"Princess, what is that head of yours full of?"
Idris chuckled, fingers lacing with Nahida's.
If you took seniority literally… Nahida was Sumeru's—and his—princess. Idris was now Sumeru's king. By that logic… the Great Tree King would be queen consort to both Sumeru and Idris.
But seniority is a human game. Everyone keeps their own score. Like that classic Liyue family-tree riddle:
Ganyu is Shenhe's senior sister.
Chongyun is Shenhe's little nephew.
Xingqiu is Chongyun's sworn brother.
So what should Xingqiu call Ganyu?
Answer: "Elder sister."
In short—call people whatever's convenient and stop overthinking it.
He squeezed her hand. "Since you're out of the Sanctuary, how about a job?"
"The Alchemy Division is short a lecturer. You've watched me refine long enough; aside from me, you understand it best. Why don't you teach there?"
Right now, his One Qi, Three Purities clones were covering those lectures—ever since his hype campaign, applicants had flooded in, and ordinary lecturers couldn't hold the room.
Nahida twirled a lock of hair. "It is a good idea, but… may I refuse?"
Truth was, she preferred being at his side as his secretary—even with her body restored, she liked hovering near him the way her spirit once did.
Idris saw straight through her and laughed. "Fine. If you won't, you won't. Having you around while I process memorials is handy anyway."
He ruffled her hair, led her off the stage, and took seats at the Grand Bazaar.
"Banquet—resume!"
Cheers surged through the night. Half of Sumeru's toughs came to toast the Grand Sage; they knew chances to clink cups with him were rare. Of Sumeru's "F4," only the Martian architect Kaveh was absent—still buried in construction. Idris let the drinks come; dragon-blood tempering had toughened him, and he didn't mind being "ambushed."
Nahida wasn't idle either. Former devotees—Nilou, Dunyarzad, and others—clustered around. They were no longer worshipers; she was no longer a ruling god. But friends? Friends, yes—and the God of Wisdom was happy to simply be one.
The Traveler, Lumine, also sought her out to ask about her brother. She'd felt useless in Sumeru… but the resolved misunderstanding with Idris, the completed desert commission, and today's battle honors had earned her this audience.
Nahida lowered her gaze, thinking. "Traveler, the previous archons answered your questions vaguely, didn't they?"
"They did," Lumine and Paimon sighed. Clearly, Venti, Zhongli, and Ei knew things—but wouldn't say. And Lumine couldn't exactly force gods.
"They have reasons," Nahida said gently. "The causality involved is too heavy for them to speak of—and they're protecting you. Your current strength isn't enough to bear the cost of knowing. Acting rashly could mean annihilation."
She smiled, a touch mischievous. "But Idris pulled me off the throne. Whether I heed Celestia is… less important now. I'm no governing god. So—I can tell you the truth I can reach."
Lumine silently thanked Idris again. Without him, even here she'd have learned nothing. I just keep owing him more… and after that awkwardness, I can't even manage being a proper friend. Maybe later I'll get a chance to set things right.
Nahida continued. "From the records I can access—your blood kin appeared suddenly in Khaenri'ah. After the cataclysm, he set out to visit every nation. But just as his journey neared its end, his traces in the Irminsul blurred… as if someone was rewriting his fate."
"One more point: in the Fatui's files, your kin is not listed as a Descender."
"Descender?" Paimon blinked. "So besides the Traveler's brother, there were three other outsiders before her?"
Nahida nodded. "By my guess, the First Descender is the being we call 'Heavenly Principles.' As for the others, I don't know. I don't yet command all of Irminsul's authorities, and even if I did, their identities might be beyond retrieval. You'll have to discover the rest yourself."
"Whew… that's a lot," Paimon exhaled. "Thanks, Little Auspicious Princess. We'll need time to digest it."
"If you stay in Sumeru for a while," Nahida said, "and we learn more, Idris will tell you."
"Better not," Lumine blurted, face heating. "We don't want to trouble him."
"Why? Do you dislike him?" Nahida teased. "The misunderstanding is cleared up. You can talk to him more. Like those enthusiastic Sumeru girls—give him a kiss on the cheek."
"I would never do that!"
Lumine fled, ears red.
The banquet's warmth held—until a chill slid through the air. Someone didn't share the joy.
A paper throwing knife hissed toward Idris's flank. He alone noticed. Child's play. He caught it between two fingers, slipped into a shadowed corner, and unfolded the "blade."
The writing all but shook with impatience:
Grand Sage Idris—
It's been nearly half a month! You've solved the Valuka problem.
Isn't it time you handed over the Electro Gnosis?
Dottore. Who else?
For this "great benefactor," Idris had patience. The man had provided One Qi, Three Purities, the Electro Gnosis, and even shouldered a massive scapegoat for him. A "good man," in his way.
Idris penned a neat reply.
Rest easy, Dottore. You know my fondness for Liyue—I swear by Liyue's contracts: I will not break my word.
Give me two days.
If you're still uneasy, come take the Gnosis in person then.
I'll be waiting.
A promise is a promise. But Nahida still needed both Electro and Dendro Gnoses to resolve the matter of the Great Tree King. For now, it couldn't change hands.
He crumpled the note, flicked it back the way the knife had flown. In the dark, a straw-hatted silhouette snatched it, snorted, and vanished.
"A minor nuisance," Idris thought, watching the shadow retreat. "Sumeru's big problem is done. It's time to settle the Electro Gnosis—leaving it with me just invites trouble."
And time to face the last Sumeru thread: Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
He still had the World Tree Seed in his system space—and a pill prepared expressly for her. In other words: preparations were complete.
"Next," he decided, eyes lifting toward the sacred tree, "I call on the princess… and we go to meet the Great Tree King."
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