The petite Nahida stood still on the ancient, timeworn land like a tranquil and sacred statue.
Her eyes, like flawless emeralds carved with divine precision, were wide open—green and vibrant, as if containing the secrets of an entire forest.
Within her heart, it felt like a once-calm lake had been struck by a massive stone, stirring up endless waves.
She thought silently to herself, her thoughts adrift like dandelion fluff caught in the wind—uncertain, fleeting, yet deep and weighty.
So… this is what gods are really like?
It was a far cry from the image she had always held in her heart through countless ages—omniscient, untouchable, radiant beings who loomed high above like stars in the heavens.
The gods In her imagination were wrapped in divine light, altering the fate of the world with a mere wave of the hand.
But what Shajin described shattered that long-held perception, plunging her into deep reflection and confusion.
Beside her, Furina looked like a kitten thoroughly provoked—adorable, yet brimming with indignant outrage.
She glared at Shajin with puffed-up cheeks, now round and taut like overinflated balloons, making her already captivating features even more endearing, though tinged with unmistakable vexation.
How could he just blurt it all out like that?! She fumed inwardly. He gave away my secrets without hesitation! Unforgivable!!!
The fire within her heart surged like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
But she forcefully kept it down, letting her puffed-up face and resentful gaze express just a fraction of what she truly felt.
Nahida's eyes were already brimming with tears, shimmering in her bright gaze like tiny stars caught in a whirlpool.
At last, she could no longer hold back the tide of emotions flooding her chest. Her lips parted gently, trembling with the weight of feelings long kept bottled up, and she spoke in a fragile whisper.
"Th… thank you… No one's ever said those things to me before…"
Even before her voice faded completely, tears began streaming down her face like broken pearls, rolling uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes.
They slid down her soft, snow-white cheeks like drops of dew falling from jade petals, landing quietly on the ground and stirring up small puffs of dust.
Her voice grew choked with sobs, like thread tangled in spring wind—fragile, hesitant, and stuttering.
"I… I just wanted to do my very best… to become a god that people would acknowledge… a god who could protect everyone… Why is it so hard…"
By the end, Nahida was already sobbing uncontrollably, her petite body trembling like a flower caught in a storm—so delicate it seemed she could collapse at any moment. It stirred an aching tenderness in anyone who looked upon her.
Seeing this, Furina gently pulled her into a soft embrace, offering warmth and comfort through her own body, as if trying to use her presence to chase away the cold and sorrow that gripped Nahida's heart.
Shajin, meanwhile, leaned casually against a nearby ancient tree, arms folded and expression serene.
He stared into the distance, his gaze deep and mysterious, as though it could pierce the clouds and glimpse the edge of the world.
From where he stood, he could see the towering tree that held up Sumeru City like a giant's hand. Its thick, verdant canopy shimmered gold in the sunlight, like a vast sea of green brimming with life and energy.
Shajin narrowed his eyes and let a mischievous grin creep across his lips.
When we get back… maybe it's time for a little payback~
…
"Um… M-Mr. Shajin… I can walk on my own…"
Nahida, who had been held in Shajin's arms the entire way, spoke softly, her fair cheeks flushed pink.
Shajin laughed without hesitation. "It's fine. You're light, and honestly, holding you is pretty comfortable~"
Nahida's blush deepened to a rich rose-red, like peach blossoms in full bloom across a spring hillside.
She gave a tiny nod, steam practically rising from her head, her eyes filled with flustered panic. She quickly lowered her gaze, unable to meet Shajin's teasing yet brilliant eyes.
In her eyes danced a startled fawn, her heart racing uncontrollably.
"Up ahead is Liyue Harbor. So? Impressed?"
Furina looked up in surprise, but her expression quickly froze.
Before them stretched a crowd—dense and endless, like a tidal wave bearing down.
She rushed over, grabbing Shajin's sleeve in a panic, her voice laced with anxiety and disbelief.
"S-Shajin, what is this?!"
Shajin tilted his head slightly, puzzled.
"Obviously your welcome ceremony~"
"Welcome ceremony?!"
Furina rubbed her eyes, uncertain whether to believe what she saw.
Thousands of Millelith soldiers stood in two straight rows, their spears gleaming, their posture straight as mountain pines. Each face was solemn and resolute.
Above, the Jade Chamber hovered in the sky, bearing a grand inscription in flowing calligraphy: Welcome, Honored Gods.
Behind them, a massive crowd stretched back as far as the eye could see. People stood on tiptoe trying to get a glimpse, their murmurs and exclamations washing over the harbor like ocean waves.
Furina's mouth twitched. A wry, helpless smile tugged at her lips.
"Why does it feel like… we're on display or something?"
Shajin chuckled.
"Don't sweat the small stuff~"
He waved leisurely at the crowd ahead, his gesture relaxed and showy.
"Look! It's the Gambling Saint!"
A voice rang out from the crowd, brimming with excitement and awe.
"Yeah! And he's got the Hydro Archon and Dendro Archon with him!"
Another chimed in, full of curiosity and wonder.
"No way?! That's amazing! Only the Gambling Saint could pull this off!"
In an instant, the crowd erupted like crashing waves, the buzz of conversation rising and falling in a steady roar.
_
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