"They say that expression didn't look like a fool at all—more like someone living in their own world, as if sleepwalking."
"Isak was happy that his grandfather had found peace. He started clinging to him every day, saying, 'Grandfather, let me take you out to play, okay? Talk to me again.'"
Paimon said dejectedly, "For some reason, I feel a little sad. Both of them seem so pitiful."
Candace said, "Perhaps. Most people living in the desert have their own hardships. Even so, we have to keep living."
"And I will fight for that. I will protect this place."
[Paimon: Can the desert environment really not be improved?]
[Dehya: More than the environment, what I care about is the discrimination. The people of Sumeru City look down on us. We don't have Akasha Terminals, no opportunity for education. Finding work in the city becomes extremely difficult. They look down on us, give us the dirty, heavy work, but pay us only a pittance. As long as there's no discrimination, we can live happy lives on our own.]
[Nahida: Everything will get better...]
[Dehya: Nahida, if—just if—you become the ruler of Sumeru, what will happen to us desert people...]
[Nahida: You are people of the desert, but you are also my people.]
[Dehya: Right, right. The houses in Aaru Village didn't collapse. Lesser Lord Kusanali, I understand now.]
[Paimon: Understand what?]
[Lumine: The people of Sumeru City and the people of the desert are both Nahida's people. They will live here as equals.]
After listening, Cyno was silent for a moment, then murmured softly, "Perhaps the people truly do have a good deity."
"Alright. As long as Isak keeps his promise and doesn't hold us back, he can come with us."
Candace smiled. "You may be more compassionate than I thought. On behalf of Isak, I thank you, Cyno."
After that, Lumine and Paimon found Isak. "We've asked around. Let's go find your grandfather together."
Isak was overjoyed. "That's great! Thank you!"
The group began questioning the villagers, but no one had any leads. Cyno's keen hearing caught an unusual sound, and they hurried over to eavesdrop from a hidden spot.
Not far away:
Passerby A: "Have you heard? Our lord and master, the great King Deshret, is about to be resurrected."
Passerby B: "Of course. King Deshret is the true ruler of this land. I've never believed in any other deity. But you say he's coming back—yet life still seems the same as always. What's your basis for that?"
Passerby A: "Haven't you noticed there have been more mad scholars sent to the village than usual lately? I've heard that before the fall of King Deshret's civilization, all kinds of mad people appeared across the land. I don't know why, but madness is always linked to King Deshret."
[Paimon: Why is that?]
[Nahida: Because of forbidden knowledge. The fall of King Deshret's civilization was also related to forbidden knowledge.]
[Lumine: Forbidden knowledge...]
[Nahida: It's a very dangerous power. Even Irminsul has been contaminated by it.]
"Now those mad scholars have disappeared—couldn't that be King Deshret's call? In my view, they've been chosen as the sacrifices needed for his resurrection."
Passerby B: "When you put it that way, it does sound plausible. Does that mean we're about to live the good life?"
Passerby A: "You bet. Let those city folk go to hell."