The base was not far from Ryen's manor villa.
Every Millelith soldier had this route memorized by necessity. Resources needed to be ferried over on a regular basis. As a result, the paths surrounding the manor had been cleared and maintained, torches planted at intervals along the way to prevent monster spawns after dark.
The group arrived back at the manor before long.
Venti made a beeline for the refrigerator with practiced ease, pulled out several bottles of ale, and started drinking without ceremony.
Aether was still absorbing the sheer volume of extraordinary things surrounding him. If what he had seen outside, at the Millelith base, had been the world itself, vivid, strange, like something out of a fantasy, then this place was where the world's finest technology had been concentrated. Construction continued on all sides, structures that used the world's properties in ways that confounded his expectations at every turn.
His eyes widened with each new thing they landed on.
Questions piled up inside him without resolution.
The others, however, showed no inclination to explain.
He sat in the main room, head lowered, turning everything over to himself.
Ryen was in no hurry to begin arranging Aether's affairs. Today the Sumeru army had arrived, which meant his leisure period was drawing to a close. It was time to set out the plan ahead.
"Ningguang, take notes."
Ryen gave her palm a brief squeeze and waited while she produced her notebook, then spoke at an unhurried pace.
"The Sumeru army has arrived. The Lantern Rite is a little over a week away, so everyone needs to start moving."
"First thing: I'll be taking Ganyu and the others to Inazuma for a few days. A change of scenery, a bit of travel."
"I've been in Teyvat quite a while now, and the only two nations I've actually visited are Sumeru and Liyue. It's time I went somewhere new."
"Probably three days. During those three days, I'm leaving the work in this world to you, Zhongli, and the others."
Makoto smiled warmly at this.
"We'll take good care of you when you arrive. If there are places you'd like to see, I can act as your guide. Three days is enough for a good overview."
She glanced at Ei as she said it. It was also time, before the Lantern Rite, for Ei to return and properly resolve the matter with the Shogun. Keeping the Shogun confined to the consciousness space any longer was too much.
Ei knew exactly what her sister was thinking. She lowered her head, a trace of guilt on her face.
"Nothing major is happening in this world at the moment, so everyone can keep to their usual pace. The Twilight Forest exploration team should be coming back around the same time."
"When they return, let them rest, go through what they've collected, and stand down from the Twilight Forest for now. The Lantern Rite is starting soon. Give them a holiday."
"Other work can ease up these next few days as well. Enjoy the festival properly."
Speaking of a festival, something briefly crossed Ryen's expression.
In his previous world he hadn't been an orphan, and his parents were still alive. The family hadn't been wealthy, but they hadn't wanted for anything. An ordinary life. Ordinary people.
And he found himself missing it, if he was honest.
His parents had always been on his case about finding someone and settling down. He'd found it a bit much at the time. But coming here, he'd taken their advice in a rather expanded sense. They'd probably be thrilled if they knew.
That life was gone now. No road back.
A wanderer dreads the new year most.
Last year's Lantern Rite had been the hardest stretch he'd known since arriving. This year was considerably better. At least Ganyu and the others were with him.
Ryen gave a quiet laugh, though his eyes couldn't quite shake a faint wistfulness.
Ningguang's pen paused mid-stroke. She and Ganyu exchanged a glance and said nothing.
"When we get back, the Lantern Rite will be only a few days off. I won't be joining the celebrations in Liyue Harbor itself."
"Put more effort into the events in this world instead."
Ryen tapped the table lightly and smiled, steadying himself.
"I've already drafted the designs for several new recreational mode maps these past few days. I'll hand them over before I leave."
"Find people to get everything set up."
"The scheduling and the prizes you can all work out among yourselves."
Everyone nodded. No one pressed further.
After a moment, Ryen looked over at Aether, who was still somewhat adrift, and said quietly:
"Does the Abyss Order celebrate the Lantern Rite?"
Aether pulled himself back to the room.
"The Abyss Order doesn't observe that festival."
"Fair enough."
Ryen smiled slightly.
"Strictly speaking, you haven't joined the Alliance, so it doesn't particularly apply. And since none of your people are in here yet, there wouldn't be much to participate in even if you wanted to."
"You can head back and start getting things in order these next few days. Once I'm back, we'll start bringing people through."
"Same as the Sumeru army: one week of training at the Millelith base first."
"After that, you'll go to the new continent."
Aether had no objection. He gave a nod, then asked:
"What's the situation on the new continent?"
Ryen shrugged.
"Not clear yet. It hasn't been properly explored. Beidou has been out there but hasn't gone deep."
"It looks substantial in size. Four or five times Liyue at minimum."
"You won't need to stay on this continent, and you won't need much contact with the Alliance. Do your own thing."
"Start by building a settlement. After that, look at how Liyue has been handling resource development and make your own decisions."
"I'd advise against spreading your people too thin, though. A few tens of thousands trying to occupy an entire continent would leave you dangerously exposed. This world isn't forgiving."
"Besides, the new continent is also where the Alliance intends to expand and build cities down the line."
"Once you've established yourselves there, push outward gradually. And while you're at it, start sending people out to sea to locate the next landmass."
"Get ahead of where the frontier will be."
Aether nodded, taking note of the details, then looked at Ryen with a slightly puzzled expression.
"There are more new continents? From what I've seen, the continent you've already developed isn't much smaller than Teyvat. Factor in the new continent and the ocean, and the territory you've reached so far is already roughly equivalent to one Teyvat."
Ryen waved the thought away.
"If it weren't infinite, why call it that?"
"Don't worry about land. This world has no ceiling on scale. Even if every one of your people founded their own nation and claimed a massive territory, you still wouldn't run out of world to explore."
Aether clicked his tongue quietly, then nodded and let it go.
Ryen continued:
"On the subject of the Abyss Order... actually, let's drop that name. From here on, you're Khaenri'ahn people."
At those words, Endis, who had been standing behind Aether the whole time without saying a word, felt something shift inside him.
Five hundred years.
Five hundred years since anyone had called them that.
Since Khaenri'ah fell, the people of Teyvat had called them monsters, aberrations, Abyss Mages, Abyss Lectors.
The more generous ones called them Khaenri'ahn survivors.
And now, after five hundred years, someone was simply calling them Khaenri'ahn people.
That sense of being recognized, of being seen as something other than a creature, made Endis's eyes sting.
We are not monsters. We are people too.
He understood that Ryen had never cared about the Abyss Order. That bringing them in to rebuild their nation was part of his own plans. That none of this had been done out of sentiment.
But none of that changed the fact that Ryen had given them a future. Given them hope. Given them respect. Given them the possibility of standing again.
For that alone, Endis swore quietly that this world was worth defending with his life.
The Abyss Order... the people of Khaenri'ah... they owed this fragile, hard-won hope that much.
Ryen, for his part, had no idea that three words had just earned him someone's absolute devotion.
He paused, then continued.
"My vision for the Khaenri'ahn people is different from what I have for Liyue and the other four nations. The five nations are rooted in Teyvat. They explore this world, they build in this world, but at their core they are still Teyvat's nations, Teyvat's people."
"But you, once fully settled, will belong only to this world."
"In my eyes, you will become this world's native civilization, the first people to truly take root here, to live here, to grow here."
At those words, Aether gave a measured nod.
"I understand what you mean. This world will be the home of all... of all Khaenri'ahn people. We will protect this world with our lives."
Endis nodded vigorously beside him, his expression one of complete, unshakeable solidarity.
Ryen rolled his eyes.
"Protect it with your lives? My world doesn't need you to protect it. You don't have that kind of strength."
The words were blunt, but they were accurate, and Aether knew it. His expression went slightly awkward. He didn't argue.
Ryen pressed on.
"My definition of your role is this: native life. The first, and currently only, civilization of this world. Khaenri'ah."
"Because of that, every single one of you must master the knowledge of this world thoroughly, explore it, build in it."
"Resource development and civilizational growth are what the Alliance nations pursue out of interest and benefit. For you, I want it to be something else entirely."
"Making this world better is the responsibility of every Khaenri'ahn person."
To put it plainly, what Ryen meant was: You work because you have to. This is your obligation.
Naturally, that was his internal framing. For Aether and the others, truly taking root in this world meant that its development would have to be their purpose regardless.
And building this world was not going to feel like unpaid labor. Not given what it would mean for them.
"So."
Ryen continued:
"When people from Liyue and the other nations come in, they study in a structured, step-by-step way. You, once you've mastered the basics, will be expected to push further on your own. Research, explore, discover what this world holds."
"Make your nation stronger, and in doing so, make this world more alive."
Aether nodded and kept writing.
"First things first."
Ryen's voice stayed measured.
"When you reach the new continent, explore it before anything else."
"Exploration means risk. You can use Mora to purchase weapons, Totems of Undying, and other resources from the Alliance."
"Once you're settled here, Mora will become less relevant, so use it freely for now. You'll also need to decide on a currency for internal trade within this world. Think about what you want and let me know, and I'll give the final approval."
"Get your civilization's customs and protocols organized and submit them to me as well."
"One more thing: when you're out exploring, don't be too afraid of dying. In this world, death is not the end of things. It's part of the experience."
"If someone actually dies, there are Resurrection Totems to bring them back, though they're not the easiest item to get hold of."
Aether looked up sharply.
"Resurrection... is also possible?"
"How do you think Guizhong and the others came back?"
Ryen waved a hand, offhand about it.
"For the details on Resurrection Totems, ask Zhongli later. He knows the process inside out. Not the time to get into it now."
"For now, let's settle what the first thing is that your people do when they reach the new continent."
Aether collected himself and looked at Ryen with full attention.
"Assess the terrain and environment of the new continent. Establish a base. Explore the land. Find whatever traces there may be of the Witchery mod."