Chapter 5: Diplomatic Mission to Inazuma

"To Inazuma?" Hearing Ye's words, Furina was momentarily stunned. She put down her pastry and her expression turned serious. "Isn't Inazuma currently under a policy of isolation? The situation there seems quite complicated, doesn't it?" "Yes, the Raiden Shogun, who, like you, Lady Furina, is one of The Seven Archons of Teyvat, has issued the Vision Hunt Decree after closing off the nation. The atmosphere in Inazuma is extremely tense, and there are also rebel forces. It's a very chaotic situation." "In that case, you shouldn't go! Over the years, you've only left Fontaine twice—once to Sumeru and once to Liyue. Sumeru has no god, and Liyue..." When mentioning Liyue, Furina suddenly gritted her teeth. "That Geo Archon who tried to poach you from me seems to admire you, so those trips weren't particularly dangerous. But Inazuma... the Electro Archon there isn't exactly easy to talk to. She's someone who prefers to solve problems with force. Trying to fish in troubled waters there won't be simple." "You misunderstand, Lady Furina. This time, my trip to Inazuma is a genuine diplomatic mission. It's different from my previous trips to Sumeru and Liyue, so I won't provoke the Raiden Shogun." During his trip to Sumeru, Ye had bullied the Akademiya so thoroughly that they were still struggling to recover centuries later, and Fontaine continued to benefit from their plight. As for Liyue... back then, Ye had a minor economic conflict with the Geo Archon, Morax, so he went to negotiate with him. In the end, the outcome was favorable. As Furina had mentioned, the Geo Archon admired Ye, so there was no real danger. In fact, the two had even become friends. From this perspective, Furina's concerns were valid. After all, the Raiden Shogun was nothing like the Geo Archon. She was truly difficult to reason with, and on top of that, her strength was unparalleled. Even Neuvillette, in his current state, would stand no chance against the Raiden Shogun. Even if Neuvillette were to regain his full authority as the Dragon Sovereign, it's hard to say whether he would be stronger than her—this can be deduced by comparing the combat feats of the Traveler, Tartaglia, the Star-Eater Whale, Scaramouche, and Neuvillette. A Traveler with two elements could defeat Tartaglia in his full Delusion form, but a Traveler with four elements still couldn't defeat Scaramouche after he became a false god. They needed Nahida's divine assistance and countless battles in dreams to finally overcome him. So, how does Tartaglia compare to Neuvillette and the Star-Eater Whale? Although Tartaglia was defeated by Neuvillette in an instant during their battle, he still managed to injure Neuvillette. Meanwhile, Tartaglia in his full Delusion form was able to hold his own against the Star-Eater Whale for an extended period—this shows that the Star-Eater Whale's raw power isn't particularly impressive, at least far inferior to that of an Archon. Its difficulty lies in its unique nature, making it hard to kill. This also tells us one thing: without his full authority as the Dragon Sovereign, Neuvillette is, at best, comparable to the top three Harbingers in terms of power—strong enough to rival an Archon. But if you pit Neuvillette against the Raiden Shogun... wouldn't an Archon still be instantly defeated by her? Huh? Isn't that the case? The Geo Archon of Liyue, the Electro Archon of Inazuma, the Cryo Archon of Snezhnaya, the Anemo Archon of Mondstadt, and the Pyro Archon of Natlan—comparing ordinary so-called "Archons" to these five is practically a joke. The authority of the Dragon Sovereign may seem prestigious, and indeed it is, but that doesn't mean dragons are superior to Archons, nor does it mean that Dragon Sovereigns are stronger than the most powerful Archons. The thrones of The Seven Archons do indeed incorporate the authority that originally belonged to the Dragon Sovereigns—but this doesn't mean that the power of The Seven Archons is entirely derived from the Dragon Sovereigns. To put it simply, the authority of the Dragon Sovereign is to The Seven Archons what a Vision is to a mortal—it's just a symbol of identity. The only thing that makes the Dragon Sovereign's authority special is that it is bound to the thrones of The Seven Archons, and the thrones are bound to the lives of The Seven Archons, making it impossible to willingly relinquish. However, if not for the rules set by the Heavenly Principles, none of The Seven Archons would have wanted this authority to be integrated into their thrones. The thrones of The Seven Archons are inherited from generation to generation. Ei, the Raiden Shogun, wasn't originally one of The Seven Archons, and she didn't initially possess the authority of the Dragon Sovereign. Yet, her martial prowess completely surpassed that of her sister, Makoto, who was one of The Seven Archons and had the Dragon Sovereign's authority integrated into her throne. Why is that? —Because the authority of the Dragon Sovereign is unnecessary. Any Archon possesses their own divine authority. The thrones of The Seven Archons, integrated with the Dragon Sovereign's authority, are symbols of their divine power—but that's all. It has nothing to do with their actual strength. The weak, like Nahida, remain weak whether or not they have a throne. The strong, like Morax, remain strong whether or not they have a throne. Dragons vary in strength, Dragon Sovereigns vary in strength, and Archons also vary in strength. Unfortunately, among the Archons still existing today, aside from Nahida, there are no longer any who could be considered weak. As for Nahida—her true terror doesn't lie in her strength. Nor does it lie in the authority of the Dragon Sovereign. It lies in the divine authority she wields as the incarnation of the Irminsul. Anyone who thinks she's weak and easy to bully is a fool. In any case, Ye had already decided centuries ago that he would offer Nahida a favor when she was on the verge of escaping her imprisonment, using it to repair relations with Sumeru. ...And, of course, to plunder the Akademiya one last time before Nahida's escape. Hmm, as long as the favor is delivered well, Nahida probably won't mind, right? Heh. Ye couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Why don't you ask Neuvillette if he has the power to destroy the thrones of The Seven Archons after regaining his full authority as the Dragon Sovereign? Furina herself might think that her declarations of being able to "judge even the gods of other nations under the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale" are nothing more than bluffs to perform her role as the Hydro Archon, emphasizing her strength to boost her people's confidence and ease their anxieties. She probably believes it's all just an act—and she's convinced of that. So, of course, she couldn't possibly imagine that, because of her bluffs, because of the unwavering faith of the people of Fontaine over the past five centuries, the Oratrice has accumulated an immense amount of power. Now, it's no longer a bluff. It's the real deal. The current Hydro Archon, Focalors, can now judge even gods—and their thrones—with absolute authority. Of course, she wouldn't do that. The power that could even break the laws set by the Heavenly Principles and destroy the thrones of The Seven Archons—she's saving it to kill herself. But these are all digressions. The main point now is that the Raiden Shogun is strong, and Inazuma is dangerous. Indeed, if you accidentally provoke that woman—that goddess—she won't show anyone any mercy, whether you're an envoy from the Cryo Archon or the Hydro Archon. She'll cut you down without hesitation. Furina is naturally worried. Her intelligence network spans the entire continent of Teyvat, and she is well-informed about the situations and gods of each nation. Furina knows that her Supreme Archbishop and Chief Justice are both incredibly powerful. Even if they were to face an Archon, they likely wouldn't be at a disadvantage. Like the top three Harbingers, the Supreme Archbishop and Chief Justice of Fontaine undoubtedly possess power comparable to that of an Archon—but Furina doesn't believe they can match the Raiden Shogun of Inazuma. Inazuma, Natlan, Liyue, and Snezhnaya—among the seven nations of Teyvat, these are the most dangerous, as their Archons grow increasingly monstrous in strength. ...As for Mondstadt, Furina isn't so sure. The Anemo Archon of Mondstadt is the most mysterious of The Seven Archons. Among the seven nations today, there is one that is considered godless—Mondstadt. That's the common perception. In reality, among the seven nations today, there are two that are godless—Sumeru and Mondstadt. But unlike Sumeru, where the current Dendro Archon is imprisoned by her own people, Mondstadt is godless because its Anemo Archon, as ancient as the Geo Archon of Liyue, voluntarily abandoned his divine throne. However, even though he no longer sits on the throne, Mondstadt still worships him, and he continues to protect Mondstadt from the shadows, helping the nation overcome countless challenges. This is completely different from the situation in Sumeru. But precisely because he operates in the shadows and rarely intervenes directly, it's difficult to gauge his true strength. Of course, right now, the Anemo Archon's strength isn't the issue. What matters is that the Raiden Shogun is strong enough, and that alone is reason enough for Furina to oppose her Supreme Archbishop's mission. "Your diplomatic methods have always been extreme. Even if you tell me not to worry, I can't possibly feel at ease. So, I don't agree." "I also think it's a bad idea," Neuvillette said thoughtfully. "Inazuma is in a sensitive period right now. If Ye were to do something extreme, it could potentially lead to a war between our nations." "...What kind of image do you two have of me?" Furina couldn't help but roll her eyes at Ye. "Think about what you did during your last diplomatic mission to Sumeru. Think about how you met the Geo Archon of Liyue. What kind of image do you think you have in the minds of the gods and people of Teyvat?" "I already said, this time is different. I won't act the way I did before." Furina immediately turned to Neuvillette. "Neuvillette, do you think he's trustworthy?" Neuvillette took a sip of water and said calmly, "No." Ye also said calmly, "This time, when I go to Inazuma, I'll bring back some water that the Hydro Dragon Sovereign can't obtain." Neuvillette said calmly again, "Trustworthy." Furina's eyes widened. "You're letting yourself be bribed by a little water? Is this how the Chief Justice of Fontaine behaves? How disgraceful!" Ye added calmly, "Right now, Inazuma is under isolation, so it's difficult to bring back their pastries. But once I unlock the Teleport Waypoints in Inazuma, I'll be able to go there anytime to buy pastries." Furina glared at Ye. "Comparing me to Neuvillette is an insult. Am I the kind of god who can be bribed with a few pastries? The only reason I'm agreeing to your mission is because I'm concerned about the current situation in Inazuma and want to establish formal diplomatic relations with them. Understood?" Ye nodded. "Yes, I understand, Lady Furina."