Deciding she had learned enough, Mithra didn't ask any further questions.
Asking too much might lead to awkward situations like "How does a newbie like you know about this?" She had learned her lesson after asking Safin about "Lebaance" and his subsequent reluctance to answer questions about mysterious topics.
The investigation in Gross Town was concluded. The rest had nothing to do with Mithra.
She received a "communication stone" from Orph.
[Sanctuary Communication Tablet: A miraculous device incorporating complex, interwoven miracles to achieve long-distance communication. Expensive. This tablet is for Sanctuary use only and can only communicate with other Sanctuary tablets.]
[—Isn't the existence of such a device in Dreamland a bit too convenient?]
After Orph explained how to use it, Mithra looked at the tablet and said, "You guys are really amazing."
"It's one of our recent research achievements. Some of the Enchanting Land's ideas have merit. Not all Planet Blue citizens are as barbaric and strange as rumored... I apologize, I misspoke," Orph said. Despite her strength, she was very polite, sometimes overly so, constantly apologizing.
Even Mithra's repeated reassurances were useless.
The communication tablet had been given to Mithra after Orph consulted with her superiors.
For some reason, the Sanctuary members looked at Mithra with a mixture of respect and apology.
Hadn't she just told them about her agreement with Safin? Was fulfilling a simple promise so respectable?
In any case, the Sanctuary members seemed to consider Mithra one of their own. The communication tablet was like a token of membership, and Orph had even given Mithra her contact information, allowing her to reach her almost anywhere in Dreamland via the tablet.
The Sanctuary patrol would remain for a while longer. The most important issue in Gross Town wasn't the remnants of the Wandering God, but the townspeople.
After bidding farewell to Orph, who still had work to do, Mithra saw Nie Hong, who was now able to walk. He had fewer bandages and seemed much more energetic.
Nie Hong waved from afar and limped towards Mithra.
As he approached, Mithra said, "I was just wondering how long it would take you to get back on your feet. Any longer, and we would have been reported missing again."
Nie Hong's raised hand froze mid-air.
It had only taken half a day to fight their way through Gross Town, but several days had passed while Nie Hong recovered and cooperated with the Sanctuary's investigation.
If Nie Hong hadn't recovered soon, she would have left without him.
"I'm fine now! Sorry for the wait. Are you okay, though? You haven't looked well these past few days," Nie Hong said, his usual cheerful demeanor returning, despite his earlier tears.
The Flesh and Blood Forge was taking longer than expected. Mithra was still weak and didn't look well. "It's fine. It's like a monthly discomfort,"
With that, Mithra went to borrow a vehicle from the Sanctuary's members, leaving a bewildered Nie Hong behind.
Not daring to ask further questions, they borrowed a Sanctuary carriage and traveled to the city at the foot of the mountain, then returned to Wuhǔ City via the teleportation point.
After retrieving their certificates and Nie Hong's phone from the storage area, Nie Hong wanted to take a taxi back to campus, but Mithra, in the name of saving money, dragged him onto a bus.
"They're going to laugh at me when I go back looking like this," Nie Hong sighed, looking at his medicine-covered self in his phone's camera.
"Didn't you say the new semester was starting soon?" Mithra asked.
"Yeah, another semester. Graduation feels so far away," Nie Hong said, lost in thought.
Nie Hong's Ki Academy had a longer academic year than most other miracle majors. While most miracle believer majors required five years of study, Nie Hong's program was six years. He was only in his third year, more than halfway through, but still far from graduation.
Although there wouldn't be many restrictions on them in the coming years, Nie Hong and his classmates could already freely travel to and from Dreamland.
It seemed the university didn't care what these kids did in their spare time.
Ignoring Nie Hong's curses as the crowded, swaying bus jostled his injuries, Mithra was lost in thought.
Back at Shuǐxiù University, ignoring Nie Hong's pleading look for a ride, Mithra returned to the resettlement center to report in.
Another round of physical examinations and paperwork.
But this time, she didn't have to sit in a small room. It was in Chén Shào's office.
"Your experiences...are truly remarkable. And your friend as well. Such experiences can be valuable for personal growth," Chén Shào said after listening to Mithra's account.
"Hopefully, it won't be too much too soon," Mithra replied calmly.
"I'm still not sure if your emotional expression is functioning correctly, but your mental state is perfect. Many people these days don't have such healthy minds," Chén Shào said with a smile.
"Thanks for the compliment."
"So, you don't have any immediate plans to leave?" Chén Shào asked, changing the subject.
"No, I plan to study here. You mentioned I could take classes at this university," Mithra said.
Chén Shào nodded. "Although it's mainly for you to catch up on modern knowledge, for special returnees like you, this convenience is available. Your dedication to learning is commendable."
He typed on his keyboard for a moment.
"Your temporary student ID is ready. Welcome to the Shuǐxiù University family. Besides living here, you can essentially live like any other student. However, remember that you must attend the General Education courses. This is a prerequisite for your integration."
"Okay, thank you."
After bidding farewell to Chén Shào, Mithra left the office.
She decided to look for Matsuri. As luck would have it, she ran into her on the way to the library.
"Oh? Mithra, you're back," Matsuri asked gently, "You seem to have been through a lot."
Mithra ignored Matsuri's occasional rambling. It was similar to Mithra's own tendency to get lost in thought, random and without reason, not worth investigating.
She held out a rather exquisite leather bag, surprisingly heavy.
"For me?" Matsuri asked, taking the bag hesitantly.
"The traditional sewing needles and other tools you wanted. I just picked them up randomly. I hope they're what you're looking for," Mithra said.
She had found them in the Hokuten mansion and had given them to Nie Hong for safekeeping. They seemed high-quality, as expected from the former mine owner.
Mithra currently stored most of her belongings with Nie Hong. She didn't have a bag, which was inconvenient. But Mithra tended to be careless and easily lost things. She considered storing them in her body, but it was a "weapons arsenal," not a "storage room." A "master weaponsmith" wouldn't do that.
Matsuri looked delighted and quickly opened the bag.
Seeing that she was occupied, Mithra didn't disturb her and turned to leave.
"Hey, where are you going?" Matsuri called out after she had walked a short distance.
"I need a shower. How long would I have to wait for you?" Mithra replied, looking back.
"Okay, okay. Thank you. These are much better than the tools I could find. I tried buying a sewing machine, but it wasn't what I wanted," Matsuri said, a bit exasperated, but still genuinely grateful.
"Oh." Mithra nodded and continued to walk away.
"Do you...go through clothes often?" Matsuri quickly asked.
Mithra turned again, speechless. She was currently wearing the hooded cloak Safin had given her. The clothes from the resettlement center were gone.
She wanted to comment on the cloak's durability, how it was still holding up despite being tattered, but decided against it.
Although Mithra remained silent, Matsuri, as usual, didn't mind and continued. "I'll make you some clothes as thanks."
"Materials and payment..."
"Don't worry about it. I'll make clothes for you for free. Of course, if you find any good fabrics, I won't refuse," Matsuri shook her head.
Mithra looked into her golden eyes for a moment, then replied, "Then I'll have to trouble you."
This time, she left without looking back.
She really needed a shower.