Chapter 93. Klee and Nahida
"What the—?!"
Futsu Mitama suddenly cried out, his expression frozen in unmistakable shock.
"What happened?!"
Without hesitation, Dehya drew the greatsword from her back and immediately swept her gaze across the surroundings, instinctively assuming that an enemy had appeared.
Only after a quick survey did she realize there was nothing unusual around them.
Yet it wasn't only Futsu Mitama who had reacted. The expressions of everyone else had also changed, each wearing the same look of astonishment, as though they had witnessed something utterly unbelievable.
"...?"
Dehya blinked in confusion, her eyes filled with bewilderment. She hadn't seen anything, nor had she heard anything unusual.
So what exactly had happened?
Unable to contain her curiosity, she turned toward the person nearest to her.
"Do you know?" she asked Black Aila.
Among everyone present, Black Aila appeared to be the calmest, showing almost no reaction at all.
Black Aila glanced at Dehya, looking somewhat helpless.
Out of everyone here... why ask her? How was she supposed to know what had happened?
The only conclusion she could draw was that something must have happened inside the Chat Group. Otherwise, there was no reason for Young Master and the others to react with such obvious surprise.
"Ah... haha..."
Seeing Black Aila's helpless expression, Dehya immediately interpreted it differently.
"So, you don't know either?"
A trace of embarrassment surfaced on her face.
Did she forget something again?
As Dehya quietly fell into contemplation, trying to figure out what she had overlooked, Black Aila had already begun asking Aila through their mental link.
She was just as puzzled.
What exactly had happened in the Chat Group that could leave even Young Master this astonished?
"You'll find out soon. They're still talking."
Aila simply left her with that teasing reply, deliberately refusing to explain for the moment.
Meanwhile, the Chat Group had erupted into complete chaos.
Nahida had actually obtained an item from her first sign-in.
Everyone knew that newcomers had a relatively high chance of receiving an item during their first sign-in.
Even so, that only meant the odds were higher—not guaranteed.
Eula, Cyno, and Bosacius had all joined relatively recently. Bosacius had even entered the Chat Group during the events in the Chasm.
Yet none of them had received an item from their first sign-in.
No one had expected Nahida to succeed on her very first attempt. Even more unbelievable was what she had just said.
She... could leave her cage.
For a brief moment, the entire Chat Group fell into stunned silence as everyone across Teyvat stared at Nahida's message.
Nahida: "I might be able to escape my cage."
Futsu Mitama: "Hold on... you can escape your cage?"
Kuki Shinobu: "The cage I'm thinking of? You can come out now?"
Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Did you obtain an item that can destroy the cage? Or is it something else?"
Cyno: "Really?! If that's true—I'll return to Sumeru City immediately! I'll gather the Matra to ensure your safety and bring down the Great Sage's experiment!"
Venti: "It's obvious this young man who loves playing Genius Invokation TCG is very, very excited. Though I understand why—could you tell us what the item does?"
Raiden Makoto: "Of course, if you'd rather not say, that's perfectly fine."
Zhongli: "Items obtained from the Chat Group belong to their owners. Even if you choose not to disclose it, no one would think less of you."
Maha Rukkhadevata: "There's no need to hide it. Just tell us—what did you get? I'm really curious!"
Nahida: "It's called the Teleportation Scepter. It allows me to teleport anywhere I wish."
Yae Miko: "What? Anywhere?!"
Azhdaha: "Anywhere? You mean anywhere in Sumeru?"
Guizhong: "No... it should mean anywhere across Teyvat."
Albedo: "Is there a possibility that 'anywhere' also includes—I'm suddenly very interested."
Maha Rukkhadevata: "Don't get too excited, Albedo. I know exactly what you're thinking, but please be patient."
Zhongli: "I must admit... I'm quite curious as well."
Maha Rukkhadevata: "Hmm~ if it's entrusted to Mr. Zhongli for research, perhaps that wouldn't be a problem."
Keqing: "Huh?"
Kamisato Ayaka: "But... if Lesser Lord Kusanali leaves now, wouldn't that disrupt our plans?"
Nahida: "Please, just call me Nahida. Do you already have a plan?"
Raiden Makoto: "Not exactly. Most of our current plans were made by Maha Rukkhadevata."
Raiden Ei: "At Maha Rukkhadevata's request, Futsu Mitama came to Sumeru to find you. None of us expected things to develop like this."
Venti: "Indeed. We never imagined that your own people would imprison you."
Guizhong: "If Cyno hadn't joined the Chat Group, we probably would've assumed you were simply an Archon who preferred to stay out of sight."
Cyno: "We have failed Maha Rukkhadevata's expectations."
Maha Rukkhadevata: "Alright, alright, Cyno. Don't blame yourself. Nahida, our plans can wait. First, is anyone monitoring you?"
Nahida: "No. The Sanctuary of Surasthana has been empty for five hundred years. It seems they've long since forgotten me. Even so, they may still observe me through the Akasha System if anything unusual happens."
Nahida: "But the moment I leave— the Akasha System will fall completely under my control."
Futsu Mitama: "Then the timing couldn't be better. Leave that cage and come meet everyone."
Maha Rukkhadevata: "Why do you say that?"
Maha Rukkhadevata: "Wait. You're right. The timing really is perfect."
Raiden Makoto: "Indeed."
Yae Miko: "Hehe~ Once she controls the Akasha System, the Akademiya will become both blind and deaf."
Raiden Ei: "I understand each sentence individually... but together, I'm still confused of why and how."
Azhdaha: "Same here. Why is the timing suddenly perfect? And what do you mean the Akademiya will become blind? Why can Nahida suddenly go meet everyone?"
Albedo: "Simply put— Futsu Mitama has already confronted both the Akademiya and the Fatui today. Under those circumstances, neither side is likely to focus their attention on Nahida."
Yae Miko: "Exactly~ And from the live broadcast, it's obvious that the Akademiya now relies almost entirely on the Akasha System for its eyes and ears. It's certainly convenient. But once Nahida takes control of it, that convenience will become their greatest weakness."
Eula: "In other words... because the Sages depend so heavily on the Akasha System, once Nahida controls it, even if she escapes, no one will realize she's gone?"
Futsu Mitama: "Exactly. Actually, even if you're discovered after leaving now, it won't matter. I'll use the Anemo Gnosis. You use the Dendro Gnosis. Together, we could pin Dottore down."
Futsu Mitama: "Then Aila and I will finish him."
Maha Rukkhadevata: "No rush. Force may be necessary, but before that, we need to identify everyone who must be dealt with. That's where Cyno, Faruzan, Tighnari, and the others come in."
Cyno: "I will do everything I can, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata... Lord Nahida."
Nahida: "Just call me Nahida. There's no need to add 'Lord' every time."
Cyno: "I'll do my best."
Nahida: "Sigh... Very well. "Then I'll leave now. See you soon, Futsu Mitama."
Futsu Mitama: "Alright. I'll send my location first. You can also use the live broadcast to confirm where we are. "Just teleport directly. Items from the Chat Group have never disappointed us."
Inside the Sanctuary of Surasthana, Nahida slowly lowered her gaze after sending that final message.
The Teleportation Scepter rested quietly in her hand as she looked toward the cage before her.
She wanted to leave this place.
She wanted to meet the companions who had come searching for her.
And she wanted to fulfill the responsibility that had always belonged to her.
Through her brief conversation with Maha Rukkhadevata in the Chat Group, Nahida had finally learned the truth.
She truly was the second Dendro Archon.
When Maha Rukkhadevata departed this world, everything had happened too suddenly. Even after joining the Chat Group, she had believed she was merely continuing her studies, assisting the Akademiya in governing Sumeru.
Only after Cyno entered the Chat Group did she learn what had truly become of Sumeru.
Upon learning the truth, Maha Rukkhadevata entrusted her final wishes to Futsu Mitama and asked him to find Nahida.
Because of that decision, Nahida had entered the Chat Group.
She had met the companions waiting for her.
She had met the person she admired most.
And she had obtained the item capable of freeing her from five centuries of imprisonment.
"It's time."
Nahida spoke softly.
A brilliant white radiance enveloped her.
The next instant, her petite figure vanished from the cage that had confined her for five hundred years.
The first thing Nahida did after emerging into the outside world was seize control of the Akasha System.
The core of the Akasha Terminal was the Dendro Gnosis. And Nahida was its rightful owner.
As Maha Rukkhadevata herself had said before her passing, she had entrusted the Dendro Gnosis to Nahida, hoping she would one day grow into the successor destined to inherit Sumeru.
Yet five hundred years ago, the Great Sage rejected that will.
Believing Nahida lacked the wisdom worthy of an Archon, he imprisoned her within the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
But now—
Having stepped beyond that prison, Nahida could freely exercise the authority of the Dendro Gnosis.
In other words, the Akasha System now belonged entirely to her. Not even the Great Sage—or any of the other Sages—possessed authority greater than hers.
If they were to observe the Sanctuary of Surasthana through the Akasha System at this very moment— They would still see Nahida quietly imprisoned inside the cage.
Nahida turned toward it.
Emerald light shimmered gently at her fingertips.
A perfect image of herself, eyes peacefully closed, quietly appeared within the cage.
A second layer of insurance.
Even if someone suddenly decided to enter the Sanctuary of Surasthana in person, they would see only the sleeping Nahida.
To discover the truth— They would first have to unlock the cage.
But the Great Sage would never do such a thing, and Dottore would likely never concern himself with it.
At the thought of this, a gentle smile spread across Nahida's face. She found herself genuinely looking forward to seeing how the Akademiya's Sages would react when confronted with this scene.
Would they panic? Would they finally feel fear?
She would quietly observe every one of their expressions through the Akasha System.
With that thought in mind, Nahida took a slow, deep breath, savoring the long-forgotten sensation of freedom.
In the next instant, clutching the Teleportation Scepter in her hand, she disappeared once more amid a brilliant flash of white light.
—
Outside Sumeru City, Futsu Mitama and the others were still making their way back when every one of them suddenly became alert, their gazes turning toward the same direction.
Seeing everyone's attention shift at once, Dehya instinctively followed their line of sight.
Standing there was an exceptionally adorable little girl. She held a branch adorned with a pure white gemstone in one hand, wearing a warm smile as she looked toward everyone.
Friend or foe?
Black Aila silently observed the little girl, her vigilance immediately rising.
She could sense it.
The girl before her was extraordinarily powerful.
An Archon.
Yet neither the Young Master nor Aila had shown any intention of attacking, so Black Aila quietly asked through their shared consciousness.
How did she appear beside us without making the slightest sound? Even spatial teleportation shouldn't be completely silent.
Friend.
Aila answered inwardly, though she herself looked at Nahida with unmistakable curiosity. She had encountered several Archons before.
Zhongli.
Raiden Ei.
Those two possessed an unfathomable presence.
Ever since merging with Black Aila and briefly stepping into the realm of gods, Aila had become far more sensitive to differences in strength.
Whether it was Rex Lapis or the Raiden Shogun, both stood at the absolute pinnacle among the Archons.
Perhaps—
They had already surpassed that realm altogether.
Nahida, however, gave her an entirely different impression. She was undeniably powerful. Yet if Aila merged with Black Aila once more and entered the Demon God Realm again—
She estimated her chances of victory would be around seventy to eighty percent.
Yes.
Seventy to eighty percent.
Against the previous Dottore, even after merging, Aila had judged her odds of victory to be only around forty percent. In other words—
The second Dendro Archon's combat strength was remarkably low. Perhaps even weaker than Dottore himself.
"Hello, everyone~"
Nahida greeted them with a radiant smile before gently closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
"So this... is what freedom feels like."
A look of pure happiness spread across her face.
"Honestly, speaking with all of you using my own body feels wonderful."
Dehya blinked before her eyes gradually widened. She seemed to realize something. Looking at Nahida in astonishment, she exclaimed,
"You... You're Lesser Lord Kusanali?!"
"Please just call me Nahida."
Nahida smiled helplessly.
"And if possible, please don't keep calling me 'Your Excellency.' or 'Lord' I'm still not used to it."
After spending five hundred years alone, Nahida had never grown accustomed to such formal titles.
Cyno insisted on addressing her that way.
Faruzan had done the same.
Now even Dehya had followed suit.
"That won't do."
Dehya immediately shook her head. There was no way she could address an Archon so casually. More importantly—
She sincerely respected Lesser Lord Kusanali.
Ever since learning that Nahida had quietly protected Dunyarzad day after day, Dehya had developed genuine reverence for the young Archon.
Before that, she hadn't thought much about Nahida. She had even questioned whether this Dendro Archon truly existed.
But everything changed after fighting beside Nahida against Signora.
Throughout that battle, Nahida had exhausted nearly all of her strength on her body double simply to shield Faruzan and Dehya. Even though they ultimately failed—
That unwavering resolve had deeply moved Dehya.
"Very well."
Nahida smiled helplessly. She couldn't exactly force someone to change the way they addressed her.
"It's good to finally see you outside."
Futsu Mitama looked at Nahida with a smile that resembled that of a proud father. Back then, he had painstakingly saved Primogems, planning to pull for Nahida.
Who could have imagined he would instead transmigrate into Teyvat?
Though—
Thinking about it now, perhaps nothing had been lost. Compared to the Nahida inside the game—
The Nahida standing before him was real.
Alive.
Someone who could laugh, speak, and smile.
Nahida returned his smile before greeting Aila, Black Aila, Shenhe, Sangonomiya Kokomi, and everyone else in turn. When her gaze fell upon Aila and Black Aila, however, a trace of curiosity appeared in her eyes.
There was something unusual.
"What is it?" Black Aila noticed Nahida studying her and calmly asked, "Did you discover something?"
"Hm..."
Nahida nodded. Looking first at Black Aila and then at Aila, she said thoughtfully,
"The fluctuations of your souls are almost completely identical. Are you twins? But even twins shouldn't possess perfectly identical souls."
"So, what exactly is going on?"
She truly couldn't understand. Previously, when she had met everyone through Katheryne's body, she hadn't been using her true form.
As a result, she had failed to notice this peculiar phenomenon.
Now, however, standing before them in person—
As the God of Wisdom, she naturally couldn't suppress her curiosity toward something she had never encountered before.
"Because, we're originally the same person."
Aila calmly stepped beside Black Aila before proudly puffing out her chest.
"Our relationship goes far beyond that of ordinary twins."
As she spoke, she deliberately leaned against Black Aila, seemingly wanting the other to experience it firsthand.
"..."
Black Aila was already slightly smaller than Aila. Combined with her naturally stoic personality— Feeling herself pressed against Aila's rather impressive figure immediately ignited an indescribable irritation inside her.
"That's right. We're the same person." Black Aila replied expressionlessly. "I'm simply the younger one. And she's the older one."
"...?"
Aila immediately narrowed her eyes. She stared at Black Aila in obvious dissatisfaction.
Older? Who was older?
She was clearly still in the prime of her youth.
"So, You want to fight?"
A faint current of lightning flickered within Aila's eyes. No woman appreciated being called old.
"Heh."
Black Aila merely sneered. Several shadowy tentacles silently emerged behind her. Since they were literally the same person—
Neither needed to guess what the other was thinking.
Seeing the two of them on the verge of fighting, Nahida stood frozen in confusion. Hadn't they just said they were closer than twins? How had they gone from chatting peacefully to preparing to fight the very next moment?
Even stranger—
Aside from Dehya, everyone else appeared completely accustomed to the scene.
"Alright, alright."
Just as the two were about to come to blows, Futsu Mitama reached out and gently pressed a hand atop each of their heads.
"Now isn't the time. You can fight all you want after everything here is settled."
Hearing him speak, both Aila and Black Aila immediately abandoned the idea.
Turning toward Nahida, Futsu Mitama explained,
"As for their situation—it's rather complicated. You can simply think of them as originally being one person. Because of Dottore, one person became two. Logically speaking, they should've fought to determine who the true Aila was."
"But... I'm an adult. So, I want both Ailas. That's why I used an item from the Chat Group to preserve their current state."
Nahida blinked.
An item.
That single word immediately caught her attention. So the current existence of both Aila and Black Aila—had been maintained through an item obtained from the Chat Group.
Both of them possessed astonishing strength. One could even say they had already stepped into the realm of gods.
Nahida could clearly perceive traces of Demon Gods authority within both of them.
If the two merged back into the true Aila—only then did Nahida realize something.
Futsu Mitama's side didn't possess merely one Archon-level combatant. These two maids were hidden Archon-level forces as well. At present they simply couldn't merge.
But after witnessing the Chat Group's miraculous items firsthand—Nahida had no doubt that Futsu Mitama probably possessed another item capable of allowing them to become one again.
With that thought—
Maha Rukkhadevata's decision suddenly made perfect sense. No wonder she had entrusted Futsu Mitama with finding her.
With just Futsu Mitama and Aila alone—
There were very few places in all of Teyvat capable of stopping them.
"Would you like to look around for a while?"
Originally, Futsu Mitama had planned to head straight back to Sumeru City. Now, however, Nahida had finally escaped.
Returning immediately was no longer the best option.
Sumeru City was now filled with both Fatui operatives and Akademiya informants, hidden in plain sight.
The moment they entered the city, their movements would inevitably be exposed.
Even without the Akasha System, Nahida would have to remain constantly vigilant.
When it came to intelligence gathering and covert surveillance—the Fatui were vastly more experienced than either the Thirty or the Matra.
Had Nahida not escaped today, Futsu Mitama would've returned directly to Sumeru City. After everything that had happened—
Everyone was exhausted.
Well~~ Perhaps Shenhe was the lone exception. After all, she still felt somewhat dissatisfied. An entire day without a proper fight had been rather boring.
But now that Nahida had finally gained her freedom. Naturally, she should come first. After spending five hundred years confined within the Sanctuary of Surasthana—
Nahida deserved the chance to enjoy the outside world.
In that regard... She had been even more of a recluse than Raiden Ei. At least Ei hadn't remained shut away for the full five hundred years.
Only...
Around four hundred.
"Thank you."
Nahida smiled gratefully.
"As for my young miss—" Dehya hesitated.
Part of her wanted to return immediately to Dunyarzad's side. Another part wanted to accompany Nahida on her very first journey through Sumeru.
After all... how many people could say they had accompanied an Archon sightseeing?
"Nahida watched over Dunyarzad for countless days."
Now it was Nahida's turn to experience the world.
"Dunyarzad will be safe." Nahida smiled reassuringly. "The Akasha System is now entirely under my control. You no longer need to worry. If she encounters danger—"
"I'll protect her."
Holding the Teleportation Scepter, Nahida felt more confident than ever before. She might not be able to defeat opponents such as Futsu Mitama, Aila, or Dottore.
But... If she couldn't win... She could always leave.
More importantly— if anyone within Sumeru found themselves in danger, she could instantly teleport to them and bring them to safety.
Afterward, Futsu Mitama and the others accompanied Nahida as they leisurely toured the outskirts surrounding Sumeru City.
Throughout the journey, Nahida's smile never once disappeared.
Watching her delight in every unfamiliar sight—
Whether it was Futsu Mitama's group—
Or everyone silently watching through the Chat Group—
All of them felt a faint ache in their hearts.
Nahida possessed five hundred years of memories. She had accumulated immeasurable knowledge through the Akasha System.
She appeared mature beyond her years.
Yet from an Demon God's perspective... She was still just a child. Much like Klee.
An age that should have been filled with carefree days— Instead forced to shoulder responsibilities far beyond her years.
After wandering together for another three or four hours, Nahida gradually calmed down. Standing upon the verdant grasslands, she quietly looked toward the distant silhouette of Sumeru City.
The time for celebration had passed.
Now... It was time to face reality.
"Oh, right."
Futsu Mitama suddenly remembered something.
"Nahida. Come with me for a moment. I'd like to discuss something privately."
"Of course."
Nahida nodded without hesitation before following him toward a quiet corner.
Dehya instinctively tried to follow after them.
However, Aila gently stopped her.
"Young Master needs to discuss something with Nahida. We shouldn't interrupt."
"Oh... right."
Dehya quickly nodded. Even so, she couldn't help wondering what exactly Futsu Mitama intended to discuss with Lesser Lord Kusanali.
After reaching a secluded spot, Futsu Mitama's eyes fell upon the Teleportation Scepter in Nahida's hand.
"Have you tested it? The range. And its energy consumption."
Nahida gently shook her head. She hadn't tested anything. The moment she escaped, she had immediately teleported to meet Futsu Mitama and the others.
"I recommend going to Liyue first."
Futsu Mitama looked at Nahida before continuing,
"You should meet Mr. Zhongli. Within the Chat Group, everyone calls him 'Mr. Know-a-Little.' No matter the subject— He always seems to know a little about it. So whenever anyone encounters something unfamiliar—"
"They usually ask him."
Watching the live broadcast, Zhongli and Guizhong exchanged silent glances. Both immediately understood what Futsu Mitama intended.
"Meet... Mr. Zhongli?"
Nahida blinked, her expression filled with curiosity. Although she had only recently joined the Chat Group— She could already sense that Zhongli was someone extraordinary.
Whether it was Raiden Ei—
Raiden Makoto—
Barbatos—
Or even Maha Rukkhadevata—
Every one of them treated Zhongli with remarkable respect.
It was an odd feeling.
Yet the more Nahida observed him and their interactions— the more mysterious he seemed.
Especially Maha Rukkhadevata's reaction. When Albedo wanted to study the Teleportation Scepter—
"No."
When Zhongli wished to examine it—
"That's perfectly fine."
That subtle difference alone had drawn Nahida's attention long ago. And the more she thought about it—the stranger Mr. Zhongli became.
"I can't quite put my finger on it," Nahida thought to herself, "but one thing is certain—this Mr. Zhongli must have an extraordinary background."
"Mm."
Futsu Mitama nodded. His gaze fell upon the Teleportation Scepter in Nahida's hand as he said seriously,
"If it's him, he should be able to determine the Teleportation Scepter's approximate range and energy consumption. Although Liyue Harbor is quite far from Sumeru, and the Teleportation Scepter appears to contain an abundance of energy, there's no harm in testing it."
"And…" Futsu Mitama paused before smiling faintly. "Don't you want to see the world beyond Sumeru?"
Hearing those words, Nahida fell silent. After a brief moment of contemplation, she finally gave a gentle nod. Although she didn't fully understand why Futsu Mitama had suggested it, one thing he said resonated deeply with her.
She truly was curious about the world beyond Sumeru.
At the same time, she was also extremely curious about who exactly this Mr. Zhongli was.
"Oh, right." Futsu Mitama suddenly remembered something and turned toward Nahida. "If you leave Sumeru, won't there be problems with the Akasha Terminal?"
After all, the Dendro Gnosis was with Nahida. If she took it out of Sumeru, wouldn't that throw the entire Akasha System into chaos?
"Don't worry." Nahida smiled sweetly. "I've already made the necessary preparations. As long as it has sufficient energy, the Akasha Terminal will continue operating normally. Before leaving, I used the Gnosis to supply it with more than enough energy."
"So long as I return within a reasonable amount of time, there won't be any issues."
Hearing her explanation, Futsu Mitama quietly let out a sigh of relief.
If the Akasha Terminal were to malfunction now, Sumeru City would likely descend into chaos, and that was certainly not the outcome Maha Rukkhadevata wished to see.
After confirming everything was in order, Futsu Mitama contacted Zhongli through the Chat Group and sent Nahida his location.
Unfortunately, an awkward problem immediately presented itself.
Even though Nahida possessed Zhongli's coordinates—
She still couldn't teleport there. Because she had no idea where that place actually was.
Even with precise coordinates, if she had no mental image of the destination, the Teleportation Scepter simply refused to activate.
Faced with this unexpected limitation, the Chat Group immediately erupted into discussion.
[Albedo: "It seems this Teleportation Scepter has certain limitations."]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "Do you need to know what the destination looks like before you can teleport there?"]
[Eula: "Or perhaps you must have personally visited the location first."]
[Raiden Makoto: "Impossible. If that were true, Nahida wouldn't have been able to teleport directly to Futsu Mitama."]
[Yae Miko: "That's easy Why not just start a group livestream? All administrators can do that"]
[Bosacius: "Uh... should I step down as an administrator and give the position to Mr. Zhongli instead?"]
[Venti: "Actually why not come to my place instead? My little island is wonderful! There's food, there's wine, and nobody else can get in!"]
[Nahida: "This..."]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "No!!! Absolutely not!!! Barbatos's place is far too dangerous!!! If you go there, a certain someone will definitely take notice of you! Once you go, you probably won't be coming back for quite a while."]
[Venti: "Ehehe~"]
[Paimon: "What do you mean, 'Ehehe'?! Don't try to trick Nahida!"]
[Venti: "Oh dear~ I'm not tricking anyone. I haven't even started a livestream, have I? It was only a joke. No need to get so worked up."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "If I remember correctly, Signora nearly lost their life because of one of your 'jokes.'"]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Fortunately, the Tsaritsa personally intervened and prevented that Fatui Lady as quickly as she could to stop the Harbinger."]
[Raiden Ei: "Had I already joined the Chat Group back then and known it was Futsu Mitama's doing, I would have intercepted her before she even arrived."]
[Raiden Makoto: "Pfft... Ei still holds a grudge. Though, if you really had stopped her, Snezhnaya would probably have been facing that one by now."]
[Futsu Mitama: "We're getting off topic. Albedo, are you currently in Liyue Harbor?"]
[Albedo: "Yes. Klee and I are both in Liyue Harbor, not far from Mr. Zhongli's location. Should I start a livestream? I'm also interested in studying this Teleportation Scepter. Besides, Klee seems very interested in Nahida."]
[Nahida: "Huh? Interested in me?"]
[Klee: "Yes! Klee thinks you and Klee are really alike! Even your voices sound similar!"]
[Nahida: "Really?"]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "Hmm...? Now that you mention it... little Klee really does resemble me when I was younger."]
[Nahida: "You... when you were younger? Wait... does that mean Klee is actually...?!"]
[Albedo: "!"]
[Guizhong: "I suddenly have a very bold hypothesis."]
[Zhongli: "No, you do not."]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "Don't overthink it. In fact, Nahida, I'm rather similar to you as well~"]
[Albedo: "Ahem. I've started the group livestream. Come over whenever you're ready."]
[Group Administrator Albedo has started a group livestream.]
As soon as the notification appeared, Futsu Mitama instinctively opened Albedo's livestream. He was currently broadcasting his own perspective—while simultaneously watching someone else's broadcast.
It felt rather like nesting one doll inside another.
Still, it was a refreshing experience.
Up until now, it had always been Futsu Mitama hosting the group livestream for everyone else. He hadn't expected it would be Albedo's turn today.
Inside the livestream, Albedo and Klee appeared on screen, both looking directly toward the camera.
"Eh? Brother Albedo?" Klee tilted her head in confusion. "Why is our livestream different from Brother Futsu Mitama's?"
The viewpoint was fixed directly in front of them, which was why both their faces immediately filled the screen the moment the broadcast began.
Futsu Mitama's livestream, by comparison, always used a much wider perspective, almost like a third-person view.
"I'm not sure." Albedo shook his head slightly, a thoughtful expression appearing in his eyes. "This is also my first time using the group livestream function."
As he spoke, Albedo experimented with adjusting the camera angle.
Unfortunately, no matter what he tried, his livestream perspective remained fixed.
Unlike Futsu Mitama's flexible viewpoint, the administrator's camera appeared to be much more restricted.
After several unsuccessful attempts, Albedo simply gave up.
Looking toward the screen, he said, "Nahida, try seeing whether you can teleport here now."
On the other side, Nahida looked at the livestream while gripping the Teleportation Scepter tightly.
A brilliant white light suddenly blossomed.
Buzz—
Her figure disappeared from where she stood.
The next instant, she reappeared directly behind Albedo and Klee.
"Wow!"
Seeing another little girl who looked about her own age suddenly appear behind her, Klee immediately spun around in surprise.
The moment Albedo confirmed Nahida had safely arrived, he promptly ended the livestream.
The reason was simple.
Futsu Mitama's stated reason for sending Nahida to Liyue had been to meet Mr. Zhongli. In reality, however, his true objective was Rex Lapis himself.
As for why—
Most likely, he wanted Zhongli to examine the Teleportation Scepter and determine whether an item with similar properties could be recreated.
After all, he had already replicated things such as Condensed Resin and Purification Water before.
Of course, there was another possibility.
Nahida might inadvertently expose Zhongli's true identity. With her straightforward and innocent personality, she could easily reveal who Zhongli really was—
And perhaps even accidentally awaken a certain ancient Geo Dragon King.
Between the two possibilities, however, Albedo believed the former was far more likely.
"Ah..."
Nahida looked at Klee standing before her and found herself momentarily speechless.
She truly did resemble her.
If they wore the same clothes, and their eye and hair colors matched—
They would probably look almost identical.
"Hello! I'm Klee!"
Far from being shy, Klee cheerfully introduced herself without the slightest hesitation. She didn't even seem to care that Nahida was an Archon.
The instant she saw Nahida, Klee had already decided that they absolutely had to become good friends.
"Hello."
Faced with Klee's overwhelming enthusiasm, Nahida found herself feeling slightly at a loss. No one had ever greeted her with such warmth and enthusiasm before.
At this moment, Klee was like a little sun, happily circling around her.
To Nahida, who had spent five hundred years imprisoned within the Sanctuary of Surasthana—
It was dazzling.
She didn't quite know how she should respond. At that moment, Nahida suddenly realized something. No matter how much knowledge she had accumulated through the Akasha Terminal—
It had always remained just that.
Knowledge.
She had never truly experienced any of it herself. She had encountered countless people with personalities like Klee through the Akasha.
She had even simulated conversations with them countless times.
But simulations were not the same with reality.
'I see~'
Nahida finally understood. Perhaps this was what Futsu Mitama had wanted her to realize all along. No matter how much she learned through the Akasha Terminal—
She had never truly witnessed the world with her own eyes. Nor had she genuinely experienced the countless emotions that filled it.
If she wished to become a true God of Wisdom—
She still had a very long road ahead of her.
With that realization, Nahida smiled gently at Klee.
"Hello. My name is Nahida. It's very nice to meet you, Klee."
"Can Klee be your friend?" Klee asked eagerly, her crimson eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"Mm." Nahida nodded with a warm smile. "Of course."
This was probably the first friend she had ever made. Although everything had happened rather suddenly— It filled her heart with quiet happiness.
"Klee, could you wait over there for a little while?"
At that moment, Albedo gently spoke.
"I need to bring Nahida to meet Mr. Zhongli. After we finish talking, you two can spend as much time together as you like, alright?"
Regarding Zhongli's true identity, Albedo intended to keep it hidden for as long as possible.
Klee... Well, Klee was still a child.
Expecting her to deliberately keep secrets or deceive others was asking too much.
Since that was the case, it was better to have her step away before the conversation began.
"Eeeh~~~"
Klee looked somewhat reluctant.
Still, she was an understanding child.
She obediently nodded.
Looking toward Nahida, she beamed.
"Then~ Nahida! We'll play together later! Klee will take you bomb fishing!"
"..."
Albedo silently rubbed his forehead.
Why was it always bomb fishing? Couldn't there be some other activity?
Just like that, Klee happily skipped into the distance, while several Millelith quietly followed behind her, discreetly ensuring her safety.
Albedo looked toward Nahida.
"Let's go meet Mr. Zhongli."
"Okay."
Nahida naturally had no objections. Watching Klee's cheerful figure disappear into the distance, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
She even found herself looking forward to this so-called bomb fishing.
After all—
It would be the very first time someone had invited her to simply go out and play.
Under Albedo's guidance, the two quickly headed toward Zhongli's agreed meeting place.
Before long, Nahida finally met the so-called Mr. Zhongli.
He was not alone.
Standing beside him was an adorable young girl.
With a single glance, Nahida recognized her identity.
She was a Demon God.
Judging by her aura, her strength appeared comparable to Nahida's own.
Although, since Nahida currently possessed the Dendro Gnosis, the other girl was unlikely to be her match.
As for Mr. Zhongli—
Nahida couldn't see through him at all. Yet an inexplicable feeling kept telling her that something about him was... wrong.
Quietly, she invoked her divine authority. She wanted to uncover—who he truly was.