Warm sunlight filtered through the mottled leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. A gentle breeze swept past, carrying with it the fresh scent of flowers and grass.
Nahida softly shook her head, her silky green hair swaying with the motion. A trace of melancholy and self-doubt flickered in her eyes as she whispered,
"No… I'm still far from being a qualified god…"
Shajin stood quietly beside her, silently watching.
Then, he slowly bent down and gently placed Nahida on the ground.
Bonk!
A sudden pain made Nahida instinctively cover her forehead.
Her small lips pouted slightly, and teary eyes welled up with grievance as she looked pitifully at Shajin—like a startled fawn.
Shajin's lips curved into a faint smile. He raised his hand and pointed toward the silent figure standing quietly beside them.
"Nahida, this is Fontaine's Hydro Archon—Furina."
Furina blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden introduction. But she quickly composed herself, a radiant and confident smile spreading across her face as she straightened up and declared loudly,
"That's right! I am the Regina of all water, all people, and all laws—Furina! My archon name is Focalors. It's a pleasure to meet you, Dendro Archon of Sumeru~"
Her voice rang out like a mountain spring—clear and melodious, echoing softly through the air.
Realizing this was a foreign god, Nahida couldn't help but grow nervous. Her little hands instinctively clutched the hem of her skirt, fingers turning pale from how tightly she gripped it. Her voice trembled slightly as she stammered,
"Hel… Hello… Miss… Miss Focalors…"
Shajin found Nahida's nervousness unbearably cute. He chuckled and gently patted her head with a warm touch.
"No need to be scared. Fufu here's a bit silly—bringing you here was her idea, after all~"
Furina's cheeks puffed up instantly like a pouting pufferfish. She raised her little fists and gave Shajin a light punch to the chest, sulking.
"Hmph! You jerk! Who are you calling silly?!"
Shajin spread his hands toward Nahida with a helpless expression.
"See what I mean~"
The casual, playful way the two interacted made Nahida gradually relax. She glanced up at Furina, then back at Shajin, took a deep breath like she was mustering all her courage, and slowly walked over to Furina. Folding her hands in front of her, she hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Um… Miss Focalors…"
Furina looked at Nahida, so delicate and porcelain-like, and was instantly overwhelmed with protectiveness. She instinctively crouched down and reached out to gently smooth Nahida's hair, her gaze warm enough to melt snow.
"Little Nahida, just call me Furina~"
From the side, Shajin watched the scene unfold and couldn't help but mutter inwardly:
"You two are basically the same age, you know…"
Nahida took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Then she looked up, eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.
"Um… Miss Furina, how do you govern Fontaine?"
Furina froze for a moment. Her mind began spinning rapidly—how did she govern Fontaine?
Hmm… well… come to think of it… Neuvillette handles most of those troublesome affairs, doesn't he?
["Achoo!" —Neuvillette, somewhere far away in Fontaine.]
Furina saw the anticipation in Nahida's eyes and began to panic slightly.
She cleared her throat twice to steady herself, adjusting her posture and tone to sound composed and confident. Then, she began:
"Ahem… First of all, any nation or city-state must have a clear and effective system of laws! Only then can order be maintained—people will know what's permitted and what's not."
Nahida nodded slightly, thoughtful. Her tiny, elegant chin dipped twice as she softly replied,
"Clear laws… That really is important. Like the foundation of a city, it gives people a standard to follow."
Furina felt a twinge of pride at having her ideas acknowledged.
A faint, subtle smile touched her lips, and she nodded emphatically.
"Besides that, a god who rules must maintain a sense of dignity. This awe-inspiring presence not only commands respect but also reinforces the god's rightful place and authority."
Nahida blinked her big, clear eyes, clear confusion written on her face.
She tilted her head.
"Dignity? But… what does it mean to have dignity?"
Without hesitation, Furina nodded again, her expression turning serious.
"Yes! Dignity is crucial. A god must appear lofty and untouchable, so people clearly understand the vast gap between mortals and deities. Only then will they willingly obey a god's will."
But as Nahida listened to Furina's words, she couldn't help but think of her own situation. Her expression dimmed, the brightness in her eyes fading as if a shadow had fallen over them.
She lowered her head and murmured, almost inaudibly,
"You're right… I've never really had the kind of 'dignity' a god should possess…"
Shajin sighed and rubbed his forehead, helpless.
"Nahida, at your current level, you're more than capable of governing Sumeru. But a god doesn't have to handle everything alone. You just haven't found someone you can truly entrust things to yet."
He looked up slightly, gaze turning distant as if lost in memory.
"The Anemo Archon of Mondstadt ignores state affairs and spends all his time in taverns. The Knights of Favonius handle everything."
"The Geo Archon of Liyue 'fell,' and the city became a 'godless' nation. But the Qixing swiftly assumed control. The Tianquan redistributed production rights to the people, shrinking the wealth gap and bringing unprecedented stability."
"The Electro Archon of Inazuma? Honestly, she was Inazuma's problem. That blockhead issued all kinds of ridiculous decrees."
"This Hydro Archon in front of you? She barely manages Fontaine. Her deputy, Neuvillette, does most of the work."
"The Pyro Archon of Natlan ascended from humanity. And with Natlan's volatile conditions, peace isn't even an option."
Shajin paused, then pointed at himself.
"And the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya? She doesn't micromanage either. Snezhnaya's finance and military are run by the Harbingers and other officials."
He smiled, eyes twinkling slightly as he added teasingly,
"So~ you're actually the most responsible god I've ever met~"
_
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