Furina felt absolutely wretched.
How could she not panic? She had suddenly materialized in a place entirely foreign to her.
It wasn't just that she was alone, leaving her—someone without the strength to truss a chicken—vulnerable to any number of dangers.
More importantly, she had been whisked away without any warning, failing to maintain the dignity befitting a Hydro Archon.
She feared that this breach in her performance might leave a permanent crack in the divine image she had spent so long cultivating.
If her terror had been superficial before, it deepened into a cold, hollow dread once she realized she was no longer in Teyvat.
Naturally, she wasn't foolish enough to go parading about, asking strangers for information as a god.
She hadn't lost her wits entirely. In a strange land where she knew no one, she chose to approach others with a facade of confident pride, skillfully extracting the information she needed without drawing undue suspicion.
The good news was that she likely wouldn't have to continue her charade as a deity.
The bad news... well, if she had suddenly vanished, Fontaine might very well be doomed, just as the prophecy had foretold.
Furina didn't know the specifics of the other "me's" plan, but she knew, with absolute certainty, that she was an essential piece of that puzzle.
Could it be? Was the prophecy coming to pass precisely because of her inexplicable disappearance?
Was the prophecy's vision of the "other me"—the true Hydro Archon—weeping upon the throne the direct result of this current predicament?
While being relieved of the exhausting burden of playing a god was, in one sense, a liberation, if that freedom had to be paid for with the lives of the people of Fontaine, she would choose the weight of her loneliness and suffering a thousand times over.
Overwhelmed by a tangle of complex emotions, Furina quickly found herself lacking the energy to dwell on it further. She was hungry.
Having woken up to find herself in this strange new world, she hadn't even had breakfast. She was reaching her breaking point.
The problem was, as a god, she was never in the habit of carrying money; there was always someone else to hold her purse and settle the bills.
Penniless, she could only resort to the tropes she had read about in novels: she would try her hand at street performing.
Fortunately, the city's rules weren't overly strict.
After a few inquiries to confirm the feasibility of such a thing, Furina chose a spot in front of a fountain where the scenery and atmosphere were both pleasant, and began to sing.
The area was frequented by couples and friends enjoying a day out—people who generally had a bit of spare change.
While a lady dressed like Furina busking was an uncommon sight, it wasn't exactly unheard of.
Many noble daughters, in their rebellious phases, had wandered this path before. But finding another noble lady with Furina's sheer talent? That was a rarity indeed.
Out of appreciation for her gift and the underlying thought that "she might be a future member of our Familia," many were more than happy to offer a bit of kindness to serve as the young girl's starting funds.
After all, with Furina's looks and voice, it was only natural for their respective gods to catch wind of the commotion and rush over to recruit her.
Being the type of person who would inevitably become the star of any Familia, leaving a good impression and building a connection now was never a bad idea.
But this favorable situation didn't last long.
As Furina turned down one divine invitation after another, people became wary of approaching her. In a sense, her rejections were a slap in the face to the gods.
Perhaps the gods themselves didn't mind, but as members of their respective Familias, they certainly weren't going to give a friendly look to someone who had insulted their patron.
Watching the central fountain area grow quiet and desolate because of her, Furina felt a mix of sorrow and self-reproach.
If she stayed here, she would only make everyone uncomfortable, and she would deprive the others of the chance to enjoy the fountain's scenery.
I suppose I'll have to find another place to go…
Yet, she harbored deep-seated anxieties about joining a Familia.
It wasn't because her pride as a "god" prevented her from doing so, but because she still hoped to find a way back to Teyvat. She didn't want to forge bonds in this land.
After all, she didn't truly belong here.
Furina, feeling dejected, forced herself to maintain a natural, proud demeanor, looking not at all like someone who intended to sneak away in defeat.
However, before she could even say goodbye to the audience that had been cautiously listening to her song, she spotted a dark speck in the distance, moving toward her with astonishing speed.
What is that...?
She didn't think it was aimed at her. She hadn't done anything significant, and none of the gods had shown any signs of holding a grudge.
Besides, they were in plain view of everyone—who would be foolish enough to attack her here? Didn't they care about their reputation? Didn't they want to recruit new members?
While some gods truly didn't care about their public image, Furina clearly hadn't encountered them yet. But as she watched the dark speck grow larger and larger, heading straight for her, she finally began to panic.
It isn't actually coming for me, is it?!
As the silhouette descended from the sky, Furina looked up, anxious and uneasy. When she finally caught sight of the person's appearance and attire, she was momentarily stunned into silence.
Liyue-style clothing? From the information I've gathered over the past three days, this world shouldn't have a place like Liyue, right?
On the contrary, most other countries seem to share at least a few common traits with the places I know.
"Um... I'm pretty sure I'm in the right place, but I'll ask just to be safe—are you Lady Furina de Fontaine?"
Although there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice, it couldn't mask the straightforward, open-hearted nature of the young girl.
Looking at this teenager who couldn't have been more than fifteen, Furina didn't know how to carry herself.
However, to be on the safe side, she maintained her Fontaine persona, her tone light and airy as she replied, "Indeed. And you are...?"
"Oh! I'm Li Sushang. I've been entrusted by someone to come and find you. The main goal is to take you back to where you came from, and to keep you safe until you go," Sushang explained, concise and to the point. "As for the person who hired me... I can't say."
So that's it! Does this mean this is actually part of the other 'me's' plan?!
An unnamed client, someone who knew she was here, someone who would hire someone else to retrieve her—besides that true Hydro Archon, Furina couldn't imagine anyone else!
But there was still a problem. Did the person standing before her... know about her true situation?
"I see. I have a rough idea of the situation. But... 'protect'? When the client found you, did they tell you anything about me? Besides my appearance, of course." After a moment of thought, Furina decided to probe a little.
"Uh...?"
This seemed to throw the young girl off guard. With a clear, confused look in her eyes, she reached up and scratched the back of her head.
Anyone else might have been intimidated by Furina's demeanor, but Sushang knew exactly what was going on with her. She hadn't exactly been standing still all this time, and she naturally realized that the little cake was trying to test her.
Considering the various anxieties the little cake might be feeling, Sushang truly didn't know whether it was better to treat her like a god or just as an ordinary person.
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T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL