Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

The moon sets behind the mountains, and no light enters the courtyard.

Russell's words and the Eye of God acted like a heavy anchor, dragging Heureia completely into the abyss of despair.

Reason told Heureia that the cruel scene before her was very likely real, but a faint flame still struggled futilely deep within her heart.

Just a few days ago, the blond traveler stood before her, his eyes clear, and he told her with certainty that Ningguang had made "proper arrangements" for Ninglan.

Such a person, such sincere gaze... Could it also be a carefully woven lie? Could it be that everyone in Liyue, from the Seven Stars high above Jade Capital Terrace to the travelers they meet by chance, is working together to weave a colossal lie to deceive her?
Even if Ning Lan is really gone... she still has Yinyuan Hall, and those children who follow her, love her, and are regarded as her subjects.

Russell keenly caught the last glimmer of hope in Heureia's eyes.

He didn't say anything, but expressionlessly unbuttoned the cuffs of his well-made shirt, revealing a very well-hidden pocket.

Russell reached inside and pulled out a neatly folded letter.

The edges of the paper were slightly wrinkled, emitting a faint, lingering fragrance.

"This is a letter that the Fatui intercepted from the secret channels of the Liyue Sept."

"The letter used a mixture of three languages ​​for encryption. We only cracked one of them, but the key information was clear enough."

"The letter records a tragedy that occurred during the transport of prisoners from the Silver Plains Hall to the Rocky Abyss."

Russell's voice was flat and monotone, as if he were reading an official document.

Heureia's fingers were cold and stiff as she mechanically took the thin piece of paper.

During the Age of the Demon Wars, it was the chaotic early days of Teyvat's common language. Although the forms and meanings of the words have changed since then, Heureia still understood the cold words that the Fatui had deciphered and labeled in the current common language.

“The deep abyss of layered rocks…the criminals imprisoned by the Silver Plain Hall…a total of seventy-six people, fourteen less…all perished in the fire…to prevent any lingering poison, they were buried on the spot.”

"Seventy-six people, fourteen short, all perished, buried on the spot..."

Every word felt like a red-hot branding iron, searing into Heuria's eyes. Salt Mother's fingers, gripping the letter, trembled violently, the fragile paper rustling under the weight, and her vision began to blur and spin.

Russell's voice rang out at the right moment, still cold, yet seemingly carrying a kind of well-intentioned advice.

"There is no need for the Fools to deceive Your Majesty on this matter. The incident at the Abyss of Layered Rocks was of considerable scale. Members of the treasure-hunting group who witnessed the incident are scattered everywhere, and the news has already spread in secret. You can easily verify the truth by leaving here and making a few inquiries."

At this point, no matter how absurd or unbearable the ending may be, Heureia understood that the truth was as solid as iron.

Ning Lan turned into ashes in the box, while the people of Yinyuan Hall perished in the flames and deep earth of the layered rock abyss.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Heureia's chaotic mind like lightning. She jerked her head up, her unfocused eyes fixed on Russell, her voice hoarse and broken:
"What is Ning Lan's exact death date?!"

"Based on our estimation, it was about seven days ago, in the early morning."

Russell's answer was precise yet left room for ambiguity.

Seven days ago…

Heureia murmured, repeating the same phrase. It was the afternoon she had met the traveler.

The traveler's gentle smile, the reassurance in his eyes, and the reassuring words about proper arrangements.

It turns out that beneath that gentle smile, and within those whimsical adventure stories, lies a chilling deception.

Herria's gaze was vacant, fixed on the small wooden box and the dull Eye of God on it, as if she were depicting Ning Lan's final appearance in frozen time.

Cold tears slid silently down her face, leaving wet streaks on her pale cheeks.

But to Russell's surprise, Heureia did not completely collapse as she had anticipated.

When the heart-wrenching truth finally came to light, the despair and chaos that had enveloped Herria receded rapidly like a receding tide.

The resilience forged by ancient demons through blood and fire has reclaimed this body that had lost its power.

During the years of the war between demons and gods, she had long been accustomed to the mountains of corpses of her people. The loss of countless lives could not destroy her will. The severing of the last bloodline of the Salt Earth lineage brought a tearing pain, but it was also like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the brief grief and confusion, and allowing Heuria to return to a kind of almost cold clarity.

Heuria slowly raised her eyelids, her tear stains still wet, but her eyes were as calm as a frozen deep pool.

Her gaze swept over the still-standing Russell, finally settling on the wooden box on the dressing table containing his ashes and the lifeless Eye of God. Her voice was unusually calm, even carrying a hint of hoarseness after everything had settled:
"Butler Russell, may I have the safekeeping of Ning Lan's ashes and this Eye of God?"

A faint hint of surprise flashed across Russell's eyes as he scrutinized the demon god before him, who had managed to quickly extricate himself from overwhelming grief and display astonishing self-control. His assessment of the plan subtly rose by one point.

After receiving Ning Lan's urn and the Eye of God, Ning Guang kept the urn hidden deep in a secret room in the Yiyan Palace.

The Fools went to great lengths to obtain the box and the Eye of God without anyone noticing.

The current situation is proceeding exactly as planned by Pantalone, so Russell nodded slightly without hesitation and gracefully gestured his arm toward the table.

"As you wish, Your Majesty, please do as you please."

Heureia reached out her hands and carefully gathered the wooden box containing her loved one into her arms.

Her movements were gentle, as if she were handling a sleeping infant, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the cold surface of the box. But the heavy wooden box was still too much of a burden for her body, which had lost its power and was no different from an ordinary person.

After only a short while, Heureia's arms began to tremble slightly, her knuckles turned white from the force, and her forearms showed signs of strain.

Russell observed coldly from the side, taking in her reluctance. The old butler hesitated for a moment, then finally extended his hand and suggested in a calm tone:

"If Your Majesty finds it too heavy, I can do it for you."

Heuria shook her head upon hearing this. Without looking at Russell, she slowly bent down and carefully placed the urn back on the dressing table, letting out a soft breath.

Then, Heureia's gaze turned to the Eye of the Geo Elemental on the table.

She reached out towards the Eye of God, her fingertips trembling almost imperceptibly, yet she picked it up with unwavering determination. The crystal radiated a warm, slightly dim light in her palm, the worn, dark knot at the end dangling down. (End of Chapter)