The Fake God (Genshin Fanfic)

XV

I froze. Or maybe time froze.

I sat on the bed beside a busy Sigewinne, who was tending to the patients as I tried to collect my fleeing soul.

...

"It had started with the dissolving people. But that doesn't matter much even if I tell you. Those events are occuring right now. Though what I must say. Is that Furina was discovered to be a fake Archon by the citizens of Fontaine."

"That was somewhat the reason why the plan didn't work."

"Focalor's plan of decieving the Heavenly Principals instead turned into her decieving herself. The Heavenly Principals knew what she was planning from the start, and they had only gone with it for the simple pleasure of watching a show, watching your faces as everything failed."

"That's not even the main thing. The reason they knew from the start... I suspect someone has been reporting to them, like a watching eye dropped from the heavens."

"Though... even if that person didn't report to The Heavenly Principals... This fate was bound to come by."

"Change doesn't come without a price. And The Heavely Principals is fickle with what they want."

...

So what now? 

I had been a fool to think sharing the throne of Archons with her would be a wise decision. I hated dragging another into my own business, even if it meant lessening my own burden. But now...

I tried burying myself under the dark colored bedsheets. My mind a whole mess. Lumine's words weren't exactly helpless, but it wasn't helpful either. It was like she had lost the ability to speak like a normal person, instead filling her sentences with a riddle like aura. How much easier would it be for her to just be like: "Go kill The Heavenly Principals." or "Give up."

I startled at the last thought.

Then I started missing Focalor's voice inside my head. If I had listened to her sooner, would everything have been solved already? Ugh, how stupid I was, thinking of her voice as a nuisance to my normal life. Or used to be normal life. 

But there has to be a way to save Fontaine from this flood.

✦✦✦

Lumine pov.

"LUMINEEE! Paimon's back! Did you and Hikari have fun?" Paimon floated before my eyes, peering eagerly at me, as though trying to find an answer out of my expressions.

"Did you discuss anything you weren't supposed to?" Her curious expression masking her true intentions. But not from me.

Experiencing a time loop once provides you with all the neccesary information to see through the lies and falsehoods of the people around you. Including this little floating Emergency Food. Whom I had placed my trust in...

Yet betrayed me worse than anyone else. Including that damned Aether of a brother! Joining the Abyss as a prince? Eh, with that soft heart of his, he barely stands up to the Abyss Prince's name.

 If I remember correctly, this is the time in which me, Navia and Neuvillette goes to the ruins to gather more information on the prophecy. Arlecchino was right, there was something of importance in the ruins afterall.

I wonder if I could save Melus and Silver then. Considering the state Navia was in after they were turned into oceanids...

"Paimon, lets go meet Neuvillette in front of the ruins."

✦✦✦

"Monsieur Neuvillette?" I was sitting in Wriothesley's office, sipping coffee with a blank expression on my face as I watched Wriothesley sign the documents in front of him. When Neuvillette knocked on the office doors.

I wasn't that surprised. Afterall, those two often visit each other, and their friendship is a sort of I got your back, you've got mine thing. But out of the ordinary, Monsieur Neuvillette turned to me, completely ignoring the Wriothesley that was putting his whole heart into whatever he was doing, not even looking up when Neuvillette knocked.

"Hikari. Would you like to come investigate a ruin with the Traveler and I?"