That night, Haypasia shared much, and the two gained a fair understanding of Sumeru.
Only when the bonfire died out and the sun rose the next day did the group leave the cave and return to Gandharva Ville.
"You seem to have resolved things?"
Tighnari was flipping through a handbook when he noticed movement outside. He closed the booklet and tucked it into his bag.
"Yes. Now we're heading to Sumeru City to meet Lesser Lord Kusanali. Tighnari, do you know how we can see her?"
Tighnari stroked his chin, thinking for a moment before shaking his head and spreading his hands.
"Sorry, I don't know the method for an audience. But I can write a letter of introduction—you can ask a researcher I know from the Amurta faction. He's well-informed."
With that, Tighnari went inside and soon returned with a letter, handing it to Aether.
After bidding farewell to Collei, the two left Gandharva Ville and set off for Sumeru City.
The journey was smooth, and they arrived without incident.
At the city gates, Rover noticed that everyone entering or leaving Sumeru City had a brief glow above their heads.
"Halt, you three. This must be your first time in Sumeru City, correct?"
A matra dressed more elaborately than the average scholar stepped forward, followed by a mercenary.
"Huh? How did you know?"
Paimon was puzzled, but the matra soon provided the answer.
"Because the Akasha currently has no records of you."
The Akasha? Haypasia had mentioned it—a legacy left by the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, a treasure trove that gathered knowledge.
After letting the group digest this, the matra continued speaking, holding a few intricate little devices in his palm.
"Thanks to our relentless research, it's now possible to offer access to visitors.
"By wearing and activating an Akasha Terminal, anyone can connect to the Akasha and obtain the knowledge they seek.
"Of course, due to technical limitations, the Akasha Terminal operates more smoothly in densely populated cities like Sumeru City and Port Ormos."
Listening to the matra's enthusiastic explanation, Rover frowned, feeling an inexplicable aversion. He raised his question:
"If all knowledge is stored in the Akasha, does that mean we don't need to learn or put in effort ourselves? The knowledge is just… implanted into our minds?"
The matra laughed and shook his head.
"Our wisdom should be devoted to the unknown. Spending effort to learn what's already known is just a waste of time, isn't it?"
Rover didn't agree, but he kept it to himself—this was likely common sense for most people in Sumeru.
The group each took an Akasha Terminal and examined it closely, noting that it resembled a leaf.
"Just hold it in your hand and silently recite, 'May I be granted the wisdom of the divine,' to activate it."
After hearing the instructions, Aether went first. A soft ding sounded as the Akasha Terminal connected to his mind.
When Aether opened his eyes again, everything around him took on a technological sheen. His gaze fell on the matra and the mercenary, and their identities were instantly recognized.
"Wow! Just now, my brain automatically knew how to use it! So if you think about something specific, you can access knowledge about it? That's so convenient!"
Paimon was amazed and began playing around with the Akasha Terminal.
"Traveler, why haven't you activated yours?"
Seeing Rover hesitate, the matra's tone grew impatient.
"Can I activate it later?"
Rover gripped the Akasha Terminal, his suspicions deepening. The matra's words only confirmed his thoughts—
This Akasha Terminal is trouble.
Realizing he'd been too pushy, the matra quickly adjusted his expression and spoke calmly:
"Without activating the Akasha Terminal, we can't identify you through the Akasha. Naturally, you won't be allowed into Sumeru City."
Rover nodded, gave Aether a meaningful look, and walked away alone.
Aether also sensed something was off. In his mind, he tried recalling how to request an audience with the Dendro Archon.
But to his surprise, the Akasha Terminal gave no response whatsoever.
As Rover left, the matra wore a regretful expression before smiling at Aether and Paimon.
"Welcome to Sumeru City. May the wisdom of the Dendro Archon be with you."
Paimon crossed her arms, muttering as she watched the two walk away.
"So much for 'all knowledge is in the Akasha.' I refuse to believe there's no record of how to meet the Dendro Archon."
Aether signaled for Paimon to remove the Akasha Terminal.
"This thing is connected to our brains… It's better to take it off when unnecessary."
Paimon nodded vigorously, then spotted Rover waving at them from a distance.
"The Terminal definitely has issues. At the very least, when it comes to Lesser Lord Kusanali, there's only decades-old information."
Aether shared his findings, and Rover had already made up his mind.
"I'll infiltrate Sumeru City tonight. You two explore first. This city isn't as peaceful as it seems."
The group agreed with Rover's decision.