[Start of the chapter] Time passed little by little.
Over the next few days, Toki behaved exceptionally well in the Fortress of Meropide.
Every day, he reported to the Production Zone on time.
He carried ore and organized supplies.
The work was exhausting.
But at least he could earn Credit Coupons.
That was enough for him to barely establish a stable life inside the Fortress of Meropide.
He didn’t cause trouble.
Nor did he deliberately provoke anyone.
Every day after finishing work, he returned to his cell to rest.
Occasionally, he exercised inside the cell.
He carefully observed the subtle changes in his body.
Just like that, two days passed in the blink of an eye.
That afternoon…
Toki had just finished working in the Production Zone and returned to his cell.
There, he saw a guard standing outside the door.
His tone was noticeably gentler than usual.
“Toki, come with me.” “Someone wants to see you.” Toki’s heart stirred.
He immediately guessed who it was.
Other than Furina…
No one would deliberately come all the way to the Fortress of Meropide just to meet an “assassin” like him.
He nodded.
Then he followed the guard out of his cell.
After passing through several dim corridors, they arrived in front of a secluded room.
It was the Fortress of Meropide’s visitor room.
Although simple…
It was considerably cleaner than his cell.
The guard opened the door and motioned for him to enter.
He remained outside instead of following him in.
Toki walked into the room.
At a glance, he spotted Furina sitting beside a table.
She was still wearing the same white ceremonial dress embroidered with wave patterns.
Her hair was somewhat neater than the last time he had seen her.
The panic from before was gone from her face.
But a faint trace of tension remained hidden deep within her eyes.
The moment she saw Toki enter…
Furina’s body instinctively stiffened.
She hurriedly stood up, her gaze shifting away from him.
Before Furina could say anything…
Toki quickly walked over.
His expression was filled with exasperated disappointment.
He spoke as though deeply troubled by her lack of progress.
“Lady Hydro Archon, why did you come here to see me?” “The most important thing for you right now…” “Is gaining strength worthy of your position.” “You can’t keep slacking off like this!” Those words struck Furina like a hammer.
She froze completely.
She stared blankly at Toki.
For a moment, she didn’t even know what to say.
And it was precisely those words…
That finally convinced her completely.
Toki really did know her secret!
He knew she wasn’t the true Hydro Archon.
He knew she possessed neither a god’s authority nor a god’s power.
She…
Was merely playing the role of the Hydro Archon.
A wave of grievance instantly surged through her.
Furina’s eyes gradually reddened.
Her blue-violet eyes shimmered with tears.
Hydro…
Looked as though it might overflow at any moment.
She bit her lip.
Her voice trembled slightly as she answered with a hint of a sob.
“I…
I want to have that kind of power too.” “But I can’t do it…” “It’s been five hundred years.
I’ve tried countless times.” “But I’ve never been able to obtain elemental power.
I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.” Seeing Furina looking so pitiful…
Toki’s heart softened slightly.
But he quickly hardened his resolve again.
He knew that sympathy wouldn’t help Furina right now.
Only by making her stronger…
Could Fontaine be protected, and could he become stronger as well.
He raised his chin slightly.
His tone softened as he asked, “You haven’t been able to obtain elemental power for five hundred years.” “Then haven’t you ever considered taking a different approach?” “A different approach?” Furina froze.
Her eyes were filled with confusion.
“What other way is there to gain power?” “Besides elemental power…” “What else could possibly give me the strength to protect Fontaine?” “Then train your body until you reach godlike strength!” Toki grinned.
His voice was filled with confidence as he explained word by word, “One hundred push-ups every day.” “One hundred sit-ups.” “One hundred squats, and a ten-kilometer run!” “If you had kept that up for five hundred years…” “Even without elemental power…” “Your combat strength would probably surpass that of an ordinary Vision wielder by now!” “B-But…
that sounds exhausting…” Furina frowned.
She muttered quietly, her voice filled with resistance.
She had spent five hundred years as the “Hydro Archon.” Although she had to perform every day and constantly maintain her image…
She had never endured that kind of physical hardship.
Just imagining herself doing that much exercise every single day…
Made her scalp tingle.
Toki couldn’t help laughing when he saw her reaction.
He asked in return, “Would that really be harder…” “Than pretending to be the Hydro Archon for five hundred years?” “Harder than living every day in constant fear?” “Afraid that your secret will be exposed, afraid that the prophecy will come true…” “Afraid that everyone in Fontaine will be swallowed by the sea?” Furina froze.
The aggrieved expression on her face instantly stiffened.
A trace of panic flashed through her eyes.
Toki’s words…
Had struck directly at the deepest fear and helplessness buried inside her heart.
That was right.
Five hundred years of pretending.
Five hundred years of suffering.
Living every single day in fear…
Was more unbearable than any amount of physical hardship!
But Furina quickly recovered.
Her expression instantly transformed into something exaggerated.
She planted both hands on her hips, raised her head, and loudly declared, “I…
I have no idea…
what you’re talking about!” “What do you mean, ‘pretending to be the Hydro Archon’?” “I am the Hydro Archon!!!” “Hahahaha!
I’m Fontaine’s Hydro Archon!” “Why would I possibly need to rely on such an exhausting method to obtain power?” Seeing this, Toki curled his lips.
He understood perfectly.
He knew it.
Even after he struck directly at the truth…
Furina would never admit her secret.
In the original story…
Even if she completely broke down in tears…
She would still desperately beg others to believe that she was the true Hydro Archon.
After all…
The lives of everyone in Fontaine rested upon her charade.
She couldn’t falter.
And she absolutely couldn’t admit the truth!
Toki didn’t expose her any further.
Instead, he simply asked in an even tone, “Then, Lady Hydro Archon, why did you come to see me?” “Surely you didn’t come all this way just to brag about being the ‘Hydro Archon,’ did you?” Furina’s smile instantly froze.
Her eyes became uneasy once again.
She hesitated for several seconds.
Then she took a deep breath.
Her posture softened, and there was a pleading note in her voice.
“I…
I’m begging you.” “Could you please not tell anyone about your suspicions about me…” “Or any of my secrets?” “Whatever you want, I can give it to you.” “Mora!
Status!” “As long as you keep my secret…” “I really can make whatever you want happen!” “Even if you want to become a noble of Fontaine…” “I can make that happen too!” (End of Chapter)