"What are your plans for the coming period, Ryen?"
Ningguang took a bite of Mora Meat, pleased to find that her cooking skills hadn't dulled despite living in comfort. With a satisfied smile, she placed a piece into Ryen's bowl.
"I do have plans, and quite a few of them."
Ryen rubbed his brow and sighed.
"Let's deal with them one by one."
"First, the Sabzeruz Festival is in a week. Let's all go to Sumeru together and give Nahida a proper birthday celebration."
"During this week, our research focus will be on Slash Blades, but we also need to start gathering materials for witchcraft studies."
"Stockpile them for later use. Get Albedo busy as well, send him things like mana crystals for research."
"Besides that, within this week, arrange for troops to enter the Twilight Forest for exploration and push the progress forward."
"We need a lot of staves. In the short term, crafting them ourselves wastes too many resources, better to search for them in the Twilight Forest."
Ningguang quickly wrote everything down. After a moment, she nodded.
"That's doable. Everything can be arranged within a week."
"The Millelith can be deployed at any time. Dashi and the others have already studied the Twilight Forest tactics, steady advancement won't be a problem."
"As for gathering witchcraft materials, just have the army re-explore the old mines. That's familiar work, simple enough."
"Is that all?"
Ryen spread his hands.
"Not even close."
"After Nahida's birthday, I plan to go take a look around Inazuma. I haven't really traveled since coming to Teyvat, this time I want to properly get out and see things."
"Probably three or four days. You should all come with me, let's treat it like a family spring outing."
At those words, Ningguang and the others brightened.
Spring outing or not didn't matter, the important part was that Ryen had said family.
"I'll arrange the work. Just three or four days away won't be an issue," Ningguang replied decisively.
But Ryen shook his head.
"If we're arranging things, we need to do it all at once starting tomorrow."
"The furniture mod should prioritize supplying the new city under construction. I want this new city to achieve full modernization right from the start."
"Have everyone push hard, before the Lantern Rite, the city must be completed. The Millelith and Knights who move in afterward will settle there."
"They've worked tirelessly in this world for so long; consider it their benefit."
What Ryen wanted was a world brimming with vitality.
He wouldn't live in that city himself, and an empty city was meaningless anyway.
Only when people filled the streets, when he could see crowds coming and going in harmony, would he feel the true sense of achievement as the master of this world.
Ningguang added another note about city construction and continued:
"What else?"
"And the Lantern Rite."
Ryen shrugged.
"By the time we return from Inazuma, the Lantern Rite will be starting."
"By then, your furniture cities can open for business. If things go smoothly, you can run a promotion tied to the festival."
"That'll push people's lives further toward comfort and convenience."
"Oh, and don't forget, the Lantern Rite also involves four nations…"
He paused, glanced at Dehya and the others who looked confused, and corrected himself:
"Five nations. There'll be Bed Wars, Battle Box battles, Hole in the Wall, parkour, and more."
"Venues need to be arranged early. Announcements, registrations, and training must all be done in advance."
Ryen chuckled and tapped the table.
"If we're doing this, we're doing it properly, big and lively. Everyone stationed in this world."
"They don't all need to participate, but even spectators should come."
"Take this seriously. It could be thousands fighting and tens of thousands watching. This isn't child's play, don't embarrass yourselves. Right, Venti?"
Being called out, Venti stiffened and shot Ryen a resentful look.
Jean smiled gently.
"I think the Lantern Rite competitions sound fun. Everyone's worked hard for half a year, it's time to relax and enjoy ourselves."
"It'll also make Ryen's world feel lively."
Zhongli nodded in agreement.
"As for the rules, the five nations can discuss them together. Since it's a multinational competition, fairness is essential, perhaps a points-based system."
"And as for judges…"
Zhongli gave Ryen a meaningful look.
Ryen's face darkened.
"What, am I not allowed to enjoy myself?"
"By common rational standards, no one is more suitable than you. And your strength is far too overwhelming, whichever side you join would instantly double their chances."
Ryen hesitated, unsure whether to stay annoyed.
But he had to admit, Zhongli's flattery was excellent.
"We'll talk about judges later. No need to rush the rules either," Ryen said calmly.
"Since we're making this such a grand event, there should be proper rewards."
"For the Lantern Rite entertainment competitions, the individual with the highest score will receive a master-tier staff and a custom-made witchcraft set."
"For the team competition, the winning nation gets five hundred high-grade Slash Blades. How's that?"
Everyone was clearly tempted.
But Ningguang noticed something.
"Wait, where are these rewards coming from?"
Ryen answered without hesitation.
"With this much time, the Twilight Forest garrison should be able to clear it once or twice. That takes care of the master-tier staves and witchcraft sets."
"Your smiths will also be able to enter and study Slash Blade forging by then, so the team rewards are covered."
"Simple, right?"
Silence fell.
After a long pause, Ningguang looked at Ryen with mixed emotions.
"So… this is robbing Peter to pay Paul?"
"Any problem with that?"
"No problem…"
Everyone laughed helplessly.
After all, every resource in this world belonged to Ryen. He could do whatever he pleased.
"After the Lantern Rite, it's a new year and a new atmosphere."
Ryen smiled.
"In the new year, our work will be even more ambitious."
"City construction, I want this continent blooming everywhere. The new continent needs to be fully explored as well."
"Most importantly, once that time comes, set aside your other affairs and focus on fully understanding witchcraft studies."
At the mention of witchcraft, everyone finally perked up, eyes fixed on Ryen.
"Thinking back, it's been a long time since we last collectively explored the Overworld. Last time was probably when we took firearms to hunt the Ender Dragon."
Venti nodded with a grin.
"Yeah! That morning we even got ambushed by bandits, our first-ever modern-weapons battle."
"Back then, who would've imagined that just a few months later, things would develop like this…"
"No matter how many times I think about it, your world is just absurd."
Ryen shrugged and continued.
"This time, we'll act as the vanguard to explore the Overworld's new continent."
"First goal: find a foothold for future forces."
"Second: search for wizard towers, library ruins, and the like."
"These core structures are the most important parts of witchcraft studies."
"Wizard towers especially, we need to find as many as possible."
"Before we head out, have the army stockpile resources from the mines so we can directly trade when we arrive."
Hearing that Ryen planned to personally lead them on another exploration, everyone felt excited.
Ei and the others had never experienced it, only heard how fun it was from Venti.
Jean and the rest simply missed the feeling of traveling together with close companions.
"Wait, hold on. Who's watching the house then?"
Cloud Retainer asked nervously.
Ryen fell silent for a moment, then laughed it off.
"It's still early. We'll talk about that when the time comes. One thing at a time."
"My second major plan is to let Teyvat develop things unique to this world."
"To let the two worlds gradually merge."
"For example, Teyvat residents settling in this world, and this world's resources and special structures appearing in Teyvat."
"It's groundwork for fully connecting the two worlds in the future."
"Next year will be a year of major action."
Ningguang looked at her notebook, already full again, and sighed.
"You say things should be done step by step, but your plans already stretch to the end of next year."
Ryen pinched her cheek with a grin.
"Don't you like a man with long-term vision?"
Ningguang smiled softly.
"I like it very much…"
Ryen turned to Zhongli and Makoto.
"Next year's workload will be heavy, so we'll need more people stationed here."
"Once the cities are built, we'll also need administrators and guardians."
"So you should speed things up too. Zhongli, you had so many adepti, yet only a few have been revived so far. Your work attitude is terrible."
"Use this time to act quickly. Revive at least a dozen more adepti so we can balance both Teyvat and this world."
"And Makoto, you said you wanted to revive Kitsune Saiguu and the others. Hurry up."
"Before, our focus was exploration. Now it's construction, and once construction is done, management must follow."
Zhongli sighed and nodded.
"I understand. I'll head to the Chasm in the next few days."
"Azhdaha, take Xiao and the others to deal with Withering Storms and collect revival points."
"Cloud Retainer… no, Moon Carver. You and Mountain Shaper split up and visit the places where our old friends fell."
Makoto turned to Ei.
"Ei…"
Ei responded immediately.
"I know. Once I free the Shogun, I'll search for Kitsune Saiguu's soul fragments with her. Kujou Sara will handle collecting revival points."
Only then did Makoto's expression soften.
Ryen looked to Dehya and the others.
"Send word to Sumeru when you can. Have them dispatch a group of elite scholars to assist Albedo's research."
"And prepare personnel early for the five-nation Lantern Rite competition."
Dehya nodded in acknowledgment.
After confirming nothing else was pending, Ryen finally concluded:
"Alright, that's about it for now. If anything changes, I'll let you know."
"Let's eat. Everyone's worked hard, have a good rest tonight."
"Tomorrow, we study Slash Blades together!"