Massive 5.2k words
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The players controlled their characters, following Themis toward the areas where the sacred sword materials were supposedly located.
Everyone was hyped up like they were on a caffeine rush—even passing crabs and water droplets would get smacked if they got too close.
After all, Themis was basically their second parent—no, their Primogem God!
Anyone who dared to harm Themis would have to face the wrath of the entire player base!
Right now, Miss Themis was held in the same regard as Big Brother Liben among the players.
Actually, no—Liben never handed out 1,600 primogems at once!
And Liben wasn't a pullable character, but Themis's model was so refined that it was obvious she'd make it into the character banner.
Themis was about to surpass Big Brother Liben—taking a shortcut to dominance and revolutionizing Fontaine's future!
Following Themis, the players were practically glued to her side, scared that she might vanish if they blinked.
For 1,600 primogems, travelers would tear down the Heavenly Principles themselves and carve a bloody path through Teyvat for Themis!
Prophecy crisis? Compared to 1,600 primogems, that was nothing!
The travelers were beating their chests and swearing that after obtaining the sacred sword, they would definitely help Themis resolve the prophecy crisis.
But then—the worst-case scenario happened.
Themis crossed her arms, looking at one of the quadrants. It was completely empty.
"Themis, there's nothing up there!"
Paimon flew up to check, circling around before descending with a confused expression.
"Yeah, I can see that," Themis replied calmly, unsurprised.
"Not sure when it was taken, but it's clear that it's already gone."
"As expected—it seems the worst-case outcome has come true."
Lumine frowned, her tone sharp. "You mean someone already took the sacred sword materials? Do you know who it was?"
Paimon's eyes widened. "Wait a minute, Themis—why are you so calm about this?! This is related to Fontaine's prophecy crisis—it's a huge deal!"
"Why aren't you panicking at all?"
Themis smiled reassuringly. "Because I have faith in the two of you."
Faced with such unwavering trust, Lumine's expression became complicated. She covered her face with her hand—being trusted so much was heartwarming, but come on, this forced difficulty increase was not necessary!
Themis blinked at Lumine and Paimon's uncertain expressions and spread her hands.
"Don't worry so much. Just like Paimon said earlier, whether or not we came here, the sacred sword materials were bound to be taken eventually."
"Listen—the fact that the materials were taken isn't important. What matters is that we get the sacred sword."
"Instead of stressing over the materials, wouldn't it be better to track down the one who took them?"
Lumine's eyes narrowed. "That's easy for you to say—but all we know is that we need to fight a dragon. You haven't told us anything else."
Paimon nodded furiously. "Exactly! Even if Lumine is good at figuring things out, she can't make guesses without any clues!"
"That doesn't matter. What matters is that we get the sacred sword," Themis repeated with a smile.
"I may not know their current location, but I know exactly where the mastermind will eventually go."
Hearing this, Lumine and Paimon exchanged uncertain glances—but they decided to trust Themis's judgment.
"Traveler, Paimon—follow me."
Themis turned her gaze toward a white tower rising from the ocean in the distance.
"We'll intercept them there and reclaim the sacred sword."
"Of course, I understand you have a lot of questions. But don't worry—I'll explain everything once we reach the tower."
Confidence filled Themis's tone, and despite their lingering doubts, Lumine and Paimon followed after her, half-willing and half-resigned.
They didn't have a choice—Themis was the one issuing the commission, after all.
For the sake of all that mora and primogems, Lumine could put up with almost anything!
Without any puzzles to solve or enemies to fight on the way, the journey went by much faster.
"Do you see that tower?"
The white tower on the ocean's surface stood out strikingly against the horizon. Lumine sighed. "It's huge. If I didn't see it, that'd be the real problem."
"Hah, yeah… That was a dumb question," Themis admitted with a playful tone.
Pointing toward the tower, Themis's expression darkened slightly.
"That tower originally belonged to an organization called the Narzissenkreuz Ordo."
"They referred to it as the 'Tower of Ipsissimus. Now, most people just call it the 'Gestalt.'"
"As for the Narzissenkreuz Ordo… honestly, if I could have stopped them from forming, I would have."
"But unfortunately, those seeds were planted back during the era of the previous Hydro Archon, Egeria—and even I can't rewrite destiny."
"So… you knew about the sacred sword materials all along, didn't you?"
"Nope. I only recently learned about it myself," Themis replied.
"I'm finding that hard to believe," Lumine said, shooting her a suspicious look.
Themis smiled knowingly. Whether Lumine believed her or not didn't matter—what she said was technically the truth.
As they walked, Themis continued encouraging Lumine and Paimon.
"Don't worry. As long as you stay focused, there won't be any problems."
"And besides… I'm here with you."
"Even if you fail, the worst-case scenario is just Fontaine's destruction. No big deal."
Lumine's hand shot up to clutch her chest in disbelief, while Paimon nearly collapsed. Lumine glared at Themis's calm expression.
"Stop saying something that serious with that relaxed face!"
Alright, Themis admitted her tone was probably a bit too casual.
But what could she do? She simply couldn't bring herself to care that much.
Themis only wanted to protect Furina and Focalors.
But Lumine and Paimon wanted to protect Fontaine itself.
From Themis's perspective, Fontaine's survival was not particularly important.
Moreover, her attitude didn't matter; what mattered was that she was now working diligently.
During Egeria's reign, Themis hadn't been deeply involved in political affairs, but she could still understand that the Hydro Archon had, to some extent, shared Havria's flaw—excessive compassion.
This very excess of mercy had ultimately led to the arrival of the prophecy.
"Huh? The door isn't locked?!"
With a push, the Gestalt's entrance swung open, leaving Lumine and Paimon utterly astonished.
"There's nothing strange about it. Just go in."
"If the door's unlocked, it's either because they forgot to close it or the lock's broken."
Leading the way without hesitation, Lumine and Paimon hurried after her.
"This is ridiculous! We're the ones who took the quest. Shouldn't we be the ones checking for dangers first?"
Paimon was utterly speechless. "It feels like Themis really trusts our abilities too much. What if someone suddenly bursts out and shoots her? What if we can't save her in time?"
Lumine rolled her eyes, recognizing Paimon's attempt to dredge up old memories—specifically, the incident with Nahida.
But that had been a genuine accident!
Thinking about this, Lumine felt a wave of fear. She quickly ran to Themis with her sword, carefully searching the area with heightened vigilance.
Lumine's excessive caution—practically poking every wall and floorboard—left Paimon feeling embarrassed. "Uh... I don't think anyone would be hiding here, right?"
Paimon's words made Lumine shake her head in disagreement. Though the Gestalt appeared bright and open, she hadn't forgotten about the mastermind who'd stolen the sacred sword materials.
"Good. No traps or hidden people inside!" Lumine declared. She patted a chair and called to Themis in the corner, "Come on, sit!"
Themis's eye twitched. Must she be so cautious?
Seated, Themis turned to the Traveler beside her, who seemed to want to speak but held back.
"While the owner hasn't returned, ask whatever you want. I'll answer as best I can."
Paimon's face lit up at Themis's response, her curiosity clearly evident. "I think you should start from the beginning," she suggested.
Lumine offered her earnest suggestion.
Hearing this, Themis didn't agree. "As I've shown before, this matter is too complex. Starting from the beginning would take too long, and the story is too fragmented."
"So let's start with the tower itself."
Lumine, holding Paimon in her arms, sat before Themis with an utterly serious expression. It was clear that listening to the story held immense appeal for her, and she had already become part of the background.
Themis felt somewhat helpless. How self-aware you are, Lumine. What kind of experiences have you had to become so self-conscious and make it second nature?!
"As the Fontaine Prophecy Crisis foretold," Themis continued, "everyone will dissolve into the sea. For those who know, this is an inevitable occurrence."
Lumine pressed a hand against Paimon, who was about to exclaim in surprise, and gave Themis a look that said, Ignore her, keep going.
After a moment of silence, Themis resumed, "To save Fontaine and resolve the crisis, apart from the Hydro Archon, many others have been working hard."
"This master of the Gestalt is one of them."
"Of course, the Court of Fontaine never officially recognized the title of 'master.' To the early Court of Fontaine, the Narzissenkreuz Ordo was just an ordinary organization."
"The Gestalt is built upon the dot. When the Primordial Sea erupts, it will dissolve all Fontainians. Then the Primordial Sea will surge toward this place."
Seeing Paimon wanting to speak but unable to, Themis gave a knowing look.
"For the Fontainians, being dissolved by the Primordial Sea signifies the end of their physical existence. However, their spirits will return to the Primordial Sea and ultimately perish."
"To save the Fontainians and avert the prophecy crisis."
"When Fontaine faces its final destruction, he will absorb the will of all Fontainians here. Then, together with the Primordial Sea, he will enter the All-Devouring Narwhal's body and depart from Teyvat."
"Of course, the person the Narzissenkreuz Ordo calls the 'master'—well, let's temporarily call him a person."
"He used the legacy of Fontaine's ancient civilization to forge a sacred sword capable of partitioning consciousness."
"After completely departing from Teyvat, he would use the sacred sword's power to once again divide the unified will of the Fontaine people, thereby achieving his path to salvation."
"However, unfortunately, the plan was thwarted at the final moment by Fontaine's Marechaussee Hunters. The master plunged into the Primordial Sea beneath the Gestalt, falling into a long sleep."
Paimon looked at Themis, somewhat confused. "Why did Fontaine ultimately seal the Narzissenkreuz Ordo and pursue that master?"
Yawning, Themis calmly countered, "Do you think they would have succeeded in partitioning will without a precedent?"
"Huh? Because someone had already dissolved?"
"Then you should understand now." Themis crossed her arms. "That master used the Primordial Sea to dissolve the Marechaussee Hunters investigating the Gestalt's anomalies—Fontaine's official personnel."
"If they hadn't stopped him, that master would have unleashed the Primordial Sea himself, drowning all Fontaine people."
"If that had happened, Fontaine would have been destroyed hundreds of years ago."
"Teyvat wouldn't be seven kingdoms anymore."
Though Themis delivered this information with a calm, matter-of-fact tone, both Lumine and Paimon could vividly imagine just how perilous the situation had been.
"Huh? Wait! You're saying the water beneath our feet is from the Primordial Sea?!"
Lumine stared at the floor in horror, yanking Themis upright as if fearing it might collapse like the Golden House. She shuddered at the thought of Themis dissolving into the sea - not only would she lose the Primogems, but her client too. The mere thought made her want to weep.
"Must you be so dramatic?"
"You don't have to be so tense."
Lumine's battle-ready stance honestly surprised Themis a little.
But the next second, as Lumine kept muttering about how she'd have to find another way to get the quest rewards if she died, Themis was momentarily stunned by the sheer practicality of that mindset.
Wow. She thought Lumine was worried about her, but it turned out Lumine was more concerned about the commission rewards.
Alright, she admitted—1,600 Primogems is an irresistible temptation. But still, this was a bit much!
It's not like Primogems have any practical use in Teyvat!
"Paimon, stay behind me."
Just as Themis was about to say something else, the space in front of them began to distort.
Grabbing Paimon, who hadn't yet figured out what was happening, Themis pulled her to the edge of the room.
Lumine pulled out her weapon. After so many years of traveling and dealing with the Abyss Order, her instincts were sharp enough to detect even the slightest change in the surrounding space when an Abyss Mage appeared.
The purple Abyss Mage barely had time to react before Lumine, channeling the power of all five elements, charged forward.
Jacob: "——???!"
Jacob's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the flashing sword and the dazzling surge of elemental power. He was utterly confused.
What the hell is going on? He had just gone to collect some materials for forging the Holy Sword—how did this lead to some blonde showing up and attacking him on sight?
Themis stood in the corner, holding Paimon, as calm as when they used to stand by the fountain near the Opera Epiclese.
Jacob and Lumine were already locked in combat. The Abyss Mage's purple lightning and powers were… honestly nothing special to Lumine.
"Feels weaker than Scaramouche's Shouki no Kami form," Lumine thought.
She watched Lumine knock Jacob out cold and retrieve the materials from him.
Themis: (Has life forced the Traveler to become this ruthless?)
Unaware of the complicated look in Themis's golden eyes, Lumine handed over the reclaimed materials.
Taking the materials, Themis pulled out a wooden sword. "Here you go."
The wooden sword absorbed the power of the four quadrants, radiating with a golden glow.
"A Holy Sword should look like a sword, after all."
Lumine took the sword. Though she was a bit confused about why the Holy Sword was bound to a wooden sword—Honestly, she thought it would've been better to fuse it with her existing dull blade.But since the wooden sword had already transformed into the Holy Sword, there wasn't much of a difference.
Staring at the shimmering sword, Lumine and Paimon were both delighted.
Lumine: "Yes! New weapon acquired!"
Paimon: "Yeah!" (clapping)
Seeing how happy they were, Themis couldn't resist using the same tone she used when teasing the blue-and-white cat. "Good job, you two."
Lumine and Paimon both stiffened and shuddered.
"Themis, please don't say things like that—it's kind of creepy!"
Lumine gripped the sword tightly, feeling goosebumps as she recalled Themis's tone.
Good lord. How could Themis say something like that with such a straight face?!
Lumine didn't get it, and Paimon didn't understand it either.
But Themis herself didn't see the problem. Furina had made her say things like this so many times before, saying it made her seem more "approachable."
Well, maybe it was funny in some way. After 500 years, Themis had become completely immune to embarrassment. If she wasn't embarrassed, the awkwardness would just bounce back to everyone else.
"From here on, it's up to you—the warrior destined to save the world and defeat the evil dragon."
"Oh! Leave it to us!"
Paimon puffed out her chest and hovered confidently beside Lumine, shouting on her behalf.
Lumine took two steps away, her face full of reluctance and mild disgust.
"Hey! I was just helping you say it—you're clearly excited about this!"
"No, I'm really not." Lumine denied it flatly.
Their bickering was almost cute. Themis watched them with amusement as she opened the path leading downward.
The mechanical sentries that once guarded the area had been deactivated using Themis's authority, allowing Lumine to pass through smoothly.
As she watched Jacob lying on the ground, covered in elemental scars and looking absolutely wrecked, Themis couldn't help but wonder if there was some personal grudge between him and Lumine.
Still, since they had already captured Jacob, Themis wasn't curious enough to press for more details.
Bringing Jacob to the edge of the Tower of Ipsissimus, the floor beneath them began to tremble.
Themis could feel the vibrations beneath her feet. It seemed like Lumine's fight with the "Master" below was already underway.
But with Lumine's status as a Descender, her mastery of all five elements, and the added boost from the Holy Sword—Not to mention the extra "enhancements" Themis secretly added to the sword—
"…I'm really not worried about Lumine's safety."
If Lumine couldn't win with all that, she might as well quit the game.
Beneath the Tower of Ipsissimus, in the Primordial Sea, Lumine stood with the Holy Sword in hand, facing the so-called "Master" Themis had mentioned.
The moment Lumine saw the Master's true face, she was stunned.
"No wonder Themis said this guy 'barely counts as human.' What part of this looks human?!"
Paimon, hiding behind Lumine, peeked out and shouted, "Yeah, no kidding!"
Lumine, holding the Holy Sword, faced this so-called Master named Nazissenkreuz without any hesitation.
She had faced gods before—what was this compared to that?
Besides, she wasn't a Fontaine native. The Primordial Sea's water had no effect on her.
And Nazissenkreuz's attack patterns were… stiff. Not impressive at all.
If he had already lost to the Marechaussee Hunter once before, then now—against Lumine, wielding the Holy Sword and at nearly full strength—His defeat was practically inevitable.
Bathed in the power of the Holy Sword, the fragmented personality of Nazissenkreuz was restored and reabsorbed, leading to his complete downfall.
"Ah! Lumine, he's gotten so small!"
Watching the massive pink-purple water-shaped phantom shrink into a tiny pink-purple water droplet, Paimon gasped.
"Why… why is this happening!? Why are you doing this!?"Nazissenkreuz stared at his small droplet form, overwhelmed by disbelief, confusion, and a hint of despair.
"A new world cannot be born! Everyone will die within the shell of this dream!"
Nazissenkreuz's frantic words left Lumine and Paimon completely baffled.
But after his initial shock, Nazissenkreuz gradually regained his composure.
"I was awakened prematurely… The Holy Sword in your hands was granted to you directly."
"You are the variable that was lured here—the Descender equal to the world itself—the hero destined to defeat me, the evil dragon."
"And yet… why? Why hasn't my world's fate changed even now?! If anything, the consequences foretold by Fontaine's prophecy have only grown worse!"
"The dissolving tides of the Primordial Sea will still descend upon Fontaine, and when that happens, no one will be able to stop them."
"The judgment foretold in the prophecy will inevitably come to pass… and when it does, the wrath of the heavens will descend upon us!"
Nazissenkreuz's brief hope upon encountering Lumine had been utterly crushed by the weight of despair.
Lumine and Paimon, still holding the Holy Sword, instinctively took a few steps back from the sight of his madness.
"So… does this mean we've completed Themis's mission?"
"I… think so?" Lumine answered uncertainly.
Paimon nervously pointed at the tiny water droplet floating and shifting in midair."Maybe we should go back and ask Themis what to do?"
"No rush. I'm interested in what he's saying."
Lumine shook her head. Nazissenkreuz's words were hard to ignore.
Themis had also mentioned the All-devouring Narwhal before…And the fact that Nazissenkreuz could tell that Lumine wasn't from this world—It meant he might really be the real deal.
If so, then maybe she could finally get some clear answers about the prophecy.
-
Meanwhile, in the real world…
The moment this scene unfolded, the player base collectively lost their minds.
"HOLY SH*T! THIS GUY'S ACTUALLY THE REAL DEAL!"
Eyes wide open, players watched as Nazissenkreuz casually dropped the bombshell that Teyvat was just a shell, and that the Traveler was a Descender.
It wasn't just Lumine in Teyvat who was shocked—Even the players, with their god-view perspective, were stunned speechless!
"HE REALLY KNOWS HIS STUFF!""I'm calling it—he's basically Genshin's Dr. MEI and Kevin combined.""WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?! Is the world itself really this insane?!"
By choosing to keep talking with Nazissenkreuz, players could uncover the following information:
-The amount of native Primordial Sea Water in Teyvat has been steadily decreasing over the years.
-Now, it's reached a critical state.
-If the Primordial Sea Water bursts through the barriers and reaches the surface of Fontaine…
-All life in Teyvat will stop being born.
-The All-Devouring narwal will absorb the last drops of the Primordial Sea and leave this world.
-When that happens, Teyvat will no longer be able to sustain life or birth new civilizations.
-In the end, this connects to the master of the heavens—the one Snezhnaya has been whispering about all along: the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.
-When the judgment comes, the heavens themselves will descend upon Fontaine to enforce the prophecy.
"Oh sh*t, my brain's short-circuiting!""Who the hell can explain this to me?! We're only on the fifth nation, and now the Sustainer is about to descend?!""You might want to take a look at Themis's face before you say that!"
"In Honkai, we crossed paths with Kevin and saved humanity. We defeated him and destroyed his 'Stigmata Plan,' but we couldn't become the End ourselves. Now, Fontaine's end is right around the corner!"
"Sh*t—are we all just accomplices to Themis's plan for destruction?!""DAMN! We've all been played! No wonder Themis has that kind of face!"
"Honestly, being an accomplice doesn't sound so bad. Think of those 1,600 Primogems—dear Lady Themis, just tell us who to take down next! We'd even help you stage a coup!"
"If the Sustainer is getting involved directly, Snezhnaya is SO screwed.""Forget it—what's the point in fighting? Just lie down and let it happen."
"Where's the Hydro Archon?! Where's Furina?! Maybe she could pull a 'Historical Romance Plot' move and try seducing Themis into showing mercy!"
"Heh… the End of the World, the Wind Glider in the space station's hidden chamber—it's all connected."
"Wait a sec… but this still doesn't explain why Fontaine natives dissolve in water while the other nations don't!"
On the forums, the players were getting restless—leakers of questionable credibility were starting to stir up chaos, muddying the waters.
Themis glanced at the increasingly chaotic forum, then calmly shut down her golden finger interface.
After having the security team take Jacob away, Themis waited for about fifteen minutes before Lumine and Paimon finally arrived.
Trailing behind them was the small pink-purple droplet.
"Ahem, Themis, um… this is…"
Before Paimon could finish her introduction, Themis cut her off, indicating that she already knew who it was.
"Master Narzissenkreuz of the Narzissenkreuz Ordo… Or should I say Rene."
"But given your current state, calling you Nazissenkreuz seems more appropriate."
"So… do you still remember me?"
Nazissenkreuz's pink-purple eyes fixed on Themis, radiating a palpable heaviness even through his watery form.
"Themis de Fontaine! The great Regent, the noble and just Arbiter!"
Nazissenkreuz's tone carried a strange mix of bitterness and resentment as he glared at Themis.
"Of course, I remember you. It was because of you that, four hundred years ago, I was forced to plunge into the Primordial Sea and fall into slumber at the last moment."
"I never imagined that four hundred years later, you'd awaken me prematurely at the wrong time."
"And I never imagined that the Ordo, which had some issues back then, would end up like this."
"I mean… wasn't it originally reported as just a casual book club and fan support group?"
Lumine and Paimon's radar immediately went off. They both turned their gaze toward Nazissenkreuz.His lack of denial was practically an admission, leaving them both stunned.
Wait… seriously? Fontaine people are really this weird?!Is everyone in Fontaine's head just filled with historical gossip and romance novels?!
Lumine and Paimon didn't get it—but they were shocked nonetheless!
Themis sighed."Well, since you've already shown yourself before me, whether you plead guilty or not, there's no way you'll be allowed to roam free."
"Given your… special nature, I will place you under the strictest possible confinement."
Nazissenkreuz's response was calm."I have no objections. If I must be judged for my past sins, then so be it—it's only right.""But no matter what happens, I will never give up on saving this world!""If I can save 50% of the people, I will do my best to save 60%!"
Under the gaze of Paimon and Lumine, Themis activated a special containment device—developed just before the Fontaine Academy's explosion—to restrain Nazissenkreuz.
No one dared to leave that pink-purple droplet unattended. After all, if something went wrong, a single careless moment could mean another Fontaine citizen dissolving into water.
After handing Lumine a letter containing the promised reward, Themis gave her a knowing smile.
Oh, come on.At this point, she could probably navigate Neuvillette's office blindfolded.
After tasking Lumine and Paimon with delivering Nazissenkreuz to his designated location, Themis let out a long sigh.
"Well… that's one problem solved."
"How boring. Let's just hurry home already."
It had been an exhausting day. Themis could feel the weariness settling into her bones.
She took a private airship straight back to the top floor of Palais Mermonia.By the time she returned, night had already fallen.
After opening the passageway and walking down the corridor, Themis arrived at the door to her bedroom.She pushed it open and stepped inside.
So much had happened today—Running all over the wilderness and the depths of the sea with the Traveler had left her clothes stained with dust and debris.
She peeled off her outerwear and stepped into the bathroom for a hot shower, letting the warmth wash away the exhaustion.
Her damp, snowy-white hair draped down her back as she pulled on her nightwear.A quick touch of magic dried her hair effortlessly.
She climbed into bed, lifted the blanket—And immediately reached out, wrapping her arms around the sneaky little blue-and-white cat trying to stick close to the wall.
"Good evening, Lady Furina."
Themis tightened her arms around the blue-and-white cat, resting her chin on Furina's fluffy head.
A contented smile spread across Themis's face.Yes… this was exactly what she had been dreaming of.If not for Furina, none of this effort would have had any meaning.
"G-Good evening, Themis!"
Furina stiffened in Themis's embrace, her usually soft voice now carrying a guilty undertone.
"W-Why are you in my room?"
Themis turned Furina's body toward her, holding her tightly face-to-face.She lowered her head and kissed Furina's forehead, her tone growing soft and sleepy.
"I… I just walked into the wrong room."
Furina buried her face in Themis's chest, trying to act tough despite the obvious guilt in her voice.
Themis didn't call her out on it—Because even if Furina's excuse wasn't true, the fact that she was in Themis's bed was undeniably real.
"Lady Furina… you're terrible at lying."
Themis playfully nipped at Furina's ear, licking the tip of it.
Even though the room lights were off, the moonlight streaming through the window was more than enough for Themis to see Furina's dazed expression.
In the past, Furina would have immediately pushed Themis away with her soft hands if she tried this—Usually after a couple of teasing licks, Furina would be bright red and flustered.
But now… Furina seemed absent-minded.
Themis thought carefully.The last time Furina acted like this was at the Opera Epiclese—That time, Furina had seen Themis spending time with Lumine.
Themis had acted indifferent, but in reality, Furina's possessiveness had been on full display.
Judging from how Furina had come all the way to her room and was lying in her bed—she'd probably been waiting for her all this time.
There was nothing Themis didn't understand.
"Lady Furina… are you jealous?"
Just as Furina was about to speak, Themis sealed her lips with a soft kiss.
She cupped Furina's face in her hands, gently stroking her cheek.
Only when Furina was breathless did Themis finally release her.
"Jealousy looks adorable on you.""But please… have more confidence in yourself—and in me."
"I'm not that fickle of a person, you know."
Themis licked Furina's neck, trailing down to her collarbone and leaving behind a series of soft red marks with each kiss and nibble.
Furina was being unusually obedient today, which filled Themis's heart with a mix of helplessness and affection.
Furina… her sweet, gentle Furina…Her insecure, sensitive Furina…
Whenever there was even the slightest chance that Themis might be drifting away from her, Furina would react like this—filled with anxiety and uncertainty, lowering her guard more and more in an attempt to restore the closeness they once had by being extra obedient.
Themis gently pinched Furina's chin, tilting her face upward to let the soft moonlight illuminate her features.
Her pure, water-like girl—Her cheeks were flushed, breathing quick and shallow. Her slender fingers rested lightly on Themis's arm, and a misty sheen was beginning to gather in her eyes.
"Furina, kiss me—just like you did that day, okay?"
Her lover obediently closed her eyes, then kissed Themis on the lips.A soft kiss on the forehead followed, hitting all of Themis's favorite spots.
A glint of light flickered in Themis's golden eyes. As expected.
Right now, Furina was like a fragile kitten, desperately seeking comfort and reassurance, terrified of being abandoned.
Even the smallest possibility of separation would bloom into a deep, dark chasm in Furina's heart.And so… she tried to please Themis by focusing on the places Themis liked to be kissed.
"Furina…"
Furina's watery eyes were filled with cautious hope.Although Themis was happy that Furina cared about her so deeply, she also knew that Furina shouldn't have to lower herself like this.
Her Furina—Should always be proud, always be happy.
Themis took Furina's hand and kissed it softly.
Sitting up, Themis pulled Furina into her arms and lay down with her.
Furina lay on top of her, trembling like a frightened little rabbit, as if she wanted to scurry away and hide in the corner of the room.
But there was no way Themis would let her escape now.
"Furina, don't be afraid.""My dearest one…""I'm right here. Right in front of you."
Even cats have their possessive side.Rather than letting Furina tear down her own boundaries to prove her love, Themis would rather reassure her in another way—To show Furina that she would always belong to her.
That beating heart would only ever carry Furina's image—From beginning to end.
Under the moonlight, Themis and Furina whispered their feelings to one another.
Under the moonlight, Themis guided Furina to kiss her.
Under the moonlight, Themis kissed Furina back—Only to have Furina suddenly press down on her arms, pinning them by her head.
For the first time, Furina revealed a hint of possessiveness buried deep within her soul.
And tonight, under this moonlit sky, Themis welcomed it all without hesitation.
Of course—It was just kissing.Don't even think about anything else.Furina is pure and adorable—keep those thoughts to yourself!
Themis… miscalculated!She was too careful!
Now Furina only knew how to kiss—And after kissing Themis, she simply snuggled into Themis's arm and lulled herself to sleep.
After such a long and exhausting day, Themis couldn't help but laugh when she saw Furina fall asleep so carefreely after just a few kisses.
Still… this counted as growth, right?
At least now, Furina wanted to kiss her enough to pin down her arms!
Before, Furina would only respond to Themis's kisses after Themis initiated it.A single forehead kiss, and Furina would dart away in embarrassment.
But now, Furina was starting to make the first move.
Themis's assessment? Major improvement.The future was bright.
It seemed like Furina taking the lead for once in love was something that would never happen in this lifetime.