Paimon said, "Wait—didn't you mention some kind of prophet?"
Skirk did not answer directly. Instead, she said, "Compared to that, I think it's more important that I warn you as soon as possible. When the All-Devouring Narwhal fought you just now, it exhausted nearly all of its power. That level of power is something the world's oceans cannot fully absorb."
"Which means—right now, the land of Fontaine should already be in utter chaos."
"To put it another way, the prophecy you've been worrying about all this time… has already come to pass."
[Paimon: So the rising sea levels were caused by our battle? That's terrifying… prophecy and fate—everyone is being led by the nose of destiny.]
[Lumine: The prophet we encountered in the video should be the same one Skirk mentioned—someone who also pursues the extreme. And based on that prophet's description, I'm certain she already foresaw Fontaine's eventual salvation.]
[Venti: Members of the Hexenzirkel are all incredibly powerful. Rhinedottir pursues ultimate creation—many of the alchemical beings she's made are truly frightening.]
[Albedo: That's true. If I were to lose control, I could potentially destroy all of Mondstadt.]
[Ningguang: I believe Neuvillette's earlier declaration—absolving the people of Fontaine of all guilt—should prevent them from dissolving.]
[Keqing: But even so, a tsunami is still an extremely terrifying disaster. I wonder whether the people of Fontaine know how to swim.]
[Charlotte: I can swim.]
[Wriothesley: I can swim too.]
[Navia: Um… I can as well.]
[Paimon: People of Fontaine should be born knowing how to swim, right? After all, pure water spirits originally lived in the sea.]
[Lumine: That doesn't rule out the possibility that some people can't.]
Paimon was stunned.
Lumine, however, remained calm.
"There's nothing to be surprised about, Paimon. The prophecy was always going to play out. Didn't we already know that—and accept it?"
Neuvillette was equally composed upon hearing this.
"It's fine. Focalors has already deceived the Heavenly Principles."
[Ningguang: The 'Fontaine people' within the prophecy no longer exist—but the true people of Fontaine still remain.]
[Paimon: That sentence is so confusing! I don't get it!]
[Ningguang: Little Paimon really is adorable. The 'Fontaine people' described in the prophecy were human-shaped mimics formed from pure water spirits. Does Fontaine still have such mimics now?]
[Paimon: No—Fontaine doesn't have mimic humans anymore. Ah… what a terrifying prophecy. I thought Fontaine being saved meant the prophecy was broken. But… does that mean it was never broken at all?]
[Ningguang: Not quite. Without Focalors' efforts, once the mimics disappeared, they would have returned to being pure water spirits, losing their qualification to be human. Now, however, they have become true humans. In both outcomes, the mimics disappear—but the results are fundamentally different.]
At this moment, all of Fontaine had been submerged. Only the Opera Epiclese remained barely above the water's surface.
Inside the opera house, Furina slumped on the throne, tears silently streaming down her face.
Across the vast ocean, one Fontaine citizen after another surfaced, crying out for help. Members of the Spina di Rosula navigated small boats through the city, rescuing survivors.
Suddenly, the waters churned violently. A massive ship slowly rose from the sea, ascending into the sky.
Duke Wriothesley appeared atop the vessel, immediately coordinating rescue operations. As the ship's hatches opened, countless mechanical claws extended downward, saving innumerable Fontaine citizens.
Beneath the sea, Lyney and Lynette moved through the water, clearing debris and rescuing those trapped below.
[Jean: The Fatui's actions are… unexpected.]
[The Knave: There's nothing unexpected about it. My children and I are Fontaine citizens. And our Tsaritsa's enemies are not the other six nations.]
After Neuvillette left the Primordial Sea space—
As the sea level receded, the people of Fontaine emerged onto the streets, cheering joyfully.
"We're saved! We didn't dissolve! The prophecy was fake—fake!"
Step by step, Furina walked out of the Opera Epiclese. She gazed upon the people who had gained new life, her expression slowly shifting from numbness to happiness.
"The prophecy… was fake?"
The dark clouds dispersed. Brilliant sunlight poured down, and everything welcomed rebirth.
[Lumine: You've worked hard, Furina.]
[Keqing: Yes. It's finally over.]
[Venti: Live happily—as a human.]
[Zhongli: With the tea in my cup, I salute Miss Furina's finest performance.]
[Ningguang: This reminds me of an old saying from Liyue's history—'When a whale falls, all things are born.' When a whale dies at sea, its body sinks to the depths, forming a small ecosystem that sustains countless lives for centuries. Focalors washed away the sins of all Fontaine's people with her own life.]
The scene transitions.
A newspaper appears on the screen.
"New Fertile Ground: Spina di Rosula Begins Post-Disaster Reconstruction Talks — Today, our reporter visited Poisson and spoke in depth with Spina di Rosula spokesperson Miss Navia about the town's current situation and future."
"Old soil can still bloom with new flowers. Miss Navia says that hope is like finding a small biscuit late at night when you're hungry—just a little is enough."
A second newspaper appears.
"The Flying Vessel Vingaree: Disaster or Blessing of the Fontaine Research Institute?"
"Public controversy surrounding Edwin has effectively become a shield for the Fontaine Research Institute, while the true hidden treasure—Jurieu—remains overlooked."
"People call the first researcher a madman, yet struggle to find a word for the second. If one were to say that the man achieved a miracle, it would still be difficult to define him and his team."
The newspaper fades, revealing Paimon's face.
"Wow… I almost don't recognize the people in these reports. Is that really Jurieu and Navia? They're written about like huge figures!"
[Ningguang: Already reading the news? We know Navia's story—but what's going on with the Fontaine Research Institute?]
[Neuvillette: Allow me to explain. Edwin was once a scientist at the Fontaine Research Institute. In response to the rising waters, he proposed lifting the entirety of Fontaine City into the sky—creating a city in the air. However, during the research process, a massive explosion occurred. Even an archive located 600 meters away was instantly obliterated…]
[Ningguang: That level of destruction is comparable to the Geo Archon hurling a colossal stone spear from the heavens, isn't it?]
[Zhongli: Based on Neuvillette's description—roughly three such spears.]
[Keqing: That truly is a catastrophic disaster. No wonder there was so much controversy. Then the enormous floating ship that rose from the sea earlier—that must have been Edwin's research result.]
[Wriothesley: Correct. However, the one who completed the experiment was Edwin's assistant—Jurieu.]
[Paimon: Ohhh, so that's why he made the news.]
In response to Paimon's doubts—
Lumine smiled foolishly.
"Maybe they were always important figures. We just happened to meet them in the wrong way."
"I really want to see Neuvillette again—and ask him what exactly happened."