"Sushang, what do you think?"
Just as the girl was pondering how to bring Focalors over to their side as well, Furina's voice rang out beside her, calling her name.
"Huh?"
Lost in thought, she was momentarily startled by the question.
And that only made her already somewhat unreliable appearance seem even more... concerning.
However, Furina didn't mind that aspect much; after all, it was precisely this personality of hers that made Furina feel more at ease and relaxed.
Besides, since Sushang had handed over the plans and arrangements for their upcoming life to her, she could easily make up for any shortcomings in that department.
"Just now, this Miss Syr mentioned that we might want to consider the Freya Familia," Furina explained.
"The Freya Familia is currently the strongest in Orario. According to Miss Syr, their deity doesn't manage her followers with a heavy hand; she is a god who attracts others through her personal charisma."
"As for how to join, it seems you just need to go to the Familia's entrance and apply, and someone will review your request."
Huh? Personal charisma?
While Sushang wasn't acquainted with the Freya of this world, that didn't mean she was ignorant of the Freya from mythology.
To speak of personal charisma... she supposed she couldn't exactly deny that?
The girl's strange expression drew a look of confusion from Furina.
Of course, she wouldn't take Syr's word as absolute gospel, but the look on Sushang's face... it seemed she had quite a bit of resistance toward that Freya Familia?
Syr was naturally keeping a close eye on their expressions. Noticing Sushang's reaction, she tightened her grip on her plate, her knuckles whitening, and her body tensed up slightly.
She knew Freya better than anyone, and she was well aware that, in the eyes of some, Freya's reputation was less than stellar.
Could it be that Sushang just happened to be one of those people who disliked Freya?
That was truly... a detail that made her want to possess her even more.
"Thank you for the recommendation, Syr, but Furina and I have only just arrived. Rather than rushing toward a single Familia with a fixed target, we'd prefer to get a better understanding of the situation here before making any plans."
Sushang didn't want to let down the girl's kindness, so she offered a tactful deflection.
It seems some things only reveal their potential when you put a little pressure on them.
Furina mentally noted Sushang's response. The girl had looked so dim-witted earlier, yet now, just to avoid making someone feel uncomfortable, she had suddenly become quick-witted and sharp.
Regarding the situation, her own view wasn't much different. Although they said you could leave a Familia to join another, Furina was certain that such a departure couldn't possibly be without cost.
If possible, she also hoped to join a Familia that truly suited their hearts' desires.
But another problem remained stuck in the back of Furina's mind.
While they didn't need to worry about expenses for the time being, she had come here to grow stronger.
The longer they waited to join a Familia, the more time they would waste, which was certainly not a good thing.
Still... it was also a fact that some things couldn't be rushed.
The three of them finished the topic of Familias with their own varied thoughts. Syr wondered how to create an opportunity to bring the two into the Freya Familia—even if they didn't join right away, it didn't matter; she could afford to wait.
Furina was contemplating how to strike a balance between efficiency and personal preference.
As for Sushang... she was busy devouring her meal while furiously spamming the Herrscher of Sentience.
[Herrscher of Sentience: It's rare for you to ask this old Immortal for a favor, and this is such a trivial matter?]
[Herrscher of Sentience: Still, you came to the right person. Separating consciousness and reshaping a physical body is something I can do in my sleep. Just wait for word from me!]
[Herrscher of Sentience: Don't you worry about the rest; the great Lady Herrscher of Sentience will solve it for you.]
[Herrscher of Sentience: Though... I'm glad this old Immortal can't see your identity card this time, otherwise I'd have to test how your progress with the Edge of Taixuan is coming along.]
[Sushang: ...But Senti, this Sushang isn't that Li Sushang.]
There was no reply.
Having just swiped a pot of tea from the Marshal, the Herrscher of Sentience followed the coordinates and arrived directly at a gorgeously decorated palace.
Before anyone around could sense that something was wrong, she easily concealed herself.
As an expert in consciousness, such a task was child's play for her. Even if she walked right past people, they would simply ignore her.
After effortlessly gleaning information about the Opera House and the Oratrice from the minds of others, she shifted her form and appeared before the Oratrice.
Focalors: ?!
How did this person suddenly appear here? Who was she?
"So you're Focalors? Secluding yourself in here all day—even this old Immortal hasn't seen many as 'pure' as you." The Herrscher of Sentience peered at the machine, her tone light and carefree, yet it sent cold sweat running down Focalors' back.
What the...!
Although that wasn't exactly what she thought, the sentiment was much the same.
She didn't know who this person was. Could she be one of the Shades from the side of Heavenly Principles? Had her actions been discovered?
But 'this old Immortal'? It sounded like something from Liyue. Looking closer, her attire seemed to follow a Liyue-esque style as well.
"Alright, quit the act. This old Immortal is here to send you to a place." The Herrscher of Sentience was merely acting as a messenger, so she couldn't be bothered with small talk.
"A disciple of an 'old fossil' I'm—well, let's call it 'acquainted' with—is currently with the person you're looking for. See the details for yourself."
With that, she directly transmitted the memories Sushang had received from Herta and passed them on to Focalors.
It sounded abstract, but for entities like them, memory was far from a mere concept; if they wished, they could even manifest memories into physical form.
After finishing the contents, Focalors stood stunned...
She certainly didn't possess intelligence equal to that of the great Herta, but she possessed something Herta did not: a deep understanding of Furina.
Therefore, the conclusions Herta had drawn, Focalors could see just as clearly.
The fact that Furina viewed herself as the 'mastermind behind the scenes' was not unexpected, yet seeing it from this perspective was undeniably difficult to watch.
Difficult to watch, but beyond that, she did indeed see more. That girl named Sushang, and this so-called Immortal before her, could be safely confirmed as not being native to the Teyvat continent.
People from beyond the sky... Descenders, then?
So why was that girl named Sushang helping Furina return? Did this have anything to do with her master, the one called an 'old fossil'?
What was the relationship between that 'old fossil' and the Immortal before her? What was their relationship with the Heavenly Principles? What benefit was there for them in helping Furina return?
Or, perhaps, what benefit was there for them in Furina's return and her breaking of the prophecy?
"You don't need to overthink benefits or conspiracies; that's just borrowing trouble." As the Herrscher of Consciousness, there was no one who understood the human heart better than her.
"She does these things simply because she wants to, or to put it bluntly, she and that 'old fossil' don't have the talent for playing mind games."
Her voice remained light and casual, yet there was a faint signal of displeasure mixed in.
Was it because she was annoyed by the questioning of their motives? Or was it because... she cared deeply about the image of those two people she mentioned?
Focalors didn't want to dig deeper. She knew exactly what kind of monsters and deities these Descenders were.
Her goal had never been to play a game of chess against them, but rather to find a way to survive within the tidal waves they created.
"Then... what should I do?"
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL