Paimon: What is it?
Qixuan: The Akademiya probably wants to turn these scholars into Divine Canned Knowledge.
Lumine: What?!
Paimon: Turn people… into Canned Knowledge?
Paimon's teeth started chattering.
Alhaitham: Yes, that's roughly the idea. These people's brains will be used to extract Canned Knowledge, and with the Akademiya's technology, it can be easily done. Perhaps because of these reasons, they feel pain and cry out in the dead of night when no one is watching.
Lumine: How do you know the Akademiya has such technology?
Alhaitham: After all, I am a Scribe of the Akademiya and have been exposed to these research projects. In short, it seems something went wrong when Razak was being used to extract Divine Canned Knowledge, causing him to become like this.
Paimon: I'm a bit confused… So, is everyone's brain useful?
Qixuan: Not entirely. Only those who can withstand the so-called Divine Canned Knowledge and survive are considered qualified.
Lumine: (So this is what the Akademiya wants: to convert Divine Canned Knowledge into special energy to supply the new God. The Fatui… Dottore… the sages… they are using this to make Balladeer the new God.)
Alhaitham: Judging by your expression, you've figured it out.
Lumine: The Akademiya needs people who have been exposed to Divine consciousness. To be precise, they need their special nature to…
Alhaitham: What?
Lumine: No, nothing.
Alhaitham: It seems you know more. I'm more curious about one thing: what exactly can knowledge related to the Divine bring them? I spent a lot of effort analyzing the content of Divine Canned Knowledge, but unfortunately, there was no significant gain. It seems my way of thinking is too different from theirs.
Paimon: Huh? Alhaitham, you're actually fine?
Alhaitham: Scholars naturally pursue the limits of knowledge, but I have no interest in the Divine itself, so I naturally don't have their fanatical attitude. Treating people as dead objects to extract knowledge—if this is what they call academic progress, the Akademiya might as well shut down directly.
Academia, knowledge… everything has boundaries. Once boundaries are crossed, the rules and order of all things will be broken. This kind of thing is like a typo in a book and needs to be corrected.
Paimon: I've been wanting to say this since just now, there are many bad people in the Akademiya, but you're different… you're the weirdo in the Akademiya!
Alhaitham: Probably. But I quite enjoy this feeling of being different. Being special is also a kind of wealth, isn't it?
Qixuan: Let's stop chatting. If your senior isn't dealt with soon, he'll probably really become a madman.
Razak was drooling, his eyes even more unfocused. A light emanated from Qixuan's hand and flowed into his body, clearing the Forbidden Knowledge within him, but he remained dazed and wouldn't recover anytime soon.
Alhaitham: …Leaving him here is a dead end. Let's take him back to the village first.
… … … … … … …
Paimon: We're back!
Candace: You've worked hard. Rest a bit and drink some water.
Everyone sat down.
Cyno: How's the situation?
Candace noticed Razak.
Candace: And this is?
Razak was still wandering around the room.
Alhaitham: Unfortunately, he's too young to be Isaac's grandfather, but he is one of the people we are looking for.
Lumine told everyone about what she saw in the abandoned hospital.
Cyno: So, that abandoned Eleazar hospital was once a base used by the Akademiya to extract Divine Canned Knowledge.
Paimon: Yeah, that's pretty much it.
Cyno: …This whole plan must have happened before we arrived here, but as soon as we got close to Aru Village, those people seemed to know in advance and evacuated. Why?
Candace: Usually in this situation, there should be an insider.
Paimon: You mean there's someone among us who's been tipping them off? Ugh… is our relationship so fake?
Qixuan: Any guesses?
Alhaitham: That's because Cyno, you are here.
Cyno: …Watch your words, Alhaitham.
Alhaitham: Don't rush, I have a basis for saying this.
Candace: How interesting. I thought you were the most suspicious one, since you've always acted alone before.
Alhaitham: What you said makes sense, but on the way back from the hospital, I remembered something, which is that Cyno… is different from all of us.
Cyno: What exactly are you trying to say?
Alhaitham: Do you remember who you are, Cyno? The Grand Scribe.
Cyno: … … …
Alhaitham: Yes, you are the matra of the Akademiya and have always had access to additional information. Who did what, what their flaws are… only by knowing these can you act. In other words, the Akademiya has always been providing you with information through special channels. Given the Akademiya's style, wouldn't they guard against you?
Cyno: Is the Akademiya monitoring my actions?
Alhaitham: It's not just that simple. The Akademiya monitors everything in Sumeru. For you, they have special handling methods. Every once in a while, people will usher in the Day of Knowledge. On this day, the Akademiya will record information into Akasha through Canned Knowledge.
Paimon: Did you find something?
Alhaitham: Yes, once I found a thick notebook next to the console. The contents were all related to the Grand Scribe, Cyno—action reports, execution habits… all aspects.
Cyno: You mean the Akademiya recorded my information into Akasha? But what's the point of doing that? My actions aren't important enough to be Akasha information.
Alhaitham: Akasha can compute.
Cyno: !!
Alhaitham: With Akasha's computing power, it can completely predict your actions in reverse based on the recorded data. When you will set off, what route you will take, where you are going—all of this is clear at a glance.
Cyno: My actions have all been predicted!
(Cyno: Isn't this insidious?)
Alhaitham: The Akademiya has long been guarding against you, but the fact that you thought of resigning and leaving the Akademiya shows that their judgment was not wrong.
Candace: Cyno is too principled, which made him a thorn in their side. For those people, they don't need strong will and loyal faith; adapting to circumstances and chasing after profit like a fickle person… that's the true face of those scholars. Cyno, don't take it to heart. This precisely proves that you are a trustworthy companion.
Cyno: It's because of me that they were able to prepare for evacuation in advance.
Paimon: Don't blame yourself too much, no one could have predicted something like this.
Cyno: No, since that's the case, I can also guess where they will go.
Qixuan: You're in high spirits.
Lumine: You figured it out already?
Alhaitham: Safety is always hidden between crises.
Cyno: For them, they just need to flee against my route. Without further ado, let's set off immediately.
Alhaitham: I still have things to investigate.
Paimon: Let's all go together.
Isaac: Please wait, I want to go too!
Candace: Isaac? You want to go too? Then… you must be careful.
Isaac: I want to find my grandfather. I'll be careful and won't cause any trouble for everyone.
Qixuan: All right, since they're so willing to be nails, let's pull all the nails out.
Candace: Then I'll leave it to you all.
Lumine: No problem! Leave it to us.
What everyone didn't notice was that Dehya had already quietly left.
… … … … … …
Following Cyno, everyone found many clues along the way, and many instruments for extracting knowledge.
Alhaitham: They shouldn't have gone far.
Cyno: Then let's keep chasing.
… … … … … …
Everyone arrived at a hidden place. Ahead was where the mad scholars were held, along with the Eremites and… Dehya.
Alhaitham: Interesting… Let's hear what they're saying.
In the distance… … … …
Dehya: If you had notified me earlier, we could have…
Rahman: You are a comrade… We never deceive…
Dehya: Scholar… you don't know me as well… you need me…
Rahman: Haha, I knew it… good fellow… …
… … … …
Isaac: Why, Sister Dehya too…
Isaac suddenly rushed out.
Paimon: Ah, you idiot, what are you doing! Sister Qixuan, why didn't you stop him!
Qixuan: It's a child's nature, isn't it? I can't hurt him, can I? Alright, alright, let's go out and see.
She then walked out as well.
Paimon: … …
Lumine: Let's go.
… … … … …
Isaac: Didn't you say you'd help me find my grandfather? Why… why are you with them!
Rahman: Haha, you came fast.
Dehya: Sigh, this is troublesome now.
Qixuan: I don't find it troublesome at all, Miss Dehya. If you have nothing to do with these mercenaries, I don't mind dealing with them.
Dehya: No… it's not like that.
Cyno: Did you betray the village?
Rahman: Is this the famous matra? Heh heh, still talking big about dealing with us. Dehya, instead of siding with them, why don't you come and be my helper? You've seen, I have means, and my ideals are more noble and glorious than theirs.
Dehya: (Sigh… you don't understand Qixuan's methods at all.) You should know I'm not easily swayed, Rahman.
Paimon: What's going on… Dehya, whose side are you on?
Dehya: Are you an idiot?
Rahman: No matter, who is with whom will not affect our great cause of awakening the Scarlet King. When the ancient king returns to this land, everything can start anew.
(Qixuan: Indeed, everything can start anew. You've also restarted, so why isn't that starting anew?)
Dehya: Be sober, you know better than I that this is impossible, Rahman. You've been a mercenary for so many years, how can you harbor illusions about rulers?
Rahman: I am a Desertfolk, a devotee of the Scarlet King. Whether I live by the sword and blood, or live in peace, faith will always reside deep in my soul.
Dehya: It's still not too late to release them. Those village guards… no, those mad scholars, cannot truly revive the Scarlet King.
Rahman: You still don't understand, my dear girl. A belief is our lifelong wish. Even if there's only a one-in-ten-thousand chance of success, we must give it our all.
Dehya: Even if this exposes you to the Akademiya's sight? Even if they use this as an excuse to destroy the Eremites you've painstakingly led to this day?
Rahman: Yes, we've waited for this day for too long. The sun and moon are gone, the land is cracked and broken… And now, fate has dealt me this trump card against the Akademiya. With these scholars, we can turn the tables on them and directly break through the Wall of Samiel.
Dehya: Too naive. You are few in number. How can you contend with the Akademiya's power that covers all of Sumeru? If you don't believe what I say, ask those two men here. They also oppose the Akademiya, but none of them are as conceited as you.
(The two: We feel offended, thank you.)
Rahman: Ha, the scent of a running dog. Why should I talk to the children of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata? Despicable and vulgar traitors, your God betrayed the Scarlet King and sold out righteousness. The Desertfolk will never trust the people of the Grass God again!
Cyno: The hostility is too strong, communication is impossible. It seems…
Alhaitham: Do you think you can negotiate with the Akademiya with just that batch of scholars? These people are not qualified to be your bargaining chips, but I can reluctantly act as a hostage.
Those are all cast-offs of the Akademiya, and I am the current Scribe of the Akademiya, so I can be considered a valuable bargaining chip for you.
Rahman: Kid, you want to exchange yourself for the hostages in my hand?
Dehya: Hey, you're not actually thinking of it, are you?
Alhaitham: That's right. If you're smart, you should accept my suggestion.
Paimon: What are you thinking?! What if they kill you after getting the ransom?
Alhaitham: Is that so? Then it's just fate. Besides, I can also use this opportunity to get in touch with the scholars in his hand, and perhaps reveal the truth.
Qixuan: Why does this scene feel somewhat familiar?
Rahman: You think, relying on that inflated self-confidence, you can persuade me?
Alhaitham: This isn't persuasion. I'm just joining your resistance in this way.
Rahman: What reason does the current Scribe have to betray the Akademiya?
Alhaitham: Not everyone living in the Desert worships the Scarlet King, and why should the Akademiya be any different? Why should those who pursue knowledge have to approve of the Akademiya's methods?
Rahman: Haha… hahahaha! Hypocritical! Every person from the Akademiya, no… every person from beyond the Wall of Samiel is like this! I told you, I will not believe a single word from the Grass God's people.
Dehya: Wait, Alhaitham, can you be responsible for your words and actions right now?
Alhaitham: I don't make worthless choices.
Dehya: You know this choice isn't safe, right?
Alhaitham: Mm.
Dehya: Good, Rahman, listen to me. These people are my friends. If the Grass God's people have no credibility to you, then do I count as someone who can speak for them?
Rahman: We've known each other for years, of course I recognize your name.
Dehya said something that shocked everyone.
Dehya: I am willing to guarantee these people with my right arm.
… … … … … … …