Even if just one of the original Nahida's reasons had held water, Kiana wouldn't have been this furious. She'd hated this kind of resolution in her past life too.
Scaramouche did all those things—no matter the reasons, a criminal is a criminal for life!
If it were that easy—"drop the knife and become a Buddha on the spot"—then what about all the poor souls he'd victimized?
How utterly innocent they were!No one has the right to forgive a criminal on behalf of the victims.
Kiana always believed the best way to deal with a criminal was to send them straight to the ones they'd killed.
Let them go seek repentance in the underworld.
So!
When it came to any villain redemption arcs, Kiana was usually fine with it—games, comics… fiction is fiction! If the author wanted to go that route, that was their choice.
But!
Scaramouche's redemption genuinely sickened her.
It felt like a brutal trampling over her own moral compass. Even a transmigrator's flexible morals couldn't bend that far.
It had nothing to do with gender—wasn't about whether they were male or female.
Even with Kiana's soft spot for girls, if a girl acted like Scaramouche, she'd still despise them just the same. When he had no memories, Scaramouche did some decent things.
But after regaining his memories, what did he do?
He told the Traveler to inform the people of Inazuma that if they wanted revenge, they could come find him.
But the problem is, you damn well altered their memories, twisted history—even if the Traveler told them, how many would believe it?
And how many could actually cross the oceans to find you in Sumeru?
Wasn't that just plain shameless?
From this, it was clear. Scaramouche had no real intention of atoning.
He paid lip service, saying he was wrong, that he recognized his sins, but in reality, it was all just for show.
He never truly felt he'd done anything wrong.
In his heart, everything he did was justified—if it weren't for The Doctor's schemes, he wouldn't have ended up like this. He saw himself as a victim too!
Kiana felt like laughing.
No matter how flawed the Akademiya was before, that was on the leadership.
It was still the academic institution the people of Sumeru dreamed of entering.
So many people longed to study there.
And then…Scaramouche was dropped in by Nahida.
And made the new top student.
Resources got squeezed.
And Scaramouche swaggered around like he owned the place, looking down on everyone. If you tried to say no one in the Akademiya had issues with him, who'd believe it?
Wasting resources to prop up trash.
What was needed most was fairness and justice.
Yet she couldn't deliver it!
"Then let's start with Sumeru!"
Kiana decided, since she was here, she might as well clean things up.
If all went as expected, this Genshin world would eventually merge with the main one. Of course she wanted to lay a solid foundation.
As for Fontaine…
That was another matter entirely.
From the perspective of the Heavenly Principles: the Anemo Archon was just slacking, the Geo Archon just wanted to retire, the Electro Archon was simply incompetent, and the Dendro Archon's governance was even worse than the Electro Archon's.
But!
In Fontaine, the Hydro Archon, with over five hundred years of Indemnitium, destroyed the Divine Throne.
Released the ancient dragon's authority.
Even brought about the first true dragon of the new era.
An absolute betrayal. No one likes a traitor.
However, from Kiana's perspective…
She disliked the Dendro Archon even more than the Hydro Archon. Focalors and Furina only resorted to their plan because they had no other choice.
A desperate solution born of desperation.
Punishment was, of course, necessary.
After all, Kiana was the Heavenly Principles now.
But compared to the Dendro Archon—or even the Electro Archon—the Hydro Archon was clearly, far better.
At the very least, she had real capability.
She had nerve. And strategy, too!
Even if the whole scheme seemed like another case of a few screws loose.
If the Heavenly Principles hadn't been dormant—didn't Nahida herself know in the story that destroying the Gnosis, affecting the Divine Throne, would wake the Heavenly Principles? Didn't the Hydro Archon know that?
Wasn't she worried?
If the Hydro Archon's throne was destroyed, upsetting the balance of The Seven…
And the Heavenly Principles awoke…
What could one true dragon do? Even if Focalors herself was already dead.
The Heavenly Principles probably didn't care for "forgive the dead" sentiments.
In that case, Fontaine would be even worse off.
The fact that it happened to coincide with the Heavenly Principles being completely unable to awaken—if that isn't luck, what is?
She went all in.
Kiana had to admit—she gambled and won.
However, Kiana had no intention of letting Focalors off the hook.
Dead? No matter—just revive her!
Unlike in the Honkai world, reviving someone in the Genshin world was far too simple.
Especially for an Archon—upon death, they merge with the ley lines, not completely assimilated like ordinary people.
They retain their own essence.
If you can find it, you can revive them!
What's impossible for The Seven…Doesn't mean the Heavenly Principles can't do it.
The Hydro Archon Focalors was a good girl.
Kiana liked her.
For this future little wife of hers, she planned to give her a good scare and then let the matter drop. Having Focalors lead Fontaine was far more reliable than randomly selecting a new Hydro Archon.
Don't you agree?
By now, Kiana had arrived outside the great hall.
Ahead were four side chambers, likely where the Four Shades once resided.
Unfortunately, the other three were already empty, with only the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, Asmoday, still at her post.
But even so!
Her condition wasn't great either.
She was also deeply corrupted by the Abyss, the erosion almost reaching her very bones.
If nothing changed, her demise was only a matter of time. Kiana even suspected that even if Phanes were still active, they probably couldn't help Asmoday either.
After all, when you got down to it~
The Four Shades were merely four shadows.
The cost to purge her corruption would be too high, simply not worth it.
Not a good trade.
"But who told me you're my wife~"
Kiana hadn't forgotten—in the Genshin world's rundown, Miss Asmoday was her adorable wife. With a casual wave of her hand, she effortlessly dispelled all the corrosion eating away at Asmoday.
Then she floated lightly to stand before Asmoday, quietly waiting and studying her appearance.
Phanes had a face identical to Kiana's.
Wearing a crown woven from plants. Dressed in a plain white divine robe, barefoot. An anklet adorned her left foot, an asymmetrical beauty.
Asmoday, however, had more flowing, untamed white hair.
Her form-fitting attire also incorporated elements of bandages wrapped around her body.
Looking at her now, she really did seem more like the Queen.
Her figure was graceful, tall and slender. She slept peacefully, then gradually recovered, gradually awoke.
Her golden eyes met Kiana's.
A moment of confusion.
Then a sudden start.
She immediately descended from the air.
Kneeling on one knee before Kiana.
"My Lord, congratulations on regaining your power, and thank you for bestowing your grace."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
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