Check out my new translation!
=====
Time flew swiftly—before anyone realized it, half a month had already passed.
During this time, thanks to the sacrifice of the Aranara, the rainforest's ecosystem had gradually recovered.
The land, once ravaged and barren, once again flourished with vibrant life. Lush vegetation spread anew across Sumeru.
However, those lives that perished amidst the flaming rain of sulfur fire could not so easily be reborn.
The catastrophe had struck Sumeru hard. According to the Akademiya's statistics, the population of the rainforest region had dropped to three-quarters of what it was before the disaster.
As for the unrecorded mercenaries of the Eremites... who could say for sure?
Even the number of animals dwelling in the forest had been reduced by more than half. The once lively, bustling jungle had become strangely silent and desolate—its former vitality gone.
…
To celebrate the victory over the Akademiya, a banquet was held at the Zubayr Theater in Sumeru City.
It had been Nilou and Dunyarzad's idea.
On the stage stood a wide table, filled with an array of exquisite pastries and delicious snacks. The air was thick with the tantalizing aroma of food.
Among those present were Shao Yun, Lumine, Paimon, Dunyarzad, Nilou, Alhaitham, Cyno, and Tighnari. Of course, Dehya had yet to arrive.
Dehya had gone to deal with Rahman's corpse, which had been stored by the Akademiya at the Bimarstan in Sumeru City. Though her body had only just recovered, she wasted no time arranging his cremation.
Though this banquet was meant to celebrate the Akademiya's defeat, the atmosphere was oppressively heavy—devoid of the joy that should have followed victory.
And Shao Yun bore some of the blame for that.
Everyone knew that he had tacitly admitted to setting the great forest fire—meaning that countless people and animals had perished by his hand.
There's an old saying: "Burn a mountain, and you'll rot in a cell." Shao Yun could walk away, but what of Sumeru? How was the nation to face the tragedy he had left behind?
Yet, if one thought about it carefully, had Shao Yun not stepped forward, the Fatui and the Grand Sage's god-creation plan might well have succeeded.
And then—even more lives would have been lost, perhaps without any chance of stopping them.
Revolutions always come with blood and sacrifice. Everyone there understood that—especially those who were scholars.
Still, when such cruel reality stood before them, the sense of inner conflict and guilt haunted Alhaitham and the others.
As the mood of the banquet grew ever more stifling, Lumine and Paimon tried to liven things up, attempting to dispel the suffocating silence.
Unfortunately, their efforts failed. Only Nilou, Dunyarzad, and Tighnari—who were close to them—responded with any warmth.
Alhaitham and Cyno, on the other hand, ignored them completely. It was, in short, cold violence.
In the end, Lumine and Paimon could no longer endure the oppressive air created by Cyno and Alhaitham and chose to leave the banquet altogether.
Even Paimon, who could never resist good food, turned away from the feast—proof enough of just how unbearable the atmosphere had become.
After they left, Shao Yun decided to make one last attempt to salvage the situation.
After all, the dead were already gone, and his relationship with the Dendro Archon was far from cordial. There was no need to make things worse.
He took a deep breath, composed himself, and then put on his warmest, friendliest smile—the same one he used with Klee.
Looking toward Tighnari, he said cheerfully, "Tighnari, how are things in Gandharva Ville these days?"
Tighnari lifted his head slightly, his drooping ears twitching a little. He managed a strained smile and replied softly, "Oh, all's well. Nothing major."
Then he quickly lowered his head again.
Shao Yun didn't give up and pressed on, "What about Collei? How is she?"
Tighnari blinked, momentarily distracted, then scratched his cheek awkwardly before answering, "Mm… she's fine. Thanks to the Dendro Archon, her Eleazar has been completely cured."
Though Tighnari's answers were halfhearted, Shao Yun remained patient and polite.
After all, Tighnari was a forest ranger, and Shao Yun had burned half the rainforest—causing him no small trouble. Besides, the man had once given up his own treehouse for them to rest in.
Given that, Tighnari's mixed feelings were understandable—and Shao Yun wasn't unreasonable.
Next, Shao Yun turned his gaze toward Cyno and suggested expectantly, "Cyno, how about a round of Genius Invokation TCG? Didn't you swear you'd personally teach me someday?"
Cyno shifted his head aside, eyes flickering uneasily. "Uh… sorry, I left my deck box at home. I was in a rush."
Anyone who knew Cyno would know—such a seasoned card enthusiast would never forget his deck box.
Clearly, it was a lie.
Shao Yun knew that too but, out of respect for Lisa, decided not to expose him.
He took a deep breath and turned toward Alhaitham.
"Alhaitham, you, the Acting Grand Sage—"
Before he could even finish, Alhaitham turned his face away abruptly.
That was the last straw.
Shao Yun shot to his feet and slammed his hand down—
Bang!
The table before them flipped over in an instant. Plates, food, and cutlery clattered and crashed across the stage.
Fresh dishes, still steaming, splattered everywhere, their sauces spilling over the floor. Fragile porcelain shattered in a cascade of sharp, ringing sounds.
In seconds, the banquet had turned into chaos—a mess of food, shards, and silence.
Nilou and Dunyarzad both flinched at the sudden outburst, clasping their hands over their mouths to stifle screams.
Shao Yun glared at Alhaitham and Cyno. "Who the hell are you two giving those ugly faces to? Do you think I'm some heartless monster, a bloodthirsty butcher, a lunatic?"
"Do you think I only bring disaster to Sumeru? Well, it's people like me—'murderers,' 'butchers,' and 'madmen'—who stepped up when it mattered, saving your ungrateful hides!"
"Otherwise, you'd both be dead! You're educated men—don't you understand what 'the victor is king, the defeated are condemned' means? The Grand Sage would've had you executed!"
Nilou, trembling, gathered her courage to speak. "Mr. Shao Yun, I think Alhaitham and Cyno are just… tired lately. I don't think they meant to blame you."
Her reasoning wasn't wrong—after all, both of them were swamped with duties as Acting Grand Sage and General Mahamatra.
Dunyarzad quickly added, "Yes, if not for you, the Lesser Lord Kusanali would've been in danger… You're Sumeru's hero! Why would anyone blame you?"
But Shao Yun was unmoved. He pointed at Alhaitham and Cyno, shouting, "Then tell me, why do these two bastards keep those faces like I owe them a fortune?"
"The air was so suffocating even Lumine and Paimon couldn't stand it and left! Doesn't seem like fatigue to me!"
He went on, voice rising, "If you want to blame me, fine—say it to my face! Use cold shoulders, curse me, whatever! But when Lumine and Paimon talk to you kindly, what do you do? You dump your frustration on them!"
Alhaitham quickly stood and said, "It's not what you think. I just… sigh, I'm sorry. I was wrong this time. I apologize."
Shao Yun, however, wasn't moved in the slightest.
Now you know you were wrong? Where was that realization earlier? Too late now.
He sneered, "Don't forget—when you two were imprisoned, who do you think cooked your meals? Remember that before showing those disgusting faces to Lumine and Paimon!"
He then turned toward Tighnari, Nilou, and Dunyarzad, his tone softening.
"Tighnari, thank you for letting us stay in your treehouse back then."
"Dunyarzad, Nilou—thank you for organizing the Sabzeruz Festival. It gave Lumine, Paimon, and me a wonderful day."
Then, with a swift kick—
Bang!
The chair beside him toppled over.
That kick ended not only the chair—but the entire banquet.
"This banquet is over. Everyone—go home."
Nilou and Dunyarzad panicked, calling after him, "Mr. Shao Yun, wait—!"
But he didn't look back. With a dismissive wave, he walked away.
They watched his silhouette fade into the night—silent.
Moments later, Alhaitham rose, guilt on his face. "My apologies. There are matters at the Akademiya I must attend to. Please excuse me."
He gave a polite bow and left.
Cyno followed suit. "I'm sorry as well. Urgent business calls. I'll take my leave."
And so, the celebration that should have been joyful ended in quiet ruin.
Dunyarzad sighed, gazing at the wreckage. "Nilou, let me help you clean up."
She fetched tools and began tidying.
Tighnari joined in, saying, "Count me in. More hands make lighter work."
Nilou smiled softly. "Thank you."
Together, they worked in silence.
After a while, Nilou asked, "Mr. Tighnari, why does it feel like we've lost, even though we won?"
Tighnari froze mid-motion.
After some thought, he said, "Maybe everyone feels the price was too high. Though the Lesser Lord Kusanali restored the rainforest, the burned lives… can't be brought back."
"Perhaps Alhaitham and Cyno think there could've been a better way."
After all, Alhaitham's plan had been interrupted by Shao Yun… People always long for the road they didn't take.
Nilou nodded quietly, though the confusion lingered. "Still, without Mr. Shao Yun, things would've been far worse."
Tighnari hesitated, then murmured, "Everyone sees things differently."
"Let's not dwell on it. We should clean up first."
…
Meanwhile, outside the Grand Bazaar, Shao Yun stood under a streetlamp, fuming. He pulled a cigar from his pack and lit it roughly.
Smoke curled upward. He took a hard drag—but after so long without smoking, the thick smoke burned his throat. He coughed violently, eyes watering.
Scowling, he threw the cigar to the ground, crushed it underfoot, and muttered curses.
"Damn it! When you're unlucky, even cold water'll chip your teeth!"
Just then, a bright, familiar voice called out, "Shao Yun? What are you doing here?"
He looked up to see Dehya, lively and strong, waving at him as she walked over.
He managed a weary smile. "Dehya? Oh—it's you. What brings you here?"
His eyes unconsciously fell upon her figure as she approached.
Dehya noticed his gaze and touched her abdomen with a laugh. "I came for the banquet, of course! I'm fully healed, and everything's taken care of—come on, let's go!"
She gestured for him to follow.
Shao Yun shook his head. "Don't bother. The banquet's been canceled."
Dehya blinked in surprise but trusted his word. "That's… a shame."
Shao Yun smirked coldly. "Not really. If you'd been there, you'd have gone mad."
She sensed the bitterness in his tone and looked down slightly. "Oh… I see."
Without prying further, she quickly changed the subject. "By the way, are you free the next couple of days?"
Shao Yun raised an eyebrow. "Why? What's up?"
Dehya produced a brown clay urn—its lid tied with a bloodstained Eremite headband.
Her expression turned somber. "I want to take Rahman's ashes back to the desert—to let him rest in his homeland. Will you come with me?"
"I know it's an odd request, but… I enjoyed working with you last time. I'll treat you to something good, how about that?"
Shao Yun looked at the urn. "He had courage. I didn't know him well, but he was a man worth respecting. I happen to have something to do in Aaru Village anyway."
Dehya's face lit up. "That's great! Then shall we head out right now?"
After all, with the banquet canceled, she wanted to return the ashes as soon as possible.
Shao Yun shook his head. "Let me check with Lumine first. If she's willing, we can all go together."
He had no desire to linger in Sumeru City any longer.
…
But where could Lumine be now?
After thinking for a moment, Shao Yun led Dehya to the Adventurers' Guild to try their luck.
Sure enough, they found Lumine and Paimon before Katheryne, browsing through commissions.
Shao Yun waved and called out, "Lumine, Paimon! Dehya and I are heading to the desert—want to come?"
Lumine looked up from her stack of commission papers. "Paimon and I were thinking of taking a few tasks to clear our minds, then visiting Nahida."
Hearing that, Shao Yun narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure about that?"
Lumine sighed. "We can't keep avoiding her forever. And Nahida hasn't made things difficult for us these past days."
"Maybe she just said those things in anger. No point holding a grudge."
"As for what you're worried about, I doubt she knows…"
She and Shao Yun both knew about the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's existence, so what the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles said probably had nothing to do with Nahida—she was only five hundred years old, after all.
Even if it was related, Lumine believed that with Shao Yun around, Nahida wouldn't dare act rashly.
If things escalated, it would harm both sides.
Shao Yun pressed his lips together. "Just be careful. My relationship with her is beyond repair. If she tries anything against you…"
He gave her a look. "You know what I'll do."
Lumine quickly waved her hands to change the subject. "Anyway—Shao Yun, when are we heading to the next nation?"
He thought for a moment. "After we talk to your brother."
Lumine's expression dimmed. "But where do we even find him?"
These past few days, she and Shao Yun had fought countless Abyss Mages in Sumeru's wilderness—but each one refused to speak, even under torture.
In the end, they all became nothing more than branches for Lumine's use.
One had to admit—her brother trained his subordinates well.
Shao Yun gently brushed a hand over Lumine's cheek. "We'll take it slow."