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An Archon's Follower
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Paimon's eyes widened in amazement. "Whoa, really? Then do you know how we can meet her?" She asked.
Dunyarzad gave an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid I can't help you with that, but your conversation earlier did happen to remind me of a legend about the Dendro Archon," she answered.
The group looked at each other before looking back at the female before them.
"What sort of legend?" Aether finally piped up.
Dunyarzad nodded. "Sure. It goes like this: Long, long ago, there was a man who heard a prophecy. It predicted that a great calamity was about to befall him. Panicked by what he heard, the man sought out the Dendro Archon in the hopes that she would bless him with the wisdom to help him escape his predicament. The man journeyed across deserts and through rainforests, and experienced tribulation of every kind. However, he still couldn't find any trace of the Dendro Archon. In despair, he thought, "Alas, the Archon has abandoned me!" He then had no choice but to sorrowfully resign to his fate," she explained.
(F/n) stared in interest even though they'd heard this fairytale way too many times back in their and (Y/n)'s previous world.
"Okay... and then what happened?" Paimon asked, intrigued about the story.
"And then... the calamity came! But to his own surprise, the man felt somehow emboldened by the trials of his journey. By relying on his own strength, he managed to overcome the adversity. At that moment, a bird perched upon his shoulder. This bird was, in fact, an avatar of the Dendro Archon. She said: "O archon-seeker, do you now understand? She and her wisdom have long been found by you. Along your journey, we were in every flower and blade of grass, every ray of sparkling sun, and every breath of dancing wind. So long as you continue to think and ponder, we'll be wherever you go"," Dunyarzad retorted.
"What an amazing story," Aether said in silent awe.
(Y/n) furrowed his brows at this information as memories of the past danced around in his head, creating a cluster of messes.
Paimon nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, thanks for the story. Paimon feels all warm and fuzzy inside after that!" She exclaimed.
Dunyarzad giggled. "Hehe, in a way, it seems like this story is also one of the Dendro Archon's avatars," she replied.
"Dunyarzad, since you worship Lesser Lord Kusanali, can you tell us anything else about her?" Paimon questioned.
"Of course! So, did you four know that..." Dunyarzad began but went silent as she looked ahead for a few seconds before looking at the group once more, "Uh... Umm, I'm terribly sorry but it seems something's come up now. Let's chat another day!" Dunyarzad quickly apologized before rushing off.
Paimon made a sound of confusion. "Hey, wait! What the heck just happened?" She asked.
The group looked over their shoulders and took notice of two men that seemed way too out of place.
"I think it has something to do with those people over there," Aether answered.
(F/n) placed a hand on their chin before sweatdropping in realization.
"It looks like they're searching for someone... Hmm, Dunyarzad was suddenly acting nervous just now. You think they're looking for her?" Paimon wondered.
An angry huff then left Paimon's lips. "This stinks! We finally managed to find a lead about Lesser Lord Kusanali. We can't let them get in the way now! Let's see if we can get rid of them. Then we can catch up with Dunyarzad!" She exclaimed.
Suddenly, the two suspicious men walked up to the group of four.
"Hey, have you four seen a brown-haired girl wearing a purple top and a long blue dress? We're lookin' for her," the first man asked.
"Did she have bandages wrapped around her wrists?" Paimon questioned.
The first man nodded. "Yes, that's her! Did you see which direction she went?" He asked.
"Oh, yeah, she went that way!" Paimon answered pointing in the wrong direction.
"Quick! After her!"
The group watched as the men rushed by, going in the direction that Paimon told them.
The said girl giggled. "Hehe, that should keep 'em busy for a while. Let's hurry and find Dunyarzad!" Paimon declared.
✧˖*°࿐
"There you are, Dunyarzad! We thought you might've been long gone by now," Paimon exclaimed as she, (Y/n), (F/n), and Aether found the missing female they were after.
Dunyarzad jumped in surprise before quickly turning to the group. "Ah! It's you four. You startled me there," she states.
Paimon smiled brightly as she placed her hands on her waist. "You can relax now, we threw those people looking for you off the trail," she replied.
A look of surprise and relief went across Dunyarzad's face. "Really? Oh, thank you so much! Unfortunately, I believe there are still more of them out there looking for me," she says before taking notice of more eremites nearby, "Uh oh, looks like there are some coming this way..."
"Huh!? More of them!? Then what are we standing here for? Run!" Paimon exclaimed.
Dunyarzad shook her head. "No, wait... I, uh... My body isn't in the best shape. It's difficult for me to run," she states.
Aether gave a questioning look. "How about we find someplace to hide?" He asked.
Dunyarzad nodded her head in agreement. "Okay, sounds good. There's a tavern on the other side of the port that we can go to. They probably wouldn't expect me to hide in a place like that," she agreed.
"Alright, let's move out. Stay behind us, we'll keep an eye out for anyone looking for you," Paimon retorted.
✧˖*°࿐
(F/n) could be skipping into the tavern, their mouth watering at the delicious scent of pudding that wafted in the air.
(Y/n) sweatdropped at the teenager, but didn't say anything.
Dunyarzad released a heavy sigh of relief from her lips. "Whew, we made it. They shouldn't be able to find us now... Wait, stand down! Dehya!" Dunyarzad exclaimed.
Aether looked over his shoulder and took notice of a pair of metallic claws pointing at the back of his head.
(F/n) immediately perked up when they saw the female.
'WAH! She's here, she's really here!' (F/n) thought in pure excitement.
Paimon stared in surprise.
Dehya mumbled something under her breath as she dropped her hand to her side and walked in front of the group of four.
"My lady, who are these four?" Dehya asked rudely.
Dunyarzad sent a reassuring smile. "They're travelers that I met on the street just a moment ago. They happened to notice that you all were searching for me, so they helped me hide," she answered.
Dehya raised a brow as she narrowed her eyes at Aether and Paimon.
(F/n) tilted their head in confusion, wondering why Dehya wasn't glaring at them and (Y/n) before deciding to shrug it off.
Scoffing lowly, Dehya frowned. "I see. In that case, you four should scram. There's nothing here for you," she states.
"Wait a sec, who the heck are you? And why are you shooing us away?" Paimon angrily asked.
'Uh-oh, girl fight.' (Y/n) thought with sweat rolling down the side of his head.
Dehya turned her attention to Paimon. "I'm Miss Dunyarzad's bodyguard, here to see that she returns home safe and sound," she answered before looking back at Dunyarzad, "My lady, let's get going. You've been gone for so long that your parents are worrying themselves sick. It'd be easier for the both of us if you cooperated, but if you insist on not going, then I'll have to carry you like a sack of potatoes."
"Hey! Dunyarzad already said she doesn't want to go back. Why are you still pushing her?" Paimon huffed out.
"Stay out of this. You don't understand the situation. Sorry, my lady. Even though I'm your bodyguard, your parents are my employers. I have to answer to them," Dehya states.
"...How much?" Dunyarzad asked, clearly tired of what her parents had been pulling.
"Wait, what?" Dehya questioned.
"How much mora do I have to pay you to become your employer, so you never listen to my parents ever again? Double... Triple? Give me some time and I'll get that much!" Dunyarzad states.
Dehya shook her head.
The group just silently stood off to the side, watching the conversation between the two females.
"My lady, this isn't about mora," Dehya says before sighing, "I don't know what you think of us Eremites, but let me say this: I like mora, but I'll never go against my principles. That's why I'm here looking for you. Sure, it's an order from my employer, but my conscience was also telling me it's the right thing to do. And knowing your health, carelessly running around like this is gonna hurt ya. For the sake of those who love you, don't be stubborn."
Dunyarzad shook her head. "No, you're wrong! I'm aware of my limits, and I know what I'm doing. Honestly, the only people being stubborn right now are my parents. They know perfectly well that it makes no difference if I'm at home or not! They still won't accept reality! And every time I bring this up, they just change the subject. Dehya, you've been living with us for a long time already. This should be old news to you. Dehya, I know it hasn't been easy for Mother and Father, and I'm grateful for everything they've done for me, but there is someone else in this world I'm also grateful to. Because she saved me," she states.
The said female then placed a hand on her chest. "The love I have for her is the same I have for my parents. This is my life and my last chance, so I want to do something meaningful!" Dunyarzad finished.
Dehya hummed. "My lady, are you sure what you're doing now is meaningful?" She asked.
Dunyarzad nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. At least... it is to me," she answered truthfully.
Dehya then sighed. "Find, I won't ask you to return home anymore. But lemme make something very clear: I'm only doing this because I respect your determination, not because I agree with you."
Dunyarzad smiled. "Thank you, Dehya! Sorry for being so rude just now. My nerves were acting up... And I even brought up your payment in such an offensive way..." She apologized.
Dehya shook her head. "Don't worry about it, my lady. I did say that I like mora. Besides, that's our next topic of conversation. Today's little excursion caused such a ruckus that every single bodyguard at the estate was deployed. It won't be easy to hide things from your old man. Since this definitely won't be your last escapade, here's a little tip... You should at least make it look like your room and things are still in order when you leave. Also, you'll need someone to cover for you when you're out and about. So I'll let you hire me, my lady. This way, everyone wins. As for the pay... let's say half of what your father pays me. We can settle the bill when we return to the estate."
Dunyarzad nodded her head in agreement. "Okay, deal."
"Yay, looks like they've reached an understanding," Paimon cheered.
"Hmm..." Dunyarzad mumbled out.
"Dunyarzad, are you alright?" Aether asked.
Dunyarzad nodded her head. "Haha, I'm fine, really. I just feel a little tired now that things have calmed down..." She answered.
(F/n)'s tail flicked back and forth in awe as they looked at Dehya with sparkling dark blue eyes.
"My lady, stop trying to look tough. We're already in a tavern, so let's rest up and grab some grub," Dehya states.
Dunyarzad then turned to look at the group of four. "I'm sorry for worrying you four. If you don't mind, I'd like for you to join us," she apologized.
Paimon quickly nodded. "Sure! After you rest up, we wanna hear more about Lesser Lord Kusanali!" She agreed.
✧˖*°࿐
The Tavern Owner, Lambad, chuckled. "Hah! Well, if it isn't Dehya! Haven't seen you in nearly half a year. Word on the street is that you became a bodyguard for the Homayani family. Heh, don't you find that kind of work boring?" He asked.
"Heh, you get used to it. How about a menu over here!" Dehya replied.
Lambad nodded his head before turning towards the other guests. "You got it. Huh? Isn't this lil' Miss Homayani herself? Heh, we don't get to serve personages like you very often. We'll be sure to prepare our very best!" He states.
Dunyarzad shook her head. "Thank you, sir, but there's no need. I don't have a lot of mora on me, and I really ought to save as much as I can. Ah, but please bring these four the best food you have. They're my new friends, so I want to be a good host for them."
Paimon smiled brightly. "Yeah! We're already super grateful for everything you told us about Lesser Lord Kusanali," she agreed.
Lambad nodded. "How about our Coconut Charcoal Cakes? They're our signature snack, and they run cheap. Look, other customers over there are eating some now," he points out.
(Y/n) took notice of the disappointed look on Paimon and (F/n)'s faces before sighing heavily and leaning against his chair.
"Huh? They kinda look burnt and dry... Uh, Paimon will pass," Paimon replied.
"Picky Paimon? Now that's a first..." Aether trailed off.
Paimon angrily pouted. "Hey, c'mon! Paimon has personal preferences too, you know!" She huffed out.
Before anyone could say anything else, a clunk from a small bag could be heard.
Everyone turned toward the bag.
Taking notice of the familiar bag, (F/n) immediately turned toward (Y/n)'s figure.
"Huh? (Y/n)!" The feline exclaimed in a scolding tone.
(Y/n) gave a look of amusement as the others gave him a look of shock.
"We'll take whatever these guys want to order," he states.
"(Y/n)..." Aether trailed off.
Paimon stared at her father figure in awe.
Lambad gave an amused chuckle when he saw the surprised looks on everyone, immediately taking notice of how they probably didn't notice how rich the (H/c)-haired male was.
Dunyarzad was about to say something, but quietly thanked the male.
Dehya narrowed her eyes upon the male for a few seconds, the (H/c)-haired seemingly felt familiar to her but shrugged it off.
After ordering, the group continued chatting with Dunyarzad about Lesser Lord Kusanali...
"Dunyarzad, we asked a lot of people when we first arrived, and almost nobody was interested in Lesser Lord Kusanali. So what made you want to follow her?" Paimon asked.
(F/n) swung their feet back and forth as they took bites of the pudding, a look of delight slipping onto their face.
"Well, remember when you asked me if I knew how to meet the Dendro Archon? Even though I don't know how, I think I've actually seen her before," Dunyarzad replied.
"Huh, really?" Paimon asked.
Dunyarzad nodded her head. "Yes, it was when I was a child. At that time, my illness had kept me bedridden for the better part of a year. I was stuck inside and couldn't make any friends, and my parents did their best to find treatments for me... But even then, the Akasha didn't have any helpful information. My younger self no longer had any hopes or dreams. One flare-up was so bad that I was in a semi-conscious state for several days. Then one night, I woke up alone in my room. I was terrified, my body was paralyzed. Even if I cried, there was no sound."
Dunyarzad then made eye contact with the group in front of her.
(F/n) gave a look of interest, a spoon stuck between their lips as they leaned up against a quiet (Y/n)'s side, still kicking their feet.
"At that moment, an ethereal voice spoke inside my mind: "Dunyarzad, don't be scared. You don't have to cry"."
A small smile slipped onto the female's lips as she remembers the voice while explaining what she had dreamed of. "After that, the voice said, "Okay, I'll be your friend". Although my body was suffering during those days, that voice encouraged me and told me many wondrous things. Beyond my window was the flourishing Sumeru City, beyond the city was a lush rainforest, and beyond that was the Wall of Samiel, deserts, and all of Teyvat... Once I finally made it through that bout of illness, I couldn't hear the voice anymore I told my mother about it, but she said that I must have been dreaming. But I know that that voice wasn't a figment of my imagination! Before that, I had never heard of "Teyvat"."
"It was Lesser Lord Kusanali?" Aether questioned.
Dunyarzad quickly nodded her head.
"Yes, for sure! If it weren't for that voice, I would have never grown curious about the outside world, nor would I have learned how to read and enjoy so many books. That voice sparked a desire for wisdom - it had to have been the Dendro Archon. I've been hoping for a chance to repay her kindness. In fact, I was running around today to help prepare the Sabzeruz Festival for her!" Dunyarzad states.
Hearing this, (F/n)'s eyes sparkled once more behind the spoonful of pudding.
'Nilou! Nilou! Nilou! Best girl Nilou is here, yay!' (F/n) mentally cheered, a cat-like smile appearing on their lips.
"What's the Sabzeruz Festival?" Paimon asked.
"It is Lesser Lord Kusanali's birthday, which is the day that she was found by the sages. It's actually an old holiday that originally celebrated Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and Asmodeus' birthday. When they both passed away, the holiday eventually became a celebration of the Lesser Lord's birthday," Dunyarzad explained.
(Y/n)'s brows furrowed. 'I shared a birthday with Greater Lord Rukkhadevata at one point in life...? Hmm, at least this is giving me some answers that I didn't ask for.' (Y/n) thought.
"I heard everyone was overjoyed when they welcomed her back to Sumeru. In those days, the festival was a huge deal. But because of the Akademiya's influence, people have gradually lost interest in the festival. The Akademiya actively participates in Sumeru's many holidays dedicated to Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, but when it comes to the Sabzeruz Festival, forget any funding, they practically act like it doesn't exist. Maybe they see Lesser Lord Kusanali's birth as confirmation of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's death, so they're reluctant to celebrate it," Dunyarzad continued.
"Aw, but that's awful!" Paimon points out as she stomps a foot in the air.
Dunyarzad nodded her head in agreement. "It is. It's absolutely terrible! Sure, the Greater Lord founded Sumeru with her right-hand man, but hasn't Lesser Lord Kusanali been the one quietly protecting us for the past few hundred years?" She states.
Dehya cleared her throat. "Just remember that we're still out in public. Don't get too carried away now..." She warned.
"I know that people over by the Grand Bazaar still hold the Sabzeruz Festival to this day. But I hadn't met any of them before, so I wasn't ever able to contribute. But recently, I made a friend there who also follows Lesser Lord Kusanali! I gave her my savings because I want her to throw a wonderful festival this year. That's the least I could do for Lesser Lord Kusanali," Dunyarzad mumbled.
"Hold on. My lady, does this friend happen to be Nilou? The one who sends flowers to the estate?" Dehya asked.
Dunyarzad nodded her head. "Yes, that's her."
"I saw her leaving the other day with a nervous look on her face, it seemed like she was hiding something in her arms. Did you give her something?" Dehya questioned.
Dunyarzad smiled nervously. "Ah, yes... Initially, I didn't have much mora prepared, so I had Nilou sell one of my skirts. I've agreed with Nilou to meet up at the Grand Bazaar today and see how things are coming along. Dehya, would you accompany me?"
Dehya hummed. "Sure. That's quite the trip though - I'll carry you," she replied.
Dunyarzad shook her head. "No, that would be too much, even for you."
"You might as well just accept the lift. If I let you walk, who knows how long it'll take us! And if anything happens to you, then I'd really never hear the end of it from your father," Dehya retorted.
(F/n) tilted their head to the side, deciding to break the awkwardness from their side.
"Uhm... can we come along with you guys?" (F/n) asked.
Dunyarzad nodded her head at the question. "But of course! Nilou will be thrilled to hear that there are more people interested in Lesser Lord Kusanali," she agreed.
✧˖*°࿐
Dunyarzad came walking up to a female with short red hair.
"Sorry I'm late, Nilou," Dunyarzad apologized.
Nilou perked up. "Oh, Dunyarzad! It was taking you so long that I assumed you got trapped at home, but you made it in the end!" She exclaimed before taking notice of Dehya, "Uh oh, but if Dehya's here, that means you got caught, right?" She asked.
Dunyarzad smiled nervously. "You could say that, but everything worked out! She's on our side now," she reassured.
"Hah, not completely," Dehya retorted.
Nilou then took notice of the group of four. "Oh? And who are they four?" She asked.
"Oh, meet Traveler, Paimon, (Y/n), and (F/n), my four newest friends. They're visitors who just arrived at Sumeru City and are looking for information on Lesser Lord Kusanali," Dunyarzad answered.
Nilou made a sound of interest. "So you're followers from another land?" She questioned.
"Yep!" Aether answered.
Nilou clasped her hands together in excitement. "That's wonderful! You four absolutely mustn't miss the Sabzeruz Festival!" She says before turning back to Dunyarzad, "By the way, Dunyarzad, we've already started decorating the Grand Bazaar. It looks spectacular, thanks to your generous contribution!"
"You're very welcome! It's the only thing I could do. Do you still have enough mora?" Dunyarzad retorted.
Nilou rubbed at the back of her head. "Uh, probably...? But don't sweat it. We've already finished renovating the stage! Come on, I'll show you."
The group followed after Nilou as the said female led them to the stage.
Paimon gasped in awe. "Wow, this is amazing!" She exclaimed.
"Not bad. Heh, the last time I was here, the stairs were full of holes," Dehya states.
"The stairs were nothing! A little while ago, we discovered that the tree above the stage had a huge chunk of bark ready to fall off. Mr. Zubayr was worried sick! We reported it to the Akademiya many times, but they never sent anyone to deal with it. We didn't want anything bad happening, so we were going to cancel all the stage performances," Nilou explained.
Aether and (Y/n) shared a look of disbelief before looking in front of them.
"Why didn't anyone come to handle it?" Aether asked.
"Oh, probably because it was the theater asking," Dehya answered.
"The Akademiya looks down on performers like us. They probably think it would be best if the theater closed down completely. We can't let that happen, though. Not only would everyone involved in the theater go hungry, but then we wouldn't be able to hold the Sabzeruz Festival anymore. Thank the Dendro Archon for Dunyarzad! With the mora she gave us, we hired someone to patch up the tree, and we also have the stage a much-needed makeover. The stage is going to be even prettier when it's festival time! I can't wait for you to see it!" Nilou explained.
Dunyarzad smiled brightly. "And I can't wait to see you on the stage! You've been practicing so long already - it's almost time for your dream to become reality!" She states.
"It's OUR dream! I'll do my best for the two of us," Nilou replied.
Paimon tilted her head. "Nilou, what are you gonna be doing at the festival?" She asked.
"She'll be dancing the Dance of Sabzeruz, the most important performance at the Sabzeruz Festival," Dunyarzad explained.
Nilou turned to Dunyarzad. "Dunyarzad, have you told them the origin of this holiday?" She asked.
"I only told them about the Greater Lord and Lesser Lord so far," Dunyarzad answered truthfully.
Nilou nodded her head. "Okay, then I'll tell you four about how this holiday came to be... According to legend, the Sabzeruz Festival was originally the Goddess of Flowers' birthday celebration for the Greater Lord and her right-hand man. A long, long time ago, on one of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's birthdays, her friends threw both of them a celebratory banquet. Some of the gods got drunk. One started playing music and the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata started singing, so the Goddess of Flowers began to dance. As she danced upon the grass, countless beautiful Padisarahs began to bloom wherever she stepped. Those brilliant purple flowers became her dazzling stage. All the gods clamored, "Oh, if only the time could stop at this very moment"," she says.
"Sounds like they had a great time," Aether said with a small smile on his lips.
Nilou quickly nodded her head. "Of course they did! When people mention the gods, they always think of the Archon War, but Sumeru's gods also had happy times. Although they aren't around anymore, they're preserved in our tradition of dance. This outfit I'm wearing is apparently based on how the Goddess of Flowers looked. Though we're just tiny people compared to the divine, we still have to do our best to make sure that the birthday girl feels loved on her special day," she replied.
"Nilou, you of all people will definitely be able to convey our wishes to the Dendro Archon. I also noticed that you went the extra mile and scattered Padisarahs around the stage," Dunyarzad points out.
Nilou giggled. "Hehe, they symbolize the Goddess of Flowers after all. It's just a shame that all the real Padisarahs went extinct after her death," she retorted.
Dunyarzad nodded her head. "Yeah. The Greater Lord brought forth Padisarahs in memory of the Goddess of Flowers, but she ultimately could never truly replicate that beautiful purple," she agreed.
Nilou placed a hand on her chin. "Thinking about the Goddess of Flowers' dance makes me wish I could've seen it. If my stage were anything like that..." She trailed off with a sigh leaving her lips, "I'd be thrilled if I had just two real Padisarahs on the stage. So Traveler, Paimon, (Y/n), and (F/n), what do you think? Interested in the Sabzeruz Festival? Will you four be coming?" She asked.
Dunyarzad turned to the group. "All of Lesser Lord Kusanali's followers will be there for her birthday. It'll be a good opportunity for you to learn more about her," she explained.
"Ooh, Paimon thinks that's a great idea!" Paimon exclaimed.
(F/n) quickly nodded their head in agreement. "Yeah! The music... The lights... And dancing! That really does sound fun... Can we? Can we check out the festival, pretty please??" They beamed before quickly turning to (Y/n) with wide kitten-like eyes.
(Y/n) placed a hand over his eyes as he forced himself to look away.
Nilou stared at the interactions in front of her in amusement.
"I guess we could," (Y/n) mumbled.
(F/n) threw their arms up into the air. "Yeah!" They cheered.
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