The First Law of Alchemy
Outside of his interests, Albedo feels that he is not nearly as well-read as his enthusiasts believe. He is like Sucrose in that he will pore over a text that appeals to his fields, and unlike her in that he will not exhaust every spine on the shelf. A good few of the titles before them now are unfamiliar to Albedo; some of what he has read, he does spot in sistering sections of Amurta and Spantamad. Sumeru's astounding library does not disappoint. Neither does the God of Dendro's perspective on knowledge—to which he thoughtfully nods. Awareness, awareness indeed.
"Yes, somewhat. Past travels with my mentor saw us about the nation's outskirts at most," he says, words tinged with some reassurance that he is still accustomed to journeying. "It was unfortunate that our itinerary never took us into the city. You have an impressive collection."
A gloved hand gestures at the Adhigama shelves. "I'll have to appreciate as much of it as I can during my stay. In the meantime, I believe the anthology you've mentioned is...?"
The same hand drifts in a smooth arc, fingers curling to point at the upper section of one wall. Sharp eyes and happy coincidence. And from that cover of the aforementioned book, Albedo's gaze lowers slowly, very slowly, back to Nahida's unassuming frame.
"Ah..." His voice tapers off, not unkindly, before offering: "Shall I find us a ladder?"
Knowledge is a currency held in high regard by the people of Sumeru and it would delight her to see that wealth spread like a chain reaction and flourish in the right hands. There are brilliant minds and talents beyond Sumeru City's borders just as worthy of carrying the future forward as those in the halls of the Akademiya. The scholars of the other nations take different names and titles - Consultant, Librarian, Chief Alchemist - yet they all look on similar horizons. The Traveler, too, continues writing a story unheard not even the stars can foretell and Nahida for her part wants to support that journey no matter the outcome.
"Oh, no need," she chirps courteously, flashing a small smile before turning to face the shelves once more.
Her eyes flicker with light, hand outstretched as the Dendro Archon floats several feet off the ground in a flurry of petals fragile as snowfall. She concentrates on the second volume in its collection and the book dislodges itself from the rest tidily, revealing an arcane starry-patterned cover as it soars towards her.
"This mentor you mentioned," she returns to the previous conversation, "Are they an Alchemist as well? Had the circumstances been better, I would have welcomed you both into the city. Better late than never, right? If you'd like, I can have our Grand Scribe compose a copy of some recent publications in the field as thanks for your time."















