However, beneath Lovia's vengeful creative pleasure, the true fear buried deep in her heart had not completely dissipated.
The root of Lovia's fear was not just Xingqiu's inquisitive gaze itself, but also a little-known "truth."
Lovia was a transmigrator; her soul came from another world, and she possessed a part of "prophetic" knowledge about the world of allogene.
She knew what the normal form of a Melusine was like; a normal Melusine was more like a unique humanoid aquatic creature, rather than like her, who was almost indistinguishable from a human child except for having antennae, a tail, and wings.
She also knew that in all of Teyvat, there was only one known Melusine with a form similar to hers—Sigewinne, the Head Nurse of Meropide Fortress in Fontaine.
And the reason Sigewinne had that form was not natural.
Sigewinne had drunk a special potion to become human-like. That potion was created by an NPC using primordial sea water to dissolve Fontainians, and it was called the Shaping Potion.
The Shaping Potion was not a legal alchemical product; using it was a serious crime that would surely be severely punished.
Because of this, Sigewinne had always stayed within that underwater stronghold, Meropide Fortress.
"Sigewinne became human because he drank a prohibited potion, so he 'lives' in Meropide Fortress..." Lovia murmured softly, a chill running down her spine. "What about me?"
If the Fontaine authorities or the iudex Neuvillette found out about her appearance, what would be the consequences?
What would people think?
Would they think she was a natural Humanoid Melusina?
No, the greater possibility was that they would jump to the conclusion: this unfamiliar Melusine must have taken a prohibited potion through some illegal means to become this humanoid form that shouldn't exist!
Moreover, she wasn't sure if she was a natural Humanoid Melusina herself; what if this body really had drunk the potion?
She knew nothing of her own origins.
When she woke up, she was already in this form on a beach in Liyue, with no memories of this body's past and no idea how this body was formed.
This "unknown" was the most terrifying part.
Her greatest nightmare deep down was for her existence to be known by the Fontaine authorities, especially by that impartial Neuvillette.
Would Neuvillette believe she was a Melusine born naturally or through some other unknown means?
Absolutely not!
At that time, what awaited her would not be the embrace of her kin or the protection of the iudex, but more likely cold handcuffs and the dark prison of Meropide Fortress!
Neuvillette was known for being just and strict; he would never condone or tolerate any violation of the law.
The charge of "using a prohibited potion" was enough to have her escorted directly back to Fontaine and thrown into the deepest part of Meropide Fortress, perhaps even facing stricter supervision than Sigewinne!
After all, Sigewinne was a nurse; he had helped humans and was a Melusine companion well-known to his kin in Fontaine. But her? She was a Melusine who had suddenly appeared and whom no one had ever seen, with no friends or companions, and she had never helped humans.
She couldn't explain her origins at all.
Was she supposed to say she was a transmigrator and was born this way? Who would believe that? In the world of Teyvat, such a statement would only be dismissed as madness, or worse, seen as a quibble.
Moreover, it was impossible for her to expose her identity as a transmigrator!
Therefore, hiding was the only way out.
"Rotting in jail..." Lovia would shudder at the thought of that possibility.
Meropide Fortress was no good place; even if it was managed by Wriothesley, it was still a prison!
That was why, after transmigrating, she chose not to return to Fontaine. She hid herself carefully, covering her features with a large hooded cloak, for fear of attracting any attention.
Not even from the Liyue authorities.
The reason Xingqiu's gaze made her so panicked was not just because her non-human features were seen, but because he saw her core secret that was most likely to bring about catastrophe—those human-like body lines.
Although Xingqiu might not be able to link this to Fontaine's laws for the time being, who could guarantee that he wouldn't learn about the taboo of the Humanoid Melusina later?
The Feiyun Commerce Guild's business spanned across Teyvat; what if?
This fear of the disaster that could follow the exposure of her identity was the root cause of Lovia's intense reaction, even considering fleeing back to Fontaine immediately (though she didn't dare, or rather, didn't want to).
That article was less of a revenge and more of a release and distraction born of helplessness.
Unable to control the risk of her greatest secret being exposed, Lovia could only vent her anger in a childish, prank-like way on another insignificant "fake secret."
"Forget it, there's no use thinking so much." Lovia shook her head, trying to cheer up. "When soldiers come, I'll block them; when water comes... I'll use Earth Escape! No, Sea Escape!"
"Be optimistic, Lovia, don't scare yourself!"
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