A witch's voice echoed in Lumine's mind:
"Prophecies… oh, they will definitely come true. You can treat them as the history of the future."
"But a prophecy is only the future seen from a god's perspective. What about the blind spots—the places even gods cannot see? Could something be happening there as well?"
"No matter what fate awaits Teyvat, the only thing that can guide you is destiny. All you need to do is fulfill your own role."
Lumine suddenly understood.
Even if the prophecy would truly unfold, there must still be a way to save everyone.
She felt something tug at her memory—something she had overlooked. Inside the magic box, Furina had wanted to tell her something right before the end.
[Nahida: It seems those secrets are probably the key to saving the people of Fontaine.]
[Furina: As expected of the God of Wisdom—your guess is correct. The truth is exactly what you think it is!]
[Lyney: Then can you tell us now? The magic show is about to reach its climax!]
[Furina: No. I refuse. I don't want to explain anything anymore—especially to you, Lyney.]
[Lyney: …]
[Ningguang: Looks like your little scheme of tricking her into the box didn't sit well with her.]
[Lyney: Indeed. A magic show brings joy to the audience… but the people forced to participate don't always feel the same joy.]
Lumine kept thinking.
What were those final words she wanted to say?
Could Furina's secret be the answer?
At that moment, the Oratrice Mécanique d'Analyse Cardinale began spinning wildly, hydro energy filling the Opera Epiclese.
Clorinde: "What's going on? What's happening here?"
Neuvillette: "Is the execution about to begin?"
Lumine looked upward. "Furina!"
Furina, seated at the judgment platform, had collapsed into the chair—her eyes empty, all brilliance drained.
Sensing the Hydro power escalating, Lumine rushed forward, trying to grab Furina's hand.
But the moment her fingers touched a single drop of water—
She was pulled into an unfamiliar world.
[Yae Miko: The Plane of Euthymia!]
[Neuvillette: That place… what world is it?]
[Yae Miko: The Plane of Euthymia is essentially a manifestation of someone's inner world. Ei calls hers the "Inner Realm." I've entered it before, so I know what this kind of scene represents.]
[Paimon: So that means Lumine entered… Furina's inner world?]
[Yae Miko: Exactly.]
[Raiden Ei: It does resemble my inner world.]
[Yae Miko: Ei, when are you going to come out and actually look? Inazuma has changed so much. The Vision Hunt Decree has caused countless tragedies. Those who hold tightly to their dreams have banded together. Inazuma is in the middle of a civil conflict.]
[Raiden Ei: Matters of Inazuma can be discussed with the Shogun. I must remain in the Plane of Euthymia to guard Eternity.]
Inside the Opera House—
Only Neuvillette remained.
A massive blade hovered in the air, and beneath it stood a barefoot girl.
She looked exactly like Furina—but her clothing was less ceremonial, adorned with specks of starlight, mysterious and stunning.
Neuvillette stared in shock.
A cool, playful laugh echoed:
"Oh, haha… my apologies. I just really enjoy that surprised look on your face. I couldn't help myself."
The barefoot girl in the starry dress smiled.
Neuvillette steadied himself.
"You are not Furina. Who… are you?"
The girl, identical to Furina, answered:
"Seeing you so shocked means my deception worked perfectly. Obviously—I am Focalors, the true Hydro Archon."
[Lyney: The real Water God looks exactly like Furina… which means the two of them must be connected. No wonder the truth stayed hidden for 500 years.]
[Lynette: Yes, brother.]
[Paimon: But earlier tests confirmed Furina is human. She isn't part of the Archon at all!]
[Sigewinne: The real Hydro Archon seems happier than Furina… and less theatrical.]
[Wriothesley: As expected—Sigewinne's observational skills are remarkable.]
[Nahida: So the past 500 years… was this all part of the Hydro Archon's grand design?]
[The Knave: As expected of the Hydro Archon. She fooled everyone with ease.]
Neuvillette asked sternly:
"Focalors, why did you deceive us?"
Focalors turned gracefully:
"Oh, my goal was never to deceive you. The one I needed to fool…"
"…was Celestia."
Neuvillette looked confused.
"To deceive… Celestia?"
Focalors smiled.
"Of course. That prophecy—what a nuisance. Everyone dissolved by water, Fontaine swallowed by the sea…"
"When my predecessor, Egeria, entrusted this prophecy to me, I found it utterly impossible."
"She knew—knew—that the events in the prophecy were inevitable."
"As one of the Seven Archons, she also knew that resisting Celestia is impossible."
"Truly a hopeless situation… right?"
She continued:
"I went deep into the ocean alone, thinking quietly for a long, long time—until even the surrounding clams were bubbling."
"And there, I found the only possible answer."
"To save everyone when the prophecy comes true… Celestia itself must be deceived."
She smiled proudly.
"I really am a genius. That must be why Egeria chose me as her successor!"
"So in the end, she passed everything on to me—
Fontaine's salvation.
The duties of the Hydro Archon.
The Original Sin of Humanity.
Ah… what a burden. But I suppose I had no choice. After all, I was once one of her beloved Oceanids."
[Ningguang: The Hydro Archon was originally an Oceanid…?]
[Nahida: That description isn't completely accurate. Once Focalors inherited Egeria's Gnosis and Authority, she became a true Archon. The authority of the Seven carries divine power by nature.]
[Zhongli: Indeed. Every Archon possesses authority. After I inherited the Geo Gnosis, I gained new powers. But as a true Sovereign Yaksha and former God of Liyue, even without the Gnosis, I remain a god.]
[Keqing: I feel like we just learned something incredible…]
[Yae Miko: I wonder—among the original Seven, who was actually the strongest? (Curious.)]
[Nahida: During the Cataclysm in Khaenri'ah, six of the Seven Gods went forth into battle. Only Barbatos and Morax returned alive. The other four perished fighting the Abyss.]
(TL Note: 67)
[Zhongli: The Abyss' power was overwhelming. That battle was so tragic, I still hesitate to recall it. Countless Abyssal beasts broke through the gods' defenses and spilled into Teyvat. In that war alone, more than ten gods perished.]
[Furina: Wait—aren't there only seven Archons?]
[Nahida: The "Seven" refers only to the seven victors of the Archon War. The number of gods is far greater, and many defeated gods survived afterward.]
[Arataki Itto: This livestream is amazing! So many secrets!!]