Just like that, Qixuan, Lumine, and Paimon hurried all the way to Daocheng Forest, where Collei was standing at the entrance.
“Collei: Eh? Traveler, Paimon, Qixuan-jie, why are you back?”
“Qixuan: Long time no see, Collei.”
“Paimon: Mm-hmm, how have you been, Collei?”
“Collei: Yes, I haven't had any worries since my Eleazar got better.”
“Paimon: That's great! Oh, by the way, where's Tighnari? Is he out on patrol? We came to find him.”
“Collei: Master Tighnari? He just left Daocheng Forest recently and went to Gandharva Ville.”
“Paimon: Ah? Tighnari left? But... but Tighnari has always been unwilling to leave Daocheng Forest, even refusing the Sages' invitation?”
“Collei: I found it strange too... Master Tighnari has always valued his work as a Forest Ranger and wouldn't leave easily, but this time he left in a hurry.”
“Qixuan: Hmm~ It seems like something isn't right.”
“Lumine: ......Did he not say what he was going to do?”
Collei shook her head and said, “Even the news of his departure was informed to me by a note, and all the various tasks were arranged through the schedule.”
“It's probably someone with an urgent matter. Master Tighnari previously studied in the Spantamad Darshan of the Akademiya, and Gandharva Ville is similar to a research base for the Spantamad Darshan, where various rare plants are grown for research. Before becoming a Forest Ranger, Master Tighnari spent a long time focusing on academic research in Gandharva Ville.”
“Paimon: Alright, time is short, so let's go to Gandharva Ville to find him.”
“Lumine: Collei, we're leaving. Take care of yourself.”
“Collei: Okay, goodbye.”
............
With a roar, Qixuan stopped the Heavy Armored Bunny, and then everyone saw Nahida standing not far away.
“Paimon: Nahida, the Doctor hasn't turned back, has he?”
“Nahida: Hehe, didn't Qixuan say so? He no longer has the heart to come back, so don't worry. The methods left by 【the Doctor】 are fortunately not difficult to solve. Alright, now let's continue to find a breakthrough.”
“Paimon: Hmm, by the way, how did Nahida know we were coming to Gandharva Ville? Did you wait here in advance?”
“Nahida: Yes, I can sense the elemental power on Lumine and inferred it by following the direction of that power's movement. You came here, it shouldn't be for sightseeing, right? Have you found any clues?”
“Qixuan: We came to find Tighnari. Nahida should know him too, right? The Sages once actively contacted him.”
“Nahida: Oh? Is it that 【Forest Ranger】? He is indeed a very responsible person. Hmm, I hope we won't implicate him now.”
“Lumine: If the Sages don't give face, Qixuan-jie should just overturn the Akademiya.”
“Paimon: .........”
“Nahida: .........”
“Qixuan: Not a bad idea, but a certain (Greater Lord Rukkhadevata) would be angry.”
Lumine thought she was referring to Nahida, so she said, “Hehe, I'm just kidding, Nahida.”
“Nahida: Alright, let's go in.”
............
Everyone walked in and immediately saw Haypasia standing inside.
“Haypasia: Traveler? Is that the Traveler!”
“Paimon: Ah! Haypasia! Why are you here?”
“Lumine: Long time no see.”
Qixuan made a greeting gesture from behind.
“Haypasia: Oh my, this is truly delightful. It's so good to see you all.”
“Nahida: And this is?”
“Paimon: She's a scholar we met in Daocheng Forest. At that time, she was in what do you call it... 【Forest Dweller's Frenzy】.”
“Nahida: Hmm... Is that so?”
“Haypasia: Yes, we're old friends. It just so happens that after I came here, no one wanted to talk to me, so you've come at the perfect time.”
“Paimon: Haypasia, you're overjoyed! By the way, you've already left Daocheng Forest? Aren't you continuing your cultivation in the forest? Wait, no... Could it be that you've finished your cultivation and entered the 【Silent Fullness】?”
“Haypasia: Uh-huh, what do you think? I've already... seen the divine in my consciousness.”
“Nahida: Hmm?”
“Paimon: Ah? Really! Congratulations, congratulations!”
“Lumine: I'm so happy for you.”
“Qixuan: That's good.”
“Haypasia: Haha... The moment my consciousness connected with the divine, it was an unparalleled, supreme experience...”
“Paimon: That amazing...”
Qixuan said to Nahida, “Is Paimon overacting? (whispering).”
Nahida had an innocent look on her face.
“Lumine: Actually, we're here to find Tighnari.”
“Haypasia: Oh, I see... Oh, wait a moment, I haven't forgotten my promise to you all. At that time, I said that once I obtained true wisdom, perhaps I could help you explain what you saw at Irminsul.”
“And now, I not only possess wisdom, but I can even help you connect your own consciousness with the divine, you know?”
“Paimon: Eh? Can that really be done?”
Lumine looked at Qixuan, who shook her head, then Lumine looked at Nahida.
“Nahida: I've never heard of it... Ahem, but... if you want to try, I will fully protect your consciousness.”
“Haypasia: Wait a moment, I brought some Spirit-Sense Incense. This is still an indispensable 【ritual】.”
“Paimon: That incense again?”
Haypasia prepared the items, then said, “Alright, now... hold my hand, I will help you establish the 【channel】 for conscious connection.”
Qixuan indicated that she and Nahida would wait for them outside.
“Paimon: Honestly, she never comes along, but she always causes a big commotion every time.”
“Qixuan: Paimon!”
“Paimon: Waaah!”
“Lumine: Alright, let's begin.”
As the 【ritual】 began, Lumine and Paimon's consciousness entered a 【wondrous】 world.
............
“I have been betrayed three times... and thus understand that all things in the world are but a facade of deceit...”
“My anger will never subside...”
“The first was God, my creator, my mother, who was swayed by power and abandoned me, the useless one...”
“The second was man, my family... my... friends... who were bound by fear and saw me as an abhorrent thing...”
“The third was my kin, my hope, the fledgling bird whose wings were not yet fully grown, who was controlled by their lifespan and broke their promise to me...”
“Humans are absolutely untrustworthy! God also makes me hate, I abandon everything, deny and mock everything in the human world, my chest will no longer be tainted by worldly affairs, discarding the inferior emotions of humans.”
“My hollow part, like the 【pure white】 scroll at the moment of birth, will be filled with the heart of the supreme divine being, brimming with divinity... Hehehe... Hahahahaha!”
“No need to fear, the pain is only for a moment, your era... is about to end...”
Then Lumine suddenly woke up, gasping for air, and Paimon also woke up.
“Qixuan: You're awake? How was it?”
“Paimon: This is...!”
“Lumine: It was not the consciousness of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.”
“Paimon: What we saw, was it the Balladeer's past!? So much information overlapped!”
“But how could the divine in Haypasia's words be connected to the Balladeer?”
“Haypasia: You saw it, right? You felt it, right, the lofty divine, the lofty will, the lofty emotion!”
“Qixuan: Then I am also benevolent, virtuous, and mighty.”
“Nahida: Hmm......”
“Haypasia: Alas... what a pity, what a pity... what a pity that what beats in my chest is a dirty, human heart... Oh, Lord God, can you forgive me, can you redeem me...?”
“Qixuan: Just don't be human anymore.”
“Paimon: This isn't the time to be saying that!”
“Nahida: You can see it, right? This is not some 【Silent Fullness】, I'm afraid she is...”
“Lumine: Wake up! Haypasia!”
“Haypasia: Ah...! Why are you so mean to me? Why are those people avoiding me? I found the wisdom of God, I should be praised, I became the one who explored in the darkness and found the light!”
“Paimon: How about... Nahida connects her consciousness with her once? I think... Haypasia's situation isn't looking too good (whispering).”
“Nahida: Alas...”
“Haypasia: It shouldn't be like this... Could it be... that I've gone mad?”
Haypasia covered her head and left.
“Nahida: Wait! Something's wrong with the surroundings!”
Everyone rushed out, only to see many mercenaries already surrounding them, attacking them immediately. Lumine quickly pulled out her weapon to defend, while Qixuan on the other side knocked out a mercenary with one punch.
“Qixuan: Hmm, I need to control my strength, can't actually kill anyone, huh? Not good!”
Just as two mercenaries in the distance were about to hack at Nahida with their weapons, Qixuan teleported over, grabbed one in each hand, and threw them away. However... Nahida's state seemed a bit off.
“Lumine: Nahida! Are you alright?”
At this moment, Nahida's main consciousness was suddenly driven back from Katheryne's body, and then she felt the Balladeer's consciousness.
“I... found you!”
............
After Qixuan dealt with all the mercenaries here, Nahida's consciousness briefly returned, this time using Lumine's body, and then they found Tighnari and left Gandharva Ville together.
On the way...
“Paimon: Eh? This time it should be Lumine, right?”
“Qixuan: Yes, Nahida has already gone back.”
“Lumine: What... happened?”
“Paimon: Nahida was controlling your body all this time. It seems something happened to Katheryne, and she suddenly transferred her consciousness to you.”
“Then... after Qixuan-jie dealt with those mercenaries, she checked Katheryne's puppet and found it wasn't injured. Then we went to find Tighnari to explain the situation to him, and we left Gandharva Ville together.”
“Lumine: ...This time it wasn't just 【consciousness transfer】, but an exchange.”
“Paimon: Eh? 【Exchange】? Does that mean your consciousness also went into Nahida's body? Then, where is Nahida's consciousness now...?”
“Tighnari: Consciousness can be transferred so freely. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, it would be unbelievable... This shouldn't be within the scope of what humans can do.”
“Qixuan: Nahida has something to tell you. She said—【I have been found, and I cannot travel with you.】”
“Paimon: Nahida also said, 【But even on a moonless night, a multitude of starlight is enough to pierce through illusion and lies.】”
“Darn it, Nahida is really completely confined in the Sanctuary of Surasthana now, this is bad.”
“Lumine: Nahida said she was discovered, by whom? Didn't the Doctor already escape? Could it be...”
“Qixuan: That's right, it's the Balladeer. Did you forget those words you dreamed? Hatred, even for the divine.”
“Paimon: Eh? Didn't Qixuan-jie not go in with us?”
“Qixuan: Paimon, did you forget what I left in Lumine's mind?”
“Paimon: Oh, right! So what do we do now?”
“Lumine: A multitude of starlight... Does she want us to seek help in the Desert?”
“Paimon: But without Nahida, will we really be okay...?”
“Qixuan: Ahem... Nahida will be fine for now, but... we definitely have to go to the Desert.”
“Paimon: Hehe... I forgot we still have Qixuan-jie.”
“Tighnari: Paimon just mentioned the 【Sanctuary of Surasthana】? The Nahida you're talking about, the consciousness that was in Lumine's body earlier... Could it be the Grass God?”
“Paimon: Uh... your guess is correct. The situation is a bit complicated, it's hard for us to explain it to you right now.”
Qixuan indicated that it was simple, then gently tapped Tighnari's forehead with her finger. Tighnari's mind instantly gained many memories, as if he had experienced them himself.
“Tighnari: So amazing... So you've experienced so many things these past few days. I believe you.”
“Paimon: Hmm! Thank you, Tighnari. By the way, we wanted to ask you earlier, do you know anything about the 【Installation】 the Sages are currently working on?”
“Tighnari: Well... I was indeed invited to participate in that Installation, but the Sages kept the contents of the Installation a secret. Later, I declined. I only know that the Installation should be related to the 【restoration of Irminsul】.”
“Lumine: I probably know the content of the Installation.”
“Qixuan: You've already seen it?”
“Lumine: Yes.”
“Paimon: Eh? Was it when you exchanged consciousness with Nahida?”
“Lumine: The Akademiya... is helping the Balladeer 【ascend】 to godhood.”
“Paimon: What?!”
Qixuan, however, was not surprised.
“Tighnari: ...On what basis?”
“Lumine: I saw the 【half-finished product of a god】 being built.”
“Qixuan: Is it a giant machine?”
“Lumine: Eh? It really seems to be.”
“Paimon: Why does even Qixuan-jie know...?”
“Tighnari: ...I see. No wonder Haypasia's symptoms were different from those of the scholars who went mad before. It turns out she came into contact with the consciousness of a new god that was being born...”
“Qixuan: At most, it's a creation with some power. A god? Don't joke around.”
“Tighnari: But we really didn't expect them to do something as arrogant as 【creating a new god】. It was indeed correct not to accept their invitation.”
“Lumine: This has something to do with the Fatui.”
“Tighnari: Hmm... Are both Fatui Harbingers in Sumeru? That sounds worrying for the future, but at least from your description, the 【Installation】 hasn't been completely finished yet, so there should still be room to stop them.”
Just as everyone was thinking... another person who shouldn't have been there appeared on Nahida's side...