Chapter 10: Chapter 10: With Staff, Without General

I was sitting blankly on the plains.

After finishing a round of tasks, a truly long-awaited mental fatigue had arrived.

Come to think of it, I haven't rested properly in about 20 years. It's been a continuous series of events since I left that cave.

I looked up at the sky and measured the speed of the clouds.

The wind blew coolly, and the grass sprouted, preparing to create a green stage for the flowers.

Good. I need moments like this too.

I'll rest for a while, as work will surely come soon enough.

I lay down on the grass and closed my eyes.

The all-too-familiar pitch-black darkness visited.

Even after coming to the surface, I was afraid to close my eyes for several days.

Because the darkness made me recall that deep cave.

The 80 years of memory were strongly imprinted on me.

But now is different.

This wind. This sunlight.

Feeling the nature embracing me, I sensed someone approaching.

"What brings you all the way here, Ganyu?"

Swish.

The sound of someone demurely sitting down beside me was heard.

"I had some free time, so I came to see. I'm sorry if I disturbed your rest..."

"Not at all. It's even better with you here, Ganyu."

"...Is that so?"

"Of course."

I looked at Ganyu with half-open eyes.

Covering her reddened cheeks with both hands and sighing softly, she looked so very human.

If not for the horns, who would ever think this woman was an adeptus?

...The complete opposite of me.

Who would think I am human?

Even at this moment lying on the grass, I was constantly keeping my body light, so the grass was only bowing its head very slightly.

A woman who looks human to anyone who sees her, and a man who does not look human to anyone who sees him.

A good match.

I chuckled and raised myself up.

"Huh? Are you getting up? Did something come up...?"

As Ganyu looked at me and spoke pitifully, the smile on my face spread even wider.

Is this how one feels if they had a granddaughter?

"No. I just thought of something I want to try."

I took out a few Qingxin seeds from my bosom.

I collected a few from the peaks while returning to Guili yesterday.

"Huh, what is that?"

Instead of answering Ganyu's question, I planted the Qingxin seeds into the ground.

And I raised a single index finger.

The enlightenment I gained from Havria through our previous spar. 

Evil Cannot Defile the Righteous.

It pushes away the unrighteous and gathers only the righteous.

What I learned through several trials and errors was that this energy could be gathered not only at the tip of a sword.

Blue energy gathered at my fingertip.

And. It burst forth.

To gather turbid energy and collect only pure, upright energy.

The bursting form resembled a galaxy scattering stars, so Ganyu admired the sight.

Although it was only about half of the initially gathered energy, an extremely refined, pure energy had amassed.

Looking at that energy, I realized.

The Dharma power of Shaolin!

Extremely pure energy that repels heterodox ways.

...I gained something bigger than I thought from Havria. To be able to mimic the Dharma power of Shaolin.

Hmm... It's energy gained from the Illuminated Beast of Salt. Shall I call it salt-imbued energy?

I brought the salt-imbued energy gathered at my fingertip to the ground where the seeds were planted.

Then. A small miracle stretched and arose.

The green stems of the flowers pierced through the soil and grew upward.

"...?!"

Ganyu opened her mouth wide in admiration but silently watched the six Qingxin flowers growing, imbued with a miracle.

Soon, six Qingxin flowers, saturated with salt-imbued energy, bloomed fully on the plains.

Unlike ordinary Qingxin, energy containing my blue inner power flowed from leaves shining like mirrors, and the white petals were cleaner than any color in nature.

"A gift for you, Ganyu."

"Huh, huh? For me?!"

As I spoke, Ganyu finally asked, startled.

"Yes. You said you like Qingxin, so I prepared them."

"Uu...uuh..."

Ganyu extended a slightly trembling hand to pluck a Qingxin flower, then hesitated and looked up at me.

Like a small puppy asking for permission.

I laughed heartily and nodded.

"You may eat it. I brought them for you in the first place."

"Th-thank you, Gawain..."

Ganyu very gracefully plucked one Qingxin flower and held it in her hand.

Surprised by how well it suited her, I admired her appearance anew and watched as she carefully plucked a petal and brought it to her lips.

"...!"

And Ganyu's eyes, which had been chewing the petal for a moment, lit up.

What is it? Is she gaining enlightenment?

"Gawain!"

Ganyu suddenly approached me and shouted.

"It's incredibly...! Incredibly...! Different! From other Qingxin!"

"Ah... Is that so?"

It's a flower imbued with my salt-imbued energy. Of course it would be different.

"Uuh... If I get used to this flower, other flowers might not satisfy me.. "

"Then I can just give you some whenever that happens."

"Huh, huh?!"

Ganyu looked at me with a face that had turned even redder.

"...Ah. What I meant was..."

I tried to explain, sensing something.

"An energy that resembles mine. Did you gain it then? You're using it well, it makes me proud."

Someone muttered while walking over.

A familiar voice.

A familiar energy.

I stood up quickly and made a martial salute.

"Gawain pays his respects to the Illuminated Beast of Salt."

"Enough. If anything, I am the one indebted."

Havria, with snow-white hair, was crossing the grassy field and approaching me.

"And just call me Lady Havria. My people all call me that."

"How could I..."

"Haven't you already disobeyed my words three times?"

"......."

She leaves me speechless. Havria.

"...Understood. Lady Havria."

Havria smiled contentedly and turned her gaze to the flowers I had grown.

"Marvelous. I cannot do such a thing. My salt instead desolates the land."

"But salt enriches humans. The uses are merely different. What is precious is the same."

At my flowing answer, Havria blinked for a moment, then smiled and said.

"It seems I must keep my wits sharp around you. That energy even enchants illuminated beasts."

...?

Dharma power rather cultivates a person's spirit...?

"Hmm. If that's the case, then those flowers..."

Thud thud.

?

I turned my head at the sudden sound.

Ganyu, who had unknowingly plucked all five remaining Qingxin flowers and held them in her hand, had come behind me.

"...I was about to ask for them. But it seems I'm late."

Havria shook her head regretfully.

"By the way. Have your talks with the God of Dust concluded?"

"Ah. Yes. On the condition that she and my people are accepted. I agreed to provide salt to the people of Guili and to erect a barrier to protect Guili from demons using the special salt you discovered."

It's good that it went well. With this, the preparations for the Archon War are almost complete.

Now what remains is.

"What about my request?"

"Of course. I have gathered all the able-bodied men among my people."

"Then let's go."

I took the first step.

Then Ganyu also began to follow behind me.

"...?"

When I looked at her with a face full of question, Ganyu spoke.

"Can I... watch too?"

"...Hmm. It won't be much of a spectacle."

"S-still!"

"...Well. If you insist."

Thus, I, Ganyu, and Havria walked and arrived at a place not too far from Guili.

There, dozens of adult men were gathered, looking at me.

Hmm. Their eyes aren't bad.

"Please watch from here. Ah. By the way, Lady Havria."

"What is it?"

I looked at Havria and spoke.

"Do you. Trust me?"

"...Of course."

"If so. Please do not interfere with anything that happens from now on. It is necessary."

"...I shall. I will trust you."

Good.

Now let me do my job.

I looked at the men and then walked to a tree.

As spring approached, the tree branches had gained substance and hardened.

Snap.

Soon, I broke off one branch that looked particularly thick.

And holding that branch, I approached the men.

"...Greetings to all. Seeing the scars on your faces, you all must know me. Isn't that right?"

At my words, all the men nodded.

"From now on, I will ask you one question. Answer without a shred of falsehood."

I took a moment to steady my breath and spoke.

"If. A situation like last time occurs, and this time a truly evil illuminated beast invades. What will you do?"

At my question, the men stirred for a moment.

Did they find it unexpected?

"You there. You answer first."

I pointed at one man.

"Fi, fight to the end..."

"Without a shred of falsehood."

"Is, is that tru...!"

"I."

I said, my blue pupils glowing.

"Can tell. So speak the truth."

"...I would run away."

"Good. Next, you answer."

I soon pointed at another man.

"I would flee!"

"I'd... grab the salt and..."

"I... would probably... join another illuminated beast..."

...It's a mess.

These guys. There's not a flicker of change in their heartbeats. Meaning it's all truth.

Sighing inwardly, I pointed at the last remaining man.

A familiar face.

The guy with the nightflower scent.

"You. You answer."

"...I would..."

The man pondered for a moment and spoke.

"Rather than being captured, suffering humiliation and pain, and then dying, I would stab the Illuminated Beast of Salt and die as well."

Silence filled the space at the man's words.

The other men, horrified, slowly backed away from me.

The nightflower-scented man who gave that answer raised his head as if to say 'what are you going to do about it'.

And I.

"So it was you."

With my blue pupils glowing brighter than ever, I thrust the branch at incredible speed.

"Wh..."

CRACK!

"You blasphemous one!!!"

"Guhack?!"

The branch pierced the man's abdomen, but.

The branch did not break.

THUD!

CRUNCH!

THUMP!

CRACK!

SMASH!

"Ghk! Kehak! Kahak! Krugh!"

And so I began to beat the man.

Beating.

"Hi, hiik!"

Striking.

"Uu...uuu..."

Pummeling relentlessly.

The frightened men watching tried to flee.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Using footwork, I leaped and struck the men.

"Ghk!"

"Kyahaak!"

"Kreeek?!"

The struck men gathered in the center.

"Sp, spare me...!"

"Uwaaaaaahk!!!!"

THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!

They began to be pulverized by the branch saturated with sword energy.

As expected, this has been the remedy since ancient times.