At four and a half feet, Dori Sangemah Bay is smaller and younger than I expected. Despite her youth, Dori is swimming in silks of ivory and violet, trimmed with gold, and her diamond-shaped spectacles are crafted of some exotic, colored glass. Put simply, I did not expect to see a rich girl at the end of our tortuous search.

"What ya staring at?" Dori says in a creamy voice.

"We're looking for unripe harra fruits," I say, repeating Alhaitham's code for illicit goods.

"Yes I know," Dori snaps back, "and it appears that you've successfully evaded the Rishboland tiger. Well done."

Well, it took a bit of running to avoid being caught by the matra, patrolling the docks for suspicious behavior, but at this point, escaping authority has become our daily aerobic exercise. So I simply smile and shrug.

"I mean, I can't risk doing business with people who start huffing and puffing after just a few paces," Dori goes on. "No matter how much mora they might have, they're only going to get us into trouble! As decent folks trying to run an honest business, we don't need any of that. Wouldn't you agree?"

I exchange glances with Paimon. This girl is both gregarious and crafty, and I'm not sure what to make of her.

"Anyways, it's your first time here, but I won't ask too many questions," Dori concludes. "Even if you wish to buy enough knowledge capsules to build a chandelier, please, knock yourself out! As long as you have lots of round, shiny mora, I won't judge."

Looking around, I don't see anything obviously incriminating about her setup, consisting of a plush purple rug and some odd trinkets. Based on the knowledge capsule Alhaitham showed us earlier, I can't discern any similar objects here. "Can you show us your real wares?" I ask, hoping that I didn't misclassify anything valuable as a cheap bauble.

Dori nods in approval. "Of course, of course!" She twirls her hands around, and thick tendrils of purple smoke wave into a heavy cloud all around her. My first instinct is to cough from all the apparent particulate matter, but after a few breathes, I realize that the fog smells like sweet berries. "Voila!" Dori exclaims, clapping her hands. On cue, the purple smoke drops like a curtain and dissipates before hitting the ground. Where once lay bronze compasses and gemstone pendants, is now a neat array of knowledge capsules – hundreds of them. I take in a deep breath. Dori was right: she would be in serious trouble if the matra caught us out here like this.

"So, what knowledge do you seek, my dear customers?" Dori says in a smooth tone. "Take this one for instance – An Analysis of the Sociological Ideology and Dialectics of the Hilichurls. Only three people in all Teyvat have ever studied this, so it's extremely rare! Today, it could be yours for a meager 350,000 mora."

Paimon rolls her eyes at me. "Who would want this garbage, besides Ella Musk?" she whispers.

"Or how about The Architectural Styles and Construction Methods of Teyvat in the Early Archon War Period?" Dori continues, picking up another capsule. "With this, you could become an expert in historical architecture preservation, a well-paying job in nearly any nation!"

"Well paying job?" Paimon squeaks. "Sounds like a lot of food funds."

"Two million mora and it's yours," Dori replies. "No discounts." She dangles the knowledge capsule in front of Paimon enticingly.

"Forget it," Paimon grumbles. "I'll never earn that back in a lifetime."

"Well you are free to pick whatever your heart desires," Dori says. "The contents and price of each knowledge capsule are indicated in small text on the bottom of each." She lifts one capsule to demonstrate.

With a look at Paimon, I concentrate on the elemental energies in front of me. Swirling eddies of power emerge at the edge of my vision, and I let them take over. My ears fill with a dull ringing, and all around me, the world loses its color, now concentrated wherever elemental traces linger. In front of me, Dori's organized display becomes a jumble of different shades, mostly dull hues with a few exceptions. I note the positions of several that stand out, and relaxing my focus, I let the world come back to life.

"These three," I say, pointing at the brightest capsules. "How much?"

"My, oh my, you are blessed with a taste for both the exquisite and the extravagant," Dori says, clapping her hands with giddy excitement. "Customers like you are a rare breed – one in a hundred, no, one in a thousand, even!" She selects the knowledge capsules I pointed to and wraps them in fine paper. "333,333 mora for each please," she says, holding out one hand for payment.

"How about 750,000 mora for all three?" I say, wincing internally at the sticker price and praying to the Dendro Archon that Alhaitham prepared enough mora for this.

"Hmm," Dori murmurs after a moment, "since you have such good taste, I'll part with them for 900,000 mora."

"Deal," I say. Retrieving Alhaitham's coin pouch, I count out the amount and hand it over. Nearly empty, the once-plump pouch now droops with the weight of the remaining coins.

Smiling, Dori pockets the mora and hands over the package. Nodding towards our lighter, but non-empty purse, she whispers, "now I have a special offer for just the two of you. For 100,000 mora, you can pick any capsule of your choice, with a value up to one million mora!"

Paimon's eyes light up at the prospect. "Hey, did you hear that? One million mora, for 90% off!" She hisses. "We still have some of Alhaitham's funds left."

Exasperated, I turn towards her and shake my head. "This is how merchants trick you into spending more," I say. It's not even subtle.

"Think about it," Paimon replies, "we've gone through all this trouble to purchase knowledge capsules, and so far everything we've bought belongs to Alhaitham. Aren't you the least bit curious about how they work? Don't you want to try it yourself?"

"You just want to watch me use it," I say in defense. "You're the one who's curious." I, for one, have no desire to implicate myself personally in illegal dealings.

"C'mon, c'mon!" Paimon protests. "This is his money, so why not put it to good use?" I open my mouth to reply, but Paimon snatches the mora pouch from my hands and flies straight to Dori. "You've got a deal, Dori!" She says, tossing the pouch right in front of her.

"Excellent!" Dori says, clapping her hands again. At the signal, the majority of the knowledge capsules explode into puffs of purple smoke and vanish into sweet berry air. "Please, select from any of these," she says, waving to the remaining few.

"Hold on a second," Paimon says, suspicious. "Paimon thought we could choose whatever we wanted. Why can't we choose from the others?" Somehow, I knew this would happen.

"Dear customers, these capsules are worth one million mora each," Dori says sweetly. "I'm sure discerning customers like yourselves will be able to find something to your liking. Please, take your time."

Paimon looks helplessly at me, and I oblige. Sinking back into my elemental sight, I review the scene in front of us. The once varied array of capsules has been whittled down to a uniform mass of dull specks. Letting the world return, I smile sadly at Paimon.

"What did you see?" She says eagerly.

"They are all equally bright," I say euphemistically.

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"So they're really all worth the same amount?" Paimon asks, perking up again.

"Maybe we should just pass this time," I reply. "For the sake of your mental health."

Paimon's face drops as she comprehends the meaning of my words. "Don't be such a party pooper!" She settles down next to the remaining capsules and starts looking through them. "The mora's already been spent, so let's at least try to find something useful."

I shrug and sit next to her. An Introduction to Traditional Sumeru Brewing Techniques, useful for Master Diluc maybe. The Art of Growing Spices? Gardening is not my forte. It took me nearly half a year to master the cultivation of certain aquatic plants.

"How about this one?" Paimon says, picking up a capsule. "Sword fighting techniques, volume V-I-I-I," she recites. "I'm not sure what happened to the first V-I-I volumes, but at least sword fighting is useful."

"Whatever makes Paimon happy," I say. "We'll take this one, Dori." I gesture towards Paimon's selection.

"Very good!" Dori replies, picking up the indicated capsule and wrapping it up. "I'm expecting some new goods in the next couple of days, so be sure to check back again soon! Whether you need knowledge capsules or anything else, bring your mora to Dori, and doors will open to you!"

~

Scholars are everywhere, dressed in everything from the simple student uniforms to the pompous robes of high-ranking scholars. What possessed Alhaitham to call a meeting about illegal activities in this Akademiya hotspot? Well, speak of the devil, here he is, standing smugly at the center of this mosaic courtyard.

"You two made it," Alhaitham says. "From the looks on your faces, I ought to congratulate you on a job well done."

"You sure picked a spot where we could speak openly," I say, gesturing around us. I'm already going through a mental list of nouns and phrases to describe a "knowledge capsule" without using those two words.

"Wikala Funduq is under the Akademiya's control," Alhaitham replies, "but that means the matra don't come here."

"Smart," I say. "Anyway, here are your goods. Knowledge for knowledge?" I hand over the nondescript parcel, wrapped cleanly in the Port Ormos style.

Alhaitham receives the package and stows it away without a word. "First tell me, why do you seek this information?" He says. After a moment he adds, "you don't have to answer, of course."

"It's no secret," I shrug. Considering how many people we've talked to, and how many stories they've told about the legendary traveler me, our purpose in Teyvat is practically common knowledge. "We want to meet with the Dendro Archon, and we were told that this object may have something to do with the gods.

Alhaitham nods. "You may be on the right track. About this item, they say it can grant you the wisdom of the gods. It is called a divine you-know-what."

"Wow, really?!" Paimon exclaims. "Can it tell us how to find the Dendro Archon? Where is it right now?"

"I highly doubt it has any mystical properties," Alhaitham says, "but it's right here, in Port Ormos."

"Where?" I ask. Our lead is growing warmer as we speak.

Unfortunately, Alhaitham shakes his head and instructs, "Finding out 'where' is your next task. Now that you've befriended Dori, you should attempt to buy that information from her tomorrow."

I nod in agreement. Back to Dori we go. Still, one question nags at the back of my mind. "What's your stake in this?" I ask.

"I am a scholar," Alhaitham says plainly. "I am curious as to what this object truly is. As you may know, several Eremite brigades have been vying for ownership of this item, but there is still no victor. My personal finances cannot compete with those of the Eremites, but I have managed to reach an agreement with several parties: I will forego ownership for a chance to study the item."

"So why do you need us to find it for you?" I ask. It seems that Alhaitham already has his plans ironed out.

"Well, there are those who are less amenable to negotiation, like the Ayn Al-Ahmar. Also, the item will be up for auction soon, but the winner need not disclose their victory." he says. "Unless I know who possesses the item at that time, my agreements will fall through."

This seems like an awful lot of work to study a single knowledge capsule, but I suppose scholars are strange like this. "If we find it," I say, "you will tell us about your findings."

"Exactly," Alhaitham replies. "I will meet you here again tomorrow."

"One last thing," Paimon cuts in. She tilts her head towards me. "She wants to– um, she bought one for herself, and we were wondering if you could teach us how to use it."

Alhaitham laughs. "Sure, I can teach you, but Wikala Funduq is a problematic place for this. Come with me."

Twenty minutes later, we arrive at the banks of the river on the outskirts of town. Other than a nest of dusk birds and a colony of Hydro slimes, no one is here to report on our activities. Reaching into my pack, I retrieve our wrapped parcel and hand it over.

Pulling on the twine knot, Alhaitham unravels the package and retrieves the knowledge capsule within. "Sword fighting techniques, volume eight," he reads aloud. "Nice find. Most combat-class knowledge capsules have already been collected by the Eremites to augment their battle prowess."

Paimon smirks at me. "See, it wasn't a waste of mora after all!" She says proudly. "How does she use it?"

"If you want to determine the efficacy of this knowledge capsule, I can directly measure your physical parameters through the Akasha," Alhaitham replies. "I must warn you that if you already possess a high level of combat ability, the effects will be minimal."

"No problem. How do I proceed?"

Pointing to the Hydro slimes by the river, Alhaitham says, "let us conduct a controlled experiment. You will eliminate one Hydro slime, before and after using the knowledge capsule. Then I'll run statistical analyses to mitigate any confounding effects. Ready?"

I nod. Raising my sword, I walk over to the river and point it at a single slime. Summoning the power of Anemo, I direct the wind into its core, and the slime explodes into a splash of water. Outraged, its companions bounce towards me as I retreat to Paimon's side.

"Good," Alhaitham instructs. "Now hold the knowledge capsule in your hand," he says, handing the capsule over to me. "I'm going to link it to your Akasha so you can activate its power."

I take the knowledge capsule and look at it intently. Its greenish glow seems to stare back at me. Ready? I hear, but Alhaitham's voice is distant. Instead, the clashing of sword on sword replaces the chirping of dusk birds, and countless sword-wielding shadows fill my vision. After a moment, the outskirts of Sumeru City return to all my senses – the fighters but a distant memory in my head.

"All right," Alhaitham says. "Time for round two."

Holding my sword, I walk back to the river to select my next victim. After I repeat the same actions as before, another Hydro slime bursts back into the water of its origins. I look over my shoulder in anticipation of the results.

"0.073%," Alhaitham announces, loud and clear.

"Excuse me?" I say. "That's basically zero."

"Argh!" Paimon exclaims, stomping the air. "Dori scammed us!"

"Not necessarily," Alhaitham says. "This could be because the capsule's contents were insignificant compared to her existing power. Very good. Our deal seems increasingly worth my investment." He reaches into his pocket and hands me a fat purse of mora. "This is for Dori's information. I await your good news."

~

"Welcome back!" Dori exclaims, nearly jumping from her cushion in glee. "My favorite customers are back for more. What can I do for you today?"

"Can you really find us anything we want?" I ask carefully. "Anything at all?"

"Where there's a waterfall of mora, there's a way," Dori replies. "Please, oblige me, tell me what you have in mind."

Exchanging glances with Paimon, I say in a hushed tone, "I would like to buy information about the whereabouts of the divine knowledge capsule."

Dori breaks out into giggles. "I knew customers with pockets as deep as yours would undoubtedly crave something more profound than ordinary knowledge," she says giddily. "But this kind of information doesn't go for cheap. I had to work hard to weasel my way into the auction site," she says. "Not to mention that if anyone found out that I was the leaker, I would be in big, big trouble."

"We have the mora," I say, "but how can we verify the accuracy of the knowledge?" Though illegal, physical knowledge capsules are very much tangible. As we experienced with Ayn Al-Ahmar, information is hard to track down.

"Haven't you heard of Lord Sangemah Bay's golden reputation?" Dori says. Seeing our confusion, she shakes her head. "No? Well you need not worry, my dear outlander friends. I captured the moment on a kamera, so no one can dispute the transaction."

"Name your price," I say in response. In Teyvat, at least, the kamera seems to be a reliable instrument for record keeping. No one in this world has yet discovered how to tweak certain images for one's gain.

Dori leans forward and whispers a number in my ear. I raise my eyebrows at high price, but Alhaitham is the one paying. Wordlessly, I count out the mora from his pouch and lay it in front of Dori. Admiring her newly acquired shinies, Dori grins and swipes away the mora. "Always a pleasure to do business with such sterling customers," she says. "As requested, the divine knowledge capsule lies in the possession of a certain Mizri, leader of Ayn Al-Ahmar."

"You mean those Scarlet King worshippers?" I say, incredulous. Our last run-in with Ayn Al-Ahmar left a bad taste in my mouth.

"These religious fanatics have done everything in their power to obtain the divine knowledge capsule," Dori replies in affirmation. "After all, they believe it contains the power of their deity, the almighty Scarlet King Deshret."

I sigh. On one hand, Ayn Al-Ahmar has been resistant to Alhaitham's negotiations, but on the other, we have a chance to sway them by force. Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise.

"Now that you've paid in full," Dori continues, "I'll throw in a little extra. That divine knowledge capsule was unlike any I have ever seen – it was glowing bright red!" She reaches into her tunic for a photograph, which she extends towards me. As described, an olive-skinned man stands triumphantly, scarlet capsule in hand. A ragged group of Eremites surrounds him, faces in rowdy joy.

"Thank you for the information," I say, slipping the photograph into my pocket. "This has been very helpful."

"It's my pleasure," Dori replies. "Please, don't hesitate to contact me if you ever need anything else in the future. Mora for Dori opens doors!"