"That's possible… but unlikely."
Qiu Nian frowned slightly.
"Havria's divine fragment was only a very small portion of her original godhood."
"And she has long since fallen. Her divine power dissipated upon death."
"So the fragment formed from her authority should already be a pure, primordial shard."
"When I gave it to Lumine… I didn't sense even the slightest trace of her lingering power."
"…Though, this still requires further confirmation."
He rested his chin on his hand, speaking slowly.
Venti looked thoughtful.
"I see… so you mean we can use the other two fragments inside her as references?"
"Exactly."
"Strictly speaking, all three should now be considered primordial fragments."
"Only… one of them is significantly larger and heavier."
Qiu Nian nodded.
"That larger fragment…"
"Would be from the Overlord of the Vortex—Osial, right?"
Venti asked.
"Mm."
"When Osial gave me that fragment, he merely lost his qualification as a god."
"His strength itself wasn't significantly diminished."
"But that fragment…"
"Contained none of his power."
"It was simply a larger primordial shard."
"The same applies to the God of Obscuration."
In other words—
The divine fragments of Havria, Osial, and the God of Obscuration—
Were essentially pure authority.
They varied in scale—
Some vast, some small—
But their essence remained the same.
Even though possessing a divine fragment allowed one to wield greater power—
The fragment itself did not contain elemental energy.
And yet—
Lumine could draw elemental power from them.
If those fragments had retained the gods' original power—
That would make sense.
But the problem was—
They didn't.
"So what you're saying is…"
"If the Traveler resonates with Hydro and Dendro in the future…"
"And she can still draw elemental power from these fragments…"
"Then…"
Venti's pupils shrank slightly.
"…Exactly."
"That would confirm our hypothesis."
"And if she can draw even stronger Hydro power from Osial's fragment…"
"Stronger than her current Geo…"
"Then things become even more interesting."
Qiu Nian smiled faintly.
"Though… I think there's another possibility."
Venti crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"As a Descender, the Traveler has an extremely high affinity for elemental power."
"And since the Primordial is also a Descender…"
"Perhaps its fragments enhance her elemental affinity."
"That's why her Geo power appears stronger?"
"…Mm."
Qiu Nian considered it carefully.
That possibility—
Was indeed quite plausible.
"But…"
"If she resonates with Hydro and ends up wielding even stronger Hydro than Geo…"
"Then my theory falls apart."
Venti chuckled.
"Haha…"
"Not necessarily."
Qiu Nian shook his head lightly.
"Osial's fragment is far more powerful than Havria's to begin with."
"It could simply be that her affinity for Hydro surpasses her affinity for Geo."
With that, he began walking forward.
Venti followed beside him.
"If I hadn't met you today…"
"I might never have considered these possibilities."
Qiu Nian said with a faint smile.
"How about a bet?"
"A bet?"
Venti's eyes lit up with interest.
"Two possibilities."
"Whether Lumine's future strength comes from increased elemental affinity…"
"Or from that other reason."
"I'll bet on affinity."
Venti chose after a brief pause.
"Then I'll bet on the other."
Qiu Nian smiled faintly.
"What's the wager?"
Venti grinned.
"How about this—whoever loses buys the other a few bottles of the finest wine?"
Qiu Nian nodded.
But then stopped walking.
"For now…"
"You should go back to Lumine and Paimon."
"Stay with her through Mondstadt's Windblume Festival."
"She needs to form her own understanding of this world…"
"Before reaching the end of her journey."
Venti fell silent.
Then sighed.
"You're similar to the old man, in a way…"
"But you're more radical. More extreme… almost reckless."
"You were so close to succeeding back then."
"But tell me…"
"Was it really just 'a little short'?"
"Was it truly necessary?"
"There is nothing in this world that lasts forever."
"Even the old man knows—"
"That stone will eventually turn to dust."
Qiu Nian didn't respond.
He walked up a slope—
And gazed into the distance.
At the massive skeletal remains of Durin.
"…Because I've seen that despairing darkness."
"Because I was once so close…"
"That is why I have returned."
"If success is impossible…"
"Then even breaking the shell of this world and erasing the Abyss—what would it change?"
Qiu Nian closed his eyes.
As if recalling something—
A darkness vast enough to devour countless stars.
"I know nothing can last forever."
"But I still hope this world…"
"Can continue—"
"Until its natural end."
"Not be destroyed by something unnatural…"
"Not be consumed by slow corruption or sudden annihilation."
He opened his eyes.
Looking out at the world before him.
A faint crease formed between his brows.
"And because I have found… even the smallest possibility…"
"No matter how slim…"
"Even if what I once believed was 'almost success'… wasn't truly close at all…"
"As long as there is hope…"
"I will try."
He turned slightly—
And smiled faintly at Venti.
"…Wouldn't you agree?"
"You—the wind that brings even the smallest chance of change and hope."
Venti's pupils trembled.
"…Yes."
"No matter how hopeless things seem…"
"You won't know unless you try."
"The wind that brings even the smallest turning point…"
"When facing that overwhelming darkness…"
"May no longer be able to bring change…"
"And only carries that last… pitiful trace of hope…"
He stepped forward.
Soft teal divine power rose around him.
He extended his hand.
His expression complicated—
Yet resolute.
"Guixu… the god who descended upon this world alongside the Primordial…"
"…Then let Barbatos…"
"Entrust this final sliver of hope to you."
"…If it can truly make a difference."
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