Chapter 1: Confession

"As long as the final moment hasn't come, it's still not too late. Don't worry. I… I'll keep hope alive for everyone until the very end."

The resolute words spoken by Furina faded into a sigh of resignation as her head dipped.

But a blink of an eye later, it was like none of that had happened as a new mask fell over her face. "Well! That's enough for now," Furina said with a smile. "I got the impulse to play the stricken maiden, but honestly, considering my rank and station, that wasn't a very good fit at all." The chuckle that followed felt forced.

Aether's hopeful expression faded as he once more looked at Furina with a questioning gaze.

Seeing this, Furina waved him off. "Don't take any of what I just said seriously! How could I possibly let Fontaine fall to the whims of trivial prophecy?"

Aether couldn't help but feel disappointed. They had set everything up for this. Arranging the people to chase Furina so that they could get her into this box for a private talk. Pretending that another calamity was happening to increase the urgency she must feel. All of that so she could finally tell them the truth. But even as Furina revealed a glimpse of her true feelings, she withdrew into herself again.

His floating companion put those thoughts into words. "C'mon, Paimon could've sworn you were actually being honest just now…"

Furina stood akimbo, her mouth turned upward in a pleasant smile unconcerned with it all. Yet her laugh was just a bit off-kilter, with an undercurrent of tension beneath the surface. Her bright blue eyes, always so radiant and stunning, seemed clouded and lonely. They more than anything else conveyed her grief and despair.

Aether stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder. "Furina… Please, you don't have to shoulder this burden alone. Although I don't know what you might be keeping from everyone, I and your people are more than willing to share your burden with you."

"Share my burden…" Furina paused, her face crestfallen as she shrunk inwards. She shook her head gently and whispered, "that's impossible. It was fated, right from the start, that this would be my duty alone."

Aether sighed and leaned in closer to her as he looked her in the eye. "Even if your burden doesn't need to be shared, you can still choose to confide in someone. Just share it with me. I'm what you'd call a witness."

Furina's gaze tilted downward toward the floor as she thought to herself. "A witness… Ah yes. I've heard that you came to Teyvat from beyond the stars, yes? In other words, you never belonged here. And if Teyvat is, in its entirety, a show on a stage, then you're just a spectator, aren't you? If that's the case…" Her voice trailed off, carrying a sense of forlorn longing.

It was an odd analogy, Aether thought, but Furina did love her plays. It looked like he might be getting through to her.

"Yes, you can consider me a spectator," Aether said, softly. "I've observed a lot during my time here, all kinds of things. Some things that no one else would ever know of, forbidden knowledge that will not see the light of day ever again. So please, let me be your witness."

Furina closed her eyes and shuddered as her head bowed. For a moment, she remained silent.

Then, in a soft voice she spoke. "Promise me, you won't speak of this to anyone." The barest hint of tears began to form at the edges of her eyes which stared into his, a window into the soul giving a glimpse at the desperation buried inside.

Faced with her pleading gaze, he wanted to truly tell her he would. But this was finally his chance to know Furina's secret, the missing knowledge that could help save Fontaine that he and the others were all looking for. He would have to share it with them if he needed to, so they could all work together to avert this prophecy. His voice caught in his throat for just a moment before he spoke.

"I promise," he lied. Furina didn't seem to notice his brief hesitation, or perhaps she was desperate to believe his words.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I am not the Hydro Archon," Furina said.

Aether nodded. It wasn't as though this was a surprise to him, he had already suspected this was the case. "So who is the real Hydro Archon then?"

Furina took a deep breath and began her story. "Five hundred years ago, I saw myself in a mirror. Or I should say, I saw Focalors. She told me that there was a way to save Fontaine from the prophecy. In order to accomplish this, I needed to play the act of a god. I must act out a never ending masquerade, and no one can suspect my identity. Only then could the people of Fontaine be saved. Otherwise, all hope will be lost."

"Day by day, I kept the performance going, never letting my mask slip, dreading each day that I might slip up. For the sake of Fontaine, I could let no one know. You… you are the first one I have ever been able to confide my true feelings in for these five hundred lonely years. But even though I did all this, the prophecy is still coming true." Tears fell from Furina's face as her voice quieted into a whimper. "The people of Poisson… I can't bring them back. How many more will be dissolved? When will this all end? Does this even matter?"

"I can't give up. Not while there is still a chance that people can be saved. Please, don't let these five hundred years be a waste. I have to keep moving forward one day at a time and make sure this act continues, to the final curtain call."

Aether could only stare forward in shock. And for once, his partner Paimon was at a loss for words too. He took a step back and then collapsed against the back wall.

All these years, Furina had labored to keep this secret, forever alone against the world. He could hardly imagine… how much could one human take. And now, he and the others wanted to blow it all open and rip her secret from her whether she was willing or not. "What have we done…" he muttered.

Suddenly, the room shook and Aether jolted up, watching as the box began to unfold. He saw Furina looking around in confusion at what was going on.

"Forgive us…" he said. "We didn't know."

Furina took a step backward as she gazed upon the courtroom, eyes wide open as she saw all the people gathered. "What is this?" she whispered hesitantly.

Suddenly, Lyney's voice rang out as he gave a dramatic bow. "Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes my opening performance. Now, without further ado… we may proceed to the trial of our god."

The words shook Aether from his stupor and he shot to his feet and rushed toward Lyney. "Stop the trial," he said in a low voice. "We can't do this."

"What do you mean, Aether? We have her right here." Lyney seemed confused.

"She told me…" Aether said.

"Let's talk with the others then." As Lyney led him to the side of the stage, he heard Furina let out a tortured gasp, and a deep sense of shame overcame him.

The rest of the conspirators were all gathered here. Navia, Clorinde, Lynette, and even Neuvillette had made his way down from his seat in a hurry.

"Did she tell you?" Navia asked.

"She did," Aether replied after some hesitation.

They were silent for a few seconds.

"Well, what is it?" Navia asked insistently.

"I can't tell you. It has to remain a secret," he answered helplessly. "I'm not able tell you why, but you have to trust me. Furina has a way to deal with the prophecy, we just have to wait."

"Wait? And let more people be dissolved? People in Fontaine are dead. And she did nothing!" Navia said, raising her voice. "Clearly, whatever she is trying isn't working."

Neuvillette cleared his throat and spoke. "Any information you have will be of use to help us save Fontaine. Even if the information is dangerous, you can trust us to keep it secret."

Aether hesitated. While he was outside of the gaze of Celestia, the others here were a part of this world. And he had learned on his journey that knowledge itself can be dangerous here on Teyvat. "I'm sorry. I want to tell you, but I can't. This has to remain secret for the sake of Fontaine. Please, believe me."

He turned to Neuvillette. "You know Furina. Do you really think she would just let the people of Fontaine die? If not, then you know she is trying to save everyone. We just need to have faith in her."

Neuvillette closed his eyes and let out a breath. "I apologize, but such assurances are no longer enough. Not with things the way they are now. The trial must proceed."

Aether looked at the others, but one by one they all shook their heads.

He stepped back, away from the others as they turned toward Furina. She seemed to have regathered her composure and now faced them with a harrumph. "So a trial is what you want? Do not forget that I am Focalors, the God of Justice – the embodiment of justice itself. Does it not strike you as even the least bit absurd to bring the very concept of justice to trial?"

Neuvillette responded immediately, as though expecting it. "May I interpret these words as your refusal to stand trial? In that case, you will have the opportunity to defend your honor through a duel."

Clorinde walked forward as Neuvillette spoke, coming to a halt in front of Furina.

Furina's eyes widened ever so slightly, and her voice waved for a brief instant. "You… you would draw your blade against a god?"

Clorinde responded with action, drawing her sword and pointing it directly at Furina's throat. Her cold stare remained impassive as she stared down the woman she had served many years as a bodyguard for.

Furina's gaze turned toward Neuvillette's stern visage and then back toward Clorinde. "Et tu, Clorinde?" Her expression fell as she whispered those few words, barely audible. "I see… It seems like you have made up your mind."

Aether wished he could step in and fight on her behalf, but none but the accused and the champion were allowed to fight in the duel.

Then, Furina raised her hands in a show of surrender, and the audience gasped in shock. One man stood up and interjected at the bizarre display.

"Shhh…" Furina stage whispered at him. "It would seem that there has been a misunderstanding. To be clear, the raising of both hands is not always an indication of surrender. I raised my hands just now to indicate my acceptance of the trial. No duel shall be necessary."

She looked up at the audience. "I will admit that I've been running away for a long time. I'm sorry, everyone. I was unable to protect the people of Poisson. It is my duty to stand trial for my crimes. You are not the only ones to be disappointed in me. I, too, am exceedingly disappointed in myself."

Furina took in a deep breath as she transfixed the audience with a determined gaze. "But now, it is time for the Hydro Archon to show you her courage and resolve! I, Furina, will use this trial to show the world the true meaning of justice!" Her arm swung outward with a flourish as she walked forward.

"Applaud and rejoice! One of the most outrageous and fantastical arcs known to the Opera Epiclese is now unfolding before your very eyes!" Her arms extended outwards, presenting herself to the audience as she stood under the spotlight. "Mark my words – this shall be one of the most exhilarating and brilliant shows ever to grace the stage of Fontaine! The trial of the Hydro Archon, Focalors, will now begin!" With a twirl and a dramatic sweep of her arm, she stunned the audience with her majestic performance.

The audience clapped and cheered, completely transfixed with their goddess. But behind her, those who had brought her up to the stage could only sigh.

Now, Furina spun around to face them. "Before we begin, you should explain to the audience first how you brought me to the stage."

Navia stepped forward, explaining how she had her subordinates start the riot in the morning under the guise of ordinary citizens in order to fan the flames of the peoples' resentment in order to frighten her and cause her to flee from them and head to Poisson. Then afterwards, she had another group of people show up to chase Furina, allowing Aether to guide her into the fake house. That fake house was then transported all the way to the stage.

Furina looked toward Aether, her blue pupils seemingly affixing him in place with their gaze as she trembled. Her eyes had a depth to them like the oceans themselves. Beneath the surface, something intense swirled within those depths, disappointment and hurt buried behind the stoic expression she wore as a mask. "So that was what you were doing as a part of all this," she muttered. "Keeping me distracted so I wouldn't notice what was going on. And that bit about the earthquake was a lie too, wasn't it?"

He bowed his head in shame. "Yes… we wanted to make you tell us your secret. I'm sorry…"

"Hmph." Furina looked away from him. She looked back at Neuvillette. "Alright then, who will be my opponent in this trial?"

Neuvillette paused, eyes briefly glancing over Aether who continued to look downward at the floor.

Then, Navia spoke up. "I will be your opponent in this trial."

"The court recognizes Navia as the prosecutor and requests her to take the stand," Neuvillette announced.

"Oh? Very well then, I shall see what you have to say," Furina said.

Suddenly, Aether spoke up. "I petition the court to serve as Lady Furina's defense attorney. Under Fontaine's laws, the accused always has the right to counsel."

A look of shock flashed across the faces of his friends. Navia in particular stared at him with an almost disbelieving gaze. Her face fell, and she looked at him with an expression he had never seen her direct at him before. She trembled, her mouth briefly opening as though to protest before shutting closed as her lips pursed tightly. Her fists clenched together and she looked away from him.

Neuvillette frowned, but before he could respond, Furina answered.

"Your gesture is welcome but unnecessary," she said with a casual wave. "I am the god of justice itself. I need no aid in a trial."

"I do not presume to say that you are not capable," Aether answered. "But it is because you are the god of justice that you serve as a symbol for all of Fontaine which makes it all the more proper for you to have a defense attorney to set an example for the people. After all, all the people of Fontaine have the right to one and they should be aware of their right and not be ashamed to use it. If the Hydro Archon herself has an attorney, no common citizen should feel that it would reflect poorly on them to have one, or hold misplaced pride in thinking they should do it themselves."

Furina stared at him silently for a few moments. He looked at her, hoping she could recognize his sincerity. Behind the mask she wore, she longed to not stand up there alone.

"Very well then, my duty to serve as a model to the people of Fontaine compels me to accept your offer," Furina responds with a dramatic wave. "You may come with me. People of Fontaine, see that even one of my doubters has switched sides upon seeing the full majesty of my justice! Clearly, the righteousness of myself cannot be denied."

As the two of them walked up the stairs backstage to get onto the balcony, Furina let her performance drop for a brief moment. "Why… why are you helping me?"

Aether put a hand around her shoulder to comfort her. "I want to apologize. For tricking you. And for dragging you into this. I'm sorry."

Furina sighed. "There's nothing that can be done about it now."

"And also," Aether paused briefly as his next words hung on the edge of his tongue. "I don't want to make you face this world alone."

"I…" Furina turned to look him in the eye. "Thank you."

They emerged onto the balcony, once more in view of the audience. Furina raised her arms outwards as the people applauded her entrance.

Neuvillette banged the floor with his cane to silence the crowd and call for order. "The prosecution and defense are both in position. The trial shall now begin."

Furina put an amused smile on her face as she gestured toward Neuvillette. "Come now, Neuvillette," she said in a faux bored tone. "There's no need to repeat all the unimportant legalese. Just fast forward to the part where the prosecution lays out my offenses."

She put her hands on her hips. "As the defendant, and the lead actress of this performance, I still haven't even been informed of my supposed guilt in all this. Of course, it is only natural for humans to struggle to understand the actions of a god," she continued in a patronizing tone. "However, you will need more than that to convict me of a crime."

"You might be right," Navia said. "If we were in fact judging you over your actions as a god. But the truth of the matter is, you are no god at all. You are a fraud who was never the Hydro Archon in the first place!"

Faced with Navia's finger pointed at her, Furina's eyes widened in surprise at the charge levied against her. As the audience burst into murmurs and commentary, Furina could only think about how they might bear witness to her secret being ripped out for all to see.

A hand took ahold of her own, breaking her free from her thoughts. "Don't worry," Aether whispered to her. "I know what arguments they'll make. We'll face this together."

Neuvillette's voice came down from the judge's seat. "Lady Furina, do you plead guilty to the charge?"

"I plead not guilty," she answered firmly. "How can I be guilty? There is no way that I, Focalors, otherwise known as Furina de Fontaine, a member of the Seven, and Regina of all Waters, Kindreds, Peoples, and Laws of Fontaine, could be anything other than your true Archon."

As the audience murmured in agreement, Furina continued to speak. "I have cause to believe that common sense will prevail in this case. Many of the members of the audience have known me as the Hydro Archon ever since they were born – there would be no fooling their memory."

As the scales of justice turned, Furina gestured over toward it. "See? Even the Oratrice has decided to show me its favor. Are you sure you want to commit to a charge that will never be upheld?"

She said this with such utter confidence and self assuredness that one could easily think that she was not bothered at all with these accusations. "If you wish to drop the case, I can promise you, as the God of Justice, that you will not have to face trial for making a false accusation. We will treat everything that's happened as a dramatic spectacle, and move on with our lives. What do you say to that?"

"You won't scare us so easily," Navia fired back. "The people only see you as their Archon because that is what they were raised to believe from birth. I'd know, as I believed it too all my life up until now. But never did we ever see any actual proof beyond mere words."

"Well, I tried to give you a chance to surrender," Furina answered flippantly. "If you must persist, then let me ask: If you believe I'm not the Archon, then what manner of being do you think I am? And if I was not the Archon, then how did I manage to live for over five hundred years?"

"You could simply be a member of a long lived race, after all, we have Melusines which have survived for centuries," Navia replied. After glancing down at her notes, she continued. "Furthermore, there are other ways someone's lifespan might be extended, such as… a curse."

At this point, Aether interjected. "And where did you get such a claim from? Was it perhaps The Knave, the Fatui Harbinger stationed in Fontaine. Do you deny this?"

Of course Navia couldn't deny it, Aether knew. After all, it was he himself who had spoken with The Knave about this very topic. He thought back to that meeting they had where she had told him about her doubts in regards to Furina's identity. At the time, she had told him about how she had accosted Furina during the night and frightened her so much she begged for her life and ended up spending the whole night crying alone.

At the time, he had been shocked by the story, but he had not truly understood. But knowing the truth now… he realized just how horrible that was. Furina could say nothing about what had happened, lest her incapability be known and her secret revealed. Meanwhile, the threat of the Fatui revealing her secret loomed over her head. She must have believed she had already failed because of her own carelessness and doomed Fontaine because of it. The thought must have tormented her all night and the days that followed.

Angered welled up inside him. Aether raised his voice as he addressed Navia. "You would believe the words of the Fatui and act as a puppet in their schemes? I've traveled to four other nations before Fontaine, and each time the Fatui were up to no good."

"In Mondstadt, they cheered on the Abyss agents, helped them even, as they sought to bring ruin to Mondstadt. All to steal a sacred treasure for their own gain. In Liyue, they unleashed an ancient creature to bring calamity to the city. Were it not for the valiant efforts of those defending Liyue, myself included, those within the city would have all perished, swallowed up by the sea. Then in Inazuma, the Fatui instigated a civil war while distributing Delusions which gave people temporary power but made them waste away and die. And in Sumeru, they sought to usurp the rightful archon. All so they could take that power for themself, plotting to elevate one of their own to rule Sumeru."

"This is the true face of the Fatui!" Aether announced to the crowd. "They seek to destroy nations and hold no regard for the people. All can be sacrificed for their schemes. Now, will you believe them when they levy accusations toward your Archon who has led you for all these years? Will you go along with their plan to undermine Fontaine?"

"That's not true," Lyney interjected. "Father would never–"

"I will choose to believe you knew nothing of what The Knave has planned," Aether said. "But you do not know what their true intentions are. And neither do we."

The audience was in a frenzy now, and many looked like they wanted to rush forward and attack Lyney and Lynette right then and there. Aether took a step back, eyes widening. He saw the siblings cling to each other and shrink away from the crowd as the situation he inadvertently created reached a fever pitch.

"Settle down, my citizens." Furina's voice cut through the fervor. "You do not need to blame the two magicians for being deceived by the one who raised them, someone who they no doubt trust dearly. Those children did sincerely believe they were acting for the sake of Fontaine, and better people than they had been fooled by such a skilled liar."

Aether breathed a sigh of relief as the crowd settled down. Though he felt guilty seeing that Lyney still appeared rather shaken by the ordeal.

As the commotion faded, Navia finally regained her bearings to continue speaking. "Regardless of this, whether Furina is not a normal human or if she bears a curse, the fact remains that living for five hundred years does not prove that you are an archon."

Neuvillette stared downward and muttered to himself. "A curse… I once thought it possible that the aura of an Archon might naturally resemble a type of curse. But in light of this claim, perhaps what I sensed was not your divinity, but a curse after all."

"Neuvillette, you felt it too?" Navia called out.

"There is nothing I can say for sure," he replied. "I do not know whether this is divinity or a curse."

Navia turned back toward the audience. "See, even Iudex Neuvillette, who had worked with Furina for centuries, cannot say for sure whether Furina is truly an archon or not."

"Isn't it rather improper for the judge to be testifying in the case?" Aether asked with annoyance.

"In normal circumstances, you would be correct," Neuvillette answered. "But as I am the only one that can speak to this matter, it is unavoidable."

The crowd muttered amongst themselves, now considering Navia's claim with more seriousness.

"So far, there is nothing about Furina which distinguishes her as being a god rather than a human," Navia said. "If she wants us to accept her as a god, she has to prove it. Do something only a god could do, Furina! Show us the power of the Hydro Archon!"

"My power as an Archon?" Furina covered up the nervousness in her voice with a chuckle. "There are many ordinary citizens in the audience. How can I just carelessly demonstrate the formidable power of an Archon?"

For a moment, Furina relaxed after giving her justification, but Neuvillette's response dashed her hopes. "If that poses a concern, I'm prepared to extend my protection to the audience."

"Erm…" Furina seemed to squirm under Neuvillette's harsh gaze. "Y–you don't need to go that far…"

"What's the matter, Furina?" Navia called out in a taunting voice. "Could it be that you don't even have the slightest bit of power you can show us? Never mind that of a god, are you merely a human that can't control even a drop of Hydro energy?"

"I…"

Sensing that Furina was feeling overwhelmed, Aether interjected to take the attention off of her. "Not all archons are powerful. I myself met the Anemo Archon in Mondstadt. After many years in seclusion, his power had faded until he was merely a shadow of his former self, with his strength being eclipsed by mere vision wielders. To the point where he was reduced to practically living the life of a vagrant."

"Yet even he was at least able to use Anemo power, wasn't he?" Navia countered. "And unlike the Anemo Archon who had neglected his duties and separated himself from his people, Furina has been active in Fontaine, taking in the faith of the people for herself. To be as powerless as an ordinary person, isn't that a bit absurd?"

"It's Indemnitium!" Furina blurted out, having seized upon an answer. "I've converted the people's faith in justice into Indemnitium. Thus did I give up all of my divine power to provide everyone with energy for their daily lives. Have you ever seen a more magnanimous god?" She ended off her statement with a satisfied smile, lifting her arms up as if expecting applause.

However, the crowd burst into murmurs of doubt upon hearing Furina's statement. The Oratrice tilted against her, and a brief feeling of dismay overcame her before being quickly covered up again.

"All you're doing is making excuses for why there is no difference between you and a regular human," Navia said. "If you really aren't just a human, then perhaps you can test yourself with this."

A container full of water was brought on stage. "I brought some seawater from Poisson. You know, the place where many died after the flood waters rushed in, while you did nothing," Navia gave Furina a stern look. "Come, put your hand in this Primordial Seawater. If you really are the Hydro Archon, then surely this would do nothing to you."

"Don't worry," Aether whispered to Furina. "They've diluted the water so it won't dissolve anyone."

"Of course, we wouldn't want to cause any more people to be dissolved," Navia continued. "So instead we diluted the water to a safe level. But exposure to the water will still lead to visible effects, as our doctor Sigewinne can testify to. After putting your hand in the water, she will examine you to see if you show signs of hyperventilation or flushed skin, just like a normal human exposed to diluted Primordial Seawater will."

"This experiment is completely unscientific," Aether said. "Not only do we have to trust the word of one doctor to examine Furina, the symptoms themselves could easily be caused by other factors such as a heightened emotional state. And nothing says that an archon couldn't also exhibit similar reactions to touching Primordial Seawater. After all, archons still have a human body as their base, and Furina is of Fontaine."

Furina let out a dramatic sigh. "If you really wish, I could come down and go along with your little performance. But I expect that you and your chosen doctor will be twisting the results for your own benefit no matter what happens."

The audience also seemed skeptical of the claims, and Navia frowned, seeing that she wasn't going to get anything out of this ploy. Without the shock factor of being able to make Furina think it was pure Primordial Seawater, the display lacked the intended effect.

Navia chewed her lips in frustration and flipped through the notes a bit more. Suddenly, she remembered something. "Furina, you say that all the Indemnitium is used for the people. Yet there is far more Indemnitium being created than is needed to power Fontaine. What then is the point of giving away all of your power? Earlier you tried to pretend that you were a powerful Archon, yet only came up with this excuse after you were unable to prove yourself. How do you expect us to believe this?"

"She merely did not want to reveal her vulnerability," Aether said. "Lest others try to take advantage of her." Which had already happened, but he didn't think it would be wise to reveal that incident at the moment.

Navia huffed. "Furina always tries to lie her way out of things even when she is clueless. Back when the Oratrice delivered a guilty verdict during Childe's trial, she was just as confused as the rest of us, we could see that. Yet she tried to cover it up and insisted that all would be explained in time. Well? Explain it to us, now."

Furina crossed her arms. "The decisions of gods are naturally difficult for humans to comprehend. There is no need to provide an explanation. As the Archon, I have no obligation to explain the intricacies of my divine creation to the masses."

"Lady Furina, I believe a reminder of your current circumstances is in order," Neuvillette said. "While the court is in session, the principles of justice and the law must come before all else. While you are an Archon, you are also first and foremost the defendant in this trial. You will prove yourself unable to defend against the prosecution's charges if you continue to withhold vital information against the rules of the court."

Furina looked toward Neuvillette with a pained and frustrated expression. "I never thought… You'd use this kind of rhetoric against me."

"That was no trick of rhetoric, Lady Furina," Neuvillette showed no reaction to Furina's gaze. "I have merely reiterated the rules of the court, rules that all should respect and follow."

Furina pursed her lips, pausing for a few seconds before responding. "The Oratrice operates independently, that is how it has always worked since its creation. If an intricate clockwork mech behaved erratically, you can't expect the builder to immediately know which part had an issue. Just because I can't explain every decision of the Oratrice doesn't mean I am not a god."

Navia nodded. "You are right, I wouldn't expect a builder to immediately know every detail of what their creation does. But they should still know the general principles of how it operates. So can you explain to us the details of how the Oratrice functions? Even if it has been a long time since you made it, surely you had examined it after Childe's trial? Can you give us any details at all about its inner workings?"

Furina looked like a deer in the headlights, mouth hanging open slightly. "I… well uh… the Oratrice is aware of all that happens in the courtroom and delivers a verdict based on the principles of justice of course."

The courtroom was silent for several seconds.

"Is… that all?" Navia's voice trailed off. "A random person on the streets of Fontaine could come up with that."

Aether looked toward Furina helplessly. Her face was downcast, and he could hardly imagine what she must be feeling at the moment. And he could do nothing to help. He couldn't invent a description of the Oratrice's mechanisms out of thin air, nor could he rebut this point."

As the scales turned, Navia delivered the final bow. "You clearly did not create the Oratrice. But someone did create it. Therefore, someone other than you was responsible for making the Oratrice and they must be the real Hydro Archon."

Furina's head snapped upwards. "Real Hydro Archon? Where does such a person exist? There is no one else claiming to be the Hydro Archon. No one has contested my claim in five hundred years! I am the only Archon you all have ever had."

She looked out at the audience, seeing them frown and shake their heads.

"Listen to me, please listen to me everyone…" Furina pleaded with the audience, her voice losing its normal confidence. "Please don't give me such cold and disdainful looks. I'm still the same Furina you knew, right? The one that you loved? Shouldn't you want to believe in me?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Please, everyone, anyone, just listen to me. I swear, I really am your Archon…"

Furina looked around. The people were unmoved by her plea. Neuvillette averted his gaze, not even willing to look at her anymore.

She took a step back, legs shaking as she collapsed onto her seat.

"Don't cry Furina," Aether whispered to her. "There has to be some other way. There has to be."

"I failed…" Furina muttered. "Everyone in Fontaine is going to die, because of my failure."

"You did the best you could, the best anyone could," Aether replied. "Please, don't blame yourself."

Neuvillette's voice spoke coldly from the judge's seat. "I believe the time for argument and presentation of evidence has come to an end. If there are no objections, we will move on to the final judgment."

"In my capacity as Chief Justice, I shall now render judgment on Furina's misrepresentation of herself as the Archon of Fontaine. As a human who knowingly deceived her fellow citizens, Furina is –"

Her breath hitched as she let out a strangled sob.

"Guilty."

Like a marionette with its strings cut, Furina slumped forward in her seat, head bowed in despair.

"We shall now turn to the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale to render the final verdict on the charges."

While the machine rumbled and blue light filled the room, Aether wrapped Furina in a hug. "Don't give up hope," he whispered. "I'm still here with you. You're not alone, we're in this together. So please, don't be afraid. Whatever happens, I'll be here too."

Tears soaked his sleeve as Furina continued to sob. He ran his hand through her hair, trying to give her what comfort he could. "It's okay, Furina. You've done your part. From now on, whatever happens will be up to us."

He heard some words being spoken and he finally turned his attention to listen.

"Death sentence."

Aether froze in shock, letting go of Furina as he stood up and looked toward Neuvillette incomprehensibly. "What did you just say?"

"The Oratrice has given… the death sentence…" Neuvillette seemed just as shocked as he was, his hands trembling as he held the card displaying the verdict.

"The death sentence…" Aether finally broke down, letting out a crazed laugh. "Are you happy now?! Is this what you all wanted? For five hundred years, Furina has been your beloved Archon. You adored and idolized her. Yet you all are so fickle, unable to see just how hard she has been working for you."

"You're angry and afraid of the prophecy and you blamed her for it. Do you think she wanted any of this? The deaths of each and every person in Poisson caused her tremendous pain. What have you accomplished with this farce of a trial! Will you only be satisfied if you get to drag Furina down from her throne, cut off her head, and paint the streets red with her blood?"

"If the prophecy comes true and Fontaine is flooded, then all of you deserve to dissolve!"

A hand suddenly grabbed onto his, stopping his tirade in its tracks.

"Don't say that, please." Furina looked up at him, her pleading eyes still filled with tears. "Don't blame them, they were only doing what they thought they needed to do."

Aether's gaze softened. "You are too good for them, Lady Furina."

She gave him a faint smile. "Please forgive them. If my death is what is needed then–"

"No one will be dying here," Neuvillette said. "Regardless of what the Oratrice has sentenced, we will not be carrying out the death sentence here. Besides… the Oratrice sentenced the Hydro Archon specifically by name, rather than Furina. I cannot comprehend this."

"The Hydro Archon…" Aether fell into deep contemplation.

Suddenly, Freminet showed up, bringing with him a large stone slate. The history of Fontaine and the origin of the people as Oceanids was revealed.

The building trembled and people began to run away in panic. A massive whale suddenly burst into the world through some rift. And even more surprisingly, Childe followed it, continuing his fight with the creature. Finally, the whale was driven back and the rift closed.

As everyone discussed what to do, the room suddenly filled with blue light. And Aether saw.


The All-Devouring Narwhal was defeated and the flood waters had receded. Aether walked past the people standing around in amazement, along damp paths filled with puddles. Finally, he spotted her.

Furina was gazing listlessly into the distance. She didn't notice as he walked up behind her and wrapped her in a hug.

"You did it, Furina," he said to her. "You saved Fontaine."

Furina jolted in surprise at the sudden contact. "Aether! Where did you come from?"

"Just got back from defeating the whale."

"I see…" Furina said. "So you saved the day after all."

Aether shook his head. "No, you saved them, Furina. Thanks to your efforts over the past five hundred years, Mirror-you was able to give the people real human bodies so they wouldn't dissolve. The prophecy came true, but the people survived. None of this could have happened without you."

"I… did it?" Furina still seemed shocked at the thought.

"Yes, you did it." Aether kept one arm wrapped around her as he turned to have them both face toward the light of the sun. "You're finally free."