Feeling the waters of Qingce slip completely beyond her control, along with the surrounding Hydro elemental power actively rejecting her, Rhodeia showed no trace of panic. Instead, she stared at Lora before her with uncontrollable excitement.
"It's you… It really is you, Lady Egeria! You've returned! You didn't abandon us!"
Rhodeia's voice trembled with emotion. To all Oceanids, Egeria was not merely the god they followed—she was more like a mother.
She was the mother of all Oceanids.
"Yes, I've returned."
Lora looked at the visibly agitated Rhodeia and first soothed her emotions before continuing.
"Rhodeia, I've come to ask you some questions."
"Lady Egeria, please ask. As long as it's something I know, I will answer without holding anything back."
Rhodeia displayed her loyalty without reservation. Even after living in Qingce Village for five hundred years, even after accepting her role as the guardian of the Waters of Qingce, when facing Egeria—the only Hydro Archon in her heart—she was still the same devout follower as before.
Lora gazed at Rhodeia and asked calmly, "Why did you leave Fontaine?"
"Because after you departed, the water quality in Fontaine was no longer suitable for Oceanids to live in. Many terrifying things began growing from the water—like those corrupted water spirits. So most of our brothers and sisters left Fontaine."
Rhodeia answered honestly.
"Was it not because of Focalors?" Lora asked again.
Her gaze suddenly sharpened, as though she wanted to see straight through Rhodeia.
"You… mean?" Rhodeia hesitated, looking at Lora uncertainly.
Lora continued, her voice steady.
"Before I departed, I chose Focalors as my successor. Yet among the Oceanids, she was neither the strongest nor the eldest. In both power and seniority, you surpassed her. I chose her instead of you—so you were dissatisfied, weren't you?"
"This…"
Rhodeia fell silent, unsure how to respond.
Lora watched her closely and reminded her, "Don't try to hide anything from me. As my follower, you should understand that lies cannot escape my eyes."
After a brief silence, Rhodeia descended from the air and hovered on the surface of the water.
She spoke slowly.
"Lady Egeria, as your follower, I should not conceal this from you. I admit that I did harbor such thoughts.
"When you entrusted the position of Hydro Archon to Focalors, many of our brothers and sisters believed it was not a wise choice. Focalors simply didn't possess the capability to succeed you.
"After you left, the water quality in Fontaine deteriorated rapidly. The Oceanids' living conditions worsened again and again, yet she had no power to change any of it. Those corrupted water spirits slaughtered many of our brothers and sisters. We had no choice but to flee Fontaine."
Her voice grew heavy.
"It was your chosen successor—the Hydro Archon—who abandoned us."
"Indeed, Focalors' power is not strong," Lora said softly. "It's understandable that she couldn't earn your recognition. But I don't agree with the rest of what you've said."
She paused, and for the first time, profound sorrow and regret surfaced in her eyes.
"Focalors was the only true choice for the Hydro Archon. It wasn't Focalors who abandoned you—it was you who abandoned Focalors."
"We… abandoned Focalors?"
Rhodeia froze, staring blankly at Lora.
"Lady Egeria, we—"
"Whether it is Focalors or you, you are all my followers. You are all my children."
Lora's voice was low and mournful.
"But have you forgotten? The people of Fontaine—they were once Oceanids who became human. They are also your brothers and sisters."
She looked directly at Rhodeia.
"Do you truly think Focalors' inheritance of the Hydro Archon's position was something glorious? What she inherited was not only the title of Hydro Archon, but also my 'Original Sin'—and Fontaine's."
"Original Sin…"
Rhodeia instinctively stepped back, staring at Lora in shock. She knew exactly what Lora meant by those words, which was why the revelation struck her so deeply.
"I granted the Oceanids' wish to become human," Lora said calmly. "Using the Primordial Sea's water as blood, I shaped the humans of Fontaine. To overstep the authority of the 'Heavenly Principles' and create humanity—that is my 'Original Sin'.
"And when Focalors inherited the position of Hydro Archon, she also took on this 'Original Sin'."
"Focalors… bore that sin?"
Rhodeia found it difficult to believe. To her, an "Original Sin" that involved the Heavenly Principles was far beyond what a mere Oceanid could possibly shoulder.
"That is precisely where Focalors surpasses all of you," Lora sighed.
"She would never abandon any of her brothers and sisters. Because she knew that she was the elder sister of the people of Fontaine. That's why I say it was you who abandoned Focalors—and in doing so, abandoned your younger brothers and sisters in Fontaine as well."
"I… we…"
Rhodeia kept retreating, completely at a loss for words.
Lora continued, her gaze unwavering.
"You were dissatisfied that Focalors, weaker than yourselves, inherited the position of Hydro Archon, so you severed ties with her. That selfishness meant that when disaster struck Fontaine, you never once considered helping Focalors and Fontaine weather the crisis together.
"Instead, you fled Fontaine without hesitation and abandoned your homeland. I never imagined that after my death, my followers would become so divided and disloyal."
By the end of her words, Lora's face was filled with sorrow. Emotions that had been suppressed for centuries finally broke free. Rain began to fall from the sky, and even the Hydro elemental power filling the surrounding space seemed to grow heavy with grief.
"Lady Egeria, we…"
Rhodeia sensed Lora's sorrow and wanted to offer comfort, but the words caught in her throat. She didn't know how to console her at all.
Lora was right. They had been the ones to abandon Focalors first, cowardly fleeing Fontaine.
In fact, during those earliest days, Rhodeia had even worried that Focalors might send forces to attack the Oceanids who had fled.
"Stop viewing Focalors as an enemy," Lora said quietly. "She is a greatness you cannot reach."
She steadied her emotions, then continued.
"I won't persuade you to return to Fontaine. Stay here, in Qingce Village."