Lin Mo listened to that gentle voice.
He couldn't help but wonder, what kind of Archon was Havria truly?
Soon, guided by Havria's followers,
Lin Mo entered the palace and stood before Havria herself.
At that moment, Havria was holding a salt jar, sprinkling glistening salt crystals into an earthenware vessel on the floor.
Upon hearing Lin Mo's footsteps,
Havria ceased her movements.
She turned and smiled softly toward Lin Mo, her voice warm. "A pleasure to meet you, Wandering Sage of the World~"
Lin Mo's gaze upon Havria seemed momentarily transfixed.
Seeing his dazed expression,
Havria felt a hint of self-consciousness.
Her fair, delicate hand lightly brushed her own cheek as she asked softly, "Sage, is there something on my face? Could it be... fine salt?"
"So beautiful..."
The words escaped Lin Mo's lips almost instinctively.
By all reasoning,
having witnessed the many beauties of Teyvat, Lin Mo shouldn't have been so uncomposed.
But Havria was different.
The moment Lin Mo saw her turn, a single phrase instantly surfaced in his mind—the beauty of a matron.
Those gentle, tender eyes like still water.
That voice as warm as the morning sun.
Skin like fine mutton-fat jade, a dignified and exquisite countenance—in one glance, Lin Mo felt the unique grace and charm of a mature woman.
"Beautiful? You flatter me, Sage~"
Havria offered a gentle, faint smile, not dwelling on Lin Mo's praise.
After all, in her eyes, the Archon of Guili Assembly, Guizhong, was Liyue's foremost beauty.
Havria slowly turned and began walking toward a room behind her. "Please, follow me."
Lin Mo quickly followed.
This room before him
was Havria's bedchamber, and also the place of her eventual demise.
Once inside,
Havria gave a light wave of her hand, conjuring two crystalline white benches from thin air. She gestured politely. "Sage, please have a seat."
"Mm."
Lin Mo nodded.
Seeing him seated,
Havria asked with a smile, "What brings you here today, Sage?"
"Actually, it's nothing too significant,"
Lin Mo explained with a smile.
"Recently, your followers haven't come to Guili Assembly for trade. We... are facing a severe salt shortage."
"I came here hoping to purchase a batch of fine salt from you to bring back for the people of Guili Assembly."
Havria smiled gently. "My apologies. My people have been busy constructing this palace for me lately, and I nearly forgot about this matter."
"Rest assured, Sage. I will have them prepare several jars of fine salt for you to take back to Guili Assembly."
"Good, thank you. I will bring grain of equivalent market value in return," Lin Mo nodded.
Havria gave a slight wave of her hand. "If the Sage can simply resolve my doubts, I can provide fine salt to Guili Assembly unconditionally in the future."
Lin Mo frowned slightly, a question forming. "What you wish to ask... wouldn't happen to be... how to protect yourself in the Archon War, would it?"
"As expected of the Wandering Sage, embodiment of Liyue's wisdom~"
Havria gave a slight nod.
A glimmer of anticipation shone in her eyes as she awaited Lin Mo's answer.
"Actually... as an Archon, you should already have the answer in your heart."
Lin Mo saw through her thoughts at a glance and continued, "In war, concessions have no end. The choices you can make are essentially two."
"First: resist stubbornly, like Rex Lapis, using strength and blood to secure the safety of your people and land."
"Second: accept my invitation, allowing you and your people to become part of Liyue."
"Look at the Archon of Dust and the God of the Stove. They are both Archons, yet they are Archons under Rex Lapis's banner."
"The God of the Stove, like you, also dislikes conflict."
"Are its people not living well within Guili Assembly?"
Havria did not answer.
However... her downcast eyes clearly indicated she was not inclined to accept Lin Mo's proposal.
Seeing Havria's despondent appearance,
Lin Mo couldn't help but ask, puzzled, "Logically, given your temperament, I thought you would choose the second option."
"But why do you insist on guarding your own territory, unwilling to join under Rex Lapis?"
"You know Rex Lapis's character and methods."
"He would not strip the people of their faith, and he would welcome your inclusion."
Havria slowly shook her head. "I fear... if I joined Liyue, the people's faith might... scatter..."
"What does it matter if the people's faith becomes dispersed?"
Lin Mo asked, perplexed. "Isn't it better than ceding your last lands when you encounter a malevolent god again? Better than losing your people and their faith?"
Havria did not respond immediately.
Instead, she gently turned her gaze toward the salt ruler and salt jar beside her, her eyes tinged with bitterness.
"To create them, I expended too much of my power..."
"Only with the faith of these few hundred people can I continue to cling to existence in this world, despite such severe erosion..."
"If... I joined Liyue..."
"I cannot guarantee they would continue to believe in me."
"Without faith, I would soon... dissipate into the world..."
"And then... I would be unable to bring them blessings..."
In that moment,
Lin Mo finally understood.
Why Havria retreated again and again during the Archon War.
And why she did not choose the lesser alternative of joining Liyue.
Perhaps from the very beginning, Havria knew her power had been eroded to a terrifying degree.
Avoiding conflict was her only choice.
Because without faith, she would perish swiftly.
So Havria could only lead her people to this final territory, hoping the war among the Archons would end soon.
The root cause of all this
was that she had been too good to her people.
So good... that she expended all her power, just so her people could have "livelihood" and "bounty."
"I'm sorry... I didn't know your situation was like this." Thinking of Havria's circumstances, Lin Mo's gaze couldn't help but grow sorrowful.
"So... Liyue's wisdom, Wandering Sage of the World, can you think of a way to break this deadlock for me?" Havria's tone even carried a hint of pleading.
Lin Mo knew.
She wasn't pleading for herself, but for the people who had followed her for years.
Lin Mo fell into thought.
After a long while, he lifted his gaze and looked toward Havria.
"Actually... there is a compromise..."
--------
T/N:
You'll also get 5 extra chapters just for being a free member!
Access 40 chapters in advance on my Patreon : [email protected]/furinaimpact