In the video.
Furina ran forward in a panic, with Lumine and Paimon quickly following, but they simply could not shake off the crowd chasing them.
Some time passed.
Furina spotted a fork up ahead and darted into a blind spot.
Only after everyone's footsteps gradually faded did Furina cautiously emerge. She looked left and right to make sure it was safe before finally relaxing.
Furina surveyed her surroundings and ran down a path in the opposite direction from those people.
Lumine and Paimon said nothing at the sight, simply following her in silence. A little more time passed.
Paimon looked around and asked the Traveler, "...If I remember correctly, we're almost there, right?"
Lumine nodded.
Paimon shouted, "Furina! Stop running! I know a place here where we can hide. We definitely, definitely won't be found. Come with us!"
Furina stopped in her tracks. "Huh... what's going on? How come I don't...!"
She was somewhat puzzled. She had no recollection whatsoever of the place Paimon mentioned!
She stood where she was rather than going over immediately. But the anxious look on Paimon's face seemed genuine, and Paimon kept gesturing for her to hurry over. Thinking of how the Traveler and Paimon usually behaved, she chose to trust them!
Yet even in such a sorry state, she continued to put on a brave front. "Excellent, excellent. Just what I'd expect from Fontaine's legendary figures. Even I can't help praising your wisdom."
Furina spoke as she walked, her face full of trust.
[Navia: I don't think I know of any room here either. Strange, I should know every corner of Poisson. Am I remembering wrong too?]
[Melus and Silver: Miss, I haven't seen it either. But this happens in the future, so who can say?]
[Yelan: I think I understand now. The plan has already begun!]
[Kamisato Ayato: How should I put it? It's a crude plan, with quite a few holes at every turn, but under these circumstances, it works fairly well.]
[Ningguang: From earlier until now, they've been creating a constant sense of pressure. It leaves Furina no time to think things through, so she can only let them lead her by the nose!]
[Arataki Itto: I hadn't noticed at first, but now that you've explained it, I get it. The Traveler and Paimon really aren't playing fair!]
[Kujou Sara: For once, you've managed to follow along!]
[Nilou: Did they really manage to fool even a god?]
[Diluc: Going by the earlier explanation, the Traveler and her companion are the bait, and the room they're heading to should be the most important component in that theory of traps-the catching device.]
[Hu Tao: Are they going to put the Hydro Archon on trial right here?]
[Charlotte: Exactly, aren't Fontaine's trials supposed to take place at the opera house? How can they hold a trial without the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale?]
[Lyney: I think the magic act comes next.]
[Hu Tao: What do you mean?]
[Arataki Itto: They're going to do magic tricks for the Hydro Archon?]
[Yae Miko: What a wonderful performance. It's added so much amusement to my dull life!]
On the screen.
The Traveler, Paimon, and Furina entered the room!
Paimon panted heavily. "S-seriously, I'm exhausted!"
Furina was in much the same state, if not worse than Paimon. "So... so tired... I'm so tired. Those people are terrifying. Thank goodness they didn't catch us..."
After saying that, Furina paused, clearly realizing that she seemed to have misspoken and failed to maintain her persona.
"What I mean is, those fans were simply too frenzied. They almost got their way. Luckily, I reacted quickly. Hahahahaha..."
Lumine said, "You'd better keep your voice down. If they're close enough, people outside can hear us talking in here!"
Furina instantly stopped laughing and nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at grain. "I-is that so? Understood!"
Paimon said, "It's not often Furina listens so well!"
No sooner had Paimon spoken than the entire room suddenly shuddered. All four walls shook, and quite a bit of dust fell from the ceiling.
Paimon cried, "Aaaah-!"
Furina also looked somewhat panicked. "What's happening? What's happening? Outside... what's that noise?"
Lumine's expression remained unchanged. "I'm afraid another disaster must have struck somewhere!"
Paimon nodded too. "Yeah. The last time disaster struck Poisson, we felt the tremors even in the Fortress of Meropide!"
Hearing their words, the panic vanished from Furina's face, and her spirits sank again. She lowered her voice. "How... how could this... why has disaster struck again? How many people will die this time?"
Seeing Furina like this, Paimon hurried to speak. "Furina, don't be too upset. Neuvillette said last time that he'd prepare an emergency plan, so things should be much better this time!"
But Furina seemed not to hear her, still immersed in her dejection.
Her voice remained sorrowful and trembled slightly. "That would certainly be best... but the people who died in Poisson... will never again..."
Lumine looked at Furina before her. Only now did her expression resemble that of a normal person-or a normal god. Lumine thought to herself, Judging by the current situation, Furina probably can't keep up her act anymore. She seems much more normal now.
Watching Furina's expression gradually return to normal, Lumine thought of what was about to happen and still wanted to try one more time.
Hearing Lumine's question.
Furina said, "...Yes. For these past few centuries, I've been keeping watch over the prophecy and trying to find a way to break it."
"I have people all across the continent of Teyvat, gathering all sorts of information for me."
"I've tried every method I could think of to stop Fontaine's sea level from continuing to rise..."
"But it was all in vain. I realized that an unknown number of years ago."
"The [Heavenly Principles] cannot be defeated. There is no way to stop that prophecy... one day, it will surely come true!"
[Jean: Neuvillette's investigation was right after all. The Hydro Archon has been working hard for her people all along!]
[Barbara: What are the Heavenly Principles? They sound so powerful. Could they be even stronger than Lord Barbatos?]
[Raiden Ei: The Heavenly Principles are indeed invincible.]
[Kujou Sara: If even you say so, then they must truly be impossible to defeat!]
[Navia: Is there really no way to stop Fontaine's prophecy? Not even the Hydro Archon's centuries of effort could stop the sea level from rising?]
[Arataki Itto: I told you, one look at Furina and I could tell she wasn't the sort to ignore everything. Sure enough, she's done a lot behind the scenes!]
[Kuki Shinobu: Boss, since when could you read faces?]
[Arataki Itto: Just learned!]
[Charlotte: Huh, Lady Furina, have you really been working at this for centuries? When I heard you arguing with Monsieur Neuvillette earlier, I thought you'd only started investigating in recent years. If I could get an exclusive interview with you, I'm sure it would be no worse than that future report on the Traveler.]
[Lyney: But why keep all this from us? It's not something you can't tell us, is it?]
[Lynette: Exactly. If you told us and let all your people see the efforts you've made, we'd only love and respect you even more!]
[Wriothesley: Perhaps, if even a god couldn't resolve it after centuries of effort, telling people would only leave them living in constant fear.]
[Sigewinne: Shall we see what else Lady Furina has to say?]
[Yelan: It feels like everything is about to come to light!]
In the video.
Although Furina's words were very pessimistic, Lumine could clearly sense that she had more to say. Furina had not given up.
Lumine said, "You say that, but you're still working at it. You haven't abandoned your people, have you?"
Furina said, "Giving up? What a lovely phrase. Choosing that means accepting fate's arrangements, accepting this predetermined outcome. It also means... I could finally be free!"
Lumine continued, "But choosing that would also mean choosing to abandon hope."
Furina's voice grew quieter and quieter. By now, Lumine could barely make out what she was saying unless she listened carefully.
Furina said, "That's right. I've lost count of how many times the words 'give up' have appeared in my mind. After what happened in Poisson, that powerful feeling almost reached its peak..."
"I keep asking myself, does any of this really mean anything? Fate is simply too powerful. No means, methods, or schemes seem capable of changing it. There's no reasoning with it at all. The prophecy has only just begun, and countless people of Fontaine have already lost their lives..."
At this point, Furina's voice paused. As though she had hit rock bottom and begun to rebound, it gradually rose.
Furina said, "But while talking to you just now, I suddenly understood the meaning behind everything I've done. I am the God of Hydro. I must take responsibility for my people. I have no right to choose to accept fate's arrangements on their behalf."
"Until the final moment arrives, it still isn't too late..."
"Don't worry. Every last hope... I... I'll preserve them all for everyone until the very last moment."