After the old man passed away, Furina’s life changed completely.
The money ran out quickly.
There were some savings in the iron box the old man left behind, but it was only enough to support her for half a year.
After half a year, she had to find a way to survive on her own.
She tried looking for other jobs.
The laundry wouldn’t take her because she was too young.
The restaurants wouldn’t take her because she was a girl.
She walked aimlessly along the street until she reached the entrance of a theater, where she saw a poster.
The poster depicted a woman wearing a gorgeous dress, with large characters written underneath: Opera “Goddess of Water”.
Furina stood in front of the poster for a long time.
She remembered herself before she transmigrated, remembered spending two months’ salary to cosplay as Furina, and remembered mimicking her expressions and movements in front of the mirror.
She loved Furina—loved her nobility, loved her elegance, and loved that beauty of hers that carried a sense of brokenness.
And now, she had become Furina.
She pushed open the theater door.
The head of the troupe was a woman in her fifties named Margaret, who had once been the most famous opera singer in France.
She had performed in the Saint Yier Theocracy, performed in Britain, and had even been to distant China.
But that was decades ago.
Now she was old, her voice wasn’t what it used to be, and she could only guard this small theater, leading a group of young people to perform plays that hardly anyone watched.
Furina stood before her and said, “I want to be an actor.”
Margaret looked her up and down.
A fourteen-year-old girl, thin and small, wearing an old dress washed until it had faded, but that face, those eyes, that temperament.
“Have you ever acted before?”
“No.”
“Can you sing?”
“I don’t know.”
“Can you dance?”
“No.”
Margaret laughed.
“Then on what grounds do you want to be an actor?”
Furina lifted her head and looked at her; in those heterochromatic eyes, there was something indescribable.
She said, “Because I need to survive.”
Margaret fell silent.
After a long while, she said, “Come for an audition tomorrow.”
Furina’s audition shocked everyone.
She had never acted, but she had watched countless videos of Genshin, watched countless expressions and movements of Furina.
She imitated the person in her memory, standing on the simple stage, reciting improvised lines, and performing improvised movements.
She wasn’t acting; she was becoming that person.
Margaret decided on the spot to take her in.
The four years that followed were four years of rebirth for Furina.
She learned vocalization, learned lines, learned body language, and learned expression management.
She woke up at five every morning to practice her voice, and at ten at night, she was still pondering the psychology of her characters.
She had played maids, princesses, mothers, maidens, good people, and villains.
Every time she performed, she threw herself into it completely, forgetting that she was Furina, remembering only that she was that character.
Margaret once said to her, “You are a born actor.
You have transcended the scope of acting; you have become them.
In my entire life, I have only seen this kind of talent three times.”
Furina asked, “Which three times?”
“The first was when I was young, in a temple of the Saint Yier Theocracy, where I saw a priest conducting a ceremony.
At that moment, I felt that he was not a priest; he was the deity itself.
The second was in Britain, where I saw a little girl dancing in a field.
She had never learned to dance, but when she danced, I felt it wasn’t a person dancing, but the wind itself.”
“And the third time?”
“The third time is now, looking at you.”
Furina smiled but said nothing.
She couldn’t tell Margaret that she wasn’t becoming someone else; she was becoming herself.
…
Spring, 888th year of the Holy Calendar.
Furina was eighteen.
That year, she became the most popular actor in all of Paris.
Every one of her performances was sold out, and scalper tickets at the door could sell for ten times their original price.
Her name spread to every corner of France, from Paris to Lyon, from Marseille to Bordeaux; there was no one who didn’t know of the girl with the heterochromatic eyes.
Some said she was an angel sent by the gods, some said she was the incarnation of a devil, some said she was the illegitimate daughter of a great noble, and some said she wasn’t human at all.
The rumors became increasingly outrageous, but Furina never cared.
She just performed every day, rehearsed every day, and spent her time in her small apartment reading and zoning out.
Something else happened that year.
That day, she was performing on stage, and halfway through, she suddenly felt something awaken inside her body.
It was a strange feeling, as if something were surging from the depths of her body, warm and soft, like water flowing over her skin.
She looked down at her hands and discovered tiny water droplets condensing on her fingertips, crystal clear, shimmering under the lights.
Hydro energy.
She had actually awakened Hydro energy.
After the performance ended that night, she returned to her apartment and tried to sense the magic power within her.
She discovered that the magic power was like a vast ocean, almost overflowing from her body.
She tried to condense it, tried to release it, and then she discovered that she could already do many, many things.
She could make water condense into any shape in the air, make water have any temperature, and could even allow people to breathe underwater.
She tried diving into the Seine River herself, stayed at the bottom of the river for a full hour, and not even her clothes got wet.
She had reached the fifth rank.
For fourteen years she had been unable to sense any magic power, and in a single moment of awakening, she had leaped directly to a fifth-rank mage.
There was no precedent for this in the magical history of any country.
And in present-day France, a fifth-rank mage was almost the most elite existence.
In all of France, one could find no more than ten fifth-rank mages, only two sixth-rank ones, and not a single seventh-rank one.
Furina didn’t know why she was like this.
Perhaps it was because she wasn’t originally from this world; perhaps it was because this body had special powers from the start; perhaps it was because for those years she had immersed herself in her roles, unknowingly completing some kind of cultivation she herself didn’t understand.
Regardless, she now had the ability to protect herself.
Two more years passed, and the magic power inside her grew more and more, so much that it was almost overflowing.
She didn’t know how to handle this excess magic power until one day, she remembered a setting from Genshin.
Furina had three personal attendants: Lord Uther, Madame Huit-Heures, and Miss Sebeleida.
She tried to use her magic power to create them.
Unexpectedly, she succeeded.
Those three people walked out from the shimmering water, standing before her, alive, flesh and blood.
They bowed to her and said, “Master.”
Furina looked at them, not knowing what to say.
She had only tried to create them, never expecting that she would truly create life.
What kind of power was this?
This had already exceeded the scope of magic; this was creation, this was the power of a deity.
But she soon stopped thinking about it.
With them by her side, her life became much more convenient.
Lord Uther helped her handle various miscellaneous tasks, Madame Huit-Heures took care of her daily life, and Miss Sebeleida kept her company to relieve her boredom.
She no longer had to stay alone in her empty apartment.
…
Autumn, 890th year of the Holy Calendar.
Furina was twenty.
That year, her fame reached its peak.
Her performances were no longer limited to Paris but had spread throughout all of France.
She had performed in Lyon, in Marseille, in Bordeaux, and in every place where people wanted to see her.
Every time she performed, the theater was packed, and the entrance was crowded with people who couldn’t buy tickets.
Her name had even reached foreign lands.
Merchants from Britain who came to Paris for business would always inquire if they could watch one of her performances.
Pilgrims from the Saint Yier Theocracy passing through Paris would also try every means possible to get a ticket to her show.
Even nobles from the German Empire would secretly send people to Paris to record her performances and take them back.
Newspapers in France reported on her news every day.
What clothes she wore today, where she was going to perform tomorrow, who she was meeting the day after—it all became news.
Some said she was the pride of France, some said she was the hope of France, and some said she was the only thing France could still show off.
Furina looked at these reports and found it somewhat amusing.
The pride of France?
She was just an actor, an actor who was lucky enough to awaken magic power.
The hope of France?
What could she do?
Could she change this utterly corrupt country?
Could she oppose the Titan Knights of the German?
Could she save those ordinary people struggling in poverty?
She couldn’t do anything.
She was just an ordinary girl who wanted to survive.
That night, after her performance ended, she didn’t return to her apartment immediately but had the carriage stop by the Seine River, and she got off to take a walk alone.
The Seine River on an autumn night was very quiet, the water surface reflecting the moonlight, shimmering.
She walked slowly along the riverbank, with Lord Uther following far behind, leaving her space to be alone.
She walked to a bridge, stopped her steps, and leaned on the railing to look at the river water.
Twenty years ago, right by this river, she had been born into this world.
That day, Paris was burning.
Titans of the German rampaged through the streets, and the air was filled with the sounds of battle and weeping.
She opened her eyes amidst the ruins, catching her first glimpse of this world.
Then, an old man picked her up, took her home, raised her, taught her everything, and eventually left her.
Now the old man is gone, but she is still alive.
Not only is she alive, but she has become the most famous person in all of France.
She has endless wealth, countless admirers, three loyal servants, and 5th-tier magical strength.
She should be satisfied.
Yet, she always feels like something is missing.
She looked up at the moon.
It was round and bright.
Was it the same moon she had seen before she transmigrated?
She did not know.
She only knew that she could never return to that world; this world was her home now.
Yet this home was in shambles.
France, the country she found herself in after transmigrating, was rotting away day by day.
The government was corrupt, society was collapsing, the rich indulged in debauchery, while the poor starved on the streets.
No one wanted to change anything, and no one could.
Everyone was just muddling through, waiting for the day the iron hooves of the German would trample Paris once more.
Furina looked down at the river.
The river flowed silently; no matter what happened in the world of men, it continued to flow just the same.
It was flowing when the Holy Goddess bestowed magic upon the land;
It was flowing when the Seven Divine Envoys established their nations;
It was flowing when the Divine Envoys passed away and war erupted;
It was still flowing when the German burned Paris.
It had witnessed the glory of France, the decline of France, and the countless lives and deaths of its people.
Perhaps one day, it would witness her death as well.
Furina suddenly smiled.
She turned around and saw Lord Uther standing in the distance, guarding her motionlessly.
Further off, the lights of Paris twinkled—some areas bright, others dark—no different from any other major city.
She took a deep breath.
The autumn air was cool but refreshing.
“Let’s go back.”
She walked toward Lord Uther.
The carriage carried her through the streets of Paris and back to her apartment.
Mrs.
Heimaima had already prepared hot milk and snacks, and Miss Sebeleida was waiting for her in the living room, reading a book.
She pushed open the door, and warm light flooded out to greet her.
“Welcome back, Master.”
Furina nodded, sat on the sofa, picked up the hot milk, and took a sip.
“What is the schedule for tomorrow?” she asked.
“There is an interview in the morning with a reporter from the Paris Daily.”
Miss Sebeleida said, flipping through her notebook.
“In the afternoon, there is a rehearsal for a new play.
Margaret said she wants you to try out for the lead role in ‘Goddess of Water’.
There is a performance in the evening, and the tickets are already sold out.”
Furina gave a hum of acknowledgement.
Another ordinary day.
She finished her milk, stood up, and walked toward her bedroom.
When she reached the door, she suddenly stopped and looked back at the three people in the living room.
They were still busy, clearing away cups, organizing notebooks, and double-checking the schedule for tomorrow.
They were not real people; they were creations born of her magic.
Yet they possessed feelings and thoughts; they cared for her, looked after her, and acted in her best interests.
They were her family.
“Good night,” she said.
“Good night, Master.”
Furina closed the bedroom door, lay down on her bed, and stared at the ceiling.
Moonlight from outside filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting faint shadows on the floor.
A faint sound drifted from the distance—the sound of the Parisian night breathing.
Twenty years ago, she was born amidst the flames of war.
Twenty years later, she had become a great star of France.
Tomorrow, the sun would rise as usual.
Let the days continue on like this.
This peaceful life seemed destined to continue forever.
Brief Introduction to the Worldview
I.
The Era of Creation and the Seven Divine Envoys
In the first year of the Holy Calendar, the Holy Goddess descended upon the chaotic world, bestowed magic upon the land, and created the Seven Divine Envoys.
Each of the Seven Divine Envoys established a nation, taught a specific elemental magic, and set a rule: the people of the seven nations could only learn their own nation’s magic.
Thus, the world enjoyed five hundred years of peace.
The Seven Nations and their corresponding elements:
Britain: Wind Element
France: Water Element
China: Earth Element
Japan: Lightning Element
Russia: Ice Element
Ottoman: Fire Element
Holy Rome Theocracy (Originally Grass Attribute)
II.
The Era of Chaos After the Passing of the Divine Envoys
In the 500th year of the Holy Calendar, the Seven Divine Envoys passed away simultaneously, and the world changed drastically.
The elemental barriers shattered, allowing the people of various nations to learn other elemental magic.
New elements such as Light, Dark, and Rock were gradually developed.
Meanwhile, the nations began to wage war against each other.
The wars lasted for centuries, and increasingly destructive magic was constantly developed.
III.
Status of the Seven Major Nations (Holy Calendar Year 890)
British Empire (Originally Wind Attribute)
They tamed wyverns and griffins, possessing the Wyvern Knights and the Griffin Knight Order, almost completely dominating the skies.
It is rumored they have even tamed dragons.
Wyverns are a subspecies of the dragon race; adult wyverns can release dragon breath equivalent to 7th-tier magic.
Dragons possess powerful magical strength and extremely high magic resistance, with immense physical power.
French Republic (Originally Water Attribute)
After the passing of the Divine Envoys, magic power continued to decline, and the citizens could not learn magic of other attributes.
The German Empire invaded in the 870th year of the Holy Calendar, burned Paris, and seized the Alsace and Lorraine magic crystal mining regions.
(Magic Crystal Mine: Ore rich in magic power)
France’s magical power declined further, and today, even 3rd-tier mages are extremely rare.
Forced to develop technology, by the year 870 of the Holy Calendar, they reached the level of Earth in 1870 (gunpowder, steam engines, etc.).
The French Republic was established after the war, but the government is corrupt and chaotic, and society is collapsing.
China Empire (Originally Earth Attribute)
Ruled by the Dragon Emperor, it is very mysterious, and the outside world knows very little about it.
Japan Empire (Originally Lightning Attribute)
Located on the islands in the easternmost ocean of the continent, it possesses many sea beasts and is skilled in shipbuilding.
Russia Empire (Originally Ice Attribute)
With a huge population and vast territory, they have domesticated giant creatures such as trolls and ogres.
The citizens are sturdy, proficient in ice-attribute magic, and possess extremely strong combat capabilities.
Ottoman Kingdom (Originally Fire Attribute)
They master powerful Forbidden Magic with extreme lethality.
They possess the ability to mass-produce magic scrolls, sealing magic within the scrolls to be activated at any time.
To obtain greater power, they sometimes sacrifice their own citizens.
Holy Rome Theocracy (Originally Grass Attribute)
They gain power through faith in the Holy Goddess and are the only nation on the continent that can use Holy attribute magic on a large scale.
They can summon angels; low-tier angels are equivalent to 4th-tier mages or Master-level knights.
The Twelve Archbishops (all 7th-tier mages) can combine their power to summon high-tier angels, which are rumored to be comparable to dragons.
They master Rune technology, which can be engraved on weapons to enhance performance.
IV.
German Empire
In the 700th year of the Holy Calendar, it suddenly declared itself an empire from a duchy.
Within a few decades, it unified a vast area of states east of France and north of the Holy Rome Theocracy, establishing the empire.
Core Strength: Titans
They rely on magic alchemy to manufacture giant war weapons.
Initially 2-3 meters tall, with technological improvements, they eventually evolved to be 3-6 meters tall.
They can only be piloted by knights of Master-level or higher.
After piloting, the Titan and the pilot become one.
Titan Characteristics:
Immune to most low-tier magic, possesses strong resistance to high-tier magic, significantly enhances the pilot’s magic recovery speed and magic power, and can achieve battles against stronger opponents.
Titan Power: The standard for measuring Titan strength; the higher the power, the stronger it is.
A Golden Samurai-class Titan (Power 1.8) piloted by a Master is comparable to a 7th-tier Archmage.
Titans piloted by Grandmasters can reach the “God’s Domain,” surpassing the 7th-tier level.
Three Major Titan Knight Orders:
Gold Cross (Imperial Guard): 30 Golden Samurai-class Titans, Power 1.8, piloted by elite Masters; extremely sophisticated, each one is an important asset of the empire.
Silver Cross (Elite): 120 Black Knight-class Titans, Power 1.5, composed of noble knights.
Iron Cross (Main Force): 300 Luminor-class Titans, Power 1.0, selected from excellent rank-and-file soldiers.
Imperial Grandmasters: There are only three in the entire country, each piloting one of the three legendary Titans, “Helfernon,” with a Power of 2.4.
Because they possess a large number of Titans and knights, the German Empire is known as the “Kingdom of Knights.”
V.
Two Major Transcendent Systems (Both require magic power)
Knight Cultivation System (Most people can step into this)
Through self-training and tempering the body, it is divided into three stages:
Knight: Corresponds to 1st-4th tier Mages
Master: Corresponds to 5th-6th tier Mages, can infuse magic into weapons to assist in combat
Grandmaster: Corresponds to 7th-tier Mage, the peak of Master, can condense magic into physical entities according to will
Magic System (Only those with magical talent can step onto this)
Divided into 1st-7th tiers.
Above 7th tier is the “God’s Domain.” 7th-tier offensive magic can easily destroy a town, with power equivalent to a 356mm high-explosive shell bombardment.