"Sensei~"
"Can this really catch a normal fish?"
"Sensei, the one inside that round sparrow is truly Sumeru's little Grass—"
"Was that Pure Hydro Spirit sent by Fontaine's Hydro Archon?"
"And, and…"
Yingda coaxed a fishing rod out of Taro's hands,
and, driven by curiosity, joined the grand fishing corps.
But her "cultivation" was shallow.
She could not still herself to fish.
She just clung to Taro and fired questions one after another.
"Will a normal fish even bite? And where does a willing fish bite a hook with no bait?"
"Willing ones take the hook. Just wait with patience."
"As for the round sparrow… yes, what's inside is Sumeru's Little Grass Lord."
"As for the Pure Hydro Spirit… I'm half and half on that."
With no fish biting, the idle Taro was happy to chat.
Whether those two had come for him,
and, if so, with what purpose—
he had a few ideas, but not many.
Reality is not a game.
There are no fixed patterns.
Games, novels, stage plays, films… all that fiction can build loops of logic that feel self-consistent.
But reality never needs logic.
Truly, not at all.
Nothing bizarre should come as a surprise.
In an infinity of possibilities,
what must happen will happen.
"I see~"
Yingda nodded her little head, then asked,
"If both of those Fontaine gods have requests for Sensei…
are you planning to go abroad?"
No one walks into the Three Treasures Hall for nothing—
much less a nation's god.
After Sensei's name blew up, one even came in person.
Who would believe there weren't strings attached?
She didn't.
"Go abroad…"
Taro thought for a moment.
"Mm. I'll have to."
"Whether it's to tailor races and classes for you all,
or to satisfy a small personal itch—
I will go."
"Just not necessarily now."
Fontaine is a must. I need materials for class changes.
Natlan is also on the list for Yingda's materials—"Prisonbone" will do.
As for other regions,
there isn't a strict need yet.
At the moment no one around me needs attributes from elsewhere—
setting aside special cases like Huoliya.
I also need to meet the Fire Dragon King, and there's the Primordial Sea.
I'll definitely track down the Fire Dragon King; living or not doesn't matter.
With Huoliya here, Azhdaha's materials are enough.
Besides, I still have a set of Fire Dragon King materials unused.
As for Sumeru and Snezhnaya…
Sumeru has the World Tree and Apep, which can wait.
Snezhnaya is unclear.
Before I crossed over, that region wasn't open. I'll have to feel my way.
"I get it~"
Yingda suddenly understood, then said,
"A fox spirit from Inazuma came yesterday, and today one from Sumeru came."
"If you're going to all of them anyway, which country first?"
Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine—
three very different nations.
By Yingda's reckoning,
Sensei should go to Inazuma first?
No, Fanan-nee has already finished her class change.
Next should be the race change.
So Sensei should go to Fontaine first?
"Which first…"
Taro weighed the rod for a moment.
"We'll see. I'm going to all three regardless."
"The only difference is sooner or later."
To Yingda, that difference didn't matter.
Fontaine might be a bit more important.
Natlan and Sumeru next. Inazuma last.
But maybe not.
In Inazuma there's still the legacy of Izanagi Snow(?),
a divine sakura tree, and Enkanomiya.
All quite special.
As for Natlan—the Archon of "Death" has already crossed paths with them.
"Sensei…"
Yingda's eyes rolled craftily.
"When the time comes, will you take us along?"
"We want to visit other countries too."
"Sensei~ say yes, okay?"
"Pretty please~"
"…"
Taro glanced at the wheedling girl, then smiled helplessly.
"All right. I'll bring you along then."
"But don't cause trouble."
"These aren't Liyue. Be careful not to start an international incident."
Raising a ruckus in Liyue was one thing—
home turf, with the Geo Emperor and Guizhong watching from above.
In foreign lands there would be fewer restraints.
"Sensei can relax."
Yingda beamed. "We'll do whatever Sensei says."
"We promise not to act out."
They weren't coming to make trouble.
Mainly… to keep an eye on Sensei.
It had barely been a month.
Her, her sister, Huoliya, and Xiao-san.
If they didn't stick close,
who knew when Sensei might come back surrounded by a few new girls?
Sensei didn't chase flowers.
That didn't mean fox spirits wouldn't throw themselves at him.
['Your grace is beyond repaying, Sensei… please accept my humble self as thanks…']
See? The excuse writes itself.
Highly effective.
She knew—she'd used it before.
Sensei wouldn't refuse outright.
So it fell to them to make any prowling vixens retreat.
Let three peerless beauties stand at Sensei's side—
hmph, wild foxes, begone.
"What are you daydreaming for? The float sank."
"Quick, reel it in."
Taro tapped Yingda's forehead
and caught the fishing rod before it was dragged out of the water.
"Eh?"
Staring at the taut line,
Yingda froze.
No way…
There really are dumb fish that bite a bare hook?
Would eating one lower your IQ?
Her hands moved even as her mind wandered.
She lifted the rod.
A long, sleek body interwoven in gold and orange burst from the water.
"Oh—koi!"
Yingda's eyes lit up. She gave a deft twitch,
the line seemed to come alive, bound the koi,
and hauled it ashore.
"Sensei, look, look."
"This one's pretty!"
Grinning, Yingda held the koi up in front of Taro.
"…Right."
Taro shook his head. "Looks like we won't be catching anything for dinner."
"Yingda, let it go."
"It's an adeptus of Liyue, after all."
The immortal aura on the fish was extremely faint.
Even he almost missed it.
"Huh?"
"This little guy's an adeptus too?"
Yingda stared, dumbfounded.
She waved the fish in front of her eyes.
The koi dangling from the hook…
rolled its eyes helplessly.
So you really are?
Yingda was speechless.
(End of Chapter)
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