But the final shockwave, the one from Snezhnaya, was what truly sent the entire continent reeling.
First.
The Tsaritsa made a massive, public spectacle of returning the other nations' Gnoses.
It was downright unbelievable.
After all that effort to snatch them, after all the chaos and schemes they'd sown across every other nation… what was the point of giving them back now?
Of course.
Considering how every nation had been hit with changes simultaneously—and not minor ones, either—it felt coordinated!
Nine times out of ten, it had to be an order from the divine Celestia itself, right? They probably had no choice.
But fine, let's set that aside for a moment.
Then!
The Tsaritsa issued a formal proclamation of self-accusation.
She admitted her own faults. And announced the dissolution of the Fatui, declaring that any member who had committed wrongdoings would be punished.
The people of other nations were stunned.
But for the citizens of Snezhnaya themselves, it felt like one crushing blow after another.
First, their beloved Archon had admitted she was wrong.
Second… one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
Regardless of their methods, the Fatui were the Tsaritsa's staunchest supporters. Throughout Snezhnaya, they held immense prestige.
Not only were the Fatui Harbingers purged, every single Fatui soldier was slapped with ridiculous charges.
What was the meaning of this?
They couldn't understand it!
The purge was completed in just three short days.
Then, the following three days…
Led to now.
"I have been an unworthy Archon."
"I have brought ruin upon Snezhnaya…"
"By the command of the Heavenly Principles, I shall confine myself to Celestia."
"Henceforth, Snezhnaya is dissolved!"
No one had ever heard of a nation just… dissolving itself.
Or rather! In all of Teyvat's history… this was a first.
Even though everyone had privately speculated that the Heavenly Principles were the hidden force behind the continent's upheaval, forcing every Archon to act as they did, most of the gods never mentioned Celestia.
They acted as if they were acting on their own will, as if it was what they themselves wanted—simple as that.
So it remained just speculation.
But this time, the Tsaritsa made it crystal clear to everyone: this was a command from the Heavenly Principles, a punishment from above.
She showed no resentment towards the Heavenly Principles.
In her own words, she frankly stated that her own incompetence had brought about this divine retribution.
The dissolution of Snezhnaya pained her deeply.
She would watch over her remaining people from Celestia.
However!
They must no longer identify themselves as citizens of Snezhnaya.
"No! I won't accept this!"
"Your Majesty…"
"We might as well rebel against the heavens themselves! Why… why dissolve Snezhnaya?"
Whether they were those who truly loved their homeland, or those now fearful and lost about their future, emotions ran high.
But Barnabas wasn't asking for their opinion.
She was making an announcement.
The fact that the Heavenly Principles had merely ordered Snezhnaya's dissolution, rather than unleashing a Celestial Nail to obliterate everything, was already an extraordinary act of mercy.
What more did they want?
As for those few who clamored for rebellion, she dealt with them personally.
She would not allow anyone to test the patience of the Heavenly Principles at a time like this.
By invoking the name of the Heavenly Principles, she made it clear to all: this wasn't her own unilateral decision to dismantle the nation, but a direct command, a divine judgment from above.
The fundamental goal was to tell them this!
Give up any thought of restoring the nation.
Just live your lives in peace. Once it involved the level of the Heavenly Principles, no one could do a thing!
"I have entrusted the other Archons with your care."
"You may choose to travel to other nations, or remain within the former lands of Snezhnaya. To a certain extent, they will offer you shelter."
It's worth noting!
Across all other nations, every level of society was stunned, buzzing with discussion and speculation.
Yet Barnabas herself continued her work methodically.
She truly worried for her people. She couldn't bear the thought of them, after her departure, being carved up and preyed upon by the other nations.
So she chose to proactively seek favor, reaching out to the other Archons to facilitate the integration of her people into their lands.
Hoping they would receive protection.
The other Archons, naturally, weren't about to kick someone while they were down.
They were all grasshoppers tied to the same string now.
The Tsaritsa had suffered enough. This was not the time to bully her further.
And then!
The seventh day arrived.
Every nation had undergone its own brief, sharp pains.
Each day had brought drastic changes.
Looking back, it felt like a lifetime had passed.
Mondstadt had excised its bloated elements and was now operating with streamlined, familiar efficiency.
Liyue saw its new Geo Archon return to his post, establishing a new system of divine oversight and popular self-governance.
Inazuma, united as one, was brimming with renewed vitality.
Sumeru had overhauled the Akademiya's rules and regulations, even establishing a new system of primary schools, secondary schools, and universities feeding into the Akademiya itself—a more complete, continuous pipeline for knowledge and learning.
Regardless of region, race, or even nationality, any citizen of Sumeru, or even foreigners, could come to study.
The greatest beneficiaries were the children of the desert.
A series of supportive policies felt like sunlight breaking through the clouds!
Fontaine.
Neuvillette had taken a year's leave of absence.
Focalors had retaken her divine seat, while Furina became the Deputy Hydro Archon.
Natlan.
It was bustling with construction and development.
Only Snezhnaya was completely gone.
From that point on, the Seven Nations of Teyvat became six.
Although the vast majority of Snezhnayan loyalists refused to leave their homeland, a significant number of people still chose to travel to other nations to start new lives.
Even though the other nations, still bearing the scars of the chaos wrought by the Fatui, regarded them with suspicion and unease, they weren't openly hostile.
True integration would still take a long, long time.
But this, at least, was a beginning.
BOOM—
Right at that moment!
The sky began to change.
The sudden transformation was like a thunderclap.
The clouds churned, coalesced, shifted color, and finally formed a shimmering screen of light.
Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru…
Natlan, and Fontaine…
The people of every nation looked up in shock.
After the series of upheavals they'd endured, every little stir felt like a potential ambush.
And it wasn't just the common folk. The Archons themselves, along with their nations' high-ranking officials, grew tense and wary.
They all gazed skyward, their expressions grave.
"What's happening?!"
"W-what's going on?!"
"The sky! There's something in the sky!"
In their respective domains, the Archons watched in silent apprehension, their minds immediately flying to Celestia, their tension mounting.
"Is the Heavenly Principles about to do something else?"
"Could this… be the true divine punishment?"
It was no wonder they thought this.
They simply couldn't imagine any force other than the Heavenly Principles capable of projecting a screen across the entire sky of Teyvat.
If Celestia felt the recent reforms weren't sufficient…
Or if, from the very beginning, the plan was 'you handle your reforms, I'll handle my judgment'…
Well, that did seem like its style, didn't it?
It can't be, can it? Really?
Could it truly be?!
The Archons feared the sudden descent of a Celestial Nail, targeting one of the remaining six nations.
Barnabas, who hadn't even ascended to Celestia yet and was still tidying up her affairs, grew even more anxious seeing this.
Was this about to be a purge, targeting the remnants of her people still within Snezhnaya's former borders?
Please, no…
Her knees went weak.
She nearly fell to them right there!
--+--
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