Raiden Makoto, Kitsune Saiguu, and Rukkhadevata fell silent.
Especially Makoto—summoned to Khaenri'ah not as an enemy, but as one of the Archons who answered Celestia's command.
None of the Archons ever declared war on Khaenri'ah.
In truth, all who fought in that battle—whether human, machine, or god—fought the same enemy:
The Abyssal tide.
Even the massive Ruin Automaton buried beneath Sumeru—the one later mistaken as a weapon—was originally built to defend, not destroy.
The scorched earth of Natlan was the same.
Every battlefield held the bones of Khaenri'ah's fallen—
not soldiers of conquest, but warriors who tried to contain the Abyss.
In the end, Khaenri'ah didn't fall to war.
It fell to Celestia's curse of eternal decay—a punishment no one on the surface could lift.
So when people spoke of "saving Khaenri'ah,"
what they really meant was:
Stopping the Abyss from expanding.
Aether—born capable of absorbing Abyssal energy—was the one person who could have halted it.
If he had remained, the Cataclysm may never have spread.
But fate—manufactured fate—intervened.
Makoto massaged her temples, forcing a tired smile.
"…What can I even say to this?"
Rukkhadevata's brows remained tightly furrowed.
The more Su Xuan revealed, the more the logic snapped into place—and the more disturbing the truth became.
Why would Celestia allow Khaenri'ah to exist beneath Irminsul's roots?
Why allow a godless kingdom to thrive beyond the Seven's mandate?
Why allow them to study the Abyss—unchecked?
"…Was it meant as a warning to the rest of us?" Rukkhadevata whispered.
A threat carved in blood:
"Look at Khaenri'ah. This is the fate of those who seek power beyond heaven."
Su Xuan ignored the stunned silence, continuing his diary entry.
[Speaking of the past, I have to mention my poor brother-in-law.]
[Once Aether heard the news about Lumine, every thought he had shifted.]
[He abandoned Khaenri'ah's battlefield to search for her.]
[And the people—who once called him 'Prince' and 'Savior'—saw him disappear.]
[Their faith turned into resentment.]
[That resentment later became guilt—for Aether.]
[A guilt strong enough to make him accept the Abyss.]
[With the help of the Abyss Order and Crocodile King Chlothar, he inherited the throne of the Abyss and continued Khaenri'ah's will.]
[His vow: to use the Loom of Fate, to weave memory into reality, and restore Khaenri'ah as it once was.]
Su Xuan paused.
[Though…]
[Right now, he's probably panicking.]
Lumine blinked.
"…Huh?"
Su Xuan continued writing.
[Because—to activate the Loom of Fate—he needs the eye of the first Ruin Colossus.]
[And that part is sitting safely in my inventory.]
Every woman present turned.
Yae Miko squinted.
"So the reason the Abyss Order keeps sniffing around Sumeru lately is because your dear brother can't start his world reconstruction project without your little keepsake?"
Paimon nearly dropped her dessert halfway across Sumeru.
Lumine rubbed her forehead.
"He wants to resurrect Khaenri'ah using memory replication…? That's basically a small-scale Reality Editor…"
Paimon floated closer, whispering:
"…Are you worried he'll try to steal it?"
Lumine snorted.
"Steal from Su Xuan? No. He's reckless, not stupid."
She stood and stretched.
"But I should still… go talk to him before he does something embarrassing."
Paimon hopped behind her immediately.
"YES—before he shows up and ruins your cool reputation!"
On the page, Su Xuan continued:
[Khaenri'ah's downfall may have been due to their own research—but resentment toward Aether was unfair.]
[Still, Celestia's behavior? That part truly was unjust.]
[And I don't mean toward Khaenri'ah—]
[I mean toward the twins.]
That line made every expression freeze.
Su Xuan wrote slower now—each word deliberate.
[Khaenri'ah once welcomed beings from beyond Teyvat.]
[They believed otherworlders held the key to transcending fate.]
[But entry into this world is not easy.]
[Only by tearing open the False Sky can outsiders enter.]
[The only ones capable of doing that — are either the Five Sinners… or Celestia.]
Rukkhadevata inhaled sharply.
Makoto's expression hardened.
Kitsune Saiguu's tails slowly bristled.
Su Xuan's tone sharpened:
[Aether and Lumine did not arrive in Teyvat by chance.]
[Celestia sensed Khaenri'ah calling — and answered.]
[They allowed the twins to enter — and then erased their memories.]
[Placed Aether in Khaenri'ah as their "guaranteed checkmate."]
[He was never meant to save Khaenri'ah.]
[He was meant to witness it fall.]
Lumine's eyes widened where she stood.
"…So we were pieces on their board from the beginning."
Su Xuan wrote the final lines:
[That's the truth.]
[Celestia does not welcome outsiders.]
[Celestia chooses how they are used.]
A breath of silence.
Then—
[But since they like making arrangements so much…]
[Then I won't bother being polite anymore.]
[From the beginning, I knew my diary would be read by every holder.]
[But I stayed quiet—for your sake.]
[Not everyone handles shock well.]
[But now?]
A slow, merciless final line formed:
[Nahida-sized girls will remain daughters.]
[Everyone else—prepare yourselves.]
[Because when I start knocking down Celestia's chess pieces—]
[I won't stop for tears. 😏]
Every woman in the room:
"…."
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