"Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down—!
That's my father in there! He's my only family!"
The purple-haired Eremite girl, Jeht, struggled desperately against the Traveler's restraint, tears streaming down her face as she tried to rush toward the desert ruin.
Beside them, a middle-aged scholar from the Akademiya let out a heavy sigh. His expression was complicated as he slowly turned toward the buried ruins and bowed solemnly.
"Mr. Jebrael… I owe you an apology for all my past misunderstandings."
"I understand now—you are a true man, just like Grand Sage Idris."
"Your manner may be rough, but I am deeply grateful for what you did today."
"I will do everything I can to report what happened here to Grand Sage Idris. Your name will be recorded in today's events, and future generations will remember you."
Hearing what sounded far too much like a eulogy, Paimon immediately flew up and punched the scholar on the head.
"Hey! Don't say scary things like that!"
"The Traveler already gave him the elixir refined by Grand Sage Idris—the one that gives a person a second life!"
"Didn't the Grand Sage say that unless someone's head is cut off, that pill guarantees survival?!"
That was right.
During their exploration of the desert ruins, the Traveler had been undertaking the famous "Golden Slumber" questline. Everything had gone smoothly at first—but disaster struck at the final stage, when they confronted the most dangerous Crimson King ruins: the Golden Dream.
Jebrael—Jeht's father—knew someone had to stay behind to face the Golden Dream. Worse still, the Eremite mercenaries who had opened the ruins had no intention of letting him escape.
In the end, Jebrael chose to remain inside, allowing the Traveler and the others to flee and escape the Golden Dream's hunting grounds.
After everything they had been through together, Lumine had come to see them as companions. And because of her kind heart, she gave Jebrael the Return-to-Life Pill, hoping he could deal with the danger inside and survive.
Hearing Paimon's words, Jeht finally calmed down a little. She had heard of the Return-to-Life Pill—the legendary elixir refined by the Grand Sage of Sumeru.
If possible, she desperately hoped its miraculous effects would activate and allow her father to fight his way out of the Golden Dream alive.
But after one or two hours passed, the ruins remained silent.
The Golden Dream beneath the sands showed no sign of movement. No one emerged.
The Akademiya scholar sighed helplessly.
"My faith in Grand Sage Idris's abilities exceeds yours, and I want Jebrael to survive just as much as you do."
"But we must face reality."
"Even if the Return-to-Life Pill truly grants an extra life, if Jebrael is trapped in the Golden Dream and cannot escape, then no number of lives will help."
He paused, then spoke softly.
"Jeht… I'm sorry. I know you need time to calm down, but regarding Jebrael, I can only express my deepest regret."
Lumine could only roll her eyes at him, then turned back to Jeht with a look full of concern.
After waiting so long, Jeht had calmed slightly—but she still shook her head stubbornly.
"I'm staying here. I believe my father will come out."
Hearing this, Lumine could hardly leave her alone.
"Then Paimon and I will stay as well."
"We'll wait here another day or two and see if Mr. Jebrael can escape on his own."
Jeht whispered a quiet "thank you", her gaze never leaving the ruins.
The scholar nodded.
"Then I'll take my leave. I shouldn't remain here any longer."
"When I return, I'll report everything that happened on this expedition—and I'll try to find help."
"Since Jebrael consumed the Return-to-Life Pill, he should be able to hold out longer inside the Golden Dream."
"While I don't know anyone who can help directly…"
"…I do know someone who might be able to create another miracle today."
Lumine and Paimon instantly thought of the same person.
"Grand Sage Idris?!"
Indeed—this was someone who had repeatedly performed miracles in Sumeru. In the eyes of many Akademiya scholars, Idris was a figure who could surpass even the gods.
As if no problem was truly unsolvable once he intervened.
Still, Lumine sighed helplessly.
"He's incredibly capable, but would he personally step in for something like this?"
"That's hard to say," the scholar replied.
"It depends on whether Grand Sage Idris finds this matter… interesting."
Hearing there was hope, Jeht became emotional at once.
"If Grand Sage Idris can save my father, I'm willing to serve him for the rest of my life!"
Lumine hurriedly waved her hands.
"Hey, calm down! Let's wait another day or two first."
"If your father still doesn't return, then I'll try to find a way to contact Grand Sage Idris."
Truthfully, Lumine wasn't eager to seek Idris out.
Their meetings were… awkward.
Idris himself would feel nothing—but she certainly would.
Still, if that was the only way to save Jeht's father, she was prepared to swallow her embarrassment.
Thus, the group finalized their plan outside the desert ruins.
Meanwhile, back in Sumeru, Idris was hosting a drinking gathering with several promising young men of the nation. Naturally, the discussions revolved entirely around work.
After all, when men gather, they either talk about politics and work—or women.
The latter was clearly not happening.
Under Idris's arrangements, many capable young talents in Sumeru received new assignments.
Tighnari continued his forest patrols while also testing grafted plants and their medicinal properties. With Withering Zones becoming increasingly rare, his workload allowed for new responsibilities.
Cyno kept his position unchanged.
Kaveh remained the maintenance engineer for the Divine Mech, while also being assigned a new task—designing a prison near Sumeru City.
Several talented youths from the alchemy factions—once aligned under other elders—were also reassigned. After the rise of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, they had long yielded to Idris's overwhelming authority.
Despite everything, they were capable individuals, worthy of use.
As the night wore on, Idris drank heavily. He never used elemental power to resist alcohol, so even with dragon-blood tempering, he still got drunk when he drank enough.
As for Nahida, she had disappeared early in the evening—men's drinking sessions were no place for her.
After the banquet ended, Idris stepped into the night breeze, walking alone back toward his quarters atop the Sacred Tree.
Suddenly, a gentle voice spoke.
"Grand Sage Idris… you've had quite a bit to drink tonight. Shall I escort you back?"
"Hm?"
Idris looked over—standing there, as if by sheer coincidence, was Nilou.
It wasn't the first time.
Every time he went incognito, she always seemed to perfectly anticipate where he would appear—showing up at just the right moment to see him home.
In Sumeru, only one being could orchestrate coincidences like that.
Step by step, Nilou escorted Idris back to his private room atop the Sacred Tree.
Along the way, her soft body brushed against his arm from time to time, her warmth and gentleness intoxicating for a man who had just finished drinking.
Most importantly—
She escorted him inside, gently locking the door behind them.
Idris glanced at the bed—Nahida was nowhere to be seen.
At once, he understood.
That little god had started scheming again.
Well…
Free meat delivered to the door. No reason not to eat.
Smiling faintly at Nilou's flushed face, Idris reached out, wrapped an arm around her slender dancer's waist—and pulled her down onto the bed with him.
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