"This little guy is such a coward."
"It fainted already?"
"Am I really that scary?"
"For real…"
Yingda stopped fooling around and dismissed the flames in her hand.
She hadn't planned to do anything to the Pure Hydro Spirit anyway.
Was she really that terrifying?
"You are."
"You really are."
Inside the consciousness space, Diné rubbed her arms and nodded frantically.
She was now mostly certain of this woman's identity—
definitely the "Full-Moon Andromeda,"
the rock god who presides over slaughter.
To be honest, she was a little scared. Not much.
But the killing aura that had just surged off Yingda had been truly frightening.
If an ordinary person took that aura head-on,
they wouldn't die, but they'd be left an idiot.
This Pure Hydro Spirit was pitiful.
"You—"
Fanan raised a hand and poked Yingda's brow, frowning.
"This Pure Hydro Spirit looks like a newborn."
"How could it handle you scaring it like that?"
Newborn Pure Hydro Spirits have never seen anything big.
They're not like those that survived the Archon War—
strong and steady in heart.
Being scared into a faint by Yingda's murderous aura was only natural.
"Blame me then~?"
"How was I supposed to know it was that timid?"
Yingda shrugged.
Her face showed no sign of embarrassment.
"All right, all right."
Huoliya shook her head and looked at Taro.
"Boss, how do we deal with this Pure Hydro Spirit?"
"Keep it, or set it free?"
A spirit that voluntarily got itself hooked.
It was unlikely to be a complete fool.
It definitely had a goal.
Not simple.
"Eat first. We'll talk when it wakes."
Taro put away his Artifact fishing rod.
He didn't intend to undo the bindings yet.
This little one, as Fanan said,
was a Pure Hydro Spirit recently born.
As for why it came here,
the odds were high it was by Furina's order.
Many Pure Hydro Spirits traveled along rivers and veins of the land on the new Hydro Archon's command, searching for a way to save Fontaine.
She wanted to grasp a chance to rescue Fontaine,
and for that she had held on alone for five hundred years.
Since he, the obvious "accident factor" who can revive gods, had appeared—
of course Furina would probe him.
From Furina's perspective,
this "Taro" might be the very opportunity she had been waiting for to save Fontaine.
Sending a Pure Hydro Spirit to test him
was the most normal choice.
Five hundred years. Waiting again and again. Disappointments again and again.
As the appointed time drew near, Furina was like a drowning person—
if even a single straw floated by, she would claw for it with all her life.
Because that might be the only path to survival.
Taro could not share her exact feelings, but he understood.
As long as there was no malice, it was fine.
He wasn't some villain.
As for Dehya, that was just her personal sense of mischief.
Besides, none of this was his fault.
"Here, Yingda."
Cradling the day's "catch," Taro handed the Kamera to her.
"Take a photo for me."
"This fish is 'big' enough and rare enough."
He would absolutely show it off to his colleagues later.
"Okay~"
"Sensei, strike a cooler pose."
Yingda took the Kamera with a knowing grin,
picked a good angle, and—click—captured the moment forever with Taro's cooperation.
Watching that,
Huoliya chuckled softly.
Sometimes the boss really was like a kid—
he liked to have fun and was a bit cheeky.
Huoliya reflexively lowered her gaze to her own two little Huoliyas meant for nursing her offspring,
then decisively shook the image out of her head.
Broad daylight was not the time. Save that for night.
Fanan, who had seen all that, also looked down without thinking,
then frowned and let out a defeated sigh.
Not as big as the other's.
"No rush~"
Huoliya, like a big-sister confidant, leaned to Fanan's ear and whispered,
"With the boss helping development, they'll grow in time."
Fanan's face flushed red. She shot Huoliya a glare
and turned away at once.
Sigh. The kid was still thin-skinned,
unlike carefree Yingda.
A simple yet extravagant lunch came to an end.
Fed and satisfied, Taro undid the fishing line binding the Pure Hydro Spirit,
pulled out the hook, and headed for the shore.
Before leaving he instructed:
"I'm leaving these two to you."
"I'm going back to fishing. Maybe today I'll land a real 'fated fish.'"
Was a Pure Hydro Spirit a fish?
Not really.
So he'd catch a proper fish next.
Taro believed he would definitely haul one up.
As for this Pure Hydro Spirit and the little grass inside the round sparrow,
he left them to Huoliya and the sparrow.
"Don't worry, Sensei."
"We'll handle it."
Yingda rolled her fists, then answered with confidence.
Interrogation? She was very familiar with that.
Maybe you couldn't interrogate the bird.
But the Pure Hydro Spirit… heh-heh-heh—
Thump!
A sharp smack.
"Ow— that hurts!"
"Big sis, why'd you hit me?"
Yingda crouched, clutching her head, glaring at her sister in wounded innocence.
Smacking her out of nowhere?
It really hurt, okay?
"Stop making trouble."
Fanan only gave Yingda a look.
"One is from Sumeru, one is from Fontaine."
"Sensei has his own plans."
"Go easy."
"I know, I know."
Yingda muttered under her breath.
It wasn't like she planned to do anything to the two.
"Mm?"
Fanan sent her the classic I-don't-believe-you look.
Who didn't know her sister's temperament?
"Mm~"
Yingda huffed. "I'm not playing with you two anymore."
"I'm going to fish with Sensei."
She stuck her tongue out at them,
then darted off toward the sea.
Fanan shook her head helplessly, then said,
"All right. Shall we start with the lotus one?"
"I will…"
Beryl answered at once,
lifting the round sparrow off her head.
"Here. There are two souls inside."
"Let's start with her."
The sparrow blinked, as if understanding a bit.
The unknown is always scarier than the known.
Ask away. Right now she would answer anything.
When they were done asking, they could lift the restraint.
"Then let's remove the restraint."
Huoliya nodded, eyes resting on the sparrow with a touch of curiosity.
Sumeru's god… the scent of plants and wood.
The current Little Lord Kusanali?
Interesting.
(End of Chapter)
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