Furina slaying Nibelung and earning the pardon of Fontaine's people—
This was the greatest reward for the five hundred years she had borne the prophecy alone.
There had never been a false god.
Nor had her suffering ever been in vain.
Under the gaze of countless eyes, every citizen of Fontaine understood one thing clearly—
It was Furina who had saved them.
She was the reason they had been granted redemption.
Yet inside the office—
Neuvillette's palms were drenched in sweat.
On the projection before him, Furina's movements were visibly stiff, her expression tense.
"Don't tell me…" he muttered anxiously,
"…that after becoming a Valkyrie and receiving such terrifying power, she doesn't know how to use it."
"If that's truly the case…"
"I can't imagine how disappointed—how furious—that lord would be."
To be given a chance and still fail to grasp it—
that would mean having no remaining value at all.
[Yae Miko]: "The Greater Lord was right. This is practically a free question."
[Raiden Ei]: "A single strike should end it."
[Yoimiya]: "But Furina looks really nervous…"
[Yelan]: "Lady Furina probably has no combat experience."
[Navia]: "Don't show fear, Lady Furina! If you can't kill Nibelung, Fontaine is finished!"
[Focalors]: "Sigh… I know Furina better than anyone. I'm worried she has the power, but doesn't know how to wield it."
[Paimon]: "That's scary! She better not miss and end up flipping Fontaine instead!"
[Arataki Itto]: "Is she really that clumsy?"
[Xianyun]: "To gain favor without caring for strength… how puzzling."
Inside the Palais Mermonia—
Furina's barely stabilized emotions were once again yanked taut by Aerin's command.
She truly had no combat experience.
She had lived as an ordinary human—pure, naive.
To her, powerful abilities were far less tempting than a slice of cake.
At most, she bullied motionless seals on the shoreline.
A gust of wind could send her panicking.
Occasionally smug—but never martial.
Ask her to fight?
She could only stare blankly.
"You must believe in yourself, Lady Furina,"
Clorinde said quickly, sensing her tension.
Sigewinne nodded firmly.
"No matter what, the gap in power is absolute. As long as your aim is correct, you can kill Nibelung."
Furina froze.
"A-aim…? What's that?"
Clorinde: "Huh?"
Sigewinne: "I mean—just don't attack in the wrong direction."
Nibelung lowered his gaze, staring at the tiny figure stepping forward.
Furina's shouting only poured oil onto his already raging fury.
He glanced at Aerin.
From their words, it was obvious—
Teyvat already belonged to this unfamiliar man.
"So he sends a child to humiliate me?"
Nibelung's eyes shifted to the spinning top hat on the ground.
Bloodshot veins split across his crimson pupils.
"How amusing!"
He roared toward the heavens.
"My current form is forged entirely from Abyssal power!"
"I am far stronger than I ever was!"
"Even Phanes at his peak would not be my match!"
"I'd like to see what you insects can possibly do!"
He raised his head and opened his maw.
Black energy, laced with lightning, condensed within.
The sky darkened.
Thunder roared.
Winds howled.
The Primordial Sea surged violently, waves accelerating toward Fontaine.
The nation trembled like a boat facing the apocalypse.
"Furina…"
Focalors clutched her chest.
If allowed, she would have already struck Nibelung down.
But Aerin had chosen Furina.
And no one understood Furina better than her creator—
she had no concept of power.
"Calm down…" Furina whispered to herself.
"Feel the power inside you… figure out how to move it."
She closed her eyes.
The moment her mind stilled—
she felt it.
All the water of Teyvat.
Blue lights shimmered like spirits, gathering around her.
When she raised her hand, they leapt eagerly to her fingertips.
"I feel it…"
"I really feel it."
Following the flow, she sensed violent turbulence—
the raging Primordial Sea.
"All water," she commanded softly,
"please… stop moving forward."
Her will moved.
The citizens watched in horror as the massive wave approached.
Some shut their eyes, awaiting dissolution.
Then—
"L-look! The wave… it stopped!"
Eyes flew open.
The dark sea hung frozen in place.
Then, slowly—
it began to recede.
"It's retreating!"
"The Primordial Sea is retreating!"
"It's Lady Furina!"
"She commanded the sea!"
"Lady Furina lives forever!"
Cheers shook Fontaine.
Furina opened her eyes, startled.
"My dear people…"
"This is not my achievement."
"You should thank Teyvat's new master—
the true god we all serve."
"Lord Aerin!"
The people knelt as one.
Rukkhadevata stared in awe.
Aerin's lips twitched.
He laughed softly.
"Focalors… your human half really is adorable."
Focalors gritted her teeth.
"She's driving me mad—she actually—"
Neuvillette exhaled deeply.
"She did the right thing."
Nibelung's fury exploded.
"TEYVAT—IS MINE!"
"I am its true master!"
"Humans—die!"
His power surged.
Mountains cracked.
Thunder swallowed the sky.
Faraway nations sensed the change.
"Enough," Furina muttered, glancing at the slowing hat.
"I'm out of time."
She raised her fist skyward.
"Three feet of water—
that's enough."
The clouds split.
A vast blade of water descended.
A sword formed from all water in Teyvat.
Nibelung froze in terror.
"That power—!"
"Your level is too low to perceive it,"
Focalors said calmly.
"Furina—finish it."
"I know!"
Furina shouted:
"Nibelung!"
"This is the price for defying my master."
"Death sentence—"
"Immediate execution."
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