Chapter 20: Nahida 2

Lin Feng chatted aimlessly with the Lesser Lord Kusanali within the dreamscape. Already fond of Nahida from the original story, he naturally wouldn't pass up such a golden opportunity to deepen his understanding of this world.

"Could I trouble you for a plate of date sugar candies?" Lin Feng asked suddenly.

"Eh? You want date sugar candies, here?"

Nahida blinked in surprise, momentarily unable to keep up with Lin Feng’s unconventional train of thought.

"Ah, just a sudden whim. I’m a bit curious, but never mind if it’s too much trouble." Lin Feng didn't press the matter.

"No, please, you absolutely must try them!" Nahida’s tone rose suddenly, her adorable little face becoming uncharacteristically serious.

"Oh? Then... thank you?"

Lin Feng was taken aback by this sudden enthusiasm. Only a moment ago, Nahida had seemed quite solemn, but at the mere mention of date sugar candies, her large, pale green eyes had instantly lit up.

"Although the date sugar candies in a dream won’t make your brain race with lightning speed, they are still a rare and exquisite delicacy."

Having received an affirmative response, Nahida waved her little hand happily, constructing a table within the dreamscape and eagerly summoning a plate of date sugar candies along with a matching tea set.

Watching the expectant Lesser Lord, Lin Feng reached out and picked up an amber-colored piece of candy from the green-and-white patterned plate, popping the confection—which resembled a slice of traditional nut cake—into his mouth.

It’s a good thing this is just a dream, he thought; if I ate like this every day, I’d certainly put on weight.

Feeling the solid weight of the treat in his hand, Lin Feng felt a sense of admiration for Nahida, who could finish an entire plate in one sitting.

*Snap.*

With a crisp sound, Lin Feng bit off a small piece.

The high-quality sugar melted the moment it touched his tongue. Lin Feng had intended to offer a polite compliment, but he was immediately struck by an intense, overwhelming sweetness that bloomed across his taste buds—it was as if refined sugar had been condensed several times over, mixed with premium honey, and thoroughly stirred together.

Although the sweetness was sophisticated and layered, Lin Feng, who preferred savory flavors, found this culinary style rather difficult to handle.

"To be honest, I think it’s a bit too... too delicious!"

Frowning at the intensity of the sugar, Lin Feng had intended to express his true feelings, but catching a glimpse of Nahida’s expectant and slightly anxious face, he suddenly found the sugary cake much more endearing.

"Really?!" The nervous Lesser Lord let out a sigh of relief, her beautiful eyes curving into crescents.

"Phew, the Aranara aren't used to them, but since you like them, do have a few more!" Nahida generously pushed the plate toward Lin Feng, looking up at him with a look of pure happiness as he ate.

Lin Feng: "..."

Enduring the delightful agony, Lin Feng continued to eat the sweets while sharing his own experiences with Nahida—who rarely found anyone to talk to—occasionally weaving in "stories" he had learned from the game in his past life.

Nahida, obsessed with knowledge, was clearly fascinated. She kept her adorable emerald-green eyes wide throughout, nodding curiously from time to time. Her side ponytail bobbed up and down with her small head, revealing a rare, childlike innocence.

"It’s about time; I have to leave."

After chatting for the entire night, Lin Feng bid Nahida farewell.

***

"Mm, let me send you back."

Although reluctant, Nahida nodded, intending to return Lin Feng to reality.

"Wait." As they were about to return, Lin Feng suddenly asked her to pause.

"I can do that, but is there something else?" Nahida looked at him, puzzled.

"There is one question I hope you will answer honestly." Standing up, Lin Feng gazed at Nahida, who barely reached his chest.

"What question is that?" Nahida was clearly intrigued.

Lin Feng moved closer to Nahida, slowly crouching down to meet her eyes as he asked earnestly:

"Do you... want to come out of the Sanctuary of Surasthana, out of that cage?"

"..."

"..."

The once pleasant atmosphere fell into a sudden silence. The Lesser Lord’s mood shifted, turning noticeably somber.

"May I ask why?" Nahida looked up.

"Why would you want a god like me, someone without presence or accomplishments, to come out?"

Tilting her face slightly, Nahida looked at the young man who, until today, had been a total stranger.

"Perhaps, simply because I want to. After all, compared to the sages, you are much easier on the eyes," Lin Feng admitted candidly.

"And I am certain that it won't be long before I possess the strength to make all of this happen."

Having cleared the Withering Zones "all by himself," the level 43 Lin Feng was full of confidence.

Nahida watched him, lost in thought. After careful consideration, she gave her answer:

"If... one day in the future, you truly possess such confidence, then please, come to the Sanctuary of Surasthana and awaken me from my slumber."

"But not now. If Sumeru were to lose its sages at this moment, it would fall into severe chaos. A god without accomplishments cannot gain the recognition of the people of Sumeru."

Indeed, before the scandals of the Akademiya sages were exposed, even if the Lesser Lord left her cage, she would inevitably be unable to take over Sumeru as perfectly as she did in the story.

Therefore, for the sake of stability in Sumeru, the Lesser Lord decided to remain in her lonely cage.

"I see. I understand."

Lin Feng nodded, noncommittal.

"There is one last thing," Lin Feng looked at the Lesser Lord.

***

"What is it?" After the previous question, Nahida was clearly curious about what other "heavy" topic Lin Feng might bring up.

But just as she watched him with curiosity, Lin Feng slowly reached out both hands, and under her increasingly puzzled gaze:

—He pinched her two small, elf-like, adorable ears.

"Eh—"

...

"Still just a child, aren't you?"

Kicked out of the dream, Lin Feng felt he hadn't lost out. He had wanted to do that ever since playing the game—with a pair of ears that conspicuous, could no one else see them?

The texture was great; he’d definitely do it again. Lin Feng considered this level of rejection trivial.

Setting aside the small prank, Lin Feng acknowledged that the Lesser Lord made a valid point. Even if he released her now, it wouldn't cause any significant change to the situation in Sumeru.

—After all, the sages hadn't fallen from grace yet; in the eyes of the people, they were still symbols of wisdom.

However, Lin Feng had no intention of abandoning his plan to free the Lesser Lord. If nothing else, he could do it quietly. Even if she couldn't do much on the surface, he could at least let this homebody enjoy food from all over Sumeru.

He didn't know how many years it would be before the Traveler wandered into Sumeru, and Lin Feng didn't plan to pin his hopes on that Traveler, who had zero mental resistance and negative vertigo resistance.

Upon waking, Lin Feng checked his status panel. After a night of chatting, he had leveled up twice, reaching level 45. Knowing this was a "friendship bonus" from the Lesser Lord, he silently committed the favor to heart and decided to make sure the Grand Sage met a truly miserable end.

With nothing to do for the moment, Lin Feng opened the Lesser Lord’s panel:

[Individual Info: Archon — God of Wisdom — Buer]
Level: 100 (An Archon standing at the peak of the mortal world. As a wielder of authority, levels cannot measure the true might of a god.)
Element: Dendro
Tags: Lord of Verdure, Lord of Wisdom, Lord of Dreams, Elemental Mastery (Dendro), Phenomenon Control (Dreams), Branch of the World, God’s Dream (Max), Plant Affinity (Max), Plant Creation (Max), Consciousness Possession (9)... Cooking (5).
Emotion: Shame
Friendship: 50 (You are full of unknown mysteries. As the God of Wisdom, she is filled with curiosity about everything regarding you.)

Seeing the friendship level at 50, Lin Feng felt reassured—the friendship level didn't drop, so he would definitely touch them again next time.

This panel was within Lin Feng's expectations. He assumed every Archon was level 100, but because 100 was the level cap, there were still vast differences between them—like a certain disgraced serpent who was severely wounded by Zhongli and later scared off to Enkanomiya by the Raiden Shogun.

Still, the Lesser Lord’s luxurious panel made Lin Feng drool. Even her lowest-level tag was Cooking at level 5, and the long list of unranked authorities above that confirmed the truth: beneath the Archons, everyone else was just an ant.

Most of the skills held no interest for Lin Feng, as he couldn't copy them anyway, but thinking of Nahida’s performance in the story, a playful idea blossomed in his mind.