Chapter 95: I Want to Grow Up
The day after Snezhnaya's surrender.
Though everything had been settled, numerous domestic and desert affairs still needed attention.
That night, late into the night, Furina stirred from her slumber.
Opening her eyes, she did not see her familiar ceiling but rather the Hydro Archon's office.
Sensing Felina's presence, she realized that Felina had fallen asleep.
In an instant, Furina understood the situation.
"Four in the morning, and Felina is still in the office reviewing documents?"
Furina pressed her lips together, her heart swelling with pain and guilt.
Since Felina's arrival, she had accomplished numerous great feats, leading Fontaine toward greater prosperity.
But precisely because of this, the workload had increased dramatically.
Recently, Felina had been spending almost every night in the office, reviewing documents until two or three in the morning.
Strategizing across nations, deciding victory from a thousand miles away.
Every decision Felina made was astonishing, leaving people marveling at her unparalleled brilliance. Yet few knew just how much mental energy it cost her to constantly observe the state of Fontaine and the world, crafting her meticulous plans.
Furina could feel Felina's exhaustion. This was not physical fatigue but the mental drain from endless deliberation and exertion.
Even now, she could sense the deep weariness emanating from the depths of Felina's soul.
Felina's soul resembled a tired kitten, curled up in a small corner of her consciousness, fast asleep.
Feeling Felina's exhaustion, Furina's heart ached.
And with the pain came guilt.
Because these matters were originally her responsibilities—burdens Felina had taken upon herself.
In the past, Furina had been lost and uncertain, always crying out in her struggles, "Who can stay with me? Who can help me?"
And then, Felina truly came.
To Furina, Felina was the most extraordinary person, her safest harbor, someone who could do anything.
But as time went on and their interactions deepened, Furina realized that Felina was not perfect, nor was she omnipotent.
Even so, Felina remained the most remarkable person in her heart, the one she cherished most.
In the past, when faced with challenges, Furina always doubted herself, always saying, "I can't do it. I'm not good enough."
But now, sensing Felina's weariness, Furina had never so deeply yearned to grow stronger herself.
She told herself, "I must be able to do this. Even if I can't, I must make it possible."
At the desk.
Furina placed her hand over her heart, a subconscious gesture she made whenever she felt Felina's presence.
She was deeply grateful that Felina had become her second persona, but sometimes, she couldn't help but wish that Felina existed as a separate being.
If that were the case, she could hug Felina when she was tired and accompany her in a more tangible way.
"It looks like Felina must have been too exhausted and fell asleep while reviewing documents in the office."
Furina felt both heartache and guilt.
But she knew that such emotions would not help Felina in any way.
She wanted to become Felina's support. She no longer wanted to be a coward hiding behind Felina.
Late into the night following Snezhnaya's surrender, Furina sat upright, picked up her pen, and began reviewing documents.
The first document came from Vigneire and Aurelie, stationed in the desert.
In their report, they noted that after the incident with the Fatui, the desert people had come to a deeper understanding of the importance of joining the order of the Seven Archons and receiving divine protection. Combined with the groundwork laid over the past six months, the desert people now harbored a strong desire to join Fontaine and displayed immense faith in the Hydro Archon.
Recently, many desert dwellers had expressed their wish to become citizens of the Hydro Archon, with the chiefs of major villages approaching Vigneire and Aurelie to convey their eagerness to integrate into Fontaine.
In the document, Aurelie and Vigneire suggested that Felina take advantage of this opportunity to annex the desert.
For a long time, whenever Felina reviewed documents, Furina and Nahida would often watch and occasionally share their opinions. Over time, under Felina's guidance and influence, Furina had learned much.
After reading the document, Furina paused to think for a few seconds.
Previously, Felina had refrained from hastily annexing the desert for two reasons: first, to avoid the appearance of opportunism so soon after the desert's independence, which might attract criticism from other nations; second, due to the presence of numerous Fatui agents in the desert who could sabotage such efforts.
But now, with the radiant light of missile strikes shaking the world, even if Fontaine's actions were overt, as long as they adhered to proper protocol, no other nation would have much to say. Furthermore, the Fatui influence in the desert had been eradicated, making this the perfect time for the desert to join Fontaine.
Furina smiled. Based on her understanding of Felina, she was certain Felina would agree with this perspective.
With that thought, Furina picked up her pen and wrote her response:
"Follow the necessary procedures. Promote a positive image of the desert people within Fontaine to prepare public opinion for their integration. Simultaneously, organize a public referendum in the desert to demonstrate respect for the will of its people regarding joining Fontaine."
After approving the first document, Furina picked up the second.
This document, submitted by various officials, argued that the reparations demanded from Snezhnaya were insufficient given the massive losses Fontaine had suffered from the Fatui blockade. They suggested imposing harsher penalties to ensure Snezhnaya would be left permanently weakened, never again capable of threatening Fontaine.
Furina immediately marked it with the word "Denied."
Her reasoning was twofold. First, the amount of reparations had already been determined by Felina. Second, she understood Felina's intent behind the decision.
Felina had explained that the world was not at peace. Forces beyond Teyvat constantly loomed over it, and the Cataclysm from 500 years ago would inevitably recur.
Why hadn't Felina ordered further missile strikes on Snezhnaya? Why had she shown mercy? Why had she demanded only modest reparations and refrained from annihilating Snezhnaya completely?
Because the Abyss was the enemy of all Teyvat. In the face of the Abyss, humanity was one.
By sparing Snezhnaya and preserving most of its strength, it would still be capable of contributing to the defense against future calamities. If Snezhnaya were left crippled or destroyed, who would handle the disasters that arose in its territory when the time came?
These officials, focused solely on short-term interests, could never grasp Felina's far-reaching vision.
In the office, Furina continued diligently reviewing documents.
Her pace was not particularly fast, but her demeanor at the desk was no longer hesitant or cautious as it once had been.
She exuded a growing sense of composure and steadiness, and the aura of an authoritative leader was becoming increasingly pronounced.
At that moment, Furina seemed more and more like Felina.
...
"Mm?"
At ten in the morning, Felina woke up.
"Oh no, I fell asleep!" she exclaimed with some anxiety. This was a critical period, with a mountain of documents needing her review. How could she allow herself to fall asleep at such a time?
Shaking her head, she immediately prepared to get back to work, but as she stood up, she realized she was in Furina's room.
"I went back to my room to sleep? It seems Furina woke up midway," she muttered, smiling.
She was about to head to the office when her eye caught sight of a plate of minced meat pasta and a bottle of milk on the desk. Next to it was a small note:
Felina, don't stress too much. I've already reviewed the files in the office for you.
I went to bed at 8:30 this morning, and before sleeping, I took a bath and brushed my teeth. This way, you can have breakfast without worrying about washing up after you wake up.
You've been working so hard lately. After breakfast, feel free to get more rest—it's okay. I'll continue helping you from now on. (^▽^)
Standing by the bed, Felina held the note in her hand, a soft smile forming on her lips.
A wave of warmth and gratitude flowed through her heart, filling her with a deep sense of happiness.
She carefully picked up the breakfast and ate it, savoring every bite. However, contrary to Furina's suggestion, she didn't return to bed afterward. Instead, she headed straight for the office to review the documents Furina had handled.
Her urgency wasn't due to a lack of trust in Furina's ability, but rather excitement.
At that moment, her mindset could be compared to that of an elder sister eagerly opening her younger sister's university acceptance letter—a mix of joy and anticipation.
Felina, after all, had come into being for Furina.
Those documents reviewed by Furina were a testament to her growth.
Thus, Felina's eagerness to examine the documents was, in truth, a desire to witness Furina's progress firsthand—a reflection of the fruits of her efforts to protect and guide her.
Upon reaching the office, Felina immediately began flipping through the files. With each page she reviewed, her smile grew wider.
Furina's handling of the documents, while somewhat inexperienced, was generally on the right track. For her first time reviewing official paperwork, she had done remarkably well.
With some practice, Furina could undoubtedly become an excellent leader.
Although Felina knew Furina disliked the idea of becoming a god—and she herself didn't want Furina to be burdened with such a role—she couldn't help but feel proud of Furina's growth.
Experience and wisdom, after all, were invaluable assets, regardless of whether they were ultimately put to use.
"Furina has become so remarkable!" Felina murmured with a smile. "This is wonderful. Now I can be at ease."
As Felina admired Furina's work, a knock came at the door.
It was Nahida who entered.
Seeing Nahida carrying a small package suspended on a wooden stick, Felina chuckled. "Leaving already?"
"Mm-hmm!" Nahida's eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled. "Teacher, you once said that the Abyss's disasters will soon descend on Teyvat again."
"With the current capabilities of the sages in the Akademiya and the overall strength of Sumeru, we cannot handle such calamities. As Sumeru's Archon, I must return in advance to oversee Sumeru and prepare for the impending disaster."
"Confident?" Felina asked with a smile.
Nahida nodded firmly. "I've learned a great deal from you during this time, and with your guidance, I should be well-prepared."
"Good." Felina smiled and nodded in approval. "In that case, go. May you retain your childlike heart and sense of wonder even as you master schemes and stratagems."
"Thank you for your blessing, Teacher. Thank you for your care and teachings during this time. I'm off now!"
"Please say goodbye to Furina for me," Nahida said with a smile, lifting her small bundle and walking away.
Boarding the railboat, Nahida began her journey back to Sumeru. This time, her goal was clear: to wrest back control from the Akademiya and officially ascend to her rightful position as Sumeru's Archon.
As for how she planned to reclaim power, it all traced back to a lesson Felina had once taught her during a rare, dedicated session.
Felina, as a god of a nation, was perpetually busy, so setting aside time specifically for Nahida's education was no small matter. Nahida, understanding this, always prepared her questions in advance, ready to make the most of every session.
During one particular lesson, Nahida posed her question to Felina:
"Teacher, after much contemplation, I believe the best way to reclaim power would be to emulate you—to incite conflicts between the desert and the rainforest, leveraging the desert people's strength to help me seize authority."
"But with your intervention, the rainforest has already successfully shed the desert's burden. It seems I no longer have any force I can rely on."
"Not necessarily," Felina replied with a calm smile, beginning her lecture.
To overturn the Akademiya—or any regime—the most effective strategy is to exploit internal contradictions. True, the desert, Sumeru's greatest liability, was no longer an issue, but that didn't mean Sumeru was devoid of internal conflicts.
Felina posed a question to Nahida: "Do you think the Akasha is a good or bad thing?"
Nahida paused, deliberated, and then answered: "It's both. The Akasha indeed provides Sumeru with great convenience, but I believe its existence stifles people's curiosity for learning."
Nahida's response was correct. The Akasha System was the legacy of the previous Dendro Archon, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. Powered by the Dendro Archon's Gnosis, the Akasha served as a supercomputer, connecting every citizen of Sumeru through their Akasha Terminals.
The Akasha collected and stored all knowledge learned by the people of Sumeru. Anyone could access this repository by querying the system. While incredibly convenient, this reliance on the Akasha bred a dependency that dulled people's innate curiosity and thirst for learning.
"You're not wrong, but you haven't grasped the essence of the matter," Felina said, tapping the blackboard.
She explained her perspective.
The Akasha amassed the collective knowledge of all Sumeru's citizens, but it didn't answer every query. The Akademiya, which controlled the Akasha, essentially held control over all of Sumeru's knowledge and decided how that knowledge was distributed.
The Akademiya had established a strict knowledge distribution system. If the Akasha deemed someone unqualified for certain knowledge, it would withhold that information.
"For instance," Felina elaborated, "say you're a farmer and ask the Akasha about the development of Sumeru's heavy military machinery. The Akasha wouldn't respond to such a query."
This level of control was stringent enough, but Felina continued, delving deeper into the true implications.
"Let me illustrate it this way," Felina said. "Imagine you're an ordinary citizen of Sumeru. Because of your difficult circumstances, you aspire to change your destiny and provide a better life for your family."
"When you reach the age to wear an Akasha Terminal, you eagerly ask it for knowledge about medicine, hoping to study and improve lives."
"But the Akasha, judging you as a farmer's child without the aptitude for medicine, assigns you knowledge about farming instead."
"In Sumeru's unique social environment, the knowledge you receive from the Akasha upon first connection largely determines your future role in society."
"In other words, from the moment this child donned the Akasha Terminal, their fate was sealed—not by their own efforts or aspirations, but by the Akasha, and by extension, the Akademiya."
Felina's face bore a faint smile, but her eyes gleamed with an inscrutable depth. "Nahida, I trust you've understood my point by now?"
Nahida's realization dawned, her back damp with cold sweat. "Teacher, you're truly terrifying," she murmured.
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