With the Penacony matter wrapped up for now, Koji and the others returned to Teyvat.
"Mei, how does it feel here?"
Acheron didn't have anything urgent to handle for the moment, so she came to Teyvat with Koji's group. Her own business wasn't something she could rush anyway.
"It's a wonderful place. The air is filled with a peaceful atmosphere." Acheron voiced her first impression.
If she wanted a place to retire, Teyvat was practically perfect.
The feeling Teyvat gave her was that of a secluded paradise cut off from the world. It didn't connect to the wider universe, and that very separation created a rare kind of tranquility.
The universe was too chaotic—major factions schemed against one another at every turn. Without the power of an Emanator, most people could only end up as an attachment to a behemoth like the Interastral Peace Corporation.
"The one who isolated this entire world… really is extraordinary," Acheron said, referring to Phanes, still sleeping.
To a large extent, that act had blocked off external threats and hidden dangers.
"Mei, do you want to meet my sister?" Raiden Ei asked.
Same face, similar voice—she had to bring Acheron to Raiden Makoto, let her see it with her own eyes, and… well, question her. Thoroughly.
"Mm."
Acheron nodded. She and Raiden Ei got along well; their relationship felt like sisters already. She was also curious what the Raiden Makoto Ei had mentioned would be like.
"Ei, keep an eye on Mei. She's still kind of directionally challenged," Koji reminded her.
Maybe she'd been affected by Nihility for too long—Acheron's lack of direction was beyond saving.
"I…" Acheron wanted to argue, but considering it was her first time here and she genuinely didn't know the roads, she swallowed it. She'd learn once she got familiar with the place.
Koji's group headed for Natlan, also known as the land of dragons. Among the Seven Nations, Natlan had the most dragons, and humans could fight alongside them.
"So many weird mountains… and even these strange animals—I've never seen anything like them," Paimon muttered, looking around.
Natlan's terrain was bizarre, completely different from every nation they'd visited before.
"Darling, Paimon and I are going to explore Natlan. You go on ahead," Lumine said.
"Alright. We'll wait for you at the Stadium of the Sacred Flame."
Lumine had Koji's protection on her, so Koji wasn't worried about her getting hurt.
"The Stadium of the Sacred Flame… got it." Lumine nodded.
Lumine and Paimon left. It had been a long time since they'd gone on a proper adventure—this was their chance to explore to their hearts' content.
Koji and the others set off, following the road toward the Stadium of the Sacred Flame.
…
Stadium of the Sacred Flame.
"You're guests from other nations, aren't you?"
Mavuika's bold, passionate voice was unmistakable—like some cosmic princess descending in person. She held a local Natlan snack in her hand, and she didn't carry herself with any "Pyro Archon" airs at all.
Among the Seven, it seemed only Venti and Zhongli had never shown their true faces, keeping themselves hidden behind "high-ranking personas."
"Hello, Pyro Archon of Natlan. I'm Furina." It was Furina's first time meeting the God of Fire. True to her name, Mavuika really was fiery and intense.
And Furina wasn't the Hydro Archon anymore, so there was no need to introduce herself that way.
"Furina?"
"Fontaine's Archon?"
Mavuika stared at Furina in surprise. She didn't know the other nations' Archons well, but she knew the basics.
Fontaine's Hydro Archon was a superstar—her popularity in Fontaine was absurd. Practically everyone had seen Furina in person.
"Fontaine's Hydro Archon is Focalors now. I'm just Furina—the human," Furina corrected.
"Haha! Either way, your status is still far from ordinary. Just call me Mavuika." Mavuika spoke warmly.
"My name is Koji. This is Eula, the former Spindrift Knight of the Knights of Favonius. This is Shenhe, a disciple of Cloud Retainer. And the one I'm holding is Yae Miko, a familiar of the Electro Archon of Inazuma." Koji introduced them one by one.
"Hello… a familiar of the Electro Archon…"
Seeing Yae Miko's tiny fox form, Mavuika's expression turned odd. There was exactly zero intimidating "familiar" presence here.
"Hello, Lady Mavuika. Your vibe is… a bit different from what I expected," the little fox said.
"Haha, maybe I'm just not that famous outside. Once Natlan's problems are settled, I should also consider building more ties with the other nations."
"Oh, and the Returning Flame Sacred Night Pilgrimage—your timing is perfect. You can watch it."
"Miss Furina, would you like to go on stage with me when the time comes and make an appearance?"
Mavuika didn't mean anything by it—she just wanted to liven up the atmosphere. Having the former Hydro Archon here could bring a different kind of change.
"Me? On stage?" Furina blinked in surprise.
She wasn't stage-shy. Five hundred years of playing a god had long since made her used to "performing miracles" in front of crowds.
But this was Natlan, not Fontaine. Would it really be appropriate for her to appear?
"Don't worry about it. Fontaine's superstar is famous here too. Natlan has your fans—just not many chances to see you." Mavuika smiled.
"Alright." Furina didn't mind. It was just showing up as a guest.
"Good. I'll get going. There's still some time—anything you spend, just put my name down." Mavuika said it with heroic swagger, then turned and left.
…
"Everything in the venue is on the Pyro Archon's tab… that's some serious style," Koji couldn't help laughing.
No way Venti or Zhongli would say something like that. They never have any money on them.
"This Pyro Archon… feels strange to me," Yae Miko said, her voice edged with confusion.
"That's normal. She's clearly different from Ei and the others. She wasn't born a god," Koji said.
"Every Pyro Archon of Natlan was an ordinary person before becoming the Pyro Archon. Even after they become a god, aging still comes for them. Natlan's Pyro Archon is chosen through the Returning Flame Sacred Night Pilgrimage—prove your strength, and anyone has a chance to become the Pyro Archon."
"I see. That's a pretty interesting selection method. It must be Natlan's tradition," Yae Miko said.
She didn't know Natlan well. Most details were vague to her.
"Then how strong is the Pyro Archon compared to the other Seven?" Eula asked curiously.
"Depends. The Pyro Archon can use some of the Ruler of Death's power."
"But overall, she's definitely not as strong as Venti, the Anemo Archon. As for the other gods… they haven't actually fought."
Mavuika could borrow the Ruler of Death's power. Venti could wield the power of the Ruler of Time.
Mavuika was borrowing it—Venti, on the other hand, had obtained a portion of Istaroth's authority. The nature of it wasn't the same.
Who was stronger was obvious at a glance. Mavuika wasn't Venti's match.
Yae Miko nodded. The authority of the Four Shadows was far too transcendent. As existences created by the Heavenly Principles, their power exceeded that of most gods by a ridiculous margin.
(End of Chapter)
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