The grand celebration of the Moonchase Festival slowly came to a close. Shajin escorted Rosalyne back to her residence, then retraced their steps with Furina and Nahida in tow.
...
Meanwhile, in Sumeru.
"Today is the Akademiya's 'Jnagarbha Day', right? We've finally reached the critical moment of the plan!"
Paimon floated lazily beside Lumine, her voice brimming with tension and anticipation.
"Alhaitham's probably waiting for us. Let's head to the Akademiya and meet up with him!"
Lumine looked up in the direction of the Akademiya.
...
At that moment, Alhaitham was leaning casually against a roadside railing, pretending to doze. When he heard footsteps approaching, he slowly opened his deep, sharp eyes.
"You're here. Did you rest well?" His voice was low and calm.
Paimon shook her head with a helpless expression. "I didn't sleep well at all… I was so nervous thinking about today that I didn't doze off until just before dawn."
"Alhaitham, how did you manage to sleep so soundly?"
Alhaitham responded with complete composure, as if it were only natural.
"Resting the night before is an essential part of the plan. Having a clear, energized mind is a vital resource. Of course I made sure to sleep well."
Paimon puffed up her cheeks in frustration. "You—you're just trying to show off how calm you are!"
"Easing the tension before the mission is also a necessary step," Alhaitham said, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly in a subtle tease.
"That's not easing the tension! You're just getting on people's nerves!"
Paimon shouted indignantly.
Alhaitham paused for a moment, then his expression turned serious.
"Alright, let me review our plan once more, just in case."
"Our target is Grand Sage Azar's office. Everyone in the Akademiya knows that it contains an operating terminal accessible only to Grand Sages throughout the ages."
"Most confidential commands and procedures are executed through that terminal. There's a good chance that includes the command used to detain Lesser Lord Kusanali."
Lumine, looking thoughtful, raised her hand.
"Come to think of it, I've always been curious—how did those sages even manage to imprison a god in the first place?"
Alhaitham shook his head lightly and explained.
"On their own, those scholars certainly lacked the ability. But inside the Sanctuary of Surasthana, there were devices originally built by the previous Dendro Archon, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, to isolate herself for meditation."
"The so-called sages simply modified those devices, making it impossible to operate them from within. In other words, they used divine technology to imprison a god."
Lumine asked another question: "Then how are we supposed to get close to the Grand Sage's office?"
Alhaitham patiently replied, "Today is Jnagarbha Day—the most important day for the Akademiya. To archive the latest research findings and policy documents into canned knowledge for the Akasha, the sages and the Akademiya's core members are busy with preparations."
"Scholars from various Darshans are moving back and forth, the entire Akademiya is in organized chaos. This is the perfect opportunity for us to slip in. Once the Grand Sage leaves his office to personally oversee the storage process, that's our moment to access the terminal and free the Dendro Archon."
Lumine let out a soft sigh, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly. "That's… surprisingly straightforward."
Alhaitham didn't deny it. "Indeed. But this is only the 'visible plan.' Based on past experience, the Akademiya's preparations for Jnagarbha Day should already be underway by now…"
Paimon thumped her chest confidently. "Everyone's probably already in position to rescue the god. Let's lead the charge!"
Then she paused, a hint of hesitation creeping into her voice.
"Uh… are we really just going to walk in through the front door?"
Lumine pressed her hand to her forehead in exasperation.
"What else? Sneak in like we're up to something?"
Paimon scratched her head, genuinely confused. "Hmm… I can't even think of a good comeback…"
Lumine chuckled, reassuring her. "Well, if anything goes wrong, we'll just let Alhaitham handle it~"
Alhaitham: "..."
...
"Scribe?!"
As soon as they stepped through the front gate of the Akademiya, someone immediately recognized Alhaitham.
"Please wait a moment—are you Scribe Alhaitham?"
Alhaitham narrowed his eyes slightly and responded calmly, "I am. What is it? I'm in a hurry."
The scholar waved his hands in a fluster. "Ah—n-no, I was just surprised to see you here. I heard that the sages had been looking for you recently… not sure why…"
"And… please don't bring unauthorized personnel into the Akademiya."
Alhaitham feigned confusion, raising an eyebrow.
"Unauthorized? And how did you come to that conclusion? Such baseless speculation brings shame upon the Haravatat."
The scholar turned red, unable to sit still. "Y-you can't just say that! I'm one of the top students in Haravatat! I even ranked in the top three in the last internal logic debate—don't underestimate me!"
Arms crossed, Alhaitham spoke with measured calm.
"I'm not underestimating you. But as a senior member of Haravatat, I expect a certain level of deductive reasoning from you. Look—based on the information available to you…"
"My purpose for returning, and their presence here, should be rather self-evident, don't you think?"
The scholar instantly fell into the trap Alhaitham had laid, scrambling to piece it together.
"W-wait! Let me think—don't tell me yet!"
"The sages are looking for you… a blonde traveler… unauthorized… Wait—could it be… the one they're really after isn't you, but the traveler? And you've been gone from the Akademiya all this time because…"
Alhaitham raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture.
"Shhh—alright, alright. As expected from a top student of Haravatat. I think you've guessed correctly."
The scholar Immediately puffed up with pride.
"I knew it! Just had a momentary lapse earlier. Thank you, senior, for the encouragement!"
Alhaitham nodded slightly. "If there's nothing else, we'll be on our way."
"Of course! Thank you for your continued service to the Akademiya, Secretary."
After the scholar left—
Paimon tilted her head, still confused. "What… what just happened? What did that guy figure out?"
Alhaitham shrugged with a smile.
"I have no idea."
_
Read the full book on my Patreon(FINISHED)
Please support my patreon, patreon. com/TravelerDouluo