Chapter 60: Chapter 60
Yae Miko learned many secrets about the world in just one day, and it left her feeling a little uneasy.
She knew now that Lumine was a Descender, and that Lord Takumi was also a Descender.
She learned that Istaru was the Time Demon who had lost her power, and that Paimon must also be connected to the Demon God of Sky Island who had similarly lost her power.
The seven oldest gods, the God of Wealth, the God of Commerce, the God of Rock, the God of Martial Arts—all these titles belonged to the Liyue God who was actually a guest at the Palace of Rebirth.
Thinking back, it was clear that Lord Takumi knew Zhongli from the start, and Zhongli even used an honorific title for him initially, clearly putting himself in a lower position.
Someone who could be on equal standing with Lord Takumi could not possibly be an ordinary person. She had been too shortsighted in her assumptions.
This was getting too complicated. The little fox needed to grow some extra brain cells.
Takumi looked at Yae Miko, who was still in shock, and joked, "What's with that look? You've been in a daze for far too long. Hurry up and snap out of it, or I'll have to grab those fox ears of yours."
Istaru put her hands on her hips and joined in, "Yeah, yeah! Hurry up! Or Takumi will take your fox ears."
Yae Miko, hearing about her sensitive ears, immediately snapped out of it and quickly covered them. She then shot a resentful look at the smiling young man. "Following you around is giving my little heart palpitations!"
Takumi spread his hands innocently. "Well, you were bargaining with Zhongli before and didn't hesitate to hold your ground."
Yae Miko was speechless. How could this be the same? She didn't know Zhongli was Morax before; otherwise, she wouldn't have dared to bargain. Now that she knew Zhongli was the God of Rock, it was as if she had unknowingly scolded her own father. Anyone would be shocked under those circumstances.
Sighing, Yae Miko shook her head. "Forget it. Anyway, with you around, unexpected things are bound to keep happening." After all, with this mischievous god around, there was no escaping surprises.
Takumi was taken aback. "Hey, you've adapted pretty quickly. I wanted to see you act more startled—like jumping into my arms, scared enough to ask to sleep beside me at night for comfort." He chuckled. He did indeed have some interesting things planned for their travels.
There were far too few gods in the world of Teyvat for his liking. The first two worlds were manageable, but the third world, Inuyasha's world, might not be as simple as it seemed. There were gods in that world, and if any of them hadn't disappeared yet, things could get tricky.
So, his next goal was to retrieve the 'Primordial Fragments' while traveling from Liyue to Fontaine. If the demons they encountered were rebellious and troublesome, he would deal with them accordingly. The clever and agreeable ones could be resurrected to work for him.
While traveling, he also planned to handle some of the rebellious factions in Sumeru and Fontaine—especially those few rebels whose hands were stained with sin.
Not all of the Harbingers from Snezhnaya's Fatui were against Celestia, but those who were against Celestia were formidable, possessing combat power on par with demon gods, but not with 'Primordial Fragment' level combat power.
He would have to deal with those individuals.
The Tsaritsa herself was also against the heavens, mainly due to her opposition to Fanes. Fanes' judgment had always been ruthless, executing both the guilty and the innocent indiscriminately.
During the war between the Tsaritsa and Fanes, when the curse was placed upon Khaenri'ah, the Tsaritsa believed not everyone deserved to die, that ordinary citizens were not at fault. This led to her disagreement with Fanes.
Some of the perpetrators behind the Khaenri'ah disaster took advantage of the Tsaritsa's sense of guilt to infiltrate Snezhnaya and become her Harbingers.
From Takumi's perspective, regardless of the innocence of Khaenri'ah's ordinary citizens, those among the Fatui were certainly guilty and deserved punishment.
Yae Miko had no idea what terrible thoughts Takumi was harboring, and simply rolled her eyes when she saw him teasing her.
Although this god had a penchant for bad jokes, he wouldn't force others into anything. He always set traps that made people willingly fall in.
"So, Lord Takumi, where are we headed next?"
Takumi pointed in the direction of Dihua Marsh. "We'll head to Wangshu Inn first, then pick up something at Sal Terrae, and finally make a circle back to Sumeru."
Yae Miko sighed. "Whatever you say."
After all, he was the God of Celestia, a Descender who could change the fate of the world, and the superior of the Seven Archons. She, a little fox, dared not refute his decisions.
Seeing Yae Miko's absent-minded expression, Takumi smiled. "Don't look so aggrieved. I'll give you a surprise if you stick with me through this journey."
Yae Miko's eyes brightened. "A surprise from Lord Takumi? Could this little fox get a sneak peek?"
Takumi walked ahead leisurely. "A surprise is a surprise. If you know it in advance, it's no longer a surprise. Let's keep going."
Istaru rubbed her hands together and floated in front of Takumi. "What about me? What about my surprise?"
She didn't want anything extravagant, just her power of time restored.
Takumi gave her a serious look and pulled her aside. "Shoo, shoo. You're my mascot. What surprise could you want? Your surprise is to chat with me when I'm bored, be my pillow when I sleep, be my spokesperson, and support me during crucial moments."
Istaru puffed out her cheeks. "Ugh, I'm so lucky to have a master like you."
Takumi grinned wickedly. "Thanks for the compliment."
Of course, he wasn't going to leave Istaru with nothing. He would give her back her time powers once they reached Fontaine. One overseer was not enough to manage Teyvat and the two connected worlds.
Asmodeus would oversee the spatial aspects of Teyvat and its sub-worlds, while Istaru would oversee the temporal aspects—detecting potential dangers in the future and eliminating them beforehand.
Suddenly, Yae Miko's ears perked up, and she looked toward the grass not far ahead.
"Hey, there's someone over there who's fainted. It's a girl... and she also has a Vision."
Takumi looked over, touched his chin, and a slight smile tugged at his lips.
The girl wore blue clothing, styled almost like a cosplay outfit. Although it didn't reveal much skin, it was designed in such a way that it drew the eyes. There were star patterns on her clothes, and a blue witch hat had fallen to her side. She had her hands over her stomach, her beautiful face pale, and her lips were dry.
Yae Miko walked over and examined the fainted girl. "Is she poisoned? No, it looks like she's just exhausted."
The girl's stomach let out a growl as she clutched it, her dry lips murmuring, "I'm so hungry..."