"Haha... hahahaha." Furina laughed loudly: "So you've been watching me that closely all along? Neuvillette, I never took you for that type."
[Arataki Itto: Neuvillette is about to get so steamed he turns into a Steam Dragon! Hahahahaha!]
[Kuki Shinobu covers her face: Boss, he's the Hydro Dragon Sovereign, a god on the same level as the Seven...]
[Arataki Itto: I take it back immediately.]
[Ningguang: The Hydro Archon is truly a mass of mysteries.]
[Furina: Hahaha, as ordinary people, all you need to do is believe in the gods!]
In the video.
Furina spoke with an air of confidence: "Since you know I've been investigating in secret, then you should understand that questioning me, doubting me—it's all meaningless. What you need to do is obey me. You need only trust in me, your god. Believe in me, and everything will be all right."
"That's all I have to say."
"Ah, it's nothing. The opera performance is about to begin. I'll be going now."
Neuvillette could only sigh helplessly.
Furina swiftly departed the Palais Mermonia, failing to even notice Paimon and Lumine standing by the door.
[Neuvillette: From this perspective, Lady Furina was deeply troubled.]
[Yelan: With my years of experience as a detective, it appears Lady Furina is deliberately concealing something.]
[Furina: How can you use the phrase "deliberately concealing" to describe a god? Everyone has their secrets, don't they?]
[The Knave: But your concealment could lead to Fontaine's destruction.]
[Furina: No, I love Fontaine deeply.]
[Ganyu: I think that everyone in Fontaine would wish for nothing less than for Fontaine to avoid sinking beneath the water. We should all be working together.]
[The Knave: This young lady is right. I have been too fixated on grasping the means to save Fontaine.]
[Ganyu: Well, I may look young, but I have already worked in Liyue for over a thousand years...]
In the footage, Lumine and Paimon had already met with Neuvillette.
Neuvillette pondered, "She was extremely flustered. I don't know the exact reason, but no matter what, we cannot allow the situation to continue developing unchecked."
"But I don't understand. Why does she keep refusing to speak with me? I think everyone can see that Lady Furina is hiding a secret. The problem lies in her attitude. I suspect that unless absolutely necessary, she likely won't reveal anything."
"I think we may need to create an environment where she has no choice but to speak. For instance, a trial!"
Paimon spread her hands: "But Furina bolts at the slightest sign of trouble. How are we supposed to put her on trial?"
[Arataki Itto: There's an old Liyue saying: "The wise adapt to circumstances." Hahahaha.]
[Lyney: Perhaps we could bait a trap for Furina with cake. According to our investigation results, desserts are an irresistible temptation for Lady Furina.]
[Navia: Little cakes? I'll have you know, I'm very skilled at making pastries.]
[Furina: Wait just a moment! I am a god! Luring a god with cake? Do I not deserve any dignity? I hereby declare both of you guilty!]
[Neuvillette: They have not yet carried out the act, so no crime has been committed.]
[Furina stomps her foot: Neuvillette! You've defected!]
The scene shifted.
At a table, Lumine, Neuvillette, Navia, Lyney, Lynette, and Clorinde sat together, discussing what method to use to devise a trap to capture Furina.
Lyney: "As for me, I rather like basket-structured traps. When a small animal sees the bait, it naturally walks right into the trap."
Freminet: "I prefer a more stable approach, such as crafting an enticing lure."
Navia: "I'd probably choose a mechanical animal. When I was a child, my father bought me clockwork squirrels and mice—things like that—to attract their real-life counterparts."
Neuvillette: "I hope the trap is effective, but also that it does not unduly harm the prey. Ideally, it should be soft."
Clorinde: "For prey that require a single, decisive blow, I would choose a powerful execution device. And for prey that must be kept under close watch, I would make the same choice. The Hydro Archon's power is immense. We must create a formidable trap."
[Furina: Clorinde! You are my subordinate! How can you use such vicious methods against me?]
[Clorinde: Although I don't know why I appear in that scene either, a formidable trap is a sign of my respect for you.]
[Furina: I don't need that kind of respect, thank you!]
[Arataki Itto: Hahaha! The Hydro Archon, watching the people of Fontaine come together to scheme a trap against her. This is just too hilarious.]
[Furina: Clorinde, I order you to go to Inazuma and give that person who mocked me a sound thrashing.]
[Clorinde: As you command. I shall depart immediately.]
[Arataki Itto: ...]
[Kuki Shinobu: Our boss tends to speak without thinking. We hope the Hydro Archon can forgive him.]
[Paimon: Serves you right for laughing at me! You've really kicked the iron plate now!]
In the footage, Neuvillette summarized the meeting.
"To bring a god in such a high position to trial, we will need a hundred times the courage required for hunting."
"Though prying into a god's secrets is overly irreverent, for the sake of preventing Fontaine from sinking beneath the water, we must still choose to take this risk."
[Furina: Fine, fine. I'll remember every one of you. Don't let me catch you slipping, or I'll lock every last one of you up and send you to the Fortress of Meropide.]
[Wriothesley: Hmm. I wouldn't dare accept Neuvillette. (thinking)]
[Sigewinne: The Duke looks so handsome when he's deep in thought.]
[Charlotte: The scenes in the video take place in the future. Will the future change now that we're watching the video?]
[Ningguang: That is indeed a question. Will learning about the future prematurely cause that future to change?]
[Ganyu: That can probably only be known once the future arrives. News from the future is similar to a prophecy. Everyone in the video already knew of the prophecy and is working to avert it. Will the scenes foretold still occur?]
[Lumine: They can definitely be changed.]
[Paimon: That's right. They definitely can. All the people of Fontaine will be saved.]
In the footage, after Lumine and Paimon finished their conversation, a teacup appeared out of thin air on the table.
Paimon was the first to notice something amiss: "Did you just pour some tea? How come I didn't see it?"
Lumine shook her head.
???: "Don't be nervous. I'm merely having tea with you. I just hadn't spoken until now."
[Charlotte: What is this? A voice with no one there?]
[Mona: I believe she's a friend of my master—a true great prophet, the kind I mentioned earlier who can foresee the fate of the world.]
[Venti: They often gather in Mondstadt. They call themselves witches, and each one possesses formidable power.]
[Charlotte: Judging by Mona's abilities, her master must certainly be a very remarkable person.]
[Ningguang: Such a powerful faction exists in Teyvat...]
[???: Hahahaha, I'm in the broadcast room too, you know. You needn't be wary of me. I'm just someone who loves to play.]
Paimon was startled: "No one's there, but there's a voice!"
???: "You don't remember my voice?"
Paimon quickly realized, "Sumeru! I heard your voice back in Sumeru! Coming from the sky."
???: "Just like last time, I sensed your confusion. Guiding those who are lost is a sweet pleasure I simply cannot resist."