Neuvillette was a dutiful junior.
He would never allow the True King to leave his sight for too long.
This was not because of possessiveness, but because as a junior, it was his duty to protect the True King.
He did not understand Focalors, and he feared that if she discovered the young dragon's true identity, she might attempt to harm the True King.
Neuvillette was no match for the powers of the Heavens, but he had enough confidence to protect the True King.
After several days of living together, he stood like a bodyguard, watching the True King's young form—who had grown very close to Focalors—and fell into deep thought.
Neuvillette understood clearly that the True King would never be childish.
It was only because K's current body was still too fragile to contain that vast and boundless will, making K appear like a newborn dragon, innocent and immature.
Dragons possessed incredibly long lifespans.
Neuvillette would wait for the True King's growth.
He would wait for the day when the creator of the dragon race returned.
"What are you thinking about?"
Focalors' relaxed voice interrupted his thoughts.
Neuvillette returned to his senses and glanced at her.
It was summer in Fontaine, and the weather was slightly hot.
The young dragon was still very small and preferred cool places, so Focalors had brought it to the seaside to play.
Neuvillette shook his head.
"Nothing. Rather than wondering what I'm thinking, you should focus on watching over the True King… If anything happens to him, you know the consequences."
Focalors noticed the cold look in Neuvillette's eyes.
For a brief moment, the killing intent in them was completely undisguised.
She couldn't help but sigh internally.
The dragon race truly seemed to be the species that revered the Ancient Progenitor the most.
Even if all the emotions of heaven and earth toward the Progenitor were combined, they still wouldn't compare to the dragons'.
Perhaps it was because they were the very first beings born from the world's evolution.
Even their title for the Progenitor was different.
According to Neuvillette, the title "Primordial True King" had been passed down within dragon bloodlines.
It was an instinctive name inherited through their blood.
Meanwhile, Focalors and other non-draconic beings used the more common title:
"Ancient Progenitor."
Focalors didn't dwell on it too much.
Her gaze shifted to the young dragon on the beach, clumsily chewing on a fish.
The contrast between divine majesty and awkward innocence made her like the little creature even more.
It might sound somewhat disrespectful, but Focalors felt as though she were raising a small pet.
The only problem was…
This "pet's" true identity was terrifyingly powerful.
Shaking the thought away, she sat beside the young dragon and gently helped it eat.
Without realizing it, Focalors became distracted.
The Fontaine prophecy crisis had to be resolved.
Originally, she already had a plan.
Combined with Egeria's final hint, she believed the plan was feasible.
But now…
That plan might no longer be necessary.
Looking at the young dragon eating heartily beside her, then at Neuvillette standing with his hands behind his back staring calmly at the sea, Focalors' eyes flickered.
In her original plan, the Hydro Dragon Sovereign could resolve Fontaine's prophecy crisis.
But now that the Ancient Progenitor was here…
The crisis might be solved with a single sentence.
It sounded absurd.
A disaster that had left the former Hydro Archon Egeria helpless, and that even Focalors herself found incredibly difficult…
Might simply be a trivial matter from the perspective of that small dragon.
Focalors gave a bitter smile.
"It's really hard to imagine…"
After finishing its meal, the young dragon became sleepy.
It didn't like sleeping on tables or beds.
Instead, it particularly liked sleeping in Focalors' hands.
Neither Focalors nor Neuvillette could understand why.
But since it was the Ancient Progenitor, they simply had to comply.
Holding the sleeping dragon in her hands, Focalors fell into thought.
She wasn't sure whether she should say what was on her mind.
After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke.
"Neuvillette, I want to talk to you about something."
"About the True King?" Neuvillette raised an eyebrow.
"Yes… but also no." Focalors nodded, then shook her head.
"It could be related… or not."
Neuvillette replied calmly:
"I'm not interested in hearing it."
Focalors' mouth twitched.
[Nilou]: It looks like Focalors really wanted to talk about her plan, but Neuvillette rejected her!
[Collei]: Huh? This pair actually seems shippable too! (alert)
[Neuvillette]: I know you want to ship things, but don't be ridiculous. Anyone can see that if the True King's young form wasn't attached to Focalors, I wouldn't bother with her at all. (Furina • laughing)
[Focalors]: Wow wow wow, and you said we were good friends? So cold! (hands on hips)
[Neuvillette]: Toxic friends, stay away. (Keqing • I refuse)
[Focalors]: @[Gu Chen] Look at your devout follower! (Keqing • sulking)
[Kaeya]: It hasn't even happened yet and you're already complaining to Brother Gu for comfort? (smirk)
[Nilou]: So shippable! (nodding wildly)
[Collei]: I want to ship Mr. Gu Chen and Neuvillette!! The lost Primordial True King and the second-generation young Dragon Sovereign!!! (excited)
[Neuvillette]: Huh?!
[Gu Chen]: ?
[Nilou]: You ship literally everything?! (scared)
[Collei]: Shipping everything keeps my diet balanced! (Paimon • hmph)
[Tighnari]: Absurd…
[Focalors]: By your logic, as long as she's a Cult Leader shipper, nothing is surprising, right? (confused → shocked → enlightened)
[Kaeya]: That group really is like that. (shrug)
[Kirara]: Um… am I the only one shipping Focalors and baby-dragon Gu Chen? (peeking)
[Charlotte]: Me too!! Just imagining Focalors slowly raising the baby dragon… mmm! A husband raised from childhood would definitely grow into exactly what she likes! (nodding wildly)
[Sangonomiya Kokomi]: To be honest… I ship Focalors and the baby dragon too… (praying)
[Yaoyao]: Ah, I think I ship Focalors and the Primordial True King. (giving up)
[Klee]: Is there a difference? (scratching head)
[Yun Jin]: Of course! Just treat Mr. Gu Chen as two states! One is the sacred, majestic Primordial True King worthy only of awe. The other is the clumsy, adorable baby dragon! (excited)
[Sustainer of Heavenly Principles]: Why not both at the same time?
[Kaeya]: Wait—there's an even stronger shipper here?!
[Focalors]: Memories hurry up and return already! Raising a dragon seems way too fun~ (Klee • yay)
[Raiden Makoto]: Raising foxes is nice too. (nod)
[Cloud Retainer]: Speaking of raising a cocogoat—ah, no, this immortal means raising a qilin is also quite interesting. (peeking)
[Baizhu]: Raising snakes is nice too. They only look scary. (affirming)
[Hu Tao]: Raising ghosts is fun! You can use them to scare people! (mischievous smile)
[Xiangling]: Uh… the thing I'm raising seems to be a god. (scratching head)
[Skirk]: The star-devouring whale my master raised isn't much different from mine. Hmm… visually impressive, but otherwise somewhat lacking.
[Yae Miko]: I raise Raiden Ei.
[Raiden Ei]: (snack drops from mouth in stunned silence)
[Lumine]: Raising Paimon is pretty entertaining too. She just eats too much.
[Paimon]: Hey! How did the chat go from shipping Boss Gu and Focalors to raising pets?! And Paimon isn't a pet! Neither are Ganyu or Miko!!
[Ganyu]: I finally understand why people say this chat is chaotic… (don't touch)
[Kaeya]: Calling out certain people who act incredibly cool outside the group but become unbelievably chaotic inside it! (Nahida • pointing)
[Gu Chen]: Wait, how did I get dragged into this too? (Clorinde • shooting you)
"No, I still have to say it!"
"If I don't say it, I'll feel uncomfortable… It would feel like I'm taking advantage of you and the Ancient Progenitor."
Focalors sighed.
Neuvillette stared at her cautiously.
"Taking advantage…? What are you planning?"
"Well… it's like this…"
Having made up her mind, Focalors explained everything:
What Egeria had done, Fontaine's current situation, and its worrying future.
After hearing it all, Neuvillette remained unmoved.
"As long as I am here, you cannot use the True King."
"And I will not help usurpers like you."
Neuvillette didn't care about Fontaine's crisis.
What he cared about was whether the True King's young form could grow safely.
"I warn you—do not entertain illusions or attempt any schemes."
"Alright, alright~"
Focalors had expected this response.
After sighing, she said:
"Don't make me sound so shameless. I'll figure something out myself."
She scratched her white hair in frustration.
If she couldn't obtain Neuvillette's help, she would have to find another method.
Unfortunately, she didn't have many ideas.
Fortunately, she had plenty of time.
She could think slowly and plan carefully.
Days passed.
Her previous plan had been abandoned.
Focalors appeared in Fontaine several times to calm the people's panic.
Seasons passed.
The life of one god and two dragons remained peaceful.
Wherever Focalors went, Neuvillette followed.
He faithfully carried out his duty, always accompanying the True King's young form and carefully guarding against danger whenever they went out.
The young dragon's growth was very slow.
When Focalors first found it, it was less than twenty centimeters long.
Now, after more than ten years, it was still under 1.2 meters.
Focalors had asked Neuvillette about this.
Neuvillette said he didn't know either.
After all, dragons varied greatly from one another.
Night.
Focalors lay in bed resting.
The True King's young form slept on her rather flat chest.
After patrolling several kilometers around the house, Neuvillette finally returned to the living room and closed his eyes to rest—his long-standing habit.
But the moment he closed his eyes—
He suddenly opened them again.
His gaze turned serious as he looked toward the bedroom.
Silently, an ancient and sacred will seemed to descend.
Neuvillette approached the door with excitement and gently pushed it open.
Everything inside appeared calm.
But reflected in his vertical pupils was a different scene.
A sleeping girl.
A young dragon resting on her chest.
And behind that dragon—
An endless sea of brilliant stars.
And a sacred dragon whose body covered half the cosmos.
Neuvillette's pupils shrank to thin slits.
He wanted to take a deep breath but couldn't.
He forced himself to breathe slowly.
Then, afraid of disturbing the sacred presence, he silently knelt down and bowed his head.
Suddenly—
Neuvillette felt his shoulders grow heavy.
A gaze seemed to fall upon him.
Examining him.
The terrifying pressure made him tremble.
It felt as though a single glance could destroy both his body and soul.
Sweat appeared on his forehead.
Yet within his heart surged boundless reverence.
He bowed devoutly.
Perhaps it was an instant.
Perhaps it was hundreds or thousands of years.
Finally, Neuvillette felt the weight on his shoulders lift.
But the gaze remained.
His heart beat faster than ever.
He knew—
He had received the acknowledgment of the Primordial True King.
This was an honor no dragon in history had ever obtained.
The gaze disappeared.
But Neuvillette remained overwhelmed with emotion.
He knew the True King had departed.
After glancing once more at the young dragon, he quietly closed the door and returned to the living room.
His expression remained mostly calm.
But his clenched fists revealed the storm raging inside him.
[Kaeya]: Holy shit, I'm sweating! If that gaze went all out, it feels like Teyvat would explode! (Paimon • shocked)
[Azhdaha]: Terrifying… I didn't even look directly. Just seeing the reflection of the True King's gaze in Neuvillette's eyes made me feel like he was looking at me too… Like that judgment of Neuvillette was also judging me… (trembling)
[Tartaglia]: Several inmates in prison just pissed themselves… (shocked whale)
[Xingqiu]: I checked the normal chat earlier… the whole group exploded from that one glance. If people didn't have the Taixuan Scripture strengthening them, some weak-hearted people might've fainted from fright. (sweating)
[Thoma]: That shouldn't be a problem. Even if someone has poor talent and cultivates slowly, the Taixuan Scripture still strengthens the body. As for those who can't cultivate… well, if they're scared to death, then they're scared to death. (shrug)
[Albedo]: I feel like the exposure system's camera was noticed by the Primordial True King. (thinking)
[Osial]: This existence is countless times stronger than the Taixuan Cult Leader… His scale probably already equals an entire universe, perhaps even beyond…
[Venti]: What did it feel like, Neuvillette? @[Neuvillette]
[Neuvillette]: Me? Hmm… honored and excited. Seeing that gaze reflected in my pupils in the video makes me feel as if I am being examined and acknowledged even now.
[Shikanoin Heizou]: The evidence is clear that Neuvillette here is the reborn one from the video. Being acknowledged was expected. But the Cult Leader—ah no, the True King—is this powerful? That gaze almost scared me senseless. (Thoma • scared)
[Kaedehara Kazuha]: It's hard to imagine the psychological pressure Neuvillette endured at that moment. (shocked)
Top floor suite of the Palais Mermonia.
After finishing exercising, Furina took a shower and saw that scene.
She jumped in fright.
Luckily, Gu Chen was sitting right beside her, which reassured her.
After calming down, Furina stood proudly with her hands on her hips.
Her arrogant expression made it look like she herself was the Primordial True King.
"Hmph! So what if you're the Primordial True King!"
She said smugly:
"Sometimes you still have to kneel behind me, Furina!"
Gu Chen sat on a chair with his legs crossed, sipping tea while watching her perform.
He nodded along.
"Mm, you're right. Want me to kneel for you again?"
Furina's expression changed instantly.
She clutched her nightgown tightly.
"No no! I almost couldn't handle it earlier, and my knees still hurt!"
This Furina was truly hopeless.
Gu Chen laughed and stopped teasing her.
His gaze returned to the video on the screen.
If anyone understood the true strength of the Primordial True King, it would be Gu Chen himself.
An existence like the Primordial True King would have a place of honor in any great universe.
However…
Gu Chen smiled softly.
The Primordial True King identity—
Still wasn't the strongest among the many identities he possessed. 😏
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