Without the burden of forbidden knowledge, Rukkhadevata naturally no longer wished for death.
Her pointed elven ears, much like Klee's, were soft and delicate to the touch.
"So gentle… you really are like a big sister," Lumine murmured, running her fingers over Rukkhadevata's ear. It felt exactly like Klee's—smooth and springy.
"That tickles…"
Rukkhadevata's cheeks flushed as she stepped back a few paces, visibly flustered.
For a god once revered for composure and wisdom, such an expression was rare.
Koji thought to himself—perhaps it was because she had never raised a child. No wonder Nahida's situation was… well, complicated.
At that moment, Rukkhadevata was deep in meditation within her purified realm, unaware of the conversation between Koji and the Raiden Shogun.
"Little Kusanali, Nahida, was imprisoned for more than five hundred years."
Rukkhadevata's expression stiffened slightly. As a god, to be locked away by one's own people—it was shameful beyond words.
"What?"
Lumine blinked in disbelief. "A god… imprisoned by mortals?"
Even a being like Orobashi, when facing Morax—the so-called God of War—had at least been shattered in honorable battle. For Nahida to be sealed away by mere humans for centuries was utterly humiliating.
"That little Kusanali really let me down," Rukkhadevata sighed softly. "As her predecessor, I can hardly defend her."
Koji folded his arms. "Didn't she ever try to escape?"
Lumine tilted her head. "Wasn't she capable of fighting back?"
Koji frowned. "The barrier that held her came from your own legacy. Couldn't the second Dendro Archon have found a way to undo it?"
Rukkhadevata hesitated before answering. "Perhaps… because Nahida is still a child." Her tone was dry, uncertain.
"...A five-hundred-year-old child?" Koji couldn't help but laugh.
Lumine and Paimon both broke into giggles. "That's just too funny!"
Indeed, the thought of a half-millennia-old "child" was absurd.
Still, Rukkhadevata continued calmly. "I can sense her intention—to extract the forbidden knowledge from the World Tree, isolate it in a separate branch, and destroy it. A clever move."
Koji nodded slightly. "Then if she's that capable, why not remove it from the beginning? Wouldn't that have saved her all this trouble?"
Rukkhadevata gave a small sigh. "Even gods have limits. Not everyone, even among Archons, has the right to alter the World Tree."
Koji and Lumine exchanged glances.
"So that means… you can?" Koji asked.
"Yes. You two are exceptions. Your strength surpasses the world's balance. Ordinary gods cannot enter this domain, but you may."
Koji's eyes narrowed. "According to what I've heard, Nahida allowed a war criminal into Sumeru—someone who even modified the World Tree's records."
Rukkhadevata's expression darkened. "A war criminal? And she allowed him to tamper with the World Tree?"
"Yeah," Lumine said, shivering. "That means… you can literally rewrite history?"
Rukkhadevata's brows furrowed sharply. "To permit such a thing is beyond foolish. As the Tree's guardian, she's supposed to preserve truth, not distort it."
Koji nodded grimly. "In her defense, maybe it was part of some deal. But letting someone rewrite the World Tree… that's reckless."
Rukkhadevata crossed her arms. "If that's true, then Nahida has failed in her duty." Her tone was calm but carried deep disappointment. "I expected better from her."
Koji could almost feel the waves of divine irritation radiating from her.
Lumine whispered, "She's going to give Nahida quite the lecture when she's done."
Koji chuckled. "So when you leave here, you plan to… teach her?"
Rukkhadevata nodded slowly. "Yes. I will personally train Nahida. Strictly, if I must."
Despite the compassion in her title, the Great Lord Rukkhadevata was not known for indulgence. She was stern when it mattered—and this certainly mattered.
She looked upward at the glowing branches above. "The elder gods—Zhongli and Venti—have both stepped back from worldly affairs. I suppose it's my turn to return, if only to guide my successor properly."
Koji nodded. "The mortal nations still need balance. Without gods, Sumeru would collapse under its own ignorance."
"Exactly," Rukkhadevata said. "Human governance sounds noble, but it's still too early for that. Even Liyue, for all of Morax's withdrawal, is not truly governed by mortals."
"And Mondstadt?" Lumine asked.
Rukkhadevata smiled faintly. "Mondstadt counts as human rule only because Venti drinks himself into irrelevance. Were it not for him being so idle, I'd almost call it divine negligence."
Koji laughed. "That sounds like him."
Rukkhadevata's gaze softened as she looked toward the canopy of light. "Sumeru… I have returned."
She stepped out from the realm of the World Tree, feeling the humid air of the rainforest brush against her skin.
It had been so long. The scent of soil, the whisper of leaves—all of it greeted her like old friends.
She had not thought she would ever walk upon this land again.
All around her, the grass and trees seemed to hum in joy, their life force responding to her presence.
The world itself was celebrating the return of the true Dendro Archon—the Great Lord Rukkhadevata.
(End of Chapter)
[100 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter]
[Check out my Patreon to read 20+ chapters ahead]
[[email protected]/Zukooo]
[Thanks for your support!]