"Welcome, new Grand Sage."
Seated upon the cold, austere throne of the Akademiya, Idris felt a chill crawl from his spine to his fingertips. Of all the identities he could've woken up in after crossing worlds, fate had tossed him into Sumeru's newest Grand Sage.
The previous Grand Sage had passed away—"unexpectedly of old age," they said—and by a twist of circumstance, he had been elevated to the very peak. On paper, the post was second to none in Sumeru. In practice… it was a seat with spikes.
He knew exactly what this position meant. In the original storyline, the Grand Sage was one of Teyvat's most infamous antagonists. If not for a miracle—or some bargain-bin cheat system—anyone who sat here would be hacked to pieces by millions of wrathful "players." Best-case scenario? Exile.
As for the people under him… true loyalty was scarce. The Akademiya's factions were a tangle of ivy that had grown wild for five hundred years without an Archon's governance. If mortal kingdoms couldn't stay stable that long under human rule, why would an institution fare any better? Subordinates were unreliable, the nation faced troubles within and without; the only small comfort was that there'd be no large-scale invasions anytime soon, and a few of the upper echelons were at least outwardly loyal.
This chair… really was hard to sit in.
Worse, the timeline had already advanced: the Traveler had descended into this world, and by now was in Inazuma. Once they cleared Inazuma and The Chasm, their next step would be—Sumeru.
"And now of all times, I become Sumeru's Grand Sage…" Idris exhaled softly. "Am I supposed to be the last 'sage' under Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's fading shadow?"
If he simply waited, the ending would write itself. Idris had no Vision, no superhuman power—only the authority of the Grand Sage to wield.
Then, as his headache peaked, a metallic chime rang through his mind.
[Villain Plot Reversal System initialized.]
[Dear Host, do everything in your power to reverse your 'villain' storyline.]
[Each successful deviation from the original plot grants rare rewards.]
[Possible rewards include: Visions, Gnosis fragments, cultivation scrolls, future tech, etc.]
"A system?!"
The crisp, mechanical voice brought a slow smile to Idris's face. With a system, everything became negotiable. And the mission was simply to flip the script? Easy. The original Grand Sage—Azar—had done plenty to earn the world's ire. As the "new" Grand Sage, he could change all of that.
Feeling the system's presence settle in his mind, Idris's confidence returned. He lifted his gaze and addressed the hall below.
"Everyone. Since I now sit in the Grand Sage's seat, I will, from this moment on, shoulder its duties." His voice was steady. "If you have objections or concerns, ask freely."
A collective breath loosened. They knew better than anyone: the Grand Sage's mantle might tower above tens of thousands, but it was also a mess, like being president of some country back on Blue Star—glory on the surface, chaos underneath. If Idris could keep that seat warm, every faction in the Akademiya would at least have a banner to gather under—
—and a perfect target to dump their blame on.
He read all of that in their faces, offered them a genial smile, and said nothing more.
Just then, a representative sage from the Vahumana Darshan stepped forward, cupping his hands.
"Grand Sage Idris. There are growing voices within Sumeru calling for us to release Lesser Lord Kusanali from the Sanctuary of Surasthana. For the past five hundred years, every Grand Sage has kept Her Excellency confined. What is your view on this matter?"
As the question fell, Idris felt it—soft, expectant, like spring light through leaves—an unseen gaze resting on him from afar. Nahida. Lesser Lord Kusanali's consciousness lingered over the city like a quiet lullaby, and at this moment, she was watching him, hopeful.
Five centuries of disappointment had likely taught her not to hope. But as this new Grand Sage took the dais, a spark had kindled anyway.
Idris lowered his eyes, then lifted them with a practiced calm. "Lesser Lord Kusanali, Nahida? Leave her be. She will remain where she is."
A ripple moved through the chamber.
"Releasing her now would only deepen unrest," he continued. "For five hundred years, my predecessors kept her within the Sanctuary of Surasthana. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, I will not change that."
"Yes, Grand Sage!"
The high sages answered in unison. At the same instant, the gentle gaze faded—cooling, dimming, sorrowful. He could almost feel Nahida's disappointment fold in on itself like closing petals.
It couldn't be helped.
For now, as Grand Sage, releasing her would be ruinous—to himself, and to Sumeru.