Everyone quickly followed the Sumeru person into the cave. The Sumeru person sat down in front of an incense burner.
"Paimon: She doesn't live here, does she? What should we do now? Should we try asking her for directions again?"
"Lumine: Let's try to communicate with her."
"Paimon: Hmm... Is that state she's in called 【meditation】? If we interrupt her, she might not just glare at us like before."
"Qixuan-jie: Alright, alright, Sumeru is the City of wisdom, it's not as bad as you make it sound, Paimon."
"Paimon: Hmm... That's true... Huh? What a fresh scent. Did you smell it too?"
"Lumine: Is it coming from that incense burner?"
"Qixuan-jie: It might be a special 【incense】 unique to Sumeru?"
Just then, Lumine suddenly felt a wave of dizziness.
"Paimon: Huh? What's wrong, Lumine? You suddenly look so pale."
"Lumine: This scent..."
"Paimon: What, does the scent make you uncomfortable? But why don't I feel anything...?"
"Qixuan-jie: (Heh... A little trick.)"
"Lumine: (I must... leave here.)"
Lumine had barely taken a step when she fainted forward.
"Paimon: Ah! How are you? Pull yourself together..."
.........
At this moment, in Lumine's dream...
She saw a towering giant tree. She felt as if something was there, so she walked towards the center of the giant tree.
The giant tree emitted a peculiar light. As Lumine tried to get closer, a gust of wind made her unable to open her eyes. Then she heard a faint, ethereal voice, as if saying: "The world... forget me..." Immediately, the giant tree emitted light and enveloped Lumine.
.........
"Paimon: Is she really alright? But it's already been so long..."
"Qixuan-jie: Don't worry, thanks to Collei."
"Collei: Qixuan-jie, you don't have to say that... It's... it's not entirely my credit, but don't worry, my master's knowledge is very profound. Since he said she's fine, then there definitely won't be any problems."
At this moment, Qixuan-jie noticed Lumine had woken up.
"Qixuan-jie: Alright, alright, Paimon, Lumine is awake."
"Paimon: That's great, you're finally awake."
"Lumine: Where is this?"
"Paimon: This is... Oh, right, I was too nervous when you fainted before, I forgot where exactly this is."
"Qixuan-jie: This is 【Gandharva Ville】. She is Collei, and her master is the Forest Ranger of 【Gandharva Ville】. When you fainted, Collei and her master happened to pass by, so we brought you here."
"Lumine: Thank you for your help."
"Collei: No, no, don't thank me, I didn't really do anything. Oh, right... How do you feel now? Is there anywhere you're uncomfortable?"
"Lumine: I feel very good now."
"Collei: Haha... That's a medicinal soup prepared by Master. He poured a little into you when you were unconscious. Oh, right, Master said that after you wake up, you have to drink it again. I'll get the medicine for you."
Suddenly, Collei let out a startled cry!
Just then, Tighnari, hearing the sound from outside, walked in.
"Tighnari: Collei, what's wrong? Are you trying to get the medicine? I told you not to touch these things... I'll handle it later."
"Collei: I'm sorry, Master..."
Tighnari didn't reply, but instead said to a nearby Forest Ranger: "Sigh, the 【Daocheng Forest Edible Mushroom Atlas】 is on the bulletin board. If Fabard still can't remember, we'll just have to put it somewhere else—stick it on his forehead and let others remind him."
"Nasrin: Exactly, he's gotten sick twice this month. I'll go have a good talk with him!"
Tighnari nodded and said: "But if he just likes colorful little people dancing in front of his eyes, then what I just said, just pretend I didn't say it. But next time I get him medicine, I'll have to charge him."
Then Tighnari walked in and said to Lumine: "How are you, are you feeling better?"
"Collei: This is my master, Forest Ranger Mr. Tighnari, and he is also the superior of all Forest Rangers in Gandharva Ville."
"Tighnari: I heard Paimon explain the reason you lost consciousness before. Since you've asked, I'll explain it to you again: some scholars from certain schools in Sumeru need to cultivate in the forest. They use a plant incense called 【Spirit-Calming Incense】 to stabilize their minds and enter a meditative state."
"To ask for directions, you approached the cave where the scholar Haypasia was secluded. At that time, this incense was Burning in the cave. The incense has no effect on most people, but it does stimulate the minds of a few. You are one of those cases, but Miss Qixuan next to you is not. Did I explain it clearly?"
"Lumine: (Looking at Qixuan-jie resentfully) It's very clear."
"Qixuan-jie: (Trying to play dumb.)"
"Tighnari: Hmm, good then. Now, answer a question: After you collapsed, did you have any other sensations? For example, did you still have self-awareness? Did you see anything?"
Lumine described the scene she saw in her dream...
"Tighnari: Hmm... Collei, go notify the others and tell them not to bring the patrol logs here for now."
"Collei: Huh? What?"
"Tighnari: Because they'll be staying in my room temporarily these days, I'll squeeze in at Amir's place. Do as I say, hurry up."
"Collei: Ah, yes, I understand!"
Then Collei left.
"Paimon: Wait, wait! What's going on now?"
"Tighnari: The situation is like this: Originally, I thought you could leave after drinking another bowl of medicine when you woke up, but now I think it's necessary for you to recuperate and observe in Gandharva Ville for a period of time."
"Paimon: 【Recuperate and observe】?"
"Lumine: But we still have to go to Sumeru City..."
"Tighnari: Don't be in a hurry. As long as you are a person who can distinguish right from wrong, you will understand the seriousness of the situation after listening to me."
"From your description just now, the incense caused you to have very strong 【hallucinations】. Your mental state is not optimistic. If you still can't believe it, you can smell this."
Tighnari took out a round object, and Lumine immediately covered her head after smelling it.
"Lumine: Ugh—"
"Paimon: Are you alright?"
"Tighnari: Is it similar to how you felt when you collapsed? Although you are currently conscious, if I let you leave rashly, you might suddenly lose consciousness somewhere again. There are also many fierce beasts in the rainforest, and there are also very dangerous areas. At that time, you might not be as lucky as this time."
"Qixuan-jie: Alright, Lumine, let's follow Tighnari's advice. It's not too late to rest here for a few days before setting off."
"Lumine: Alright..."
"Tighnari: Rest well these few days, take your medicine on time. Don't run around until you no longer feel uncomfortable with this scent. I'll go boil you another bowl of medicinal soup."
Tighnari finished speaking and walked out.
"Paimon: Sigh... To encounter something like this as soon as we arrive in Sumeru. I know you really want to see Lesser Lord Kusanali quickly, but for now, recovering your body is the most important thing."
Lumine was still thinking at this moment.
"Qixuan-jie: What's wrong? Is there still a problem?"
"Lumine: Strange..."
"Paimon: Strange? Are you saying your body is strange?"
"Qixuan-jie: Lumine has been sleeping a lot lately."
"Lumine: ...That's not what I mean! Those shouldn't be 【hallucinations】."
"Paimon: You mean those scenes you saw after you fainted? But... if they weren't hallucinations... then what could they be?"
"Lumine: I don't know..."
"Qixuan-jie: Could it be related to Lesser Lord Kusanali? Since we arrived in Sumeru, we haven't heard much about Sumeru's Archon."
"Lumine: Is Qixuan-jie saying... my dream is Lesser Lord Kusanali's ability?"
"Qixuan-jie: Who knows? No one knows."
"Paimon: Hmm... Alright, I believe what Lumine says, but why didn't you tell Tighnari just now?"
"Lumine: He knows I wasn't hallucinating."
"Paimon: Huh? In that case, the medicine you drank?"
"Lumine: I didn't feel any discomfort. I want to find the truth."
"Qixuan-jie: In that case, let's stay here for a while longer and ask Collei about the Grass God and the customs of Sumeru."
"Paimon: Why not Tighnari?"
"Lumine: As a Forest Ranger, he must be very busy, and... he might not be able to tell us everything."
"Paimon: Okay... okay."
After a night's rest... Early the next morning, Paimon called Lumine and Qixuan-jie to get up.
"Paimon: Alright, let's go find Collei quickly."
"Qixuan-jie: It's rare for Paimon to get up so early today."
"Lumine: Okay."
At a corner, everyone saw Tighnari and Collei. Tighnari seemed to be checking something on Collei.
"Tighnari: Hmm... It's still under control, but you still need to be careful, understand?"
"Collei: Yes, I understand, Master. Oh, right, I haven't gotten today's patrol route map yet."
"Tighnari: Today's journey is very long, so you don't need to come with me, and there might be those things on the way."
"Collei: I also have a Vision... but I can't help much."
"Tighnari: Don't say such things, this is not something you should be thinking about right now. Hmm? You're here, are you feeling alright?"
"Lumine: Is there anything we can help with?"
"Qixuan-jie: We also plan to help. Since we're staying here, we don't plan to be idle."
"Paimon: Mm-hmm."
"Tighnari: Haha, are you the type who can't sit still? In that case, then today you can go patrol the southern rainforest with Collei. If you're confident in your stamina, the cleaning of the Seven Archon Statue is also entrusted to you."
Someone in the distance shouted to Tighnari: "Mr. Tighnari! We should prepare to set off."
"Tighnari: Coming right away. Before we set off, let Collei tell you about it. I still have things to do."
Tighnari finished speaking and left.
"Paimon: Collei, what are we doing today? I heard Tighnari say that cleaning the Seven Archon Statue is also a Forest Ranger's job?"
"Collei: Yes, actually, the scope of a Forest Ranger's work is very broad: maintaining forest facilities, helping travelers, eliminating fire hazards. If it's Master, he also has to frequently clear dangerous areas in the rainforest."
"Collei: We'll first check the streetlights along the way and then go clean the Seven Archon Statue."
"Qixuan-jie: In that case, let's split up. Lumine and Paimon will clean the Seven Archon Statue, and Collei and I will check the streetlights."
"Paimon: Ah! Ugh... Why do we have to do physical labor?"
Qixuan-jie gave Lumine a look, and she immediately understood, then pulled Paimon and left.
"Lumine: Alright, alright, Paimon, I also want to see the 【Seven Archon Statue】."
"Paimon: Ah, okay."
After Paimon and Lumine left.
"Qixuan-jie: Let's go, Collei."
"Collei: Ah, okay... okay."
.........
"Collei: I'll check the streetlights, Qixuan-jie can help me look for anything unusual around."
"Qixuan-jie: Okay."
Immediately, the two began to check.
Collei suddenly tripped over something. Qixuan-jie quickly went to help her up, and then she saw the 【gray scales】 on Collei's arm.
Qixuan-jie pretended not to know and asked: "Collei, what's on your arm? It looks like you're sick. Didn't Tighnari check it for you?"
Collei quickly pulled back her arm and said: "Qixuan-jie... you... you saw wrong, I'm fine, let's keep going, it's time to go to the Seven Archon Statue."
Collei finished speaking and hurried towards the Seven Archon Statue.
"Qixuan-jie: Hmm... It seems she still doesn't trust me. (I'm really very friendly to girls, huh? I guess I'm one too.)"
Meanwhile, Lumine had already obtained the Dendro element and was trying it out.
"Paimon: Collei! Qixuan-jie! Over here, we've already finished cleaning."
"Collei: Okay, thank you for your hard work."
"Qixuan-jie:"
"Lumine: Collei, I want to ask you something."
"Collei: What do you want to ask?"
"Lumine: What kind of Archon is the 【Grass God】?"
"Collei: Are you asking about Greater Lord Rukkhadevata or Lesser Lord Kusanali?"
"Paimon: Huh? Greater Lord Rukkhadevata? Oh, does that mean that's the name of the previous Grass God?"
"Collei: Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was the first Grass God of Sumeru. She created the rainforest and built sand walls at the edge of the Desert, which is how everyone gained a peaceful life."
"In the eyes of the people of Sumeru, she was a symbol of wisdom, benevolence, and omnipotence, but she suddenly disappeared in a disaster several hundred years ago."
"Lumine: (Just like Ei?)"
"Collei: I heard Master say that later, the Sages found the newborn 【Grass God】 and brought her home. To celebrate the return of the Archon, the Sages called her 【Lesser Lord Kusanali】 and let her reside in the Sanctuary of Surasthana."
"Paimon: Mm-hmm, and then what?"
"Collei: Then? Hmm... I don't remember clearly either."
"Paimon: Huh? You don't know either? Is Collei not from Sumeru?"
"Collei: Ah, no, I am from Sumeru, but..."
"Paimon: Is it because we're strangers, so some things aren't convenient to say? If that's the case, it's okay, don't worry about it."
"Collei: No, no, no, you misunderstood. I'm not hiding anything, and besides, to me... you're not strangers either."
"Qixuan-jie: Really~"
"Collei: Mm... Mm (slightly shy)... Really. Oh, right, you also know Amber, right?"
"Paimon: Wait! Are you talking about...?"
"Lumine: The Outrider of the Knights of Favonius?"
"Collei: Yes! That's her. I stayed in Mondstadt for a while, and Amber helped me a lot back then. It's no exaggeration to say she changed me."
"She's really amazing! She's full of justice, not only full of initiative but also very understanding, always lighting up others like a ball of fire."
Collei excitedly shared many things about Amber.
Paimon watched Collei with her arms crossed.
"Qixuan-jie: I didn't expect Collei to be like this too."
"Lumine: Mm-hmm."
"Collei: Ah... (blushing)"
"Paimon: Hmm... Although I don't think an Outrider's job purpose is like that, I can tell you really like Amber, Collei."
"Collei: I'm... I'm sorry, I think I said some strange things just now."
"Paimon: Hehe, it's okay. Knowing you're Amber's friend, I feel much closer to you now. But how did you know we also know Amber?"
"Collei: Ah, it's like this: after I returned to Sumeru, I kept in touch with Amber through letters. I heard about what happened in Mondstadt, and your deeds, but Lumine had just woken up at that time, so I didn't feel comfortable asking..."
"Paimon: So that's how it is."
"Collei: So please rest assured, I absolutely trust you."
Then Collei said they would talk more when they got back, as it was getting late, and everyone returned to their lodging.
