Noticing the subtle shift in Acheron's expression, Sylvia was puzzled.
"What's wrong?"
Acheron only shook her head.
"It's nothing."
"Oh…"
"Are you still at the Divination Commission?"
Acheron glanced at the background behind Sylvia—clearly not the scenery she'd seen before on the Xianzhou—and figured it must be the Divination Commission.
"Yes, but I'll be heading to the Exalting Sanctum soon. I might also visit the Alchemy Commission. I'll probably pick up a few things along the way, so I likely won't be back until afternoon."
Sylvia briefly outlined her plans for the day.
She was going to meet Dan Shu later, after all.
Mentioning Dan Shu reminded Sylvia that she still hadn't used the two draw chances she'd gotten that morning.
Dan Shu's draw requirements were lower—a purple draw unlocked at just seventy affinity points.
Once the draw rank got higher, the rewards tended to relate more to the character—at least that's how it had worked before. Sylvia wondered if Dan Shu, as a non-playable character, would follow the same pattern.
If she did, what would she give? Dan Shu was both a leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and the head alchemist of the Alchemy Commission. It was hard to predict what might come out of that.
Probably something related to Abundance or healing, she guessed.
That wouldn't be bad at all.
Adding some healing abilities to her arsenal would definitely come in handy in a pinch.
While Sylvia was lost in thought, Acheron's voice sounded in her ear.
"Then take care of yourself."
Sylvia chuckled at Acheron's words.
What danger could there possibly be on the Xianzhou? Would Phantylia really dare to cause trouble right out in the open? Her brand of Destruction aesthetics wasn't that brazen.
Still, Sylvia appreciated Acheron's concern.
"Yeah, I'll be careful."
Acheron didn't say more, just nodded before ending the call.
--+--
After chatting a while longer with Qingque at the Divination Commission, Sylvia took a starskiff to the Exalting Sanctum.
Yesterday's incident involving the Six Charioteers hadn't affected the ordinary people of the Xianzhou.
They still gathered in this bustling district as usual, with only a few more far-fetched urban legends floating around.
Sylvia made her way to Synwood Pavilion.
Dan Shu was there as always, seated inside, gazing into the distance.
Hearing Sylvia's footsteps, she turned, her eyes closed, facing Sylvia's direction.
"You've come, young friend."
Her mature, steady voice was as reassuring as ever.
Before Dan Shu, a tea set was already arranged, steam rising gently from the boiling water.
As Sylvia approached, she caught the faint scent of tea.
She placed a small paper bag on the table and took out a little box—clearly containing some tea pastries.
"I brought some snacks along, though I'm not sure if they'll suit your taste."
Dan Shu reached out, her fingers brushing the box Sylvia offered, and said with a hint of resignation:
"Today, I invited you here to express my gratitude for your help. Yet here you are, going to expense."
"They're just ordinary pastries. It's hardly an expense."
Listening to Sylvia's reply, Dan Shu deftly picked up the tea utensils and began preparing tea, speaking as she worked:
"That child from yesterday, after hearing what you did, asked me to apologize on her behalf today. She said she caused trouble for you, big sister."
Her tone was flat, betraying neither joy nor sorrow, but Sylvia knew Dan Shu must have given that little girl some stern advice before coming.
At the thought, Sylvia sighed, a complex feeling stirring within her:
"That child… she didn't need to be so sensitive. Ah…"
With her parents gone, forced to live under someone else's roof, and born with an innate flaw…
That was probably why she never dared to fight back—because even if she did, there were no 'parents' to stand up for her.
Hearing Sylvia's musings, perhaps reminded of her own words, Dan Shu asked:
"What do you mean, young friend?"
Sylvia explained her reasoning simply:
"If she hadn't lost her home because of the war, even with her innate flaw, she wouldn't be as sensitive and fragile as she is now. Living on others' charity, she probably knows she can only rely on herself."
"…"
Dan Shu fell silent for a long moment, unsure how to respond. The only sound between them was the gentle trickle of water.
It wasn't until she placed a cup of tea before Sylvia that Dan Shu broke the quiet.
"Here, please enjoy the tea."
"Thank you."
Sylvia smiled, took the cup, and took a small sip.
The tea was fragrant—even though Sylvia wasn't much of a tea drinker, she could tell it was good.
"It's lovely."
"What do you think will become of that child's future?"
Faced with Dan Shu's sudden question, Sylvia slowly set down her cup and sighed.
"It might improve. General Jing Yuan has been alerted, and the matter of those with innate flaws has come to the attention of the Seat of Divine Foresight. As the catalyst of the incident, that child will likely be handled properly. I believe things will be better for her, at least."
Frankly, the girl was now a 'case study.' Even the Realm-Keeping Commission wouldn't be foolish enough to overlook such an example.
The Xianzhou's current state might not be perfect, but at least most of the Six Commissions' leaders were competent. It was unlikely anything too outrageous would happen.
"But it's only this child. What happens to others with innate flaws… ultimately depends on the Xianzhou. That's why my suggestion last time for you to join the Realm-Keeping Commission wasn't a joke."
Dan Shu herself, just by being where she was, stood as a natural inspiration for those with innate flaws.
Maybe it was clichéd, uplifting talk, but sometimes people needed a little encouragement to keep going in the face of hardship.
"Though I imagine even if you weren't keen on the idea, someone has probably already invited you, right?"
If Sylvia could think of it, the Xianzhou officials surely could as well.
Hearing this, Dan Shu offered a faint, wry smile.
"You've guessed correctly, young friend. Since late last night, the magistrate of the Realm-Keeping Commission has contacted me several times. Early this morning, they even went directly to the Alchemy Commission. I had no choice but to come here."
Sylvia lowered her head, blew gently on the steaming tea, took a careful sip, and asked with a smile:
"Do you have any concerns, Miss Dan Shu?"
"…"
Dan Shu remained silent, shaking her head slightly, unwilling to continue the topic.
What concerns could she have?
If she left the Alchemy Commission to run around with the Realm-Keeping Commission, how could she keep up with preparing the medicines the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus needed?
But…
Setting aside her role as the leader of the Disciples, Dan Shu genuinely wanted to help.
She despised the Hunt, yet her heart ached for these children born with flaws.
The conflict within her left Dan Shu briefly silent.
It had been a long time since she'd felt so torn.
She hadn't hesitated much back when she decided to extract Vidyadhara bone marrow for medicine, yet now she found herself entangled in indecision.
Though Sylvia couldn't see any change in Dan Shu's expression, through her Heliobus abilities, she could keenly sense the turmoil in Dan Shu's emotions.
Dan Shu might be simpler than Sylvia had thought—especially when it came to matters involving those born with flaws.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.