Who is the real Creator?
oh boy it's done! Sorry this chapter is mostly exposition and info-dumping nothing fun is really happening here. Thank you guys for the comments I loved reading them!
-TW: cult au, yandere, impostor au, mentions of being hunted down, mentions of trauma, self harm (nothing major)
-Gn reader and darling (please tell me if I mess this up message me and I will fix it)
part 1, part 2, this is part 3, part 4
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Reader's stomach turned but they tried to take even breaths.
This was ridiculous there was no evidence or proof. The manhunt was the most solid counterargument. If they were the Creator they would not have been hunted. Reader folded their hands and looked challengingly at Nahida. Try to prove it.
Nahida must have understood so she continued to talk.
"I admit I was confused at first I had assumed it was Reader who got the blessing as they had previously been able to control the acolytes, yet I was wrong. Due to Darling always controlling the vessels most of the time and due to the current Creator's presence being so weak even I managed to mix it up and I apologize for that."
She looked over at Reader with sincerity it made Reader uncomfortable enough to shift on their seat, and then she did the unimaginable, she stood up and bowed.
"Please don't I am not some creator you don't have to bow!" Reader said and jumped out of their seat.
Nahida stopped and looked over at Reader with a sorrowful expression.
"Your grace it is only fair, this was long overdue."
"No! you are wrong it still makes no sense it made more sense when it was Darling!"
"You may deny it but the more I spent with you, the closer I was with you, the clearer I felt it, your powers yet small like a budding seed are still there."
Shit she even brought up an allegory, is she being serious. From their peripherals, they could see Darling's uncomfortable expression. Reader pinched the bridge of their nose and exhaled.
"I don't feel any different though and there is so much wrong with that. I am not some creator."
Reader wanted to get up and sleep their hands felt twitchy and there was something buzzing in their skin. They needed to get out.
"Reader y'know have you. . . checked your blood yet?"
It was the first time Darling spoke in a while.
"What do you even mean, it's been red my whole life? Heck, you have seen me bleed multiple times as kids."
"I know, I know but maybe things changed when you entered this world when you were. . . you know hunted down," she quieted down at the last part, "D-did. . . you bleed?"
"N-no," Reader wrung their hands together," not really I got help from the monster and hilichurls with running away,"
Nahida made a sound of protest at hearing Reader's statements and looked down in guilt. There was a tense silence lasting only for a few seconds Reader just knew what Darling was about to say.
"Well, it doesn't hurt to check hey!-"
Reader jumped up and strode towards the kitchen cabinets taking out a knife.
"Y-your grace please wait-"
It was the first time Reader had heard Nahida stutter usually the Archon was so well-spoken and eloquent. Was it another thing she had to learn trying to fit the mold of the Archon of Wisdom?
"I have cut myself plenty of times when I first learned to cook it won't hurt."
They bought a knife towards the thumb and sliced it.
Clank.
The knife fell-
With it, golden blood fell down the floor as well.
Shit.
"Shit," Darling said.
Nahida sucked in a sharp breath.
"Your grace, please give me your hand we can't leave that be."
The Archon hurried over and opened her palms, their body moving in auto-mode as they crouched down and took Nahida's hand. Feeling what Reader thought was a small burst of dendro energy their small cut healed instantly. Nahida looked even more relieved than Reader was when the cut was healed.
Reader for the most part stood dumbfounded on the kitchen floor while Nahida watched them worriedly.
"Reader, are you okay. . .?"
"Darling what the," they paused looking at Nahida's small form," Do I do?"
"I think you should sit down first," Darling replied with a worried look.
For the second time, all three sat on the kitchen table this time for different reasons.
The weight of the revelation was a heavy burden and Reader wondered what Darling felt wearing that title. They neither wanted nor needed such a burden. Reader scowled.
"Hey Reader I've been thinking," Darling paused and looked unsure, "Do you think. . . This happened because you created my account?"
"Huh? Wait what," They paused thinking for a second, "That might actually make sense. . ."
Reader looked at Darling as if she had just solved their entire life mystery. Nahida looked at the two with confusion.
Right.
"Well, this is going to be hard to explain."
"It is alright by me take your time your grace."
Reader tried not to grimace at being called "your grace", they swallowed and held their hands together. They tried to explain what a phone and computers were and then what video games were until they took a deep breath and admitted that Genshin Impact was a game as well. Nahida remained still and took it all in rather well, Reader wondered how someone would feel if they said that the reality you live in was just a video game. When they came to that part Nahida looked contemplative a finger was put against her mouth as she was thinking. Reader thought about what the Archon of Wisdom could possibly think of in a situation like this.
"So our world was a so-called 'video game' in your world."
"Yeah it's uhh, sorry it's kind of messed up," said Darling with a Grimace.
Reader agreed all they could do was play with their hands as they waited for Nahida's reply. Maybe she'd think they were lying or both had lost it. The whole thing sounded ridiculous when they said it out loud.
"I think I get the gist of it."
"R-really you believe us?"
Nahida looked at Reader and nodded.
"This is not the first time that stories or in your case a 'video game' was made by a dream from another universe."
"Wait what," Reader stared dumbly at Nahida.
"Dreams can sometimes garner insight into other realities while it is rare it can happen, I assume the ones who made the 'video game' called Genshin Impact simply dreamed of Teyvat."
Reader put a hand on their head and tried to understand what Nahida was saying, it still sounded unbelievable even after entering this world. nonetheless, Nahida continued
"Other people playing this 'video game' should not be able to have affected Teyvat except when it comes to your grace, the Creator. Later on, you made this account, as you called it, could count as authority being handed over to Darling or a form of blessing which made Darling be able to control acolytes. The device you used in this case acted as a medium between two realities."
"O-Ohh. . . I am, I don't know what to say."
"This is mostly me guessing I can't say for sure if what I said is right, communicating between realities is extremely hard if not impossible but when it comes to your grace anything is possible," she said with a smile.
Seeing her smile Reader tried to relax a bit, stuff like this went over their head. Metaphysics was not their strong point. Reader rubbed their head.
"I don't get it but it also makes sense. . ." they paused, "also please just call me by my name I like to think we are friends now. . ."
Nahida looked at them with wide eyes but nodded with a happy smile.
"It is an honor and I like to think so too, Reader."
Reader smiled at hearing their name again from Nahida and the mood felt relaxing again. Reader suddenly felt exhausted the rain in the background lulling them. Nahida must have picked up their mood as they began to speak.
"This has been an exhausting day with many revelations, like a Snezhnayan doll we keep finding more dolls inside the ones we already opened."
"You know I am glad to hear you still speaking analogies."
"I am not sure why it does," she leans her head to the side," but if it makes you happy I am glad then."
Reader smiled at her.
"I think for now Darling should come back with me there is a guest room we could use, tomorrow will be a long day unfortunately I suggest we all try to get as much rest as we can."
Readed nodded and looked at Darling. Reader who hadn't talked to Darling in a long while before this day was a bit worried they knew Darling was usually not this quiet and well, demure. Where they were sitting they looked. . . Defeated.
Darling tried to look at them but they looked away, they knew what they would ask for. They did not want to or had no energy to entertain a sleepover with them. There was still much stuff unresolved on Readers part between them.
A cruel part of them was happy that they were hurting. Reader was hurt so Darling should hurt a bit too- they shut that part down. They did not want to indulge in cruel thoughts, They did not want to become someone cruel.
They had seen what cruel people were capable of.
Nahida bid farewell and took Darling with her. Reader said goodbye to the two and cleaned up the kitchen. Afterward, they headed to the bed.
They left the window open letting the breeze come in. A bird suddenly swooped in standing in the window sill looking at them curiously. Reader stared at the bird as well.
"Did you know?"
The bird did not answer.
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