Chapter 97. Dehya's Bewilderment
Before the conversation near Liyue Harbor came to an end, Zhongli and Guizhong continued their discussion.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Sumeru City, Nahida activated the Teleportation Scepter once more, bringing Albedo and Klee back with her.
"They're back."
Sensing the sudden arrival of the three, Futsu Mitama chuckled.
"It seems this Teleportation Scepter is an exceptionally useful tool. If it's used properly, it might even be possible to teleport an enemy directly into a prepared trap."
Watching Nahida return from Liyue together with Albedo and Klee, a bold idea surfaced in Futsu Mitama's mind.
What if they simply stormed Sumeru City and confronted Dottore head-on?
Of course, there was one obvious flaw in that plan.
No one knew exactly how many "Dottores" still existed.
Dottore had created numerous Slices. They were like cockroaches—you crushed one beneath your foot, only to discover another lurking in the shadows.
That was also why Futsu Mitama had chosen to take a step back during the confrontation in Sumeru City earlier.
Even if he used the Anemo Gnosis to temporarily restrain a Demon God-level Dottore, so what?
The one standing before him was never the only Doctor.
"I'm afraid that still requires experimentation," Albedo calmly added. "We've never tested whether someone with hostile intentions can resist the teleportation."
"We still don't know whether it's possible to forcibly transport an unwilling target. But now probably isn't the time to discuss that."
By then, Aila, Black Aila, Sangonomiya Kokomi, Shenhe, and Dehya had already gathered around them.
"Ah?! Th-This...?!"
Dehya's eyes widened as she stared at the scene before her in utter disbelief.
Her gaze shifted from Nahida to the suddenly appearing Albedo and Klee.
For a moment, she felt she had already experienced enough shocks for one day.
What in the world had just happened?
From Dehya's perspective, Futsu Mitama and Nahida had only spoken privately for a short while. Then, out of nowhere, two complete strangers had suddenly appeared.
Not only that, they chatted naturally with everyone as though they had been together the entire time.
"They made it."
Sangonomiya Kokomi stepped forward with a gentle smile.
"I thought the two of you would need a few more days to arrive."
"It seems this item is even more useful than we imagined,"
Aila remarked, her eyes resting on the Teleportation Scepter in Nahida's hand. She already knew exactly how the two of them had arrived.
Shenhe also gave a slight nod, a trace of surprise appearing in her usually tranquil eyes.
Teleporting a single person was already impressive, but it wasn't entirely beyond comprehension. Given sufficient preparation time, Shenhe could also construct a one-way teleportation array. The process would simply be cumbersome and impractical.
However, Nahida had used the Teleportation Scepter not only to escape the Sanctuary of Surasthana but also to travel all the way to Liyue and return with two additional people.
The effect was astonishing.
As expected of an item produced by the Chat Group.
It was truly terrifying.
"Yes, it's incredibly useful."
Nahida nodded gently.
She glanced at the Teleportation Scepter once more.
The white gemstone embedded within it continued to emit its soft radiance, showing no visible signs of energy depletion.
That alone was astonishing.
After so many consecutive long-distance teleportations, there wasn't the slightest indication that its energy had diminished.
Could it be was it like a Gnosis, containing an inexhaustible source of power?
"Wait... why does none of you seem surprised?"
Dehya looked around in complete confusion. She suddenly felt completely out of place.
Everyone else treated all of this as perfectly normal.
Only she found it utterly unbelievable.
Seeing Dehya's bewildered expression, Klee immediately introduced herself with great seriousness.
"Hello, big sister! My name is Klee! I'm the Spark Knight of the Knights of Favonius!"
"And I am Albedo, Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius."
Albedo gave a polite nod.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Dehya."
Through the Chat Group, he had already learned quite a bit about Dehya. She was a mercenary devoted to protecting others, and her strength was by no means ordinary.
According to what he had heard, she had even managed to hold Signora off for a period of time. Although Signora had long since been reduced to avoiding Futsu Mitama's group altogether, none of the Fatui Harbingers were simple opponents.
Even Tartaglia, who normally appeared easygoing in Liyue, possessed terrifying strength once he became serious.
Signora, meanwhile, combined formidable power with meticulous scheming.
Even now, she had already caused Futsu Mitama's group no small amount of trouble.
"O-Oh! Hello, both of you."
After hearing their introductions, Dehya hurriedly introduced herself as well.
"My name is Dehya, the 'Blazing Beast.' Please take care of me. By the way..."
Unable to suppress her curiosity any longer, she looked between Nahida, Albedo, and Klee.
"How did the two of you get here? You definitely weren't here just now. So how did you suddenly appear beside Lesser Lord Kusanali and Futsu Mitama?"
Nahida answered calmly,
"I brought them here. Because we're currently short-handed, Futsu Mitama recommended the two of them So I made a trip to Liyue and brought them back with me."
Dehya nodded absentmindedly.
"I see..." Then she suddenly froze. "Huh? Liyue?!"
Her eyes widened once again as she looked back and forth between Nahida, Albedo, and Klee.
From Sumeru... to Liyue?
That was impossible.
Simply traveling there on foot would take well over ten days.
Even for someone like her, moving at full speed without rest, it would still require eight or nine days to travel from Sumeru City to Liyue Harbor.
Yet now...
In less than half an hour...
Lesser Lord Kusanali had somehow brought back two members of the Knights of Favonius from Liyue.
Wait. Weren't the Knights of Favonius from Mondstadt?
For a moment, Dehya felt her head spinning.
The sheer amount of information she was trying to process nearly overloaded her brain.
Eventually, she managed to calm herself.
Well~
Lesser Lord Kusanali was an Archon.
How could an Archon possibly be measured by mortal standards?
Although this completely overturned everything Dehya thought she knew, she could only console herself with one conclusion.
Archons simply possessed powers beyond ordinary understanding.
In reality, however, not a single Archon across all of Teyvat possessed an item comparable to the Teleportation Scepter.
Even if someone could imitate its effects temporarily, none could replicate such effortless teleportation to any previously seen location.
Its capabilities were nothing short of miraculous.
"Yes." Nahida smiled and nodded. "Liyue."
She offered no further explanation. The existence of the Chat Group was information that should remain as secret as possible.
After all, Dehya was not one of its members.
Apart from Black Aila—whose circumstances were rather unique—everyone present belonged to the Chat Group, so speaking freely posed no problem.
Dehya, however, could only continue enduring her growing confusion.
Some things would simply remain beyond her understanding for the time being.
[Thoma, Hu Tao, and Amber liked this.]
"So..."
Albedo shifted his gaze toward Sumeru City in the distance.
"What do we do next? Do we enter Sumeru City? Or do we follow the original plan and head into the desert to rendezvous with Cyno?"
"Or perhaps travel to Gandharva Ville to join Tighnari, Faruzan, and the others while helping them gather support from the Akademiya scholars?"
Although he had originally brought Klee here simply to travel, now that they had arrived, he naturally intended to contribute.
Besides...
If Klee happened to cause any trouble afterward, at least their assistance today might earn enough goodwill that the people of Sumeru would be more forgiving.
After all, Albedo had already mentally prepared himself for the possibility that Klee's arrival in Sumeru would not be entirely peaceful.
He knew Klee was a kind-hearted child.
Unfortunately, kind-hearted children could still accidentally level mountains.
It was better to prepare in advance.
"A three-pronged approach would be best."
Futsu Mitama answered without hesitation.
"Tighnari and Faruzan both possess extensive connections within the Akademiya. Especially Faruzan. Among the scholars, her reputation as a distinguished senior is extraordinary. As long as she can present sufficient evidence, most scholars will likely support her rather than continue following the Great Sage."
Sangonomiya Kokomi nodded thoughtfully.
"I agree. The internal divisions within the Akademiya don't appear to be nearly as severe as the political struggles we experienced in Inazuma. Back then, each of the Three Commissions acted almost independently."
"Even many loyalists only began wavering after learning that the Grand Narukami Shrine itself had joined the Resistance."
"Sumeru is different. What it lacks isn't manpower. It lacks a banner."
"Once Faruzan and Tighnari finish gathering enough supporters..."
As she spoke, Kokomi turned her gaze toward Nahida.
Within Sumeru, Nahida's presence had become almost nonexistent. But that wasn't because she lacked legitimacy.
It was because she had spent five centuries imprisoned within the Sanctuary of Surasthana, unable to appear before her own people.
Regardless of whether the Akademiya acknowledged her, one fact remained undeniable.
Maha Rukkhadevata had passed away.
Lesser Lord Kusanali existed.
If even Lesser Lord Kusanali were denied, then Sumeru would become a nation without an Archon.
On a continent ruled by The Seven, that was no trivial matter.
After all—
Only five hundred years had passed since the fall of the godless nation of Khaenri'ah.
No one had forgotten that lesson.
"Leave it to me."
Nahida spoke with quiet determination. After joining the Chat Group, she had received Maha Rukkhadevata's acknowledgment.
That alone had proven something she had long questioned herself.
She truly was the rightful Dendro Archon.
She still didn't know what state Maha Rukkhadevata currently existed in.
But that recognition alone was enough.
She was not the "worthless Archon"—
Nor the "failed Archon"—
As the Akademiya Sages had so often described her.
"What about our enemies?"
Shenhe asked calmly. That was what concerned her the most.
She still longed for battle.
Only through fighting powerful opponents could she continue growing stronger. She still remembered that both Futsu Mitama and Junior Sister Aila had once been weaker than she was.
Now, however, both had already surpassed her, stepping into the legendary Demon God Realm.
Naturally, Shenhe wished to challenge powerful enemies herself, hoping to gain the insight she currently lacked.
Ever since merging with her master, she had constantly felt as though something was missing.
She couldn't identify what it was.
Yet a voice deep within her continued whispering.
Fight.
Challenge stronger opponents.
Only then would she obtain what she sought.
"Yes." Black Aila also spoke. Looking calmly at everyone present, she said, "Signora and Dottore deliberately stalled for time. Their objective is obviously the God Creation Project."
"And judging from the Sages' actions, they've completely aligned themselves with the Fatui. If we don't strike first—they will."
Through Aila, Black Aila already understood Maha Rukkhadevata's overall strategy.
It was, fundamentally, the more conservative approach.
Its purpose was simple.
Allow Nahida to inherit Sumeru peacefully while preserving the Akademiya itself.
Because if open war erupted—
The Akademiya Sages would undoubtedly stand against Lesser Lord Kusanali.
As for the ordinary scholars?
Most of them would have no idea what was happening. One day they would be conducting research.
The next—
They would suddenly find themselves branded as traitors.
By the time the conflict ended, the Akademiya's reputation would already be beyond repair. Whether it truly deserved that label or not would no longer matter.
Its name alone would forever carry the stain of rebellion.
Sumeru would descend into yet another period of instability. Some might even seize the opportunity to establish an entirely new governing institution under the banner of overthrowing the Akademiya.
In that respect, it would resemble the Resistance that Sangonomiya Kokomi had founded in Inazuma.
The difference, however, was fundamental.
No matter how disastrously the Tenryou Commission had acted, Raiden Ei had always remained on their side. Politically, the Tri-Commission still represented Inazuma.
The Akademiya's actions, on the other hand, amounted to betraying not only their Archon, but Sumeru itself. After that, who would ever place their trust in the Akademiya again?
That was precisely why Maha Rukkhadevata had insisted on delaying the confrontation again and again.
Black Aila, however, cared little for those political considerations.
Her objective was simple.
Resolve the problem.
Then leave Sumeru together with her young master.
This burden should not fall upon Young Master. The Akademiya had created this disaster, so the Akademiya should bear the consequences of its own actions—not force Young Master to clean up the aftermath.
"The enemy..."
Nahida murmured softly before falling silent. She genuinely didn't know how to deal with them. Her own strength was still too limited, and in the end, she could only rely on Futsu Mitama and the others.
A heavy silence settled over the group.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Even Futsu Mitama found himself without an immediate answer. If they continued to delay, the Fatui would only gain more time to advance the God Creation Project. Yet if they acted too hastily, the resulting chaos within the Akademiya would become far more difficult to resolve.
It was a dilemma with no perfect solution.
As the silence lingered, Dehya stood off to one side, looking as though she wanted to say something several times, only to stop herself each time.
She suddenly felt completely out of place.
Why did every topic seem to revolve around things she couldn't understand? It was as though everyone else shared an understanding that only she lacked, leaving her unable to contribute no matter how hard she tried.
After thinking about it for a while, Dehya simply gave up.
Forget it.
She decided it was better to remain a straightforward mercenary.
Just point her toward the enemy, and she would draw her blade.
She would fight wherever she was needed.
No questions.
No complaints.
No unnecessary words.