Preparing for Snezhnaya

With Furina's comforting words, the pressure in Felina's heart eased considerably.

"Furina, I need some time to think about the next steps."

"Mhm, take your time. I'll rest for a bit. Just remember not to keep everything bottled up."

Furina replied softly and retreated to rest.

Inside the room, Felina leaned back in her chair, deep in thought.

It wasn't until dawn broke that she finally emerged from her contemplation. The heavy sense of oppression on her face had vanished, replaced by her characteristic sharp determination.

After hours of reflection, she had figured out what needed to be done and formulated a meticulous plan.

A ruler is a person, and as a person, they naturally have personal feelings.

Felina was no exception.

But a ruler is not just an individual—they carry the weight of an entire nation on their shoulders. From the moment she ascended to her position, she had to prioritize the interests of her country.

Personal feelings would inevitably clash with national interests, and for the sake of her country, she had no choice but to suppress her personal emotions.

This is the inescapable loneliness and helplessness of a ruler.

Inside her room, Felina stood, her gaze sharp as ever.

She could not let go of Aishi's death.

Killing La Signora was not enough to release the storm of emotions swirling inside her. One way or another, she had to seek vengeance against Snezhnaya.

Though she could not declare war in Aishi's name, there were other means to achieve her goal.

As a ruler, Felina had to think long-term.

She knew that Snezhnaya's ultimate goal was the Gnosis. As long as the Hydro Gnosis remained in Fontaine, Snezhnaya's focus would never shift away.

She would never hand over the Gnosis to Snezhnaya. For now, it remained secured within the Oratrice, inaccessible.

In essence, there was already a fundamental conflict of interest between Fontaine and Snezhnaya. Eventually, there would be a war over the Gnosis—it was only a matter of time.

If war was inevitable, why not bring it forward?

But war is never child's play, which is why it must always have a justified cause.

A righteous banner could rally a nation, mobilizing the entire populace in unity.

A just and proper rallying cry—such as "defending the homeland"—would inspire soldiers to fight with conviction, aligning them with a clear purpose on the battlefield.

It would also galvanize the citizens to unite for the sake of their country, resisting foreign influences and preventing domestic unrest during wartime.

Moreover, it would enable the nation to shift into a wartime production frenzy, significantly bolstering logistics and supplies.

In summary, initiating a war requires a legitimate, just, and morally sound reason.

After careful consideration, Felina concluded that provoking animosity among Fontaine's citizens toward Snezhnaya would be the first step toward war.

The goal was to make the populace believe that Snezhnaya posed a direct threat to Fontaine's security, even affecting all aspects of their lives. This would naturally unify the nation against an external foe.

And how to provoke Snezhnaya into making a move? Two words: shared interests.

Snezhnaya's ultimate interest lay in the Gnosis.

Likewise, Felina had her sights set on something— the Cryo Gnosis.

"If a single Hydro Gnosis keeps them contained, what will they do if Fontaine holds two, or even three, Gnosis? Let's see if they can still maintain their restraint."

With her plan decided, Felina first inspected the progress at the Fontaine Academy of Sciences.

Under official support, Fontaine's technological advancements had been nothing short of extraordinary.

Over the past months, the academy's accomplishments had been remarkable:

• 5,000 units of the Icewind Suite: Dirge of Coppelia ready for deployment.

• 5,000 units of the Icewind Suite: Nemesis of Coppelius in reserve.

• 23,000 short-range Primordial Rockets with a range of 300 kilometers.

• 9,700 Primordial Missiles with a range of 300 to 1,000 kilometers.

• 1,300 medium-range Primordial Missiles capable of striking targets up to 8,000 kilometers away.

• 210 long-range Primordial Missiles capable of hitting any region across Teyvat.

Seeing the academy's achievements, Felina was very satisfied. She instructed the scientists to increase production, assuring them of further funding to expand their capabilities.

Meanwhile, in Sumeru

The villagers had returned to Aaru Village, resuming their daily lives.

To prevent unrest among the desert people, Vigneire chose not to disclose Aishi's death.

When asked about the events of the previous night, Vigneire explained:

"An enemy attacked last night. Aishi fought valiantly to buy us time, and Furina herself traveled all the way from Fontaine to defeat the enemy. Aishi sustained heavy injuries and was taken back to Fontaine by Furina for treatment."

However, even this account stoked anger among the desert mercenaries.

The following day, some mercenaries, driven by their fury, piled firewood beneath the Sand-Guarding Wall. After dousing it with oil, they set it ablaze.

The Sand-Guarding Wall was a divine wooden barrier erected by the previous Dendro Archon, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, to shield the rainforest from encroaching sandstorms.

To the rainforest people, it held profound significance.

Although the fire did not manage to breach the wall, the act was a blatant provocation that deeply enraged the rainforest citizens.

At the Akademiya, seeing that the situation had ripened enough, the sages immediately issued a public announcement.

For a long time, the rainforest has always regarded the desert as an integral part of Sumeru.

However, the desert dwellers have continually rejected the rainforest—on one hand, refusing to acknowledge the rainforest's authority, while on the other, greedily demanding various supplies and resources from it.

Following the teachings of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, who preached that "The rainforest and desert are one family," the rainforest has never ceased its support for the desert.

But in recent times, the desert forces have:

• Blocked the entrance to Caravan Ribat.

• Intentionally incited dozens of conflicts at Caravan Ribat.

• And today, committed the heinous act of setting fire to the Sand-Guarding Wall.

These actions have deeply hurt the sentiments of the rainforest people.

Since the desert people disregard the bond between us and do not see the desert as part of Sumeru, then we might as well discard this relationship altogether!

After much discussion, we have decided to hold a referendum in the rainforest.

If more than half of the rainforest residents vote in favor of the desert's independence, the desert will henceforth be an independent entity and no longer part of Sumeru.

Sumeru will completely close the Caravan Ribat passage and cease all support for the desert.

The referendum will commence in three days. All rainforest citizens may vote through the Akasha Terminal.

Meanwhile in Fontaine

Felina received a system notification.

[Ding! Due to your actions in defeating La Signora and protecting the desert villagers of Aaru Village, the desert people's faith in you has increased.]

[Congratulations, Host! You have gained 60,000 Guardian Points!]

[Ding! The Host's Guardian Points have now reached 180,000, meeting the requirements for a milestone reward.]

[Congratulations, Host! You have unlocked the reward: Essence of Water!]

Hearing the long-awaited system notification, Felina raised an eyebrow.

Guardian Points were earned by either reinforcing people's belief that Furina was a deity or by alleviating her anxiety and tension.

However, as Furina had grown more comfortable with her role, her initial fears and nervousness had faded. Without tension to alleviate, there was little left to calm.

Moreover, Felina's actions in Fontaine—selling false Sinthe, defying the duel arbiter, reviving victims of the string of missing girls, and handling diplomatic affairs with Liyue and Sumeru—had already solidified public belief in Furina's divinity.

As such, Guardian Points had become increasingly difficult to accumulate, and the system's rewards had been delayed for quite some time.

Felina reviewed the system message.

Her recent contributions—whether covertly handling diplomatic missions or exposing fraud—had all helped reinforce Furina's image as a true deity, gradually earning her Guardian Points over time.

Finally, the accumulation had reached the threshold for a reward.

Felina examined the new prize:

[Essence of Water:]

Just as a sword has its intent and a blade its purpose, so too does water carry its essence.

• The purity that cleanses all filth.

• The fury of raging tides.

• The ceaseless flow of life.

• The density of torrential rain.

The crushing pressure of an ocean's depths.

(The Essence of Water manifests in myriad forms, each a tool of unparalleled power. Mastering this gift can elevate one's abilities to the realm of perfection.)

Merely reading the description revealed its extraordinary potential.

"Not bad. Worth the wait," Felina murmured with a smile. With this newly awakened power, her offensive capabilities had taken a significant leap, bolstering her confidence in the impending confrontation with the Azhdaha.

The system always seemed to deliver the perfect reward at the ideal time.

A Glimpse into the Past

The memory was vivid: her older sisters—Shiju, Ruoling, Qingmeng, and Aileen—had taken her to a gaming café.

After completing a storyline, she had felt a deep melancholy and declared:

"If I could cross into Teyvat, I'd ensure Furina was happy and prevent Focalors from sacrificing herself."

Her sisters had exchanged knowing glances at her mention of "crossing worlds."

Shiju had asked, "Do you truly wish to cross over?"

Without hesitation, she replied, "I do."

Shiju's smile deepened. "If you were to cross, you'd need a cheat or a system. What kind would you choose?"

She had pondered. "If I really crossed over, I imagine most of my focus would go toward making Furina happy and helping her govern Fontaine."

"Managing a nation isn't easy, so if I had to choose, I'd want a system to assist me."

Shiju had chuckled but said nothing more.

At the time, she thought it was all in jest—just idle banter. But the next morning, she woke not in her familiar world, but as Furina's second persona, complete with the very system she had described.

"Looking back now, Shiju and the others must be extraordinary figures," Felina mused. "This system must've been their doing."

Her thoughts warmed. "If I ever meet them again, I'll have to thank them properly."

The news of the Akademiya's referendum on desert independence had reached Felina.

Her arrangement with the Akademiya was clear: she would aid in resolving the Irminsul crisis, provide energy, and supply God-tier automata.

In return, the Akademiya would facilitate the desert's independence and ensure it fell under Fontaine's domain.

With the referendum underway, it was time for Felina to fulfill her end of the deal.

Power stations were already under construction. Fontaine's scientists had long since begun collaborating with Sumeru scholars.

The final task was to heal the Irminsul.

At the Akademiya

Felina made a discreet visit, receiving a warm welcome from the sages.

"The events at Aaru Village yesterday—surely you're aware?"

Felina wasted no time addressing the matter.

Azar and the others immediately bowed in apology.

"We deeply regret our oversight. The Akademiya's infiltrators from the Fatui have all been eliminated. We assure you, such an incident will never occur again."

Felina scanned the room. Noticing one sage absent, she assumed it was the traitor.

Nodding, she continued, "I am aware of the referendum. You are fulfilling our agreement, and I will not fall short on my promises. I've come to resolve the Irminsul's crisis."

The sages were elated.

"Thank you, Your Grace!"

However, Felina's next words struck them dumb.

"But first, I need to meet the Lesser Lord Kusanali."

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