Focalors and Furina had already rushed inside. Both of them stared fixedly at the people in front of them.
Furina spoke first.
"Neuvillette! Tell me what you just said is true. Lora... she's in Celestia, isn't she? Right?"
"Please tell us," Focalors said, looking at Chaya pleadingly.
Seeing this, Neuvillette could only sigh and nod.
"Yes. According to the information Miss Nahida provided, it does confirm that Lady Egeria is in Celestia."
However, before Focalors and Furina could rejoice, Chaya continued, "But even if we know Lora is in Celestia, I'm afraid we have no way to reach her."
"Why?" Furina asked in confusion. "You're all gods. There's even a Dragon Sovereign here. Why can't you reach Celestia?"
Chaya shook her head and explained, "This has nothing to do with strength. Celestia is a domain governed by the order of the Heavenly Principles. It exists beyond Irminsul's reach. It's true that we have gods and a Dragon Sovereign here, but that does not mean we can simply ascend to Celestia whenever we wish."
After all, Genshin had the right to ascend to Celestia.
But them?
They were all rebels.
Ascend to Celestia?
The only one among them who might have any chance of going up was probably Nahida.
Chaya had faked her death. Venti had abandoned his duties. Neither of them still followed the order of the Heavenly Principles.
As for Neuvillette, that went without saying. It would be stranger if he could reach Celestia at all.
Furina still wanted to keep asking, but Focalors had already fallen silent.
After all, she had once been the Hydro Archon. She knew how terrifying the Heavenly Principles were, and she understood how difficult it was to overturn their order.
Seeing even Focalors fall silent, Furina stopped pressing them.
She lowered her head and turned to leave. But when she reached the door, she suddenly thought of something and looked back.
"If we can't reach Celestia, then... can we make her come down?"
"Make her come down?"
Everyone froze at those words. Even Focalors looked at Furina blankly.
"Do you have a way?"
Furina did not tell them what she was thinking.
She lowered her gaze to the floor and murmured, "There will be. I think... I'll find one."
Seeing this, Chaya and the others simply thought Furina had asked because she missed Lora too much. They did not think any deeper into it.
Focalors stayed behind and joined the discussion, talking with the others about how to confirm the situation in Celestia.
"Over thousands of years, many Genshin have ascended to Celestia. Some left, while others remained and became part of the power maintaining the order of the Heavenly Principles. Finding a way to investigate Celestia without alerting them truly is difficult..." Chaya said slowly.
Venti also shook his head and sighed.
"I can't fly up there. The rules of the Heavenly Principles won't allow me to do that anymore."
"Perhaps I could grow a giant vine staircase leading to Celestia, then have someone climb it," Nahida suggested, looking to the others for their opinions.
Neuvillette shook his head. "I'm afraid that won't work. The gods in Celestia would not simply watch a staircase rise toward them and do nothing."
Furina did not interrupt their conversation. Instead, she left the Palais Mermonia alone and walked onto the streets of the Court of Fontaine.
The people of Fontaine all knew that she was the human aspect of the Hydro Archon Focalors, and that she had served as Fontaine's Hydro Archon for five hundred years.
So even now, they still regarded Furina as their Hydro Archon.
People were curious about why she was walking through the streets alone.
But they had also heard many things, and they knew neither Lady Focalors nor Lady Furina was in a good state right now.
So even though they recognized Furina, no one came forward to disturb her.
She walked alone through the streets of Fontaine.
Before long, Furina arrived at a shop that was still being renovated. At the entrance, she saw a petite figure directing the workers inside.
Furina walked over and placed both hands on the other girl's shoulders.
"Who is it? Who dares grab me?"
Zhongyue had been watching the renovations inside her shop. When her shoulders were suddenly seized, she frowned and shouted.
"It's me!" Furina said from behind her.
Hearing that voice, Zhongyue turned around and looked up at Furina, whose hands were still on her shoulders.
She asked curiously, "Why did you come looking for me? We aren't that close, are we?"
"You're opening a candied hawthorn shop in the Court of Fontaine. Why wouldn't I come look for you? Don't forget, I've visited every dessert shop in the Court of Fontaine."
With that, Furina calmly closed the distance between them a little more.
Zhongyue gave an "oh" and asked, "So you came to eat candied hawthorn? But my shop hasn't opened yet, and I don't have any right now. The ones from before are already gone. If you want some, you'll have to wait a few days."
"I didn't come for candied hawthorn. I came because I need your help with something."
Furina shook her head and said, "I want to ask you for a favor. Take me to the highest peak in Fontaine."
"The highest peak in Fontaine?"
Zhongyue looked at Furina in confusion.
"What are you going to do there?"
"I want to be alone for a while. The Court of Fontaine and the Palais Mermonia are both too noisy."
Furina's expression remained normal as she spoke, giving Zhongyue no reason to notice anything wrong.
Zhongyue looked at her face, then gave another "oh."
"Fine. Let's go."
She knew Furina and the others had not been in a good mood recently. Chaya had also told her to go along with them as much as possible. It was just a trip anyway, and it would not take much effort.
So Zhongyue brought Furina to Fontaine's highest peak.
She stood to the side, looked down, and said, "Isn't this a little too high for you? Should I find a lower place instead? As long as we avoid people, it should still be quiet."
Furina shook her head. "No. This place is fine. I just want to feel the wind."
Seeing that Zhongyue was still hesitating, Furina was afraid she might become suspicious, so she said directly, "Come pick me up tonight. For now, let me be alone for a while..."
Since Furina had put it that way, Zhongyue no longer suspected anything and nodded.
"All right. Then I'm leaving. Be careful by yourself. I'll come pick you up tonight."