Although many people in Teyvat thought that not all of the passengers Takagi had chosen this time belonged to the intellectual faction—just like La Signora of the Fatui, who was considered to belong to the combat faction—Takagi, who was fully aware of La Signora's origins, understood otherwise.
The La Signora before him was not just someone with considerable combat power. In the past, she was also a genius of Sumeru. In other words, she was also a clever person.
For a La Signora who harbored astonishing hatred in her heart, and was also a clever person, Takagi was truly curious about what kind of Path she would take. Of course, the premise was that La Signora could truly step onto a Path.
"The Hunt? The Path of Erudition?"
After hearing Takagi's words, La Signora clearly showed a look of confusion.
It was a pity; Takagi had no intention of explaining further at the moment. He stretched lazily and said, "Since you are here as well, La Signora, you are naturally welcome to rest on the Astral Express. It will also save me the trouble of finding you tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Lisa couldn't help but glare at La Signora. La Signora naturally glared back, not to be outdone.
"Aside from Lisa and La Signora, Cloud Retainer of Liyue... who is next to me, will also be resting on the Astral Express. The three of you can get acquainted first, but let's be clear, I don't want any of you fighting on my train. Otherwise, your visitor status might be revoked," Takagi said with a serious expression.
"Naturally, Lord Takagi." Lisa immediately put on a smile and looked at Takagi, as if the previous displeasure toward La Signora was just an illusion.
La Signora also nodded repeatedly. Having finally obtained the opportunity to travel to the Universe and step onto a Path, she did not want to lose such an opportunity by being petty with others.
"Please rest assured, Lord Takagi, I will listen to you carefully." La Signora showed Takagi a very gentle smile.
"La Signora of the Fatui actually shows such an expression... are you really La Signora?" Lisa laughed.
La Signora's mouth twitched, and she barely managed to hold back from cursing at Lisa.
"Isn't that quite nice? La Signora looks quite good when she smiles like this," Takagi laughed.
Hearing this, the smile on La Signora's face immediately became even sweeter. "As long as Lord Takagi likes it," La Signora said, giving Lisa a provocative look.
"Whether I like it or not isn't important; what's important is that you smile more after you arrive at the Space Station. That way, you can reduce the chance of offending people there. If you provoke a ruthless person at the Space Station because of your arrogance, I may not necessarily provide you with protection," Takagi said.
"I... I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Lord Takagi," La Signora said. Although Takagi's intention not to provide security services made her a little sad, the fact that he reminded her to keep smiling was enough to make her feel comforted.
"What about me? Will Lord Takagi protect me?" Lisa laughed.
"If it's Miss Lisa, I think I will. After all, you were my guide in Mondstadt," Takagi laughed.
"That's truly reassuring," Lisa smiled sweetly.
"Speaking of which, I also need to notify others. La Signora, tell your colleague, The Doctor. Ask him to give me coordinates; I will go find him tomorrow during the day."
After finding a location and summoning his Number One Astral Express, Takagi spoke to La Signora.
"Okay, Takagi."
While following Takagi into the Astral Express, La Signora contacted The Doctor through the forum. Although she didn't want to talk to The Doctor, before departing, she could also take this opportunity to give him a good warning. However, even La Signora herself knew that The Doctor was a difficult person to reason with.
After Takagi told Cloud Retainer, La Signora, and Lisa to make themselves comfortable, he casually found a sofa and sat down. Through the Teyvat forum, he quickly found Nahida's account.
(Takagi: Nahida, tomorrow at exactly eight o'clock, I will pick you up on time, and we will depart for the Herta Space Station then.)
(Nahida: Eh! Is... is it that fast?)
(Takagi: Everything is ready, it's time to depart. For you, as the God of Wisdom, I have very high expectations.)
(Nahida: You... you know my identity?!)
(Takagi: Although you didn't use the name Buer, for me, it's not difficult to figure out your identity.)
(Nahida: Th-that's how it is... Takagi, is there really no problem with accessing knowledge from outside the world? Will it not bring danger to the Teyvat Continent?)
Regarding forbidden knowledge, Nahida had wanted to ask Takagi about it for a long time. However, she was worried that a sudden inquiry might displease him. So Nahida had been suppressing her urge to ask all along. Now that Takagi had messaged her privately, Nahida could no longer suppress the worry and curiosity in her heart.
(Takagi: As for knowledge from outside the Universe that is harmful to Teyvat, of course there is. But this does not mean that all knowledge in the Universe is harmful to Teyvat. In fact, have you seen any harm come to Teyvat from Jean, Barbara, and others stepping onto a Path?)
(Nahida: Well... it seems there isn't.)
(Takagi: Since you were chosen this time, it's a rare opportunity. Go and see for yourself if the knowledge from outside the Universe is the harmful Forbidden Knowledge for Teyvat. Get a good rest tonight... Speaking of which, can you actually rest well in that place?)
(Nahida: Takagi, what... what do you mean?)
(Takagi: Since I know your true identity, I naturally know your current situation. You've been confined within the Sanctuary of Surasthana for quite a long time now, haven't you?)
(Nahida: ...You, you really know a lot of things. Could it be that you have also stepped onto the Path of the Memory Aeon?)
There was just too much that Takagi knew. Many things were originally secrets belonging to Teyvat. If Takagi hadn't learned about the related worlds through Teyvat's Irminsul... Nahida could only assume that Takagi knew these things through the Path of Memory.
Thinking about how Takagi could continuously produce Light Cones that could only be created by the Garden of Recollection, a faction of the Memory Aeon, Fuli, Nahida became even more convinced that her idea was correct.
(Takagi: Whether I have stepped onto the Path of Memory or not, it's not important. What's important now is whether you want to come over here to rest.)
(Nahida: Rest at your place?!)
(Takagi: That's right! You'd just be waiting around by yourself anyway. Coincidentally, I already have Lisa, Cloud Retainer, and La Signora gathered here. If you come over, you can also get to know this batch of travelers in advance. And I don't think you have anything you need to pack for the trip, do you?)
(Nahida: ...You, if you come here, won't... won't you clash with the Akademiya people?)
(Takagi: Naturally not. You should understand that with my abilities, taking you away without the Akademiya discovering you is quite an easy task.)
(Nahida: I... I understand. Then I'll trouble you, Takagi.)
When signing up for Takagi's second journey, Nahida had already made the decision to travel to outer space. At this point, she had nothing left to hesitate about.
"In that case, let's go."
Suddenly, Takagi's voice sounded behind Nahida.
"Taka... Takagi, how are you here?" Nahida turned around, looking utterly astonished at Takagi, who had suddenly appeared inside the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
"Within Teyvat, as long as it's a place whose coordinates I know, there is no place I cannot reach. So, can we depart now?" Takagi extended his hand to Nahida with a smile. "You've been confined here for hundreds of years; it's time to go out and see things. Let's go, Nahida."
Nahida looked up at Takagi's gentle smile, pursed her lips, and slowly reached out to place her hand on Takagi's.
Accompanied by a strange surge of energy, Nahida was surprised to find that she had already arrived on unfamiliar ground. No, to be precise, it wasn't unfamiliar. She had already seen the environment inside the Astral Express carriage through the live stream. She was actually very familiar with many details here.
"Takagi, you go inside first... Huh? Whose child is this?" Cloud Retainer walked over in surprise, looking at Takagi, who had suddenly disappeared and reappeared, and Nahida, whom Takagi had brought with him.
"This is Nahida, a passenger in the same batch as you. I asked her earlier, and she is willing to gather now," Takagi said with a smile to Cloud Retainer and the others.
"So Nahida is a little girl? How cute." Lisa squatted down, looking at Nahida in front of her with fondness.
"Hello everyone." Nahida gave a slight smile, her wise eyes sweeping over Lisa and the others.
"Such a small child actually signed up to travel to the Universe? Aren't you afraid of encountering danger outside the Universe?" La Signora walked over in surprise.
"La Signora, have you contacted The Doctor yet?"
"The Doctor said that after hearing you've set the departure time, he will arrive in Mondstadt before the agreed time tomorrow," La Signora looked respectfully at Takagi.
"He's quite proactive. That way, I don't have to make an extra trip," Takagi nodded, looking at Cloud Retainer and Lisa, who seemed very fond of Nahida. "You two had best not treat Nahida as a child. In terms of age, she's already five hundred years old." Takagi chuckled.
Lisa: "500 years old? It seems Nahida is also a remarkable figure!"
Cloud Retainer: "Not human?"
La Signora also cast a curious glance.
"Indeed not human. The one before you is the God of Sumeru," Takagi said, observing the expressions of the people before him with interest.
Without exception, after hearing what Takagi said, all three showed expressions of immense astonishment. Nahida did not stop Takagi either. Anyway, once the live stream of her journey to the Universe is broadcast back to Teyvat, probably everyone will know her identity.
Cloud Retainer: "The God of Sumeru?!"
Lisa: "Lesser Lord Kusanali?!"
As expected, Cloud Retainer and Lisa showed expressions of immense surprise upon hearing Takagi reveal Nahida's identity.
Meanwhile, La Signora frowned tightly. The Dendro Archon was actually chosen. And she is also The Doctor's target... The Dendro Archon and The Doctor together—won't something really go wrong? La Signora thought worriedly.
As a member of Snezhnaya, she naturally hoped that The Tsaritsa could obtain all the Gnosis as planned. If Nahida steps onto a Path by traveling to the Universe, it will undoubtedly introduce variables into the plan to seize the Gnosis. This alone was enough to make La Signora conflicted.
Thinking that The Doctor, who is responsible for taking the Dendro Archon's Gnosis, would also be traveling with Nahida, La Signora became even more conflicted. She hoped that guy wouldn't be arrogant enough to seize the Gnosis during this journey. La Signora sighed deeply in her heart.
"Thinking about it, it makes sense. Since Takagi increased the probability of intelligent people being chosen this time, then it's only reasonable that the God of Sumeru, as the God of Wisdom, would be chosen," Cloud Retainer said seriously after coming back to her senses.
"This is truly an unexpected joy. I didn't expect to be able to travel with Lesser Lord Kusanali." After Lisa was happy, a confused expression appeared on her face again. "I have a question, Lesser Lord Kusanali: why haven't you shown yourself all these years?"
Nahida: "..."
Lisa: "Sorry, if there's something you can't say, just forget it."
Takagi: "There is indeed something that can't be said, but it's not Nahida's secret; it's the Akademiya's secret."
Lisa: "Hmm?! It's related to the Akademiya?"
Takagi lowered his head, looked at Nahida, and didn't speak. After all, the person concerned was still here. It was best to reveal Nahida's secret only with her permission.
The matter of the Akademiya imprisoning the current God of Sumeru was definitely something that could shock all of Sumeru, and even the entire Teyvat. Even if Barbatos, Morax, and the gods of other nations found it inconvenient to help the God of Sumeru due to different ruling regions, if Sumeru knew what happened in the Akademiya, the entire nation would probably be extremely shaken, and perhaps even conflicts would occur.
In Takagi's view, given that there is a forum in Teyvat, Nahida still hasn't revealed her situation. Apart from her still having doubts about whether being imprisoned was right or wrong, there's also the reason that she doesn't want Sumeru to experience conflict.
"What, what? Is there something related to the God of Sumeru?"
Suddenly, a familiar voice came from the not-yet-closed doorway of the Astral Express. Everyone looked up and saw it was Venti. Beside him was Morax in divine attire.
"Why did the two of you come?" Takagi asked.
"I just invited this person beside me to Mondstadt for a drink. Suddenly, I sensed a somewhat familiar aura. So I came over to take a look. Takagi, can I come in?" Venti asked.
Takagi shrugged and said, "As long as you don't stay overnight, just come in. Also, Lumine, Paimon, Acting Grand Master Jean, Amber, Barbara—if you want to come in, just come in."
After Takagi summoned the Astral Express, Jean, Amber, and the others hadn't gone far and were talking near the train. When Venti and Morax arrived outside, they naturally attracted the attention of Lumine and the others. Hearing Takagi's words, Venti, Morax, Lumine, and the others stopped being polite and entered the Astral Express one after another.
Venti and Morax, filled with curiosity, went directly in front of Nahida.
"Anemo Archon Barbatos, Your Excellency. Geo Archon Morax, Your Excellency." Nahida greeted them warmly.
"Anemo Archon? So Venti is indeed the Anemo Archon." Lisa raised an eyebrow, looked at Venti with interest, and then shifted her gaze to Morax and Nahida.
Three Archons meeting—such a thing actually happened in Mondstadt. Lisa felt that if it weren't for this special person, Takagi, she probably would never see such a scene in her lifetime.