Genshin Impact: Towards Godhood

Nahida, whose consciousness was attached to Rama, smiled helplessly.

After a simple exchange of each other's stakes, their core topic returned to the gods.

Once again, Nahida directly experienced the true meaning of the conversation between Rama and Faruzan.

In this world with gods, regardless of how you view them, you must respect their existence.

Even though Rama knew he was weak, Sumeru was ruled by the God of Wisdom, a rule recognized by the Seven Archons.

He respected the power of the gods, and thus, respected the rules set by them.

"Oh, I am indeed very worried about this," Rama nodded, his face uncharacteristically showing a hint of concern. "In the records left by the Scarlet King, the God of Wisdom is a quite troublesome enemy."

"Although I don't understand the abilities of the new God of Wisdom, I'm sure Greater Lord Rukkhadevata would have chosen a wise deity."

"And standing from the enemy's perspective, the wisdom and power of the gods are our biggest troubles."

Asfand offered his value, "If that's the case, I don't think you need to worry."

"Because Lesser Lord Kusanali is not a powerful god."

"Not a powerful god?" Rama's words carried the right amount of doubt. "Are there weak gods?"

This question stumped Asfand for a moment.

Since there were victors in the Archon War, there must be distinctions of strength among the gods.

But to mortals, even the losers were exalted gods.

"It's not the kind of strength differentiation among gods," he instinctively lowered his voice, as if about to reveal a shocking secret. "Based on our guesses and observations, we suspect Lesser Lord Kusanali is so weak that even mortals can't resist."

"As long as you can defeat the Akademiya, you can gain a true god."

His tone was not deliberately dramatic, but it carried an astonishing temptation.

This was based on the reward itself, not the words.

"Your guesses and observations?" However, Rama remained unmoved. "Mere guesses can't serve as a basis for action."

"Why quibble with us over this?" Asfand retorted, "The Scarlet King is dead, the desert people have long lost their god."

"Even without this answer, wouldn't you still need to deal with the God of Wisdom?"

He couldn't explain more because it was merely a conjecture.

The guess was based on the Akademiya's attitude over the past five hundred years, but it was still just a guess. Maybe Lesser Lord Kusanali was simply a reclusive god, willing to stay hidden in the Sanctuary of Surasthana and not appear before people.

This possibility was, of course, very small.

A god might not care about worship rituals, but an institution inheriting divine power certainly would.

When Mondstadt's Anemo Archon disappeared for centuries, Mondstadt still held festivals for him annually without fail.

A god might not care, as their supreme position came from their overwhelming power.

But you couldn't afford not to care, as your power came from others, so how dare you disregard the gods' will?

But without evidence, there's no proof.

Asfand didn't explain further because he lacked evidence, and partly because he shouldn't know more.

The Akademiya didn't completely hide it, but they certainly wouldn't broadcast that they had imprisoned a god.

Gods were precious, and an easily manipulated god was a priceless resource the Akademiya couldn't afford to lose.

The positions of the Seven Archons were equal. If Nahida was weak, that was her problem, but the Akademiya, as a human authority imprisoning a god, was unforgivable to the other Archons.

Rama's smile was mocking.

Even without Nahida's judgment, he was certain Asfand's words were not entirely accurate.

But if the enemy hopes you fall for a trap, how can you not?

"You make a good point." Rama's smile flickered briefly before turning serious. "Since taking power in the tribe, I've felt the pressure from the gods constantly."

"The title of the Seven Archons is so exalted."

"How could any mortal hear such a title and not be awestruck and doubtful?"

"Your concern is entirely normal," Asfand didn't push further.

Fear was understandable. If you claim not to be afraid and want to confront a god head-on, something must be wrong with your head too.

"But the desert has no retreat," Rama said calmly. "Since there's no retreat, we must continue forward, no matter how the path ahead looks."

Asfand heard a resigned determination, like accepting the good news as true because there was no other choice.

It was filled with a sense of desperation.

But this was the limit of what mortals could do when facing matters involving gods.

Rama found it hard to understand what kind of mindset Sangonomiya Kokomi had when she chose to rebel against the Shogunate; she was indeed very strong.

"This is the information we've gathered about the Akademiya." Asfand handed over a paper document. "In fact, it's just a trivial effort."

"We've collected information on some sudden experiments by the Akademiya, the storage and flow of supplies, and some influential figures we can win over."

"This might not help your rule much, but it's the best we can do in a short time."

No wonder the Akademiya wanted to deal with the [Corps of Thirty].

It wasn't just a matter of loyalty; the [Corps of Thirty] had been too entangled with the Akademiya for too long and could do too much.

In the storyline, they could paralyze the defenses of Sumeru City, allowing the Grand Sage to be beaten at home while the defenses remained inactive, as if unaware.

A group that couldn't be fully trusted yet held considerable power was bound to be dealt with sooner or later.

Rama's appearance accelerated this process, but with or without him, the conflict between the [Corps of Thirty] and the Akademiya was inevitable.

The [Corps of Thirty] was primarily composed of desert people, though their upper echelons had probably become more aligned with the rainforest people, at least in mindset.

But the group was still fundamentally supported by desert people, which meant they could never fully integrate into Sumeru's core.

"The [Corps of Thirty] will be waiting for you in Sumeru City," Asfand said respectfully. "You will ascend the true throne in Sumeru City."

Betrayal and counter-betrayal were never secrets on this land.

Rama's smile softened, appearing warmer.

"Of course, if you can win over enough influential figures in Sumeru, I don't mind winning with a simpler method."

"Though the desert will surely rule the rainforest, the rulers don't necessarily have to be desert people."

He needed to ensure the positions of these rainforest people who came over, at least in words.

"Like the [Corps of Thirty] in the desert?" Asfand's eyes lit up.

"Of course," Rama said without hesitation. "Someone has to rule, and whether they're from the rainforest or the desert doesn't matter."

"As long as they're useful to the kingdom, they can rise to power."

"Your generosity, Your Majesty." Asfand prostrated himself.

The early [Corps of Thirty] might have been an adventurous group of desert people seeking fortune, but through generations of the Six Sages' taming, their upper echelons had clearly leaned towards the rainforest people.

They might still maintain desert characteristics, but in spirit and habits, they leaned towards the rainforest people.

Of course, how they viewed themselves didn't matter.

What mattered was how the Akademiya viewed them.

Rama promised that the rainforest nobles could still become nobles in the new dynasty if they surrendered, which was a key bargaining chip.

The [Corps of Thirty] had no choice but to betray.

But winning others' betrayal often required investing more resources.

After Asfand left, Nahida couldn't wait to appear.

"He didn't lie," the small deity judged. "His words were sincere."

"So, at least Asfand truly leans towards me entering Sumeru City?"

Rama's expression remained unchanged.

"At least Asfand... you mean, even though he's sincere, it's based only on what he knows." Nahida easily grasped the point. "The truth he knows is just what others want him to know."

This wasn't exactly a sophisticated trick.

There are many ways to deceive; lies are one, and so is the truth.

Asfand was indeed sincere.

Nahida confirmed this, and Rama naturally believed it.

He was speaking his own truth, which seemed reliable.

In the eyes of this old man, the [Corps of Thirty] was indeed in a perilous situation and needed to find a new master.

They had indeed made efforts in this regard, including investigating the Akademiya's movements and identifying nobles they could win over.

These were believable efforts.

But the truth he believed might not be the reality of this world.

"In the desert, people still believe the Scarlet King died due to the betrayal of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata."

"A thousand years ago, in the desert, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata killed the Scarlet King, destroyed the desert's ley lines, and reduced the desert civilization to ashes."

"But in the real history, it was the Scarlet King who invited disaster, and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata came out of the rainforest to help him clean up the mess."

"Even so, the problem wasn't entirely resolved, and the Scarlet King ultimately had to sacrifice himself to settle it."

"What they believe and what actually happened are obviously different."

The truth was obscured partly because Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had many concerns and didn't want to explain.

Additionally, the desert people needed a plausible reason to explain why their lives suddenly turned so terrible.

It couldn't be their own fault, and they couldn't blame the Scarlet King, their protector.

So they could only attribute it to another ruling god of Sumeru, the God of Wisdom, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.

Rama gently patted the god's head. "It's not a complicated issue. The interests of the group and the individual sometimes overlap, but that doesn't mean the individual will be engulfed by the group."

"The core interests of the [Corps of Thirty] are indeed in jeopardy because of your appearance. Asfand wasn't wrong; they are planning to betray the Akademiya."

Nahida understood.

She was always learning, even though these insights weren't necessarily valuable.

"Because of their origins, the [Corps of Thirty] will never be trusted."

"And the issue of origin is unchangeable. So, when the [Corps of Thirty] reaches a certain point, rebellion is their only path."

The origins of the desert people sealed their future.

As the desert came under full control, the [Corps of Thirty]'s existence would lose its value.

When the cunning hare dies, the hound is boiled.

It's not necessarily about posing a threat; it's just wasteful to keep it when it's no longer needed for hunting.

"But this is the choice of the [Corps of Thirty], just like how some desert people chose to join the Akademiya instead of uniting against it."

"The best choice for the desert isn't necessarily the best choice for each desert individual; individuals always have alternative paths."

Nahida sighed softly, troubled by their conflicting interests.

The collective interest is collective interest. Most of the time, collective interest sustains individual interest, as the desert exemplifies.

If the desert doesn't rise, its people will be subjugated by the rainforest people.

But individuals have the choice to survive on their own. Even if the desert can't escape, some desert people can rise.

Setaria could, and the [Corps of Thirty] already had.

Even the Akademiya could accept a few desert people in high positions.

To put it bluntly, "I know what's best for the [Corps of Thirty], but why should I sacrifice for their interests?"

"I can betray the [Corps of Thirty] and live better on my own."

"Do you completely distrust the [Corps of Thirty]'s promises?" Nahida asked softly.

This wasn't a decision based on evaluated information. From Asfand's first words, Rama had given no trust.

"It's an old issue," Rama thought. "Do you think I can win?"

Nahida, perhaps never having wielded power, often made mistakes.

"Yes," Nahida nodded.

"If it's within your control, don't trust anyone's promises. Just follow your own plan."

Rama smiled. "Don't place any hope in others. This way, at least if you lose, you'll feel a bit better."

Starting all plans with the premise of failure isn't a special ability, just routine caution.

(End of Chapter)