[Venti: Sigh... The Anemo Archon's power comes from the faith of the people. Having neglected my divine duties for so many years, I must be the second-weakest among the Seven.]
[Jean: Your stories have long been told in Mondstadt. You used your divine power to cleave mountain peaks and hurl them into the sea, reshaping Mondstadt's climate and environment. Everyone marvels at the Anemo Archon's protection. If you need more power, I'll go and help spread your deeds immediately.]
[Venti cleared his throat lightly: I was only joking.]
[Video Compilation System: Among the original Seven Archons, only Barbatos and Morax remain to this day. In terms of strength, that speaks volumes. A god's power comes not only from the faith of the people but also from the god's own divine authority. The power of these two is so immense that both of their saddest famous scenes... stem from their friends.]
[Zhongli: No matter how great one's power, it has its limits. My life, too, is filled with many regrets. Having protected Liyue for five thousand years, I am now contemplating whether it is time to step down.]
[Ningguang: Lord Geo Archon... are you truly going to leave us?]
[Keqing: Have we done something wrong? Though I yearn deeply for a Liyue ruled by humans, this does not diminish my faith in you.]
[Zhongli shook his head: No. You have done very well indeed. It is precisely because you have done so well that I have begun to consider stepping down. Erosion is the enemy of all gods. Even the hardest stone cannot escape it. I fear that one day I may lose my reason and descend into madness, as Azhdaha did. I was able to seal my old friend with my own hands... but when that day comes for me, who will be able to seal me? But you need not worry. I shall remain in Liyue under the identity of Zhongli. If a crisis you truly cannot face should arise, I will step forward and quell it.]
[Nahida: A god's power derives from their divine seat and the faith of the people. As a newborn god, my own divine seat was weak, and throughout my five hundred years in Sumeru, only a scattered handful of people ever placed their faith in me. Even so, I still held the authority of dreams and could walk within the dreams of my people. No matter the circumstances, Focalors should not be utterly powerless. Therefore, in this video, Furina has been struck at her most vital point.]
Paimon placed her hands on her hips: "As the Hydro Archon, you can't even use Hydro elemental power, let alone divine authority?"
Furina quickly devised a response: "It's the Indemnitium! Yes, the Indemnitium! A god's power comes from faith, and the faith Fontaine's people hold in justice—I converted all of it into Indemnitium!"
"In order to bring energy to everyone's lives, I gave up all my divine power. See? What a selfless and magnanimous god I am!"
But Furina's explanation failed to convince the audience.
"That's a bit far-fetched, isn't it?"
"Yeah. No matter how selfless, you can't possibly have absolutely no power left. A god with no power at all—can they even be called a god?"
[Ningguang: It seems the inability to use divine power has put Furina at an absolute disadvantage.]
[Keqing: Indeed, the people would find it very difficult to accept a god who cannot wield divine power.]
[Neuvillette: What reason could there possibly be that Furina must masquerade as a god?]
[Furina: It is the only way to save Fontaine. But as for the specifics... continue watching the video.]
Paimon: "It seems your explanation isn't really convincing anyone, is it, Furina?"
Hearing the audience's skeptical voices, Furina grew anxious: "Everyone, please don't look at me with those doubtful eyes!"
"Don't you all love me so? I'm still the same Furina. You should all be on my side."
"On my side?"
By now, many in the audience had been persuaded by Lumine and no longer clung to blind faith.
"If Furina truly isn't a god... then this situation is extremely serious."
"Not just us, but our parents' generation, even our deceased grandparents, and all those ancestors from even further back... were they all deceived by Furina?"
Furina clutched her head in anguish: "Enough! Enough! Then tell me—if I'm not the Hydro Archon, then where is the real one?"
"Hmph. Right now, you have no proof that the true Hydro Archon exists, and no one else claims to be the Hydro Archon. So who else could the Hydro Archon possibly be but me?"
Paimon: "She's actually using that kind of logic... Damn it, how do we refute her now? Looks like Furina really isn't giving up!"
[Wriothesley: A perfect counterattack. Furina has found an excellent point of assault.]
[Charlotte: If Furina isn't the Hydro Archon, then the real one hasn't appeared before the people for five hundred years. Finding the true Hydro Archon would be harder than reaching the heavens.]
[Jean: I wonder how Lumine will respond.]
[The Knave: In a true negotiation, following the other party's line of thinking is a highly dangerous act. I trust the Traveler will not fall into this trap.]
Lumine fell into brief contemplation.
The answer was simple. Though they had no way to prove she wasn't a god, they did have a way to prove she was merely human.
Primordial Seawater!
Lumine: "Fontainians can dissolve in Primordial Seawater. Furina, since you insist you are a god and not a human, there is now a way to rule out the possibility that you are an ordinary citizen of Fontaine."
"My friend Navia has brought some seawater from Poisson. In Poisson, many people dissolved in seawater just like this, including Navia's closest friends. So, Furina, do you dare to touch the seawater from Poisson?"
"By your own account, as a god, touching this seawater should have no effect whatsoever. It would only win you powerful evidence in your own defense."
"But if you dare not... then the lie collapses on its own, doesn't it?"
"Of course, let me also say this: no one here wishes to see another person dissolve into the seawater. I hope you will not be reckless. Admitting your guilt is often far easier to bear."
As these words were delivered, Furina's spirits visibly plummeted.
These words won the approval of many in the audience.
"If Furina is human, then she's most likely a Fontainian. Will she just admit her guilt now?"
[The Knave: As expected of the Traveler. She found the flaw so quickly. If they had gotten bogged down in finding the real Hydro Archon to refute Furina, the trial would certainly have failed. The one who needs to present evidence to prove anything... is not the Traveler.]
[Lyney: The Traveler's wisdom is truly astonishing.]
[Neuvillette: It would be more accurate to say the Traveler was prepared long ago. The Primordial Seawater was a trump card kept in reserve from the very start. It seems they discussed a great deal in that meeting before the trial.]
[Paimon: Neuvillette, you took part in the preparations too!]
[Neuvillette: Indeed. A share of the wisdom in this scheme is mine as well.]
Furina stepped down from the defendant's stand and walked before the Primordial Seawater.
In the video, Neuvillette also did not wish for Furina to touch the Primordial Seawater. He cautioned, "Lady Furina, this test is a proposal unilaterally raised by the accuser. It does not fall within standard trial procedure. You have the right to refuse."