Charlotte left with the sample newspaper in hand. Ningguang pondered for a moment, then called for Baiwen.
"Lady Ningguang."
"Go find Yelan. Tell her to look into this Chief Editor Euphrasie from the Steambird. She's not from Liyue—so where exactly did her invitation come from? I want a detailed report on everything she's been up to since arriving in Liyue."
"Understood."
Baiwen nodded and swiftly departed.
Ningguang lowered her gaze, returning her attention to her pending official matters.
---
Charlotte walked alone through the night-lit streets, her heart still racing with a surge of excitement.
The chill wind off the sea carried a faint scent of salt, brushing against her cheeks. But it wasn't enough to cool the fire burning in her chest.
Lady Ningguang was right!
If being a local reporter couldn't save the people of Fontaine, then becoming a foreign Chief Editor might just be the only way to expose all the hidden sins to the world!
And luckily, Chief Editor Euphrasie had casually mentioned the hotel she was staying at earlier that day. Now that Charlotte had decided to settle down and work in Liyue, she figured she might as well go give her resignation in person. Clear the air properly.
Of course, she'd also have to let her parents know.
She'd write them a letter and ask Euphrasie to bring it back to Fontaine for her. That way, they could understand her decision—and start making preparations to move here too.
Her father was a landscape reporter, always fond of photographing natural scenery. And in Liyue, with its stunning vistas of mountains and seas, he'd have endless subjects to pursue.
Maybe he could even start a scenic photo column for the Liyue Newspaper—add some new flavor to the publication. Two birds with one stone!
Mona's prediction really had been spot on.
Charlotte couldn't help but recall her first meeting with Mona. Back then, the astrologist had given her a reading and said, "You'll return to Fontaine sometime in the second half of next year."
At the time, she'd been baffled. Why next year? Why so late? Did that particular timing have some deeper meaning?
Looking back now, it must've been referring to the trip she was going to take with Mr. Xia's group. She remembered them talking about it—starting in Mondstadt, then Inazuma, then Sumeru, and eventually passing through Fontaine on the way. If she did the math, that would indeed be later this year.
The prophecy was real after all.
A single Mora very well spent.
But... speaking of prophecies—
Were prophecies something that had to come true?
Charlotte suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Something else had come to mind.
She couldn't quite remember when or where she first heard it, but there was an old prophecy that had been whispered around Fontaine for years now...
"Every Fontaine-born carries Original Sin at birth. No matter how just the Nation of Justice claims to be, it cannot judge or absolve that sin.
One day, the sea will begin to rise. Those burdened by sin will be slowly swallowed by the ocean...
Until at last, all dissolve into the tides—leaving only the Hydro Archon alone on her throne, weeping.
Only then will Fontaine's sins finally be cleansed."
The warmth in her chest suddenly evaporated. Charlotte shivered, goosebumps prickling her arms.
As a reporter, she'd covered numerous stories related to the sea. And she distinctly remembered that some recent data had shown a very real rise in Fontaine's sea levels.
Some regions had already sunk beneath the waves permanently.
Most people chalked it up to natural phenomena, refusing to treat it as anything more than environmental change. But a small number had always believed in the prophecy—warning that Fontaine couldn't afford to ignore the danger.
Charlotte used to count herself among the majority. She'd always thought of that particular tale as nothing more than a bizarre urban myth.
But now… having seen a prophecy about herself come true with her own eyes, doubt had begun to creep in.
She stood quietly, deep in thought for a while, before her expression steeled.
"No matter what, getting Mom and Dad out of Fontaine is the right move," she murmured. "Mona is coming to submit her article in a few days—when she arrives, I'll ask her about this directly."
---
At the inn, Miss Euphrasie sat at her desk, sorting through a stack of photographs.
She was picking out the less important landscape shots, leaving only the ones that featured that young Principal Xia.
As the Chief Editor of a newspaper, Miss Euphrasie had seen more than her fair share of portraits over the years.
But she had to admit—Principal Xia's photos were still in the top tier.
Charlotte's photography skills seemed to have improved again.
That was part of the reason, certainly.
But there was something else. Principal Xia had… a kind of mysterious charisma about him.
Even when he was just casually standing in the frame, it was impossible not to look at him. His presence naturally became the focal point of every shot. Her eyes were drawn to him whether she liked it or not.
That feeling...
It was strangely familiar.
Because it was the same feeling she got when looking at photos of Lady Furina.
Whether it was in a grand opera house or a serene garden, Lady Furina's image always dominated the photograph—effortlessly capturing attention.
Miss Euphrasie used to call it "the aura of divinity."
But now… she wasn't so sure.
She picked up another photo for a closer look.
This one had both Principal Xia and Vice Principal Zhongli.
And surprisingly, Vice Principal Zhongli seemed to have the same mysterious pull. Her eyes couldn't help but linger on him, too.
No way... were both of them secretly divine beings, like Lady Furina?
Miss Euphrasie let out a wry laugh and shook her head.
Nah. That couldn't be it.
Maybe some people were just naturally photogenic.
There was a knock at the door.
Then came Charlotte's voice. "Editor Euphrasie, are you still up?"
"I'm here, haven't gone to bed yet—just a moment."
"Okay!"
Miss Euphrasie calmly gathered up all the photos and put them away before heading over to open the door.
"Charlotte? It's late. What brings you here?"
Charlotte took her hand. "Come on! I'm taking you shopping!"
"Huh? Well... alright."
Technically, they were senior and junior colleagues. But Charlotte had joined the Steambird at a young age, and Miss Euphrasie had often looked after her in both work and daily life. They had a close bond off the record.
"Liyue's night market is super lively! It's a shame you arrived a few days too late. You missed the Lantern Rite's Xiao Market—it was even more amazing."
"Really?"
"There's so much good food! Let me show you my favorites!"
"Sure."
"You've heard of Liyue's most famous restaurants, right?"
"Of course. Xinyue Kiosk and Liuli Pavilion. They say they serve the best Liyue cuisine and Yue dishes. I wanted to try, but the lines were way too long."
"Hehe, I can take you! How about tomorrow?"
"Don't you need to book days in advance?"
"I've got a membership card!"
"Huh?"
"Lady Ningguang gave it to me! I can dine in her private box any day."
"...Sounds like the Tianquan Star really values you."
"It's not that, really. Lady Ningguang and I are friends in private too. She's a wonderful person—very kind and thoughtful... Actually, I've decided, Editor Euphrasie. I'm not going back."
"What?"
"I'm not returning to Fontaine. I'm staying here at the Liyue Newspaper. I'm sorry, but I'm resigning from the Steambird."
Miss Euphrasie turned her head to look at Charlotte's determined face.
It gave her the sudden, painful feeling of watching a naïve girl get swindled... and still happily help count the swindler's Mora.
"Tell me your reason."
"My reason? Editor Euphrasie—there are limits to being a reporter in Fontaine!"
"...Charlotte. I told you. The Steambird has backing."
"But not enough."
"Our backing isn't—... you don't understand... sigh…"
Miss Euphrasie rubbed her temples. This was giving her a headache.
She couldn't believe that in less than a month, her most promising reporter was about to jump ship.
She couldn't help but harbor a little grudge against Liyue's Tianquan Star.
Stealing people like this? Not cool.
"Editor Euphrasie, you don't need to try to talk me out of it. I've thought this through."
"You…"
"This is a letter for my father. I'd like to ask you to deliver it."
"...Alright. Charlotte, I respect your decision. But remember—The Steambird will always welcome you back."
"Thank you!"
Miss Euphrasie tucked the letter away.
They continued walking through the streets.
The mood between them was a little off.
But after snacking on some local street food, things lightened up again.
By the time they reached the docks, Charlotte stood at the pier, staring out at the rising tide beneath the moonlit sky. Her expression darkened with worry.
"Editor Euphrasie… do you still remember that old prophecy about Fontaine?"
"Which one?"
"The one about the sea rising, dissolving everyone."
Miss Euphrasie's expression shifted ever so slightly.
But in the dim light, Charlotte didn't notice a thing.
"Of course I remember. But it's just some baseless rumor."
"I still worry about it sometimes."
"There's nothing to worry about."
"But what if it's true—?"
"Charlotte. We in Fontaine have the Hydro Archon. The sea is water too, and water is under Lady Furina's dominion. Something like that could never happen."
"Yeah… you're right."
Charlotte relaxed and nodded.
"It's been a while since I saw Lady Furina. I do miss her."
"Doesn't everyone."
"Editor Euphrasie, did you bring any photos of Lady Furina?"
"Of course I did!"
"Show me!"
"Here you go."
Even under the dim lights, the girl in the photo radiated brilliance, exuding an otherworldly elegance.
"Lady Furina still shines so brightly... it's a shame I won't get to see her anymore."
"Then this photo's yours."
"Really?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Thank you so much!"