Hayate's POV

{Inazuma City}

I went out from the house and set out to Inazuma City. When I arrived at the city, specifically to the market place, I find that the people are talking about something. But I didn't mind the commotion, it is probably about the aftermath of the Vision Hunt Decree. I just continued to buy what I need for making sushi and daifuku.

Then I went to Tomoki's stall and ask him if he still has some mochi.

Tomoki: Ah, Hayate, you're asking for some mochi? Right?

Hayate: Yeah. Do you still have some extra mochi?

Tomoki: Ah, yes. But why mochi?

Hayate: I wanted to make some ichigo daifuku.

Tomoki: Oh! I just remembered the time where you asked me to taste test your ichigo daifuku and it was great!

Hayate: Really?

Tomoki: Yeah! Hey, can you give me the recipe?

Hayate: Sure! I guess that would be a fair exchange for mochi and the recipe?

Tomoki: Oh! I really struck a great deal!

Hayate: Give me a piece of paper and I'll write the ingredients and the procedure.

He gave me the paper as I asked for a pen and wrote the recipe, while Tomoki hands me the mochi cake. We exchanged the items.

Hayate: Thank you.

Tomoki: Thank you as well, Hayate

Then he reads the recipe as he asked me.

Tomoki: So it's like an ordinary daifuku but you added berries inside?

Hayate: Yes.

Tomoki: No wonder why it tasted delicious! Oh, also as another gift. You can pick one of what I'm selling today.

I looked at what he sells.

Hayate: Dango, takoyaki and....milk? Huh? Strange? Hey, Tomoki, why are you-

Then I saw him as if he saw a ghost.

Hayate: Hey, what happened?!

Tomoki: W-What is she doing here?

Hayate: She? She who?!

Tomoki: See for yourself.

He points at a certain direction and I followed it and.......this is totally unexpected.

Hayate: Aether, Paimon and Shogun-sama?

Then the three of them walked towards the store and the Shogun called me out by my name as Aether and Paimon smiled as they see me.

Ei: Hayate? What are you doing here?

Aether: Oh, hey, its Hayate!

Paimon: Hello, Hayate!

I smiled at the three of them.

Hayate: Oh, hello, Aether, Paimon and...

I leaned to Aether and Paimon to ask.

Hayate: Is this the puppet or Ei? Because I still have trauma...

Paimon: It's Ei.

Hayate: Really?

Aether: Yeah.

Hayate: Oh...

I leaned back as I finished my greeting...

Hayate: ...and Ei.

Ei asked me.

Ei: What are you doing here in the marketplace?

Hayate: Oh, just buying stuff for making sushi and some daifuku.

Paimon became excited in the mention of food.

Paimon: Sushi!? Wait, Hayate, you can cook!?

Hayate: Of course, I can cook! I learned to cook when I was a kid back then! 

Paimon: Really!?

Hayate: The first skill that a captain need to learn when we have to go far away. 

Paimon: Ooooh! Oooooh! Ooooooh! I wanted to try Hayate's cooking!

Hayate: Oh, haha.

Ei: Wait... Hayate can cook?

We all looked at Ei.

Hayate: You don't believe me?

Ei: It's not that I don't believe you, I'm curious.

Hayate: Hmmmmm. Anyways, what are you doing here?

Paimon: Oh, we're taking Ei for a tour around Inazuma City!

Hayate: Ah, I see.

Then Ei asks Tomoki what is he selling.

Tomoki: U-Uh.......

Ei: Relax, no need to be so nervous.

Tomoki: O-Oh! Well, I sell dangos, takoyaki and milk.

Paimon rubs her chin.

Paimon: Milk......? That's one odd out.....

Hayate: I also have the same question. It really feels odd.

Then he excitedly said this to me.

Tomoki: Oh, Hayate! Since you're like a dessert expert.........

Hayate: Um, yeah?

Tomoki: I've wanting to let you try this creation that I came up with!

Hayate: Is this is where the milk comes in?

Tomoki: It's the milk itself!

Hayate: Care to explain?

Tomoki: This is my latest concoction, Dango Milk! When dango are in their viscous form, they mix well with milk! The focus is not just the taste but also the unique texture!

We all became curious about this creation.

Ei: Dango with milk?

Hayate: This is the first time I ever heard of that. Huh... kinda remind me to the... "Gulps" ... Dragonfruit Noodles from Liyue...

Paimon: It sounds kinda weird.

Aether: Yeah. I tasted dango before but mixing it with milk...

Then a certain memory kicked into my mind.

Hayate: Dango and milk... I swear that it reminds me of a certain someone who just ate my dangos... and as far as I know, she just ate all of dangos right in front of my eyes.

I dart my eyes to Ei who went silent.....as she fidgets her fingers.

Ei: Etou...

Paimon: Hayate sure loves to hold a grudge when it comes to desserts, huh?

Aether: Yeah.

Hayate: And that will follow me to the hell...

After that, I pulled out a stone tablet engraved with my name and engraved the words below. "Remember to offer Sweets three times a week". 

Aether: You really have to do that? 

Tomoki chuckled.

Tomoki: Haha. Well, Hayate is known here for being a dessert expert. That's why, when people wanted to try making desserts for the first time... They will look for Hayate and ask to taste test their creations.

Hayate: Hey, atleast I can get a taste to free desserts. And no regrets!

Ei just silent.

Paimon: Huh? I guess Paimon should be a food critic so that I can also taste different kinds of food.

Aether then looked deadpanned on our floating friend.

Aether: You just wanted to eat free food without paying for mora.

Paimon: Hey!

I smiled.

Hayate: Haha.

Then I asked Tomoki what is the idea behind this Dango Milk.

Tomoki: Hayate, do you remember when you helped me with a friend who was catering and made too many dangos?

Hayate: Oh! He then gave us the extra dangos as reward, right?

Tomoki: Yes. But they were more than I had use for and my milk wasn't selling well at that time either. And as you know, dango and milk have a short shelf life. So, I tried mixing the two as I had nothing to lose. And to my surprise, in the right proportion, it worked well. It also tasted well!

Ei: A chance combination. May I try this drink?

Tomoki couldn't believe what is going on but nonetheless.

Tomoki: The Almighty Shogun wants to try!? Well, certainly!

Then he also persuades to me, the Traveler and Paimon to try the drink.

Tomoki: Hayate, you and your friends should try it, too!

We all grabbed our own bottles of Dango Milk as the other three slowly drank the milk.

Hayate: Well, here goes nothing.

I slowly drank the milk as I examined the taste and the texture in my mouth.

Hayate:Hey! This doesn't sound too bad!

Then Ei, Paimon and Aether say their thoughts.

Ei: Nice, it's sweet. The sensation is not so different from eating a dessert. A unique beverage indeed.

Paimon: Yeah. It's definitely a drink, but it feels like eating food.

Aether: It feels like porridge?

Ei: But the resemblance is only superficial. Anyways, I like it!

Tomoki was glad that the Almighty Shogun approves of his creation.

Tomoki: I'm very glad you approved!

Then he, Ei, Aether and Paimon turned to me, waiting for my verdict.

Hayate: As far as I know...dango is very viscous which makes it very chewy... But then, mix it with something smooth such as milk... Wow... Tomoki...

Tomoki sweatdrops, Paimon is feeling the suspense, Aether is curious about my verdict and Ei eyes on the berries I just bought earlier.

Hayate:.... You're a genius!

Tomoki: Does it mean!?

Hayate: Man, how come no one knows about this marvelous creation!

Ei: I'm also meaning to ask the same question.

Tomoki: Well, sales are pretty average. And I guess most people aren't willing to try.

Hayate: I can fix that.

Tomoki: Huh? Really?

Hayate: Have you forgot? I work with the Yashiro Commission!

Tomoki: Wait, you mean... But that would be taking too far!

Ei: Why not? Also, Hayate is working with the Yashiro Commission? This is great, he can help us convince to Commission to order a few hundred cups and go door-to-door to deliver them.

Tomoki: T-That will be too much!

Then I smiled at Tomoki.

Hayate: Well, if you wanna request for help, you know who to call.

Then I stood up from my chair and carried the items I bought as Paimon asked me.

Paimon: You're leaving?

Hayate: Can't afford to make Sayuri waiting. She has been looking forward to my cooking after all.

Aether: Oh, we almost forgot about that you bought some ingredients.

Hayate: That's right. Well then, I gotta go now. See ya!

Just as I was about to leave, I felt someone tug my cloak.

Ei: Wait.

Hayate: Hm?

I looked at Ei who is tugging my cloak.

Ei: Can I visit your home?

Hayate: W...W... 

Paimon: H-Huh!?

Tomoki: The Almighty Shogun, visiting Shiro's home!?

Aether: Well, his house and the Dark Shadow WIngs Corps HQ are the same place.

Ei: Hayate, please?

She's pleading me with those cute eyes... Wait, what am I thinking!? Doesn't she know how insane it would be, the Almighty Shogun, will visit the Hayabusa Estate without even an announcement!? My team will gonna freak the hell out!

Paimon: C'mon, Hayate! We also wanted to visit your house as well and see Sara.

Aether: Yep, yep!

I give up.

Hayate: Okay... Fine. Come with me.

Paimon: Yay!

--------------

{Dark Shadow Wings Corps HQ, Hayabusa Estate}

I quickly went straight into the kitchen, preparing the ingredients as Sayuri whispers to me.

Sayuri: Onii-chan... This is kinda unexpected but... Why is the Shogun-sama here?

I finally placed all the ingredients as I answered her question.

Hayate: Trust me, even I don't know.

Sayuri: Not to mention...

I followed her gaze and we saw the Archon peeking her head in the kitchen, specifically....

Sayuri: Is it just me or is the Shogun been staring at you....

Hayate: Trust me, I'm really getting uncomfortable by this. My instinct is telling me to fly away!

I just continued preparing the ingredients but, this creeping presence that I feel won't just go away.

Then I said to Sayuri.

Hayate: Just go and attend to our other friends in the living room. I can take care of myself here... Sort of...

Sayuri replies with worry.

Sayuri: Are you sure? I mean...

She looks at the Shogun who's still peeking in the kitchen.

Sayuri: Will you really be okay?

Hayate: Honestly, I don't know. Well, wish me luck, I guess.

Sayuri: Okay then. Goodluck, Onii-chan.

Hayate: Yeah.

Sayuri quietly leaves the kitchen as I'm left alone in the kitchen... I just continued on working on my preparations...

Ei: Um, Hayate?

I turned around and she's right in front of me and I almost jumped from shock.

Hayate: Ah! By the sake of the Seven Archons, don't scare me like that!

Ei: *Who is literally an Archon* S-Sorry...

I continued on my work as I rolled up the sleeves of my clothes, grabbed a knife began gutting the fish for the sushi. But I can't help to feel nervous! I mean, what the hell is she watching me for!?

Ei: Oh, is that what they call "gutting" a fish?

I continued gutting the said fish and when I got the meat, I chopped it into bite sized that is usually made for sushi. Then I also chopped the vegetables and the other fish for the maki sushi.

Then after that, I grabbed a large portion of vinegared rice, stick them together, and after that, I put the fish and vegetables on top, then I wrapped them with the rice.

After doing that process, wrapped it around with seaweed and once it is fully wrapped, I took a knife and slice them to little cylindrical pieces.

After doing that.

Hayate: Huh? I didn't expect that I would be able to make so many of these. This is a surprise, but a welcoming one.

Then, as for the remaining rice and the other fishes, I made another type of sushi.

I grabbbed a small portion of the rice, then grabbed a piece of the fish I sliced earlier and put it on top of the rice.

I did this with the remaining rice and fish that was left and it was decent.

I then went to the backyard and washed my hands immediately.

I went back to the kitchen as Ei's eyes are sparkling in wonder.

Ei: Ooooooh!

I couldn't help but chuckle a little bit.

Hayate: Heh... To think that the real persona of the Electro Archon is like this. But... I met her as "Ei" the girl who wants sweets and go out and see a festival. That is the friend that I met. I met her as Ei and not as the Electro Archon.

Her amethyst colored eyes just wandered in the neatly prepared food as I slowly grabbed the plates and placed the sushi on top of them.

Hayate: Would you mind helping me out?

Ei: Y-Yeah, sure.......

---------------

3rd POV

As Hayate and Ei are preparing the food........

Sayuri, Paimon and Aether snuck behind the kitchen to see what is going on. Sayuri a.k.a Sara was worried about her adoptive brother because she felt that the Almighty Shogun, have been watching her brother for a while now.

She found it strange. So the moment she went back to the living room, she secretly asked the Traveler and Paimon to help her sneak behind and help her watch her brother, for his safety.

Paimon then whispered while hovering beside Aether.

Paimon: Yeah, Paimon's been wondering that, Ei is acting like that in front of Hayate whenever they are alone together.

Sayuri: Hmmmmmmmm.... Is Her Excellency.....? Wait.......there is no way, right?

Aether and Paimon knew what Sayuri is implying.

Aether: Are you saying that the Raiden Shogun is.........

Sayuri: I trust my intuition on this... So that's mean... I gonna have to call her... Onee-chan?!

Aether: Maybe. Well, Yae Miko's even labeled Ei and Hayate as a "married couple."

Paimon: And yeah, just look at the two of them.

They continued looking at the two, Ei is like watching Hayate prepare the meal as Hayate is preparing the sushi with great care. Then they listened to their conversation.

Ei: I never thought that sushi can be prepared this way.

Hayate: For someone like you who is thousand years old, you never knew that sushi is made this way?

Ei: I never knew, okay!? Besides, I lived in the Archon War! I have no time to know how sushi is being prepared? And even desserts.

Hayate: "Sigh" Anyways.

Hayate finished placing all the sushi in the plates.

Hayate: I'll go serve these to them.

Sayuri, Aether and Paimon flinched as Hayate is about to go back to the living room. So they rushed back to the living room and when Hayate came to serve the dish. The three pretended that they are talking about the Traveler's plan on going to Sumeru.

Then Hayate joined the conversation as he served the plates with the multiple sushi on top of them and sushi he completed the meal with soy sauce and wasabi.

Hayate: Sumeru, the land of the God of Wisdom.... Huh.......? I heard that the Dendro Archon is the youngest among the Seven.

Paimon: Yeah. Paimon heard it from Ganyu back in Liyue.

Aether: She said that the God of Wisdom ascended 500 years ago.

Hayate: 500 years ago... After the Cataclysm?

Aether: .....Probably.

Hayate: But isn't that strange? The youngest among the Seven, holds Wisdom despite being the youngest. I guess that title should belong to Morax, the Geo Archon, who is the oldest among the Seven. But, as we all know it. He died.

Aether: Yeah. We even witnessed the Exuvia fell in the Rite of Descent.

Then Hayate smiled.

Hayate: You had already saw many things in this world. But there are still mysteries to be solved. Anyways, enjoy the food. I'll be returning back to the kitchen and make the dessert.

Then he mumbled under his breath.

Hayate: And I hope my secret Cookie Jar will be safe before being eaten by that dessert devouring monster. 

Hayate left the living room as the three silently eats the sushi.

Sayuri: Mmmmmmm! This is definitely onii-chan's cooking!

They tasted the balanced sweet and salty taste of the sushi.

--------------

Back to Hayate

Hayate: Okay, time for the daifuku.

I then prepared the ingredients for the daifuku as Ei is still watching me making the dessert. I can see the excitement in her eyes as I finally coat the berry with red bean paste and then wrapped it around with mochi. I eventually made around atleast 40 pieces and I guess that's enough for everyone.

Then Ei took a piece and took a bite.

Hayate: Even as an Archon, you can't even control yourself, huh?

Ei: This is what I've been waiting for! The dessert! And wow! This is really good. The berry and the green bean paste compliments each other and then the sweetness and smoothness of the mochi makes it even better!

I smiled.

Hayate: I'm glad that the Almighty Shogun approved.

Then she faced me.

Ei: Please, just call me Ei like you used to.

Hayate: Can't help it. I never knew you were the Raiden Shogun when we first met. But know that I knew, well...

Ei: Hehe. Just like I said, you can still call me Ei.

Hayate: Fine........

Then she just gave me a sweet smile.

Hayate: I never knew how Lady Miko was able to handle you.

Then she leans forward to me looking at my face.

Ei: Close your eyes.

I closed my eyes.

Ei: Open your mouth.

It's feels familiar. Then I just felt something sweet in my mouth as I ate it.

Hayate: Ah, I see, I ate the daifuku she took a bite earlier.

Then I opened my eyes and her face is still upclose, looking at me smiling.

Ei: So, how does it taste?

Hayate: You're literally asking me that?

I slowly stepped back as well, to maintain my distance.

Ei: Hehe. I'm just curious how did you came out with this kind of dessert.

Hayate: I see.

I then put the desserts into a new plate and placed them together. I then finally went out from the kitchen with Ei following behind shortly behind. I placed the plate of desserts as Paimon's eyes lit up with the desserts I just made.

Paimon: Oooooh!

Hayate: Go ahead.

Ei, then sat beside me on my right side as she takes one of the daifuku and happily eats it.

My father, who has just returned from the Grand Narukami Shrine leaned to my ear and whispered.

Shimura: Is it just me or is the Almighty Shogun acting, weird? This is not the Raiden Shogun that we served right?

Hayate: I will tell you later...

Well, even with the weird atmosphere, we still managed to have a normal flow of conversation. Well, father mentioned the problem within the Tenryou Commission and Ei couldn't help but overhear it. But she remained silent.

Hayate: I see. Well... now... Inazuma can be in peace... once again...