Hearing the Raiden Shogun's words, Beisht instantly became compliant. Her massive, serpentine form began to shrink, eventually condensing into a delicate, refined woman.
She had long, pale blue hair reaching her waist and wore a flowing dress, her temperament gentle, much like a noble lady from an ancient era. However, her eyes were dim; she understood clearly that her fate no longer belonged to herself, but to the victors standing before her.
In truth, she had come prepared to die. But when faced with actual extinction, Beisht had faltered—only because the Raiden Shogun added a crucial sentence:
"Osial is not dead yet."
That was the true reason for her surrender.
Across the thousands of miles of the sea's surface, the water was now littered with the corpses of sea beasts. The three Elemental Queens, seeing the battle concluded, returned to the crown of the World Tree to refine the elemental crystals they had harvested.
Ningguang, looking down at the massive windfall of materials, took out a communication bird and began issuing orders.
"Notify the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Coordinate with Inazuman and Mondstadt vessels to salvage all carcasses. Categorize them into edible and non-edible. All scales and hides are to be processed for armor. As for the bones, consult the specialists..."
"Yes, Lady Ningguang!"
Within ten minutes, Liyue's massive salvage fleet was deployed. Thousands of sea beasts represented a literal mountain of wealth.
The Confession
At the base of the World Tree, Beisht stood with her head bowed before the group. If not for the fine scales at the base of her neck, she could easily be mistaken for an ordinary woman.
"Is... is my husband truly alive?"
"When did you ever hear that Osial was executed?" Su Han replied, somewhat exasperated. This woman had really come on a suicide mission for nothing.
Beisht hesitated. "A man in black clothes... he showed me an image. He said this World Tree was growing by devouring my husband's flesh. He said my husband held a deep grudge against you all... I didn't think twice. Is he really okay?"
Mona pointed toward the massive roots submerged in the deep. "Go see for yourself later. The World Tree did absorb the remains of fallen gods to grow, but it didn't kill the Vortex God. You should thank Su Han. Otherwise, with that husband of yours and his history of trouble, he'd have deserved to die ten times over."
"I'm sorry... I'm truly sorry..." Beisht murmured, her face filled with contrition.
Raiden Ei spoke with her usual cold detachment. "Apologies are useless. You will sign a contract of service. You will work to redeem the sins of both yourself and your husband. When the debt is paid, you may reunite. How about it?"
"I agree... I am willing to pay the debt. But... may I see him first?"
Su Han didn't refuse. With Zhongli's seal in place, Osial wasn't going anywhere. Beisht let out a long sigh of relief. Repentance was a small price to pay compared to the death of them both. In this changing world, she no longer craved dominion; she only wanted a quiet life with her unfaithful but beloved husband.
The Humiliation of the Abyss
As Beisht departed, Lisa smiled. "You planned for this, didn't you?"
"Yes," Su Han admitted. "I knew Beisht would eventually come, so I spared Osial. If we want to face the enemies of the All-Heavens, we need more than just ourselves. We need manpower. Osial might not be the strongest, but in naval combat... he's a convenient tool to have."
Yae Miko interjected, "Who was the person who provoked Beisht? The Fatui... or the Abyss?"
"It doesn't matter, but they are certainly our enemies. The Fatui are more interested in intelligence right now; they wouldn't risk such a blunt provocation after our declaration of war. My bet is on the Abyss."
Hanachirusato chuckled mischievously. "How about we announce the news? Tell the world that Beisht has surrendered and joined Liyue to atone for her husband's sins."
"That's a wicked plan," Ningguang laughed. "The Abyss will be furious."
Minutes later, a special broadcast aired across the three nations. Yoimiya appeared on screen, looking professional yet cheerful.
"Hello everyone! This is your host, Yoimiya. We have breaking news regarding the battle in the outer seas. The attacker was the final remnant of the Vortex God's legacy—his wife, Beisht. However, do not worry! She has been defeated and has voluntarily joined Liyue to atone for their past crimes!"
The broadcast included footage of the battle, the contract signing, and Beisht's human form.
The Prince's Fury
Deep within the Abyss, on a dark throne, a one-armed prince stared at the screen. Aether (Lumine's brother) crushed a gemstone in his hand as he watched the recording.
"Useless trash! She's the wife of a Demon God, yet we drove thousands of beasts to her and she couldn't even bring back a single twig of that tree!"
"It was bad luck, Your Highness," a Herald whispered. "The Archons were all present on the tree..."
On the screen, Yoimiya's voice continued: "A special thank you to the 'anonymous donor' who organized this attack! Not only did you provide us with a massive harvest of sea beast meat and hides, but you also sent us a powerful servant. Lord Su Han says he appreciates the gift—it saved us a lot of time in hunting!"
SPAT!
Aether literally spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor from sheer rage. But the final blow came at the end of the video: a photograph of his sister, Lumine, smiling and leaning intimately against Su Han.
"Damn you... how dare you do that to Lumine... I will never forgive you! Is my prosthetic arm ready yet?!"
"The laboratory is rushing, Your Highness. It will be ready soon."
The Prisoner's Resignation
At the very bottom of the sea, beneath the roots of the World Tree, Beisht found the massive, branch-entwined rock that was her husband.
"I'm sorry, husband," she whispered, touching the stone. "I wasn't strong enough to save you... and to keep you alive, I have to work for that man now."
"It's fine. I don't blame you," a voice echoed in her mind. A phantom human form—the avatar of Osial—appeared. His face was numb. He knew that his survival was only a matter of Su Han's mercy. Since the World Tree had arrived and the three Archons began treating it as their backyard, he realized his dreams of a comeback were over.
Unless he chose to serve, he would eventually be dismantled as "materials." He was a prisoner in a cage, and today, he finally understood: the Era of the Gods was being replaced by the Era of the Sovereign.
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