"I tried to investigate through the Akasha, but there were no suspicious records within it. The key personnel also seemed not to be wearing Akasha Terminals."
"I think they're deliberately covering something up. Investigating the Sages' intentions is also a priority."
Lumine asked one last question. "Haven't people noticed anything wrong with the Akasha?"
Nahida said, "Are you asking about the fact that the Akasha causes people to stop dreaming?"
Paimon said, "Yeah. After all this time, hasn't anyone felt something was off?"
Nahida said, "It's not that they can't sense it—it's that no one cares. The root of it all is the Sages' misinformation."
"The Sages made people believe that not dreaming was a sign of rationality and wisdom, turning it into a source of pride for the people of Sumeru."
[Ningguang: This is the most despicable tactic I've ever seen—using misinformation to profit. As a common saying among merchants goes, 'The one being sold helps the seller count the money.']
[Paimon: The Akademiya is absolutely despicable.]
[Zhongli: If someone like that appeared among the Qixing, I would not let them off lightly.]
[Ei: Death sentence.]
[Furina: Yes! They should be severely sentenced to death. Some people just don't learn, even when they're alive.]
"The truth is, dreams are simply harvested by the Akasha. The Sages can thus maximize the use of the Akasha to make their research go more smoothly. And when the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata created the Akasha, she surely wanted it to be put to good use, so I don't have a major issue with that."
"As a result, the mainstream narrative promoted by the Sages drowned out any dissenting voices. And those Sumeru people who never wear Akasha Terminals and still dream would only consider it a shame they're too embarrassed to mention."
"Sustaining Dunyarzad's dream took a huge toll on my mental energy. I'm afraid I'll need to rest for a while. However, the Akasha won't be able to carry out a large-scale operation like the Sabzeruz Festival again anytime soon."
[Ningguang: Sustaining a single person's dream was enough to exhaust the God of Wisdom?]
[Nahida: My power is still very weak. As I am now, I don't have the ability to punish the Akademiya either.]
[Paimon: A deity who gets bullied by her own people.]
[Lumine: Don't say that.]
[Furina: I'm already used to Paimon's sharp tongue.]
[Lumine: Paimon is young and doesn't know any better.]
[Nahida: It's fine. I don't mind. I am indeed a deity who gets bullied by her people.]
[Lumine: It's not the people—they're the bad ones. The true people of Sumeru would only love their deity, like Dunyarzad and those who sincerely celebrate the Sabzeruz Festival.]
[Paimon: Right. Those Sages are just pure villains.]
[Cyno: I agree with you. I went to confront the Grand Sage. He coldly told me that the authority of the Mahamatra was granted by the Sages, and that we had no authority to judge them. He didn't need to give me any explanation either. I've since left the Akademiya and decided to investigate this matter in secret.]
[Alhaitham: Historical records state that the authority of the Grand Sage and the General Mahamatra were both granted by the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. They were meant to support and check each other.]
[Dehya: A bunch of people who have no respect for the divine!]
Lumine said, "Get some rest. We'll watch over this land for you."
Nahida yawned. "Mm, that's really reassuring. This has been the most exhausting birthday I've had since I was born."
After their conversation, the two parted ways.