[According to the verdict issued by the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale—]
[The Hydro Archon is innocent…]
[But… for Fontaine—the Death Sentence!]
["Huh? Huh? HUH?"]
["Holy crap, what just happened!?"]
["Damn, I rushed into the stream and got mind-blown on the spot—what is going on!?"]
["No way, am I seeing things or what? How is it this explosive right from the opening!?"]
["Isn't the Oratrice the Hydro Archon's creation? It ruled her innocent!?"]
["No, no—Neuvillette said that the Oratrice has its own consciousness!"]
After seeing the opening of the new version's PV, people couldn't even process the rest.
Just the prologue alone was already mind-blowing—unless the rest was somehow even crazier.
But what really left players stunned was that Mihoyo had pulled off a massive twist this time!
Their beloved, beautiful Primogem Archon, Themis, had staged a coup and made herself the Hydro Archon!
[You… why…]
Look at that! Look at Focalors, dressed in her divine regalia, looking completely in shock! She never could have imagined that her most loyal subordinate would stage a coup!
[From now on, you just need to sleep peacefully.]
Themis! No wonder René told Jacob to warn the players that Themis couldn't be trusted!
So what now, Themis? Are you trying to ascend to godhood too!?
"Oh no, oh no, folks! Themis really is about to become Fontaine's Hydro Archon now!"
"No! I refuse! What happened to my Sustainer of Heavenly Principles!?"
"Waaahhh, my little blue-and-white jellyfish is gone!"
[Now that you know my goal, you should also understand what must be done at this moment.][I hope you enjoy this five-hundred-year performance.]
Standing in the Primordial Sea, Themis faced the Traveler and Neuvillette with a satisfied smile on her face.
[Yes, even though she's lost her divinity, at least she still has me~]
["???? Why does that sound like the Overseer's line!?"]
["Primogems! No—my Primogems! Don't turn this into Honkai too!"]
["What now, Themis—do you have a white-haired girl you've been hung up on for five hundred years too!?"]
["Lord Bishop! Let's go bash the tree again!"]
["Old Yang's PTSD is about to kick in!"]
[Come now! Let this battle put an end to Fontaine's prophecy!][O heavens! I have returned to the divine throne!][Farewell, Furina!]
Immediately afterward, the massive version PV cover appeared—Themis holding Furina up with one hand, Furina twirling listlessly in her palm. A massive, azure sword hovered above Furina, ready to strike at any moment.
CatCatEatsNoMedicine sat there, stunned after watching Themis' part of the PV. Their mind was completely frozen.
"Holy crap! Guys!"
"This—this—this!"
Trying hard to find the right words, their brain just gave up entirely.
"Huh? Huh? HUH?! Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on!?"
"Ahhh—!?"
「Love that one line from the streamer: 'Huh?'」
「Huh? Huh? Huh? HUH! I don't know either!」
「So… can we still pull for Themis!?」
「Can we still get the little jellyfish Hydro Archon version!? Waaahhh… she got betrayed by the person she trusted the most—she must be heartbroken!」
「Furina's out now, but the Archon slot in the character screen is already marked as ???—you know what that means!」
「Waaahhhh… let me cry for a while! There's no Themis character leak at all, and Furina's Archon Heart slot is a question mark—so our Hydro Archon is gone!?」
"Let me process this! Let me process this, guys!"
CatCatEatsNoMedicine took a deep breath to calm down, their mind gradually clearing from the shock.
"So… earlier, the Knave said that Themis was the true Hydro Archon—but when the Knave visited Palais Mermonia a second time, Themis claimed that Furina was the true Archon."
"And then Neuvillette said that Furina had a cursed aura—and Themis gave him an ancient, unsettling feeling…"
"And now Themis is staging a coup!?"
"As for that 'Fontaine death sentence'—could it be related to the prophecy!?"
"Wait, hold on—what's wrong with the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale!? Why would it sentence all of Fontaine to death!?"
"Did the Oratrice absorb the power of the Primordial Sea? Don't tell me Themis summoned the Sea water!"
"Ahhhh! My brain is overheating!"
「Streamer, calm down! Maybe Hoyoverse is just trying to scam us with the PV again!」
「I'm only concerned about one thing—Is Themis the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles or not?」
「Just look at her face!」
「Themis: 'I never wanted to look like this.'」
"I can't wait any longer! Mihoyo, just drop the full storyline all at once already!"
"Not only is there zero character info about Themis—she's not even listed as a weekly boss yet!"
"Seriously? The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles doesn't even get that level of respect!?"
"And what's with that last line?! Are you trying to kill my blue-white little Hydro jellyfish?! Furina is so cute! How could Themis do this?!"
She frantically typed on her keyboard, clearly in a state of panic.
"Brothers, go offline! Get a good night's sleep and start updating and play the mainline tomorrow morning!"
After staying up all night, she woke up to find the new version update already live.
She rushed to update her game, started streaming, and raced through the new storyline.
CatCatEatsNoMedicine stream title: "Urgent! NEW UPDATE!"
After completing the update, she launched the live stream, logged into her account, and went through the entire process in one smooth motion.
CatCatEatsNoMedicine's fingers flew across the keyboard.
The moment she logged in, the Archon quest in version 4.2 began.
As Lumine and Paimon searched for clues about Fontaine's original sin, they found themselves at a bookstore, believing Fontaine's unofficial history to be the most consistent account.
CatCatEatsNoMedicine was utterly bewildered. "What the hell? That unofficial history is so unreliable! Why would you think it has any value?!"
[Unofficial history preserves its wildness, not its truth!]
[By the way, Fontaine's unofficial history is classified under romance novels.]
[I think we should just consider Paimon's suggestion and have the two of us search all over Teyvat.]
Jacob suddenly appeared, warning the Traveler that Themis is dangerous and not to be trusted.
CatCatEatsNoMedicine erupted in anger! "If I can't trust my wife, who can I trust? You? Some strange purple thing like you?"
[How dare you! Trying to sow discord between me and the God of Primogems!]
[Do you think I don't know whether she's a good person? She gave me 1,600 Primogems! She's my adoptive mother!]
They arrived at Poisson, observing Poisson—now drained after being fully flooded.
CatCatEatsNoMedicine mimicked the 'old man subway phone' meme, sighing. "Wait, what happened to my massive Poisson town?!"
[Truly flooded, utterly lost.]
[A hellish joke.]
After conversing with Navia, she found the Knave's rescue efforts utterly incomprehensible. Then came the daily praise for her wife Themis.
Finally, within the ruins, she discovered three stone slabs. After hours of study with the live stream audience, she concluded the Hydro Archon was merely crying on her divine throne. Great, we'd learned absolutely nothing.
Upon reaching Neuvillette's office, she received the news that both Themis and Furina had gone missing.
Before the streamer and viewers could fully process this, the scene shifted to a secret chamber.
Themis, her face cold as ice, extended a hand to Furina who wore a white dress. Furina stared in disbelief at Themis before reluctantly fainting.
"Huh?"
「????」
「Is this what you Fontaine people call unwavering loyalty?! Answer me! People of Fontaine !」
「No! My wild history ship is ruined! Our Themis x Furina ship just got a BadEnding!」
「I knew it! The Great Master is the Unknown god! Themis is utterly unreliable!」
「She gave me 1600 Primogems. Now do you understand who to trust?」
「God loves all people. Pledge allegiance to Themis! I'm Themis's dog – give me another 1600 Primogems!」
「Pah! You're just drooling over her Primogems! How vulgar!」
「The streamer lusting after Themis's body is even more vulgar!」
CatCatEatsNoMedicine, seeing this exchange, protested, "You're all bickering among yourselves! Why must innocent bystanders like me get caught in the crossfire?!"
-
In the world of Teyvat—
Lumine and Paimon returned to their residence, only to unexpectedly encounter a familiar face.
Paimon: "Mona, I never thought you'd be in Fontaine... Are you actually from here?"
Mona: "I'm just here on business. I booked a room in town and decided to take a stroll today. I didn't expect to run into you two."
"But why do you think I'm from Fontaine? Is 'Megistus' not a typical Mondstadt surname?"
Paimon nodded. "Exactly."
"Well, I did have my own surname before. No, that's a lie... Anyway, after the old lady took me as her apprentice, she insisted the first step to becoming a great astrologer was adopting this name."
"I had no choice. The old lady's astrology skills are truly impressive, so I changed my name as she demanded. But it turns out 'Megistus' isn't actually the name of some ancient family."
Mona seemed a bit embarrassed about this.
"Huh? Really?" Paimon asked.
Mona shook her head and sighed inwardly. "No. Although the old lady and I use 'Megistus' as a substitute for a surname, it's generally interpreted as 'the greatest'."
Paimon: "So, Mona, you're not actually from Fontaine at all? Are you from Mondstadt then?"
Mona: "I was born in Mondstadt. My parents later moved to Dornman Port. For a while, I traveled with an old woman before settling back in Mondstadt."
Paimon: "Oh! That's good too. At least you won't get dissolved by Fontaine's water."
Recalling how the Primordial Sea affected Fontaine natives, Paimon sincerely felt relieved for Mona.
Mona: "Speaking of which, you're aware of the recent events in Fontaine, right? Even if you're not a local, avoid any water that looks unusual."
"I have a bad feeling... There's something dangerous in the water."
Frowning, Mona hadn't yet figured out the specifics, but her astrologer's intuition hinted at submerged dangers.
Lumine: "Mona, did you come to Fontaine for the prophecy?"
Mona: "The prophecy was the initial reason. Recently, Steam Bird invited me, as a column writer, to Fontaine for a symposium. They wanted an astrologer's perspective on the recent popularity of prophecies."
"That invitation came quite early. At the time, no one could have imagined Fontaine would face such dire straits."
Mona shrugged helplessly, her mood turning somber at the mention. Who could have foreseen that the prophecy would come true the moment she arrived in Fontaine?
"What's your take on that prophecy? As a diviner, share your thoughts. At least tell me if Fontaine's prophesied crisis can be averted. I can't bear this constant anxiety."
Paimon's eyes sparkled with anticipation, her faith in Mona's divination skills unwavering.
Even Lumine beside them couldn't help but gaze at Mona with her luminous eyes, brimming with expectation.
Faced with their eager stares, Mona felt utterly powerless. "What I can tell you is this: I'm an astrologer, and this prophecy concerns not just Fontaine, but the fate of all Teyvat. To confirm this would be equivalent to divining the entire world's destiny."
"Such matters aren't for just anyone to handle. If I could accomplish this, I wouldn't be called an astrologer - I'd be a prophet."
"Conversely, its grand scale and profound power suggest it must have originated from a powerful prophet. Given its content concerns the world's fate, dismissing it as baseless speculation would be a grave mistake."
Paimon: "A prophet... That sounds so impressive! Do such people really exist in the world?"
Mona: "Yes, they do. A fortune-telling old hag of that caliber could manage it. Her sisters in the Hexenzirkel might have others capable of similar feats too."
"I want to know if the prophecy can be resolved successfully," Lumine said, gazing at Mona with eyes full of anticipation.
"...I understand. It's rare to see you so serious. I'll help with this. Once I contact the old hag, I'll notify you immediately."
For the first time, Lumine had asked Mona with such earnestness. As her friend, Mona could assist in this matter, though she deeply resented having to deal with her own family's old hag.
After their conversation, Lumine and Paimon returned to their inn to rest.
-
Meanwhile, chaos erupted in Fontaine's opera house.
Themis sat beside Furina's position. Suddenly, a mob stormed into the once-peaceful opera house, hurling accusations at Furina.
As the situation escalated, Neuvillette rapped his staff repeatedly, but to no avail.
Furina sat nearby, her body trembling slightly. It was clear she felt terrified and helpless.
"Silence!"
"The trial is not yet concluded. Those who disrupt proceedings will be charged with obstructing justice and unlawful assembly!"
Unlike Neuvillette and Furina's tolerance, Themis would not permit these rabble to cause trouble here.
"The law does not excuse mob behavior in my court!"
"You are all adults now. You should grow brains of your own, think independently, and take responsibility for your actions!"
"I understand your anxiety about the prophesied crisis, but that is no excuse for causing a disturbance in the courtroom!"
She summoned the Maison Gardiennage and Gardemeks to suppress the troublemakers. Watching the spectators return to their seats, trembling and looking pitiful once more, a flicker of anger crossed Themis' golden eyes. Then, with righteous conviction, she declared:
"Think about how Lady Furina has worked diligently for five centuries without the slightest hint of negligence or error!"
"Now you're being swayed by a few careless words, claiming she doesn't care about this matter!"
"Even as an outsider, I feel disheartened—how must Lady Furina herself feel?"
"Are you not ashamed of yourselves?"
In a debate, you must never let your opponent's words disrupt your rhythm or steer the conversation. Once you're forced into self-defense, defeat is inevitable.
When the audience doubts Furina, simply repeating "I've been working hard, please trust me" won't suffice.
Besides their lack of belief, they still don't understand Furina's true plan.
By the end of this debate, Furina's defeat is assured.
At this critical juncture, she shouldn't focus on effort. Instead, she must showcase her past actions—what she's done for Fontaine's citizens, her sacrifices—presenting her as a paragon of virtue and responsibility to dispel their fears and anxieties.
Then, by tracing all the errors of this disturbance back to its origin, they would feel shame for their actions. This sense of guilt would make them think twice before acting in similar situations.
If not, the fate of those captured would be their own.
"Since there are no objections, Neuvillette, let the trial continue!"
Themis's gaze met Neuvillette's in mid-air. With a final strike of his cane, a dull thud signaled the resumption of the trial.
However, after what had just transpired, no one had the heart to continue focusing on the proceedings.
Themis left the trial with Furina, her blue-white kitten needing comfort far more than these unruly citizens.
She brought Furina back to Palais Mermonia and took her to her private chambers.
Knowing Furina would be unable to sleep alone after today's events at the opera house, Themis pulled her into her bedroom. There, she forcibly undressed Furina and gave her a bath.
Amidst Furina's weak protests—part anger, part shame—Themis lifted her up and spun her twice in a circle.
"Better now?" Themis asked softly as she settled them both on the bed.
"Not completely, but a little better."
"Thank you, Themis."
Furina's dejection was palpable, her dispirited demeanor affecting Themis's mood as well.
"I think you're just too lenient with them," Themis said. "But then again, who am I to argue? You're Furina—the Hydro Archon of Fontaine."
Meeting Furina's puzzled gaze, Themis smiled and gently pressed her fingers against the back of Furina's head, pulling her close once more.
"Sleep well, Furina. You've got plenty to handle tomorrow."
The soothing voice drifting in Furina's ear gradually overcame her initial wakefulness. She adjusted into a comfortable position against Themis's soft body, half-asleep and clinging tightly, as if trying to burrow entirely into the embrace.
"Themis..."
"Hm?"
"It's so good to have you here."
With these words, Furina could no longer fight back the rising drowsiness. She closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Only Themis remained alone under the moonlight, her expression filled with complex emotions.
The pitch-black silent night was like the depths of the sea, where dark currents surged.
Themis couldn't sleep a wink after Furina's words. She lay holding Furina in bed, staring at her with unblinking eyes for the entire night.
It wasn't until dawn broke, the morning sun lighting up all of Fontaine City, and the city outside Palais Mermonia grew lively, that Themis finally came back to her senses. Blinking dazedly, she pressed her fingers against her temples, marvelling inwardly at how quickly time had passed - nights really were no match for her.
She dressed and washed carefully, treading lightly so as not to disturb Furina's sleep. As a worker, Themis' day was much like any other.
The only difference was the growing number of small-scale protests and disturbances caused by the prophesied crisis.
But would Themis be afraid? Impossible!
She would throw them all into the Fortress of Meropide and Wriothesley's factories, contributing batch after batch of workers to grind out parts.
Though Wriothesley protested that the Fortress of Meropide wasn't a factory and he wasn't a factory manager, what did that matter?
In Fontaine, as long as Themis remained, her word reigned supreme.
Overeating leads to excessive thinking. Better to exhaust them until they can't even eat properly, then they'll truly appreciate the Hydro Archon's benevolence!
She had Wriothesley assign them the most grueling labor, to properly "remold" them.
Only then did the anger burning in Themis's heart subside slightly.
By the time she finished reviewing documents, Themis's face was so dark it could have dripped ink.
After swiftly finishing the last bit of paperwork, Themis left her office with furrowed brows. She urgently needed to hold Furina and comfort herself, lest she change her mind and make this charade real—dissolving these troublemakers into water on the spot.
Just as Themis was hugging the newly awakened Furina, nuzzling and kissing her, the Traveler arrived at Palais Mermonia and found Neuvillette.
"You're here."
"Neuvillette, what's the situation? Have Themis and Furina returned yet?"
"Yes, after they went missing yesterday, Furina came back first. When I noticed Themis wasn't with her, I thought this might be a good chance to ask about the prophecy. But even without Themis present, Furina refused to discuss it."
"I could tell she was confused when I asked about the mysterious curse affecting her. But when I asked if she was the Hydro Archon, she became unusually confident and certain. I don't understand why."
"Our discussions keep getting derailed. We can't let things continue like this."
"Conversation is the foundation of communication. Furina keeps refusing to talk? This makes it impossible for me to get more information from her."
"Just as I was about to ask more questions, Themis returned. I had no choice but to stop."
At this point, Neuvillette couldn't help feeling frustrated.
He truly felt powerless against Furina's stubborn refusal to reveal her secrets and information.
"Maybe asking questions isn't the answer... The situation is getting worse. We need to make Furina tell us about the prophecy herself."
Paimon had a different perspective. "What if the matter concerning the prophecy coincides with Furina's hidden plan? What then?"
"Furina's... hidden plan?" Neuvillette frowned deeply, his eyes betraying genuine confusion.
"Yes, Neuvillette! You don't know Furina has her own plan to save Fontaine?" Paimon asked, surprised by Neuvillette's shake of the head.
"Though I understand your relationship isn't like Themis and Furina's, I never imagined it could be this indifferent," Lumine remarked.
"After working together for five centuries, you still don't know this?" Paimon muttered, somewhat exasperated.
"My interactions with Lady Furina have been limited," Neuvillette explained. "Apart from her appearances at the opera house for trials, we rarely meet."
"When issues arise, consulting the Regent suffices."
"As for Furina's private actions, I remain largely unaware."
"However, there is one matter I've known about for years - her covert investigations using various channels."
"You claim she has her own plan to counter the prophecy, but as far as I know, Furina is completely unaware of the stone tablet's account about Egeria, the previous Hydro Archon."
Paimon and Lumine's eyes widened with astonishment. Did the Archon truly need to employ human intelligence organizations for investigations? And to look into Fontaine's prophecy crisis no less?!
"She's never been as shallow as she appears, nor is she truly foolish. But given these circumstances, her actions are utterly inconsistent..."
Even someone like Paimon, who rarely thinks deeply, could detect the contradictions.
"Though her plan requires secrecy, it must be visible to me and all Fontaine citizens."
"We need a plan that stands in the open, one that every Fontainian can see."
"Therefore, I believe Furina's plan will not be accepted by Fontaine. We must create a genuine, public plan to save Fontaine and resolve the prophecy."
Paimon clutched her head, while Lumine hesitated. "It seems the conflict has now fully erupted."
Noticing Paimon and Lumine's hesitation, Neuvillette continued, "I suspect you may not yet be aware that at yesterday's Opera Epiclese, multiple Fontainers—panicking over the impending crisis—publicly questioned Furina's authority. This even escalated into minor disturbances."
"Though Madam Themis forcefully suppressed the unrest, by now, more than one faction has voiced strong dissatisfaction with Furina."
"Therefore, whether for Fontaine's sake or Furina's own, I believe obtaining the hidden truths from her is imperative."
Paimon and Lumine found Neuvillette's reasoning compelling.
To protect both Fontaine and Furina, they needed comprehensive information to devise an effective plan.
Though it felt unfair to Furina, this was a necessary measure.
They hoped she would eventually accept their apologies.
"All informed parties recognize Furina harbors secrets. The issue lies in her reluctance to reveal them. She likely won't disclose anything unless cornered."
"We might need to create circumstances forcing her to speak."
Neuvillette crossed his arms, deep in thought. How could he make Furina reveal her secrets completely?
"Usually, people only spill the truth when facing judgment," Neuvillette said. "We should perhaps create such a situation for Furina."
"But Furina's witnessed countless trials and is adept at evading questions," Paimon countered. "She'll flee at the slightest provocation. How can we ensure she can't escape?"
"Moreover, Themis will undoubtedly stand by Furina's side to assist her," Lumine added. "Without decisive evidence, we have no way of refuting Furina's claims."
After all, Furina's ability to control situations was undeniable. In court, Themis could flawlessly predict every psychological shift among the audience.
With these two working together, Lumine believed they should simply admit defeat early on. She didn't possess the necessary eloquence to handle this.
"We need to consider everything carefully and combine multiple forces," Neuvillette said. "We must exhaust all possibilities."
"Don't worry about Themis," he added. "I'll handle that matter when the time comes."
"How exactly will you handle it? Themis isn't like Paimon, who can be easily charmed with treats."
Paimon shot Lumine a glare, clearly displeased with her comparison.
"If possible, I'd prefer not to involve any violent methods in this matter. But all of this is to prevent the events prophesied from occurring."
"This is cruel to Furina and unfair to Themis, but Fontaine as a whole is in danger. The information the Archon possesses, the hidden secrets, are too crucial. They're practically the last piece of the puzzle. This is worth the risk; we must try."
"Even if Themis arrives in the end, it won't matter. She's always strictly followed the opera house's rules. We just need to delay her until the trial begins."
After discussing in detail with Neuvillette about finding people to help execute their plan, Lumine took her leave first.
Clorinde was easy to persuade—Neuvillette was her direct superior, so his word sufficed.
The Knave Arlecchino proved a valuable ally, though she remained occupied searching for the final stone tablet. She dispatched her siblings Lyney and Lynette to assist instead.
What neither Lumine nor Paimon anticipated was Navia's outright refusal.
Paimon: "Huh? Wait! Navia, are you really not coming with us?!"
Faced with the gazes of Lumine and Paimon, Navia felt a pang of guilt in her heart.
"I understand what you're saying very well, but please allow me to decline your proposal."
"For me, whether it's Lady Furina or Lady Themis, they are both highly responsible leaders in my eyes. Fontaine is lucky to have them both."
"If Lady Themis is willing to trust Lady Furina's plan, and Lady Furina herself firmly believes in her plan, then I am also willing to believe that Lady Furina's plan will resolve the crisis of the prophecy and save Fontaine."
Navia's unwavering trust in Themis and Furina was beyond Lumine and Paimon's expectations.
"We thought you would agree to help us, especially since Neuvillette said that so many people protested in the courtroom yesterday."
Paimon scratched her head, looking confused.
Seeing Paimon's expression, Navia figured that she must have misunderstood something.
"I admit that there are indeed some people in Fontaine who are very dissatisfied with Lady Furina's outward attitude. But there is also a group of believers who trust Lady Furina more than they trust themselves."
"People have two sides. You can't stop believing in the good side just because you've seen the bad side."
"I've heard about the chaos in the courtroom yesterday. My response is—if there had been believers of Lady Furina and Lady Themis present, those rioters would've been beaten down from the start."
"Rather than an outbreak of sudden chaos, I'm more inclined to believe that it was a conspiracy targeting Lady Furina."
"Lady Furina is Fontaine's Archon. If we can't even trust the Archon who has protected Fontaine all this time, then who else are we supposed to trust?"
"If that happens, it will only cause more conflict. With the prophecy looming over us, we can't afford more problems. That's why I believe the Regent made the right decision yesterday."
"You should leave. I won't help you—but at the same time, I won't reveal anything about what happened today either."
After being turned down by Navia, Lumine and Paimon walked down the street with heavy questions lingering in their hearts.
"Uh, Lumine, are we really doing the right thing by helping Neuvillette pressure Furina?"
"What if—just hypothetically—what if Furina reveals the secret, and we don't have a better plan? Wouldn't that make us the ones responsible for Fontaine's destruction?"
Paimon's concern was reasonable, and Lumine was equally confused. There was still a chance to stop Neuvillette's plan to force Furina's secret out through the trial.
"We'll be discussing it tomorrow. We still have time to think this through."
But the questions swirling in Lumine's mind had no answers.
Neuvillette's plan to extract Furina's secret during the trial felt like a gamble.And yet, Lumine had the power to stop it before the trial even began.That realization weighed heavily on her.
"Ugh! If only Themis were here right now!"
At this moment, Paimon suddenly remembered Themis. "Even though Themis, like Venti and Zhongli, never tells us why we need to complete commissions, at least we know what we're supposed to fight and how to handle it. Plus, the rewards are always great!"
"Indeed," Lumine agreed wholeheartedly with Paimon's statement. However, when she recalled the warnings from earlier, her heart filled with hesitation.
When doubt takes root in the heart, even the smallest seed can grow into overwhelming suspicion.
Subconsciously, Lumine chose not to think about Themis's role in the investigation of Fontaine's original sin.
Together with Neuvillette and the others, she began discussing how to carry out Furina's trial.
Neuvillette stated that, if necessary, he would use force to prevent Themis from reaching the courtroom before the trial began.
They only needed to get Furina to the trial in time.All they wanted was the truth about the original sin of Fontaine tied to the prophecy's origin.
They didn't need to uncover all of Furina's secrets.
Delving too deeply into a god's secrets would be disrespectful.But to prevent Fontaine from sinking into the depths as foretold by the prophecy, Lumine and the others ultimately decided to take the risk.
"Huh?"
Paimon stared at the cup on the table, looking puzzled. Lumine was equally confused.
"Did you just pour tea? I didn't see you do it."
Paimon's comment immediately made Lumine alert.
"Don't be nervous. I was just sitting here drinking tea with you. I just hadn't said anything yet."
Seeing Lumine and Paimon's puzzled expressions, the mysterious visitor offered another hint.
Paimon: "Wait, that voice... I've heard it before… Huh?! You're that mysterious voice that came from the sky back in Sumeru!"
The visitor laughed at Paimon's strange description.
Lumine: "Who are you? What do you want from us?"
"A passerby following a whim, taking on a friend's apprentice's request."
Hearing this, Lumine immediately understood the visitor's identity— a member of the Hexenzirkel, Witch N.
Having identified the visitor, Lumine posed a question about prophecies.
Witch N: "Prophecies... Yes, they will come true. You can consider them 'future history'."
Witch N's answer sent panic through Paimon. "But how... Is there any way to stop it?"
"You've already witnessed failed cases. Do you think anything in Teyvat can be changed so easily?"
"Just as 'prophecies' are generally only the future as seen from the Archon's perspective... might there be events occurring in the blind spots of their vision?"
"Will what you're about to witness differ from the fate the Archon has seen?"
Lumine knew these words were meant for herself. Fate couldn't be changed so easily.
But if prophecies can't be defied, does all this really have any meaning?
Lumine sat silently in her chair, her brows furrowed as she pondered something.
Paimon stood beside her, equally quiet, seemingly affected by the tense atmosphere.
"Is there really no other way? Must Fontaine be destroyed right before our eyes?"
"Heh~ That's exactly what I'm about to explain." Witch N's voice carried an inexplicable hint of amusement.
"My dear friend, Witch A, once spent a very memorable time in Fontaine. Based on what she saw and heard during that time, she's absolutely certain—
There is a mysterious Descender hidden in Fontaine."
"A visitor unknown even to the gods of Teyvat."
"And even now, that hidden Descender is tirelessly working to save Fontaine."
Witch N's words rang in Lumine's ears, her eyes widening in shock."A hidden… Descender in Fontaine?!"
"Wait! Lumine, aren't you one of the Descenders?!"
"And Witch A—that's Klee's mom, Alice!"
Paimon shouted in disbelief.They were familiar with Alice's abilities, so if even Alice said so, it must be true!
The tea in the cup was running low, nearing its bottom—A sign that this conversation was coming to an end.
"If it's you, you should already know—what's trivial and what's essential."
"Regardless of Teyvat's future, the only thing that will guide you is 'fate.' Just do what you must."
"The only thing I can say for certain, on behalf of Witch A, is this—Even though Themis is extremely cunning, she's someone you can trust completely."
"Wait, and have faith."
Witch N's voice disappeared entirely.Paimon called out twice, but when she was certain the visitor was gone, she finally relaxed.
But soon after, even more questions flooded her mind.
"Jacob's master that Themis is dangerous and warned us not to trust her."
"But now Alice, through Witch N, is telling us that Themis can be trusted."
"Ahhh, my head hurts! So… can we trust Themis or not?!"
"And another thing! When exactly did Fontaine hide away the Descender? We've been here long enough to know something like that would've come to our attention, yet we've heard nothing!"
Not even Paimon could make sense of it—Lumine was equally bewildered, her mental CPU on the verge of overheating.
She can't tell! She really can't tell!
Let me say it again! She! Lumine! Hates cryptic speakers!
Can't these people just say what they mean?!
Half-hidden truths, watching her spin in circles—does that amuse them?!
In an unknown space, at an unknown location, Witch N watched her friend Witch A with helpless exasperation.
"Why can't you just speak to her directly?"
"Why must you twist around like this, using me as your mouthpiece?"
Alice shook her head like a rattle-drum. The mere sight of Themis's face now instilled primal fear in her. Even in dreams, she found herself hauling bricks and mixing mortar for the Academy.
Though the real Academy—that nightmare symbolizing exploitation—had been reduced to rubble, the trauma of oppression remained etched in her psyche.
She feared that if she went to Fontaine now, Themis would catch her on the spot and force her to build a new Fontaine Academy.