Apep watched the Akademiya scholar treat Lora with such reverence and frowned. "Egeria, are you very famous there?"
"How would I know?" Lora shook her head, then looked at the overly attentive scholar and asked, "All right, explain yourself. Where did you recognize me from?"
"Lady Lora's name and photo spread through the Akademiya long ago! Lesser Lord Kusanali personally gave orders that no matter where we meet you, we must treat you with the utmost respect!" the scholar explained with a smile.
But as he spoke, he realized something was wrong. "This young lady just called you... Egeria?"
"Mm." Lora nodded.
The scholar was a little overwhelmed. He said cautiously, "If I remember correctly, Egeria is Fontaine's Hydro Archon, isn't she?"
"Oh, the Hydro Archon you're talking about is probably, maybe, possibly, most likely... me," Lora said slowly, looking at him.
Scholar: "..."
Before either she or Apep could say anything else, he suddenly clasped his hands together and bowed.
"Merciful Hydro Archon! My name is Tunasharin. Please forgive my rudeness just now..."
He did not doubt her identity at all. After all, she was someone Lesser Lord Kusanali knew personally.
"No, your etiquette was quite thorough." Lora shook her head.
Tunasharin continued, "Since you are the Hydro Archon and also a close friend of Lesser Lord Kusanali, I absolutely cannot accept a guide fee from you! As it happens, I need to return to the Akademiya as well, so I will guide you for free!"
The Hydro Archon.
This was a living god!
Pray to the Hydro Archon, and may she bless his thesis so it would definitely pass.
Lora turned back to Apep and said, "We hit the jackpot."
Apep: "..."
Why did this Hydro Archon seem a little lacking in brains?
Tunasharin eagerly led the way. Although he still did not know Apep's identity, anyone traveling alongside a deity could hardly be ordinary.
With his guidance, the two arrived at the crossroads outside Sumeru City. From there, they could head into the city itself, or continue straight through Avidya Forest toward The Chasm.
Apep's gaze turned toward the city in the distance, toward the great tree that supported the Akademiya.
"Do you want to visit?" Lora asked, looking back after noticing her reaction.
After a moment of silence, Apep said, "That works. Let's go see Buer."
Since the city had been built, she had never come here once. She was also curious about what it was truly like.
After the three of them entered, they found many Akademiya scholars on the streets. Most of them looked miserable. Some sat by the roadside, while others paced back and forth.
"What's going on?" Lora frowned at the distressed scholars and asked Tunasharin.
He looked somewhat awkward. "That is a long story..."
"Make it short. I don't have much patience." Lora cut him off before he could launch into a lecture.
"Well..."
Tunasharin looked a little embarrassed and said, "This is all because the Akasha was shut down. Scholars like us need to write theses in order to graduate.
"Back when it was still active, we could search all kinds of information through the system. But now that we no longer have the help of Akasha Terminals, we have to handle everything ourselves. It has become rather difficult."
He sighed and continued, "Because of that, the graduation rate this year is extremely low. I heard Madam Faruzan and Acting Grand Sage Alhaitham are so furious they're practically making themselves sick."
"Humans are truly fragile," Apep said with contempt.
Tunasharin led Lora and Apep to the Akademiya entrance, then said, "Lady Lora, and this young lady as well, I can only bring you here. I still have some matters to handle inside, so I will not accompany you any further."
"Go on, go on." Lora waved goodbye.
After he left, she was about to bring Apep inside when they happened to run into Faruzan coming out.
The moment Faruzan saw Lora standing at the entrance, she hurried over in a few quick steps.
She stared at Lora, her eyes nearly shooting flames. In the end, however, she still restrained herself, nodded, and said, "Welcome to the Akademiya, Lady Lora..."
"Don't hold back. I know you want to hit me."
Lora looked at her and smiled. "Holding it in like that is bad for your health. I heard you and Alhaitham were so angry about the number of students failing to graduate that you were both about to fall ill. Better to let it out."
Faruzan: "..."
Was no one going to manage this person?
How could she be like this?
"Where are you going?" Lora looked at Faruzan's clenched fist, which was still trembling slightly, and quickly changed the subject.
"To catch Alhaitham," Faruzan replied.
"Catch him? What did he do?" Lora asked, a little confused.
"That man actually dared to dump all the work for the next half month on me and take a vacation!" The moment Lora asked, Faruzan angrily denounced him. "I have to catch him!"
"That's cruel. Even by Akademiya standards." Lora clicked her tongue and shook her head, then said, "I support you! You must teach him a lesson!"
Lora immediately chose a side.
Watching Faruzan storm off, she muttered, "Now that was a perfect diversion. I should find Neuvillette a work partner later. That way, he won't come lecture me every day."
At this point, she suddenly started missing Chaya again.
I miss you, Chaya!
"Aren't you thousands of years older than him? Letting that boy lecture you like that. You truly have no dignity as the Hydro Archon," Apep remarked from the side.
"Ahem... That's only because I don't care to argue with children!" Lora corrected her.
"The Heavenly Principles exploit The Seven, and The Seven exploit their workers. You people really are..." Apep trailed off, then sighed and clicked her tongue as she shook her head. Her words were filled with contempt for both.
Lora chuckled, not the least bit embarrassed. "Oh, come on. That's just how Teyvat's divine administration works."
Apep looked at her and frowned. "I was not praising you."
"I'll take it as praise." Lora looked at her with a perfectly serious face, completely shameless.