Chapter 78. Dehya and Dunyarzad
Sumeru City, Grand Bazaar.
This was the lowest level of Sumeru City and the busiest area for commoners and merchants alike.
Akademiya Scholars rarely came here, because in their eyes, the so-called "art" found in this place only tarnished Sumeru's knowledge and wisdom.
After deciding to come here, Futsu Mitama and his group arrived at the Grand Bazaar together, with no one separating from the others.
Had it been elsewhere, Futsu Mitama might have divided the group into three teams for the sake of efficiency, making intelligence gathering far more effective.
For now, however, safety took priority. Futsu Mitama had no intention of splitting everyone up.
One had to remember that Sumeru City was an exceptionally dangerous place at the moment.
Even he himself faced the possibility of failure, so in order to avoid any unforeseen accidents, Futsu Mitama would not do something as reckless as dispersing their combat strength.
Although it currently appeared that the Akademiya was in the open while they remained in the shadows, La Signora's words suggested otherwise.
She most likely already knew that they had to go to Sumeru and speculated when to arrive.
That was probably why she had arranged such a checkpoint at the entrance to Sumeru City, hoping they would put on Akasha Terminals.
Or perhaps she had expected that, if they refused to wear them, they would cause trouble, exposing their identities and drawing the Akademiya's attention.
In that way, La Signora, Scaramouche, Dottore, and the other Fatuis cooperating with the Akademiya would immediately know that they had entered Sumeru City.
For the moment, with Tighnari's and Faruzan's assistance, Futsu Mitama and his companions had successfully entered Sumeru City under the identity of the Eremite mercenary group known as the Scarlet Sand Scorpions.
However, this was not a foolproof plan.
That woman was extremely shrewd, and her intuition was frighteningly sharp.
Otherwise, Black Aila would not have proposed eliminating her in advance. Because once they were exposed, they would very likely face an encirclement from which there would be no escape.
Therefore, before they were discovered, Futsu Mitama and his group needed to secure an absolute advantage, win over forces within Sumeru, and establish contact with Nahida.
Now, they had arrived at the Grand Bazaar.
Looking at the bustling crowds before them, everyone felt a sense of novelty.
"So lively."
Shinobu looked at the countless people filling the Grand Bazaar, a trace of surprise flashing across her eyes. She had clearly not expected there to be so many people gathered here.
All around them were the cries of merchants advertising their wares and the laughter of children running through the streets.
It was lively.
Exceptionally lively.
To be honest, Shinobu had not expected such a bustling atmosphere.
"Yes, it's very lively. Is some kind of event taking place?"
Kokomi was equally surprised.
She looked around at the scene before her. The lively atmosphere here seemed somewhat incompatible with the upper districts of Sumeru City.
After entering Sumeru City, Kokomi had felt that the city as a whole possessed a tranquil atmosphere centered around knowledge and learning.
As someone who loved studying, she appreciated that kind of environment because it allowed her to focus and learn more effectively.
The Grand Bazaar, however, was completely different.
There was nothing tranquil about it. The atmosphere here was vibrant and overflowing with life. It felt as though a single doorway separated two entirely different worlds.
The novelty of that feeling surprised Kokomi.
Shenhe also lifted her gaze slightly and looked ahead with curiosity. She could sense a large number of people gathering in one direction.
"Don't you know?"
At that moment, several girls passing by seemed to overhear the conversation between Kokomi and Shinobu.
"Nilou has a performance today!"
"Yes, yes! Nilou is performing at the Zubayr Theater today!"
"I heard she spent almost half a month preparing for it!"
"Oh my! Even Nilou needed nearly half a month of preparation! Just imagine how amazing the performance will be!"
The girls spoke excitedly among themselves. Then, as if remembering something important, they hurriedly waved at Futsu Mitama and the others.
"We're going to save seats! Bye-bye!"
After saying that, they immediately rushed forward with the crowd.
"It seems we came to the right place."
Futsu Mitama had not expected his luck to be this good. Today just happened to be Nilou's performance.
In the original story, every nation seemed to have its own iconic beauty.
Mondstadt had Eula.
Liyue had Keqing.
Inazuma had Kamisato Ayaka.
As for Sumeru, that position naturally belonged to Nilou.
Although she was a Vision holder, her combat ability was not particularly remarkable. However, her talent for dance was truly extraordinary.
According to her background, if Nilou had not remained at the Zubayr Theater and instead partnered with Dori to tour the nations of Teyvat—
Then her name would likely have spread across the entire continent long ago.
This was not an exaggeration.
Nilou genuinely possessed that level of talent. Perhaps that was one of the reasons she had been acknowledged by a Vision.
"Let's go. Let's have a look."
Futsu Mitama led the women forward.
By the time they arrived at the Zubayr Theater, the area in front of the stage was already packed with people.
The audience completely surrounded the performance area.
Knowing they had no chance of obtaining a prime seat, Futsu Mitama and his group instead searched for a position that provided a clear view of the stage.
The spot they found was excellent.
They could see the entire stage clearly, while the number of people nearby was relatively small, making it far less crowded and noisy.
Just as Futsu Mitama and the others settled into position, two other women also happened to choose the same spot.
One of them looked like a noble young lady.
However, she carried an unmistakably sickly aura, as though she were suffering from a serious illness.
What was surprising was that her eyes remained bright and full of life.
They sparkled with hope for the future.
Standing beside her was a brown-skinned female warrior carrying a greatsword.
With a helpless expression, she said,
"Miss, please be careful. You've really put me in a difficult position this time. If Master and Madam find out I brought you here, they'll scold me to death."
The noble young lady simply smiled and pursed her lips.
"It's fine. If they scold you, just tell them it was entirely my decision. But... so that's the Zubayr Theater."
"It's so lively."
"Mm."
The female warrior nodded slightly. Then her gaze landed on Futsu Mitama and his group.
"!!!"
Instantly, the lioness-like warrior became vigilant.
Her eyes locked onto them.
Dangerous. Extremely dangerous.
Her instincts were screaming at her. This group was terrifyingly powerful. If they chose to act, she would likely be defeated in an instant.
Who exactly were these people?
Among the Eremites, her strength was already considered top-tier.
Even when facing many of Sumeru's renowned figures, she possessed the confidence to fight them head-on.
Yet this group was different.
Completely different.
If this had not been Sumeru City, she would probably have immediately told her young lady to flee.
Because if such terrifying individuals harbored malicious intentions—
She would not be able to stop them.
No. To be more precise, she was not even qualified to stop them.
"Such sharp intuition."
Black Aila looked at the woman with mild surprise. She had not expected the other party to perceive the difference in strength so quickly. That intuition alone proved she was no ordinary person.
"..."
Aila also looked at the woman with a hint of surprise. Although they were not completely concealing their strength at the moment—
Being able to perceive it still required considerable ability.
"What's wrong, Dehya?"
The noble young lady—Dunyarzad—looked at her guard and asked curiously,
"Do you know them?"
After all, Dehya was an Eremite. The group in front of them was also dressed like Eremites. Naturally, Dunyarzad assumed they might be acquaintances.
"No, I don't know them."
Futsu Mitama spoke first. As he looked at Dunyarzad, a complicated feeling rose within him. He had not expected one of Lesser Lord Kusanali's most devoted followers to appear before him through such a coincidence.
Originally, his plan had been to meet Nilou first.
Then use Nilou to find Dunyarzad.
And through Dunyarzad, establish contact with Nahida.
Instead, Dunyarzad had appeared before him on her own.
That was undoubtedly fortunate.
"You don't know them?"
Dunyarzad blinked as she looked between Dehya and Futsu Mitama's group. For some reason, she felt as though the two sides had known each other for a very long time.
"Yes, Miss. We don't know them."
Dehya stepped slightly in front of Dunyarzad. Then, with obvious caution, she asked,
"But... are you Eremites?"
She found the situation difficult to understand. If these people truly were Eremites, then with the strength she had sensed—
They should already possess an unimaginable reputation.
Rather than that—
With this level of strength, why would they even become Eremites?
"Yes."
Futsu Mitama nodded. Looking at both Dehya and Dunyarzad, he said,
"We are the Scarlet Sand Scorpions. But that name isn't important. Miss, I need your help."
His gaze settled on Dunyarzad. He had not expected his first visit to the Grand Bazaar to yield such incredible luck.
Since the person he needed was already standing before him, there was no reason to continue concealing his intentions.
"Ah?"
Dunyarzad froze slightly.
She looked at him in confusion. She could not understand why someone would seek her help.
After all, she was merely a frail girl suffering from Eleazar. If there was anything worth mentioning about her, it was probably only her family's status and wealth.
Yet those things belonged to her parents.
Not to her.
"?!"
Dehya's pupils contracted slightly. Without making any sudden movements, she rested her hand upon the hilt of her sword.
The atmosphere was becoming tense.
She had never heard of the Scarlet Sand Scorpions before.
But she understood one thing very clearly. These people had come specifically for her young lady. The question was—
How had they learned about her?
Dunyarzad had only recently left home for the first time in months.
After hearing of Nilou's reputation and learning about the Dance of Sabzeruz, she had wanted to attend the performance and make new friends.
That was why she had come here today.
Furthermore, because security within Sumeru City had become much stricter recently, Master and Madam had ultimately chosen to turn a blind eye.
Otherwise, it might have been a very long time before Dunyarzad was allowed to leave that cage-like home again.
"There's no need to be nervous."
Futsu Mitama immediately noticed Dehya's intentions.
In a gentle tone, he said,
"I have no intention of taking your young lady away. Nor am I your enemy. Because if I truly harbored hostile intentions, you wouldn't be able to stop me. You should understand that better than anyone."
"However, I genuinely need your young lady's help. There is something that only she can accomplish."
This was not a threat. It was simply a statement of fact. Futsu Mitama did not wish for Dehya to complicate matters.
If she suddenly tried to take Dunyarzad away, should they stop her?
Or allow her to leave?
Dehya's strength was considerable. If matters truly escalated, Black Aila would likely need to intervene.
Her authority over shadows was perfectly suited for silently rendering someone unconscious.
However, that would make the situation extremely awkward.
If conflict could be avoided, then it should be avoided.
After hearing Futsu Mitama's explanation, Dehya did not remove her hand from her sword.
However, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief. At the very least, these people did not appear to harbor ill intentions toward her young lady.
If they had...
She genuinely did not know what she would have done.
"You're looking for me?"
Dunyarzad's eyes widened slightly. A trace of astonishment appeared within them. She had never expected that this group of mysterious Eremites had specifically come looking for her.
It was a very strange feeling.
She rarely left home.
Today was her first outing in years.
Yet almost immediately after arriving, a group of mysterious people had approached her.
The experience was entirely unfamiliar.
And undeniably novel.
"Is she the person we're looking for?"
Kokomi blinked as she looked toward Dunyarzad. She had not expected their search to progress this smoothly.
"It seems so." Shinobu observed Dunyarzad through her mask. "But... is she really someone blessed by a god?"
If Futsu Mitama had not identified her beforehand, Kuki Shinobu never would have guessed.
From every angle, Dunyarzad appeared incredibly fragile.
Her presence felt weak and sickly.
As though she might collapse at any moment.
If she truly was blessed by a god, why did she still have to endure such suffering?
"Young Master does not lie."
Aila answered calmly. Her trust in Futsu Mitama was absolute. If Young Master said Dunyarzad was blessed by a god, then she believed it.
"Mm."
Black Aila nodded as well. Her thoughts mirrored Aila's exactly. Anything Young Master said was correct. And even if it were somehow incorrect, she would still regard it as correct.
Shenhe remained silent.
After spending so much time with Futsu Mitama, she had already developed unconditional trust in him.
It was just—
If Dunyarzad truly was someone favored by Lesser Lord Kusanali—
Then the amount of authority Lesser Lord Kusanali could currently exercise was likely far lower than anyone had imagined.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!"
Just then, cheers erupted from afar.
This made everyone's gaze involuntarily turn towards the distant stage.
A gorgeously dressed young woman now stood on the stage, a beautiful smile gracing her lips as she bowed slightly to the audience.
"Looks like the main character has arrived."
Futsu Mitama looked at the gorgeously dressed young woman and immediately recognized her as Nilou.
Her current attire was different from what she wore in the game.
But that was normal, because the clothes Nilou wore in the game were special Sazberuz Festival attire, not everyday wear.
"Let's talk later."
Futsu Mitama decided to talk to Dunyarzad later; for now, he wanted to watch Nilou dance.
"Mhm."
Dunyarzad nodded repeatedly. Although she was very curious about what this guy had to say, she still wanted to watch Nilou dance.
Because she had come here specifically for her.