NOVEL WEB Chapter 87: 87: Return
"Have you considered developing a drug to rapidly boost strength?" Reisen Riou asked Banna.
"Why bother?" Banna replied, curious.
"What about a legendary smart drug?" Reisen Riou pressed.
"No such thing exists," Banna scoffed.
Raiden Makoto and Raiden Ei stayed neutral, accustomed to their otherworldly attendant's wild ideas. Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, however, pondered deeply, her expression shifting to realization.
The group toured the Amurta School's astronomy and astrology exhibits, showcasing star charts and instruments. The Rtawahist School's alchemy, mathematics, and ley line studies, while not rivaling Khaenri'ah's, were world-class, teaching Reisen Riou new mathematical insights. The Haravatat School, focused on linguistics and semiotics, housed records of hundreds of Teyvat's languages, most from extinct civilizations, each demon god crafting unique scripts. Reisen Riou's head spun; Banna had little to add.
The Kshahrewar School, studying archaeology and sociology, often traveled to study foreign cultures. Reisen Riou spotted Red King tech, purchasing samples to analyze their levitation—magnetic or anti-gravity? The acquisition was easy, likely due to the school's dismissal of Red King theories. Finally, the Vahumana School excelled in architecture and mechanisms, building Sumeru City, Avidya Forest, and Lokapala Jungle, but their devices paled against Khaenri'ah's, seen in Reisen Riou's alchemy journals. "How does a farming machine become a combat bot? Khaenri'ah's nuts," he muttered.
…
The tour wrapped up, and they enjoyed Sumeru's desserts and specialties at a small diner. Raiden Ei dove into her meal with focus, while Reisen Riou marveled at the meat variety. Inazuma relied on hard-to-catch boars, with domestication insufficient for "pork freedom." Sumeru, however, boasted pork, sumpter beast, long-maned tiger, crocodile, and scorpion meat. Its rainforest and desert ecosystems, including the fungal-pig hybrid Shroomboar, fascinated him. Infused with fungal filaments, Shroomboar meat carried a rich mushroom aroma, tender yet firm from shade and exercise. Paired with Sumeru's spices, Reisen Riou devoured ten portions of grilled meat wraps, asking the chef for the recipe to recreate it—his culinary mastery would suffice.
During the meal, they met Banna's grandson, Busayn, a fiery, upright Matra unlike the sly Banna or meek Zexi. They crossed paths at a café where Busayn was busting smugglers bold enough to trade there. Initially, Banna hesitated to acknowledge him, hidden by Rukkhadevata's divine aura, but she casually revealed Busayn's identity, embarrassing Banna—not for his grandson's role but for the public bust before foreign gods. "My apologies," Banna said. "The Akademiya has its pests."
"No different in Inazuma," Makoto said warmly. "We punish lawbreakers too. Desire and luck tempt many."
The next few days were calm, filled with leisure. Negotiations concluded, and with Inazuma's and Sumeru's governmental backlogs mounting, lingering would be impolite. Sumeru hosted a grand farewell banquet, and Reisen Riou's group, led by Raiden Makoto, boarded a ship back to Inazuma.
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