[Fontaine — where even the people are false, and the god is false as well.]
At this point, no one in Teyvat dared to doubt Aerin's words.
If he said something was true, then it was truth.
The native people of Fontaine had yet to recover from the horrifying revelation that they were not truly human—
when another crushing blow followed:
Furina was a false god.
[Hu Tao]: "This is huge news! Fontaine's Hydro Archon is fake? But her profile clearly lists her as the Hydro Archon!"
[Yanfei]: "No one would dare impersonate a god, right? Maybe her identity isn't fake—maybe we're misunderstanding Lord Aerin."
[Yae Miko]: "Could it be like the Raiden Shogun and Ei?"
[Yoimiya]: "This is terrifying… gods are fake, people are fake."
[Navia]: "So… all of Fontaine is fake…"
Navia collapsed weakly into her chair, her eyes gradually losing focus.
The shock was devastating.
Silver and Melus hurried to her side, panic clear on their faces.
"Miss, please pull yourself together!"
Navia was usually vibrant and fiery—
this was the first time they had ever seen her so utterly broken.
"Miss, even if everything about us is false… this world still has Lord Aerin."
"Yes," Melus added quickly.
"And from his words, he doesn't seem to blame those who were kept in the dark."
In his office, Neuvillette suddenly sat upright.
From Aerin's conversation with Rukkhadevata—and from the fact that he hadn't erased Fontaine's citizens outright—it was clear that Aerin did not place the blame on the people themselves.
"That exalted being must have a way to change Fontaine's situation," Neuvillette murmured.
"The question is… what price must be paid?"
"And more importantly—if Furina is a false Hydro Archon, then what happened to the real one?"
At last, he understood why Furina's behavior over the past five hundred years differed so drastically from the woman who once guided him into Fontaine.
"She's nothing like the Focalors of the past…"
Neuvillette took a few steps forward, intending to confront Furina—
Then stopped.
At this point, asking questions meant nothing.
The future was already being laid bare.
Until the dust settled, any action in the present could only make things worse.
Elsewhere.
Clorinde and Sigewinne felt just as drained.
Strangely enough, neither of them fixated too much on Furina being a false god.
After all—
If even their humanity was false, then the authenticity of a god felt… less important.
"Lady Furina," Clorinde asked carefully,
"what do you think now?"
"I mean… do you believe Fontaine still has a chance to be saved?"
Furina lay limply against the sofa, looking as if she might die at any moment.
She replied weakly,
"The ignorant are innocent. But gods are another matter."
"I think you'll be fine. Your sins don't warrant death."
Clorinde and Sigewinne exchanged glances.
They both understood what Furina meant.
The people might be spared.
A god—especially a fake one—would not be judged so lightly.
They had also learned through private messages that Aerin would arrive in Sumeru the next morning.
Before that, he had already publicly displayed Dottore and Scaramouche's punishment.
Just hearing about a forced, uncontrollable slaughter repeated ten thousand times was enough to make one's heart stop.
Furina's fear was more than justified.
The Imaginary Space
Skirk emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a robe, yawning lazily.
She summoned the light screen—only to find it completely black.
The day's revelations had ended.
"This light screen really is fascinating," she mused.
"It stops revealing things once the time's up."
"I imagine Fontaine is in absolute chaos right now."
She smiled faintly and absentmindedly touched the collar at her neck.
At this point, she no longer yearned for the Stigmata Serum.
After witnessing the Cosmic Overmind casually bestow power upon Bella, Skirk understood one thing clearly—
To Aerin, granting power was nothing more than a passing thought.
Staying by his side was worth more than any strength.
She only hoped… he wouldn't find her displeasing.
"Fontaine…" Skirk muttered with a bitter smile.
Suddenly, her expression changed.
Wait—Fontaine!
The prophecy of Fontaine wasn't a secret within the Abyss.
They knew that Fontainians dissolved because when Oceanids came into contact with Primordial Seawater, the Primordial Sea within them resonated violently.
That instability caused dissolution.
Because of this, Surtalogi had deliberately released the Star-Devouring Whale into the Primordial Sea—
One reason was to nurture it with that power.
Another was to help Fontaine overcome its prophecy by letting the whale consume the dangerous seawater.
Skirk had always found that decision strange.
But now—
It was no longer something she could ignore.
The Star-Devouring Whale would inevitably appear in the future light screen.
And as its caretaker, she would likely be exposed as well.
The Skirk shown in the future didn't know who Aerin truly was.
If things escalated…
Skirk didn't dare imagine the outcome.
She rushed toward Aerin's room.
Before she even reached the door, she heard applause and cheers.
Peeking inside, she saw Eula dancing gracefully.
Her high boots tapped rhythmically against the floor.
"When Eula finishes her ritual dance," Ayaka said with a smile,
"I'll perform one for Master as well."
Only then did Skirk remember—
Because the Spiral Power experiment had failed, the Valkyries feared Aerin might be in a bad mood.
So they had all come tonight… to keep him company.
"He seems to be in good spirits," Skirk murmured.
Honestly, expecting ordinary people to awaken Spiral Power was unrealistic to begin with.
The failure likely didn't trouble him much.
Still, Skirk hesitated.
"If I bring this up now… I might ruin his mood."
She paced anxiously—
Until Aerin's voice sounded calmly:
"Since you're here, come in."
Startled, Skirk entered stiffly.
Under the puzzled gazes of the others, she knelt and prostrated herself before Aerin, mimicking Yae Miko's old posture.
"What's wrong with her?" Ayaka asked in confusion.
Alice glanced away, pretending she knew nothing.
Raiden Ei stared silently at Skirk.
She'd been fine earlier—what happened after a bath?
"She's worried she'll run into me in Fontaine… and offend me," Aerin explained.
Understanding dawned on the women.
Lumine scratched her head and whispered,
"Everyone here has clashed with Master in the light screen at some point, right?"
"Isn't the point of the light screen to change the future?"
They all nodded.
Eula had once drawn her sword against Aerin.
Alice had been beaten until she spat blood.
Ayaka had blocked his path.
Raiden Ei had once arrogantly declared she could cleave nations.
And yet—
Here they were, calling him Master without hesitation.
"I'm not that petty," Aerin said calmly.
Skirk finally relaxed.
Paimon, stuffing her face, suddenly chimed in:
"I'm actually looking forward to seeing the proud swordswoman in the light screen."
"It'd be more fun if she tried to act tough in front of Master and got wrecked!"
Skirk shot her a glare.
Does this thing ever stop talking?!
Aerin chuckled and nodded.
"That's not a bad idea."
Skirk instantly broke into a cold sweat.
"Let's just pray the future me doesn't get involved with that useless, gluttonous ornamental fish," she said hurriedly.
Aerin understood.
No one could face fear without trembling.
Fear only vanished when one's understanding wasn't deep enough to touch it.
Lumine had once asked Aerin not to hold future Aether's actions against the present one.
And he agreed.
The present mattered more.
After a moment's thought, Aerin waved his hand.
Several beams of light appeared.
Multiple bottles of Stigmata Serum floated before the women.
"Give these to those who desire them," he said.
"You know who I mean."
Occasionally changing things up wasn't a bad idea.
Once Teyvat's future was properly stabilized, he would consider opening connections to other worlds.
As for consequences—
He didn't care.
Neither the Star Gods nor the will of the Sea of Quanta could trouble him.
If he wished, he could one day step outside the cosmos itself and uproot the Imaginary Tree.
But there was no need… yet.
Skirk and Raiden Ei accepted the serums reverently.
They knew Aerin could make them vastly stronger with a single thought—
But greed was unwise.
What mattered most wasn't power.
It was status.
Being a recognized subordinate of Aerin.
That alone surpassed everything else.
"Thank you for acknowledging us, Master."
Both women bowed deeply.
"All right," Aerin said casually.
"Go do what you need to do."
"As for my trip to Sumeru tomorrow, I'll choose two others to accompany me."
"If you have nothing pressing, you don't need to hover around me."
"…Ah?" The women froze, disappointment clear on their faces.
Raiden Ei's eyes sharpened—rare clarity striking.
"I'm different from the others," she said quickly.
"I don't serve much purpose in Inazuma anymore, so perhaps I—"
"By that logic, I'm the most idle of all," Skirk cut in immediately.
"I don't even need to return to the Abyss."
Their gazes collided.
Sparks flew.
"Then come play with the Abyss Order," Lumine said cheerfully, then added,
"Master, these two are disobedient. You should scrap them."
In the next instant, Skirk had slammed a hand onto Lumine's shoulder.
"I think that's a great idea," she said solemnly.
"I've never actually seen the Abyss Order."
Raiden Ei froze, panicking—
Until Ayaka quickly intervened.
"Shogun, we still need to distribute the Stigmata Serums Master gave us."
"Right, right!" Raiden Ei seized the excuse instantly.
"You're absolutely right."
After finally sending everyone away—
Aerin lifted his hand.
A white light and a violet light appeared in the Imaginary Space.
They shimmered, slowly taking human form.
Moments later, two beautiful figures stood before him.
One was Rukkhadevata, restored just as seen in the light screen.
The other—
Was the First Electro Archon of Inazuma.
Raiden Makoto.
The Next Morning
Before sunrise.
The streets leading to Sumeru City were packed with people.
Men and women stood in perfect order, faces solemn, waiting silently.
They knew Aerin might deal with Nahida in any number of ways—
Yet their presence spoke of longing.
Hope.
Inside the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
Nahida remained confined.
Sensing the change outside, she knew—
Today, Aerin would arrive.
Her heart pounded.
"How will Lord Aerin judge me?"
"Will I be erased… or—?"
Her thoughts spiraled—
Until space itself twisted.
A dark vortex formed.
Nahida's breath caught.
Then—
Her eyes filled with tears.
"…Is that you?"
"Great Lord Rukkhadevata?"
"Yes," Rukkhadevata replied softly.
"It's me, Nahida."
"I was restored by Master's divine power."
"And I now carry all the memories shown in the light screen."
With a wave of her hand, the cage vanished.
She pulled Nahida into her embrace, feeling the child tremble violently.
"That's wonderful… as long as you're back…" Nahida sobbed.
"Where is Lord Aerin?"
Rukkhadevata explained everything.
The World Tree was now completely governed by Aerin's Taixu Sword Qi.
Under its power, the World Tree was stronger than ever.
With it, the Withering Zones across Sumeru had been completely cleansed.
"Master sent me to finish Sumeru's loose ends," she whispered.
"He diverted to Fontaine."
She gently stroked Nahida's head.
Beneath her white dress, a radiant mark shimmered faintly.
Nahida grasped her tightly.
She understood.
This wasn't abandonment.
It was a second chance.
"I will do my best," Nahida said firmly.
"I won't disappoint anyone ever again."
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