When it came to acting, Luna could compete with Furina on stage, and Focalors should be capable as well. But when it came to stage direction and acting guidance, Furina had five centuries of experience.
The final musical presented by Lauwick and his troupe was titled The Little Oceanid.
"The plot goes something like this," he began.
"The protagonist is a young Oceanid who, against her family's warnings, transforms herself into a human."
Focalors nodded with interest.
A play like that?
"Transforms into a human..." Furina murmured.
So this play could also be called The Little Oceanid: Becoming Human.
"After transforming, she gains friendship and love, but her perfect life doesn't last long. Her true form is eventually exposed."
Furina nodded. "And then what?"
"That's it."
"Huh?"
Lauwick scratched his head. "Troupe Leader Aurelie only wrote up to that point. We've had quite a disagreement internally about how to continue the story."
Luna chuckled. "Let me guess—some wanted a happy ending, while others insisted on a tragedy?"
So classic.
Furina could imagine the debate perfectly. Comedy and tragedy were merely different genres, neither inherently superior to the other. The true measure of a story lay in its execution.
A painfully contrived tragedy was just as dreadful as a dull comedy.
"Yes," Lauwick nodded.
Some among them argued for a perfect, heartwarming resolution in the story. After all, reality was already so disheartening; a touch of fantasy wouldn't hurt.
Others insisted on stark realism, wanting to expose the world to their pain.
"Luna, why don't you continue writing it? Your scripts are quite good," Furina suggested.
Luna replied, "I could, but it really depends on what everyone else thinks."
Lauwick hesitated, then said, "Actually... we've already had a member continue the story. He's currently staying at a friend's house in Poisson."
Poisson... Furina's eyes flickered.
She glanced at Luna, who smiled gently. "Want to go take a look?"
"...Mm."
Furina would never forget the moment Neuvillette had shown her the list of victims from Poisson. Returning there would inevitably stir up feelings of unease and sorrow.
But with Luna by her side, just a brief visit should be manageable... After all, she was now deeply concerned about the situation in Poisson.
"Hey, look over there..."
"Isn't that the Hydro Archon?"
"It's the former Hydro Archon, actually. They say she neglected us because she lacked divine power..."
As expected, the moment they entered Poisson, hushed whispers and undisguised scrutinizing glances followed them.
Luna smiled faintly. "Baseless speculation can easily be mistaken for rumors, you know?"
"Miss Luna..."
"My sincerest apologies!"
The Poisson residents who had been gossiping scattered immediately.
Even though Navia and Charlotte's news articles had already revealed the "truth"—that Furina hadn't abandoned them out of choice, but due to her own limitations—grumbling and resentment persisted, twisting the established "truth" into malicious rumors.
Furina remained silent.
Dulphy coughed, nudging Lauwick. "Ahem, Lauwick and I will go find Pauleau first. We need to check on his script; we don't know when he'll finish it."
Lumine tugged Paimon along. "Let's go take a look too."
"Eh? Fine..."
Paimon followed, utterly bewildered.
And so, only Luna, Furina, and Focalors remained.
"Let's go," Luna said bluntly.
"Huh? Go where?" Furina asked, snapping out of her daze.
"To take a stroll around Poisson."
"But..."
Luna took Furina's hand. "Don't mind what others say, nor their stares. You've done nothing to be ashamed of. Hold your head high and stand tall."
Done nothing to be ashamed of?
Focalors also took Furina's hand. "Luna's right, you know. You have nothing to be ashamed of."
She continued, "And trust me, even if they knew the truth, they'd still try to hurt you with their judgmental stares."
Would they?
Furina looked confused. "Why?"
"There's no reason," Luna said bluntly.
"Is that really appropriate to say right now?" Furina asked, exasperated.
"But it's the truth."
Luna tugged Furina forward, ignoring the stares of passersby.
Meanwhile, Focalors held Furina's other hand and gently pushed on her back, urging her to straighten her posture, lift her gaze, and meet the varied gazes of others head-on.
Luna smiled gently. "Even if the truth were revealed, their minds would twist it the moment it entered their consciousness."
"'Furina has no power = she's incompetent.'"
"'Furina acted for the greater good = she can sacrifice us.'"
"'Furina endured for five hundred years = she idled away five centuries.'"
"Pain, anger, sorrow... They don't care what you think. Pain can be dismissed as sentimentality, anger as heartlessness, sorrow as hypocrisy—such is the nature of malice."
And besides, malice can be profitable.
Focalors gently stroked Furina's back. "I still remember the choice you made at the moment of your birth."
Abandon pain, or endure it for the future of the Fontainians?
Furina ultimately chose to endure.
"You are the most ideal human in my eyes, and that remains true to this day. I, Focalors, former God of Justice, can assure you: you deserve to face everything with your head held high."
Focalors continued.
"Meet their gazes without reservation."
Luna smiled warmly.
A warmth spread through Furina's chest.
"Thank you, Luna, and... uh... Mom?"
Luna couldn't help but giggle. "Mom?"
"What's so funny?" Furina blushed. She truly didn't know what else to call Focalors!
Focalors' jaw dropped in astonishment. "At least call me 'Sister'! I didn't actually give birth to you, you know!"
Furina awkwardly averted her gaze. "But 'Sister' feels so embarrassing to say."
And 'Mom' doesn't?!
"...Just call me by my name," Focalors suggested. "You're 'Furina,' I'm 'Focalors.' We're distinct individuals, though it's true we look alike."
And have the same body.
Furina glanced at Focalors' chest and felt a surge of relief.
"I hope we can become good friends," Focalors said sincerely.
"...Mm, I hope so too. Though I'm not very good at socializing."
"Don't worry, I won't either. But your bedmate is quite skilled at it," Focalors said with a knowing smile.
Furina shot Luna a slightly annoyed look. "Indeed, and she loves teasing people."
Luna exclaimed in surprise, "Why is everyone ganging up on me?"
"Just check your conscience and you'll know," Focalors retorted.
Luna reached out and placed her hand on Furina's chest.
"That's not my conscience!" Furina exclaimed, her face flushing crimson.
Focalors sighed. "Luna, you're going to get into trouble doing things like that."
How could I? What trouble could I possibly get into? Luna smiled faintly. "You can feel mine too, if you want?"
"Absolutely not!" Furina replied instantly.
"Then I'll just have to try," Focalors said, reaching out with evident amusement.
Furina quickly pressed her hand down to stop her.
"Don't fall for Luna's tricks!"
This woman just loves playing these games—you advance, I retreat; you retreat, I advance. I mustn't fall for her tricks.
Besides, Furina didn't want anyone touching Luna like that, not even Focalors.
"Anyway, that's how it is," Luna declared, raising her index finger.
"How what is?" Furina asked, the conversation veering off course.
"Furina, just look straight back at them, and you'll understand," Luna insisted.
Look straight back? Furina glanced at the Poisson residents watching them nearby.
Sure enough, the moment her gaze met theirs, those with scrutinizing eyes quickly averted their gaze and fled as if escaping.
Many others, however, greeted her with warm smiles and waves.
Benevolence and malice coexisted.
"Do you see now? They won't try to understand you, but they will fear you—not because of your position, but because of your brilliance," Luna explained.
"But there are also those who believe in you and support you," Focalors added with a gentle smile.
Furina was momentarily at a loss for words, overwhelmed by conflicting emotions that welled up inside her, leaving her with a warmth in her chest.
"I understand... and I've known this all along."
Furina couldn't help but smile.
"Because you were there!"
If she could return to the moment of her creation and face Focalors' inquiry, she knew she would still choose to continue playing her role.
Otherwise, she would never have met Luna.
Nor would she have become friends with Focalors like this.
Fontaine's future might not have been as stable as it was now.
Perhaps... no matter how painful her time as the Hydro Archon had been, it was now an inseparable part of her.
Though she would never thank those times, nor yearn for them, they would remain etched in her heart. Yet, she felt she could accept them now.
"Even though the thought of people dissolving into the water still makes me feel..." Furina murmured softly.
Sadness, anguish.
Luna gently stroked Furina's head.
"That's why I believe you are Fontaine's greatest treasure."
Then, she leaned closer to Furina's face, lightly brushing her fingertip across the corner of Furina's eye, where there were no tears.
"And no matter how many times you cry, I will steal them away. After all—"
Luna winked. "There's nothing in this world I can't steal."
Furina gazed at her, a gentle smile gracing her lips.
"Mm-hmm."