Chapter 126 Lyney: So, is this what a god is like?

At the Opikles Opera House, within the inner core of the Adjudication Cardinal, Fucalos silently observed everything unfolding in Fontaine City, ever ready to intervene and save Funina.

Fucalos was no longer the woman who once could only hide in silence. After absorbing the spirit of Lu Mingze, she had fully mastered the great power of water, her abilities transformed beyond recognition. There was no need any longer to conceal herself or suffer in silence.

Her absence was due to two reasons.

First, Fontaine already had a Water Deity; her reappearance would be inappropriate.

Second, she had grown accustomed to her current life. Detached from the Adjudication Cardinal, she found herself unsure of what to do.

Having endured long years of darkness, suddenly bathed in the light of happiness, poor Fucalos found the brightness almost overwhelming—so much so that the sun’s rays might sting her eyes.

She would quietly peek out from shadowed corners, gazing at the radiant world beyond, observing the outside for now, and at the right moment, she would step forth to experience that vibrant, colorful world in person.

Yet!

Fucalos’s absence was a choice, not a necessity. She did not appear simply because she wished not to, not because she was unable. She had to continue concealing her identity.

She now possessed the power to save Fontaine. Anyone daring to harm Funina would first have to get past Fucalos.

Though Funina appeared vulnerable when facing the Doctor—with no apparent security or protection—she was actually heavily guarded.

First, Fucalos kept watch, after all, Funina was her alternate persona.

Second, Lu Mingze was vigilant, for Funina was his cherished sister-in-law.

Third, Lu Mingfei stood in the shadows as insurance, for she was his beloved Fufu.

Fourth, Navillet observed discreetly, for Funina was her precious daughter.

Fifth, the servant kept an eye on the Doctor’s movements, guarding their experimental subject carefully, wary lest the man ignite any explosives—consequences far beyond what either she or the Doctor could bear.

In other words, if the Doctor dared to make a move, a host of formidable figures would emerge to deal with him swiftly.

Though the Doctor was unaware of all this, he knew Lu Mingfei—the otherworldly Dragon King—and given his own poor condition, he dared not attack Funina. His state was fragile; if the servant detected any abnormality after an assault, the aftermath would be unimaginable.

As a researcher, the Doctor understood the necessity for caution. One misstep could cast him into an abyss from which there was no return.

“Sigh, that Doctor wandering around Fontaine is such a headache,” Fucalos muttered helplessly, resting her chin on her hand, brow furrowed.

Everyone—even this shut-in woman who never left the Adjudication Cardinal—knew who the Doctor was. His reputation was utterly disreputable; he was the sort of man who left no official record behind. Any sane person would have zero tolerance for his experiments—they were simply not human deeds.

No matter his past or the sorrows he had endured, crossing the red line of those forbidden experiments meant death.

Some lines must never be crossed!

“Should I secretly assist the Traveler? If only we could legally expel the Doctor from Fontaine, that would be ideal,” Fucalos thought quietly.

Her gaze then shifted toward the Traveler.

“Ah, it’s Linli! Let’s hurry over and ask her about the Hearthfire House and the Doctor,” Paimon said, pointing to Linli, who sat nearby on a bench, adjusting a magical device.

“Mm,” the Traveler nodded and walked toward Linli.

“Traveler and Paimon?” Linli noticed their approach, a smile blossoming on her face as she stood. “You seem to be looking for me. Is there something wrong? Don’t worry, if you encounter trouble in Fontaine, just come to me for help.”

A smile crept onto the Traveler’s face. Paimon spoke up beside her, “Linli, could we ask you some questions about the Doctor? It’s really important to us.”

“The Doctor?” Linli’s expression darkened instantly, her brows knitting in concern. “He’s no good. Do you know what he’s done? I advise you to stay far away from him, or you might face unknown dangers.”

“Danger…”

Paimon’s expression grew fearful. She turned to the Traveler, meeting her determined gaze—steadfast as if pledging an oath—and finally resolved, speaking sincerely: “We know the Doctor is dangerous, but we can’t just stand by while such a person remains in Fontaine!”

“You truly are kind-hearted people, Traveler and Paimon,” Linli sighed with a helpless smile, then spread her hands. “But even I don’t fully understand the Doctor. And even if you did, what could you do? He’s the second seat of the Fatui Harbingers, incredibly powerful—not someone you can confront head-on.”

“Heh, we’re not stupid enough to face the Doctor in direct combat!” Paimon said proudly, hands on her hips. The Traveler straightened her posture and smiled with equal pride.

Paimon continued, “Fontaine is a land of law. We can use the law to restrict the Doctor. If we find evidence of his crimes and present it to the Water Deity, she can initiate a trial and have him expelled.”

“A trial mechanism to restrict the Doctor?” Linli looked surprised but soon thoughtful, stroking her chin. “Honestly, I doubt Fontaine’s trial system could convict the Doctor, because there’s something called the Duel Mechanism.”

“Duel?” The Traveler and Paimon tilted their heads in confusion.

“Yes, the Duel Mechanism. When evidence is insufficient, the accused can request a duel with an appointed champion. Fontaine’s strongest agent is Clorinde—she has never lost a duel.”

Linli’s face grew heavier, her tone darkening. “But the Doctor is unlike ordinary people. He possesses power akin to a god. Clorinde cannot defeat him. This means the trial system probably cannot restrain him.”

“Ah? How is that possible?” Paimon deflated instantly, her face folding into a grimace of dismay.

The Traveler adopted a contemplative pose, mulling over Linli’s words. Linli made a good impression, but as a Fatui member, he might be trying to dissuade them from pursuing evidence against the Doctor through logical loopholes.

Still, the Traveler chose not to view him too harshly—better to remain cautious in all matters.

“By the way, how did you learn about Fontaine’s trial system? Did someone tip you off?” Linli asked curiously.

“The Water Deity Funina told us,” Paimon answered gloomily, drifting above the Traveler’s head. “We remembered before that the trial could expel the Doctor, but now it seems the trial can’t contain him. It’s frustrating.”

“Water Deity Funina?!” Linli’s expression changed drastically.

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem with her?” Paimon asked, puzzled.

“It’s her. Yes, her,” Linli murmured twice, then wore a complex expression. “If Funina wants you to use the trial system against the Doctor, you needn’t worry. She’s not ordinary.”

“Not ordinary?” Paimon’s curiosity was piqued. “Funina is Fontaine’s Water Deity—of course she’s special. Why emphasize that she’s extraordinary?”

“In my opinion, Funina is the wisest of the Seven Gods. Her vision is far beyond our mortal comprehension. If she has taken this course, there must be a reason. Don’t overthink it—the outcome will be a good one for her,” Linli said solemnly.

“Ah, that’s a bit hard to understand,” Paimon admitted, scratching her head. “Can I roughly understand that Funina is a very, very powerful deity, so we can trust her?”

“Probably,” Linli confirmed.

Though Linli disliked the Water Deity and even contemplated confronting her, he recognized clearly her strength, cunning, and exceptional wisdom.

For that reason, even with those thoughts, he had no intention of acting against Funina—for he knew it would likely fail and only bring trouble upon Hearthfire House and his father.

“Seems Funina really is extraordinary. No wonder she spoke so confidently in front of the Doctor. That aura of power and assurance felt unlike any god we’ve met before,” Paimon remarked.

“What kind of gods have you met before?” Linli asked, curious.

Funina and the other gods were among the Seven. If he could discern their common traits, perhaps he could find a way to deal with Funina. Understanding the other gods was important.

“The other gods…” Paimon pondered seriously, first recalling Barbatos from Mondstadt. “There’s one god of freedom who loves drinking and wandering. He’s basically a singing drunkard! He even works at a tavern just to drink more.”

“Ah?” Linli was shocked.

The Traveler covered her face with one hand, looking at Linli’s questioning eyes and silently approving Paimon’s description.

“And the others?” Linli pressed.

“The others…” Paimon fell silent again, her mind conjuring images of Zhongli, the Geo Archon of Liyue, who left deep impressions on her. “There’s a refined god whose legends fill the land he governs. But now, he’s just a freeloader, living off others and doing nothing.”

“Uh…” Linli was stunned again, feeling his image of the gods crumble, but he recovered and asked, “Any other gods?”

“There’s a god with great martial power who rules her land with absolute strength. Though she makes mistakes sometimes, she listens to her people and changes. But now, she seems to prefer staying in her own world, looking down on others while enjoying desserts.”

“Enough!” The Traveler placed a hand on Paimon’s head, wearing a resigned expression. She added, “There’s also a loving god who cares deeply for her people and is willing to give her all for them.”

She hesitated to mention that the Dendro Archon had been imprisoned by her own sage for five centuries, or that she had taken in a prisoner—someone who had killed descendants of the Raiden Shogun—into the Akademiya, granting him education and personally reviewing his thesis, akin to a special admission to Harvard with the dean’s supervision.

That prisoner had sought to seize her Divine Heart and tried to imprison her, undergoing a cycle of rebirth through the Flower Rite, sacrificing the spirits of Sumeru people to ascend to godhood, with many weak Sumeru citizens at the brink of death during this process.

He was a man of grievous sins. Yet, the Dendro Archon still…

Such matters were best left unspoken and unjudged.

“Hmm, that god seems somewhat more normal, I guess,” Linli coughed softly. He felt the Traveler had omitted something.

After brief reflection, he marveled that their Water Deity was perhaps the most godlike of all—though she enjoyed acting, her inner depth was as vast and profound as the ocean.

“Anyway, do you know anything about evidence against the Doctor?” the Traveler changed the subject.

“I have some guesses but no proof. Our Hearthfire House doesn’t have a good relationship with the Doctor. If you meet with Father, he might share some information,” Linli said after some thought.

He doubted Funina merely wanted the Traveler to obtain the Doctor’s incriminating evidence through the servant and expel him. Such a plan was too simple, not befitting Funina’s wisdom.

More importantly, if that were her intention, she could have said so plainly—letting the Traveler meet Hearthfire House’s Father to get the evidence and expel the Doctor, rather than just giving vague hints.

Perhaps Funina wanted the Traveler to witness something during the search for evidence, but his intellect could not grasp her design.

Maybe Father could understand.

All he had to do was introduce the Traveler to Father, fulfill his duty, and trust Father to comprehend Funina’s thoughts and make the right choice.

(End of chapter)