It'd be better to just hang a chunk of amber.
"The activation of a Vision requires an overwhelming desire strong enough to draw the gaze of the gods," Tartaglia explained.
Ryen fixed him with a deep stare.
"You're saying I don't have any desires?"
"Uh… that's not—I didn't mean it like that."
Tartaglia gave an awkward laugh and said no more.
Ryen curled his lip and asked again:
"One last confirmation—whether a Vision can activate depends on Celestia, not on the Seven Archons, right?"
Zhongli nodded. Ryen gave a small laugh, put the Vision away, and said calmly:
"Then where is Celestia? When I come back, I'll go up there and have a proper chat with those gods about my wishes."
"I'll make sure they see me clearly."
Everyone fell silent.
Watching Ryen flex his fists, Zhongli began to ponder.
When Ryen said he wanted the gods to truly cast their gaze upon him…
Did he mean beating every last one of them down, pinning their heads to the ground, and forcing them to activate his Vision?
"Don't be so impatient!" Lisa chuckled helplessly, patting Ryen on the shoulder.
"You already have the Thunderous Staff, and you've learned magic yourself. Once the Fatui deliver that Delusion from Snezhnaya, you'll still be able to pierce through enemies as easily as stringing them on a skewer."
"Why get so hung up on Celestia? The gods up there were once heroes of humanity, after all."
"Besides, you've got that dashing Radiant Blade, the stylish Vampiric Staff, and now the Thunderous Staff. You don't really need to care about this, do you?"
Ryen smirked and grumbled:
"What, are you saying you'd dislike me being even more handsome?"
Lisa went silent, her mind drifting uncontrollably to last night—when Ryen's vigor towered above her.
Her cheeks flushed faintly, and she shook her head.
"In any case, there's no need to rush. You'll definitely be able to activate your Vision. Perhaps it's just that in this world, the elemental currents can't be linked properly?"
Hearing that, Ryen clicked his tongue and reluctantly put his plan aside.
Still, he muttered in dissatisfaction:
"My wish to be more handsome—how is that not strong enough? Those gods had better open their eyes wide and give me a proper response!"
"Otherwise, I'll go up there and slam them all into the dirt so hard they won't be able to crawl out!"
No one doubted the truth of those words.
He really was capable of pounding gods into the ground…
Though, it was certainly a bizarre wish.
Among everyone here—
Ningguang had longed for wealth and gained a Vision.
Jean had longed to protect Mondstadt and gained a Vision…
But Ryen? His desire for a Vision came down to wanting to look more handsome.
What kind of absurd wish was that!
It almost made the Vision feel cheapened.
Outside, the rain pattered on endlessly. It seemed it wouldn't stop today.
The group packed their supplies, ready to set off again.
Ryen spoke softly:
"Did you make sure to bring all the different colors of wool? We're going to find the Quest Ram today"
Ningguang nodded softly.
"Everything's ready. For the next while, we won't have much else to do. This time, let's stay inside for a good stretch."
Ryen chuckled lightly and teased,
"You're all just after the staff."
"The one who's benefiting isn't allowed to say that."
Lisa shot him a glare.
Ryen only shrugged and got up to head outside.
"Let's go, no time to waste. From that Druid Mage, we'll take back the staff that belongs to us!"
The grand words made the group stifle their laughter. Still, they finished packing up and followed Ryen on their way.
This time, even Klee, Nahida, and Paimon came along.
The Twilight Forest could be dangerous, but everyone had upgraded their gear.
And those three little ones—Klee, Nahida, and Paimon—would be under Ryen's constant care. Each of them was carrying five Totems of Undying.
No big problem.
But the real reason was…
The Firefly Bush and the Enchanted Forest were just too breathtakingly beautiful. Ryen was determined to let the little cuties see that fairytale-like scenery with their own eyes.
Everything children see should be the most beautiful version of it.
Especially since yesterday, Klee and Nahida had leapt into his arms saying they missed him. That had nearly melted Ryen's heart.
No matter what, today he couldn't leave them behind while he went to the Twilight Forest.
Besides, who knew how long this trip would end up taking?
Not seeing them for so long would be its own kind of torment.
After greeting Madam Ping and the others, the group once again leapt into the Twilight Forest portal.
A brief wave of dizziness passed. When they opened their eyes, what lay before them was the dreamlike fairytale world of the Firefly Bush.
"Wow!"
Klee covered her little mouth in delight, her eyes sparkling.
"It's so pretty!"
Nahida looked around happily in awe.
It was as if the forest itself knew they were coming today—its beauty seemed more dazzling than ever.
Countless fireflies, glowing like starlight, danced around them. The silent jungle was steeped in peace and serenity, as though they were standing in a gentle sea of stars.
Klee stretched out her little hand carefully toward a firefly.
To her surprise, it landed delicately on her fingertip.
Her big eyes were filled with joy as she turned to Ryen and whispered,
"Big Brother Ryen! A star is sitting on Klee's hand!"
Ryen laughed softly and patted her head.
A child's dreams were the gentlest, most fragile treasures in the world.
And Ryen was more than happy to keep those dreams safe for them.
~~----------------------
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