Chapter 504
Anqi raised an eyebrow.
"Uncomfortable?"
"It's... a little itchy, Your Majesty."
"Dislike?"
"No, as long as Your Majesty is happy!"
"Alright, you've been chosen as my personal guard. Go back and prepare well."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The beautiful older sister type with a great figure and face put on her clothes and left amidst Anqi's reluctant gaze.
The next Abyss Herald entered, knelt, and lay down on the operating table.
Anqi gripped the blades in both hands, while hundreds of instruments and equipment hung from her suspended hair. After a dazzling display of precise manipulation, a handsome young man with well-defined muscles appeared on the stage.
Anqi's slightly upturned lips immediately turned down, her expression utterly devoid of interest.
"Get out, next one."
"Your Majesty, I've heard you're recruiting guards..."
"Go back and wait for news. We'll let you know when there's a result."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The young man, who was destined to never receive any news, left, touching his face and trembling with excitement.
Anqi, whose treatment was clearly unequal, completely understood the problems with the Abyss Order through a day of surgery. She also gained a profound understanding of the compatibility between Abyss power and Teyvat life.
In fact, there is no such thing as "absolutely incompatible".
Even Fusion Warrior experiments have a success rate. The perfect combination of Abyss power and humanity is certainly not impossible.
While gaining knowledge, Anqi also incidentally selected a personal guard she was satisfied with—and then uploaded a series of bonus JPGs online to share with her friends. Since it was all for her own viewing and didn't spread to others, it wasn't considered unethical.
[Wow!]
[Awesome, boss!]
[Father... no, Mother!!]
You are the ancient Greek god of welfare!!!
Abyss Anqi smiled, feeling satisfied.
That's right, I am the King of the Abyss, the closest to the concept of a dark villain, Anqi! This is the treatment I deserve!
"Slurp!"
"Hmm? Eris, what's wrong?"
Furina was eating her cake with a blank expression when Eris suddenly started sucking on her saliva, which distracted her.
Eris remained silent, only looking down at a certain part of Furina's body—she was certain it was something very cute, after all, she often admired it while bathing and changing clothes.
However, some feelings can only be given on a sufficient scale.
Sigh...
Eris sighed softly.
Furina felt goosebumps rise on her skin, subconsciously looked down, and then her face darkened.
What were you thinking about just now?
"It's nothing, Lady Furina."
"Real?"
"Really, Lady Furina?"
Eris's mask, seemingly devoid of any flaws, was completely innocent and adorable.
Although she couldn't find a flaw, with her girlish intuition, Furina sensed an unsettling malice. So she glared at Eris:
"That would be best!"
"Eris really doesn't know anything, Lady Furina."
"...never mind."
Furina pouted and continued eating the cake with a bland taste.
I can't tell if Eris is being genuine or faking it. But since Eris wouldn't harbor any ill intentions, it doesn't matter if she's feigning innocence. On the contrary, framing her would be much worse, wouldn't it?
So, let's just forget about it.
Compared to this trivial matter, Furina turned her gaze to the Golden Holy Sword she had been pondering for months without success, and then she truly frowned in annoyance.
"How exactly do you use this sword?"
Furina has been researching a lot of information these days.
The various sealed archives concerning Rene and the Narwhal's Cross Society were completely unguarded by the Hydro Archon. However, Furina was ultimately an outsider; no matter how much information she read, she simply didn't understand, and there was nothing she could do about it.
"Or, could we have Neuvillette arrange experiments, letting professionals test the sword's usage and effects? But there's no way to explain it, and such experiments are rather..."
Severing consciousness and merging consciousness—such an experiment would be taboo anywhere—well, perhaps not for the unbridled Snezhnaya, but at least the people of Fontaine would find it unacceptable.
As the Hydro Archon, she wields such an evil sword and goes to the Supreme Judge to arrange for people to conduct evil experiments—first of all, Neuvillette would definitely question it, and once the news gets out, where will the justice of the Goddess of Justice be placed?
"If I said this was one of the backup plans to deal with the prophecy, would I be able to get Neuvillette's support?"
A shadow fell over Furina's eyes as dangerous thoughts began to swirl in her mind.
If we want to verify the function of this holy sword, the best test subjects should be criminals who deserve to die.
Unfortunately, although Fontaine has a death penalty system, the Instrument of Reassurance has never issued a death sentence. In other words, from a legal perspective, Fontaine does not have death row inmates whose right to life can be disregarded. And even if it did, Fontaine does not have the radical rule that allows death row inmates to be subjected to dangerous experiments.
In other words, regardless of the circumstances, that kind of experiment was illegal and violated the principles of justice that Furina had established five hundred years ago.
To do this, Furina first needed to cross her own moral boundaries, and then persuade Neuvillette actually managed Fontaine Court. The latter was undoubtedly very difficult; the people of Fontaine had long believed that it was impossible to get the Supreme Judge to compromise his duties. As for the former, Furina did waver.
"Justice? Prophecy?"
The crux of the matter is: which is more important, moral principles or ensuring the future of Fontaine?
For Furina, who had endured both five hundred years of hardship and fear for five hundred years, this Narwhal's Cross Holy Sword held a fatal attraction that led her into darkness.
"Lady Furina!"
"Uh? I, I'm here. What's up?"
"The true base of the Narwhal's Cross Society, the Fortress of Kabudis Ruins, the Gestalt personally sealed by Master Alain, has been located. Shall we go take a look?"
"... Let's go, let's set off!"
Furina rose, gripping the holy sword, her eyes flickering uncertainly. After a moment's thought, she hung the sword at her waist before walking towards the door.