"Wow! So that's the kind of relationship you two have?"
Hu Tao looked back and forth between Ye and Furina, covering her mouth with one hand as she laughed:
"But I admire how boldly you express your feelings! Hey, by the way, Zhongli, what were you trying to say earlier? Furina isn't Focalors' what…?"
"…Furina, you are not one of Focalors' people. You are the Hydro Archon herself—Focalors, correct?"
After a brief silence, Zhongli spoke these words.
"Huh? Ah… haha, I didn't expect you to see through me. Yes, my true identity is the God of Justice, Focalors. Ahahahaha!"
Furina, having just recovered from her fear, laughed exaggeratedly.
Did he really figure it out? What just happened? Was it Ye…? No, no, it's fine. It's definitely fine. My identity isn't exposed! It's not! It's not!
"Huh?!?!?!?!?!"
At this moment, the most shocked person was undoubtedly Hu Tao.
Rarely showing such an expression of astonishment, she stared at Furina with wide eyes: "Y-You're the Hydro Archon?!"
Of course she was shocked—this was an Archon! A god like Rex Lapis himself!
In this world, aside from the people of Fontaine, no one could face a deity and remain calm.
Well, actually, even Fontainians would be incredibly excited if they were granted an audience with Furina!
The people of Fontaine might be able to see their god regularly by buying tickets to the opera, but that only strengthened their faith in the Hydro Archon—it certainly didn't make them think of their god as insignificant.
As for Liyue? There was no comparison. While it wasn't like Mondstadt, where one might never catch a glimpse of the Anemo Archon Barbatos in their lifetime, Liyue only had one chance each year to witness Rex Lapis' divine form in person!
Hu Tao had never dared to imagine that she'd one day be able to speak directly to an Archon!
"I merely happened to have two friends from Fontaine who mentioned that, aside from her divine name Focalors, the Hydro Archon most commonly goes by Furina de Fontaine."
Zhongli explained calmly:
"However, I was only testing the waters. I didn't expect you to actually be the Hydro Archon."
As he spoke, he glanced down slightly at his right hand, which held a teacup.
—It was trembling uncontrollably.
This wasn't fear. On the contrary, it was the aftermath of fear fading away.
Just moments ago, Zhongli's words had been completely frozen.
The reason?
Fear.
Overwhelming, absolute fear.
How… is this… possible…?
—In that instant, even such a thought, which could at least express fear, was impossible to form.
It was as if his blood and soul had been frozen solid. His entire body and mind had stiffened completely—even trembling or thinking had become a luxury.
It was as if the very concept of fear had materialized, utterly crushing Zhongli's entire being.
He didn't know what he was afraid of, but that sudden terror, rising from the depths of his heart, left his body and soul incapable of the slightest movement.
What… kind of power is this…?
Now that the fear had subsided, Zhongli could finally ponder the question.
His test had succeeded, but the result had completely defied his expectations.
Ye possessed such power—this was entirely beyond Zhongli's imagination.
Zhongli was certain that his fear hadn't arisen from any sense of mortal danger. It was a terror without reason, without cause.
He could only conclude that Ye must wield some kind of horrifying authority—one that could completely evoke fear in others, dominating their bodies and minds through it.
And… it was an authority that even he couldn't resist.
Such power… not even the Heavenly Principles could match it.
If the Heavenly Principles had such an ability, they wouldn't have fallen into slumber, and no one would have dared to rebel.
The Heavenly Principles were strong—Zhongli knew this well.
But he also knew that they were neither omniscient nor invincible… they were not an existence that couldn't be opposed at all.
Yet, just now, Ye had made Zhongli feel—viscerally—that he was utterly powerless to resist.
And that was no illusion.
But it also wasn't fear born from an insurmountable gap in power.
No matter how strong an enemy was, even if they were truly invincible and undefeatable, Zhongli would never have been so overwhelmed by fear.
If someone were to ask Zhongli whether he feared death, he could only reply, "I don't know." After all, in all his life, he had never faced a true brink of death.
But… he probably did.
Because in this world, there was no living being—human or god—that didn't fear death.
"Not afraid of death?"
Those who said such things were either madmen who didn't understand death or those who had already lost all reason to live.
Zhongli's erosion was severe, but he still had many attachments in this world that he couldn't abandon. So, if the day ever came when he had to face death, he would surely fear it too.
—But to say that Zhongli would be so afraid of death that he couldn't even move? That was absolute nonsense.
Even gods feared death, but in his six thousand years of life, Zhongli had never met a single god who was terrified of it… Surely he wasn't the only one, right?
Zhongli wasn't that lacking in self-esteem.
Therefore, if this much was certain, then another thing became clear—Zhongli's fear hadn't stemmed from a disparity in power or the threat of death.
It was an authority.
Looking at his now-steady hand, Zhongli's gaze was deep and calm.
An authority surpassing the Heavenly Principles… Just what kind of existence is he? Why has he come to this world? And why does he serve Focal—no, Furina?
And why has he never revealed such power in these five hundred years?
"I hope the two of you can keep Lady Furina's visit to Liyue Harbor for the Lantern Rite a secret."
Completely unaware of Zhongli's thoughts, Ye was simply troubled by Furina's accidental exposure of her identity as the Hydro Archon and felt the need to remind Zhongli and Hu Tao:
"After all, a foreign god arriving in Liyue at a time when the nation has lost its own Archon might cause excessive vigilance among Liyue's leadership. It's precisely to avoid such a situation that Lady Furina has been concealing her identity. Please rest assured—she harbors no ill will toward Liyue."
"Ah, I'm not worried about that. I'm just a little excited."
Hu Tao shook her head, subtly glancing at Zhongli and Ye before smiling:
"With Rex Lapis gone and no new Archon yet risen, if a god truly wanted to move against Liyue, worrying wouldn't change anything. So, I don't bother with pointless concerns like that."
How interesting.
Hu Tao genuinely thought so now.