So long... so lonely... how much longer must this continue...
It has already been hundreds of years, hasn't it?
Perhaps this performance will have to go on for hundreds more.
I never imagined that this process would be so painful.
Have I reached my limit? No—perhaps I reached it a very, very long time ago.
Today, I can't even tell when I'm crying anymore.
[Neuvillette: When I pass by the Fountain of Lucine, I often hear the sound of weeping. I suppose that voice belongs to Furina.]
[Charlotte: Five hundred years… that really sounds overwhelming.]
[Zhongli: To confront erosion with a mortal body—Furina, you've endured so much.]
[Ningguang: An ordinary person would likely have gone mad long ago. What terrifying loneliness.]
[Keqing: Furina herself didn't know the details of the plan—she was merely grasping at the only remaining hope.]
[Ganyu: Even if she can only pray toward the future, Furina's heart has never changed.]
I want so badly to confide in someone—even just one person would be enough.
But if I did that, wouldn't everything I've done be ruined?
Over these hundreds of years, I've carried out countless investigations, yet there has been no hope of breaking free from the prophecy.
Now, all I can do is believe.
Continuing to play the role of the Hydro Archon is the only way to save Fontaine.
Please… please succeed, me in the mirror.
Scene 182,376: The Opera House — Furina and Lumine
On the screen, besides Furina, Lumine appears as well.
Lumine: "Furina, maybe you don't actually have to carry all of this on your own."
"Even if I don't know everything you know, your people would be more than willing to share the burden with you."
[Paimon: I remember this scene. Back when we were inside the giant magic box, it looked like Furina wanted to say something.]
[Venti: Yes, I remember it clearly too. She was about to say something—but then she realized something and stopped herself.]
[Keqing: The subtitles below the footage show inner thoughts. I think Furina's thoughts should appear as well.]
Lumine on the stage suddenly reacts.
This voice… it sounds just like the one from inside the giant magic box back then.
That's great. I never expected this scene to replay within Furina's inner world.
Now, we can finally know what she was thinking at the time!
On stage—
Furina replies coldly: "Sharing the burden is simply impossible. From the very beginning, it was destined that only I would bear this responsibility alone…"
Lumine: "If sharing is impossible, then at least you can choose to confide in someone."
"I'm a witness. You can confide in me."
Furina's eyes light up.
"A witness… I've heard that you came to Teyvat from beyond the stars. That means you've never truly belonged here…"
"If everything in Teyvat is a play on a stage, then you're merely an audience member in the opera house, aren't you?"
"If it were you…"
Within Furina's inner world, two versions of herself split apart.
If it's her, then maybe it wouldn't matter if I confided in her.
But if things don't go according to plan, the ones who bear the risk will be all the people of Fontaine!
No, Furina. You shouldn't be selfish.
But what if it really wouldn't matter? Furina, you've tried so hard for so long. Would it really be wrong to be just a little selfish? You're not doing anything excessive—just confiding your pain and worries to one person. That should be fine, right? If you miss this chance, you might never find another.
[Zhongli: This moment of hesitation reflects Furina's humanity. Gods love humanity—yet for her people's safety, Furina had to endure misunderstanding alone.]
[Raiden Ei: Indeed. My will is unwavering and does not falter easily. Five hundred years of stillness did not disturb my heart.]
[Nahida: The Traveler can know all of this because none of her actions are recorded in Irminsul—but Paimon cannot.]
[Ningguang: Looking at Furina's thoughts, she clearly excludes Paimon. Telling the Descender would theoretically be fine, but telling Paimon would cause the plan to fail entirely.]
[Furina: No—no… the Traveler can't be told either. She's also part of the prophecy. If I had spoken up back then, the trial wouldn't have happened—or it would have manifested in a different form. No one knows what consequences that would bring.]
[Neuvillette: Although Furina often appears foolish, I know she is actually very perceptive and delicate.]
[Furina: What do you mean, Neuvillette? I just didn't know what to do! Besides, I'm not even a real god—don't call me stupid.]
[Focalors: Acting a role is also a task that demands considerable intelligence.]
Think it through properly… one more time.
Returning from her thoughts to reality, Furina lifts her head. The dejection on her face instantly disappears, forcibly replaced with confidence.
"There's nothing. I have nothing I want to confide."
"I am Furina, the Hydro Archon. Everything will turn out fine."
"As an audience member, until the final curtain falls, just witness me properly."
Lumine hesitates for a moment, then nods firmly.
"Mm."
The scene shifts, returning to the Court of Fontaine.
Neuvillette questions Focalors:
"So even Furina herself didn't know the truth? You never told her the full plan?"
Focalors nods.
"Yes. To deceive the Heavenly Principles, you must first deceive yourself."
"Furina is truly remarkable. Over these five hundred years, had her resolve weakened even once, Fontaine would have faced the worst possible ending."
"Mm… placing trust in humanity was indeed the right choice."
[Ningguang: Trusting Furina was indeed the correct choice.]
[Keqing: Trusting Furina was indeed the correct choice.]
[Venti: Trusting Furina was indeed the correct choice.]
…
[Furina: Thank you… thank you, everyone.]
Neuvillette reflects:
"At this point, I can understand how you deceived the Heavenly Principles—but that's only half the truth."
"The key question remains: how exactly do you intend to save the people of Fontaine from the prophecy?"
[Arataki Itto: Huh? How did you deceive the Heavenly Principles? I don't get it at all.]
[Paimon: Yeah… um, I don't really get it either.]
[Ningguang: Hm? You don't understand something this simple?]
[Lyney: Then allow me to explain. Fontaine's prophecy is itself a form of judgment. The Heavenly Principles wrote scene after scene of a script—Fontaine is destined for destruction when the play ends. But those scripts only describe certain key scenes. As long as those specific scenes occur, the Heavenly Principles won't notice anything amiss.]
[Neuvillette: Correct. That's exactly my understanding as well. Focalors sent the "Hydro Archon" Furina into the script of the Heavenly Principles, while she herself hid away, secretly preparing for the prophecy. I don't yet know what those preparations were, but I believe Focalors was not running away—because escape would have been meaningless.]
[Focalors: Mm-hmm. That's right.]