The Assimilation Plan had already been set into motion, and while she was deep in her slumber, the newly ascended ruler had already conquered an entire world. Not only that, but he had even resolved the world-lifespan issue that Phanes herself could never handle.
"Wow—this Descender is way too strong!" Istaroth thought, a wave of shock coursing through her. "He's so strong, he's completely left Phanes in the dust!"
As one of Phanes's Four Shades, no one understood Phanes's power better than them. But even with her imnse strength, Phanes couldn't achieve what this Descender had done—not just conquering one world, but establishing the possibility of repeatedly doing so.
Istaroth suddenly grabbed Noah's hand, her expression filled with a sense of determination, almost as if pledging loyalty to him. "Don't worry! I'll definitely assist you, help you expand, and recreate glory on an unprecedented scale!"
Noah smirked and flicked her forehead with his finger. "You? You're just a mascot now. What kind of help can you possibly offer? I an, you're cute, so you'll do fine just like this."
Hearing such a dismissive tone sohow didn't feel out of place, considering Phanes herself was a Descender. Who could say how many worlds she had visited before arriving in this one?
Clutching her forehead where she had been flicked, Istaroth puffed out her cheeks. "What do you an, mascot? At the very least, you could return the Ti Authority to !"
Still smirking, Noah replied, "Return it? What are you talking about? That power was mine in the first place."
Istaroth's cheeks puffed up even more, resembling an adorable pufferfish. While technically true, it still felt unfair to her. How could she maintain her title as Ruler of Ti without her Ti Authority?
The group, observing Noah tease the now powerless Ruler of Ti, felt as though they were spectators enjoying a juicy drama. Even Raiden Ei, blinking her eyes in confusion, found herself at a loss.
Noah paid no mind to Istaroth's indignant puffing and turned his attention to everyone else. "With that, today's rewards are officially concluded. I hope all of you continue working hard in the future. As for —oh, right, I'm quite the kind and easy-going god, you know."
The group forced awkward smiles. Easy-going? Really? Their eyes told a different story.
Noah's gaze wandered toward the Ley Line energies flowing into Yashiori Mountain. Then, turning to Raiden Ei, he smirked, a glint of mischief flashing across his face.
Raiden Ei, wearing her typical "dutiful wife" expression, tilted her head in confusion, waiting for him to speak.
"Normally," Noah began, "it would take about two hundred years for Raiden Makoto to fully manifest. For gods like us, two hundred years pass in the blink of an eye, but for my plans, that's quite a delay."
At these words, a subtle smirk crept across his face.
Noticing this, Yae Miko imdiately felt a foreboding sense of doom. As soone who had spent much of her life as a prankster, she could instantly recognize the gleam in Noah's eye as the mark of soone cooking up a devious sche.
"What should we do, then?" Raiden Ei asked anxiously. She worried that any delays in Noah's plans might lead to impatience or worse—her sister's revival being jeopardized. After all, Makoto was already so close to returning.
Yae Miko sighed. Poor, naive Ei. She's already fallen into the trap. How could she still not realize what's coming?
anwhile, Kitsune Saiguu silently puffed her pipe, exhaling a graceful ring of smoke. With her centuries of wisdom, she easily discerned that Noah had a playful interest in Ei and Yae. His behavior wasn't re mischief; it was the type of teasing often associated with affection.
The sly smile Noah wore was like a child pulling on the pigtails of a girl he liked—though admittedly, this "child" was a god capable of reshaping worlds.
Still oblivious to these nuances, Raiden Ei stared at Noah with wide, worried eyes.
Noah finally spoke. "Alright, here's a suggestion. As a goddess, you must surely be an excellent cook, right? So, let's do this: for every dish you prepare that everyone loves, I'll provide an extra year's worth of Ley Line energy for Makoto. How's that sound?"
Raiden Ei's eyes lit up. "Really? That's wonderful!" she exclaid, nodding eagerly.
Without hesitation, she ordered Kamisato Ayaka and Kamisato Ayato to summon Inazuma's most skilled chefs to help her prepare.
The two siblings, sensing the urgency in Ei's voice, imdiately complied and set off to fulfill the request.
Noah watched the flustered Raiden Ei dash off with an amused grin.
Yae Miko, now more certain than ever of his intentions, crossed her arms and sighed. "You knew Ei's cooking skills are terrible, didn't you?"
Of course, she rembered—five hundred years ago, Ei's cooking had nearly poisoned Kitsune Saiguu and the other yokai to death. The mory was vivid enough to give anyone second-hand trauma.
Kitsune Saiguu flinched slightly, her hand trembling as she held her pipe. Even the thought of Ei's cooking made her stomach churn. Please, she prayed silently, please don't make the taste-tester. I just got resurrected; I don't want to die again.
Feigning surprise, Noah exclaid, "Really? I had no idea!"
Yae Miko rolled her eyes.
Feeling irritated, Noah frowned. "Hmph! A re fox dares question and even rolls her eyes at ? I'm offended! Prepare for divine punishnt!"
In an instant, he appeared in front of Yae Miko and, before she could react, grabbed her ears and began rubbing them vigorously.
"Ahh! Lady Saiguu, save !" Yae Miko cried out, squirming as her sensitive ears were kneaded into various shapes.
Kitsune Saiguu, calmly puffing her pipe, offered no solace. "Now, now, Miko. It's just a bit of ear-rubbing. Didn't I often do the sa to you?"
"Lady Saiguu! You're as bad as Makoto! Wuuuu!"
Soon, the peaceful ambiance of the Grand Narukami Shrine was filled with Yae Miko's cries of indignation. The shrine maidens exchanged puzzled glances but dared not intervene.
Later, as the group descended Yashiori Mountain's winding paths, Yae Miko lagged behind, muttering bitterly as she combed her now slightly curly ear fur.
"Unbelievable! He completely ssed up my fur! Do you know how much it'll cost in grooming products to fix this?"
Noah, walking a few paces ahead, turned to her and shrugged. "Those ears belong to , as per our contract. Anyone who goes against their word must suffer the punishnt of the Rock."
Floating beside him, Istaroth—now his official sidekick—snickered. "That's right! Breaking a contract will incur the punishnt of the Rock."
Yae Miko pouted. Back when she'd signed that contract, she had trusted this so-called god implicitly. Even Ei treated him with utmost reverence. But now? She doubted whether Liyue's Geo Archon's sacred contracts even applied to soone like him.
Deciding not to push the issue further, she sighed. Arguing would only lead to more teasing, and she had no desire to cry in frustration again.
"Lord Noah," she began cautiously, "aren't you going to Fontaine soon to open the World Gate and conquer the next world?"
She hoped that by bringing up work, this troubleso god would have less ti to tornt her.
Noah's eyes widened. "What?! Starting the next conquest already? Do you think I'm so kind of workaholic?!"
Yae Miko blinked, confused. "But… isn't that your plan?"
Raising his chin indignantly, Noah declared, "I've fought battles my entire life. Can't I just enjoy myself for once?"
"Uh… what?"
Istaroth, ever the loyal assistant, chid in. "What Noah ans is that, having just conquered a world, he wants so ti to relax and have fun. Besides, Teyvat is stable for now, so there's no rush."
Yae Miko sighed, helplessly. "Then… what do you plan to do for fun? Inazuma is still recovering and doesn't have much to offer. Perhaps Liyue would be a better starting point—it's bustling and prosperous."
Noah nodded thoughtfully. "Good point. Alright then, we'll start in Liyue and make our way to Fontaine, enjoying ourselves along the way!"
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