[ACT VI]
[The Everwinter Without Mercy]
At the sight of this title, every Fatui Harbinger in the real world looked a little grimmer.
Damn this strange screen. It had better not expose their grand plan.
Especially the part where they planned to find ways to seize the Gnoses from the gods of the other six nations. If even the slightest hint of that got out, it would be enough to turn all six nations against Snezhnaya.
The almighty screen had no intention of considering the Fatui Harbingers' anxious feelings. Dainsleif's voice continued evenly.
"She is a god whom humans will never love again. She is a god who will never love humans again."
[Tartaglia: That's a bit harsh. We Snezhnayans all deeply respect and love Her Majesty the Tsaritsa.]
[Capitano: This should be a descriptive device. But the reason we Fatui follow Her Majesty-]
[La Signora: Is naturally because Her Majesty is the noblest being in Teyvat. She alone is a true god.]
The Harbingers tried to use the art of language to downplay the information in the video and minimize the impact of its revelations.
After all, the nations of Teyvat all loved and worshipped their own gods. Even Sumeru loved Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, didn't it?
So what if the Fatui's love for Her Majesty was a little unconventional, a little fanatical? If any slipups came to light later, surely people could show a little understanding, right?!
The only thing offering the Harbingers some comfort now was that this so-called Travail PV only gave each nation a tiny introduction. Judging by the previous six nations, Snezhnaya should be over after another sentence or two and a single image.
From the looks of things, it probably wouldn't have any major effect on their plan?
On the screen, the darkness receded, and an image filled with shadows appeared before Teyvat's many intelligent beings.
Although most people couldn't recognize the figure surrounded by elite Fatui skirmishers, the Harbingers recognized him at a glance-
Wasn't that the mayor?!
With so many beautiful women and handsome men among the Harbingers, why had it picked the least impressive-looking one?
On the screen, The Rooster sat in a chair, a group of Fatui standing in attendance behind him.
"Her followers hope only to be on her side when the day comes for her to raise the flag of rebellion against the Heavenly Principles."
Most ordinary people in Teyvat took this well enough, but the leaders of the nations and those with extensive knowledge erupted in an uproar.
What leadership on this continent didn't know that rebelling against the Heavenly Principles ended with a Celestial Nail crashing down and everyone turning into monsters?
What grudge could Snezhnaya possibly have to risk raising the flag of rebellion against the Heavenly Principles?
But their uproar was useless. All six of the other ruling gods, who theoretically should have been purging the rebels at this point, remained silent.
-Of course, Furina simply had no idea what to say anymore.
All she had done was taunt the entire continent, hoping to stage a grand trial.
But even she knew that the Heavenly Principles alone must never be made an enemy. And now that damned Cryo Archon Barnabas was going straight for rebellion.
Would she purge the ruler's entourage before rebelling... wait, hadn't she said something earlier about changing the order?
What order? The order in which she would eliminate the other six ruling gods?
Would that make Fontaine her first stop, with Furina first on the chopping block?
"Neuvillette!!!"
Furina decided she had to stick to Neuvillette like glue for the next few months. He was a formidable fighter. With him around, she would be much safer.
Apart from Furina and her wild thoughts, the other people and gods on the continent who knew the inside story, or part of it, all felt the urge to smile wryly.
They really couldn't casually criticize the being behind this screen anymore.
They had only complained that its second video had broken the immersion a little, and it had immediately served up a third video packed with information.
Except this was already enough information to send Teyvat straight into another cycle and have it purged by the Heavenly Principles.
The Fatui Harbingers, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief.
In their eyes, revealing their ultimate goal now wasn't a big deal. After so many rounds of testing, they were more or less certain that the Heavenly Principles had fallen into a deep slumber. Shouting about rebelling against the Heavenly Principles now wasn't much of an issue, as long as they didn't wake them up.
Instead, it was a good thing that the screen hadn't revealed their plans to plunder the other nations' Gnoses, information that would have put Snezhnaya in direct confrontation with all six other nations right now.
Otherwise, even if Her Majesty had already made secret arrangements with the other gods and maintained a delicate mutual understanding, trouble at the mortal level would still add many complications to Snezhnaya's grand plan.
So, all they could say about the current situation was that it was all right. All right...
Still, no one could guarantee that this strange screen wouldn't reveal more information in its later videos.
Although the Fatui were very interested in other nations' secrets, they didn't want the information they had gone to such lengths to conceal openly broadcast to the entire continent.
They would have to hurry and hold a meeting tonight to figure out how to handle this crisis.
[Venti: Well, I'll have to be more careful when composing poems from now on.]
[Diluc: Oh? What profound insight does the bill-dodging bard have to offer?]
Faced with this sudden remark from the suspected Anemo Archon, Diluc naturally followed up immediately, hoping to learn some inside information he didn't know.
[Venti: Ehe, that's something I can't say. If I did...]
Diluc quickly got what that ellipsis meant.
So it was something that would bring disaster upon Mondstadt-no, perhaps all of Teyvat-if spoken aloud?
Suddenly, it felt rather remarkable that Teyvat's Seven Nations could continue to exist as peacefully and calmly as they did today.
They had thought the video would more or less end here. After all, Teyvat currently recognized only seven nations, and all seven had been introduced, so the video should have been nearing its end. But unexpectedly, the scene changed, and there was more.
"In the perpetual meantime of a sheltered eternity, most are content to live, and not to dream."
The people of Sumeru, who claimed not to dream, felt their hearts skip a beat.
Both the pointed words and the gloomy image, with only a single spot of light shining within it, gave them a bad feeling.
In the past, the people of Sumeru had taken great pride in their inability to dream. But now, it seemed that wasn't quite right?
Dainsleif, who was wandering the continent, frowned as he watched the video he might have narrated. He kept feeling that something he didn't want to see was about to appear.
"But in the hidden corners where the gods' gaze does not fall, there are those who dream of dreaming."
Dainsleif's eyes widened.
Was this?!
[Khaenri'ah]
[The Dream Yet to Be Dreamed]
"Some say a few are chosen and the rest are dregs, but I say we humans have our humanity."
Dainsleif stared dead-eyed and expressionless at his on-screen self, showing off with that power so clearly tainted by original sin.
Damn it, he didn't want to become famous throughout Teyvat like this.
He could already foresee a future in which he couldn't casually visit other nations' cities. After all, he didn't want to order a drink at a tavern only to have seventeen or eighteen drunks crowd around clamoring for a story.
"We are not the dregs left over after the chosen of the gods have been filtered out."
"From beyond the world, we have obtained the power to deny this world."
[Kaeya: How interesting. Haha.]
[Faruzan: Even that destroyed nation gets an introduction? Now you've really gotten this senior excited.]
[Charlotte: Ahhh, I smell a big scoop! Does anyone have information about the man in the image? I'll pay handsomely!]
[Yoimiya: Ah, that color is so pretty! I've decided. The next fireworks I develop will bloom in that colorful blue!]
[Yae Miko: Khaenri'ah... ah...]
[Raiden Ei: Hmph.]
[La Signora: Tch.]
[The Knave: ...]
As a gathering place for Teyvat's leading figures-or rather, the current and future playable characters of "Genshin Impact"-the discussion area contained quite a few people who really did have ties to Khaenri'ah, the nation destroyed five hundred years ago.
Especially a certain cavalry captain in Mondstadt who wore an eyepatch and played pirate.
"Now, you who have set foot in this world. Your journey has reached its end, but one final doorway remains."
A cloud of mist passed, and in the sea of flowers the twins had originally entered, only the older brother, Aether, remained.
"If you understand the meaning of your journey, step forth. Defeat me, command me to step aside, and show me that you are worthier than I to rescue her."
"Then, the threads of all fate will be yours to reweave."
At the words about weaving fate, Zhongli, Venti, and even Barnabas, Ei, and the other members of the Seven all wore looks that said, "Just as expected."
So the witness, or someone even nobler, had already set foot in this world.
This seemingly endless cycle, which would nevertheless reach its end, was finally about to welcome a new beginning, a new variable, and forge a new future.
Of course, Lumine, the destined one the gods were awaiting, was watching the video with a troubled expression.
[Lumine: What if-and I mean what if-this "Genshin Impact" really is a game another world made using Teyvat as a reference? It looks like their officially designated protagonist is my brother?]
[Amber: Huh? Lumine's brother is the protagonist of our world?]
[Lumine: Just look. What this video is saying basically amounts to having my brother travel through all Seven Nations and then rescue me, right? Though I don't know whether my current journey, followed by meeting this narrator, will ultimately lead me into danger where I'm trapped or captured and need my brother to rescue me?]
[Lumine: Or does this game have a character selection screen like most MMORPGs, so my brother is the protagonist in the game while I'm the protagonist in reality? Speaking of which, when I saw my brother and me standing in that sea of flowers like products on display, it did give me the impression of an opening character selection screen.]
In a sense, as a Traveler who roamed the sea of stars, Lumine had very keen instincts. Or perhaps she had simply seen plenty of games like this.
[Amber: Hmm, I don't get it. Does that mean I was originally supposed to meet Lumine's brother, and then he would be looking for Lumine?]
[Lumine: That's pretty much it!]
[Yoimiya: My head's spinning already.]
[Klee: Klee... Klee wants to go rest.]
[Qiqi: Complicated. Don't understand.]
[Nahida: Would you like me to keep an eye out for relevant information?]
Apart from a few relatively simple-minded individuals, most of the others silently watched the words of Lumine, the suspected protagonist, analyzing, summarizing, and organizing them. All of this would definitely be useful later.
Finally, the Genshin Impact logo flashed past. Everyone thought the video was finally over, but unexpectedly, there was a bonus scene.
Over the pitch-black screen, the narrator's voice continued.
"My memory has all but faded completely, but I will always remember how much she too loved these flowers."
[Lumine: All right, case closed. The game's chosen protagonist should be my brother, because I really don't remember what these flowers are about, and I don't think I'm particularly fond of them. Instead, they've been on my head ever since I woke up, which honestly has me rather confused.]
[Alice: And if I'm not mistaken, as the protagonist, you should be resolving the problems revealed in the earlier introductions to the Seven Nations.]
[Yoimiya: Huh, does that mean Lumine will come travel in Inazuma too? Welcome, welcome!]
[Noelle: Welcome to Mondstadt, Traveler.]
[Xiangling: Hehe, when you get to Liyue, Lumine, I'll make you a feast.]
[Xiangling: Wait, I'm almost at Mondstadt. Could I meet Lumine there?]
[Nilou: We'd love to welcome you too, Lumine~.]
[Furina: Mm~ yes, I, Focalors, acknowledge the meaning of your journey.]
[Lumine: Going by the usual logic of games, yes, that's right.]
[Lumine: You're all so welcoming that I'm getting a little embarrassed.]
Lumine suddenly didn't want to enter Mondstadt anymore. It wasn't really that their enthusiasm had scared her. She simply felt that going inside would be troublesome.
She was only looking for her brother, anyway. Now that there was a screen capable of broadcasting messages across all of Teyvat, should she just use it to find him?
But she glanced at Amber and thought about how warmly she had helped her despite this being their first meeting, even promising to help find her brother. Lumine suppressed her scummy side, sighed, and prepared to enter the city obediently.
At this point, Lumine still knew nothing of her future glorious achievement of earning a five-star wanted notice in every one of the Seven Nations.
Somehow, it felt as though, if she knew, she would tearfully complain that all those welcoming messages in the discussion area had been traps to lure her in for the kill.
But with the video finished, there still had to be a question.
[Question: Which of the following four nations did not follow the script presented in the Travail PV?] [A. Mondstadt] [B. Liyue] [C. Inazuma] [D. Sumeru] [System: This question is of medium difficulty. Answers will be accepted on a buzzer basis, limited to users with three stars or above. The countdown begins now: 5, 4...]
WTF!!!