When her brother mentioned Master Masakatsu, Ayaka momentarily panicked, using her folding fan to hide her unease. Master Masakatsu was no ordinary craftsman. Known throughout Hanamizaka, he possessed a unique skill unimaginable to many: crafting fake Vision.

Compared to authentic Visions bestowed by the gods, Masakatsu’s replicas, while unable to truly connect to elemental energy, were nearly indistinguishable from the real ones. After the Vision Hunt Decree, many Vision holders survived by using his fakes.

The mention of Masakatsu by the head of the Kamisato clan suggested something significant.

“I was wondering who would dare make fake Visions at such a time. Was it your doing, brother?” Ayaka inquired, folding her fan, already piecing together the implications. With the support of one of the Tri-Commission, particularly the Yashiro Commission, it made sense that Masakatsu would take such a risk.

“Be careful with your words. As head of the Kamisato clan, how could I act against the Shogun?” Ayato replied, his smile confirming Ayaka’s suspicions. Despite his youth, as the current head of the Kamisato clan, he was well-versed in deception and strategy, his efforts vital in the clan’s resurgence from decline.

“So, this is…” Ayaka glanced again at the list, suspecting its contents.

“Correct, this is a list of everyone who has purchased a fake Vision from Masakatsu so far.”

Ayaka’s surprise was evident upon hearing her brother’s words. Vision holders were among Teyvat’s strongest, and while there were powerful individuals without Visions, they were rare. Therefore, most of Teyvat’s mightiest possessed Visions. Not all Vision holders aligned with nations or organizations, preferring freedom, especially in a culture-rich region like Inazuma where many lived incognito.

This list represented a potential for the Kamisato clan to connect with these individuals, opening endless possibilities for the clan’s future. With the recent untrustworthiness of the other two Commission, if the Yashiro Commission remained faultless, overpowering the other two and breaking the three-way balance was plausible.

Ayato was indeed playing a significant game.

“These details aren’t important,” Ayato said nonchalantly, setting aside the list, which would be considered a treasure by outsiders, and picking up another piece of information. It was a simple report, bearing just a name: “Bai Luo?”

Alongside Bai Luo’s name was a wind symbol, indicating the element of the fake Vision he purchased. “Yes, Masakatsu wanted to expand overseas, but foreigners weren’t interested in fake Visions. Only one was sold abroad, making it particularly memorable.”

It was through the Shuumatsuban banquet that Ayato learned someone was transporting Visions abroad, leading to his acquaintance with Masakatsu.

“Come to think of it, the name Bai Luo sounds familiar,” Ayaka mused, certain she didn’t know anyone by that name, yet feeling a sense of recognition upon seeing it.

“Kujou,” Kamisato Ayato said, resting his chin on his fist, uttering the surname associated with the Tenryou Commission’s family. This reference jogged Ayaka’s memory. She had heard rumors recently involving Kujou Sara, with whom she had interacted as the Yashiro Commission and the face of the Kamisato clan. Knowing Sara’s character, Ayaka had dismissed the rumors as improbable.

Now, she recalled that the man involved in the scandal with Sara was named Bai Luo. “Brother, are you suggesting they are the same person?”

Information about Bai Luo was scarce in Inazuma City. Most guessed he was from Liyue based on his name, but what intrigued them more was his Vision. Incredibly, during the Vision Hunt Decree, Bai Luo boldly displayed his Anemo Vision at his waist. Many who disapproved of the Decree wondered humorously if Sara would betray her kinship if the Shogun desired Bai Luo’s Vision.

This thought led Ayaka to a realization. “The person named Bai Luo has a Dendro Vision, right?” Indeed, the purchaser of the fake Vision had bought an Anemo one, while the man linked with Sara used a Dendro Vision. Had her brother made a mistake?

“This leads to another matter,” Ayato said, his expression turning serious. Since Bai Luo’s arrival in Inazuma, Ayato had been keeping tabs on him, even deploying the Shuumatsuban ninja after consulting with the Guuji. He was certain that Bai Luo, the envoy from Snezhnaya, was the same individual who bought the fake Vision. But considering his Dendro Vision, the fake Anemo Vision seemed pointless. Why would he buy it?

While pondering this, Scaramouche of the Fatui appeared, a figure once recorded in the Kamisato family’s archives. Ayato, following the Guuji’s advice, had stopped investigating this mysterious figure but still managed to gather some information through other means.

For instance, activities on Yashiori Island caught his attention. According to reports from Touma, the Kanjou Commission and the Fatui were collaborating, transporting large amounts of crystallized bone marrow there, near the remnants of the Yokai Orobashi.

This reminded Ayato of another piece of intelligence he held: the Delusion. The Fatui didn’t hide the existence of the Delusion but kept its specifics secret. The outside world was unaware of its exact nature, only knowing it offered powers similar to a Vision at the cost of life.

Rumors in Teyvat suggested that one of the ingredients for creating a Delusion was the remnants of a Yokai.

‘Could the Fatui be using Masakatsu’s method of making fake Visions to perfect the Delusion? Perhaps a workshop for creating Delusions was hidden on Yashiori Island!’

Zaztra_Vandesh

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep