"Maybe..."
Collei thought of her Eleazar—becoming a trainee forest ranger was already a huge struggle for her.
To become as strong as the adventurers in front of her? That was something she didn't dare to hope for.
Nolan glanced at her, already somewhat aware of Collei's situation.
The Withering and Eleazar were both linked to the forbidden knowledge that had polluted the Irminsul, as mentioned in the original story. That forbidden knowledge originated from the Abyss.
One was a disease afflicting the rainforest, while the other was a disease affecting humans. So many connections—it couldn't just be a coincidence.
Clearly, the pollution of the Irminsul caused by forbidden knowledge could very well be a variant of Abyssal energy.
And the force responsible for Eleazar was closely tied to Abyssal power as well.
In the original story, once the Irminsul's corruption was cleansed, the Withering stopped spreading, and those suffering from Eleazar in Sumeru immediately began to recover.
If Lumine could somehow gain control over the power that created the forbidden knowledge—just as she had with the Withering's lifeforce-draining energy—then perhaps she could cleanse the Irminsul's corruption and cure Collei's Eleazar.
Or at the very least, even if she couldn't cleanse the Irminsul, she might be able to grasp the power behind Eleazar itself, which should still be enough to heal Collei.
Based on his deductions, pure Abyssal energy was likely superior to ordinary Abyssal power, the corruption from forbidden knowledge, the Withering's energy, and even the force behind Eleazar.
And in her "Abyssal Princess" state, Lumine not only wielded pure Abyssal energy but could also interfere with Abyssal power that didn't originate from herself.
With that ability, curing Eleazar should not be a difficult task.
A flood of thoughts ran through Nolan's mind.
However, these were just his own speculations, based on limited knowledge. To confirm them, they would need to have Lumine test her power on Collei.
In the original story, Collei seemed very reluctant to let others know about her Eleazar.
Directly asking her about it might be too abrupt—he would need to find a better excuse.
---
"So, I guess we've officially cleared out this Withering zone, huh? Hehe, now we can continue to Sumeru City without worrying about anyone accidentally wandering into the Withering!"
Paimon beamed, looking at the rainforest that had regained its vitality.
"Speaking of which, that scene just now—the way the rainforest came back to life—it was pretty shocking! So the life force stolen by the Withering Tumors doesn't actually disappear?"
Lumine commented in surprise.
"Yeah, when the Withering first appears, it starts off small. But as time passes, the Withering Tumors absorb enough life force to further expand the Withering's reach."
Collei nodded.
"It's just like a parasite—draining the rainforest's energy to grow stronger!" Paimon huffed in frustration.
Just then, a voice called out from outside.
"Collei, are you okay?!"
Everyone turned to look.
Seeing her senior ranger approaching, Collei smiled and waved.
"I'm here, Miss Nasrin!"
"Whew, thank goodness you're safe! When you didn't come out for so long, I thought something had happened."
"I was just about to go back and call Master Tighnari for help, but then I saw the Withering vanish and rushed over to check!"
Nasrin let out a relieved sigh.
"Sorry for making you worry, Miss Nasrin."
Collei looked a little embarrassed. Then, glancing at Nolan and the others, she turned back to introduce them.
"Oh, by the way! These travelers aren't just some unlucky wanderers who stumbled into the Withering. They're actually incredibly strong adventurers—they're the ones who cleared it out!"
Nasrin blinked in realization.
"...That explains it. While Collei does have a Vision, she still wouldn't be able to handle a Withering zone alone. Thank you all for your help!"
She nodded in gratitude toward Nolan and the group.
"Hehe, it was nothing, really!" Paimon grinned.
"Maybe for you, but this 'small favor' of yours saved us a huge amount of trouble."
Nasrin smiled before continuing.
"Since this area is close to Liyue, I assume you came from there on your way to Sumeru?"
"If that's the case, as a token of thanks, feel free to ask us anything about Sumeru. If there's anything you don't understand, we'd be happy to explain!"
"Ooh, sounds good! We were planning to head to Sumeru City, but we don't know much about what to expect there. It'd be great if you could give us a rundown!"
Paimon nodded eagerly.
They had already read some basic information about Sumeru back in Liyue, but for detailed insights, they would need to ask the locals.
"Sure! We can talk while we walk."
Nasrin smiled.
Generally, when traveling from Liyue to Sumeru City, most adventurers would pass through Gandharva Ville to restock supplies.
Since Nolan's group had discovered such a major Withering zone, even though they had already dealt with it, they still needed to report it.
So, she decided to escort them back with her.
---
With two forest rangers guiding them, Nolan and his party didn't have to worry about getting lost in the rainforest.
They should arrive at Gandharva Ville fairly soon.
As they traveled, Nolan and the others asked Nasrin and Collei about various aspects of Sumeru, gaining useful knowledge along the way.
The forest was teeming with monsters, particularly Fungi infused with elemental power.
If left undisturbed, they were fine.
But if provoked, these adorable-looking creatures would immediately become aggressive.
Luckily, their levels were low, mostly around Level 20. Even Collei could take them down with ease.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, their surroundings were completely engulfed in lush greenery.
If you weren't walking on the well-trodden paths carved out by travelers, it would be easy to lose your sense of direction. Even experienced forest rangers could risk getting lost if they weren't careful.
"Collei, how much longer do we have to walk? Paimon feel like her stomach is completely empty..."
After flying for an hour or two, Paimon was now floating limply in midair, her limbs dangling lifelessly.
Her stomach let out a loud "grumble."
"...Hmm, we can't see the sun in the forest. Could it be that we've been walking for so long that it's already evening?"
Collei reached into the storage space within her Vision and pulled out a pocket watch to check the time.
Her pocket watch was rather unique.
The casing was red-edged with a white center, and in the middle, there was a painted image of a plush toy with red bunny ears and goggles.
The little toy immediately caught the attention of Nolan and the others. Paimon, looking surprised, exclaimed,
"Eh? Isn't that Amber's Baron Bunny? Collei, why do you have a pocket watch with Baron Bunny on it?"
At the mention of "Amber," it was as if Collei had triggered some kind of chain reaction. She completely forgot about checking the time, turning to Paimon with an excited expression.
"Amber!? You just said Amber, right... and Baron Bunny? Wait, do you guys know her too?"
"Whoa, Collei, calm down!"
Paimon raised her hands helplessly and shook her head.
"Looks like you really do know Amber. We started our journey in Mondstadt, and she helped us a lot! What about you? How did you meet Amber?"
Paimon looked at Collei curiously.
She hadn't expected the first person they'd meet in faraway Sumeru to be one of Amber's friends.
The world was really small.
"That's great! I never thought you guys would also be Amber's friends!" Collei looked thrilled before continuing,
"I met Amber back in Mondstadt. She took great care of me back then, and even now, she still writes me letters and sends me little gifts from time to time.
"This pocket watch was a gift from her. I always keep it safely stored in my Vision's space, only taking it out when I need to check the time.
"It's just... I don't know many words. She's given me so many gifts, but I can't even write a proper thank-you letter to her..."
At this point, Collei suddenly looked a little downcast.
"Collei really treasures her friends, huh?" Nasrin said with a smile.
Nolan and Lumine both nodded in agreement.
"Paimon understands," Paimon said with a knowing look, then suddenly grinned mischievously.
"Hehe, that's easy! Paimon know a legendary teleportation magic trick! How about Paimon summon her here right now so you can thank her in person?"
"Really!?"
Collei hadn't seen Amber in so long. The moment Paimon said she could bring Amber over, her face lit up with excitement.
"Of course! Paimon is the great magician!"
Paimon puffed up her chest and put her hands on her hips as she floated in midair, feeling quite pleased that Collei completely believed her.
Nolan and Lumine, on the other hand, exchanged helpless glances but chose not to expose her.
Fine, let this little floating thing have her moment of admiration.
"Alright! Please bring Amber here!"
Collei clenched her small fists, her eyes filled with anticipation as she looked at Paimon.
"Hehe, no problem! Leave it to the great magician, Paimon!"
Paimon began "concentrating" as if she were really about to summon Amber from Mondstadt.
"Ah, wait a second!"
Collei suddenly realized something and spoke up.
"If we just teleport Amber here out of nowhere, won't she be scared? And she's probably at work right now...
"Also, I haven't even thought about what to say to her when we meet. Maybe we should wait a bit?"
Uh, wait, what?
Paimon actually can use "Interstellar Travel" to bring Amber here...
But, Collei, do you seriously believe this without a shred of doubt?
What kind of magician can instantly teleport someone from that far away?
Magic tricks are fake! That's just common sense!
Nolan and Lumine stared at Collei in disbelief.
Were her feelings for Amber really so deep that she was completely fooled by Paimon's nonsense?
"Hmph! Paimon's stomach always gets hungry on time before meals, which means it must be lunchtime right now.
"Amber is definitely on break! Plus, Paimon will use my magic to inform her of the situation beforehand, so she won't be startled!"
Paimon quickly tried to convince her.
She had finally found a rare chance to be in the spotlight—there was no way she was going to let it slip away!
"Eh... um... alright, I-I'm ready!"
Collei was eager to see Amber again. After taking a deep breath to compose herself, she decided she really did want to meet her!
"Heh heh, then keep your eyes wide open and don't blink!"
The group stopped in a clearing in the forest, watching as Paimon put on an exaggerated act, playing the role of a "great magician."
Of course, Nolan and Lumine both knew that all she was really doing was contacting Amber and letting her know about the situation.
It seemed Amber responded quickly because, all of a sudden, Paimon's eyes widened with excitement.
"Here she comes! Watch my amazing teleportation magic!"
She pointed to a spot in front of her, and Collei stared at it intently, not moving a muscle.
One second... two seconds...
But the space before Paimon remained empty. Nothing happened.
A wave of awkwardness began to spread.
Just as Paimon was about to ask what went wrong, she suddenly noticed that Collei's eyes had lit up.
A force pushed Paimon gently aside, and a voice filled with joy rang out from behind her—
"Collei!"
"Amber!"
Collei turned to see Amber standing there, truly appearing before her eyes.
Though she hadn't materialized in front of Paimon as expected, Amber had indeed arrived!
So Paimon's teleportation magic was real after all!
But at that moment, Collei had no time to dwell on that thought. Seeing her long-lost friend, she abandoned all restraint and threw herself into Amber's embrace!
The two girls, who were almost the same height, hugged tightly.
"Aww, Collei always keeps her faraway friend from Mondstadt in her thoughts. It even made the rest of us curious. But now, she's finally here!"
Nasrin crossed her arms and smiled, happy for Collei.
"Heh, since everyone's so happy, why don't we celebrate with a feast?" Nolan chuckled, casually slicing open a spatial rift.
Fresh ingredients and cooking utensils emerged from the void.
Since they still had some distance to travel before reaching Caravan Ribat, they might as well take this opportunity to have lunch first!
"Great idea!"
The "great magician" Paimon, who had successfully stolen the spotlight, was in full agreement. She didn't even mind that the two girls had completely forgotten to thank her, their esteemed matchmaker!
In a clearing within the forest, the five of them sat around a circular table.
As they waited for Nolan to finish cooking, they chatted leisurely.
Nasrin remarked that she had never imagined sitting at an actual dining table and having a proper meal while out in the wild.
Meanwhile, Paimon, having finished her grand performance, had once again been overpowered by hunger. She slumped in her chair, unable to even float.
Lumine, on the other hand, listened curiously as Amber and Collei talked.
Amber, her signature red bunny-eared ribbon tied on her head, had calmed down from the excitement of reuniting with her friend. She turned to the green-haired girl beside her and asked with concern,
"Collei, how have you been lately?"
She knew Collei's health had always been poor due to her illness, so she was naturally worried.
"Don't worry, Amber! Thanks to Master Tighnari's help, my 'Eleazar' hardly acts up anymore."
Perhaps because she knew Nolan and the others were Amber's friends, Collei had no reservations about sharing her condition.
"Eleazar? What's that?"
Lumine picked up on the unfamiliar term and turned to Nasrin curiously.
"It's a disease unique to Sumeru. The exact cause is still under research, but those afflicted develop grayish-black scales on their bodies.
"At first, they only experience numbness in the affected areas, but as the condition worsens, their limbs weaken, and sometimes they even lose sensation in their fingers."
Seeing Lumine's curiosity, Nasrin patiently explained Eleazar in detail.
(End of Chapter)
❇❇❇
Support me on Patreon - Read Up to 20+ Advanced Chapters There!
patreon.com/RedX43
❇❇❇