Chu Xi remained silent, her head bowed, clearly reluctant.
"Chu Xi, it'll be so boring for you here. I'll be fine on my own. Your being here would just complicate things. I'll come find you as soon as I'm finished. I'll leave the house key with you so you can come back anytime."
"Be good and listen to me. I'll come find you as soon as I finish my experiments and thesis."
Seeing Silaya's determined gaze, Chu Xi knew she couldn't change her mind.
Chu Xi nodded faintly, her voice barely audible.
Silaya's face immediately lit up with a smile.
"When I get back, I'll take you to see Collei. We promised we'd visit her often!"
Silaya pinched Chu Xi's cheek affectionately before starting to pack her things.
Lumine and Paimon headed to the Adventurer's Guild in Sumeru City to inquire about recent quests suitable for them.
They still had plenty of Mora left from Rola's gift, but they couldn't rely on that forever. After all, that money was Rola's legacy, and Paimon intended to make it last a long time.
Besides, completing these quests wasn't just about earning Mora.
Those glittering Primogems were invaluable to Lumine, and some quests offered them as rewards.
"Ad Astra Abyssosque—we meet again, you two!" Paimon waved a tiny hand at Katheryne.
"Katheryne, do you have any suitable quests for us today?"
"Quests... hmm... let me think..."
After a moment's contemplation, Katheryne suggested, "How about this: during the Akademiya's academic report sharing session this afternoon, go on stage and recite a love poem."
"Wh-what?!"
"Ideally, after reciting the poem, capture the audience's reactions with your Kamera."
Paimon exclaimed, "How could there be such a quest?"
Lumine pressed her hand to her forehead. "Just imagining it is mortifying. The audience's reactions would be intense."
Katheryne smiled faintly. "Is that so? It seems this quest isn't to your liking. Then... how about going to Port Ormos and persuading the local Eremites to do odd jobs at the Children's Home?"
Paimon put her hands on her hips. "What kind of quest is that?!"
Lumine sighed. "We'd probably get beaten up, right? Mercenaries and a Children's Home—those vibes clash too much."
Katheryne smiled again. "Hmm, the mercenaries' reactions would certainly be... interesting."
"Could I ask who's posting these quests?"
"The client? Hmm... Actually, I just wanted to see you all doing these things."
Realization dawned on Lumine.
"You're not Katheryne, are you? You're Nahida..."
As soon as Lumine spoke, Katheryne's voice instantly shifted to Nahida's:
"Hehe, you've already figured it out? I was hoping you'd actually accept the quest. Such a wonderful opportunity to observe humanity..."
[So this is the Little Dendro Archon!]
[The Little Dendro Archon is so cute! She looks a bit like Klee, but she seems much more reliable.]
"So it was Nahida all along! I knew Katheryne wouldn't make such strange jokes. When did you enter Katheryne's consciousness?"
"Hmm... from the line 'Ad Astra Abyssosque' onward, I think?"
"That's right from the start! So, have you had enough rest now, Nahida?"
"Yes, I've been asleep ever since we parted ways last time. I even had a very, very long dream."
A blissful smile appeared on Nahida's face as she reminisced:
"It was another dream about the Sabzeruz Festival, but this time, it was a beautiful dream."
"In the dream, I was sitting in the center of a flowerbed, surrounded by everyone from Sumeru City, holding hands and circling around me... around and around, all looking so happy."
"I even rode on a giant flower-decorated float, with Flower Knight Faris lifting me up so high! I kept showering the children with Yalda Candy..."
Paimon and Lumine exchanged glances, a flicker of sympathy passing between them.
"Nahida... maybe the Sabzeruz Festival was always meant to be celebrated like in your dream, with everyone joyfully celebrating your birthday together..."
Lumine: "Yeah, but the reality is..."
Nahida: "Eh? I was just sharing a happy dream. Why do you both look so sad? Could this be... what they call 'sympathy'?"
"No, no... sympathy would just make me feel even more pitiful! As long as Nahida herself isn't too upset, that's all that matters."
Paimon: "Speaking of which, have you visited Dunyarzad yet? How is she doing? The Homayani Household has been closed off to outsiders ever since, so we haven't had a chance to see her."
Nahida: "Yes, I visited her as soon as I awoke. She was resting at the time. Although her condition has stabilized, Eleazar—this 'Withering' within humans—can only be cured by resolving the withering of Irminsul."
As they spoke, the sound of hurried footsteps gradually grew louder, as if someone were rushing toward them.
Lumine and Paimon paused their conversation with Nahida and turned toward the source of the sound.
Chu Xi arrived at a light jog, her face lighting up with joy when she saw Lumine and Paimon.
"Traveler, Paimon! I finally found you!"
Ever since Silaya left home, Chu Xi had felt restless and uneasy. Despite being used to living alone, why did she suddenly feel so out of place?
Following Silaya's suggestion, she had set out to find Lumine and Paimon.
She had assumed it would be easy, but days passed without any luck. This morning, she had ventured out on a whim, only to learn their location almost immediately. She had rushed over at once.
"Chu Xi, were you looking for us?" Paimon asked, tilting her head toward Chu Xi.
Chu Xi took several deep breaths, steadying herself before speaking.
"It's like this. I have a quest I'd like to ask for your help with."
"As you probably know, I came to Sumeru primarily to investigate the Dendro Vision. But despite my time here, I haven't made any progress. Traveler, your abilities are extraordinary, so I was hoping you could assist me..."
Chu Xi produced a wooden box she'd been carrying and opened it. "Silaya mentioned you like these things. So, we collected some as a reward for your help."
Meanwhile, in the Player World, two options appeared on players' screens:
Option 1: Accept the quest and immediately receive 3,200 Primogems.
Option 2: Decline the quest.
In Chen Xiyao's live stream chat:
[Twenty pulls?! Holy crap, who wouldn't choose Option 1?]
[Wait, wait... something's off. Mihoyo wouldn't be this generous. There's gotta be a catch!]
[3,200 Primogems... Damn, that's the exact amount Qingge gave away before...]
[What's everyone else choosing? I need some guidance!]