"No. That wouldn't be like you."
Sophia shook her head, holding back a laugh, and said to Lora, "You're much better suited to being cheerful and energetic."
"When she is cheerful and energetic, it is the adepti of Liyue who suffer," Zhongli said slowly.
As the group continued forward, a commotion suddenly came from the sky. The people up ahead all looked up and began whispering among themselves.
Lora and the others looked up as well.
One look was enough to shock them.
A huge kite was flying through the air, with someone dangling beneath it.
And not just anyone, either.
It was Furina.
"How did that child end up in the sky?" Lora frowned.
Before she could say anything else, Furina's grip slipped, and she fell straight toward them.
Lora quickly stepped forward and caught her as she dropped.
"Phew! That was amazing. I knew you'd catch me, Mom!" Furina hugged her, looking as if she had just survived a disaster.
If she had not seen Lora, she would not have let go so easily. A fall like that might not have killed her, but the pain would still have been very real.
"What are you doing? Is this some kind of performance art?" Lora asked, frowning.
"I was testing Xianyun's newest invention, the Super-Ultra Wind-Chasing Auto-Flyer," Furina said with a perfectly serious face, introducing the kite still floating in the sky.
Then, a little embarrassed, she added, "I just... didn't control it very well and almost crashed into the ground."
"That's way too dangerous, young lady." Lora sighed helplessly. "Where's Focalors? Why wasn't she watching you?"
"Focalors went to Chenyu Vale. She heard they had some new premium tea there, so she wanted to bring some back for Neuvillette," Furina explained.
Sophia leaned in curiously and studied her.
Furina grew a little self-conscious under her gaze. She quickly climbed down from Lora's arms, held onto her hand, and asked, "Mom, who is she?"
"Oh, right. I almost forgot to introduce you."
Lora smiled and said, "This is Sumeru's Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, Sophia. Let me think... in terms of family seniority, you should call her... Aunt Sophia."
There was no doubt that Sophia was older than Lora. She was the incarnation of Irminsul, while Lora was only the artificial heart of the Primordial Sea created by the Heavenly Principles.
Furina stared at Sophia in shock. "But didn't you already die... No, no, no. How are you..."
Seeing her stunned expression, Sophia laughed. "Of course it's because your mother is amazing. Without her help, I never could have returned to this world."
Only then did Furina manage to calm down.
So Lora had done it.
As expected, her mom really was amazing.
Then she noticed Apep behind the group and asked quietly, "What about her? She's not a god too, is she?"
"Oh, she isn't." Lora shook her head.
Just as Furina breathed a sigh of relief, Lora continued, "She's a Dragon Sovereign."
"A dragon..." Furina nearly choked. She quickly lowered her voice and asked, "Is she the same as Neuvillette?"
"Mm... how should I put it?" Lora thought for a moment before answering, "She probably can't beat Neuvillette."
Although Apep was a first-generation Dragon Sovereign and possessed great power, Neuvillette had already reclaimed the full authority of the Hydro Dragon. With that ancient authority back in his hands, he was undoubtedly stronger.
Furina let out a sigh of relief. "That's good."
As someone who moved among gods, she knew a little about the history between gods and the Dragon Sovereigns. Once she heard Apep was no match for Neuvillette, she immediately stopped worrying.
After all, Neuvillette was on their side.
Lora tapped her on the head and said, "Are you stupid? Your mom is much stronger than before now. A Dragon Sovereign isn't that big a problem for me either."
A little farther away, Apep watched Furina's reaction and lowered her head to ask, "Who is that?"
"Furina. Fontaine's Hydro Archon and Lora's daughter," Zhongyue replied.
"No wonder. She looks just as silly as her mother," Apep commented.
Hearing this, Zhongyue calmly took one step to the side, making it clear she had nothing to do with that statement.
Not far away, Lora instantly turned her head and stared at Apep.
Then she pointed at the older dragon and said to Furina beside her, "Go on. Hit her."
"Isn't that a bad idea?" Furina looked at her in surprise.
Apep: "..."
Was this how she taught children?
No manners at all.
Lora looked at Apep with a proud expression.
Apep's mouth twitched.
From the side, Sophia said, "Lora! How can you teach a child bad things?"
Then she turned to Furina. "Furina, don't listen to your mother's nonsense. You have to respect Aunt Apep, all right? She's getting on in years, so you can't go around upsetting her. What if something happens?"
Apep: "..."
Lora commented, "You're one to talk. Aren't you doing the exact same thing?"
"You two..."
Apep clenched her fists.
The commotion here had also drawn quite a bit of attention. Keqing and Charlotte ran over from a distance.
Lora had brought Furina and Focalors here without notifying Liyue's officials. The Qixing did not know Furina's identity, but when someone fell from the sky, they had to come take a look regardless.
But when Keqing saw Zhongli and Lora standing with her, the tension she had been carrying eased.
It looked like nothing serious had happened.
"Hey, it's Keqing and Charlotte!" Paimon spotted the two walking over and waved at them with a smile. "Keqing! Charlotte! Hi!"
"It's good to see you all here," Keqing said, greeting Lora and the others.
She did not know Lora was the Hydro Archon, but she did know that Lora was a Liyue adeptus, the Adeptus of Purifying Water and Judgment.
Because of that, Keqing was also a little more cautious around Sophia and the others, afraid they might be unknown adepti as well.
"Oh, I didn't expect to run into you two here." Lora smiled and waved when she saw them. "What a coincidence."
"Uh... um, well... Lo..." Charlotte knew Lora's true identity, but as a reporter, she also knew Lora usually hid it in other nations.
Now that Keqing was standing right beside her, she had no idea what she was supposed to call her.