Chapter 192: From Mondstadt, and from Snezhnaya

Luo De and Nadixa have always wondered why, after the Great Merciful Tree King's consciousness recovered, it took the form of a Patisharan.

At that time they simply and crudely thought it might be that, during the alliance of the three gods, the Flower God left some contingency for the Great Merciful Tree King.

After all, the one in the flower bud is none other than the Great Merciful Tree King; it's impossible to mistake.

But now Luo De suddenly had a new thought for no reason.

Could this unknown consciousness wearing the face of the Great Merciful Tree King possibly be that Flower God Nabu·Malikat?

Once doubt arises, it cannot be stopped.

Although he knew asking this question point-blank was foolish, Luo De still couldn't help but ask it.

"Huh? Why would you ask that?"

"The Great Merciful Tree King" gave a light laugh and did not directly answer Luo De's question.

And upon her saying that,

Luo De felt even less sure.

He now increasingly suspects that the Great Merciful Tree King, for whom he lost a Vision and expended an Oasis Source to rescue, was actually secretly swapped by the Flower God.

This is not baseless suspicion.

Indeed, the more he thinks about it, the more off it feels.

On the contrary, the Great Merciful Tree King faced Luo De's questioning without any change in emotion, calmly counter-asking: "Is it me or Nabu, what's the difference?"

"Also."

"Do you think Boyer would mistake someone too?"

Finally, that sentence left Luo De speechless.

Rough words, sound reasoning.

After cleaning up the pollution on the World Tree and officially beginning to perform the duties of the Dendro Archon's divine position, Nadixa's divine traits became increasingly strong.

Put another way,

It means that after assuming her duties, her divinity grew heavier, and when thinking about problems she was no longer as impulsive as when the Great Merciful Tree King was infected by Apep's elemental energy; she would no longer let her emotions sway her thoughts.

This is not to say it's bad.

Actually.

The more divine Nadixa, not only did her originally lacking divine power increase rapidly, but the faith power she gained from the desert also made her ever more fitting for the position of the Seven Archons.

With her current insight,

Since no discovery was made that the Great Merciful Tree King had been swapped, it can indeed be said that the Great Merciful Tree King remains the Great Merciful Tree King and has not been usurped by the Flower God.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing Luo De silent for a long time, Dixiya couldn't help but look puzzled: "Is it something hard to say? Is it dangerous? Or is it just this one flower?"

"Oh, nothing."

Luo De came to his senses and casually replied: "I just happened to find this one flower, picked it up on the spot and raised it, and then there was none left."

"Oh, I see."

Hearing that there were no other purple Patisharan left, Dixiya felt a bit disappointed.

But since Luo De said there were none left, there was nothing to be done.

"When I have time I'll call Nilou over to take a look."

"She will definitely like this flower."

Dixiya shook her head and muttered a couple of words.

Luo De didn't say anything else.

He merely turned his gaze back to the flower bud; seeing that the Great Merciful Tree King had no intention of continuing to speak with him, he shifted his gaze and left together with Dixiya.

Actually, whether the one revived is the Great Merciful Tree King or the Flower God,

the impact on Sumeru is not significant.

For even if the true Great Merciful Tree King were resurrected, she has already lost her former authority and become an ordinary Dendro Elemental Archon.

In assisting the governance of Sumeru, she may not necessarily surpass the former Oasis Queen Flower God Nabu·Malikat.

The only thing to worry about

is that Nadixa might feel heartbroken.

So in Luo De's subjective view, he still believes that the revived deity had best be the Great Merciful Tree King.

"Hmm"

After a moment's thought, Luo De still decided to tell Nadixa his speculation.

After all, since it concerns the Great Merciful Tree King, it's better to take precautions early.

Soon.

Nadixa's reply came quickly.

She rushed to Hope City at the fastest speed, preparing to have a divine-level conversation with the Great Merciful Tree King in the flower bud, to confirm exactly who this Great Merciful Tree King really is.

When she arrived, she also brought Luo De a piece of news along the way.

"The Mondstadt envoy delegation has come, specifically requesting that I receive them?"

Upon receiving this news, Luo De was stunned for a moment, then immediately asked: "Who came?"

"The owner of Dawn Winery, Diluc·Ragnvindr, the captain of the West Wind Knights' investigation team, Albedo, and the cavalry captain, Kaeya·Alberich, plus another."

Saying this,

Nadixa paused for a moment, then said: "A bard."

"Hah—ah?"

Luo De's expression instantly turned into the standard black person question mark face.

Venti came?

This made Luo De involuntarily suspicious and ask: "He's here; shouldn't you personally go receive him? Why would you specially come to me?"

"We have already met."

Nadixa spread her hands and said: "It was he who proposed that you personally receive them."

This guy.

Luo De rubbed his temples and responded: "Okay, I'll head back to Xu Mi Cheng now."

The Mondstadt envoy's arrival was not surprising.

After all, before leaving Mondstadt earlier, he had already discussed cooperation with Jean.

What he didn't expect was.

Venti actually came along as well.

Indeed, besides Mondstadt, you can see Mondstadt's wind god anywhere.

Dixiya did not set out together with Luo De.

It wasn't that Luo De didn't call him.

It was because Dixiya felt that as a mere mercenary, she wasn't qualified to meddle in the communications between Mondstadt and Xu Mi Cheng.

Although Luo De repeatedly said that these people were his friends and wouldn't mind any status.

But Dixiya insisted on not going with Luo De, and instead stayed behind, bringing the Flaming Light Beast Hunters to join Ka Wei's project.

So Luo De could only return to Xu Mi Cheng himself.

The Mondstadt envoys were staying in the city's envoy hall.

But when Luo De came to the door, he was informed by the Knights of Favonius guarding outside that the several envoys were not present at the moment, and even their subordinates didn't know where they had gone.

"A bunch of restless folks."

"The Dendro Archon isn't here; can't you just stay put?"

Luo De shook his head.

However, he didn't go look for people in the city, but stayed in the envoy hall.

No matter whether these guys went to do research or just play, by evening they'd have to come back; running around like a headless fly might only waste time.

However, just as Luo De was waiting for the Mondstadt envoys to return,

his void terminal received a message.

The sender was Alhaitham.

Originally, as a scribe, he and Luo De rarely had any interaction.

Indeed, that was the case.

Since overthrowing the Great Sage, he and Alhaitham have hardly ever met in person, let alone communicate directly via the void terminal.

As for the content of this message,

It's very simple.

Only a few words.

【Snezhnaya Envoy, the Eighth Seat of the Fatui, Lady, requests to see you.】

(End of chapter)