[Arama: "Fortunately those are all stories, not memories."]
At this moment readers still didn't understand what this sentence meant and really thought those were just stories and not memories.
Compared with the story Arama told, the Aranara of Vanarana are actually what everyone is more interested in.
After the Traveler enters Vanarana, she will talk with the Aranara, and among them some Aranara's words are extremely interesting—Lucian wrote them down too.
For example, one Aranara's riddle: "Can be seen, cannot be caught, the moon cannot see it, small seedlings cannot grow tall without it."
This one is actually quite simple—it's the sun. No wonder they "love to sing" that song.
Another Aranara says he runs the fastest, and if he were on the back of a running long-maned tiger he would definitely run even faster.
This one is truly an Aranara Einstein—maybe he could even discover relativity.
After these little interludes, the Traveler also enters a big house in Vanarara—Araja is waiting for her here. Araja's status is equivalent to the elder of the Aranara.
This elder Araja looks quite distinctive. When readers first see him they think he's wearing sunglasses, only realizing after a closer look that it's actually his beard.
The beard is positioned too high and the leaves block the eyes, so it really looks like sunglasses.
Mistaking it for sunglasses is already good—at least no one mistook it for a bra.
[Araja: "Oh, it's Nara… really, it's been so long. So tall, and golden shining. Just like he said. Welcome to Vanarana."]
This sentence caught Alhaitham's attention. "He said"? Who is this "he"?
The Traveler is a person from outside the world—ordinary people have no way to predict the Traveler's whereabouts.
Even a prophet of Mona's level can only see the Traveler's short-term movements.
This "he" actually knew the Traveler would come—his identity must be extraordinary.
Yuan Shang already guessed—it must be "that lord."
[Araja continued: "The Nara who came to Vanarana through Arana's melody must be a good Nara that Arana trusts."]
Iron Tongue Tian: la la la, la la la la la.
Iron Tongue Tian feels he's "la"-ing so much he no longer recognizes the character "la."
Looking again at the Lord's expectant eyes, Iron Tongue Tian grits his teeth—no, should say his tongue ties a Chinese knot and still finishes.
Cannot let the Lord's expectation come to nothing. Mr. Lucian… you've wronged me!
In the story, Araja also reveals one piece of information: every Aranara has their own melody, and there are many versions of the "Melody of the Great Dream."
So when the Traveler comes to play, the Aranara thought Arana had returned, only to discover it's not—then they all scatter in a puff.
[Araja: "The one who entered Vanarana is Nara, so everyone was very afraid. That's why this old one asked Arama to help, so everyone knows that Nara Traveler is a good Nara."]
Iron Tongue Tian is truly numb—these lines are fine one by one, but the problem is there are too many!
If not "for Rex Lapis" he really doesn't want to keep going.
Baojuan, my throat!
Can only say: Master, the throat doesn't hurt, the throat hasn't shouted loudly—the tongue hurts, the tongue is rolled up.
In the story, Paimon still wants to ask about the "Withering" and has to use wording the Aranara can understand, making Paimon complain:
["Damn it! The Aranara naming method is so hard to remember!"]
This sentence truly speaks Iron Tongue Tian's heart—never empathized with Paimon this much.
The Traveler cannot empathize because she doesn't need to speak at all—Paimon says everything.
In fact the listeners are exactly the same—they're truly having the time of their lives right now. Listening to storytelling is already very fun, and with Iron Tongue Tian's annoyed grimacing face, it's even more fun.
Sure enough, happiness must be built on someone else's pain. One bag of rice carried how many floors (feel the pain).
Everyone reading also finds it very hard to remember, but they don't have Iron Tongue Tian's breakdown feeling—after all everyone is silently reading, tongue doesn't suffer.
In the story Paimon mentions "Bija"—when Iron Tongue Tian reads this he finally slips a tiny bit and says "time of breach of contract."
These two phrases sound very similar—ordinary people wouldn't notice and would be led along, but unfortunately this is Liyue!
How sensitive Liyue people are to the two words "breach of contract"—they precisely catch Iron Tongue Tian's mistake.
One Liyue person laughs and roasts: "Time of breach of contract? Then that's the moment of devouring the rock!"
Others heckle: "Well said! Iron Tongue Tian is no longer iron-tongued—this is called 'breach'!"
Iron Tongue Tian wants to cry but has no tears—I've spoken this long and only made this tiny little mistake, hardly even stuttered in the middle—who can be more iron-tongued than me?
Right now Iron Tongue Tian only wants to say one line: "The words are wrong, Mr. Lucian, look at me!"
I, Iron Tongue Tian, have hardly ever slipped in my life, but your book, Lucian, caught me.
Originally very wronged, Iron Tongue Tian sees a smile on Zhongli's face and suddenly feels like bathing in spring wind.
The worry between his brows vanishes, smugness rises.
Others see him happy after making a mistake and "boo" sounds rise all around.
But Iron Tongue Tian doesn't care at all—he saw the Lord smile at him! The Lord didn't blame him and is even happy—how is this not enough?
Iron Tongue Tian made a mistake, but the Mouth of God Paimon did not—she very clearly tells Araja why they need the "Bija."
[Araja: "Bija… the last time this old one prepared Bija was very very long ago. I heard, back then that golden Nara was still here, and Rama Kudanta was here too."]
["Back then this old one still had many many stories, many many dreams. That is a story from very long ago…"]
Hearing him say this, everyone thinks he's going to start telling the "very very long ago" story.
But no! He doesn't follow the routine—Araja sighs two sentences and pulls the topic back to the "Bija."
The reason he doesn't say is that those things from very long ago are only "stories," not his "memories"—no need to tell.
Now readers are uncomfortable instead—if you tell the story we might find it annoying and not want to listen, but if you don't tell we're not happy!
People are like this—if the other person tells a very long story, they might complain it's too long and lazy to listen, but if the other person mentions a story from very long ago and then doesn't say what it is, curiosity immediately rises.
Citlali is even more anxious, whole body uncomfortable—just said she hates stories that always cut off at strange places! Is there an end or not!
No matter how anxiously readers scratch their hearts and livers, Araja skips this topic.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice Lines · Zhongli: About Iron Tongue Tian
"Iron Tongue Tian lives up to the name of iron tongue—mistakes are very rare. That's why when he does make a mistake, it becomes especially precious and interesting, doesn't it?"