96: Fontainebleau Cream Studies, and the Man at the End of Science

The first hour after the conclusion of the CCG EXPO convention incident.

Furina's a cappella singing, without any accompaniment, was edited into a high-definition video and uploaded to major global video platforms under the title "[Official Pure Enjoyment Edition] Furina's Live Performance of 'La Vaguelette' at the Convention."

Three hours later.

Through the spontaneous collaboration of netizens worldwide, subtitled versions in over fifty languages—including English, Japanese, French, Spanish, and Russian—appeared online almost simultaneously.

#FurinaAria#

#FontaineCreamIsRich#

#HolyGrailIsAOneWayTicket#

Three seemingly unrelated hashtags simultaneously topped the social media trending charts in over one hundred and fifty countries and regions with an overbearing momentum.

Under the first hashtag were the tears and shock left by countless people who had played the video on loop.

"I don't understand it, but I'm deeply shaken."

"There's a story in this voice; I hear five hundred years of solitude."

"Stop it, my tears are worthless!"

Under the second hashtag, the tone shifted abruptly, evolving into a serious yet absurd global academic seminar on gastronomy.

"So the cream in the game is an Earth-exclusive version? miHoYo, you've done enough evil!"

"Is there any big shot going to Fontaine to open a dessert shop? I want to taste authentic Mille-Feuille!"

"Paper published: 'A Sociological Observation on the Impact of Cream Fluffiness on the Taste Buds of Cross-Dimensional Travelers.'"

The third hashtag, however, sent a bone-chilling cold through the intelligence agencies and high-level governments of countless nations.

"A one-time ticket; the passage closes as soon as the war ends."

"Damn it, the ticket for interstellar travel is gone just as soon as we saw a glimpse of it?"

"In other words, we can never actively travel to that world called Teyvat?"

Within twelve hours.

A tenured professor in the Physics Department at MIT posted a long article on his personal Twitter.

The title was: "Preliminary Conjectures on 'Concept Solidification' and 'Authority Extension' as Hyper-Dimensional Physical Phenomena."

In the article, this Nobel Prize nominee quoted Furina's explanation of "mora" word for word.

He proposed that if a "Gnosis" is a high-dimensional energy source capable of warping local physical constants, then solidifying the concept of "Geo" into a precious metal containing the attribute of "Value" is theoretically possible.

This article instantly triggered a massive earthquake in the academic world.

Countless physicists, chemists, and economists joined the debate.

Some dismissed it as pseudoscience, a disgrace to modern physics.

Others believed it was the key to opening the door to a new world, a catalyst for the leap of human civilization.

Twenty-four hours later.

An unofficial academic website named "Teyvat Interdisciplinary Research" was quietly established.

The website's server crashed three times on the first day due to excessive traffic.

Its sub-forums were filled with titles that were both laughable and thought-provoking.

"Comparative Creamology"

"Analysis of Morax's Gnosis Energy Forms"

"A Study on the Possibility of Temporary Rips in the World Barrier"

The absurd and the serious, fantasy and science, were intertwined in an unprecedented way.

Inside the Ninth Bureau, China.

Chen Jianguo looked at the report in his hand.

"Reporting to the Director, Elder Zhao from the Kyoto Supreme Physics Laboratory, along with over a dozen academicians from the two academies, has officially submitted a project application to the top leadership."

"The project name is..."

The secretary paused and read out the lengthy name.

"Research Report on the Physical Verification and Application Prospects of Oral Intelligence Provided by Caster Furina."

"The initial budget requested is..."

"Nine figures."

Chen Jianguo put down the report, picked up the thermos on his desk, unscrewed it, and blew on the goji berries inside.

Rome.

Inside the presidential suite.

Jiang Ming leaned back on the soft sofa, browsing the light screen projected by mirror image no. 2 with great interest.

On the screen was that very "Teyvat Interdisciplinary Research" website.

He even clicked on a ten-thousand-word article titled "Preliminary Inquiry into the Taste Differences Between Fontaine and Earth Cream" and began reading it with relish.

In his sea of consciousness.

On the panel of the fate selection system, the emotion points numbers were scrolling frantically at a terrifying speed.

Fear, joy, shock, curiosity, greed, disappointment... The complex emotions contributed by the entire world were like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, finally converging into a staggering number.

[emotion points Balance: 2,145,000,000]

Jiang Ming closed the paper on cream texture.

It was time for another actor to take the stage.

"No. 2."

"Filter for a supreme symbol that exists in the collective human cognition, representing 'Science,' 'Laws,' and 'Rationality.'"

"Understood."

mirror image no. 2's cold electronic voice rang out.

Its data stream traveled rapidly through the long river of thousands of years of human history.

Aristotle, Archimedes, Galileo, Einstein... countless shining names flashed by.

Finally, the data stream locked onto a single name.

A man who, by his own strength, defined order for the human world and defined "Force" and "Motion."

Isaac Newton.

Jiang Ming looked at Newton's life in the system database.

In the first half of his life, he was the incarnation of science, the synonym for rationality, discovering Universal Gravitation, establishing the classical mechanics system, and laying the foundation of modern science.

In the second half of his life, however, he plunged headlong into the dusty piles of alchemy and theology, attempting to use mathematical methods to prove the existence of God and calculate the specific date of the end of the world.

Science and theology.

Rationality and mystery.

This extreme contradiction and unity perfectly matched Jiang Ming's requirements for the next "actor."

"It's him."

Jiang Ming made his decision.

"Using Isaac Newton as a template, create a new Servant."

The system panel popped up accordingly.

[Please set the Class for Isaac Newton.]

Jiang Ming's finger slid across several options, finally stopping on the Class that best fit Newton's discoveries and was also the most impactful.

Rider.

[Class set to: Rider]

[Beginning generation of ability template... Template generation complete.]

[Please confirm final settings.]

A detailed set of information appeared before Jiang Ming.

[Servant: Isaac Newton]

[Class]: Rider

[Gender]: Male

[Region]: United Kingdom

[Height]: 170cm

[Weight]: 65kg

[Parameters]:

Strength: D

Endurance: C

Agility: C

Mana: A

Luck: B

Noble Phantasm: EX

[Class Skills]

■ Magic Resistance: B

Capable of nullifying spells of three verses or less. Even high-level thaumaturgy has difficulty harming him. This stems from his profound understanding of natural laws, allowing him to "calculate" the trajectory of magic and evade it.

■ Riding: A+

Capable of handling all mounts and vehicles, including "riding" on a conceptual level. As the scientist who discovered the Law of Universal Gravitation, he can "ride" gravity itself to move freely through space.

[Personal Skills]

■ Law of Universal Gravitation: EX

Newton's most famous discovery. Allows for the manipulation of gravitational fields, increasing or decreasing gravity in specific areas, or even creating local gravitational anomalies.

In combat, it can warp the trajectory of enemy attacks or subject enemies to several times the pressure of gravity.

■ Mathematical Principles: A

A skill based on "Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica." It allows for the quantification and prediction of all phenomena, including enemy attack trajectories and the flow of mana.

Equivalent to a high-level combination of "Instinct" and "Future Vision."

■ Alchemy: B

A skill sublimated from the alchemy research he was obsessed with in his later years. It allows for the transmutation and synthesis of matter. In battle, he can instantly analyze and change the material of weapons or armor. He can also create various potions.

■ Optical Research: C

Based on his research into the corpuscular theory of light. He can manipulate and refract light to create illusions or perform optical cloaking. He can also fire "light particle beams" that deal physical damage.

[Noble Phantasm I]

■ Universal Gravitation

Type: Anti-World Noble Phantasm

Rank: EX

Range: 1-99

Maximum Targets: 1000 people

Newton sublimates his understanding of the laws of the universe into a Noble Phantasm, deploying an Innate Domain named "Temple of Science."

Within the domain, a massive celestial map appears, with countless formulas and geometric patterns flowing through the air.

Effects:

The direction of gravity within the domain is entirely controlled by Newton, allowing enemies to experience the paradox of "falling upwards."

He can quantify the "weight" concept of enemies and adjust it at will, making them as light as a feather or as heavy as a mountain range.

He can transform the "trajectory" of enemy attacks into calculable parabolas, making them a guaranteed miss or a guaranteed hit.

Within the domain, Newton himself is in a state of "absolute rest," where no external force can move him even an inch.

[Noble Phantasm II]

■ Key of Solomon: Alchemy Chapter

Type: Anti-Army Noble Phantasm

Rank: B

Range: 1-10

Maximum Targets: 100 people

Sublimated from Newton's obsession with alchemy in his later years, he deploys a massive alchemical circle, transforming the battlefield into a "Cauldron."

Effects:

Capable of "decomposing" enemy weapons, armor, and even bodies into basic elements.

Can "reconstruct" these elements to create new substances or weapons.

Can "refine" enemy mana into other attributes (such as refining mana into physical attack power).

Has a certain probability of "refining" enemies into harmless substances (such as lead, glass, etc.).

Jiang Ming finished his review and nodded with satisfaction.

"Confirm creation."

[Creating this Servant requires 2,000,000 emotion points points. Confirm?]

"Confirm."

[emotion points deducted. Constructing...]

[Beginning construction of puppet: Rider, Isaac Newton...]