"The consequences... might be that Nordkalle's Lunar Moment Force vanished in an instant, and all of Nordkalle's civilization collapsed overnight." He paused, his tone sinking a little. "Or perhaps history would be rewritten, becoming a version in which Lunar Moment Force had never been born in Nordkalle at all—the cities built by relying on Lunar Moment Force, the lives that existed because of Lunar Moment Force, would all disappear as if they had never existed."
He turned his head, his gaze fixed straight on Columbina.
"At worst, it might cause the entire timeline to collapse, right? Like a chain that's had its crucial support pulled away—everything scatters, and can never be pieced back together."
The moment his words fell, Columbina's heart sank hard.
She lowered her head, her fingertips tightening slightly.
"But..." she said hesitantly, "if that's the case, then I have to take over my sisters' moon authorities. But without their authorities, wouldn't my sisters..."
She could not finish.
She did not dare finish.
Kanon, however, already understood what she meant.
She walked gently up to Columbina, reached out, and lightly covered the hands in which she held the moonlight.
"It's all right, Columbina."
Columbina raised her head and looked at Kanon in surprise.
"In truth, we've stayed here long enough already." Kanon looked back at Aria and Sunada, a gentle smile appearing at the corners of her lips. "Now, I think it's time for us to leave as well, and hand the moon's authorities over to someone new."
"But, Sister Kanon!" Columbina said urgently. "You clearly still have a chance to live! Your Frost Moon is still outside Teyvat right now—as long as you're willing, you can go and retrieve it, you can—"
Kanon gently shook her head, cutting her off.
She turned around and looked at Aria