Inside the Crystal Wall Sea.
The "Gate of the Universe" could lock onto universes at random, but achieving a precise lock was an incredibly difficult task.
To be more accurate: the more powerful a universe was, the harder it was to lock onto.
The [Teyvat Universe] might not be considered an exceptionally powerful universe, but the fact that it belonged to the [Tree Sea Multiverse] made things extremely difficult.
If someone from a simple, everyday universe were to drift over, Riku estimated he could lock onto their home universe within three to five years. But the difficulty of precisely locking onto the [Teyvat Universe] within the [Tree Sea Multiverse] was another matter entirely.
Thirty or fifty years? Three or five hundred years? Anything was possible.
"What a pity," Rhinedottir sighed softly.
For her, being unable to return to Teyvat meant that much of her research could not continue. Of course, that was not the main issue. The real concern was whether the child she had just created in its early form would ever truly be able to come to life.
Alice smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Since you can't go back, Rhinedottir, why not stay?"
"Stay?" Rhinedottir murmured, then replied, "Alice, I have no choice. If I don't choose to stay, it seems I have nowhere else to go."
Alice blinked her beautiful eyes. "Rhinedottir, you could try rushing into the Nirvana of the universe and see if you die."
"No need." Rhinedottir refused without hesitation.
Wisdom lies in knowing one's limits. Rhinedottir knew clearly that, let alone rushing into Nirvana, she couldn't even leave the planet on her own. Otherwise, why would she have become a sinner? It was because the Abyss offered the promise of a brand-new future.
"Darling, let me have a chat with Rhinedottir~" Alice said, drawing out the syllables.
Riku didn't mind. He stood up and said, "You two talk. I'm going to find little Klee. That child has been very unhappy since Rei left, with no one to play with her."
"Alright!" Alice waved her small hand in farewell.
Riku took a single step and vanished without a trace.
"I truly never expected that you, Alice, would have a daughter with such a person," Rhinedottir remarked with a hint of emotion.
Alice laughed. "Everything is a matter of luck! Klee's birth was a gift from the universe. Otherwise, given my darling's level of life, he might never have been able to pass on his bloodline."
Rhinedottir naturally agreed. The higher a life form's level, the harder it was to have children—unless one used personal gestation. But personal gestation would damage one's own life force. Only true conception between two parties could produce a genuine bloodline. In a sense, Klee's birth was a miracle of coincidence.
"You've been away from Teyvat for two hundred years. I never imagined so much would happen," Rhinedottir said, crossing her legs and teasing, "Everyone thought you had died in the depths of the Abyss while traveling between worlds."
"How could that be! I am an Elf, after all; good fortune is always by my side!" Alice waved her hands, dismissing the idea as impossible.
Rhinedottir took a sip of her black tea. "The Witch's afternoon tea ends here. A, what happens next?"
"R, you're so direct." Alice pursed her lips, crossed her own legs, and folded her arms.
"Just say it."
"This is the 'Core of the Universe.' Absorb it, stay, and you shall be a member of the [Longhuang Universe]."
"And if I choose to refuse?"
"Then I will have to lock you up. As a member of the Hexenzirkel, R, I know exactly what kind of person you are."
Though they spoke back and forth, the outcome was already set. Rhinedottir didn't say another word. She raised her slender hand, and the tiny, thumb-nail-sized, clear blue particle—resembling a mineral crystal—fell into her palm.
The 'Core of the Universe' merged into Rhinedottir's body just like that.
Everything seemed unchanged. However, as a top-tier alchemist, Rhinedottir—who was honored as 'Gold' for her ability to create life from nothing—felt it instantly. A connection of origin, soul, and life had formed; as an outsider, she was now linked to the [Longhuang Universe].
"Next..." Rhinedottir stood up and waved her hand. "I'll go to the [Apocalypse] universe to take a look. Once Mr. Riku's plan begins, I will head to the [Saint Seiya] universe to continue my research."
"No problem." Alice smiled and made an 'OK' gesture.
As she spoke, Alice tossed a 'Huangyu Machine' to Rhinedottir, whispering, "I'm really looking forward to everyone's arrival. With everyone's help, everything for my darling will go much more smoothly."
"..."
Rhinedottir caught the 'Huangyu Machine' and remained silent for a moment. She truly hadn't expected that the 'Happy Witch' codenamed A could be so lovestruck.
However, after a brief thought, Rhinedottir smiled in amusement. "Alice, if you wish for everyone to arrive, then wish for it from the bottom of your heart. Your status in the [Longhuang Universe] is very special; your desires will trigger feedback from the universe itself."
"I know that, of course~" Alice drew out the sound, blinking her eyes. "Otherwise, Rhinedottir, why do you think you appeared here?"
"..."
Rhinedottir left in silence.
As expected, when it came to sharp tongues, no one could outmatch Witch A.
...
[Apocalypse] Universe.
"..."
Silence had been the daily routine for the mother-daughter duo, Yuriko Takagi and Saya Takagi, for the past two days.
'Gold' Rhinedottir had proven her worth with cold, hard facts.
Two days. In just two short days, Rhinedottir had mastered the [Dead Body Central Device]—not just mastered it, but taken it apart and begun researching ways to improve it.
Beyond that, the dead-body alchemy technology that the Takagi mother and daughter had been studying for so long was understood by her in a mere two hours.
If Rhinedottir hadn't been focused on thoroughly understanding everything rather than rushing, the progress wouldn't have just doubled—it could have easily advanced several times over.
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