Su Han did not choose to forcibly awaken her.
Instead, he sat by the Goddess of Salt's side and began to slowly recount the stories of Teyvat. He started with the aftermath of the Archon War, telling her how Osial, the Overlord of the Vortex, had been suppressed, and how Azhdaha had been sealed within the Dragon-Queller tree.
"You might not believe it, but that Vortex God is one unlucky fellow. He thought he could crawl out from underground, only for me to suppress him right back down. It was hilarious..."
"Azhdaha is quite fun, though. When I rescued him, he turned into a little girl. I call her Ruo-Ruo. Now she carries around a bucket of fried chicken every day, looking incredibly happy..."
"In Mondstadt, Liyue's neighbor, many things have happened as well..."
He talked to himself, sometimes using exaggerated descriptions and sometimes lowering his voice with emotion. When he spoke of Inazuma, his eyes shone with a light of happiness, for that was his wife's homeland. After talking for a long while, he finally stopped at the point where he had collected Hanachirusato's soul. He didn't continue further; it was getting late, and he needed to rest.
"Alright... I'll leave you be for today. I'll continue 'feeding' you stories tomorrow. I'll be back in the evening. Goodbye, Havria."
Su Han's consciousness broke through the misty barrier and returned to his physical body. He quietly left the room.
After he had completely departed, within the desolate space of her consciousness, Havria's previously vacant gaze seemed to flicker with a trace of a reaction.
The Bustling Moonchase; Amber and Collei's Reunion
The next day, the streets of Liyue were filled with tourists and hawkers.
"Sea beast jerky! Come and take a look!"
"Instruments made from monster bones! Anyone interested?"
"Portable canned sea beast meat! Get them while they're fresh!"
Amidst the crowd, a small girl with emerald-green hair looked at the stalls with longing. She tugged at the hem of the man behind her and pleaded, "Nel wants those meat slices... buy them for me, okay? I want... two cans."
Nelliel originally wanted one, but considering her appetite, she felt one might not be enough.
Su Han laughed. "Alright. Shopkeeper, give me ten cans."
"Oh, it's you, my Lord! Please, take these as a gift—"
"Business is business. These are the flavors Nel likes; take this Mora." He had no intention of freeloading. These vendors respected him, but they were small businesses making a living. Ten cans were equivalent to three days' worth of food for them.
After paying, Su Han stored the extra cans. While his own workshops produced cans, his were mostly unflavored for export. The local ones featured BBQ, cumin, and spicy flavors. Since the Moonchase Festival began, Liyue had seen a massive influx of people, especially from Sumeru.
Cultural invasion and population attraction were things Su Han had been working on steadily. Every so often, he offered "resident incentives"—housing and jobs for foreigners—provided they had talent or skills.
As Su Han was playing with Nel, a sudden hum vibrated through the air. The sky was literally torn by a surge of sword intent. Nel stared at the sky, her eyes wide with fear. "That power is so scary..."
In another corner of the street, Ulquiorra and the other Arrancars were also startled. "Is the Sacred Artifact moving?"
"I don't know, but let's check it out. Lilynette, stay here!"
Two streaks of light, one black and one teal, flashed toward the source. When Starrk and Ulquiorra arrived at the site where the Xuanyuan Sword's pressure was descending, they saw many powerhouses already gathered. They recognized Katakuri, the former Inazuman general now training Mondstadt's knights, and the silver-haired Sesshomaru.
"What is going on?! Help!" a girl in red cried out.
Amber was frantic because her friend was being targeted by the Xuanyuan Sword. On the ground, a girl with green hair was drenched in sweat, struggling to even stand. Under the immense pressure, her mind was a blank. She had come to Liyue at her friend's invitation, never expecting such danger.
Whish!
The sword intent descended, ignoring all pleas. It was aimed directly at the girl's head. Seeing this, Amber lunged forward, shielding Collei with her own body.
"If you're going to kill her, kill me first!"
The sword intent plummeted, stopping just an inch from Amber's head as a voice rang out from the side.
"Stop."
The Xuanyuan Sword froze in mid-air. The sharp aura vanished. Collei looked toward the source and saw a silver-haired man standing before a mending spatial rift. It was him—the Sovereign of the three nations.
"I didn't mean to scare you," Su Han said. "The thing inside your body is a bit sensitive, which made the sword react... but don't worry, you're safe with me."
With a flick of his finger, the Xuanyuan Sword flew obediently back to the temple. The sky returned to normal. Amber collapsed onto the ground, her legs weak from the close call.
"Greetings, Lord Su Han."
"Rise. It was just a small misunderstanding. Everyone, return to your posts."
As Katakuri and the others withdrew, Su Han helped Amber up. "I'm sorry for the scare. I forgot Collei has that thing inside her, which caused the sword to misidentify her."
"Phew... I was terrified. Thank goodness you came quickly. Collei... are you okay?"
The green-haired girl finally regained her senses. "I... I'm fine. Thank you so much, Amber."
"Hehe, it's nothing! We're best friends, aren't we?" Amber smiled radiantly. The onlookers were moved; she had been willing to give her life for her friend.
To apologize, Su Han gave Collei's group a stack of vouchers for local shops. "Amber, take Collei to have some fun. But remember to bring her to the Jade Chamber at noon. I have something to discuss with her."
The Shadow of the Doctor
As the morning progressed, Collei slowly returned to her normal self, her hands soon full of snacks.
"Is Sumeru this lively, Collei? I want to visit sometime!" Amber chirped.
"It's not as bustling as this," Collei smiled, "but the rainforests are wonderful. I'll treat you to a big meal when you come."
At lunch, sitting in Wanmin Restaurant, Collei's expression became complicated. "We have many scholars, but knowledge is hoarded and hidden away. It's not like Liyue where things are open. My teacher, Tighnari, says it's wrong, but those in power don't listen. They're becoming more extreme."
Amber sipped her juice. "It sounds like Inazuma before Su Han stepped in. I bet the Fatui are involved. By the way... how much have you gathered on him?"
"You mean... The Doctor?"
"Of course. He's our common enemy. I won't forgive him for what he did to you." Amber's eyes flickered with a rare killing intent.
Collei shook her head. "I know very little. Information on him is scarce. What about here?"
"Su Han told me that Dottore has many 'segments'—clones of himself at different ages for different tasks. It's likely a blasphemous conspiracy against the gods. But Su Han is so busy, and I can't leave Mondstadt easily. Otherwise, we could investigate Sumeru properly."
They needed a "trigger," an official reason to intervene in Sumeru, much like how Yae Miko had provided a bridge for Inazuma. Otherwise, a forced entry would make them no different from the Fatui—a line Su Han refused to cross.
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