The years continued to pass.
Liyue had grown far beyond the oasis Noel remembered.
The population had crossed two thousand.
The city had expanded outward.
The academy had hundreds of students.
The library held thousands of records.
Trade routes connected Liyue to distant settlements.
And Isobu’s lake had become one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.
Yet Noel noticed something.
Everyone was working.
Farmers worked.
Merchants worked.
Scholars worked.
Builders worked.
Even the children were spending more time studying.
Noel stood in the marketplace one morning and frowned.
“This place needs a holiday.”
Aran, standing beside him, looked confused.
“A holiday?”
“Yes.”
“What for?”
Noel thought about it.
“…Being alive?”
Aran laughed.
“That’s your reason?”
“It’s a good reason.”
The Idea
Noel gathered the council.
“We’re going to have a festival.”
The officials immediately began asking questions.
“What will we celebrate?”
“How long will it last?”
“Who will organize it?”
“What food should we prepare?”
Noel raised his hands.
“Everyone relax.”
He thought for a moment.
Then he smiled.
“We’ll celebrate the founding of Liyue.”
The council agreed.
The first official Liyue Founding Festival was announced.
It would last three days.
There would be food.
Music.
Games.
Markets.
Competitions.
And a special ceremony beneath the golden statue.
The citizens became excited almost immediately.
The Academy Joins
The academy decided to hold its own competitions.
Mathematics.
Geography.
Philosophy.
Engineering.
Astronomy.
And even a debate competition.
Noel happened to walk past one of the classrooms.
Two students were arguing.
“I believe humans should prioritize exploration!”
“No, agriculture is more important!”
“Without exploration, we won’t discover new lands!”
“Without food, you won’t survive long enough to explore!”
“…They’re taking philosophy seriously.”
Aran smiled.
“You wanted them to think.”
“I did.”
Noel walked away.
“I didn’t realize they’d argue this much.”
The Guardian Beast’s Contribution
Meanwhile, Isobu had discovered the festival.
Shukaku.
Noel looked toward the lake.
“What?”
I want to participate.
Noel blinked.
“You?”
Yes.
“What are you going to do?”
Isobu looked toward the city.
I’m going to make a water fountain.
Noel stared.
“…You want to make a fountain?”
Yes.
“You’re a giant Tailed Beast.”
Exactly.
Noel sighed.
“Fine.”
The next day, Isobu carefully manipulated water from his lake.
A massive fountain rose near the western plaza.
Water flowed through several stone channels before falling into a large basin.
The children cheered.
Isobu looked proud.
I made something.
Noel smiled.
“You did.”
The Festival Begins
Three days later, Liyue was transformed.
Lanterns hung across the streets.
Food stalls filled the marketplace.
Musicians played throughout the city.
The academy displayed inventions.
Merchants brought goods from distant settlements.
And the citizens filled the streets.
Noel stood at the center of the plaza.
The golden statue behind him glowed faintly.
He looked around.
He remembered the beginning.
Fourteen people.
A tiny oasis.
Nothing else.
Now—
Thousands.
He smiled.
“Liyue…”
The crowd became quiet.
“Seven years ago, this place was barely a settlement.”
A few people laughed.
“Today, it’s a city.”
He looked toward the academy.
“We have scholars.”
Toward the farms.
“Farmers.”
Toward the marketplace.
“Merchants.”
Toward the walls.
“Builders and guardians.”
“And we have a Guardian Beast.”
Isobu raised one tail.
The crowd laughed and cheered.
Noel smiled.
“But Liyue isn’t great because of me.”
The crowd became quiet again.
“It’s great because of all of you.”
The cheering became deafening.
A Surprise
As night arrived, fireworks illuminated the sky.
Noel looked upward.
He hadn’t expected fireworks.
He turned toward Aran.
“Who approved that?”
Aran smiled.
“I did.”
Noel stared.
“You’ve changed.”
Aran laughed.
“Seven years ago, you told me to build.”
“And?”
“I built.”
Noel smiled.
“Fair enough.”
Suddenly, the golden statue became brighter.
The entire plaza fell silent.
A soft golden light spread across the crowd.
People felt their exhaustion disappear.
Their worries seemed lighter.
Noel looked at the statue.
The system appeared.
[Collective emotional resonance detected.]
[Liyue Founding Festival successfully established.]
[National unity increased.]
[Morax Template Synchronization: 19.8%]
Noel smiled.
“Almost twenty percent.”
Then another message appeared.
[New title forming.]
[Geo Archon — 23% recognition.]
Noel stared.
“…I’m getting a title whether I like it or not.”
Isobu’s voice entered his mind.
You definitely are.
Noel sighed.
“Thanks for the support.”
You’re welcome.
Beyond Liyue
Far away, travelers who had attended the festival returned to their homes.
They carried stories.
Stories about a golden city in the desert.
A city with an academy.
A city with endless water.
A city protected by a giant Three-Tails.
And a ruler who looked like a human…
but was secretly a Tailed Beast.
The stories spread.
More people began traveling toward Liyue.
And Noel didn’t realize it yet, but the festival had accomplished something much more important than celebration.
It had made Liyue’s identity known beyond its borders.
The desert had begun to have a center.
And one day…
That center would become the heart of an entire nation.
To be continued…