Seeing how Focalors was beginning to lose her composure, Nolan realized that sneaking in like this had indeed been rather impolite. With a slightly awkward smile, he explained,
"Mainly, our cooperation is related to the Oratrice Mécanique d'Analyse Cardinale. It seems that Lady Furina isn't able to make the decision herself."
"..."
Focalors fell silent. With her understanding of Furina, if something wasn't important, the girl would've either handed it off to someone else or rejected it outright.
If Furina was hesitating, it meant the matter was serious. Since she herself was the cause of that pressure, it was only right to at least see what was going on.
After all, these people had come to her on their own initiative. Thinking of that, Focalors shot Nolan and his companions a vexed glare.
With visible displeasure, she said, "Fine. Speak. What is this about?"
"This is a grand project that could change the world. If successful, Teyvat's level of science and technology will experience an explosive leap—straight into the Information Age, and perhaps even the Interstellar Era!"
Nolan then detailed the concept of the 'Akasha Interconnection Network', emphasizing that it required the Oratrice's unique ability to convert belief in justice into compensatory mixed energy.
"A virtual world that exists everywhere, enabling instantaneous communication and knowledge-sharing across any distance… If it really works like that, then yes, a technological explosion isn't impossible."
Focalors hadn't expected Sumeru's God of Wisdom to have created something like this.
"Exactly. The only thing restricting the 'Akasha Interconnection Network' right now is energy. Even a Gnosis could only support coverage over a single nation at most.
"To cover all of Teyvat is still difficult, but your Oratrice—or rather, your divine authority—has that potential.
"With your power supporting it, you could even gather faith in justice from all across Teyvat. When that happens, letting it extend beyond this planet might not be a dream!"
Nolan went on excitedly.
If the 'Akasha' system could harness Imaginary Energy, then he himself could supply it with infinite power—allowing it to blanket all of Teyvat instantly, even spreading beyond this world.
Moreover, after his "Beloved by Maidens" specialization evolved at level 90, it had gained the trait of energy transmission.
The girls who had been strengthened through his Harmonization Energy could draw on his own reserves. If he could transmit Imaginary Energy to Nahida, she'd be able to maintain and expand the network indefinitely.
But sadly, Imaginary Energy was power that warped reality itself, fundamentally incompatible with normal matter. To make it usable like electricity would be absurdly difficult.
He'd learned as much back on the Herta Space Station, when he accessed the 'Interastral Peace Network' via his phone to research the Genius Society.
Its 79th member, Calderon Chadwick, had been recognized by the Aeon of Erudition himself after developing the Imaginary Implosion Pulse—a method to manipulate Imaginary Energy.
In other words, without extraordinary power, only the most brilliant minds in the entire galaxy—those who specialized in Imaginary Energy—could ever hope to utilize it.
Unless Nolan got lucky and encountered such a genius someday, or met this Chadwick in person to invite him to help study how the 'Akasha' system could use Imaginary Energy as its power source, he'd have to rely on Focalors instead.
After all, the compensatory mixed energy that transformed faith in justice was already used to power Fontaine's infrastructure.
Studying how to adapt it for the 'Akasha' system shouldn't be that hard.
"That is quite the magnificent dream," Focalors admitted. "But since you're acquainted with Sumeru's God of Wisdom, you should already know—'The False Sky' still blankets Teyvat, and that being on Celestia… they might not allow something so miraculous to exist."
If not for Fontaine's current crisis, she might have agreed to help. But right now, she was barely able to protect herself, let alone join hands with them.
"That's not a big issue," Nolan replied with a calm smile. "By the time Teyvat develops spacecraft capable of interstellar navigation, I should already have the strength to safeguard our achievements."
At present, his combat power easily surpassed even Ei, one of the top Archons. Against the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, he wouldn't be too far behind either.
Though admittedly, he still lacked confidence when facing the Sustainer herself.
But now that he had access to the interstellar world, there were surely many places like the Giant Stinger's Stomach, where he could rapidly farm Adventure EXP.
Reaching the level needed to crush the Sustainer was only a matter of time.
After all, the strongest Archons of Teyvat were around level 120. Even if the Sustainer were stronger, she couldn't be that far above them—otherwise, she wouldn't have been wounded and forced into slumber after that battle long ago.
"…Are you always this arrogant?" Focalors crossed her arms, her expression complicated. "If the one on Celestia were that easy to deal with, I wouldn't have to—hmph. Anyway, you should go back. Try finding another way. I can't help you."
It was precisely because of the Sustainer's Judgment that Fontaine faced its current crisis. If even a mere prophecy could endanger the entire nation, how could such a being possibly be easy to oppose?
"What should we do? It looks like our persuasion didn't work at all…" Paimon looked worriedly at Nolan and Lumine.
"Hmm… You've been hiding in the shadows, letting Furina act as your public face to handle everything. That must mean you're dealing with something important, right?
"Is there any way we can help? If we succeed, would you be willing to lend us your power as payment for the commission?"
After thinking for a moment, Nolan proposed this to Focalors.
But Focalors simply shook her head. After centuries of preparation, she was already close to completion. She didn't want any unforeseen complications now.
With a gentle refusal, she said,
"I appreciate the thought, but this is my own affair—it has nothing to do with you. There's no need for your help."
[Focalors Has Developed Good Feelings Toward You, Obtained 320 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.3 (20/300)]
Having learned their true intentions, she no longer felt as angry about their intrusion.
In fact, their earnest offer to help had sparked a faint sense of goodwill.
"Ahh, you're so hard to persuade," Nolan sighed helplessly.
"Yeah! Helping people is our specialty, you know!" Paimon puffed out her chest proudly. "We've never failed a commission before! Just tell us what's wrong—maybe we can really help!"
"If you've kept an eye on the outside world, you should've heard of us," Lumine added, nodding confidently. "No matter how difficult the task, we always finish it."
Seeing that Nolan and his companions had no intention of giving up until they achieved their goal, Focalors sighed helplessly and said,
"Since you insist on knowing, I don't mind telling you. It's no secret—if you asked any Fontainean outside, they could tell you the same thing."
"Oh? Then please, tell us." Nolan's eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"Have you ever heard of Fontaine's prophecy?" Focalors asked.
"Prophecy? What prophecy? We only arrived in Fontaine not long ago, and Paimon don't recall anyone mentioning anything like that."
Paimon tilted her head, her face full of confusion.
"Fontaine's people are born with sin," Focalors said softly. "And the sea will swallow all who bear that sin, leaving only the Hydro Archon to weep upon her throne. That… is the crisis that Fontaine faces."
Many knew about this so-called "Prophecy of Fontaine." As long as Focalors didn't reveal her actual plan, there was no risk of being detected by "Celestia."
"W-wait, what?! You mean everyone will be swallowed by the sea?!"
Paimon's eyes went wide with horror.
"No need to panic. Only the sinful people of Fontaine will be swallowed. You, as outsiders, won't be affected."
Focalors shook her head reassuringly.
"Whew, that's good—no, wait, that's terrible! Fontaine's people will still be swallowed! We've got so many friends here—Charlotte, Navia, Charolette, and the others!"
Paimon let out a breath of relief, only to wave her hands frantically a moment later.
"I see," Nolan murmured thoughtfully. "So if even you, the God of Justice, take it seriously, then this prophecy must be real. But why would the sea only swallow Fontaine's people and not others? What's the reason behind that?"
"Have you heard of the Primordial Sea of Genesis?" Focalors asked after a moment's thought.
Nolan, Lumine, and Paimon exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison.
"That sea existed in the earliest days of this planet. Its waters were different from the oceans we know now. Nearly all life on Teyvat originated there.
"From the first single-celled organisms, evolution slowly gave rise to the countless living beings we see today—including normal humans."
Focalors spoke slowly and deliberately.
"Normal humans?" Paimon blinked. "You mean… there are abnormal ones?"
"Indeed," Focalors said. "The previous Hydro Archon, Egeria, stole power from the Primordial Sea of Genesis and transformed her loyal followers—the pure water spirits—into humans. Those became the people of Fontaine.
"Outwardly and biologically, they're no different from other humans, but within their veins flows the water of the Primordial Sea.
"If a Fontainean comes into contact with that primordial water, their body will dissolve—returning to the sea and becoming one with its collective consciousness.
"So, to prevent such a fate, as the God of Justice, I must find a solution. I can't simply pretend it's false and do nothing."
Her tone carried helpless weariness.
"I see… that's truly unexpected." Nolan and the others were stunned by the revelation.
After thinking for a moment, Nolan asked curiously,
"If ordinary seawater doesn't affect Fontaineans, then it must be the primordial water itself that will devour them. But where exactly is this Primordial Sea of Genesis? It can't just appear out of nowhere, can it?"
"The Primordial Sea lies beneath Fontaine," Focalors explained. "It's been sealed away—but over the centuries, its water level has continued to rise. Sooner or later, it will break through the seal. That will be the day the prophecy comes true.
"You said you wanted to help—now that you know the situation, do you still have the confidence to do so?"
She smiled faintly, though a trace of bitterness flickered at the corner of her lips.
"Uh… We've fought crazed Stormterror, the ancient god Osial, even some Harbingers—but this time, our opponent is an entire sea? Paimon honestly don't know how we're supposed to fight that…"
Paimon scratched her head in distress—then suddenly brightened up.
"How about letting all the Fontaineans evacuate? They could take refuge in other nations until the primordial waters recede, and then come back!"
She offered the suggestion eagerly.
"Running away only delays the inevitable," Focalors replied. "And that's assuming any other nation would even accept the entire population of Fontaine.
"If we ignore the primordial water, it'll soon mix with the normal sea and spread across all of Teyvat.
"In that case, the escape of Fontaine's people would only be futile self-deception."
She clearly rejected Paimon's immature idea.
"Then how about having Nolan dig a hole under the primordial sea and store all that water inside the SVoid Starsea—then throw it out into outer space?"
Paimon spread her hands, as if that solved everything.
Focalors gave her an incredulous look. "Even if that were possible—and I doubt it is—it must not be done.
"The primordial water may dissolve Fontaineans, but it isn't evil. In fact, it contains an immense amount of planetary energy.
"If we were to throw it out of the world, that energy would be lost. The planet's environment would gradually decay, and the root problem would remain unsolved—the water would inevitably rise again someday.
"The real issue isn't the sea itself, but the original sin carried by Fontaine's people from birth."
So Focalors rejected that plan as well.
"Oh? So that means you already have an idea of your own solution, then?" Nolan asked curiously.
"I don't," Focalors replied, shaking her head lightly. "If I did, I wouldn't be so troubled."
"I see." Nolan didn't press her any further. He turned to Lumine and Paimon.
"In any case, we'll have to investigate the Primordial Sea ourselves. Only by seeing it with our own eyes can we figure out a real solution. Talking won't get us anywhere."
"Hehe, you've got a point," Paimon said, embarrassed but smiling. Lumine crossed her arms and nodded in agreement.
Nolan turned back to Focalors, smiling gently.
"Don't worry. I'll do everything I can to try and resolve Fontaine's prophecy crisis. If I succeed, would you agree to our cooperation then?"
"If you can truly do that," Focalors said softly, "then I'll agree to any condition. I'll be watching to see what you can accomplish."
Though she didn't believe they could possibly solve the crisis—she herself had been searching for a perfect method, one that could free every Fontainean from the fear of the primordial waters—Focalors was nonetheless touched by their sincerity.
[Focalors Has Developed Good Feelings Toward You, Obtained 300 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.4 (20/400)]
(End of Chapter)