Watching Chaya handle the paperwork, Neuvillette genuinely did not know what to say.
He had thought that regaining the memories of the original Hydro Dragon Sovereign would already make facing the gods awkward enough.
He had not expected something even more awkward waiting for him afterward.
Chaya noticed his silence. She set down the documents in her hands and asked, "What is it, Mr. Neuvillette?"
Neuvillette looked visibly uncomfortable.
"Miss Chaya...? Or should I call you Mr. Zhongli?"
"..."
Chaya fell silent for quite a while before finally letting out a sigh.
That sigh carried emotions far too complicated to describe.
"Mr. Neuvillette, since I chose to appear before you in this form, then you already know how you should address me," Chaya said helplessly.
"Liyue's Rex Lapis is already dead. And Zhongli, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's consultant, should not appear here either."
Neuvillette nodded.
"I understand."
"Did you need something from me?" Chaya asked.
Neuvillette replied, "It's about Focalors and Furina. Ever since the prophecy ended, they've shut themselves away on the top floor of the Palais Mermonia for days. No matter who tries to visit them, they refuse to respond."
"Have you asked the other Oceanids to go?" Chaya asked.
Neuvillette shook his head helplessly.
"It's useless. Whether it's Idyia or Rhodeia, they're no different from Focalors and Furina right now. They all need someone to comfort them. How could they comfort anyone else?"
"Ah..." Chaya sighed softly. "No matter how you look at it, Lora's departure affected them too deeply."
To the Oceanids, Lora's importance went without saying.
Just as the two were trying to think of a solution, a Melusine walked in from outside.
"Lord Neuvillette, someone is here to see you... no, two gods."
"Who?" Neuvillette asked.
"One tall green one and one short green one," the Melusine explained.
Neuvillette and Chaya exchanged a glance. Both immediately understood who she meant.
"Please invite them in," Neuvillette said.
Soon, the Melusine returned with Venti and Nahida.
Venti greeted them casually.
"Sorry for the interruption, Monsieur Chief Justice... and Miss~"
Neuvillette looked at the two Archons.
"What brings you here?"
"We came to talk about Lora," Venti said directly.
This matter was too important, so even he lacked his usual carefree attitude.
"What?" Both Neuvillette and Chaya turned toward them.
"Let Nahida explain," Venti said, glancing toward Nahida.
Nahida stepped forward and took out a portion of Canned Knowledge, calling up the information stored within it.
"This is what I found in Irminsul regarding Egeria..."
She adjusted the contents of the Canned Knowledge into a form everyone present could easily understand before continuing.
"According to Irminsul's records, during the Khaenri'ah Cataclysm five hundred years ago, there were two Egerias on the continent of Teyvat."
"Two Egerias?"
Even Neuvillette, who was usually calm, could barely suppress his shock after hearing those words.
Venti spread his hands helplessly at Neuvillette's reaction.
"I was just as shocked when I first found out."
Chaya's expression turned serious.
"Egeria is the heart of the Primordial Sea, a lifeform created by the Heavenly Principles. Her existence should be unique. The fact that she was able to coexist with the Hydro Dragon Sovereign was already miraculous enough. How could there possibly be two Egerias?"
"That was exactly my reaction," Venti said.
"I know this sounds unbelievable, but it's true," Nahida continued. "I carefully compared the records myself. There's no mistake."
"Then what happened to those two Egerias?" Neuvillette asked.
Nahida answered:
"One Egeria died resisting the Abyss. My predecessor placed her within the Vourukasha Oasis, and her Divine Sense became attached to the Harvisptokhm."
"As for the other Egeria who suddenly appeared during the Khaenri'ah Cataclysm... she vanished not long afterward."
"Vanished? Did Irminsul lose its records of her?" Chaya asked.
Nahida shook her head.
"No. According to Irminsul, that Egeria entered Celestia at the invitation of the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles. After that, she never appeared anywhere on the continent of Teyvat again."
"Entered Celestia..." Chaya fell silent in thought.
"Because of the restrictions imposed by the laws of the Heavenly Principles, Irminsul cannot record anything related to Celestia," Nahida explained softly. "So we have no idea what happened to her afterward."
"But now another question appears." Venti looked toward them. "Is the Egeria in Celestia the Lora we know?"
After hearing that, both Neuvillette and Chaya turned toward him.
Chaya spoke softly.
"So you noticed it too?"
"It's hard not to notice," Venti replied with a smile.
Neuvillette looked blankly at the two ancient Archons speaking in riddles.
"Notice what?"
Nahida seemed equally confused by their exchange, but she still continued:
"I believe it is her. The Egeria currently in Celestia was the one who handed the Hydro Gnosis to Focalors and passed the seat of the Hydro Archon on to her. If she was able to transfer the authority of the Hydro Archon, then it had to be the real Egeria."
As everyone in the office continued talking, the door was suddenly pushed open.
Focalors and Furina stood outside, staring fixedly at everyone inside.
The moment Venti saw them, his expression immediately changed to one of complete disaster.
He looked exactly like someone caught by the Millelith during a shady transaction.
"Ah... well, this is bad. We've been caught..."
The moment he finished speaking, Venti immediately tried slipping behind Neuvillette and Chaya.
"I don't know anything! If you have questions, ask them! I won't interrupt. I'm leaving first!"
However, just as he tried to escape, Chaya grabbed the back of his cloak.
"You're not going anywhere."
"Huh?" Venti froze.