Chapter Text
Lord Kusanali is such a benevolent lord of knowledge. An example of her benevolence would be: those who had schemed a transgression against her, were exiled to seek more knowledge and become the paripurna (whole) scholar. Ways to the pinnacle of wholeness are countless, as knowledge can come from anywhere as little as a speck of the dust to the grand fate that awaits us at the end of our journey. May she guide those who have been living a fallacy will come to light and come in terms with ‘fate’ that the world desires. Including the wanderer who tried to reverse his fate, he had been by the Lord to seek knowledge from Akademiya.
As for the wanderer’s journey to come in terms with fate begins now, staring at the Akademiya grand scribe’s locked door with two research proposals in hand, and no sign of the scribe coming anytime soon. A student comes up to the newbie out of good will, making sure he isn’t wasting time waiting for a meeting with the scribe.
“Hi, Hat Guy from Vahumana right, do you have any business with the scribe?”
“I need to submit this document to the scribe.”
“Mr. Alhaitham is out at the moment; you know you can just leave your paper on the box there the one that said, ‘research permit’ he’ll let you know in like a day or two workdays.”
“I think I needed this done asap, so I’d just rather wait here and meet him in person.”
“Sure, suit yourself then, good luck on your research.”
Fifteen minutes turns into forty-five minutes. Some students pass him looking him up and down out of pity, clocking in the newbie around campus. He eyes the research permit box that was already full to the brim, ‘looks like it hasn’t been touched for days. He considers an option to put his file in the box instead of an eye-to-eye with the scribe, but the latter would get him ahead. He hadn’t yet understood that no scholar would love to waste their time waiting for a simple admin task that would place them eye to eye with the grand scribe, as he glances upon their hard work of a proposal only to get rejected. His impatience at its peak, though in a moment, broken by the presence the arriving Grand Scribe.
“Most students don’t hang around the scribe office waiting for their proposal approved. What other business do you have?”
Keys rattling unlocking the door to the Grand Scribe’s office. The master opens the door also welcoming the wanderer inside. The scribe had meticulously pulled out some scrolls from a stack under his desk neatly putting them in front for bookkeeping. The wanderer solemnly hands the scribe a pile of papers on the scribe’s desk.
“I’ve collected all the requirements to do the seminar, here’s the document required to set for my thesis proposal, and here’s a copy of my thesis draft.” He said amiably.
“Hat Guy from Vahumana, are you signed in the Vahumana program this semester?”
“Yes...”
“You don’t appear to sign in any of our curriculum programs though?”
“Do I have to sit in class? Aren’t there curriculums for research-based programs?”
“As far as the Akademiya rules goes, I don’t recall any signed student who plans to study Akademiya have that sorts pardon, even they were…let’s say backed up by the Dendro Archon”
“Tsk, if you already knew that I am such a special case, why would you go to such lengths to bar this humble student from doing research?”
“Well, the Akademiya rulebook never mentions anything about special treatment for special cases. But I’m pretty much hands-off if there are further instructions from the Dendro Archon. who am I if not a feeble academic staff to deny such a request from the Great Sage of Akademiya?”
“Hold your words, scribe!”
He seethes out of the grand scribe room with quite the stomping pace, into the lift taking him to the grand sage office. As the platform reached the top chamber, he saw the small god of Dendro sitting on top of the highchair boosted with three fluffy pillows. Her eyes focused on a space in front of her, giving several nods in accordance as a reply to the other end, seem she just received the newest development from the scribe.
“Lord Kusanali! I’ve written my proposal as you said and submitted it to the scribe, may I inquire if there’s an extra detail you’ve forgotten to talk to me about something?” he smiled malignantly.
“Is this why you’ve come to see me in such haste? I’m quite joyed you’ve come to see me. I just received the news from the scribe, seems there’s nothing that I haven’t told you about, as I previously mentioned you are to be enrolled in Akademiya, as a student. Do research and write a paper. It is all correct but a small misunderstanding in the first part, which you were to be enrolled as a student.”
“SO?”
“No, there is no extra pardon for Hat Guy, as I recall you said you are my prisoner, yes? Well, I can say in Sumeru prisoners deserve an education, and enrolling in Akademiya means you must play by Akademiya’s rules. Hat Guy will be enrolled in the Vahumana program this semester and he’ll sit in every required program as per Akademiya graduate’s rules. I am still not quite sure to apologize for this but I guess I do need you around for a lot longer than you initially thought.”
“FINE!” he yelled his acceptance of fate.
“What do I need to do?” cried Wanderer, blasting into the scribe’s office.
Alhaitham takes a glance forward and then back at the papers, still keeping a cool composure after being disturbed mid-work.
“Your attitude changes in one mere inconvenience, Mr. Hat Guy”
“ehem, so what do I need to do, please do enlighten me, Mr. Grand Scribe” Although said with more sincerity his choice of wording would easily be heard as contempt. Not the Scribe mind at all, after all the decree from the Dendro Archon has been sent down, and the mysterious Inazuman who appeared by the lord’s side has fell inside of Akademiya’s system, at least that is one less contributing factor that could lead to potential threat to the peace-loving Scribe.
“Since you’re entering the akademiya in a special way. I suppose I am the one instructing you, usually this is given by the respected grand sage of each darshan. Let’s start by this afternoon a thesis writing guide lecture is given in Vahumana Darshan, since lesser lord Kusanali didn’t have further instruction, you are enrolled in every compulsory lecture available this semester and extra writing class hoping that’ll make you learn about academic writing…and, about your thesis draft…”
The scribe personally hands him the thick manuscript with a big red stamp on the front.
“Rejected. You said they were ready, but it is far from satisfactory. Be back tomorrow, you can see my timetable in front of my office door.” he adds with a simple smile of service.
“Oh, hey hat guy, did your paper get rejected?” the earlier student who had been by saw the whole theatrics goes up to wanderer’s dejected face after coming out of the grand scribe’s office. He looked at the student in question and thought the following:
First, he wonders where can he find such guts to ask such a rude question out of nowhere to a person they barely knows, whether from naivety or from sympathy on how ridiculous things can happen in the academia. Next would be the attitude to respond to this rude stranger, as much as the heart wants to give a full contemptuous attitude to the opponent, they managed to appear in decent intention. Let’ just say the student was given grace to witness a merciful act of humility for the sake of decency.
“oh..hey..yeah- sorta it’s not a big of a deal…” he said with a tone appearing as amicable as possible.
“Hey, it’s fine…it is part of the process in writing for the academia, cheer up...!” they put their hands on the wanderer’s shoulder as if giving condolences instead of encouragement and left their way.
Wanderer had also gone his way through the Akademiya’s corridor muttering along his misfortune for today.
“I guess everyone needs to go through the needlessly hell dog of a scribe to do research,” he said to himself full of being mocked by the ridiculousness of the day.
“Tell me about it, that Alhaitham is outrageous when it comes to research topics. Hey, you are Hat Guy from the Championship? Remember me? Kaveh?”
It wasn’t enough for the world to let him have his way without being barged in the face with pity. Though this particular fiasco is a minuscule tribulation he had gone in three lives, and he had just about had enough participants to join his pity party. He decided to forgo his courteous attitude for this one particular individual.
“Oh yeah, you. The one who got a mansion for free but decided to give it to charity.” He chides.
“Ugh- don’t remind me about it.”
“What business you have with me?” he cuts to the chase.
“From the stamp on your paper, it’s obvious you’ve seen eye to eye with the scribe. You see Hat Guy, if you have any problems, with Alhaitham especially, you can consult this Senior!”
Wanderer truly wonders if Kaveh is even a good counselor for facing Alhaitham. Though he did say it with good intentions, he had enough of this wallowing party.
“Okay, I’ll take you up on it Senior, I’m a little a bit tight schedule right now so-”
“OH! Yeah! Cheer Up Hat Guy!”
That afternoon all of the Akademiya uniform clades student with their yellow pin imbedded to their beret gather at the Vahumana’s amphitheater. The grand sage of Vahumana darshan took the podium, and the loud hall filled with bustling conversation at once toned down into murmurs.
“Good afternoon, everyone! Those of you who are in the research program this semester please pay attention to this lecture! We will be shortly giving you the initial guide on writing thesis format and ALL of the required procedures in this booklet.”
“All of the students who are aiming for a higher degree on graduation are required to do a multidiscipline approach in writing this thesis, you are available to collaborate with another student in other darshan. AS FOR FUNDING FROM AKADEMIYA, you may submit to the grand scribe a budget plan with your team with the acknowledgment of your MENTORS! OTHER SOURCES FOR SPONSORSHIPS from third party are also allowed.”
“AS FOR YOUR MENTORS! You may pick all of the available Vahumana researchers to Professors…As for this year, my team requires three researchers, all of the students who are interested in this project regarding investment decisions in Kalmani Exchange please come to my office after this briefing. Further consultation, and disputes- ask the academic section. Well most likely here is the grand scribe. THAT IS ALL.”
After all of the extra pointers from the attending professor, the class dissolved into groups of their interest, and while the others had exited the room. As the new kid who isn’t in costume and famous enough for his Inazuman commentary essay that was once a hot topic among the students (hot enough to be nominated for representing a darshan in a championship) surely the Wanderer attracted three students giddy enough to approach him.
“Heeeyy…Hat GUY, nice to see you again since the championship” said one.
The other one chirps “Are you doing research this semester? What topic are you gonna go for? Probably Inazuman politics, right?”
“Yeah, you’re so knowledgeable in the topic, the Inazuman history professor keeps talking about when you visited his lecture hall …you should go for that!” The third one adds.
“Um, yeah probably that?” he nodded. What he said wasn’t a form of deceit to satisfy his opponent since he had already written and submitted one about Inazuman politics, though flatly rejected by the grand scribe an hour ago.
“So, who’s going to be your mentor?” asks the first one again. Wanderer also thought about his current problem couldn’t be solved alone, having another person point out his main problem would be more helpful than just flatly rejecting the whole notion without a clear reason. Then the second student with her bright eyes said to him,
“Miss Niloofar has mentored Dasturs from Inazuma before, one of their mentees’ theses got published in a journal! You should go ask her!”
“Oh,” he is genuinely surprised at the development that there’s something useful from this minor conversation. But the second student didn’t hesitate to warn him
“Though, rumor said she’s really hard to please when it comes to writing.”
“No way is she as hard to please as the Grand Scribe though?” he tries to humor them amicably.
“OH…uh- well the Grand Scribe is, ummm, on a whole other level.” the student replied abashedly.
“Huh, so it should be easy then. Her name was Miss Niloofar, right?”
Now that he has found a useful answer from the students, he gathers his stuff, and bade the three farewells with a newfound fervor to pursue his new advisor “Thanks for the info by the way…see you guys…” as he walks along from out from the three views he whispers “never again”. Walking away from the lecture hall., he is determined to crush the proposal so hard the Scribe would just give him the green light before his face.
Miss Niloofar had overseen two students on Inazuman politics, she seemed to have a good impression and not as sufferable as the scribe, so playing house and showing proper decency would be worth it. From what he heard in the passing she also has a lot of patience for her students who choose to pursue Inazuma as their research subject because most of her students got caught up with Inazuman's ridiculous politics two years ago have their graduation and research got derailed. He arrived in front of her office with two knocks, entered the office and found the professor sat her desk buried under three very messy piles of thesis manuscripts and drafts in front of her.
“Miss Niloofar, Hi I am Hat Guy from the Vahumana Darshan, newly enrolled. I heard you’ve mentored on Inazuman political research before?”
“Oh..hi sorry for the mess, hey are you from the interdarshan championship. Come on in, don’t stand by the door.”
“Here, sit here” She finds a way to put the books on the couch away and clear the table enough to have a decent conversation. The Wanderer sheepishly took the rejected manuscript out of his bag onto the now clear tea table.
“ummm, as I said before about my paper-”
“So, you have written a draft before finding an advisor?”
“I did, I was told by my master to do research this semester, so I wrote two of them and submitted them to the grand scribe, it’s about the evaluation of the Vision Hunt Decree in Inazuma, here is the draft I did before, it was rejected by the scribe, so please tell me where can I improve my draft”
“Hmm, I see. You said you need an advisor, right?”
“Yes, I do…though -I”
“What about the other stack of paper you are holding there?”
“These are another paper that I am writing, I haven’t really got around to show this on yet.”
“May I see them?”
“Hmm this one, wow, you are a Vahumana scholar through and through, though this topic would benefit Sumeru greatly if you succeed. But I apologize this one is out of my expertise. I can mentor you on the Inazuma politics one. On one note.”
“Oh, sure I’ll be sure to follow you miss Niloofar, so what would that be?” he cried expectantly.
“Truly you did give a very astute and better description of the Vision Hunt decree, no doubt about your expertise in Inazuma’s political scene and your commentary is spot on. Unfortunately, you are the third person who wrote on this topic, poor Alrani had to redo hers to the Sakoku Decree. Please Choose another topic. How about…” Miss Niloofar stopped for a minute, looking at him directly. Wanderer’s face pales.
“You know about the Narukami versus Watatsumi geopolitics. Hostilities between the two ruling powers of Inazuma are quite saddening, and unfortunate, and aren’t a necessary solution. I have to add to follow the thesis guide booklet. I’ve seen your commentary on Aqaba’s paper before, it is quite insightful.” The woman continues. After the long comments, he rather turns sheepish at the Professor still looking through his manuscript with dissatisfaction on her face.
“But academic writing and a mere three-paragraph commentary are different, these tenses don't fit the standard, so be sure to follow the correct tenses for your thesis, and most of your claims aren’t backed up with a source. So, please mind that in the future.”
“Ugh. I see. I will mind this in the future.” His face darkens with every barrage of critics Miss Niloofar puts out that fiery spirit that this paper would be an easy cake, but unluckily he needs to put more effort.
“Well, Hat Guy pardon me if my input somehow shocked you, is this the first time writing a thesis?
“Yeah, it is”
“Well, good luck, a tip from me is just following the guidebook. I promise you I won’t comment so much in our next meeting if you do it as per the guide. Nothing too much. Right?”
“Yes, ma’am I understand”
“About your other paper? Are you doing a reformation project for the desert community?”
“I was instructed by the less- sorry what I meant is, after participating in the interdarshan firsthand and hearing about Sachin’s experiment in the desert only the Vahumana darshan can undertake the subject in this perspective.”
“Hmmm, I don’t know if any mentor can handle such a paper. It is a very interesting topic nonetheless. However this kind of topic requires higher sensitivity and not only the mentor can navigate the mentee so the experiment would stay objective and not disturb the political and diplomatic ties of our community. We don’t want our renewed and budding bond with the desert to worsen if anything goes wrong with this paper. There are a few candidates that come into mind when it comes to diplomatic but still objective enough to advise you.”
“May I inquire something Miss Niloofar?”
“Yes, go ahead”
“Has the Dendro Archon ever overseen a student paper before?”
As he opened the door to the Surasthana that evening, Nahida had already greeted him by the door.
“So, how’s the first day of school?” she chirped.
Wanderer can’t help to feel exhausted all day, especially the need for small talking in every inch wherever he goes. There couldn’t be any way to escape pleasantries that his cheek muscle has been working harder this whole day than the rest of the century he had lived. If it wasn’t for conscience jabbing him to pay his due parole, he’d be taking a nap somewhere around the Dharma Forest. Then again, the thought of the Lesser lord’s method of suggesting him menial tasks feels like a punishment, maybe his parole has started for a long time now. It is true to say that Lesser lord Kusanali is a benevolent god with wits that can’t be compared to other beings with the prime example is her prisoners are rehabilitated most ingeniously.
Firstly, training him to become more pleasant to the people of Sumeru seems to be the first part of Nahida’s plan to integrate his life back into society. He did tell her that’d he be ready whenever there was a task at hand whether adventuring to the depth of irminsul or the abyss he’d do it. While those tasks seemed took a while to come, he’d nap everywhere like the wanderer that he is. Somehow through her networks of aranara, Buer would find him in one snap of a finger and somehow an errand appear on his hand, from delivering documents, letters of correspondence, or just assisting manpower. He thought of what better solution to do this errand quickly so he could get back to his dilly-dallying around the forest, hence his practiced cordial act as necessary to passing by students, professors, and other akademiya’s staff.
But those matters are less important than the rejected manuscript on his hand, tomorrow he has to propose another topic. He thought to himself ‘How come academic writing considers itself needing extra requirement, and very convolutedly put to describe a phenomenon that can validated by the masses? Nay the mass, the one who can read such needlessly complicated are the way academic people keep away the knowledge from being disseminated freely to the mass.’
He lets out a heavy sigh “I need to revise this paper and hand them in tomorrow.”
“Alright, if you need anything, I’ll be right here.”
“NO, thanks…but no. There’s this paper I need you to look at tomorrow morning, but tonight no.”
He closes the door to his space where he resides in the sanctuary. A neat single bed pushed into a corner of the room, a bedside drawer, with a pair of working desks and a chair, and a lamp on top just like a normal student room you can find anywhere near the Sumeru city. He slid into his desk and got to work. He puts out the draft with the big red stamp of rejection on the table and ponders on it. He starts to rewind his brain on the string of consequences from the war Fatui (with him on hand nonetheless) started on Inazuma. He stares at the white wall in front of him while his brain is scanning for ideas, of all the information he got from irminsul, his past life, how come he had chosen a topic so obvious; three people had decided to write about it. When he’s done with whatever he churned out on top of his head he realizes it is already morning, and he has classes to attend soon.
“My you look, tired…” she greeted him as he just emerged from his room.
“don’t jest with me lord Kusanali I was built to withstand fatigue,”
“Fatigue can also mean loss of vigor of the mind therefore affecting the mind’s health. It’s clear you worked very hard last night”
He clicked his tongue in response, then sighed in resignation of his fate. He only then remembers that he had another manuscript with a missing advisor.
“Oh, I need you to sign this, if you do agree to become my mentor on this paper” he gave her the other manuscript that he’d been carrying before. The Lord Dendro scans the title of the manuscript, she flips through the pages examining his research proposal.
“Let me see, you wish to write ideology disparity on desert community.”
“So, what is your current hypotheses for this situation?”
“I believe the dendro archon’s influence in the desert community would affect the response of these two communities. Aaru village partnership with Akademiya through previous relations, but the rest of the community has a sense of independence from the Lord of Verdure and the impression for the people of Lord Verdure isn’t the very best. So, they would likely reject Akademiya’s intervention if the organization decides to aid the improvement of the desert community.”
“Hmm, that is an interesting point of view... I did say I’d oversee this topic.”
“I’d have to stress the importance of this topic would accelerate the development in the desert, if we can force to change view of the Dendro archon rule. They said self-determination is the best for carrying out the development of rural areas, if my hypothesis is proven correct then we can use their antagonism. And through a third party who has no political obligation with the Dendro archon to carry out the development of the desert area without so much dispute.”
Nahida didn’t change her expression but she had a serious look, flatly she responded:
“Like how the Fatui used the antagonism of the Watatsumi island to sell them Delusions? I would rather not. I suggest you omit that part from your thesis if you still want me to oversee this project.”
“Hmph, why can’t you see the merit of doing such a project.” He responds cheekily.
“On the note of what this wisdom could merit, that’d solely be my jurisdiction on how to continue this project. For now, I accept this proposal.” she smiles, handing the manuscript back after she signs it.
“And for the rest of?”
“Subpar the most, but we could work on that in the process, you may submit it to the academic section”
He crosses his arms in disappointment “Hmph, I don’t get why writing needed to be so complicated.”
Wanderer stands before the door of Miss Niloofar’s office once again, he knocks. On the third rep, the door opens.
“Good morning hat guy, come on in and have a seat.”
“I’ve done some revision on the proposal yesterday and I have decided to write on the evaluation of the tri-commission decree on handling displaced residents of Tatarasuna.”
“Hoo- that is a very interesting topic, so how would you evaluate it…”
He hands Miss Niloofar the proposal he worked on last night, while in his heart praying that there’ll be no more big-scale revisions.
“Let me see -your writing has improved from last time, but still needs a bit of fixing on some of the jargon use- oh here, literature study, off location. You sure about this?”
“Yes, as you can see, I’m from Inazuma, how can I not know about the situation in my home country?”
“Hm? Do you like Sumeru that much or is it you don’t want to go as far as Inazuma? It’d be a perfect occasion as you’d be in comfort working from your homeland, no?”
The puppet pales once more at the face of his advisor. The thought of researching about Inazuma had to be done in Inazuma never crossed his stupid mind. He desperately needs an excuse well enough for his research method.
“n-no that’s not the case miss Niloofar”
“oooh is it about the funding? Travel expenses, Dastur permission, hmmm that’ll be quite the challenge…” The woman’s reply brought hope to the Wanderer’s mind. He nods in agreement with the professor’s assumption and adds a mix of pity on the act.
“Y-yes you see my circumstances are difficult, and I don’t have the mora to make it back-to-back, so it’d be hard for me...”
“Hmmm, how about we go see the grand scribe together, and we’ll decide on the experiment methods there”
‘blasted that stupid scribe!’ he cursed in his mind
“H-what…oh you don’t need to do that Miss Niloofar, I am sure…. I don’t want to be indebted to you like this” he cried in need of salvation at that very moment.
“Oh, c’mon hat guy from the quality of your topic, I can see you are passionate about Vahumana, for the sake of knowledge, what can’t be done?!”
“oh-no, well Miss Niloofar, I-I uh oh gee look at the time, I need to get to a lecture, can’t be late for that, maybe next time, I’ll let you know about the good news if any chance will come my way.”
In war, there’s always a tactic of fight or flee, it’s just this time he’d rather flee from conflict to a situation more favorable. But in truth, he didn’t have lecture until afternoon classes. In his mind, he cursed himself for almost shipping himself back to hell, willingly by the writing of his own hands. He thought about changing his topic again, raking brains on any kind of research using literature study that could’ve been done remotely. He thought about making a rebuttal paper on every single evaluation of Inazuman policy, which he couldn't do for the authenticity of the topic would become another problem. The former sixth Fatui Harbinger is crouching in the hallway of academia defeated with two stacks of manuscripts lying on the floor, both palms on his face scratching them with frustration, what a sight to see.
“Hm? Hat Guy…what’s wrong?”
Between his fingers, he can see the Dendro Archon is being carried by the General Mahamatra’s shoulder like a child.
“There’s nothing wrong, just preparing to see the ever-pleasant Grand Scribe” he slowly got up and dusted his clothes while kicking the manuscript behind the Mahamatra’s eye.
“You don’t need to prepare your heart like that, in any case your thesis goes wrong, you’d be seeing me instead.” Cyno chimed in.
“Hmmm, can you drop me down Cyno,”
The little archon jumped down safely after Cyno lowered himself enough. She puts her arms forward as to ask him for something.
“Hat Guy show me your papers”
“I’ve shown you this morning.”
“the other paper, then”
“Why do you need to see them?”
The general Mahamatra steps in between him and Nahida staring him down, as if he was a criminal.
“Why the apprehension Hat Guy, got something to hide?”
Hat Guy doesn’t understand why the Mahamatra is needling on his problem staring at him with such suspicion. His long idling isn’t being appreciated at the moment when he notices that Cyno’s sending electro sparks to taunt him. He ran out of choice but gave up the manuscript to Nahida.
“tch, I believe in fair play, Nahida. This isn’t fair play”
“Well, if you have nothing to hide, I am sure there aren’t any consequences that would be a disadvantage for you?” Cyno adds.
Nahida flips through the pages of his new manuscript and renders out information necessary in the pages of his thesis.
“I see, Miss Niloofar is your mentor on this one.”
The General Mahamatra was reading behind Nahida’s back his expression turned downright confused.
“I don’t see anything wrong in the paper so why the frustration?” he comments. Wanderer felt exposed and pissed off second by second the general is meddling along about his thesis.
“Not your business, General. Oh, and by that, none of them are illegal business. So please don’t mind me.” Wanderer faked a smile in the end. Then Nahida chirped along, breaking the conversation for a piece of news.
“Well, I see this as good news. We were on our way to see Alhaitham too, I suggest you should come with us”
“Lesser lord Kusanali, what can I do for you today?” Alhaitham got up from his seat and bowed respectfully to the Dendro Archon with his tone showing far more courteous hospitality than he usually offers to most students in the Akademiya. He observes his newest visitor was his boss, the Dendro Archon, and his friend Cyno.
“There is a bilateral meeting with the Inazuman government especially the Shogunate, in three weeks, I will be attending the conference personally. As for Akademiya’s matters you are to be signed as the Grand Sage overseeing the Akademiya operation for the week.”
“The acting… grand sage, right?” Alhaitham thought to himself that the arrangement was less than ideal. He was familiar with the workings of the grand sage, but he was more concerned about the amount of paperwork prepping all necessary travel documents for the whole group. His resigned attitude must’ve translated into his body language somehow that the Lesser Lord Kusanali looked at him straight with her flat expression.
“I know you handed in your resignation letter and incessantly refused to take the position, in this emergency, I could use a proxy head that can take care of the Akademiya matter”
“Understood, would General Mahamatra Cyno will be coming with you?”
“Yes, initially I was thinking only bringing the General Mahamatra on the trip, it turns out Hat Guy is also willing to accompany me on the occasion”
Alhaitham then eyed his ajar door, a student with his marvelously big hat just stood there awkwardly neither inside nor outside his room like someone who would rather not be in this room at all. He observes the Hat Guy's reaction to the news as not well, he pales, fist balling, and eyes bulging out like the situation imposed on him as unfair. Alhaitham finds the predicament amusing for a second, and after considering that it has nothing to do with him nor the Dendro Archon’s mandate will affect his job in any way, he’d just do what he’s told.
“Hat Guy? Well, if that is your instruction …then this humble subject would comply as such”
The Hat Guy finally stepped into the room to cancel the lord’s proposition “Lord Kusanali, I never hear such a thing. Surely there must be someone who is much more representable than me, to adhere to such conference”
Then from the left side, Cyno tried to soften the situation by pulling a joke, “Well initially I’d like to see the god of thunder her myself, I’d settle to share the view with you, oh we can get some new FLASHY cards while in Inazuma.” The silence after was a valid reaction thanks to him completely severing the tension.
“Lesser Lord, you don’t have to do this! Please I don’t need to be in debt to you any more than this.” Hat Guy continues to plead his fate with the little god.
Alhaitham never thought that he’d be seeing Hat Guy’s out of his wits pleading for mercy to the Dendro Archon. He’d been suspecting that the little god had been using him for plots Sumeru yet to know. But he can deduce as much that the student is using Akademiya as a place to escape from whatever was back home. He then remembers Hat Guy’s utterly brilliant content, but not original enough rendition of the ‘Vision-Hunt Decree’ research proposal yesterday calls for Inazuma as his subject of research.
“I recall yesterday you submitted a paper having Inazuma as your subject of research?”
“Oh, Alhaitham make a dastur permission for Hat Guy he’d require those to do his research, I’ve signed his paper as a mentor so that should cover it right?” Nahida adds.
“Understood, is that all Lord Kusanali?”
“Yes, you can carry on with your duties.”
Nahida’s words end there, and Hat Guy’s fated shipment to Inazuma has been decided, along with his research methods.
“Then Mr. Hat guy, would you mind staying behind for the documentation process? I require the thesis Lord Kusanali mentioned for your Dastur permission.
“Here’s the one signed with Miss Niloofar”
“Alright, since your advisor has signed it you may proceed with your experiment. Then where’s the thesis mentioned by the Lesser Lord?”
“Here”
“Hmph. sub-par…. if you can find any implementable solution would be great. You may proceed with the experiment. Anything else?”
“Then, I require some archives…. about Sachin’s experiments”
“You brought a list? No? see you tomorrow then same hour as the timetable outside. You would’ve not need to meet me as much if you’d prepared everything thoroughly.”
“Hmm it’s not my business, hat guy, but your denial, and rebelling over small things like simple writing structure and curriculum are making things harder for you in the future.”
Lambad Tavern has become the witness of the newest gossip of Akademiya. It started with a game of Friday night TCG from the four, respectable bachelors in Sumeru who are quite the frequent customers of the tavern. They all finish the main course, now it is time to duel or at least that’s what Cyno always says after, but this time he hasn’t pulled out his tome of cards yet but opts to discuss today’s encounter.
“It’s quite a surprise of Lord Kusanali to take in a student, who knew the praised Hat Guy of Vahumana is that close to the lord, she personally mentors him too.”
“hmph it’s to be expected, the guy was enrolled in the Vahumana as a recommendation from her,” Alhaitham replied crossly.
“What? Who? Hat Guy? Well, that was unexpected. But believable.” said Tighnari
“What intrigues me is how he came into contact with the lesser lord. From how she treats him like he is basically the left hand of the Dendro archon.”
“He is doing a thesis on Sumeru Desert community development advised personally by Lord Kusanali. And she approved it.”
“whAT, HE GOT APPROVED ON A TOPIC, THAT EASY?!” Kaveh cried out loudly enough for all the nearby patrons to stop and look at him. His friends had the decency to cover him out, and they all went back to their courses.
“Two topics” Alhaitham adds.
“TWO TOPICS?” Kaveh cried repeating the words of his friend in his drunkenness.
“That wandering hat guy right, He helped me during the desert mission, I saw his interaction with the Traveler, they seem to quite know him as well, it seems he only appeared in Sumeru only recently but they seem to know him long enough, though I wonder how those three met,” said Tighnari recalling the events of the interdarshan championship a few months ago.
“Anyway, from my impression he seems okay, the other day I met him after an appointment with you, and he seemed to cursed you out for bullying his thesis” Kaveh continues.
At that point, Cyno had brought out his tome of cards, he urged Tighnari to have a sacred duel with him. His opponent sighs in resignation as he puts out his own set of cards. Genius Invocation TCG is a game of two people. As the other two focus on the game, the other pair rather have a small banter (sometimes leads to an altercation) while sipping along their wine.
Alhaitham seemingly to start tonight's conversation keeping on with today’s topic about the mysterious student suddenly appears at the side of the Dendro Archon with his flat expression he comments: “Hmph, he really likes to make things harder for himself, he knows some things are right for him, but he keeps denying them with such arrogance, it’s baffling.”
Kaveh exasperatedly slammed down his wine glass, and one hand pointed accusingly at his roommate. “You know Alhaitham if only you’d understand the pain submitting proposal to you is, you’d pity the new kid.”
“and for whose sake should I lower the Akademiya standards for, there is no exception even if it is for you. Anyway, you won’t be able to get it first try.”
“Y-You...why must you mock me like this? Why do you sound like you are actually helping him?” Kaveh’s tone got a little higher after every reply he got from Alhaitham.
“Doubt that. Though he seems rebellious I don’t think he is as stubborn with his ideals as someone is, though the scope of his thesis if he finds an implementable solution, he might be better than Sachin. Hmph.”
“Why is Sachin brought up again, are you trying to mock me again?”
“Senior Kaveh, your simple-mindedness always surprises me sometimes,”
With Alhaitham having to say his last words the two men quiet down. It seems the two hit their impasse for today.
On the other side of the table, the game was almost over with Tighnari’s heroes having fallen with only one left standing.
“tsk tsk, Tighnari you shouldn't have ended your round. With this I have some omni elemental dice left, I use Raiden Shogun: Musou no Shinsetsu DEALING THREE ELECTRO DAMAGE, With the Dawn Winery Card, I SWITCH TO NAHIDA, as u can see her energy is full, and therefore I ACTIVATE HER ELEMENTAL BURST, DEALING 4 DMG, because of shogun’s summon skill and Nahida’s burst deal Quicken SO I DEAL EXTRA TWO DAMAGE...KILLING YOUR CARD”
“To be honest Cyno, since you got the archon series, you kept using Raiden Shogun needlessly...”
“Who am I to say…. I need the new Raiden Shogun card with custom skin in the one that they are exclusively selling in Inazuma, they won’t let me buy the new one if I haven’t used this 10 times in-game”
“Let me see that card…. What kind of custom is it? Raiden shogun as with a different outfit? Another same one but holographic?”
“The new skin in Inazuma is her preparing the Musou no Hitotachi and if you use this one 10 times, you’d get to see an animated skin, ALSO! If you buy the NEWEST TCG NOVEL you’d enter a Raffle, right?! I HAVE A CHANCE TO GET A HOLOGRAPHIC CARD!!”
Tighnari helplessly sighed at his friend, toasting to his friend.
“Honestly Cyno, I hope you save Sumeru some face when you get there.”