No one knew how much time had passed.
When Nahida slowly awoke from unconsciousness, she did not dare sit down. Instead, she crouched against the cold stone wall.
Her gaze instinctively drifted upward.
The wall was lined with wooden rulers.
Her heart trembled.
Every strike Aerin had delivered had burned deeper than flesh—
as though even her soul had been scorched each time it fell.
Nahida hugged her arms tightly.
The cave was bitterly cold, seeping into her bones.
Yet—
She was thinking.
Thinking seriously.
This was not an ordinary question.
It was a question left behind by a god beyond the heavens.
One she did not dare ignore.
Suddenly, the cave brightened.
Footsteps echoed.
Nahida looked up—
just in time to see Bennares drag a woman inside.
The woman struggled wildly, screaming, but it was useless.
Bennares casually tossed her aside.
The woman slammed into the stone wall before collapsing to the ground.
"The question my master left for you," Bennares said coldly.
"Have you thought it through?"
Nahida nodded slowly.
"I have reflected. Lord Aerin was right."
"I have no right to decide forgiveness on behalf of all my people."
"And as a god… I should listen more closely to their prayers."
Bennares tilted her head.
"So you mean—you have no right to forgive criminals for the victims?"
Nahida nodded again.
A god should guide, not replace the will of the people.
To decide everything alone was arrogance—
and could itself become harm.
Nahida's nature was gentle.
She did not wish harm upon any human.
Bennares gave a quiet laugh.
"Let me tell you the truth."
"Sumeru is under attack."
"A hundred years ago, those who deemed you 'incompetent' decided to create a new god."
"They are using experiments to control the people's dreams."
"Harvesting consciousness, refining it into canned knowledge—"
"And injecting it into a vessel to manufacture a god of wisdom and power."
Nahida's eyes widened in horror.
Bennares sneered.
"So tell me—how would you deal with them?"
"Persuasion?"
"Do you think the Akademiya doesn't understand the harm they're doing?"
"Do they really need you to explain right and wrong to them?"
Nahida shook her head helplessly.
She never imagined the Akademiya—
the most brilliant minds of Sumeru—
would betray their people.
They understood perfectly.
Bennares ignored Nahida's desperate gaze.
Mockery filled her voice.
"You wanted to 'educate' murderers and looters?"
"And you call yourself the God of Wisdom?"
She pointed to the woman on the ground.
"She's a Treasure Hoarder."
"When Liyue fell into chaos, she joined the slaughter and looting."
"Go on."
"Educate her."
With a snap of Bennares' fingers, a breeze passed.
The woman stirred awake.
"You—who are you?!"
"What do you want from me?!"
She scrambled backward in terror.
She had seen what Bennares could do—
crushing skulls as easily as walnuts.
Nahida frowned, confused by her fear.
Bennares opened a spatial rift.
Two blades fell to the ground.
One before the woman.
One before Nahida.
"This little god wants to persuade you to repent," Bennares said calmly.
"But I'll give you another option."
"Only one of you leaves alive."
"Kill the other—and you're free."
Nahida stared in disbelief.
"K-Kill…?"
Before she could react, the woman had already seized the blade.
Her hollow eyes ignited with light.
"R-Really?"
"If I kill her… you'll let me go?"
Bennares nodded.
Nahida backed away in horror.
She couldn't understand.
Why was there no hesitation?
No fear?
Then—
"Wait."
Bennares' voice stopped everything.
The woman froze.
"I think this needs more incentive."
"For every cut you make—
one million Mora."
"Don't kill her too quickly. That'd be wasteful."
Golden light flooded the cave.
Crates of Mora appeared.
The woman's eyes went wild.
"One cut… one million?"
Bennares replied flatly.
The woman's gaze shifted.
What Nahida saw was not survival.
Not desperation.
But pure greed.
There was no fear of murder.
No remorse.
Only desire.
"W-Wait—!"
Nahida tried to speak—
But she was kicked down.
Pain exploded across her back.
Blood splashed.
The woman laughed hysterically.
"One million! One million Mora!"
Across Teyvat, silence fell.
In the Sanctuary of Surasthana, Nahida covered her mouth.
"So this… is who I wanted to persuade?"
Her hands trembled.
This was mockery.
Not of her power—
But of her naivety.
On the stone bed, Nahida's body jolted violently.
Bennares glanced over.
"Master…?"
"She's died once," Aerin said calmly.
"The dream feels identical to reality."
"She will revive."
"And be killed again."
"Until she chooses to end it herself."
Bennares scoffed.
"How foolish."
"If words could fix people like that, Bella wouldn't need to exist."
Only then did everyone understand.
This was not execution.
It was education through consequence.
Nahida now understood.
Persuasion was for the ignorant—
not for those who knew and chose evil anyway.
Her tears fell silently.
"I was unworthy of the name 'Wisdom'…"
Aerin's expression darkened.
"The World Tree has changed."
"Records are disappearing."
"She's forcefully overriding wills."
Bennares' eyes sharpened.
"Bella lost patience."
"She's making her move in Sumeru."
Aerin nodded.
"This time—"
"We end it."
"Sumeru will be the battlefield."
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