Fontaine Court.
Law-abiding citizens stood transfixed, their eyes glued to the light screen as Furina's towering figure filled the sky.
Her blue-and-white hair, styled like a translucent jellyfish crown, flowed behind her.
Twin ponytails shimmered with a gradient glow, scattering light like drifting waves.
Above her—
a colossal blade of pure water, far beyond mortal imagination, descended upon Nibelung, the Dragon King.
"Look! Nibelung's completely stunned!"
"That power was granted by a being stronger than gods—what does mere Abyss energy even count for?"
"Thank the heavens Lady Furina mastered it at the last moment!"
"Hahaha, as expected of Lady Furina!"
Oratrice of Mécanique d'Analyse Cardinale — Energy Domain.
Focalors finally let out the breath she'd been holding.
Even without a physical body, her hand instinctively pressed against her chest.
[Eula]: "Furina did wonderfully—condensing Hydro into a blade."
[Paimon]: "Did she learn that from Focalors? Turning power into a weapon?"
[Lisa]: "The blade meant for Focalors' execution… ended up falling on the Dragon King instead."
[Zhongli]: "Thinking back, even if Focalors' plan had succeeded… did she ever consider what Furina would face afterward?"
[Venti]: "Ah… that plan really wasn't airtight."
[Focalors]: "I believed Neuvillette would protect her once he knew the truth."
[Jean]: "But the people wouldn't know. To them, Furina was a false Archon. As Chief Justice, would Neuvillette side with justice—or with Furina?"
[Wriothesley]: "If riots broke out, Neuvillette would likely uphold the verdict."
[Navia]: "Which means… Furina would be sentenced to death."
[Clorinde]: "There are no 'what-ifs' anymore. Lord Aerin arrived in Fontaine—and prevented all of it."
[Neuvillette]: "Clorinde is correct. Lord Aerin restored Fontaine's justice, saved Furina and Focalors, and absolved the people of Egeria's sin."
Palais Mermonia.
Furina read the chat log and shivered.
"I understand Focalors' devotion to Fontaine…"
"But now that everyone's analyzed it… her plan had so many holes."
Aerin had only questioned whether Celestia would allow such deception.
Yet even if Focalors truly succeeded—
Even if she sacrificed herself and returned the Dragon Authority—
The people would never understand Furina's suffering.
They would only see a fake Archon, condemned to death.
Five hundred years of exaggerated theatrics, standing above the people—
resentment would have been inevitable.
"They never would have forgiven me…"
"Thank goodness… thank goodness the future was revealed."
Furina's gratitude toward Aerin burned fiercely.
Only now did she realize—
The so-called "easy test" wasn't for her.
It was for Fontaine.
Aerin wanted the people to know:
their salvation came from Furina herself.
"This debt… I could never repay it in a lifetime."
The immense water blade fell without deviation.
No explosion.
No shattered heavens.
Only a ripple of blue light spread across the air.
When people blinked—
Nibelung was gone.
The blue top hat wobbled twice… then fell still.
Neuvillette closed his eyes briefly.
"I can no longer sense Nibelung's presence."
Focalors' tense expression finally eased.
"That nearly scared me to death…"
"But Furina's final performance… was flawless."
Her gaze shifted from the fallen hat to Furina's back—
then nervously to Aerin.
In the end, Fontaine's fate still rested on his words.
Aerin spoke calmly:
"Not bad. You did well."
"The rest is up to you."
Focalors nearly collapsed in relief.
"Thank you, my lord."
Elsewhere — in a distant star system.
The void split open.
A girl in a dark crimson dress stepped through.
Long red hair glowed faintly at the tips.
Snow-pale skin.
Crimson eyes no one dared meet.
"Tch."
"So this is Jarilo?"
She gazed down at the massive white planet beneath her feet.
"From Teyvat to Jarilo… in an instant?"
"That big-headed guy's artifact really is something."
Even the Aeon of Trailblaze had never linked Teyvat.
Yet she crossed the void effortlessly.
Excitement surged through her.
"Coordinates confirmed."
"Next step—establish a passage between worlds."
Her smile froze.
"Damn it…"
"The energy cost is higher than expected."
After a long while, she steadied herself.
"I still can't fully adapt to his power."
"But time… we have plenty of that."
The chat erupted.
A beautiful girl.
A new world.
Jarilo.
[Paimon]: "Whoa—Bella got pretty!"
[Yae Miko]: "I always assumed there was a monster under that mask."
[Eula]: "She's the only being on the same level as Lord Aerin. Not surprising."
[Hu Tao]: "So once the path opens, can we go to Jarilo?"
[Zhongli]: "Access will likely require permission."
[Venti]: "That planet looks… dangerous."
[Ayaka]: "A world of snow?"
[Shenhe]: "Teyvat once belonged to dragons. Why assume Jarilo belongs to humans?"
[Childe]: "Hey, Snezhnaya does just fine in the cold."
[Rosalyne]: "Exactly."
[Paimon]: "So… what's an Aeon?"
[Lumine]: "Sounds like a god."
[Alice]: "A god who explores the universe?"
[Mona]: "Cosmic gods…"
[Zhongli]: "…Compared to them, we Archons seem insignificant."
[Furina]: "Gods… who roam the universe?"
Curiosity replaced fear.
Then—
A system notice appeared.
Emergency Notice
Due to deviations in future projection affecting other dimensions,
the Future Revelation System will undergo an update.
Upon completion, connections to other worlds will be established.
Please wait patiently.
Imaginary Space.
Aerin rhythmically tapped Raiden Makoto, who lay nearly unconscious.
Each light strike made her body twitch faintly.
He ignored the exploding chat.
The people of Teyvat had already accepted him as their world's master.
This was the perfect moment to open other connections.
He checked his rewards.
[Heaven-and-Earth Manifestation]
—Become as vast as heaven and earth;
—On a planet, become its sky and land;
—In the cosmos, "heaven" becomes the universe itself.
A terrifying amplification.
Then—
[Elemental Mecha Deity]
—Summon a colossal elemental war-mech;
—Multiplies combat output;
—Ideal against massive cosmic entities.
Aerin glanced at Makoto.
Give her the mech—
and even Raiden Ei couldn't win.
"Master?"
He looked up.
Yae Miko (ears twitching) and Raiden Ei stood there.
Ei stared at Makoto, panicked.
"She's not dead," Aerin sighed, patting Makoto again.
"She used to be just like you."
Ei froze. "Really?"
"You're twins. Aside from personality—you're identical."
Ei relaxed, then protested:
"She can't fight. I can."
Yae Miko yanked her sleeve. "Don't say that."
Aerin laughed.
"That is the difference."
"Makoto cooks wonderfully."
"Your food would send people straight to enlightenment."
Yae Miko watched closely.
Seeing Aerin in good spirits, her courage grew.
"Master~" she smiled,
"Mind letting me check if Ei's really the same as Makoto?"
Aerin smirked.
"You're an interesting fox."
Before Ei realized—
Yae Miko slipped behind her and lifted her up.
"Y-Yae?! Put me down!"
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