Aether swallowed the grilled mushroom in his mouth.
"It's okay if I don't know. You can go to Yuri. He must have a solution."
Nashida thought that made sense, but the trip was too troublesome.
"Maybe later. We're in Sumeru now. If we want to find Yuri, we'd have to go all the way to Liyue Port."
Aether snorted a few times.
"Easy. You don't have to go. Just watch me. Hehe~ Venti! Got a job for you!"
He shouted so loudly that everyone nearby turned their heads and gave him strange looks.
Aether didn't care at all. Being thick-skinned was his specialty—why bother with embarrassment when you can get things done?
After a moment, a breeze swept down from above, and Venti materialized from it.
"Aether? What do you want me to do?"
Aether pointed at Nashida.
"Nashida needs something. Go run the errand for her."
Then he plopped onto the wooden ladder beside him and resumed munching on his grilled mushroom skewers.
Nashida stepped forward and said to Venti,
"Barbatos, I'd like to ask a favor. Can you visit Yuri's store and check if he has any medicine that can cure magic scale disease?"
Venti grinned and nodded cheerfully.
"Of course! Leave it to me. Be right back."
But before she could turn into wind and take off, Aether grabbed her wrist and looked at her suspiciously.
"Wait a second~ Something's fishy~ You're acting way too eager."
Venti blinked, confused. "Fishy? What do you mean?"
Aether narrowed his eyes.
"Last time I asked you to help me get some Mondstadt sweet flowers to make syrup, you charged me 10,000 Mora. And now you're offering a favor for free?"
Venti froze. Was she really that greedy back then?
Nashida, overhearing, added sincerely,
"Barbatos, thank you for your help. I'll pay you for the errand later."
Venti raised both hands in surrender.
"Forget it, forget it. I only charged you back then because I was short on Mora for wine. I'm good now. No fee."
Nashida smiled warmly. "Thank you, Barbatos."
From the side, Aether piped up,
"So does that mean if I ask you to buy things for me from now on, it's free too?"
Venti chose not to respond, turned into a breeze, and vanished.
Aether shook his head.
"So stingy. It was just a couple things."
Venti's voice echoed faintly as she flew,
"Just a couple things? You made me buy every sweet flower in Mondstadt!"
She also muttered something about how Aether could've just bought them in Liyue, but he insisted Mondstadt's were better.
When Venti asked why, Aether simply said, "Mondstadt's ecology is more... primitive."
High EQ: More primitive ecology. Low EQ: Mondstadt is more backward.
...
Venti arrived at Yuri's store.
Yuri was having breakfast with six little ones. Each of them was nibbling on soft milk buns and sipping soy milk.
Qiqi sat quietly on a stool, holding a bun in her mouth but not eating it.
Yaoyao leaned over, "Qiqi, why aren't you eating?"
Qiqi pulled the bun out of her mouth.
"Qiqi is full. But I already bit this bun, so I can't waste it."
Bailu, standing nearby, took the bun from her hands.
"I'm still hungry. I'll help you eat it."
She took a bite, sipped some soy milk—and suddenly covered her mouth, shaking her head wildly to mix the bun and milk in her mouth before finally swallowing.
Just as she reached for another bun, she paused.
"Huh? Where's the last one?"
She looked up to see Venti munching it down with a satisfied grin.
Bailu pouted.
"Venti! That was mine! I'm not full yet!"
Venti waved dismissively.
"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eat well in the morning, eat enough at noon, and eat less at night. You've had plenty. I'll take care of this one."
Yuri gave Venti a disapproving look.
"Stealing breakfast from children. Seriously."
Venti gave an awkward chuckle. "Hehe..."
Yuri shook his head. "Unbelievable."
"Didn't you say you were going to play with Tevarin? Why are you here again?"
Venti explained, "Nashida needs a medicine for magic scale disease. Do you have anything?"
Yuri thought for a moment. Magic scale disease... If memory served, it was related to the Great Compassion Tree King's contamination by the Red King's forbidden knowledge. Curing the root cause would eliminate the disease.
But Yuri also had a direct cure: Elf Spring Water. It purifies curses and heals wounds. One bottle was enough, priced at 100 Stellar Jade.
He grabbed a few bottles and was about to hand them to Venti when he looked at the kids—Klee, Bailu, Hook, and the others, still finishing breakfast.
"Klee, Bailu, Hook—want to go play in the woods?"
Klee's eyes lit up. "Yay~ Mushroom picking!"
The others cheered.
Yuri turned to Venti.
"I'll take the medicine to Nashida myself. Might as well take the kids to Sumeru. I've got nothing planned today anyway."
Venti beamed. "Perfect. Then I'll leave it to you—I'm off to see Tevarin!"
She vanished into the breeze.
...
In Hua Chengguo.
Yuri brought the six little ones and quickly found Nashida and Aether.
"Nashida."
He called out. Nashida was chatting with Klee to keep her from running off. She didn't trust Aether with that job—he might scare her away!
Klee, Diona, and the others came running.
"Sister Nashida~ Klee's here to play~"
"Nashida, it's been so long!"
"Let's go mushroom hunting later, okay?"
Nashida smiled brightly as they swarmed her.
"Klee, Diona, Bailu, Hook, Yaoyao, Qiqi—it's so good to see you all again. And Yuri, you too."
Yuri handed over the Elf Spring Water.
"Here you go—this is the medicine you asked Venti to get."
Nashida took the Elf Spring Water.
"How much is this, Yuri?"
Yuri held up a finger.
"One bottle is 100 Stellar Jade, one serving."
Nashida took out her small wallet, pulled out a few 100 Stellar Jade bills, and handed them to Yuri.
Yuri handed the potion to Nashida with a gentle smile.
"Nashida, try it and see if it works. If it doesn't, I'll get you another medicine for free."
Nashida smiled and nodded, then turned, holding the bottle of Elf Spring Water out to Cole.
"Cole, this is a medicine for treating magic scale disease. Try it."
Cole was stunned.
Treating magic scale disease? Was this real?
He was confused and overwhelmed. He had only known Nashida for a short while, yet she was already offering him such a rare, precious medicine. Was she too kind? Or was she hiding something?
Aether noticed Cole's guarded expression toward him and Nashida, and spoke gently.
"Don't worry, Nashida won't hurt you. She's the god of your Sumeru, the ruler... the Little Auspicious Grass King."
Cole was dumbstruck.
What?! Nashida was the Little Auspicious Grass King? No way...
He stared at Nashida, eyes wide. She really did resemble the statue on the Seven-Day God Statue.
Cole had often cleaned that statue. He knew every detail. Slowly, recognition sank in.
"Are you really... the Little Auspicious Grass King?"
Nashida gave a warm smile and nodded.
"Yes, Cole. I remember once you were cleaning the statue in Huachengguo and got hungry. You sat beneath it and ate a pocket cake. It fell, and you cried because you were upset."
Cole blushed deeply. That memory... only he would know about it. His cheeks burned. His image in front of the Little Auspicious Grass King—ruined!
Back then, he had just arrived in Huacheng. He was afraid his master would scold him for being rude, so he said he wasn't hungry. He ended up skipping dinner and went to bed with an empty stomach.
Nashida gently handed the Elf Spring Water to Cole.
"Cole, go ahead. Try it."
Cole took it carefully, unscrewed the cap, and sniffed. It had the faint aroma of fruit.
Then, with determination, he drank it all.
Nashida watched anxiously.
"Cole, do you feel any different?"
Cole rolled up his sleeves—and gasped. The black scales on his arms were fading, vanishing before his eyes.
His heart soared. It was real. The disease was disappearing!
"My magic scale disease is cured!"
He couldn't believe it. He felt light, his spirit full of energy.
Nashida beamed, delighted.
"Congratulations, Cole. No more suffering from that illness."
Tears welled in Cole's eyes. He bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Little Auspicious Grass King. You gave me this incredible medicine."
Nashida shook her head softly.
"No need to thank me. I should be thanking you for looking after the Seven-Day Statue all these years."
Cole smiled and shook his head.
"It's what I should do. Little King of Auspicious Grass, are you visiting Huachengguo on inspection? Would you like me to show you around?"
Nashida smiled warmly.
"Then I'll trouble you, Cole. Please, lead the way."
Cole beamed and happily led Nashida, Yuri, and the six little companions around Huachengguo.
Huachengguo wasn't very big—more of an outpost than a town. Still, the streets were lively and fragrant with flowers.
As they strolled, they ran into Tinari.
Once Tinari realized Nashida's identity, he quickly brought the group to his quarters.
He bowed respectfully.
"Student Tinari greets the Little Auspicious Grass King."
Nashida gently lifted him up.
"No need to be so formal. I know who you are, Tinari—the brilliant student of the Order Academy."
Tinari blinked in disbelief.
"You know me...? But you've been in the Pure Good Palace for so long. I didn't expect you to know me."
Nashida gave a knowing smile.
"I learned about you through the Void."
Tinari nodded in understanding.
"Ah, that explains it."
He paused, then asked gently.
"Little Auspicious Grass King, what brings you to Huachengguo? If there's anything you need, I'll help however I can."
Nashida replied with a calm voice.
"I'm simply wandering. This is my first time stepping outside the Pure Good Palace to see Sumeru with my own eyes."
Tinari's gaze turned serious.
"Then... may I ask, why haven't you appeared before your people until now? Is it because of the Order Academy?"
Not everyone in the Order Academy blindly followed authority. Tinari and Elhaisen were different—they questioned, they thought.
Tinari had always felt something was off. In Teyvat, gods ruled. Yet their god had remained hidden.
Aether smirked.
"Why else? A newborn god got fooled~ Thought she wasn't qualified to be one~"
Nashida blinked in surprise.
"Aether... how did you know?"
Aether raised his brow.
"I used to be the Prince of the Abyss Order. You were one of the gods I intended to defeat. Of course I had people study you."
Nashida was stunned.
Well... that actually made perfect sense.
Tinari tensed up at Aether's words.
"You were... in the Abyss Order?"
Aether bit into an apple nonchalantly.
"Yep. More precisely, the former prince.
Now, I'm just the owner of Aether's Milk Tea Shop. Or, you can call me Traveler Aether.
Don't worry, I'm with you now. I'm here to help Nashida."
Nashida nodded firmly.
"Yes. Aether was once misled by the Abyss, but he's turned over a new leaf."
Tinari relaxed a little, seeing Nashida's trust in him.
"Then... Little King of Auspicious Grass, do you need me to contact anyone for you?"
Nashida shook her head.
"No need, Tinari. Everything's already arranged.
But if you really want to help—gather the patients with magic scale disease in Huachengguo."
Tinari blinked in surprise.
"Patients? Why?"
Nashida answered gently.
"Because... I have a cure."
Her words sent shockwaves through the room.
Tinari gasped.
"You... have a cure? Cole!"
Cole stepped forward, smiling brightly.
"Master, my magic scale disease was cured by the Little Auspicious Grass King herself."