"No, this is basically the central region of the desert," Apep said to Amon, shaking her head.
After hearing her words, Amon looked around again. Aside from yellow sand, there was still only more yellow sand. There was nothing else at all, and he could not help frowning.
"Then... where is the city-state?"
"You mean Aaru Village?" Hearing Amon's words, Apep thought he was talking about Aaru Village, so she said, "Aaru Village is farther east, very close to the rainforest."
"No, not Aaru Village." Amon shook his head, then continued, "My city-state! Where is my great city-state?"
Apep tilted her head and looked at him. "If you mean the desert city where you lived a thousand years ago, it was buried beneath the yellow sand long ago. These days, most desert people live in Aaru Village. Some tribes live in parts of ancient ruins, while others build settlements of their own."
Amon fell silent.
Apep noticed his silence and asked, "What's wrong? Don't tell me you can't accept it."
Amon sighed, shook his head, and said to her, "It isn't a matter of whether I can accept it or not. Back then, because of Forbidden Knowledge, I already knew the civilization I had built was destined to collapse. I also knew Aaru Village would survive under Gusion's protection. But I never imagined that, in the desert, my city-state would not even leave a trace behind."
"There are traces. We made too much noise when we fought just now. Dig under the yellow sand, and you'll find some," Apep reminded him.
Amon tilted his head and looked at her, his eyes seeming to ask, Are you serious?
"Forget it. I should hurry up and sort out the current state of the desert, then go to the Akademiya to find them." Amon shook his head.
Since it had already become a ruin and been buried beneath the yellow sand, there was no need to dig it back up.
What was gone was gone.
Apep suddenly said to Amon, "Hey, Amon, we should dig up these glass surfaces later and sell them. We can put up a sign saying they were made by a god. They'll definitely sell well."
"Huh?"
Amon froze, confusion appearing in his eyes.
"I learned it from Lora," Apep quickly defended herself when she saw his look.
"Uh... I can tell. She really has had a deep influence on all of you!" Looking at Apep, Amon could not help laughing.
As expected of Lora.
Even one of the first Dragon Sovereigns had become like this?
After he finished laughing, Amon turned around and put away all the glass surfaces.
Lora and Sophia returned to the Akademiya.
Before they even entered, they saw Nahida run out from inside and throw herself into Sophia's arms. Hugging Sophia, she said, "Welcome back, Mom!"
"Ah..."
Lora looked at the warm mother-daughter scene between Nahida and Sophia, her expression showing nothing but sheer shock.
If she had known, she would have brought Furina along.
Sophia helplessly rubbed Nahida's hair and said, "All right, stop hugging me. Your aunt is still here. She didn't bring Furina and the others with her, so don't make her jealous."
"Thanks. You really didn't need to emphasize that," Lora said, raising her hand.
Sophia looked at her and said, "That won't do. What kind of relationship do we have? When I have a chance to hit where it hurts, how could I not take it? Of course I have to emphasize it!"
Lora gave Sophia the middle finger.
Nahida looked at Lora, then at Sophia, and asked, "Aunt Lora, Mom, how did things go?"
"Don't worry. Your mom and your aunt joined forces, along with your Aunt Apep. The three of us are unbeatable wherever we go!" Sophia said to Nahida with a smile. "You'll know once your Uncle Amon comes in a few days."
"Amon... King Deshret, Al-Ahmar?" Nahida became a little uneasy when she heard Sophia say Amon's name. "I've only heard his legends. What kind of person is he?"
"He's a little funny, but when it comes to serious matters, he is very proper," Sophia said after thinking for a moment.
"It seems like all the gods we know are like that..." Nahida blinked, then said.
Sophia shook her head. "No, your aunt isn't like that. Your aunt isn't a little funny. She's very funny."
"Huh? Me?" Lora tilted her head in confusion when Sophia suddenly singled her out. "Weren't we talking about Amon? How did you manage to drag me into this?"
"Generally speaking, using someone nearby as an example makes it easier for people to understand," Sophia explained to Lora with a serious expression.
"If I'm very funny, then you're unbeatably funny!" Lora shot back.
Nahida looked at Lora, then nodded. "Mm... true."
No one knew whether she was agreeing with Sophia that Lora was very funny, or agreeing with Lora that Sophia was unbeatably funny.
In her eyes, the two of them bickering had already become completely normal.
Ah, so this was what people called best friends?
The relationships between the first-generation gods really were hard to understand.
After Amon finished handling matters in the desert and arrived in Sumeru City with Apep, he was like someone from the countryside entering the city for the first time, curious about everything around him.
"It is completely different from a thousand years ago!" Amon exclaimed as he looked at the scenery of Sumeru City.
Then he noticed the Akasha Terminals worn on everyone's ears and asked Apep, "Hey, Apep, what are those things on their ears? Why does everyone here have one? It feels like almost everyone we passed along the way was wearing one..."
"Are you from the countryside or something? Never been to the city?"
Listening to Amon's muttering, Apep was somewhat speechless. She explained, "That thing is called an Akasha Terminal. Sophia made it for these humans to wear. Something about using the power of a god to coordinate human wisdom."
"Akasha Terminal... That sounds rather interesting. I'll ask her for one later!" After hearing Apep's explanation, Amon quickly understood what the Akasha Terminal was for.
"If you want one, I have plenty of models for you to choose from!"
Not long after Amon said that, Sophia appeared in front of him and greeted him with a smile.
"Sophia!"
Amon greeted her, then walked forward with Apep. Only after arriving in front of Sophia did he continue, "I truly never imagined Sumeru would become like this. It is completely different from a thousand years ago!"
"If it were still the same, wouldn't the past thousand years of development have been for nothing?" Sophia laughed when she heard this, then said, "Come on. Lora and Nahida are waiting for you at the Akademiya."