At the entrance passage of the Grand Bazaar, Shao Yun reunited successfully with Lumine, Paimon, Dunyarzad, and Dehya.
At that moment, Paimon's eyes were fixed tightly on the cart Shao Yun was pushing. Inside, the cart was piled high with all kinds of parcels and one large gift box. Her curiosity was instantly ignited.
"Shao Yun, what's with all those big and small packages piled up in your cart? What on Teyvat are you hiding in there?" Paimon blinked her wide eyes, asking with clear confusion.
Shao Yun smiled slightly, quickly raised a finger to his lips, and made a silencing gesture while lowering his voice.
"Shh, these are all good things."
Hearing that, Paimon's curiosity only grew stronger. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then couldn't resist leaning closer to the biggest gift box and asked expectantly, "What kind of gift is it? Could it be a delicious cake?"
As she sniffed closer, a faint scent of candy and milk wafted out from inside the box.
Seeing this, Shao Yun hurriedly reached out and pulled Paimon away from the box that contained Lesser Lord Kusanali, a mysterious look crossing his face as he whispered, "This is going to be a huge surprise."
"There's a legend about a man dressed in red who delivers gifts to everyone—Santa Claus. I'm wearing red too, so today, I'm the one giving out presents."
Paimon tilted her head in exasperation, crossing her arms at her waist and muttering, "Ugh, why do you always say such weird things… I really don't get you!"
But Shao Yun didn't pay any mind to her complaint. He kept his air of mystery and replied, "Don't rush, don't rush. You'll understand everything soon enough."
"For now, let's go watch Nilou perform the Dance of Sabzeruz."
…
When they arrived before the lively Zubayr Theater in the Grand Bazaar, the scene made them stop in their tracks.
A sea of people filled the square, crowding around the theater's stage so tightly that not even a breeze could slip through.
But the people weren't gathered to see Nilou's Dance of Sabzeruz—instead, their eyes were fixed on the confrontation taking place on stage between Nilou and two members of the Akademiya, flanked by a group of Eremites.
The two Akademiya officials were a striking pair.
One was an elderly man, wearing a single-lensed monocle over his left eye. His hair was completely white, though his hat made it hard to tell if he was bald beneath it.
The other was a woman with sun-kissed brown skin, her features bearing resemblance to the desert folk like Dehya.
She wore an ornate golden olive-branch headpiece, gleaming under the sun, and the long robes of an Akademiya scholar.
There was no mistaking it—the old man was none other than the Grand Sage Azar, the biggest fool of Sumeru, and the woman beside him could only be Setaria.
At that moment, Setaria was scolding Nilou sharply. "This kind of performance has long been prohibited by decree! Unauthorized shows are forbidden. Don't you understand that?"
Standing below the stage, Paimon strained her neck to get a clearer view and murmured, "That woman looks like she's scolding Nilou…"
Dunyarzad narrowed her eyes, trying to identify the two figures.
When she recognized the robes of the Akademiya, her eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait… that looks like the Grand Sage himself. Why would he come here in person?"
Meanwhile, on stage, Nilou was still trying to reason with them.
"But the Dance of Sabzeruz has always been a vital part of the Sabzeruz Festival! Without it, the entire celebration would lose its meaning…"
At the mention of "Sabzeruz Festival," Setaria's expression darkened.
"Sabzeruz Festival? A massive god-worshipping ceremony organized without authorization—is that not strictly forbidden by law? Such events fall solely under the jurisdiction of the Akademiya."
Then, her tone turned cold and cutting. "If you insist on defying the decree, we'll have no choice but to investigate everyone involved in organizing this so-called festival."
After that stern threat, Setaria's tone softened ever so slightly, though it remained icy. "The Grand Sage has already shown leniency. So, please—be sensible. Don't make things harder for yourself."
Nilou, hearing that, wilted like a flower in the cold. "H-how can you treat us like this…"
Seeing this, Dunyarzad's face flushed with anger. "The Sabzeruz Festival should be the Akademiya's duty to host! Yet they've neglected it for years! I'll go reason with them myself!"
As she rolled up her sleeves and marched toward the stage, Dehya's heart skipped a beat. She quickly grabbed Dunyarzad's arm, pleading, "My lady, please calm down! If you rush up there and they arrest you, what will your family say? You'll never be allowed outside again!"
But Dunyarzad snapped back fearlessly, "Then let them arrest me! I've had enough of their arrogance—I'll see whether they can even justify themselves!"
Seeing the two women about to tangle, Shao Yun hurried forward, pried them apart, and spoke seriously to Dunyarzad. "Don't get riled up. Even if you argue till your throat bleeds, those brainless idiots won't listen! Ever heard the saying 'the people can't fight the officials'?"
Her anger faltered, and she stomped her foot in frustration. "Then what should we do? We can't just stand by and let them act like this!"
Shao Yun glanced toward the two Akademiya officials on stage, his gaze filled with disdain.
Then his eyes fell briefly on the cart—the box containing Lesser Lord Kusanali—and he licked his lips unconsciously, murmuring under his breath, "Beasts don't understand words. Only the whip teaches obedience… Fine then, I'll deal with them myself."
He turned to the group and ordered, "You girls watch the cart carefully—whatever happens, don't open that box! And Paimon, cover your ears. Now."
Paimon blinked, startled. "Huh? Why me? What's going on?"
Shao Yun only replied, "It's for your own good."
Lumine, noticing Shao Yun's fierce expression, stepped closer with concern. "Can you… maybe not kill anyone? We've had such a nice day so far. It'd be a shame if it ended in blood."
Shao Yun met her gaze, then nodded. "I'll try to hold back. But if I can't and end up shooting that old man—take everyone and run."
Reluctantly, Paimon clamped her hands over her ears while Lumine, Dehya, and Dunyarzad guarded the cart. Curiosity flickered in their eyes as they wondered what kind of "gift" was inside. Inside the box, Lesser Lord Kusanali didn't even dare breathe too loudly.
But since Shao Yun had forbidden them from opening it, all they could do was suppress their curiosity.
…
Meanwhile, Shao Yun stepped onto the stage. His brilliant Legend of the East outfit instantly drew the attention of Setaria and Azar.
Setaria eyed the stranger warily. "And you are?"
Nilou's eyes widened when she recognized him, about to call out his name—but Shao Yun quickly covered her mouth and whispered, "Leave the rest to me—I, Tacitus Kilgore will handle this."
Hearing him call himself "Tacitus Kilgore," Nilou blinked in surprise. But soon, she caught on and nodded. "Alright."
Satisfied, Shao Yun released her and strode straight toward Azar and Setaria, stopping before them with an air of superiority.
Then, his lips curled into a crooked grin. "I heard there were two circus clowns performing here today," he sneered. "But it turns out it's just a flea-bitten animal tamer and her dancing monkey."
"You two should stop embarrassing yourselves and go sell toilet paper outside the public latrine. You might actually make some Mora that way."
The insult landed like a bomb. For a moment, Setaria and Azar were too stunned to react. They had never seen anyone so brazenly hurl abuse at the Akademiya's highest officials.
Setaria's face hardened as she snapped, "Watch your tongue! If you continue to act with such vulgarity, I'll have the Eremites seize you immediately!"
But Shao Yun just rolled his eyes, utterly unbothered. "Oh really? How many cups of camel piss did you drink to get this drunk on arrogance? And those Eremites—what are they, your pet dogs?"
That remark not only mocked Setaria but insulted every mercenary present.
Setaria, though visibly irritated, tried to maintain her composure. She lifted her chin proudly. "I am Setaria, scholar of the Akademiya and assistant to the Grand Sage. Of course I have the authority to command the Eremites."
Shao Yun gave her an exaggerated once-over, eyes glinting with amusement.
"Oh, a scholar, are you? Let me guess—you're from the desert, right? No offense, but I heard the Akademiya looks down on desert folk like you."
Setaria straightened, voice ringing with conviction. "I became a scholar through my own talent and hard work. I've overcome every prejudice and barrier myself. What say you to that?"
Shao Yun let out a mocking chuckle. "Talent and hard work, huh? Tell me—how many times did you have to flatter your old monkey here to climb that high?"
He jabbed a finger at Azar. "From where I'm standing, that old ape looks like he wets himself when the wind blows. How could you even stomach getting that close?"
Setaria froze, utterly speechless. Her face burned with fury and shame. "Y-you… you're more disgusting than the worst of the Eremites!"
Shao Yun smirked. "Oh, I admire your courage, really. But in my book, that old man beside you isn't worth your trouble—he'd be better off with a goat."
Setaria's composure shattered. Her mind went blank from rage and humiliation.
Screaming, she turned and fled the stage in tears. "You… you devil!"
And just like that, Setaria ran all the way out of the Grand Bazaar, her shrill voice echoing behind her.