The people of Sumeru stood frozen, staring up at the towering tree that pierced the sky.
Sunlight filtered through its leaves, casting mottled beams across the plaza. The light was almost blinding, but no one looked away.
That was the light of hope.
They would not miss a single second.
The desert citizens, especially, were trembling with tears streaming down their faces.
Unlike the scholars, they did not understand the theoretical magnitude of what had just occurred.
They only understood something simple,
A sapling had grown into a colossal tree in the blink of an eye.
The soil had changed in an instant.
And the desert… would be transformed.
It would become rainforest.
It would become life.
They would no longer need to abandon their homeland. They could live and work on their ancestral soil. Their descendants would grow up in oases untouched by sandstorms.
In that moment, countless desert citizens quietly let go of their lingering devotion to King Deshret.
His shadow faded.
In its place stood Nahida.
They understood this much,
She could fulfill her promise.
She could give them a life free from fear of death.
One by one, desert citizens bowed toward the tree, and toward Nahida.
"Lady Nahida, you are the greatest gift the world has given us."
"Your will is the will of the desert. The will of Sumeru."
"We would give our lives for you!"
The scholars were not surprised by this reaction.
When Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had once transformed the desert and nurtured the rainforest, generations of rainforest citizens had remembered her with unwavering loyalty.
The scholars who had participated in that ancient feat had offered everything to her willingly.
Now, history seemed to echo.
Though only a single tree had been planted,
The symbolism was undeniable.
Nahida's eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.
She had taken her first true step toward becoming like Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
She pressed her lips together and asked softly:
"Does anyone still object to dismantling the Wall of Samiel and restoring the desert?"
Before anyone could respond, Naphis strode forward, chin lifted arrogantly.
"Who dares object? Step forward!"
"If Lady Nahida says dismantle it, then we dismantle it immediately!"
"If she says restore the desert, then every citizen of Sumeru shall participate!"
"Anyone who questions her, guards! Arrest them and send them to keep Azar company!"
His declaration was domineering.
Yet no one felt displeased.
If anything, the crowd was even more fervent.
A member of the Eremites raised his fist.
"Whoever opposes Lady Nahida opposes all of us!"
"My entire Eremite brigade will volunteer, no pay required! We'll start dismantling the wall today!"
The crowd roared:
"Dismantle it!"
"I'll join the vanguard!"
"No, I'm stronger, I'll go first!"
"I know the desert terrain, let me lead!"
"Within one month, not a single stone of that wall will remain!"
The enthusiasm nearly tipped into chaos. Some were ready to march immediately.
Nahida quickly waved her hands.
"Please, don't rush. This is a grand project, it must be done carefully."
"I know everyone wants to participate. No one will be left out."
"The Akademiya will conduct surveys and planning this week. We will select vanguard teams properly."
"And no one will work without compensation."
"Restoration must proceed alongside dismantling. We will first establish vegetation to stabilize the front lines before removing the wall."
"That way, neither the desert nor the rainforest will suffer."
"I will also request materials from the alliance."
"Beyond trees, we will construct stable water sources, lakes, farmland, and grazing grounds so desert citizens can sustain themselves."
"So please, be patient."
Her reassurance only made them more emotional.
"She's still prioritizing our safety!"
"Her planning is flawless, she truly embodies wisdom!"
"We never lost our god of wisdom!"
"Even Aaru Village now has an endless, pure water source brought by the Traveler!"
"So the alliance has been preparing for us already!"
"Lady Nahida is no less than Greater Lord Rukkhadevata!"
"Azar truly deserved his fate!"
"Five hundred years wasted… if only she hadn't been imprisoned!"
The crowd's anger turned toward the past sages.
"They are Sumeru's sinners!"
"Strip them of honor!"
"Curse them for eternity!"
Nahida lowered her head slightly.
"I'm sorry… I came too late…"
A desert citizen stepped forward passionately.
"It was never your fault! The sages denied you the chance!"
Naphis raised his hand decisively.
"The Akademiya formally revokes all honorary titles of the previous Grand Sages."
"They shall be recorded as sinners of Sumeru, forever condemned."
Thunderous applause followed.
Nahida did not object.
From a distance, Ryen stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Think we can find fragments of their consciousness, revive them, and punish them properly?"
Ningguang gave him a warning look.
Revival points were not to be wasted on such people.
Besides, ordinary humans likely left no fragments.
Ryen sighed, conceding the point.
Once the excitement settled somewhat, Nahida continued.
"The desert restoration project will begin with Aaru Village as a pilot site."
"They have experience thanks to the Traveler's assistance."
"Improving Aaru first will allow more citizens to benefit quickly."
Candace stepped forward solemnly.
"As Guardian of Aaru Village, I thank Lady Nahida."
"Aaru will serve as the primary force in this endeavor."
Nahida smiled shyly.
"The Akademiya must submit a complete plan within one week."
"Restoration and dismantling will begin simultaneously."
Alhaitham nodded firmly.
"Yes."
Nahida turned back to the crowd.
"The next matter, upon joining the alliance, Sumeru will receive a special supply."
"Milk."
A ripple of confusion spread.
"Milk is a divine medicine that cures nearly all illnesses and curses."
"Including Eleazar."
That sentence struck like thunder.
If the desert restoration benefited some,
This concerned everyone.
Eleazar had plagued Sumeru for generations.
Nahida scanned the crowd and spotted Dunyarzad, standing beside her parents.
"Dunyarzad, please come here."
Dunyarzad nodded and ran forward.
Her parents blinked in confusion.
Ran?
She ran?
She reached Nahida's side without even breathing heavily.
Nahida smiled gently.
"Please show them."
"Yes, Lady Nahida."
Dunyarzad rolled up her sleeve, unwrapping the bandages around her arm layer by layer.
The crowd held its breath.
Most knew she had been in the late stages of Eleazar.
When she raised her bare arm under the sunlight,
It was smooth.
Pale as jade.
The grotesque gray-black scales were gone.
Completely gone.
Silence fell over Sumeru.
Then,
A single cry broke the stillness.
"Eleazar… is cured."
And in that instant,
Nahida's greatness became unquestionable.