Tighnari led everyone into a pavilion.
“Tighnari: This is better; no one will pass by here. Speak, what is so important?”
“Lumine: Have you seen Dottore? We want to know his whereabouts.”
“Tighnari: Dottore…”
“Paimon: He’s that Harbinger from the Fatui, wearing a mask, looking really strange. I remember he had blue hair.”
“Qixuan-jie: But he should be very young now.”
“Tighnari: Hmm… I know him. He just left Gandharva Ville not long ago.”
“Dehya: What a coincidence?”
“Tighnari: Yes, he came to find me.”
“Dehya: May I ask what it was about? I know it’s difficult for you, but it’s really important to us. Currently, all we can reveal is… your friend Cyno is also working with us.”
“Tighnari: Cyno? So that’s why he’s not in the Akademiya. Alright, I can answer your questions and provide some help. You don’t need to tell me what happened.”
“Dehya: So Cyno’s name is that useful? Aren’t you afraid we’re lying to you?”
“Tighnari: There’s no need for such jokes. Neither you, nor the Traveler, nor Cyno, seem like the type of people to make such jokes. You don’t need to mention anything inconvenient to reveal. I’ll get straight to the point: the Harbinger Dottore you mentioned came to me because he wanted to take Haypasia.”
“Paimon: Why would that guy target him?!”
“Lumine: What does he want to do?”
“Dehya: What do you mean ‘take him’? Is he leaving Sumeru?”
“Tighnari: Yes, he said he was about to leave Sumeru and return to Snezhnaya, and that someone here had made him suffer a bit, so it wasn’t convenient for him to stay here any longer.”
“Paimon: It seems Qixuan-jie didn’t teach him enough of a lesson! Hmph.”
“Tighnari: I don’t know him well, but in talking to him, I realized he has a certain… ‘arrogance’ unique to scholars that I don’t particularly like. It’s not haughtiness, but an extreme self-confidence in his abilities, almost to the point of madness. I couldn’t possibly hand a patient over to someone like that.”
“Qixuan-jie: That’s right. Dottore isn’t considered a good person even among the Snezhnayans. You’d know if you just asked around a bit.”
“Lumine: …But will he just give up like that?”
“Tighnari: I made thorough preparations, but I didn’t expect him to give up so directly. However, his reaction made me very uneasy…”
Tighnari began to recall…
“You’re always like this, young in age, yet you believe your decisions are always correct. And precisely because of this, people like you always fail to realize that one day, everyone will pay for what’s in their mind. No one can escape it.”
…………
“Qixuan-jie: I think it’s necessary for Sumeru to go to war. I’ll be the vanguard general.”
“Paimon: ……”
“Tighnari: Ahem, he asked a question and didn’t care how I answered. Perhaps, in his eyes, I was just a talking Shitou. He didn’t reveal any malice in his speech; it was that inherent disregard that I could feel. He always ‘looked up’ to others in his heart.”
“Lumine: I still can’t believe he’s really leaving Sumeru.”
“Qixuan-jie: It’s right not to believe it. He still has to help a certain colleague.”
“Lumine: Is it… Balladeer?”
“Dehya: If that’s the case, the situation will be very unfavorable for us.”
“Tighnari: I shouldn’t have missed any details. If I had to say, I hope you don’t do anything too dangerous. The more you know, the safer you’ll be in whatever you do.”
“Lumine: Thank you for sharing the information, Tighnari.”
“Dehya: I’m sorry we kept things from you. Even so, you helped us. I will remember your kindness.”
“Tighnari: It’s alright, I have an obligation to do so. If I had to say… the root of all this might also be related to me.”
Tighnari’s memory…
“Tighnari: My teacher has written me several letters recently, asking me to assist with research at the Akademiya.”
“Cyno: It’s not the first time he’s called you, right?”
“Tighnari: Yes, this matter is a bit strange. The handwriting and tone in the letters are as close as possible, but the details are off. My teacher sometimes leaves black dots on the back of the letter paper; one dot means it was written on a sunny day, three dots mean it was written on a rainy day. This has been his habit for many years, but there are no such marks on the recent letters. I think… perhaps something has happened.”
“Cyno: Hmm, compared to you who always stays in Gandharva Ville, you’d rather have me, who is in the Akademiya, investigate this matter, right?”
“Tighnari: I want to ask you to inquire about the news for me, while ensuring your own safety. If the situation is bad, withdraw immediately.”
“Cyno: Alright, but things probably won’t be that simple. The Akademiya has been preparing a big plan recently, and I don’t know the inside story yet. It might even be related to your teacher.”
“Tighnari: …”
“Cyno: If the higher-ups are truly hiding unspeakable secrets, once I start investigating, it will be difficult for me to withdraw. If the situation becomes urgent to a certain extent, I will leave the Akademiya. Seeing me absent from the Akademiya for a long time will be the signal…”
“Tighnari: Okay, let’s do that.”
“Cyno: If things reach a certain point, be wary of any messages from the Akademiya.”
“Tighnari: Hmm, but I really didn’t expect you, as the Grand Scribe, to say such a thing.”
“Cyno: The meaning of loyalty to the Akademiya is not to blindly obey the sages. I know exactly what I’m doing. It’s you, as a graduate, who has a strong suspicion of the Akademiya.”
“Tighnari: My teacher is an upright person, he can’t tolerate injustice. When I was studying, I was always worried that he would encounter difficulties in his career. Although it came a bit late… it’s still within expectations, I guess.”
………………
“Dehya: So that’s how it is… You two noticed the Akademiya’s abnormality from the very beginning.”
“Tighnari: This is likely the beginning of Cyno being involved in the incident, so I must also keep my promise and help you.”
“Dehya: Alright, then we’ll go ahead.”
………………
“Dehya: According to Tighnari, Dottore is leaving, which is clearly not true. Someone like him always deserves extra caution.”
“Paimon: If he dares to cause trouble again, we’ll beat him up again.”
“Qixuan-jie: When did Paimon get so brave?”
“Lumine: He means for Qixuan-jie to beat Dottore up.”
“Qixuan-jie: ……”
“Dehya: Alright, alright. The problem now is, how do we catch up?”
“Qixuan-jie: Leave it to me.”
Qixuan-jie waved her hand, and a faint line of energy appeared along the path in front of them.
“Paimon: Let’s go quickly!”
………………
Following the energy line, everyone chased to Port Ormos.
“Paimon: So many Fatui soldiers.”
“Lumine: Let’s quietly follow them and see.”
…………
Everyone followed the two Fatui squad leaders, listening to them discuss Dottore along the way. Dottore was on one of the ships. Everyone found a place to hide and secretly observe Dottore. Suddenly… Dottore greeted them from over there.
“Paimon: Ah!”
“Dehya: !”
“Lumine: What’s wrong?”
“Paimon: He… he saw us.”
“Qixuan-jie: Hi?”
Qixuan-jie also greeted him friendly, but apparently, Dottore’s movements were a bit stiff this time.
“Paimon: Qixuan-jie! Why did you even respond?!”
“Dehya: Is he… greeting us?”
Suddenly, everyone noticed that the soldiers in the port had disappeared, and the ship carrying Dottore slowly sailed out of the port.
“Fortunately, there’s still a little free time, enough for me to clear everything before leaving. As for variables, heh… just one clone is enough to complete the plan. Sacrifice? Heh…”
“Clone: Damn madman…”
…………
“Dehya: Oh no! The problem might be with Haypasia. Let’s go back to Gandharva Ville and check!”
“Lumine: You mean…”
“Paimon: They want to silence him!”
“Qixuan-jie: I have a faster way, but it might make you a bit dizzy.”
“Lumine: No choice, let’s do it.”
“Paimon: Ugh… Although I really don’t want to, it’s a critical moment now, so let’s do it!”
“Dehya: What are you talking about?”
“Paimon: You’ll know in a bit.”
A spatial rift was opened by Qixuan-jie.
Meanwhile… Tighnari faced a group of Fatui soldiers without any fear.
“Tighnari: Gandharva Ville is not a place for you Fatui to act recklessly.”
“Fatui Officer: I think we made it clear. Our superiors have approved us to search Gandharva Ville and take the medicinal herbs needed for research.”
“Tighnari: The Fatui haven’t been in Sumeru for the first day. Don’t you think it’s too deliberate to come to Gandharva Ville for medicinal herbs today?”
“Fatui Officer: Even the Grand Sage may not have the right to question the Fatui’s research, let alone a small scholar like you? I have fulfilled my duty to inform you. You’d best not ask for trouble.”
“Tighnari: Heh heh… If you don’t understand, then I will exercise my duties as a Forest Ranger.”
Just then, a voice came from the other side, “What about me? Do I have the right to ask?” Qixuan-jie’s figure emerged first from the spatial void, followed by Lumine and Paimon, and Dehya, who immediately threw up upon arriving.
“Fatui Soldier: Who are you again? Mind your own business.”
As soon as this soldier spoke, he regretted it. He was immediately sent flying by an unknown force, then crashed into another soldier, and finally both fainted. The officer, however, saw it clearly. He then remembered what Dottore had told them and that portrait.
“Dottore: If you see a flying object next to a white-haired girl, do not engage in conflict. Do your best to escape. I have said all I need to say.”
Without thinking further, the officer hurriedly ordered the remaining soldiers to grab the two unconscious soldiers and run. Qixuan-jie did not pursue. Dehya finally recovered after lying down for a long time.
“Dehya: I never want to go through that again in my life.”
“Paimon: Hehe, you’ll get used to it.”
“Lumine: Are you alright, Tighnari?”
“Tighnari: I’m fine. Leave the mess here to me and Dehya. You two go check on Haypasia first.”
“Lumine: Okay.”
Everyone entered Gandharva Ville and saw Haypasia still lying there.
“Qixuan-jie: Come out, ‘puppet’ hiding in the dark corner.”
Suddenly, space rippled, as if something was angry. Qixuan-jie then snorted coldly, radiating pressure around her, directly suppressing it back.
“Paimon: What… what’s going on?”
“Lumine: This aura… it’s Balladeer.”
“Paimon: Balladeer!”
“Balladeer (Consciousness): Heh, don’t call me that!”
“Paimon: Where is he?!”
“Lumine: (Could it be that only Qixuan-jie and I can hear him?)”
“Balladeer (Consciousness): Heh, that’s right, only you and your friend can hear me. I admit your friend has some strength, even my colleague couldn’t defeat him. But… what if I become a god? Can your friend still fight against that?”
“Qixuan-jie: A god? An iron shell plus some dream energy, and a Gnosis. This configuration is indeed decent, but in my eyes, it’s nothing special. Your so-called becoming a god…”
“Balladeer (Consciousness): Heh heh, you won’t be triumphant for long. I might as well tell you, I’ve almost completed my ‘divinization.’ The rest are just finishing touches, understand? Even if you rescue Lesser Lord Kusanali, as a ‘god,’ our powers will be vastly different. Forcing a childlike god like me to be your enemy is not a wise move.”
“Lumine: What should we do? Who’s stronger, him or Osial? What if Qixuan-jie can’t beat him?”
“Qixuan-jie: Am I that weak in your eyes?”
“Lumine: Sorry…”
“Qixuan-jie: Forget it. You’ll have it coming later.”
“Balladeer: Haha, see? Your companion doesn’t even believe you. I’m in a good mood right now, that’s why I’m talking to you like this. What? Do you have anything to ask?”
“Lumine: Once you become a god, you won’t be yourself anymore.”
“Balladeer (Consciousness): Heh heh, hearing that makes me feel like you’re caring about me like a friend. Unfortunately, the old me might have found it useful, but now… these things can only be discarded, boring emotions, utterly absurd, it should have ended long ago.”
“Instead, it’s you people who are still struggling that I find very interesting. What is the world to you? Is there any meaning worth fighting for?”
“Lumine: You wouldn’t understand…”
“Qixuan-jie: Since you don’t understand, then fine, I’ll tell you. This world might never have been beautiful to you, but you haven’t seen the beautiful things. In Mondstadt, birds never fear falling, because they must fly towards the sky, and when they first experience the feeling of flying in the sky, that is the reward of courage the sky gives them. In Liyue, people are proud to be born in Liyue, and they will protect their country with their lives. This is the faith and emotion that a ‘puppet’ like you doesn’t have.”
“Balladeer (Consciousness): Enough…”
“Qixuan-jie: As for Inazuma, I heard… Raiden Shogun once created a ‘puppet,’ but later…”
“Balladeer (Consciousness): I said enough!”
Balladeer suddenly raged, and a strong spatial fluctuation surged forth. Qixuan-jie merely glanced at it and sent it back.
“Lumine: ……”
“Qixuan-jie: Since that’s the case, then I’ll be merciful and tell you a piece of news.”
“Balladeer (Consciousness): What?”
“Qixuan-jie: Greater Lord Rukkhadevata is still alive.”
………………