"I am becoming an Archon for the first time.
It is also my first time leading Sumeru forward."
"But Sumeru has already had a great god, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata."
"Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was kind and benevolent. She is my role model. I… I have always wanted to become a god like her."
"I know clearly that I am still far from her."
"But I will not give up. As the Dendro Archon, it is my duty and my mission to bring everyone a better life."
"Sumeru is the precious treasure that Greater Lord Rukkhadevata entrusted to me. I will protect it with my life and lead it to continue pursuing wisdom."
"Please believe in me. I will grow together with Sumeru, until I become a god capable of bearing this responsibility."
"Before that, please guide me. If I do anything wrong, do not hesitate because of my identity, bravely point it out."
"Sumeru has never belonged solely to me, nor solely to Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. It belongs to every citizen of Sumeru."
"Just like Liyue, which has entered the age of human governance, I will always believe that human wisdom is the most precious treasure in this world."
"I will always believe that only through the crystallization of human wisdom can a nation and civilization truly become strong."
"Gods are only guides. The future Sumeru must be built by every one of us."
"You are the hope of Sumeru. You are the true embodiments of wisdom."
"So… I may be your god,
but you are also mine."
"I'm sorry… I'm not very good at speaking. But every word I've said comes from my heart."
"Everyone told me that I should inspire the fighting spirit of the people. But I do not know how."
"I have always believed that the people of Sumeru do not need inspiration. You are already working hard in your own lives, contributing to Sumeru."
"Whether in the desert or the rainforest."
"So… I only wish to share my feelings with you."
"I will forever love Sumeru, and love all of you, more than my own life."
"This is the nature of an Archon, and the belief I will uphold for all my life."
Nahida did not deliver ornate rhetoric.
Every sentence came straight from her heart.
The Akademiya had prepared a more polished speech for her, one that would surely have stirred the crowd more effectively.
But Nahida believed that for her first meeting with her people, form did not matter.
Technique did not matter.
What mattered was that she felt their sincerity,
And that they felt hers.
Just as Ryen had once told her:
"Sincerity is always the ultimate technique."
Nahida glanced toward Ryen in the distance, her gaze soft and dependent.
The people of Sumeru were those she would give her life to protect.
And Ryen,
Was the one who would give his life to protect her.
In every sense of the word, he was her god.
She would never forget last night, when anxiety had gripped her, and he held her close, whispering beside her ear:
"From today on, you are Sumeru's Lesser Lord Kusanali, but you are also my Nahida."
"You protect Sumeru. I will guard you."
"You can walk forward without fear, because I will always be behind you, supporting you."
"If you're tired, come home. I'll tell you stories again. I'll hold you until you fall asleep. I'll kiss you gently so you have sweet dreams."
"Nahida, I will always love you, unchanged, from beginning to end."
The memory surged in her heart like a volcano.
If not for her final restraint, she would have thrown herself into his arms right then and there.
"Ryen… I love you too. More than anything."
"I will always be yours."
Then she saw Hu Tao lean toward him, asking for a kiss.
Ryen smiled indulgently and kissed her.
On the lips.
Her expression darkened.
"Hmph. Being a daughter won't do."
A spark of battle ignited in her eyes.
Her dream for Sumeru was underway.
Now she had two goals:
First, bring Sumeru into the alliance and lead it toward a greater future.
Second,
Win Ryen's heart and rise to the position of wife.
She had to make him realize,
She was over five hundred years old.
She could do anything.
In every sense.
For now, she withdrew her gaze.
Ryen still saw her as a daughter. Any attempt would simply be interpreted as a child asking for affection.
She needed a long-term strategy.
Turning back to her people, her heart softened again.
These were the ones she would lead.
Her sincerity moved them deeply.
Objectively speaking, they had heard more polished speeches.
But none had been so heartfelt.
This was their god, speaking face to face.
Even Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had never done this.
From that alone, they believed Nahida was destined to become just as great.
"Lady Nahida! We will always support you!"
"Sumeru will march forward under your guidance!"
"We swear loyalty!"
The atmosphere cracked again.
Cyno signaled a Matra to properly educate that overly enthusiastic girl.
Order returned.
Nahida continued gently:
"I feel your kindness."
"My dream is to become a god like Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. But words alone are not enough."
"I must contribute something in return, so that I can accept your goodwill with peace of mind."
"This is my first time addressing you. My first time guiding Sumeru."
She grew serious.
The crowd quieted.
"Next, I have several matters to announce. The Akademiya will provide detailed documentation afterward."
"First, due to the excessive authority of the Akasha Terminal, which can even threaten your safety by manipulating your wisdom, "
"I have decided to restrict its permissions."
"The Akasha will no longer forcibly infuse knowledge. It will only provide retrieval and reference functions."
"Knowledge should be gained through study, not imposed."
"The nation of wisdom should not pursue rootless knowledge."
"Recall your days of study. The joy of learning lies in overcoming difficulty through your own effort."
"We seek not only results. The process itself is beautiful."
"To pursue knowledge is not only to enrich the mind, but to temper the self."
"The nation of wisdom must not merely demand."
"After its permissions are restricted, the Akasha will be managed solely by me, under the supervision of all citizens."
"And I will return to you… the right to dream."
"Dreams are the most fundamental and beautiful part of humanity. Without dreams, humanity is incomplete."
The people did not fully grasp every detail.
But they understood one thing,
The Akasha had nearly become Azar's tool.
It had nearly turned them into fuel for his false god project.
Restriction felt right.
Seeing no major objection, Nahida relaxed slightly.
The Akasha had existed for too long; any change risked massive resistance.
Fortunately, Azar's actions had awakened caution.
In a twisted way,
Azar had helped.
"Second."
She swept her gaze across the crowd.
"The people of Sumeru, whether desert or rainforest, whether they revere Greater Lord Rukkhadevata or King Deshret, are all citizens of Sumeru."
"There must be no division."
"I will dismantle the Wall of Samiel, reconnect the desert and rainforest, and transform the desert into habitable oases, just as Greater Lord Rukkhadevata once did."
The plaza exploded in protest.
"Lady Nahida, it cannot be!"
A scholar shouted anxiously.
"If the wall is removed, sandstorms will ravage the rainforest. In a century, it will become desert too!"
Even desert citizens objected.
An Eremite sighed.
"We understand your goodwill, but we cannot risk destroying the rainforest. Let us relocate instead."
The opposition rose strongest from desert citizens themselves.
They hated the Wall of Samiel,
But they knew it shielded the rainforest.
Nahida's heart ached.
"You are all my people. I promised to give you better lives."
"Would you truly wish to abandon your homeland?"
Silence.
"Even so, "
She raised her hand firmly.
"Please trust me."
"I would never gamble with Sumeru's safety without certainty."
"We have fully mastered the method to transform desert into rainforest."
"We also possess technology to block sandstorms."
"Dismantling the wall will bring unity. Desert citizens will thrive in their homeland."
"I swear this in the name of Lesser Lord Kusanali."
"And now, the third matter."
She glanced toward Ryen.
Zhongli and the others gave subtle nods.
Confidence surged within her.
"From today onward, "
"Sumeru joins the Four-Nation Alliance!"
"With Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, and Snezhnaya, we form a pact of shared life and death!"
The moment her words fell,
The heavens erupted in four divine lights.
Solid Geo.
Free-flowing Anemo.
Surging Electro.
Piercing Cryo.
Radiance bloomed above the Akademiya.
The Seven Archons of Teyvat,
Five now stood together.