And so, Idris boarded the great ship returning to Sumeru.
Only after the vessel steadied itself did Nahida finally speak from his side.
"Grand Sage Idris… didn't you notice?"
"There was something rather strange about the way Lady Furina looked at you."
"Of course I noticed," Idris replied casually.
"But why should I care?"
Right now, he held three major technological breakthroughs in his hands:
Firearms technology.
Elevated transport systems similar to the patrol rail network.
And the most valuable of all—
aerospace warship research.
Compared to that, what was a former Water Archon worth?
Idris was practically itching to return and immediately gather people to kick off new research projects.
Seeing how excited he was, Nahida couldn't help rolling her eyes.
This man really was a hopeless research addict and workaholic, wasn't he?
With a soft sigh, she muttered,
"If Lady Furina weren't in Fontaine, I could've used mind-reading just a little…
At least then I'd know what she was thinking when we left."
Idris raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't you say you rarely use mind-reading?"
"Yes," Nahida replied calmly.
"That is… before a certain bad person ruined me."
"Oh? That?" Idris chuckled.
"Growth itself is a process of slowly becoming worse.
When someone starts 'going bad,' that usually just means they're maturing."
Nahida stared at him.
"…Now I finally understand where the phrase 'deceiving the masses with clever words' comes from."
"The worse the person, the more convincing their grand truths sound."
Idris nodded with satisfaction.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
The two chatted lightly as the ship sailed on, eventually arriving back in Sumeru.
The moment Idris set foot on land, a familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Congratulations, Host.]
[Your diplomatic visit to Fontaine has produced multiple unforeseeable changes.]
[Key plot trajectories within Fontaine have begun to shift.]
[The future remains uncertain—true calamity has not yet arrived, and vigilance is required.]
[Congratulations. You have earned a new reward draw.]
[Reward acquired: Nuclear Fusion Reactor Technology.]
[This fusion system has been automatically adapted to the laws of Teyvat.]
[All required construction materials can be obtained locally within Teyvat.]
…Oh?
A nuclear fusion reactor?!
Even Idris hadn't expected this.
But the timing couldn't have been better.
With the floating warship project in motion, Idris already had plans for:
The hull and mechanical materials.
Internal devices and modules.
Weapon systems and firepower.
The only unresolved issue had been the core energy system.
There was no way he was stuffing another Scaramouche into it every time.
Truth be told, when Idris first obtained the floating warship schematics from the Fortress of Meropide, the thought had crossed his mind.
Scaramouche's personality was terrible—but as a construct?
Absolutely perfect.
A living power core, pilot, and reactor all in one.
That "portable charger" had honestly been too useful.
The problem was—there was only one of him.
Now, with fusion technology in hand, Idris no longer had to worry about that limitation.
The aerospace flagship project could finally move forward without compromises.
On the way back, Idris followed his usual routine and arranged a flower carriage for Nahida.
Seated atop it, Nahida's expression grew complicated.
She knew very well that this was no longer a prison cart—
It was, just as Idris had said, a symbol of a new era.
After returning to Sumeru City, Idris immediately summoned Cyno.
Standing once again in the familiar Grand Sage's office, Cyno clasped his fists respectfully.
"Grand Sage Idris. Welcome back."
"My apologies—we were unable to formally welcome you at Port Ormos. Most officials have been occupied with their duties."
His gaze held noticeably more respect than before.
Sumeru and Fontaine were separated by only a sea—news traveled fast.
Cyno had already heard what Idris had done there.
To Fontaine, Idris might appear ruthless.
But to Sumeru?
This trip had been nothing short of glorious.
Defeating Fontaine's strongest individual.
Forcing an entire nation to bow through sheer authority.
Foreigners might see danger.
But for Sumeru's people?
A powerful leader was something to be proud of.
After all, no one wanted to follow a coward.
Idris waved his hand dismissively.
"None of that matters. Tell me—did anything major happen while I was gone?"
He'd only been away three days, and his black-and-white clones had remained behind as deterrents.
Still—Idris was Sumeru's backbone now.
Any troublemaker might be tempted to stir chaos in his absence.
Cyno shook his head.
"Nothing significant."
"Even the remaining conservative elders have been completely suppressed under the authority of the Greater Lord's Princess."
"Petty crime has decreased sharply due to your new policies."
"Most recent arrests involve scholars—those conducting dangerous experiments or attempting to misuse the Akasha Terminal."
Idris nodded calmly.
Very typical of Sumeru.
In this nation, scholars fell into three categories:
Normal people.
People who looked crazy.
And people who didn't look crazy—but absolutely were.
Which was exactly why Idris had no intention of importing Fontaine-style mechanical guardians.
If Fontaine could end up with rebellions caused by private misuse of robots…
Then letting Sumeru's scholars get their hands on those things would be inviting disaster.
Cyno continued.
"In the desert, enforcement of your new laws has strengthened our faction's influence."
"The Royal Guard's integration continues smoothly—it now truly resembles a professional army."
"We also located individuals who worship Hermaeus, led by a young man named Sethos. His combat ability is impressive."
"Additionally, we have detained most groups in the desert that refused to accept the new order."
Good.
More manpower.
Idris was very short on construction labor.
The more people caught, the better.
Cyno, unaware of his lord's darker musings, continued reporting.
"On the diplomatic front—Inazuma requested the restoration of diplomatic relations the day after you left. We delayed the matter awaiting your decision."
"The Traveler remains in the desert, continuing exploration."
"…That is all."
Idris nodded, then casually pulled a document from the growing stack of reports on his desk.
It was an Inazuman diplomatic letter.
[From: Yae Miko, Inazuma Diplomat]
"Esteemed Grand Sage Idris,
Inazuma has officially abolished the Vision Hunt Decree and ended its isolationist policies.
We now seek to restore diplomatic relations with our nearest trading partners and nearby ports.
Additionally, congratulations on resolving Sumeru's crisis and ascending as its new leader.
Ah… if only our own Shogun were this reliable. (That last line is just me venting—she won't read it anyway.)
Though this congratulatory letter may be somewhat late, please do forgive us."
Idris raised an eyebrow.
Figures.
Freshly reopened after isolation—Inazuma really was a few beats behind the times.
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