Idris arrived at the meeting hall first.
Nahida stretched her arms and hurried off to summon everyone. Upon receiving the notice, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, the Dragon King, and the others immediately set aside what they were doing and headed over.
Meanwhile, Zhongli and Shenhe were still wandering the streets of Sumeru, observing its rapid development. When they noticed many important figures all moving toward the same destination, curiosity naturally arose.
Nahida had been running around trying to find them, but when she reached their residence earlier, the two were nowhere to be seen.
"Dragon King," Zhongli called out, stopping him in the street,
"Why is everyone in such a hurry? Has something major happened?"
The Dragon King paused and replied honestly,
"Nothing urgent. Grand Sage Idris has called for a discussion. If the two of you are free, you may come along—but I can't guarantee you'll be included."
It wasn't dismissal, just caution. He didn't dare make decisions on Idris's behalf.
"That's fine. We'll take a look," Zhongli said politely.
Because both had absorbed the enhanced Divine Vision energy earlier, Zhongli and the Dragon King now felt a faint resonance between them—a subtle similarity in elemental aura.
As the two spoke, Nahida finally ran up and, seeing all three together, let out a relieved breath.
"Shenhe! Where did you two go? I've been looking everywhere for you!"
Her tone carried a hint of grievance.
Zhongli and Shenhe both showed faintly apologetic expressions.
"Sorry, Nahida," Shenhe said gently.
"Sumeru is simply too fascinating. We walked around without realizing the time. Did you need us for something urgent?"
"Didn't the Dragon King tell you?" Nahida puffed her cheeks slightly.
"The Grand Sage is holding a meeting!"
"…We can attend?" Zhongli asked, clearly surprised.
From the Dragon King's earlier words, it sounded like an internal council. As outsiders, they shouldn't have been included—unless Idris trusted them that much.
"Mm-hmm," Nahida nodded.
"The Grand Sage specifically mentioned you two. He said there's something important to discuss."
"Then we really shouldn't be late," Zhongli said solemnly.
Shenhe met his gaze. No words were needed—they understood each other perfectly.
The Dragon King added,
"Then let's hurry. We're probably the last ones."
The four quickened their pace, weaving through Sumeru's bustling streets toward the meeting hall.
Normally, the colorful shops, machinery, and fragrant food stalls would have been hard to ignore—but now, everyone's mind was fixed on the meeting ahead.
"What do you think the Grand Sage wants to discuss this time?" Shenhe asked softly, her curiosity evident.
"Whatever it is, we should listen carefully," Zhongli replied calmly.
"It's likely related to governance or long-term development."
This calm came naturally to him. As the former Geo Archon, Zhongli had faced countless unknowns across eras. Such composure couldn't be learned overnight.
Soon, they reached the entrance to the meeting hall.
Security was tight. Armored guards stood alert, scrutinizing every arrival.
But the moment they saw Nahida, they immediately bowed respectfully—an honor even the Dragon King didn't receive.
"It seems Nahida holds significant authority here," Shenhe whispered, a trace of admiration in her eyes.
"I wonder what kind of treatment Grand Sage Idris receives from the soldiers," she added curiously.
After all, Idris was the true ruler of Sumeru.
Nahida was more like his support pillar—but that didn't mean she lacked ability. She simply stood in the shadow of someone even more exceptional.
Zhongli smiled faintly and said nothing.
Inside the meeting hall, nearly every seat was already occupied.
Only the four empty chairs near the entrance remained.
At the head of the hall, Idris appeared to be lightly dozing—but despite that, no one dared relax. Every official sat upright, focused.
Nahida ran up and gently nudged Idris awake.
When he saw Zhongli, Shenhe, and the Dragon King had all arrived, he waved a hand casually.
"Take your seats. Let's begin."
"The purpose of today's meeting," Idris said evenly,
"is to discuss diplomatic engagement with other nations—specifically cooperation and shared development."
"Any opinions, concerns, or objections—speak freely."
Zhongli nodded in agreement.
"This is an ambitious plan," he said.
"Promoting inter-nation exchange will benefit the entire continent. Liyue, in particular, has much to gain from deeper cooperation with Sumeru."
"However," Rukkhadevata added calmly,
"we should not reveal everything. Cooperation must leave us room to maneuver. Some cards must remain hidden."
Her words carried weight—and notably, she did not avoid Zhongli's presence when saying them. This was experience, not secrecy.
Once these key figures finished speaking, the others followed.
Some supported the plan enthusiastically, seeing it as the dawn of peace and prosperity.
Others voiced caution, raising concerns about risks, cultural friction, and long-term dependence.
Idris listened patiently.
He nodded at times, frowned at others—clearly weighing every word.
He understood better than anyone:
The vision was grand, but execution would be difficult.
"Grand Sage," Layla spoke up clearly,
"Before signing any shared-development treaties, we should address foundational issues first."
She hesitated, then added with a hint of grievance,
"Trade barriers, cultural differences, logistical standards—if these aren't handled, cooperation won't go smoothly."
Idris smiled and nodded.
"You're absolutely right. Preparations come first."
"Don't worry," he continued calmly,
"I already have preliminary frameworks in place. Over the coming period, we'll engage directly with representatives from each nation, ensuring every detail is resolved properly."
As his words settled, approval rippled through the hall.
Zhongli and Shenhe exchanged glances—both genuinely impressed.
With Sumeru's current strength, Idris could have chosen isolation and dominance.
Instead—
He chose shared progress.
My perspective really was too narrow, Zhongli thought.
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