Han Yu left the pavilion a few hours later with a faint sense of relief.
The dramatic version had only carried him so far.
Lady Rot Rose had eventually forced him to sit properly and give a detailed account without the embellishments. Once he had done that, the atmosphere had changed entirely.
The moment he showed the recordings of the ritual circle and explained the existence of the Eternal Smiling Ancestor, the amusement disappeared from her face.
Han Yu still remembered that look.
Lady Rot Rose had gone completely still.
Her fingers stopped moving.
Even the smoke from her pipe seemed to linger motionlessly in the air.
She had listened to every word after that without interruption.
The ancient deity.
The longevity rituals.
The hidden worship.
The Frost Bat.
The attempted revival.
The massive ritual circle spanning the region.
By the time Han Yu finished, the woman who usually carried herself with playful confidence had become entirely serious.
