In response to Neuvillette's question, Focalors nodded.
"Very good. As expected of Fontaine's Chief Justice—your logic is clear. You must have realized that the Oratrice is far more complex than it appears."
Neuvillette: "I've always suspected that the Oratrice possess its own consciousness. Lyney once heard someone speaking in its core chamber."
"Now it seems… you were hiding inside the Oratrice all along, weren't you?"
Focalors nodded again.
"Mhm~ mhm~ that's right. I merged Fontaine's Gnosis with the Oratrice and became one with it."
[Neuvillette: So for the past five hundred years, you've been inside the Oratrice—watching my trials, and arriving at the same verdicts as I did.]
[Focalors: Yes. In my plan, you were the key to breaking the prophecy. I needed to understand you fully. Only after you truly integrated into human society could I feel at ease leaving. For these five hundred years, I've been watching you. Though we never met, it feels as though I've known you for a very long time.]
[Neuvillette: I always felt that the Oratrice had a will of its own. I never imagined this would be the answer.]
[Zhongli: The God of Justice never once abandoned her duty. As the Oratrice, she participated in every single trial in Fontaine.]
[Venti: Compared to that, I really do seem a bit lazy, don't I?]
[Paimon: Lazy? You straight up disappeared! I heard Mondstadt hasn't seen the Anemo Archon for centuries.]
[Diluc: "Several hundred years without participating in Mondstadt's affairs" is an accurate description.]
[Venti: Hold on—I'm the God of Freedom. Is freedom still freedom if it's commanded by a god? Mondstadt's affairs should be decided by Mondstadters themselves. I wasn't slacking off—I take my performances very seriously!]
[Paimon: Yeah, yeah, sure.]
[Jean: Lord Barbatos, Dvalin has been acting erratically lately.]
[Venti: I'm aware. I've already spoken with him. Let's discuss the details once the Traveler arrives—I just saw her, actually.]
[Lumine: Really?]
[Venti: Yes. Just cross one more mountain and you'll see Mondstadt City.]
In the video, Focalors continues her explanation.
"However, your understanding of the Oratrice still isn't deep enough."
"In truth, the Oratrice was never a machine meant to enforce justice."
"It is a machine designed to kill the God of Justice."
Neuvillette's pupils constrict.
"What…?"
Focalors chuckles softly.
"To be precise, it's a machine designed to destroy the divine throne along with its god. I'm not the kind of person who would watch Furina suffer for centuries while I enjoyed peace of mind."
"For these five hundred years, my work inside the Oratrice has been to continuously accumulate Indemnitium."
"In fact, some have already noticed that only a small portion of the Oratrice's energy output is used to power Fontaine's infrastructure…"
"The vast majority has been stockpiled… for today's execution."
Neuvillette: "So today's trial—or execution—was always part of your plan."
Focalors nods.
"Five hundred years of accumulation. Enough energy to power Fontaine for thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—of years."
"Only energy on that scale could possibly shake the rules established by the heavens."
"Only that could break the framework of the Seven and destroy the Hydro Archon's divine throne."
[Zhongli: Destroy the Hydro Archon's divine throne?]
[Focalors: Yes—destroy the throne itself, not merely the one who inherits it. Otherwise, even if I died, Neuvillette would never regain his authority, and soon a third Hydro Archon would be born. But to destroy the divine throne, the one who inherits it cannot remain untouched either.]
[Nahida: The divine thrones of the Seven originate from the rules set by Celestia. Their status surpasses that of the gods themselves. Their authority comes from the Seven Sovereign Dragons—Celestia extracted the dragons' elemental power to forge the divine thrones. During the Cataclysm five hundred years ago, four of the six gods who participated perished, yet the divine thrones remained intact and were passed on. Those who inherit a throne become the new Archons. Anyone who bears a Vision possesses the qualification to ascend—to inherit a throne—and is thus called a "Genshin."]
[Ningguang: Excuse me, Lesser Lord Kusanali—aren't there seven Archons? Why do you say six participated, with four perishing?]
[Nahida: The previous Dendro Archon, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, did not participate in the Cataclysm. However, in order to cleanse the corruption left behind, she sacrificed her life as well.]
[Ningguang: My apologies. I'm not very familiar with Sumeru's history.]
[Nahida: That's quite all right.]
[Ningguang: I always believed that possessing a Vision merely meant wielding elemental power—like a Slime. I never realized it was a qualification for godhood.]
[Nahida: Yes, that is correct.]
[Keqing: Another piece of astonishing information learned.]
Neuvillette: "So the Oratrice's verdict—the one sentenced to death—was neither Furina nor Focalors… but the Hydro Archon itself?"
"And destroying the Hydro Archon's divine throne—if I'm not mistaken, what you mean is…"
Focalors immediately answers:
"Of course, it means returning what belongs to you."
"In other words, everything was done to return the authority of the Hydro Archon to this world's Hydro Sovereign."
Neuvillette's breathing becomes heavy, his expression trembling, as though he were on the verge of tears.
Focalors steps in front of him.
"What's wrong? Are you sad again?"
"The great Hydro Sovereign of Teyvat is about to reclaim his ancient authority—why that expression?"
[Arataki Itto: 'What's wrong? Are you sad again?' That sounds like she's comforting a kid.]
[Clorinde: Arataki Itto, are you asking to be beaten again?]
[Focalors: Hahaha—our little water dragon really is childlike and adorable. Over these five hundred years, I often saw Neuvillette moved to tears by human stories, hiding away in corners to cry alone.]
[Neuvillette: I would rather give up the authority of a Sovereign if it meant you could live.]
[Focalors: This is the only way.]
In the video—
Neuvillette speaks slowly, his breath unsteady.
"From five hundred years ago until now… you've done all of this, just to sacrifice yourself?"
Focalors gently shakes her head and smiles.
"I've never thought of it that way. At this very moment, I'm still feeling rather pleased with myself for successfully deceiving the Heavenly Principles."
"Water dragon, water dragon—don't cry."
[Paimon: I feel like my Hydro energy is so full it's about to overflow.]
[Ningguang: Same here…]
...
Focalors continues soothingly:
"If it were possible, I would very much like to put the Heavenly Principles on trial. Haven't they committed a crime similar to Egeria's?"
"Egeria stole the power of the Primordial Sea, while the Heavenly Principles stole the power of you ancient dragons."
"As the God of Justice, returning what rightfully belongs to you is the truest expression of justice—one worthy of its name."
As she says this, Focalors walks beneath the blade of the Oratrice.