.
Back at the Momang Palace, Furina looked at Fu Ning with some curiosity.
"Fu Ning, I didn't expect you to know how to forge weapons!"
"Did you learn this in Fontaine over the past ten years? Or… did you recover your memories from before? Come on, tell me about it," Furina asked with curiosity in her eyes.
"My past?" Fu Ning fell silent for a moment. His past wasn't something easy to talk about.
"I remembered everything a long time ago, but…" Fu Ning looked up at Furina and smiled faintly. "Life is very good now. I just don't want to face what came before."
"But since Lady Furina is asking, I'll tell you."
…
(Delete, delete, delete.)
I'm really impressed. Everyone keeps complaining. No matter how I rewrite it, someone always finds a problem.
The explanation was already very clear—why can't people just accept it?
Yes, Fu Ning has character flaws. But that's no reason to attack him so viciously.
Fine then, I'll just delete everything. I won't keep it either, so you don't have to pick it apart after reading only halfway through.
I'll explain Fu Ning's origins later, so you don't give up partway through reading. That kind of thing ruins the mood—for both of us.
So just skip over the origin part for now and wait for the full explanation in over a hundred chapters.
(Author crashing out is crazy 💀)
What you need to remember is that Fu Ning is the leader of the Dark God Organization.
(Deleted.)
(Deleted.)
(Deleted.)
***
Thinking of this, Fu Ning lifted his head slightly and looked toward his own Seat of Destiny.
The third azure star slowly began to shine.
Seat of Destiny, Third Level: Origin.
Your story moved even the Primordial Ones to tears.
Fu Ning felt as though someone was gently brushing the corners of his eyes.
He collected himself, turned around—and saw Furina, who had at some point taken a seat next to him.
Furina reached out gently and wiped away his tears.
"Lady Furina…" Fu Ning opened his mouth to speak.
"Fu Ning, why are you crying?" Furina's voice was soft, but there was a tremble to it. Her heart ached as she watched him shed tears without realizing.
His past must have been truly heartbreaking. She felt her own eyes sting, just imagining it.
"I… I have no relatives…"
"Then cry, if you want to," Furina said quietly. She pulled Fu Ning into a soft embrace, letting his head rest against her shoulder. "Even someone like you needs rest, don't you?"
Fu Ning opened his mouth again, but no words came. He stood frozen in place.
"Fu Ning, you're so silly," Furina said with a gentle smile. "Do you like me?"
Fu Ning was stunned. He couldn't say a word.
"A loyal guard who only has eyes for me, would give everything for me, is handsome, eloquent, powerful… Who wouldn't like someone like that?" Furina smiled.
"You're just so slow to realize it."
"You said you have no relatives, right? Then how about… I become your family?"
As she spoke, Furina slowly guided Fu Ning's head down, letting it rest in her lap.
Fu Ning's eyes widened.
Her lap…!
A knee pillow…!
"Rest for a while, Fu Ning. Get some sleep. Everything will be okay."
"Lady Furina…"
"That's too formal. I remember you used to call me something else when we were alone. You were very cheerful when you said it, weren't you? Say it for me. I want to hear it."
"Uh… Fufu…"
Furina whispered softly in Fu Ning's ear. Gradually, waves of fatigue overcame him.
And at last, he fell asleep.
There were no nightmares.
***
The next day.
Fu Ning woke up slowly and felt a wave of relaxation wash over his entire body.
He hadn't had such a good night's sleep in a long time.
Especially the pillow beneath his head—Fu Ning had never slept on anything so soft and comfortable.
He couldn't help but rub against it.
Ah… this texture… it's truly heavenly.
"Hm… ha~ yawn~ You're awake? Fu Ning, you slept well. I didn't sleep a wink all night," Furina yawned, her voice soft and tired.
Fu Ning suddenly remembered—he was still lying on Furina's lap.
He sat up straight, startled, and stared blankly into Furina's beautiful yet weary eyes. His cheeks flushed red.
"Uh… that… Lady Furina, this is a misunderstanding…"
Furina smiled gently and raised a finger to rest against Fu Ning's lips.
"Shh. Last night, you kept calling me 'Fufu' this and 'Fufu' that. Why are you being so distant today? Call me 'Fufu' again—I want to hear it."
Fu Ning's face turned even redder.
"Uh… Fufu…"
About five hundred years ago, I discovered someone who looked exactly like me in the mirror.
I called her my mirror self.
She told me Fontaine was heading for catastrophe—that the nation could be swallowed by a flood at any moment.
I was terrified and didn't know what to do.
But she told me there was a way to save everyone.
It's just that… the process might be a little painful.
For the sake of Fontaine's people, I agreed without hesitation.
What's my own suffering, compared to the lives of an entire nation?
At the same time, she said many strange things I didn't understand.
Then she asked me to assume the role of the Hydro Archon.
She said that if no one suspected me during this time, she'd find a way to stop the prophecy and save Fontaine.
But if my identity were ever revealed… Fontaine would be destroyed.
But… how does one act like a god?
She told me I didn't need to know what a real god looked like.
I only had to act in the way mortals expected a god to act.
She said the task would be long and painful.
But she promised it would all end in a grand, dramatic trial—and everyone would be saved.
It sounded thrilling… and hopeful… didn't it?
But… I never imagined it would be this long… this painful.
Each day was lived in tension. I couldn't relax for even a second.
I was so alone… so miserable.
I wanted to confide in someone.
But if I told anyone the truth… Fontaine would perish.
So, I've carried four hundred years of loneliness—alone.
All the while, I never stopped investigating the prophecy.
But despite everything I tried, I couldn't stop it.
I think it's because I lacked someone powerful enough to help me.
Fontaine has Neuvillette… but Neuvillette is rigid, bound by law and order. He follows his own path, and he's not someone I could ask for help with this.
And then… Fu Ning appeared.
Fu Ning's arrival allowed me to finally loosen my tightly wound nerves.
His unwavering trust in me, his support… it gave me something I had never felt before.
This feeling… maybe…
Ahem.
Besides, Fu Ning is the Dark Demon God! He's also my follower!
No one would ever believe that a demon god would follow a false god.
They've all vanished from this world… but deep inside, I believe those scrutinizing eyes—those doubts hiding in the shadows—have vanished too.
Or perhaps… Fu Ning dealt with them.
I've been fulfilling my role as a god, and now, everything finally seems to be going well.
Fu Ning… I want him to help me investigate things that ordinary people can't.
Because his power is real. And power is the foundation of everything.
But… can I really trust Fu Ning completely?
I'm not sure.
Fu Ning is smart. He may have sensed something long ago, yet he's never said anything.
Is that a sign that I can trust him?
I dare not bet on it.
After all, we've only known each other for a little more than ten years.
I still don't fully understand what kind of person he truly is.
It hurts… Is there any way to know whether Fu Ning can be trusted absolutely?
…
I've figured it out.
Today, Fu Ning told me he had no family left.
He confided his painful past in me.
He showed me his vulnerable side.
That must mean he trusts me.
So I can trust him too—completely.
And if I trust him absolutely… how do I make him trust me absolutely as well?
He'd never doubt me, no matter what, right?
That's right. The people we trust most in the world… are our family.
If I could become Fu Ning's family… wouldn't he trust me fully?
But… is that just manipulation?
Am I deceiving and using Fu Ning?
I need to ask myself:
What are my true feelings toward Fu Ning?
Do I like him?
Yes… I think I do.
Really? Am I not just trying to use him for my own ends?
Maybe that plays a part too.
I'm sorry, Fu Ning. Please don't hate me.
I do like you.
As I said: a man who has eyes only for me, who's willing to give everything for me, who's handsome, kind, eloquent, and immensely powerful—
Who wouldn't like such a perfect person?
But yes, I also want to use you.
Your strength is unmatched. If I can fully harness it, I could solve countless problems.
You could silence the doubters.
You could preserve my role as the Hydro Archon.
You could manage issues from all six nations.
You could do everything!
Please forgive my selfishness, Fu Ning.
I'm sorry. I truly am.
You're a demon god.
And I… I'm just a human, pretending to be a god.
You can leave Fontaine at any time. You can go anywhere.
But I'm trapped on this throne—playing the god, day after day.
So, Fu Ning, I want to keep you here.
Your stage should be the entire world, not just the Opera Epiclese or the Palais Mermonia.
But still… I don't want you to leave.
I don't want you to go.
I don't want to go back to being helpless and alone.
I want someone I can lean on.
You.
Fu Ning, you're the only one who fits.
You're strong—stronger than even Neuvillette.
You're the most powerful person in Fontaine.
The Hydro Archon depending on a stronger follower?
No one would question it.
So please… don't leave me, Fu Ning.
Fu Ning…
Please.
Don't go.
***
✋😐🤚