["Before I die… let me kill Dottore with my own hands!"]
[Scaramouche roared in grief and fury.]
[Aerin shrugged, smiling faintly.]
["You don't get to bargain with me."]
That was the last sentence Aerin intended to exchange with him.
The moment Scaramouche used the consciousness of Sumeru's people as fuel,
his fate was sealed.
Death was no longer negotiable.
Yet just as Aerin was about to act—
Space twisted.
[Eula stepped out of the Imaginary Space, carrying Nahida with her.]
Sanctuary of Surasthana
Nahida's heart began to race violently.
She was grateful—deeply grateful—that she had awakened at the final moment.
But that relief was immediately replaced by fear.
She had already reviewed Scaramouche's entire life.
And when she compared it with her former beliefs,
Nahida realized something terrifying:
If she had faced this situation blindly—
She might have pitied him.
She might have told herself that his nature was not evil,
that he was merely twisted by trauma and betrayal.
But now—
as an observer of the future, seeing everything in full—
She could no longer deceive herself.
Nothing he suffered
excused what he did to others.
"Please don't lose your head… future me…"
Nahida whispered, her small hands trembling.
["Master, she's awake."]
[Eula gently set Nahida down.]
[The moment Nahida saw Aerin, she bent deeply at the waist, trembling.]
["Aerin… my lord."]
["How many times did you try to 'reform' that woman?"]
[Aerin asked calmly.]
Nahida's face flushed crimson.
Reform…?
That madwoman couldn't be reasoned with at all.
She didn't even remember how long it had taken
before she finally forced herself to pick up a blade.
She only remembered—
Being cut down again and again.
Feeling death approach.
Feeling the crushing terror of waiting for it.
Only then did Nahida truly understand Aerin's words:
If the heavens destroy someone, mortals are helpless.
But if you have the power to punish a murderer—
then failing to do so is itself a sin.
["In the end… I picked up the blade and killed her."]
[Nahida answered honestly.]
Aerin said nothing at first.
Then he looked at her and spoke softly.
["Look up."]
Nahida obeyed.
Instantly—
Countless visions flooded her mind.
Her fear deepened.
Her shock grew.
And finally—
Her expression twisted into rage.
What Aerin showed her was everything:
From the moment Sumeru's people were dragged into experiments
to their present fate.
And Scaramouche's entire life.
["How… how could this happen…"]
["Sumeru… the people of Sumeru…"]
Nahida collapsed to the ground, clutching her head as she cried aloud.
Most of Sumeru City's citizens had been drained of will and awareness.
They were breathing—
But already dead.
Sumeru, because of the god-creation plan,
was effectively destroyed.
Then—
Nahida's swollen eyes snapped open.
She looked up, staring at the figure suspended in the air.
["It was him!"]
["One of the three who destroyed Sumeru!"]
["Fatui Harbinger—Scaramouche!"]
Her voice cracked as she screamed his name.
Aerin watched her with interest.
["You saw his past too,"]
[he said lightly.]
["Do you still believe he can be saved through persuasion?"]
["Do you still think his 'three betrayals' excuse him?"]
Repent…?
Nahida trembled violently and stared at Aerin in disbelief.
["My lord—he poisoned Sumeru's people!"]
["You wouldn't… forgive him, would you?"]
Bennett—no. Benelothis—slapped her own forehead hard.
Eula was completely lost, having not witnessed Sumeru's tragedy firsthand.
But even she could tell—
The Dendro Archon had almost said something fatal.
["I'll leave him to you, Nahida."]
[Aerin didn't answer her question.]
["I want to see what choice you make—without knowing my will."]
He wanted to know—
Would she dare to act
based on her own heart?
Nahida sucked in a sharp breath.
In the Sanctuary of Surasthana,
her heart finally eased—just a little.
"Future me, don't you dare mess this up…"
[Nahida hesitated.]
She couldn't tell what Aerin wanted.
Kill him?
Or spare him?
She glared at Scaramouche.
The people of Sumeru had been drained dry—
the pain they suffered was unimaginable.
But—
Aerin's presence terrified her.
She had died too many times.
She feared choosing wrong
and being punished.
Yet—
The shame of living
without giving her people justice
hurt even more.
She was their god.
Their Lesser Lord Kusanali.
After a long tremble—
Nahida clenched her teeth.
[She turned to Benelothis and said, voice shaking but firm:]
["Lady Benelothis… please give me a blade."]
["I will execute Scaramouche."]
["I understand your choice."]
Aerin nodded.
Benelothis immediately produced a long blade and placed it in Nahida's hands.
Nahida gripped it tightly
and walked toward Scaramouche.
The first strike landed.
Scaramouche's face twisted in agony.
["?"]
Nahida froze and looked back.
["I enhanced him,"]
[Aerin explained calmly.]
["His pain is amplified. He cannot scream."]
["His consciousness is reinforced—he will not faint."]
["He will only die after you strike a certain number of times."]
["That number equals the people he caused to die."]
["Including Sumeru's citizens."]
["I think this form of atonement is fitting."]
Yashiro Commission — Kamisato Estate
Ayaka stared at the screen, teeth clenched.
"So every strike represents one life…"
"One of them… is Grandfather."
Ayato watched silently.
Redemption?
Redemption is meaningless.
He understood Scaramouche perfectly.
Regret now—yet when you killed, you enjoyed it.
Such people deserved no mercy.
Sumeru Forest — Midnight
A shadow fled through the trees.
Il Dottore was running.
He had seen enough.
Scaramouche activated the Shouki no Kami—
Then a man appeared.
And everything stopped.
No activation.
No response.
Bella was gone.
Scaramouche was gone.
Dottore had only one thought—
Run.
Then—
["Where do you think you're going?"]
The voice froze his blood.
He spun around.
Moonlight revealed a man leaning casually against a tree.
Aerin.
["After draining Sumeru's people, you think you can leave?"]
["In Teyvat, only I am allowed to manipulate will itself."]
Dottore sneered.
["I've heard of you."]
["You think you get to decide who's 'qualified'?"]
["We are of this world. Why should we be judged by you?"]
["Because they were weak,"]
[he continued coldly.]
["I had the right to use them."]
Aerin clapped slowly.
["Excellent rhetoric."]
["Since weakness justifies exploitation—"]
["Then may I kill you for being weaker than me?"]
Dottore fell silent.
He knew the truth.
In a world of gods—
Power is law.
Even the heavens were seized from dragons.
After a long pause, he spread his arms.
["Fine. Kill me."]
Aerin laughed.
["Not yet."]
["I just wanted to tell you something first."]
["One of your segments…"]
["Is dying."]
Dottore's expression changed violently.
In his mind—
A panicked voice screamed:
["What's happening—my body—IT HURTS!"]
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