The discovery that the True King's young form could accelerate its growth by absorbing Indemnitium energy made Neuvillette extremely excited.
Originally, he thought waiting for the young True King to mature would take hundreds of years at minimum.
But now it seemed that even hundreds of years might be unnecessary.
The only question was whether such rapid growth would cause any side effects.
Neuvillette stroked his chin in thought.
After a long moment, he chuckled at himself.
If the True King's will had not descended to interfere, that likely meant there was no problem at all.
Once he reached that conclusion, the worry disappeared, replaced by obvious delight.
Compared to Neuvillette's excitement, Focalors' mood was more complicated.
The Indemnitium energy stored inside the Oratrice was something she had intended to use to deal with the future crisis.
Now that most of it had been absorbed by the young Progenitor, leaving only a tiny amount behind, it would be a lie to say she didn't feel distressed.
But at the same time, she was happy seeing the young dragon grow stronger.
Focalors often felt a strange sensation.
It was as though she were raising a little pet.
And seeing her "pet" grow up naturally made its caretaker happy.
"Sigh… forget it."
Focalors sighed and looked at Neuvillette.
"So what now?"
Neuvillette thought for two seconds.
"We return home and wait for the young True King to wake up. Then we can observe the situation."
"Alright."
Focalors nodded, lifting the noticeably heavier young dragon and heading home.
While walking back, she continued chatting with Neuvillette.
Focalors suddenly proposed a new idea.
Since the young True King could absorb Indemnitium energy, could it also absorb the power of the Primordial Sea?
Indemnitium energy was generated through the execution of justice.
But the Primordial Sea's power originated from the holy blood of the Primordial True King.
In terms of power hierarchy, the waters of the Primordial Sea ranked far higher.
They were something Indemnitium energy could not compare with.
If the young dragon could absorb Primordial Sea water…
Then perhaps Fontaine being flooded in the prophecy would never happen.
After all, if the Primordial Sea disappeared, what could ordinary seawater do?
At worst, they could simply build more ships and live on the ocean.
"That idea isn't bad."
Neuvillette considered the possibility seriously.
In theory, it should be feasible.
But it would require testing.
"We'll discuss it once the young True King wakes up," he said.
"At that time, we can bring him to the location of the Primordial Sea."
After returning home, Neuvillette went to patrol the surroundings.
Meanwhile, Focalors placed the sleeping young dragon on the bed and sat beside it, quietly waiting.
Time slowly passed.
Night fell.
The young dragon remained completely motionless, as if it had entered deep slumber.
Since she knew nothing had happened to it, Focalors wasn't particularly worried.
She yawned.
"Why am I getting sleepy too…"
"Probably because this little guy is sleeping so comfortably…"
After another yawn, fatigue overtook her.
She simply lifted the blanket and lay down beside the young dragon.
Before long, she fell asleep.
Not long after, Neuvillette returned.
Seeing the door left open, he looked slightly surprised but didn't think much of it.
He sat in the living room, keeping himself alert as usual.
Outside, the sky was filled with dazzling stars.
Unfortunately—
They were all fake.
Suddenly—
Neuvillette turned his head sharply.
His gaze passed through the open bedroom door.
In an instant, he felt as though he had been transported into the cosmos.
The roof disappeared.
The walls vanished.
In this boundless sea of stars, only he remained—
Along with the bed floating in the void ahead.
Focalors was sleeping peacefully on the bed.
The young True King beside her was the same.
Neuvillette slowly raised his gaze.
A massive phantom filled his vision.
Standing before it, he felt smaller than a grain of sand among countless particles.
Like a mortal facing overwhelming natural forces, he felt no ability to resist.
Only submission.
Only reverence.
Shock appeared on his face as his body instinctively prostrated itself.
The colossal phantom of an ancient dragon stretching across the stars slowly lowered its head.
Its gaze fell upon the bed.
A vast will descended.
The pressure on Neuvillette eased slightly.
He raised his head.
A pillar of spiritual light descended from the heavens, enveloping the young dragon.
Moments later, the light vanished.
Before Neuvillette could think further, the scenery suddenly shifted again.
He found himself back where he had been.
Looking around, everything seemed unchanged.
It was as though nothing had happened.
But Neuvillette knew clearly—
The Primordial True King's will had descended upon the young dragon.
He didn't sleep that night.
The next morning—
"Where did this child come from?!" Focalors suddenly exclaimed.
Neuvillette immediately looked over.
On the bed beside her lay a black-haired child.
The young dragon was gone.
But the reverence within his bloodline remained.
Combining it with last night's strange experience, there was only one possible answer.
"Don't panic," Neuvillette said.
"The True King's will descended. The young form should now contain a portion of that will, which caused the change."
"Huh?!"
Focalors looked like she had just seen a ghost.
"The Progenitor's will descended? When?!"
"Last night."
"Last night? Why didn't I know?!"
Neuvillette added calmly,
"It wasn't only last night. It happened once before."
Focalors' expression became complicated.
"You're not telling me that every time the Progenitor's will descended… I was asleep, right?"
She groaned.
"Does the Progenitor dislike me as a usurper, so he doesn't want me to know he was here?"
"You're overthinking."
Neuvillette replied calmly.
"The True King's will is too vast. You are not of dragon blood… you cannot withstand the weight of a single glance."
"Is that so?"
"Just a guess," Neuvillette said.
"But it's probably correct."
Focalors immediately laughed in exasperation.
"What kind of explanation is that?!"
After thinking carefully about yesterday, she suddenly realized something.
"Wait… yesterday I wasn't sleepy at all, but suddenly I felt extremely tired…"
What exactly had happened?
She became extremely curious.
After Neuvillette finished explaining everything, he said,
"Now it seems the young True King will gradually bear more of the True King's will as he grows."
"So the idea we discussed yesterday should also be tested soon."
Focalors nodded absentmindedly.
Then she glanced at the sleeping child beside her.
"You should probably find some clothes for your True King's young form first."
"Ah… my oversight."
Neuvillette immediately left.
[Collei]: Can Focalors turn little Gu Chen over? I want to see his face! (Shenhe • staring)
[Nilou]: Why is he sleeping face down?! Why face down?! (panic)
[Kirara]: Isn't Focalors curious?! Can she flip the little True King over? I want to see too!! (anxious)
[Kaeya]: Are Brother Gu's female fans always this unhinged? (scratching head)
[Azhdaha]: I don't understand.
[Yae Miko]: He's tiny like a little loach. What's there to see? (mischievous smile)
[Nilou]: I'm not interested in normal kids—I want to see the little True King!
[Collei]: Did you forget the Knights episode? Gu Chen as a kid was super cute! (Klee • yay)
[Paimon]: Sometimes I think you girls should never meet Gu Chen when he was little… especially if he couldn't fight back. Who knows what you'd do. (shocked)
[Nilou]: Hehehe…
[Collei]: Hehehe…
[Sigewinne]: I don't really understand… but I can imagine it somehow.
[Wriothesley]: Head Nurse, please don't learn from them. (worried)
[Zhongli]: Why has the Cult Leader remained silent?
[Osial]: Probably because there are too many weirdos here and he's scared. (smirk)
[Gu Chen]: Exactly. That's why both boys and girls should protect themselves when going out. (nod)
Neuvillette returned quickly.
Focalors looked at the pile of clothes he had bought.
She glanced at the motionless child on the bed, then at Neuvillette.
"You handle it!"
Neuvillette froze for a moment.
Then he nodded immediately.
"Alright."
In his mind, helping the True King change clothes was a great honor.
Focalors was still too inexperienced to appreciate such glory.
But Neuvillette felt he could handle it.
A few minutes later—
Neuvillette walked out of the room.
Inside, the child began crying loudly.
Neuvillette looked unusually dejected.
"What happened?" Focalors asked.
Neuvillette paused before answering gloomily.
"…I was rejected."
"Pfft—HAHAHAHA!"
Focalors burst out laughing.
Since the young True King was a dragon and Neuvillette was also a dragon, logically they should have been closer.
"Looks like he still prefers me!"
She snorted smugly.
Neuvillette remained silent.
He couldn't deny it.
Focalors went back inside.
The child was now dressed in the clothes Neuvillette had prepared but was still crying loudly on the bed.
"Why are you crying like a human baby?"
She quickly picked him up to comfort him.
As soon as she arrived, the crying gradually stopped.
The child's golden dragon eyes looked at her.
His chubby tear-stained face broke into a smile.
"So well-behaved~"
Focalors hugged him and returned to the living room.
She raised an eyebrow at Neuvillette smugly.
"See that?"
"Hmph."
Neuvillette snorted.
Being disliked by the True King's young form made him feel oddly bitter.
But then he remembered—
The True King's will had acknowledged him.
His mood gradually steadied.
"Being able to care for the True King's young form will be the greatest honor of your life," he said calmly.
"Work hard."
"Pfft."
Focalors rolled her eyes.
Then she frowned thoughtfully.
"You said the Progenitor's will descended… but why does he feel exactly like a human child?"
Neuvillette explained:
"The True King's will is vast beyond imagination."
"If the True King's true form were compared to the ocean of Fontaine, then the portion placed within the young body would only be a single drop of water."
"And its main purpose was simply to transform instinctive spirituality into conscious awareness."
"Ah… I see."
Focalors nodded.
"Want to visit the Primordial Sea?" she asked.
Neuvillette thought for two seconds.
"In a few days."
"Even delicacies shouldn't be eaten every day."
"Teaching the young True King how to speak… will probably require your effort."
"Why don't you teach him?" Focalors teased.
Neuvillette fell silent.
Focalors immediately grinned.
"See? When he does that, we laugh at him!"
The child didn't understand.
But seeing Focalors laugh, he laughed too.
"So cute~"
"Let's go! Neuvillette has terrible taste in clothes. Let's go shopping in the Court of Fontaine!"
Naturally, Neuvillette followed them closely.
[Alice]: Why does this look like a family of three going out together?
[Nilou]: It sounds ridiculous, but if you didn't know the truth… the feeling is really strong.
[Neuvillette]: Stop framing me. (surrender)
[Kaeya]: That's the True King's young form you're talking about. Neuvillette is sweating right now. (smirk)
[Azhdaha]: Trembling, aren't you little brother? (smirk)
[Focalors]: (Furina laughing)
[Yae Miko]: Based on previous episodes, Focalors will probably end up with our dear brother-in-law. So what's happening now could be called "A Good Husband Raised from Childhood."
[Collei]: Raise the husband you want from the start, right?
[Kamisato Ayaka]: The young True King is so attached to Focalors. His personality will probably depend entirely on how she raises him.
[Focalors]: (Paimon • piece of cake)
Days passed.
Teaching the young Progenitor how to speak turned out to be much easier than expected.
"Say 'Mommy,'" Focalors coaxed.
Neuvillette immediately frowned.
Focalors pouted.
"No no, that makes me sound old."
"Little dragon, say 'big sister' instead~"
Neuvillette's expression relaxed slightly.
The baby-looking child blinked and said,
"Focalors."
Focalors immediately grabbed his chubby cheeks and squeezed them gently.
"Say 'big sister!'"
"…Big sister~"
"That's better!"
Neuvillette hesitated, then stepped forward with hopeful eyes.
Focalors glanced at him teasingly.
"This one is called 'uncle.'"
Neuvillette paused.
"…Just call me Neuvillette."
"Neuvillette."
The child said the name.
Neuvillette smiled with satisfaction.
Focalors suddenly muttered,
"Maybe we should give him a name."
Neuvillette frowned.
"The True King already has a name."
Focalors looked at the child.
"What's your name?"
The child paused briefly before answering.
"Gu Chen."
"Gu Chen?"
CRACK—
A terrifying crimson thunderbolt exploded across the sky.
Focalors felt as though a hammer had struck her heart.
Her entire body froze.
In the next moment, she felt an indescribably terrifying gaze fall upon her.
It carried no emotion.
Yet it felt like a mountain pressing upon her soul.
Her spirit trembled uncontrollably.
"Do not speak the True King's name lightly!"
Neuvillette said solemnly.
Focalors finally regained her senses.
"…You can't even say the name?"
"That was merely the True King's will glancing back instinctively," Neuvillette said calmly.
"If it carried killing intent, Teyvat would already have ceased to exist."
Little Gu Chen reached out and gently patted Focalors' arm.
In a soft childish voice he said,
"Don't be scared~"
Focalors lowered her gaze.
"…Then calling you Little Chen should be fine, right?"
Neuvillette had long grown accustomed to Focalors' casualness.
After a moment, he nodded.
"That is acceptable."
"Good."
Focalors finally relaxed.
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