"Isn't 'Daughter of the Sea' basically… describing me?"
High in the Opéra Épiclèse, Furina dabbed at the damp at the corner of her eye.
The lyrics fit too well—
an actress, a vessel for Justice—
No matter how lonely or fragile, the role demands endless forward steps.
Playing that role had long since fused with her life.
"They say this music player was made by Sumeru's Grand Sage, Idris. If so, these songs must have something to do with him."
"But… how would he know I'm an actress? He shouldn't. Or did the lyricist just… stumble into it?"
She rubbed her eyes again—then noticed the hall below had gone oddly quiet.
A trial was in session. As Fontaine's superstar and Water Archon, half the audience kept one eye on Furina. Seeing her cry, many froze. The Water God's tears?
"Lady Furina… are you alright?"
On the floor, Neuvillette halted the proceedings and looked up at her.
Realizing her lapse, Furina shook her head. "It's nothing. Proceed."
"As you wish…"
When court adjourned, Neuvillette found her at once. "Lady Furina, what happened on the dais? Why were you in tears?"
She'd meant to brush it off, but those abyssal, earnest eyes left little room to dodge. She sighed. "A song touched me. From this Sumeru music player."
She explained. Neuvillette exhaled. "I feared it was about the prophecy."
After all, Fontaine's oracle spoke of a Water God weeping alone upon the throne. And Furina almost never cried. Seeing it, he'd tensed.
He eyed the device. "I've heard of these. Most tracks are composed by Sumeru's Grand Sage Idris. If even you were moved to tears, their quality must be high. Merchants plying the Sumeru–Fontaine route say the Grand Sage is a rare blend of talent and ruler—governing cleanly even without a god's power."
He glanced at her—pointedly. A mortal can steward a nation. And you, a god…?
Furina changed the subject at lightning speed. "Ahem. Neuvillette, I want to make an overseas visit. May I?"
"Abroad? To Sumeru?"
She intended to see Sumeru—and, if fate allowed, Idris. Daughter of the Sea felt too pointed to ignore. Perhaps, in meeting him, she could glimpse an answer for herself. And besides… lately she'd heard he, too, had taken office in a crisis. She was curious.
Neuvillette thought for a moment. "Not impossible. But as the Water Archon you'll need extensive arrangements."
"It's fine; no rush. A few days' preparation will do."
Something about it felt off, but he couldn't place it. He set the Ministry to work on the logistics of a divine state visit.
…
Sumeru soared on Idris's little inventions; the man himself had just descended from the Sacred Tree for a stroll.
As always, his "casual" outing looked like this: two guards at his flanks, and—unseen by all—a drifting Nahida at his shoulder.
The looks he drew, though, were not what they'd been weeks ago. Wherever he walked:
"Good afternoon, Grand Sage!"
"You work so hard, my lord."
"Grand Sage, you're twenty-three this year, yes? Any suitable matches in mind?"
"Lord Idris…"
Very different from that first cold day he'd stepped outside the Akademiya.
A girl in a dancer's dress glided up, eyes bright with fondness. "Feeling sentimental, Grand Sage?"
"A month ago, the first time you walked out of the Akademiya, almost no one in the city looked at you kindly. Now… they really do like you."
He could smell the perfume on the breeze; beside him the girl was all springwater and sun. Idris shrugged, easy. "Nilou, what brings you here?"
"Hehe, nothing! I just saw you on the street and followed." She clasped her hands. "If you're only out strolling… may I?"
"Suit yourself," he said. "But I handle work while I walk. Don't say I didn't warn you."
Nilou's smile bloomed. She fell in step, obedient as a duckling. Nahida, still in spirit form, watched with an auntie's indulgent grin. Steel can be softened by water. One day, he'll melt.
Whatever these girls were plotting, Idris paid it no mind. Soon he stopped at the Adventurers' Guild counter.
"Toward the stars and the abyss. Welcome to—oh? Grand Sage Idris. Welcome." Katheryne dipped her head. "How may we assist you?"
He studied the automaton with real interest; some days, he wanted to take her apart just to see how a construct this good was built. Idle thoughts only. He waved a hand. "I'm registering a few commissions in person."
"Of course. The Grand Sages of Sumeru rarely hold credit with our Guild—but you have excellent standing. Please, state the requests."
"I want adventurers to search the desert for Red King relics," Idris said. "If they find memories of his era, disseminate them among the desert tribes. You may even bring along a few Gilded Brigade bands with this pretext: 'The Akademiya has found a way to revive the Red King.'"
He slid several sand-maps across. "These mark the likely sites. Hand them to whoever accepts the job."
The rainforest's troubles were largely in hand. Next came the deserters' long-standing hostility toward the Dendro god and Sumeru proper. Faith had curdled across centuries: the Red King was long gone, hope was thin, and grudge came easy. Many blamed the first Dendro Archon for his death. Jealousy did the rest—harder lives behind the sandbreak wall, softer lives in the green beyond.
Bridging the wealth gap would take time. Belief, though—that he could start nudging today. No need for a Grand Sage to micromanage; besides, Teyvat's ultimate errand-archon was about to arrive. He wanted to watch her efficiency firsthand.
Katheryne nodded, logged the commission, and tucked away the maps. Nilou watched him work even while "relaxing" and smiled. "You really are busy, Grand Sage. I hope I'll see the day you truly take one off."
"This is me relaxing," he said. "Handling a few tasks while I walk."
He stood by the counter while Katheryne wrote. That's when he heard the voices—two girls, not far off:
"Whew… finally, Sumeru City. We really ran the whole way."
"Uh-huh. You barely stopped to open chests, anchors, or statues."
"I can't help it. I have to see what kind of 'tyrant' Idris is—someone Collei trusts so much."
The voices were unfamiliar—yet oddly familiar.
Idris's step faltered. He looked up just as a blonde traveler and a little white floating companion came into view.
Lumine. Paimon.
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