Yuehai Pavilion.
While Ganyu and Shenhe returned to their offices, Nolan sat with Xianyun in a quiet spot, guiding her through how to use the Akasha Terminal.
"Image recorder, Knowledge Shop, Akasha Forum… quite a few functions here."
With his instruction, Xianyun tapped into each application one by one, quickly grasping their purposes.
"Interesting." She seed especially drawn to the Akasha Forum—the ability to converse with others instantly, no matter the distance, held a strong appeal for her.
"True Lord, aren't you an inventor? The Akasha Forum has a section for serious academic discussions. You should take a look—you might even find so inspiration for your own creations."
Nolan smiled as he spoke.
He was deliberately trying to lead her toward discovering the Star-Sea Vessel project. If it caught her attention, so much the better.
"Oh? Is that so?" Curiosity piqued, Xianyun navigated to the academic exchange boards.
Inside were subdivisions on elental studies, astrology, chanics, and more.
There was even a section dedicated to ongoing research projects.
Intrigued, Xianyun clicked it open to see what kinds of endeavors were listed.
Desert Agriculture Water-Saving Irrigation Project… chanical Waterwheel… Passenger Rail System… Star-Sea Vessel Preliminary Research…
She skimd through the entries—most were highly practical, but none especially captivating.
Until her eyes landed on Star-Sea Vessel.
"This is…"
A flash of astonishnt crossed her face. Such a project? A vessel to sail among the stars—wasn't that far too ahead of its ti for Teyvat?
After all, people's knowledge of the cosmos was still rudintary, limited to what could be seen through telescopes.
And now soone was proposing to leap straight into crafting sothing that could voyage through the heavens. Even she found the ambition startling.
"Ahem… you know, I co from beyond this world. So it's only natural that I'd yearn for the 'outside.'"
Nolan offered a brief explanation.
"Oh? Then this Star-Sea Vessel project—it was proposed by you?" Xianyun asked, her arms crossed lightly over her chest, the black silk fabric pressing in her grasp.
"Yeah. What do you think, True Lord? With your mastery of chanics, surely you could build it without much trouble, right?" Nolan chuckled slyly.
"Hmph! Do you take for a god of creation?"
Xianyun shot him a glare. She was confident in her chanical arts, yes—but not arrogant enough to believe she could simply forge a star-faring vessel.
"And stop calling 'True Lord' in public! Do you want everyone to recognize ?" she scolded.
"But ordinary people don't usually refer to themselves as 'this adeptus' either…" Nolan countered.
"Ahem… well, I… naturally I know that. Forget it. There's no one else around, so it doesn't matter."
Xianyun pushed up her red half-rimd glasses awkwardly.
"In any case, let's set your Star-Sea Vessel aside for now. First, take to see these new marvels of Liyue you keep speaking of."
She corrected her self-reference smoothly as she spoke.
"I'll take you to see Liyue's Academy of Science first," Nolan said with a nod, rising to his feet and leading Xianyun outside.
Liyue's Academy of Science was a comprehensive research institute established by the Qixing, uniting the scholars of Liyue.
Every major research project in Liyue began here.
By pooling the nation's intellectual strength—especially with the Akasha Terminals allowing real-ti collaboration with scholars from other nations—new projects and theories were being proposed daily, and countless achievents had already been produced.
If not for the natural delay between laboratory success and comrcial application, Liyue's level of technology would already be approaching that of Earth's modern era.
In so areas, thanks to breakthroughs with elental power, Liyue had even surpassed Earth—particularly in the cleanliness and low cost of energy. With a supply of energy that seed virtually inexhaustible, multiple nations were able to develop at an extraordinary pace.
After seeing the Academy's latest achievents, Xianyun was quietly astonished.
She had not expected that in such a short ti away, Liyue had developed so quickly. So of the inventions, to her eye, should have been impossible to drive. Yet humans had managed to power them through various ans—mysteries that she now wanted to understand.
After the Academy, Nolan took her through the streets to see the new automobiles and other innovations in action.
The more she saw, the more alien it all felt. Xianyun even began to wonder whether she had sohow co to the wrong place.
"Haha—ah, Xianyun, are you feeling overwheld? As if three days apart feels like three years? What do you think, are you interested in staying in Liyue Harbor?
"Otherwise, if you leave after the Lantern Rite and co back later, you might not even recognize the city anymore."
Nolan awkwardly forced himself to use her alias.
"Hmph, this adeptus has her own considerations." Since they weren't speaking in front of others, Xianyun slipped back into her habitual self-reference.
Seeing her deanor, Nolan knew she was already intrigued by Liyue's rapid changes—she simply refused to admit it openly out of pride.
He didn't press her. If he pushed her too far, she might storm back to Mt. Aocang out of stubbornness, and then convincing her to return would be far more difficult.
As the sky darkened toward evening, he turned to her.
"It's getting late. Allow to treat you to dinner at Xinyue Kiosk, then I'll take you back to Yuehai Pavilion."
Since Xianyun had only just arrived in Liyue Harbor today, she likely hadn't arranged a place to stay. Sending her to Yuehai Pavilion, where she could lodge with Ganyu, seed simplest.
"That is acceptable." Xianyun nodded casually, her expression softening slightly toward him.
[Xianyun Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 300 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.7 (400/700).]
They were already near the seaside street below Xinyue Kiosk, so it was only a short walk.
Perhaps due to her habits as an Adeptus, Xianyun ordered only vegetarian dishes.
Nolan was happy to accompany her in eating a fully vegetarian al.
After dinner, the two left Xinyue Kiosk and walked back to Yuehai Pavilion.
By then, Ganyu and Shenhe had also finished their work. Seeing Nolan spend the whole afternoon accompanying their master, Ganyu felt a touch more favorable toward him.
[Ganyu Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 320 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.8 (340/800).]
Since it was still early, Ganyu and Shenhe planned to accompany their master to the night market, leaving Nolan to head back on his own.
That was fine—he still had a few sword techniques from Ningguang to practice, and he hadn't yet gone into the cosmic behemoth's stomach to grind so EXP…
As he stepped out of Yuehai Pavilion and onto the street, he suddenly spotted Keqing, directing several Millelith as they hung rows of red lanterns.
(End of Chapter)
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