When Chu Xi opened her eyes, she saw a ceiling unlike those in Liyue. Everything was blurry, and her head swam.
"You're awake. Drink this medicine."
Tighnari had just entered the room and, seeing Chu Xi awake, brought her a bowl of medicine.
It was the same scene she'd experienced at Bubu Pharmacy before. She hadn't expected to find such kind people here as well.
Chu Xi took the bowl and murmured a soft thank you.
"Don't mention it. I'm Tighnari, a Forest Ranger from Avidya Forest. You fainted because you accidentally ate a poisonous mushroom. Fortunately, the mushroom's toxicity wasn't severe, or things could have been much worse."
"And you! How could you eat mushrooms you don't recognize?"
Chu Xi's stomach rumbled loudly, answering the question for her.
The young woman's face flushed crimson. How could she still be so hungry after eating mushrooms earlier?
Tighnari called out toward the entrance, "Collei!"
Silaya and Collei entered together, Collei carrying a stack of pita bread.
"You must be starving. It's been a whole day and night since you fainted. Here, eat this first," Collei said.
After spending the past few days with her, Silaya had noticed Collei was becoming less socially anxious, perhaps because she was growing more comfortable around them.
In comparison, Chu Xi seemed to be the more socially awkward one.
Chu Xi silently accepted the pocket bread, her entire demeanor stiff and reserved.
Tighnari: "Just make yourself at home here. Part of our duty as Forest Rangers is to help travelers who've lost their way."
"Speaking of which, how did you end up in Sumeru alone?"
Noticing Chu Xi seemed to have some unspoken troubles, Tighnari tactfully changed the subject.
"Eat first. We can talk about the rest later. Collei, Silaya, keep an eye on her while I check out the newly formed Withering zone to the north."
"Okay, Teacher Tighnari. Be careful!" Collei replied.
After finishing her meal, Chu Xi began chatting with Silaya and Collei. The three girls quickly bonded over shared experiences.
Chu Xi shared her story and explained why she had come to Sumeru. Hearing her tale, Collei and Silaya felt deep sympathy and regret for her situation.
"Chu Xi, are you planning to go to Sumeru City?" Silaya asked.
"Why don't you rest here for a few days first?" Silaya suggested. "I'll be heading to Sumeru City myself in a few days. We could travel together for safety."
While Silaya herself had no concerns, Chu Xi, being new to Sumeru, was vulnerable. To prevent any further mishaps, Silaya proposed they travel together.
The Sabzeruz Festival was approaching, and Silaya needed to go to Sumeru before then to make preparations.
Chu Xi saw this as an opportunity to try and join Lumine and Paimon's traveling group.
"Silaya, are you leaving already?" Collei asked, her voice tinged with disappointment. She had finally made a good friend, only to have her leave so soon.
Silaya stepped forward and hugged Collei. Despite her aversion to being touched, Collei did not react to her embrace.
"I'll be in Sumeru City, Collei. It's not far from here, and I'll come visit you often."
"Besides, I'm not leaving right away. There are still a few days left."
Collei considered this. She wasn't particularly busy in Vanarana, so she could easily visit Silaya whenever she had free time.
Chu Xi and Silaya bid farewell to Collei and Tighnari and set off for Sumeru City.
"Chu Xi, you said you got your Vision the day you left Liyue Harbor?"
"Yeah, I had just left Liyue Harbor when I accidentally stepped on it. I never expected it to be a Vision."
As they walked, they chatted casually. By now, Jiang Mumu no longer felt awkward talking to herself.
Practice makes perfect, as the saying goes, and it applies to everything.
With Chu Xi by her side, Silaya encountered no delays on the road this time, nor did she run into the Doctor.
After more than half a day's travel, the pair finally arrived outside Sumeru City.
As they entered the city, Chu Xi glanced at the three figures standing to the right of the gate and was surprised.
Silaya followed her gaze and met the eyes of one of the young women.
The two exchanged smiles and nods.
The trio at the gate were Angie, Ailina, and Tartaglia, who had just arrived that day and had completely dropped his pretense.
Ailina's height was indeed striking. Standing between Angie and Tartaglia, she resembled a mother with two children, drawing considerable attention from the Sumeru citizens.
After Silaya and Chu Xi had passed, Tartaglia turned to Angie:
"Little Sister, do you know her?"
Ailina also looked over.
Angie shook her head. "No, but judging by her attire, she's likely from Liyue. The other one... she feels strangely familiar..."
The sensation was peculiar, and Angie couldn't quite explain it.
If she had to compare it to something... hmm...
It was similar to the feeling she'd had when she first met the Kaiyang of Liyue.
Forget it, she thought. Why dwell on this? They've traveled so far and endured so much to reach Sumeru. We need to rest and recuperate first.
Angie stepped into Sumeru City ahead of the others. "Brother, come on! Let's grab something to eat. My treat—but you're paying."
Tartaglia chuckled wryly and hurried after her.
-
Paimon asked, "Alhaitham, now that we've done what you asked, can you finally tell us about the Akademiya's missing Canned Knowledge?"
Alhaitham: "Before we proceed, I'd like to ask why you're pursuing this object. Of course, you're not obligated to answer."
Lumine: "We're searching for a way to meet the Dendro Archon."
Paimon: "Yeah, she just wants to meet the God of Wisdom and ask her about something important. But we've been in Sumeru for so long and still haven't found a way."
"Then we heard that the Akademiya had lost something, and this object might be related to the God. So we decided to try our luck."
Alhaitham: "In that case, your approach isn't entirely misguided, but..."
Lumine and Paimon: "But?"
Alhaitham: "If you truly wish to meet the Dendro Archon, I recommend seeking out a girl named Silaya. She possesses the ability to communicate with the God and might be able to help you."
"Silaya?"
Alhaitham: "What? Judging by your expressions, you know her?"
Lumine: "We met her in Vanarana before coming to Sumeru City. We're friends. But Silaya said she stopped dreaming of the Dendro Archon after arriving in Vanarana."
"Oh? Is that so..."
Few people knew about Silaya's ability to communicate with the God. Alhaitham had even instructed her to keep it a secret.
If Silaya considers them friends...
Alhaitham began to re-evaluate his interactions with Lumine and Paimon.