"I now fully understand the situation," Neuvillette said after listening to Nahida's account, taking a deep breath.
"If you don't mind, Lady Nahida, I can assist Sumeru in thwarting No. 4's plan."
"Moreover, on behalf of Fontaine, I express our desire to establish cooperative relations between our nations, so we can jointly face the calamities that may befall Teyvat in the future."
"Monsieur Neuvillette, you are too kind. I am very receptive to Fontaine's offer of cooperation."
Nahida's heart raced with excitement. She hadn't expected to secure such a powerful ally so easily!
Neuvillette nodded, then continued:
"Then let's hurry to Irminsul and stop No. 4's next plan."
"Don't worry about resources. After governing Fontaine for centuries, I've accumulated a fair amount of Power of Faith."
With that, Neuvillette immediately transferred one-third of his accumulated Power of Faith to Nahida, leaving her utterly stunned.
You call this a "fair amount"? This is beyond generous!
Nahida felt that even if she governed Sumeru diligently for five centuries, she would never amass such an immense Power of Faith. At that moment, she once again felt the insurmountable gap between her and Neuvillette.
And he's not even the Hydro Archon!
If she had possessed this much Power of Faith earlier, the crisis caused by the Shouki no Kami might have been resolved effortlessly. Is this the happiness of clinging to a powerful benefactor?
"Monsieur Neuvillette, this is far too much! You don't need to give me so much!"
Snapping out of her daze, Nahida tried to return the bulk of the Power of Faith to Neuvillette, keeping only enough to power the Ship of Dreams.
Neuvillette had already helped Sumeru so much; she couldn't bring herself to accept such a lavish gift.
"Keep it," Neuvillette replied. "It's of little use to me, and I still have plenty remaining."
"To confront the crisis engulfing Teyvat, we require Lady Nahida's strength. For the sake of the world's safety, please accept this power."
While Neuvillette sympathized with Nahida's plight, he wasn't being purely altruistic in offering her such a vast amount of Power of Faith.
His motives were twofold: first, he anticipated that Nahida would play a pivotal role in the upcoming battles; second, he recognized the immense value of the Akasha system.
Neuvillette's judgment remained sharp as ever. Fontaine already possessed mobile phones, but information was still primarily transmitted through voice calls. He immediately sensed the Akasha's potential for seamless integration with these devices, believing their synergy could yield remarkable breakthroughs.
However, he understood that the Akasha was a defining feature of Sumeru, and persuading Nahida to share it would be no easy task. Hence, he offered an unusually generous amount of Power of Faith, hoping it would make her hesitant to outright refuse when the time came to negotiate.
No matter how selfless Neuvillette might appear, when national interests were at stake, he would always strive to secure advantages for the Fontainian people.
Compared to Neuvillette, who had handled state affairs for centuries, Nahida seemed like a mere child. Moved to tears by Neuvillette's actions, she struggled to maintain her composure, though her gaze carried a hint of dependence.
"Thank you, Monsieur Neuvillette, for your generous assistance. I truly don't know how to repay this kindness."
"After much consideration, perhaps the only way I can assist you is through my knowledge."
"If there's anything I can assist you with, please don't hesitate to ask, Monsieur Neuvillette."
Hearing Nahida's heartfelt gratitude, Neuvillette knew the Akasha matter was essentially settled.
However, Nahida's willingness to reveal her inner thoughts so easily puzzled him slightly.
He saw in her the same guileless sincerity he recognized in his own Furina.
Yet Furina was merely mortal, while Nahida was the genuine Dendro Archon—the God of Wisdom herself.
Could she be concealing her true capabilities?
Uncertain, he decided to observe further.
"Lady Nahida, you're too kind."
"Please prepare for your departure now."
At Neuvillette's words, Nahida nodded.
"Very well."
However, a hint of worry lingered on Nahida's face.
"Lady Nahida, are you concerned about The Doctor, Dottore?" Neuvillette asked, noticing her apprehension.
"Rest assured, I've already made arrangements for Dottore," Neuvillette continued after a moment's pause. "In fact, my visit to Sumeru was primarily for Dottore's sake. I intend to settle every score for the crimes he committed in Fontaine, one by one."
Hearing Neuvillette's assurance, Nahida set aside her worries and fully immersed herself in constructing the Ship of Dreams.
Seizing the opportunity, Neuvillette turned to Lumine, who stood nearby.
"You must be the Traveler, the rising star of the Adventurer's Guild. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"H-hello!" Paimon stammered, intimidated by Neuvillette's imposing presence. Even she hesitated to meet his gaze. Lumine responded with equal deference.
"Traveler, there's an important matter I wish to discuss with you," Neuvillette continued. "However, this isn't the right time. I would appreciate it if you could travel to Fontaine after these events have concluded."
"Monsieur Neuvillette," Paimon replied, "the Traveler and I were already planning to explore Fontaine. We'll definitely look you up when we visit."
Hearing Paimon's response, Neuvillette temporarily set aside a worry.
"If that's the case, then all the better."
"When the time comes, Fontaine will treat you as its most honored guests. I will personally guide you to visit Fontaine's iconic landmarks and scenic spots."
"Will there be good food?"
Paimon immediately asked her most pressing question after hearing Neuvillette's words.
Lumine's face darkened at Paimon's question, her expression clearly disapproving. However, her occasional glances in their direction betrayed her own concern about the food situation.
"Of course," Neuvillette replied with a rare smile. "I will introduce you to Fontaine's unique culinary delights."
"Monsieur Neuvillette, I have prepared everything here," Nahida announced.
With the abundant Power of Faith now available, Nahida had swiftly constructed the Ship of Dreams.
Neuvillette nodded. Knowing the enemy they faced was too powerful for others to contribute effectively, they wisely remained behind.
In the end, only Neuvillette, Nahida, Lumine, and her "mouthpiece," Paimon, boarded the Ship of Dreams to journey to Irminsul's location.
Meanwhile, deep within a dense forest over a thousand miles from Sumeru City, space tore open, and Dottore emerged.
He looked disheveled, his clothes tattered and even a corner of his mask missing.
Clutching his chest with one hand and wiping blood from the corner of his mouth with the other, Dottore contacted his Segments telepathically.
"You should have already entered Sumeru territory by now."
A reply came swiftly.
"Good. I'll head to Port Ormos. Wait for me there."
"Oh, did you bring what I asked for?"
"Excellent. Just in time; my current research is complete, and I can immediately move on to the next project."
"That's all. Ensure the experimental subjects remain intact."
After ending the call, Dottore wasted no time contacting another Segment.
"Where are you now?"
"About to enter Sumeru? Come directly to Port Ormos. I have some tasks for you..."
After a brief exchange, Dottore disconnected again, then contacted a third Segment.
"After entering Sumeru, go straight to Sumeru City and retrieve the Gnosis. Remember to bring a compass and map—Sumeru City may have completely vanished by now..."
After several consecutive calls, Dottore finally finished making his arrangements and prepared to withdraw from Sumeru.
Though he had been outmaneuvered by Dr. Edward, revenge could wait. If he didn't leave soon, he might get caught up in Sumeru's massive turmoil himself.
Moreover, he had underestimated the mysterious organization in Fontaine. After leaving Sumeru, he would need to reassess their threat level.
He pulled out two vials of purple liquid from his chest and drained them in quick succession. Soon, Dottore felt his injuries healing rapidly.
After briefly orienting himself, Dottore unhesitatingly set off toward Port Ormos.
What Dottore didn't realize was that during each of his mental communications, all his Segments—except for Dottore No. N—had been observing the entire exchange.
Dottore No. N was still imprisoned in the Fortress of Meropide, on the verge of being forgotten by everyone.
"The Prime has finally contacted us. Our chance has come," Dottore No. 2 declared.
"Hmph, probably just being his usual cowardly self, making us clean up his messes again," Dottore No. 3 sneered, his face twisted with displeasure.
"Why dwell on such trifles? Once this plan succeeds, all of us will be free from the Prime's control," Dottore No. 1 said to the others, then turned to Dottore No. 6, the Head of the operation. "Have you contacted Monsieur Neuvillette?"
"Yes, I have. Monsieur Neuvillette has pressing matters to attend to and instructed us to handle things ourselves," Dottore No. 6 replied with a smile. However, his words sparked suspicion among the other Dottores.
"Monsieur Neuvillette trusts us that much?"
"He doesn't trust you, he trusts me. Don't get it twisted," Dottore No. 6 corrected sharply. "After all, I'm the prodigal son who's worth more than gold, unlike you lot who are burdened by past sins."
Hearing Dottore No. 6's infuriating words, the other Dottores' faces darkened as if they'd swallowed excrement. They could barely restrain themselves from punching him in the face.
"Don't get too carried away. Everyone knows exactly what kind of person you are. Sooner or later, your true colors will show," Dottore No. 4 remarked, as Dottore No. 5 chimed in simultaneously.
"Remember, we're showing respect to Monsieur Neuvillette, not to you."
"Without Monsieur Neuvillette, you're nothing!"
Hearing Dottore No. 5's words, Dottore No. 6's smile remained unchanged.
"It seems you're the most talkative one here. Everyone else makes one comment, but you always have to add two. It looks like you're really eager to prove yourself. In that case, I'll appoint you as the vanguard."
Dottore No. 5: "???"
You're basically a dog's Segment, aren't you?!
Witnessing Dottore No. 5's fate, the other Dottores, who had initially planned to join in the mockery, immediately fell silent.
Facing the Prime, who could decide their life or death with a mere thought, being called the "vanguard" was just a euphemism for "suicide squad"!
The Segments present clearly weren't ready to die yet, so naturally, they wouldn't dare provoke Dottore No. 6.
"I disagree!"
Dottore No. 5 immediately protested.
"Don't forget, Monsieur Neuvillette specifically instructed that everything be under my command before he left."
Hearing Dottore No. 6's words, Dottore No. 5 trembled with fury.
That old Six! He always uses Neuvillette to bully us!
Realizing it was futile to change Dottore No. 6's mind, Dottore No. 5 shifted his approach.
"I mean to say, relying on just me isn't safe enough. We should bring more people."
"If this operation fails, we're all finished. Surely no one's still thinking about hoarding resources at a time like this?"
Though his words might offend some, Dottore No. 5 couldn't care less. He wasn't going to be the only one screwed over!
"Your point has some merit. Very well, choose three assistants to work with you."
Upon hearing this, Dottore No. 5's face darkened. He's blatantly dumping all the unpleasant tasks on me!
Sure enough, Dottore No. 5 could already feel the other Dottore clones glaring at him. He was now consumed by regret, wondering why he had ever sought this fleeting moment of triumph.
Even if he regretted it now, it was too late. For his own safety, Dottore No. 5 steeled himself and summoned three of the strongest Segments.
But facing their hostile glares, Dottore No. 5 felt a twinge of unease.
Even one of these three could defeat him in a duel, let alone all three ganging up on him.
After this is over, won't they sneak up on me with a blunt object?
At that thought, Dottore No. 5 cursed Dottore No. 6—that scheming Six—even more bitterly in his mind.
"Alright, brothers, it's time we set off for Port Ormos."
Who the hell calls you a brother?!
As Dottore No. 6 continued to ramble on, the others exchanged exasperated glances.
"This time, we'll give the Prime a real shock—make him understand the consequences of crossing us Segments!"
"We're not just disposable tools he can discard on a whim!"
Now that's something that sounds vaguely human!
The others nodded, their long-simmering resentment toward the Prime surging to the surface once more.
The thought of soon breaking free from the Prime's control entirely, and even settling old scores, filled them with a quiet, vengeful glee.
"Let's move out!"
With a sweeping gesture, Dottore No. 6 led everyone directly to Port Ormos.