Furina glanced at the small cake on the table—no different from usual—then lifted her eyes toward Aeron, who was sitting across from her with his usual composure. A complicated feeling stirred in her chest.
They had been together for over four hundred years, and his appearance had not changed in the slightest. Not even a wrinkle had appeared on his skin.
So she never had to worry about the so-called matter of lifespan.
But that didn't mean she had nothing to fear.
In truth, the things she feared were far more terrifying than questions of mortality.
That prophecy—unsolved even after all these centuries—still weighed on her heart.
She recalled a saying once spoken by a refined member of the Liyue Qixing during a business negotiation with Fontaine:
"There may be a thief for a thousand days, but how can one guard against a thief for a thousand days?"
Furina's situation was even worse. She had been guarding against that "thief" for five hundred years straight—and she couldn't even speak a word of it!
And lately, that prophecy concerning Fontaine's future was once again stirring unrest among the people.
For five centuries, she had sat upon the divine throne as the God of Water, always seeking a way to break free of that ominous fate. But now, the voices accusing her of inaction grew louder and more numerous. At night, when she slipped out to feed her little cats, she could even hear the whispers of doubt in the streets.
It unsettled her.
She feared disappointing Focalors. She feared letting down the people of Fontaine who had placed their trust in her.
And she feared… that Aeron might one day dissolve into the sea, vanishing from her side.
The thought sent a shiver down her spine. Having grown accustomed to his constant presence, she could not imagine such a future.
"Furina? Are you alright?"
Aeron's voice pulled her sharply out of her spiraling dread.
Startled, she raised her head to meet his concerned gaze and instantly realized her slip.
Aeron's aura was impossibly gentle. Though he sometimes used formal addresses like "Lady God," most of the time he simply called her "Furina."
He didn't even bother with "Miss."
That alone often made her feel as though she weren't some lofty deity, nor Fontaine's dazzling superstar "Furina," but just a simple girl of Fontaine, with an ordinary name: Furina.
She sometimes wondered if Aeron knew something, but whenever she pressed him, he always denied it.
"Know what? Ah, I see—you mean how I can tell when you're upset today?"
"Well, isn't that what a good subordinate, a good friend, ought to notice?"
And so, time passed amidst these tangled threads. Inevitably, Aeron became the only flaw in her grand "performance."
For before him, she couldn't help but reveal her vulnerable side.
Watching the dazed look in her mismatched eyes, Aeron's brow furrowed tightly.
"Don't tell me… all the recent troubles have pushed your spirit to the breaking point?"
He waved a hand before her face, a symbolic gesture, and asked softly:
"Furina? You shivered just now, then drifted into a daze. Did something happen?"
Like waking from a dream, Furina quickly shook her head, flustered.
"No, no. What could possibly trouble the great Water Archon Focalors—Fontaine's one and only superstar, Furina de Fontaine?"
Her lips curved into a proud, almost coquettish smile.
Aeron only shook his head, seeing through the act yet refusing to call it out. He could not afford empty words of comfort.
As Vice Regent, as her faithful supporter from even her past life… the only thing he could do was protect her.
He sighed lightly, then let his trademark gentle smile return.
"Eat up. I made your favorite—matcha and mousse cake."
"Today's duties are unusually heavy. If there's nothing else, I should get back to work."
As he rose, he noticed her hat slipping off her head. Without thinking, he reached out and adjusted it for her.
"You shouldn't wear a hat for afternoon tea. As Fontaine's beloved star, your looks and presence are already more than enough. You don't need to hold yourself so stiffly all the time."
"There… much better. Well then, I'll take my leave. Lady Furina, enjoy your tea."
With her tacit permission, Aeron left the room. She remained, staring absently at the cake before her, lost in thought.
---
For Aeron, time always passed too quickly. As Fontaine's Vice Regent, he scarcely had a moment's rest.
The paperwork before him had only grown thicker since morning. With a weary sigh, he sat at his desk like a man resigned to his fate, and began working.
By the time he finished, night had already fallen.
"…That quickly?" Aeron shook his head. His gaze drifted to the glowing countdown panel.
"Five… four… three… two… one!"
As the timer hit zero, the display suddenly expanded, filling his office like a massive projection screen.
And then, a familiar figure appeared within the light—so familiar that Aeron's pupils shrank to pinpoints in shock.
It had been nearly four centuries since he'd last heard that aged voice greet travelers:
"Greetings, Travelers. Today we bring you the latest news from the Nation of Water—Fontaine!"
The moment the words ended, the light cut to black, replaced by the long-forgotten Genshin logo, then the deep-sea scenery of Fontaine.
"We want to know… what exactly lies within the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale?"
"What powers it? What grants it the right… to judge?"
Lynette's voice echoed from the projection. The image of the Oratrice shrank, fading into darkness.
And then, new footsteps thundered across a stage—the Opera Epiclese.
Aeron froze, stunned, as a face stepped into the spotlight. A face he knew better than anyone.
"Ignorance may be forgiven. I understand your curiosity about the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale. But…"
"Monsieur Lyney, when there is an 'accusation,' there must also be a 'trial.'"
"I may not preside over judgments myself, but I can assure you this: Fontaine's Judges, its Vice Regent, and the Oratrice itself will see that justice is done."
Staring at the projection, Aeron's breath caught in his throat.
"That person… who is it?"
"…It's… me?"