning started off horribly already before you could even do your usual work.

“I just wanna know and confirm from you personally what we already know to be the truth.” The detective chuckled, seemingly unfazed by your glare. At this point, he’s already grown used to it now.

You cast a worried glance at the old man, realizing the severity of the situation. Lumine, though unable to intervene directly, tried to offer silent support from the sidelines. The detective's gaze shifted to her, and he raised an intrigued eyebrow.

“Argh... Masashi! Tokuda! Arrest these people!” Todoroki shouted, alerting the named soldiers. Masashi and Tokuda hesitated for a moment as they saw the intensity of his anger. They were torn between obeying their superior's orders and questioning the validity of the detective's claims.

Seeing the dangerous situation unfold, you stepped forward, your voice calm but assertive. “Wait no! Put the weapon down!”

The detective sighed, seemingly disappointed by the chaos he had caused. "Oh, but it seems like emotions are running high. Perhaps the truth is finally coming to the surface," he remarked, fueling the fire further.

You tightened your grip on Todoroki's arm, trying to anchor him and maintain control of the situation. "Enough of this nonsense! If you have any evidence, present it properly instead of making baseless claims."

The situation had escalated far beyond your expectations, and you knew that finding a way to clear your names and prove your innocence would be a daunting task. With tension still thick in the air, you hoped that rationality would prevail and that the truth would ultimately come to light.

Heizou tutted, wagging his index finger as if he was a disappointed parent. “We saw you last night, Miss [Name] and Mister Todoroki. You were with Tokuda and Masashi helping to carry the goods.”

Your eyes widened in surprise and you felt your heart was about to come out of your throat. “Well, the Traveler can confirm it for me. Isn’t that right?” The redhead peered over to the said name. Lumine hesitated for a moment, torn between being truthful and not wanting to further implicate you or Todoroki. She took a deep breath and nodded.

You groaned, the defeat sinking into you slowly, eating up your entire soul. You swallowed your pride and sighed heavily. It’s better to clear up the misunderstanding than fuel this fire into madness.

You went down onto your knees and placed your head against the ground. Todoroki's eyes widened in shock, and it wasn’t just him. Even Lumine, Paimon, the two soldiers, and Heizou were surprised.

For you to kneel and beg was unexpected and Todoroki was concerned when you performed dogeza. "Hey, [Name], there's no need for that," he said, his voice softer now, realizing the toll the situation was taking on you.

Gorou came rushing in, his arms wide as he stepped in and intervened. “Everyone, please calm down!” He was panting heavily, running immediately to the Sangonomiya Shrine when he was alerted by the soldiers of the conflict occurring here.

You ignored Todoroki and pleaded for Heizou’s empathy. “Please, listen to us.” Heizou watched you with a mix of surprise and curiosity as you pleaded for understanding. The tense atmosphere seemed to momentarily ease as Gorou's presence diffused the situation slightly.

The detective crossed his arms, his expression stoic as he considered your plea.

"Fine, I'll listen," he said, though his tone still held a hint of skepticism. You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself as you explained Watatsumi Island’s current struggle and situation.

“Watatsumi is a barren island. Growing crops here is futile…” It shattered Lumine’s heart to hear your voice wavering. “You can't grow food or medicinal herbs here. And if we buy them from Ritou, we pay exorbitant taxes.” Todoroki added, exasperation evident in his tone.

“My eldest son died fighting on the battlefield. But do you know how my second son died? He died because there was no medicine to treat him! He sacrificed himself so [Name] will be treated!”

Your stomach felt heavy, recalling the smell of rust and heavy stains of red all over your abdomen. The old man's face was etched with grief and frustration as he continued, his voice trembling with emotion. “[Name] got injured during the war and I was able to cure her before things got worse…”

You clenched your fist and bit your lip. You still didn’t raise your head. This was the only way to show and beg for the Shogunate’s mercy and understanding. Rebelling would be useless and you’d be willing to turn yourself in if that’s the only option to save your hometown.

“I beg you, please don’t tell this to the Commission… This is the only thing I ask of you, Shikanoin.” You dropped the mocking nickname and addressed him by his last name. Todoroki hated seeing you kneeling like this. His anger was boiling, fueling his rage, and it was hard to stop himself.

“Gorou, if we detain them today, the Shogunate will never know what we've done. Besides, we're only a few months away now...We will set them free once the new bill is passed in just a few months, and everything will be okay. None of what happened here will be mentioned again, and life on Watatsumi Island will continue to improve.” Todoroki convinced the general. The urgency and desperation were so evident and the gears on Heizou’s head were turning, finally confirming his case.

“I understand you’re worried about them, Todoroki. But they won’t—“

“That man’s a Tenryou Commissioner!" He cried, his voice becoming scratchy. "If we let him go free, then who's to say that the Shogunate won't come after us tomorrow? If they decide to investigate, we won't be able to hide the truth.”

The general furrowed his brows, understanding the gravity of the situation. Heizou's knowledge of the smuggling activities could be disastrous for the people of Watatsumi Island.

Todoroki looked like he was giving up. No matter how much he argued and convinced Gorou, it’ll all be useless. He’s a simple farmer and he has no power commanding the island’s government.

The atmosphere was gloomy and tense, it almost affected Lumine as well. But her eyes lit up recalling what Todoroki said.

“Wait, what is the bill you just mentioned?”

“It's a new commodity tax bill currently being drafted by the Kanjou Commission. The bill exempts taxes on goods that are in short supply on Watatsumi Island. Once the bill is introduced, we'll be able to buy commodities that we need from regular marketplaces…” Gorou explained.

Then everything clicked. Heizou chuckled and shook his head. "Oh, I see. Man alive… These all make sense now.” He settled his gaze back to you and your eyes made contact with him. Just one look at him and you can feel the dread eating you up whatever that might come out of his lips.

“Alright, in exchange to keep everything here a secret, I’ll stay here a little bit longer.”

“YOU WHAT?!” Hearing you scream at the top of your lungs and standing up surprised everyone.

Oh that shit-eating smirk is back again. The vein on your forehead was noticeable and Lumine calmed you down by pulling you back.

“Oh you heard me. I’m staying here and I’ll be able to see you more, Miss [Name].”

Your heart sank as you realized the implications of Heizou's words. He was willing to stay on Watatsumi Island, watching and wandering the coast area. You’d see him all day while you work and just the thought of it is enough to make you gag in disgust you’ll see this man.

The relief you felt about the bill that could potentially help the island was overshadowed by the fear of having a Tenryou Commissioner in your midst, ruining your peaceful life.

“Oh, come on, Miss Shrine Maiden. What’s with that look? Surely you must have noticed that, aside from being a detective, I am also an ordinary tourist who likes to enjoy good scenery?”

The annoying nickname was back again. You couldn't hide the disdain in your eyes as Heizou's smirk grew wider. Your heart sank further as you realized that the detective's prolonged stay on Watatsumi Island would indeed be a constant source of unease for you.

It wasn't just his involvement in the smuggling investigation that bothered you; it was his nosiness that annoys you the most that there's a possibility he'll take confidential information about the island and use it against you leading to another war.

Gorou and Todoroki, however, seemed unfazed by Heizou's decision to stay longer. The general saw it as an opportunity to further strengthen the island's ties with the Tenryou Commission.

"I'm glad to hear you'll be staying a little longer, Detective Heizou," Gorou said, a hint of gratitude in his tone and Todoroki nodded in agreement.

You forced a smile, not wanting to cause further tension. Deep down, you knew that they were right – accepting Heizou's presence was necessary to buy time until the new bill could be passed. Still, it didn't change the fact that you dreaded the days ahead, knowing that you'd have to endure his watchful gaze while trying to go about your daily work.

Heizou's eyes locked with yours again, and you could sense the amusement in his gaze. "Oh, come on now, Miss Shrine Maiden. I promise I won't be a bother," he said teasingly.

You gritted your teeth, suppressing the urge to retort. There was nothing you could do but play along and hope that the situation would resolve itself once the new bill was in effect.

Until then, you'd have to be on guard and keep Lady Sangonomiya close and safe, all while enduring the presence of a suspicious and nosy Tenryou Commissioner on Watatsumi Island.

#elliwrites #genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #heizou x reader #shikanoin heizou x reader #heizou genshin #shikanoin heizou genshin

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