The garde stood frozen in place, trembling uncontrollably as beads of sweat the size of pearls streamed down his face, quickly soaking through his uniform. His lips quivered as he stammered:
"I… I…"
Furina narrowed her sharp, beautiful eyes, her gaze piercing straight through the terrified man before her. Her tone was icy cold.
"You know very well what you need to do to lessen your sentence, don't you?"
At her words, sheer panic overtook the guard's face. He stumbled over his response:
"I… I'll talk!" Then, as if afraid she wouldn't believe him, he hastily added, "I swear, I'll tell you everything!"
He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself, though his voice still shook.
"I… I was only following orders from above! They told us we had to pin the string of disappearances on Lyney and shift the blame to the Fatui."
"They said it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to kill two birds with one stone."
Furina snorted with disdain.
"Hmph. But now that your scheme has unraveled and the secret of the Primordial Seawater is exposed, your superiors have probably already marked you for death."
She paused before continuing.
"If you ask me, your best option now is to come clean and tell us everything. Maybe the Gardes can still offer you protection."
No sooner had she spoken than the guard grabbed onto her words like a drowning man clutching driftwood. He raised both hands high and nodded furiously.
"I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! I swear I'll leave nothing out! The truth is, the whole dissolving thing with the Primordial Seawater—our boss discovered that by accident."
"That stuff can also be used to make potions. When it's diluted heavily, it becomes… addictive. It gives people a high, something they can't stop chasing."
"We've been making huge profits from it. The whole 'missing girls' case? That was part of the boss's plan too."
"Oh—and our boss is… is… he's—"
"AHHH!!!"
The guard suddenly dissolved into a puddle of water, leaving behind only his uniform.
Lyney clicked his tongue.
"Sealed his lips, huh…"
Navia pressed her lips together tightly.
"As expected… they're absolutely ruthless."
Neuvillette gripped his cane tightly.
"Such arrogance."
"All personnel present—submit to a full inspection immediately!"
…
Shajin glanced over at Furina, who was trembling uncontrollably.
That prophecy echoed in her mind:
"Fontaine's people are born with sin. One day, the sea will rise and drown them all."
"Everyone will dissolve into the ocean—only the Hydro Archon will remain, weeping on her throne, to wash away their sins."
Beneath the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, a faint blue light began to stir—unnoticed.
Furina turned her head.
"Huh? Where's Shajin?"
…
"Where is this…?"
Shajin looked around at the strange "stage" he now found himself on.
A moment ago, some unknown will had invited him here. He hadn't refused. The next thing he knew, he was here.
"Greetings~"
Shajin folded his arms, staring at the figure before him—someone who looked exactly like Furina.
No, not exactly. She had something Furina lacked: divinity.
"You're… Focalors?"
Focalors gave a graceful curtsey, lifting the hem of her gown.
"Indeed, I am the current—and final—Hydro Archon. Or, in Furina's words… the Regina of All Waters, Kindreds, People, and Laws~"
Shajin stepped off the stage and took a seat in the audience. He looked up at the massive sword hanging above the stage, swaying as if ready to fall at any moment.
"Why go this far?" he asked quietly.
"This isn't your burden."
"This isn't fair to you."
Focalors smiled faintly.
"Oh my, are you… concerned for me?"
Shajin didn't reply.
Focalors didn't seem to mind.
"I thought about that for a long time on the seafloor. Even when the clams were bubbling, I was still thinking."
"And I finally realized… there is no answer~"
"You know the prophecy too, don't you?"
"That troublesome one—about everyone dissolving, Fontaine sinking beneath the waves…"
"My predecessor, Egeria, passed that prophecy on to me. I thought the same thing: this is too much."
"She handed me everything—saving this nation, the duties of the Hydro Archon, even the 'original sin.' All of it."
"I was just one of her oceanids. If I had anything that set me apart… it was the stronger desire to become human."
"Yes, becoming human was always my dream—even now."
"To me, humanity itself is the most beautiful opera of all~"
"After I became a god, I separated my divinity from my personality."
"I gave the latter a name: Furina. She holds joy, sorrow, courage, fear, pride, shame…"
"To me, she is the perfect 'human.'"
Their eyes met—Shajin's dreamy gaze with Focalors' mismatched irises.
"So," Shajin said at last, "what do you want me to do?"
Focalors scratched her cheek sheepishly.
"Well, since you're Furina's personal bodyguard now… I was hoping you could keep an eye on her for me~"
Shajin chuckled.
"Not worried I might try something… questionable?"
Focalors laughed softly.
"Hehe… I don't think you would~"
Shajin's smile faded a bit.
"You think you know me that well?"
Focalors shook her head.
"This is the first time for both of us. If I had to say… it's just a feeling~"
Shajin raised a brow.
"Odd reasoning. But I don't dislike it."
With a wave of her hand, she tore open space and retrieved a small package.
"These are Tricolor Dango from Inazuma. Want to try one?"
Focalors blinked, then covered her mouth with a soft laugh and accepted it.
"Hehe… thank you. But if I'm honest, I still want one of Fontaine's little cakes~"
"So demanding~"
"A little divine indulgence never hurt anyone~"
_
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