Facing Lumine's strange gaze, Nahida felt rather embarrassed.
She truly couldn't understand how Lumine could so casually suggest she stall Dottore.
Forget her—even Fontaine's Hydro Archon probably wouldn't be a match for Dottore.
As for the Archons of other nations, even if they were stronger than Dottore, capturing him would be no easy feat.
Nahida shook her head, deciding to steer the conversation away from this topic.
"While I'm no match for Dottore, rescuing your friends doesn't necessarily require a direct confrontation."
"We can enter the Akademiya another way and avoid a fight."
Upon hearing this, Lumine immediately turned to Nahida with an expectant gaze, hoping she had a good plan.
This time, even Paimon had fallen into the enemy's clutches and been separated from her.
After spending so much time together, Lumine had long since come to see Paimon as family. If anything happened to her, Lumine couldn't imagine how much she would blame herself.
Nahida didn't disappoint Lumine's expectations and shared her idea.
"Great Sage Azar's assistant, Setaria, is currently on the streets of Sumeru City. We can use her to get into the Akademiya."
Lumine was puzzled by Nahida's plan.
Had Great Sage Azar's assistant betrayed him? Why would she agree to lead them into the Akademiya?
But in the next moment, Nahida revealed the answer.
"I will forcibly take control of her body. I'm reluctant to use this method, but at this point, we don't have time to slowly persuade her."
"We need to rescue everyone before the Akademiya realizes what's happening."
"However, there's one person who concerns me."
"Dr. Edward."
Nahida shook her head and then spoke.
"Traveler, the condition you're experiencing is likely because Dr. Edward tampered with you."
"He seems to have implanted a Withering Zone inside your body and then concealed it with powerful Dendro Elemental Power."
"It wasn't until your body weakened and the Dendro Elemental Power could no longer suppress the Withering Zone that this malevolent energy erupted from within you."
Hearing Nahida's words, Lumine had a different interpretation.
If Dr. Edward truly had malicious intentions, he wouldn't have needed to strengthen her control over Dendro Elemental Power to suppress the Withering Zone's energy.
Besides, even if the Withering Zone's energy went out of control, it wouldn't harm her body.
Perhaps the only thing he'd done wrong was not telling her he'd infused the Withering Zone's energy into her body. But that wasn't enough to negate the kindness he had shown her.
Lumine had another thought: maybe Dr. Edward was trying to use the Withering Zone's energy to alleviate the strange dreams she'd been having.
Seeing the expression on Lumine's face, Nahida knew her persuasion had failed and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
In truth, even Nahida hadn't noticed anything else unusual about Dr. Edward. Yet, deep down, she often felt a faint sense of unease—a feeling that was even stronger than the one Dottore had given her.
But this intuitive feeling couldn't be used as evidence to convince Lumine.
Nahida shook her head, giving up on trying to persuade her further. Then she spoke to Lumine.
"Traveler, let's go find that assistant now."
Lumine nodded and followed closely behind Nahida...
Half an hour later, Lumine, wearing a mask, followed behind Nahida—who had possessed Setaria's body—as they approached the Akademiya's main gate.
"Miss Setaria, back so early today?" a Corps of Thirty mercenary guarding the entrance asked Nahida.
"Y-Yes, the Great Sage summoned me for something."
The guard's gaze then shifted to Lumine, who was standing behind Nahida. He asked, "Miss Setaria, who is that behind you...?"
"Sh-She's... she's someone the Great Sage wants to see. I'm taking her to him."
Seeing Nahida's extreme nervousness—so obvious it was practically written on her face—Lumine's heart leaped into her throat.
"Oh, I see. If she's here to see the Great Sage, then I won't delay you. Please, go right in."
Hearing the guard's words, Lumine and Nahida quickly entered the Akademiya's main gate.
Once inside, they glanced back at the seemingly oblivious guard and finally breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"My apologies," Nahida said. "Although I've been observing and studying human behavior, I still can't imitate it very well."
Not very well? Lumine thought. That was a complete disaster!
She was surprised that Nahida, the Dendro Archon, could be so terrible at mimicking someone. Fortunately, the guard hadn't grown suspicious.
Lumine shook her head, then used her eyes to ask Nahida where the others were being held.
"Follow me."
Nahida led the way, and Lumine hurried to keep up.
"If I'm not mistaken, your friends should be held in that location," Nahida whispered as she walked.
She was intimately familiar with the Akademiya's layout. Though she had never physically walked these halls, she had memorized everything accessible through the Akasha.
"Once we rescue your friends, you should take them and leave the Akademiya immediately."
"I want to try and access the Akademiya's latest research data. Dottore's collaboration with them makes me uneasy."
Hearing this, a worried expression appeared on Lumine's face.
"Don't worry," Nahida said with a reassuring smile, noticing the concern on Lumine's face. "My consciousness can detach from this body at any moment. If there's danger, I'll withdraw it immediately."
"I can also reveal myself at the right time to create a diversion, giving you a chance to escape the Akademiya."
Hearing this, Lumine felt slightly more at ease.
She wanted to help, but considering her current physical condition and the three essentially non-combatant burdens she was responsible for, she ultimately decided against offering.
Suddenly, Lumine's heart clenched. She lunged forward, tackling Nahida to the ground.
The next instant, a bullet infused with dense Pyro Elemental Power whizzed past where their heads had been.
The moment she hit the ground, Lumine pushed herself back up, drawing her Dull Blade. Her expression grew grim as more and more Fatui soldiers appeared around them.
Nahida, now realizing something was wrong, scrambled to her feet, staring in confusion at the suddenly materialized Fatui.
They looked as if they had been waiting for them. Nahida couldn't understand why they were here.
At that moment, an icy chill seeped into their bodies, making them shiver involuntarily.
Accompanied by heavy footsteps, "The Doctor," Dottore, appeared before them.
At the sight of Dottore, Lumine and Nahida tensed as if facing a formidable foe, their expressions guarded.
Just then, Great Sage Azar appeared, flanked by two Matra, following closely behind Dottore.
"Setaria, how dare you betray me!"
Azar's face was contorted with rage as he roared at Nahida, his voice trembling with fury.
"Calm yourself, Azar," Dottore interjected coolly. "She is not Setaria."
Azar froze, his anger momentarily forgotten. Realization dawned, and his expression shifted to one of utter astonishment.
"You mean... she escaped?"
"Only her consciousness," Dottore clarified. "After all, as an Archon, she's bound to have a few tricks up her sleeve."
Hearing Dottore so casually expose her identity, Lumine and Nahida's faces grew even more grim.
"Traveler," Nahida urged, her voice strained, "I'll do my best to hold Dottore back. Use this chance to run!"
Nahida spoke with a bitter edge to her voice. Lumine was right after all. In the end, I still have to force myself to hold Dottore back.
"I don't know how I was exposed so early, or how they managed to set an ambush," she murmured. "Dottore shouldn't have been aware of my presence before this."
Her voice hardened with resolve. "But regardless, I'm the one who led you into this danger. I'll get you out of here, even if it takes everything I have!"
As she finished speaking, Nahida's body erupted in a dazzling green light. She raised her hand, and a powerful wave of Dendro energy surged outward.
The surrounding Fatui soldiers, who had just begun to move, were instantly enveloped by the green light. Their bodies froze in place, their expressions locked in stasis.
With a clatter, their weapons fell from their grasp and scattered across the ground.
"Go, now!" Nahida urged.
Hearing her desperate plea, Lumine finally cast aside her hesitation and turned to flee into the distance.
Since Nahida had her own way to escape, staying would only hinder her, not help.
Nahida watched Dottore's every move, ready to unleash her full power to stop him if he made even the slightest attempt to act.
To her surprise, however, Dottore didn't even glance in the direction Lumine had fled. Instead, he approached Nahida again.
"As expected of an Archon, Dendro Archon. Truly impressive methods."
"Dottore, what are you doing? She's getting away! Go capture that meddler!" Azar shrieked, nearly losing his mind as he watched Dottore walk toward Nahida, who was merely possessing Setaria's body.
Are you kidding me? Can't you catch that foreign Traveler first and reminisce with the Dendro Archon later? I know you're excited to see her for the first time since you were expelled from the Akademiya, but there's a time and place for reunions!
Dottore ignored the Great Sage's outburst, doing nothing as Lumine vanished from his sight.
Seeing Dottore completely disregard his orders and let Lumine escape, Great Sage Azar turned crimson with rage.
Great Sage Azar wanted to capture Lumine, but as he was about to give the order, he glanced at the two pitifully weak Matra beside him and restrained himself from sending them to their certain deaths.
Meanwhile, although Nahida didn't know why Dottore hadn't acted against Lumine, she breathed an inward sigh of relief. After all, she had been tasked with stalling Dottore, yet she was already at her limit just restraining the dozens of Fatui soldiers present.
With her immediate worries lifted, Nahida unleashed the full weight of her guilt and anguish upon Dottore. "Dottore," she snarled, "you and Great Sage Azar conspired to murder tens of thousands of Sumeru's people. Sooner or later, I will make Snezhnaya pay for this!"
Dottore chuckled. "Didn't they die of illness? What does that have to do with me?"
He paused, then continued, "And don't forget, I'm not the one in charge of the Akasha."
"As for you, Dendro Archon... you've been plotting everything from the shadows. If that Traveler hadn't exposed you prematurely, I might never have noticed your presence at all."
Hearing Dottore's words, Nahida was completely stunned.
Plotting from the shadows? Me?
If I were really plotting from the shadows, would I have spent five hundred years trapped in the Sanctuary of Surasthana?
If I were plotting from the shadows, would I have only a handful of believers, to the point that I don't even possess the power of an Archon?
What is wrong with everyone today? Nahida thought, bewildered. One person casually tells me to stall Dottore, and another accuses me of hiding and plotting from the shadows. They're making me sound like the final boss!
Wait a minute... could Dottore have discovered something, but mistakenly attributed it to me?
So the real mastermind is... Dr. Edward?
The realization hit Nahida like a physical blow, and her heart grew heavy.
"I'm actually quite curious, Dendro Archon," Dottore said, his voice laced with academic interest. "How exactly did you seal the power of the Withering Zone within that Traveler? It's a subject I've been researching for years, but I've yet to find a viable solution. Perhaps you could enlighten me?"
Hearing this, Nahida gave a bitter smile. Dottore had indeed mistaken Dr. Edward's actions for her own, confirming her worst fears.
Oh no, she's really become the scapegoat.
I have to warn Lumine about this immediately!
Realizing that Lumine had likely already fled far away, Nahida didn't answer Dottore's question. Instead, she gave him a deep, meaningful look before withdrawing the power she had been using to influence the Fatui soldiers. Her consciousness then departed from Setaria's body and retreated back into the Akasha to lie in wait.
As Nahida's consciousness left, the imposing aura surrounding Setaria instantly deflated.
"Gone, are you?"
Dottore sensed the change in Setaria's presence and spoke softly.
"What a pity. I couldn't get the answer from you directly."
"Still, I look forward to your future performance, Lord Dendro Archon."
"You'd better make this more entertaining for me."
Dottore shook his head, then turned and slowly walked away.
"Dottore, what is the meaning of this?!"
Great Sage Azar, flanked by two Matra, blocked Dottore's path and demanded an explanation.
"What did you discover? Why didn't you tell me? Do you even consider me your collaborator anymore?!"
Faced with Great Sage Azar's questioning, Dottore merely shot him a contemptuous glance before walking straight past him.
Indeed, his decision to leave the Akademiya was the right one. This generation's Great Sage is utterly foolish and incredibly annoying.
Seeing Dottore's utterly dismissive attitude, Great Sage Azar was about to explode with rage. He immediately ordered, "Capture Lumine at all costs!"