Fontaine, a nation of justice, is also known as the land of romance.
As one literary figure Furina once heard put it:
"Romance flows through the veins of Fontainians, while baguettes are etched into their very bones!"
But Furina later pondered: If our bones were actually baguettes, wouldn't it be terribly awkward to bend over?
Regardless, as a native-born... or rather, a Fontaine native, Furina naturally yearned for a romantic evening.
How else could she deliver the gift she held?
"Here, take this. Don't get the wrong idea! It's just a token of my gratitude for everything you've done."
That would be far too unromantic and dull.
Of course, she didn't want to go overboard either.
Extravagance draws attention, and their private moment needed no third or fourth pairs of eyes.
With ample time and a plan already in mind, Furina suggested:
"Let's go see a play. We don't need to go to the Opera Epiclese; any performance will do."
It had been a while since Furina had been involved in theatrical affairs. Enjoying a play would serve as both an appetizer and a refresher—what's not to love?
Ideally, something light and cheerful.
Who would watch a tragedy before giving a gift?
It would be one thing if Luna were the type to sob uncontrollably, but unfortunately, she wasn't.
Whether it was sadness or anger, it was virtually impossible to read any emotion on Luna's face.
The only time Furina could recall seeing Luna display any emotion was when Arlecchino attacked her, and Luna, not recognizing her assailant, had displayed hostility.
Perhaps Luna keeps all her thoughts and feelings hidden deep within her heart, Furina mused.
This realization struck her: despite sharing so many kisses and so many nights in the same bed, she still didn't fully understand Luna herself.
"A comedy, then?" Luna asked, her eyes sparkling with interest.
Furina hesitated. "A comedy it is!"
Though she was eager to see if Luna would cry, she could save that for another time.
The atmosphere came first!
"Then let's watch a tragedy," Luna countered.
"...Were you even listening to me?" Furina demanded, planting her hands on her hips.
Luna smiled faintly. "I want to see you cry, Furina."
"...No."
Aren't you tired of watching this already?
Furina sniffled, tears tracing paths down her cheeks.
She was crying.
Wasn't this supposed to be a comedy? she thought. Wasn't it supposed to be lighthearted, youthful, and fun?
How had it all gone so wrong?
She didn't want to become a crybaby in front of Luna again, but the tears kept flowing uncontrollably. I've been tricked!
"You, you'd better not taste my tears again," Furina warned warily as Luna leaned closer.
"I have no such intention."
"...Have you grown tired of them?"
How could she possibly come to that conclusion?
Luna took a handkerchief and gently wiped Furina's face, whispering, "Perhaps. Maybe I need a change of flavor."
"You can change flavors?" Furina asked, bewildered.
"Of course," Luna smiled. "Tears of sorrow, tears of joy, and tears of pain all taste different, you know. You could try mine sometime—that is, if you can make me cry."
"By any means necessary," Luna added.
This is way too difficult!
And what she said just sounded... off.
Furina, still having her face wiped, mumbled, "Why do your words always feel so strange?"
"Perhaps the strangeness lies not in me, but in you," Luna replied.
"Impossible! That's just sophistry! I won't fall into your trap. You're the strange one."
Luna was the one who started wanting to kiss her in the first place.
Even if, by some stretch of the imagination, Furina had indeed become strange, Luna was undoubtedly complicit!
Luna had played her part!
"...Do you really cry?" Furina couldn't help but ask, her curiosity piqued.
"I'm human, of course I do. It's just that no one has ever managed to make me."
"Death, suffering, pain, joy, or sorrow—no amount of emotion has ever moved me to tears."
She could feel all these emotions deeply, unlike Neuvillette, who seemed to view them as distant and intangible.
Luna folded her handkerchief and continued, "But perhaps Furina could be the one to do it."
"Even I lack that confidence," Furina admitted frankly.
"Why not give it a try?"
After all, she knew Furina was eager to see a different side of her.
"Trying to make you cry is such a strange idea," Furina said with a helpless sigh.
After watching the play, they found a restaurant on the street and enjoyed some snacks. Afterward, Furina led Luna to a secluded corner near the Opera Epiclese.
"This is a great spot—beautiful scenery and no one ever comes here."
From this vantage point, they could see the Opera House, the Court of Fontaine, and Morte Station in the distance.
"I used to stroll around here often and naturally discovered this place."
Since stepping down as Hydro Archon and ending her role, this was the first time she had returned.
"This place holds my past memories and emotions—no, more accurately, my sorrows and troubles."
"Because I couldn't confide in anyone back then."
Furina sat down directly on the ground, swinging her legs. Her gaze rested on the Opera Epiclese, but there was no nostalgia or longing in her eyes.
She refused to romanticize the past; those memories were anything but "beautiful."
Luna sat down beside her.
"I thought you'd take me somewhere more cheerful and carefree," she remarked casually.
"I want that too."
But Furina fell silent.
"I want Luna to understand me even better, and... I want to understand you too."
Luna leaned closer to Furina, deliberately asking, "Do you think I don't know you well enough? That really hurts my feelings."
"I didn't mean it like that! You're the one who understands me best!" Furina protested.
She gestured emphatically, "It's like... if progress reaches 99% and stops, wouldn't you be bothered by that last 1% left incomplete?"
Luna nodded. "Definitely."
It would be incredibly frustrating if a game stopped loading at 99%.
Furina smiled. "Exactly! It's the same principle! I want you to know everything about me, and I want to know everything about you too!"
That's what living together should really be like!
Of course, this is a selfish desire on my part.
"You can refuse if it feels too heavy..." Furina murmured, stealing a glance at Luna.
Though if she refuses, I might have a Hydro Element outburst.
"What you said earlier wasn't heavy at all—it was a perfectly reasonable request. This is what I'd call heavy."
"Huh? Really?"
"Really."
Furina cleared her throat awkwardly. "Don't dwell on such trivial details!"
Leaning against Luna's shoulder, she confessed:
"Back then, I couldn't confide in anyone. I had to process all my emotions alone."
"Every time I met familiar faces from the past, I noticed how much older they had become. By the next reunion, their descendants were the ones standing before me."
"At those moments, I would clearly realize—this seemingly eternal performance had stretched on for decades... My face, my body remained unchanged."
"Yet when I stood before the mirror, staring at my own reflection, I felt like a stranger."
Furina lowered her gaze. "'What am I like without the mask?' 'Who was I to begin with?'"
"Whenever these thoughts surface, I feel lost and afraid."
"'Perhaps I can never return to my original self.' I can no longer discern which version is the true me. All I possess are the truth I must conceal and the mission I must fulfill."
Beyond that, she had nothing.
"No past, no future."
"I played a stronger, more godlike version of myself, but when I looked back, I found that my past self had grown blurred."
"Reaching out with the tendrils of my memory, the moment they touched, that blurry self shattered into fragments, each piece drifting away like grains of sand."
"They can't be pieced together, can't be reassembled."
"With each step forward in time, the past me fades a little more, yet I can't clearly see the future either—or perhaps it's more accurate to say I'm afraid to look."
Furina fell silent for a moment, as if hesitating whether the topic had grown too heavy.
Luna raised her hand and gently stroked Furina's hair.
This wordless tenderness softened the corners of Furina's eyes, allowing her to continue pouring out her heart.
"Truth be told, I desperately want someone by my side. The pain of death is fleeting, but the torment of loneliness is eternal."
"Yet I can't risk the fall of all of Fontaine just to obtain what I desire."
"When you told me you wanted to be my friend back then, I was genuinely happy. Even when you came to see me wearing that mask, I still felt joy."
"...I don't want to dwell on the past, nor can I ever reclaim my former self. But what you said to Focalors suddenly made me realize something."
Furina smiled faintly. "No matter how painful, that era is an inseparable part of me."
"Without it, I wouldn't be who I am today, nor would I have any of what I now possess."
"It's lodged in my heart, never to be pulled out. But realizing that has made my heart feel clearer."
"It wasn't perfect or spectacular, but it was my performance."
"And most importantly—the curtain has fallen! It doesn't have to torment me anymore."
If she were still suffering, she certainly wouldn't think this way.
Luna gently stroked Furina's hair, relieved.
Letting go was the best thing she could do. Besides, no matter how flawed Furina's performance might seem to others, in Luna's eyes, it would always shine the brightest.
"Even if it wasn't perfect or spectacular, it still left me spellbound," Luna murmured.
"...Mm, that's good," Furina replied softly. After a moment of silence, she carefully produced a gift box.
"Um, Luna, this is a gift for you!" she blurted out, her voice tinged with nervousness.
"A gift?" Luna feigned surprise.
"Yes."
Furina had promised Luna a gift earlier, but since it was custom-made, it took a while to arrive. Now that the atmosphere was perfect, she had to give it to her.
Luna accepted the box, gently stroking its surface.
"Can I open it now?"
"Yes—"
Luna began to lift the lid slightly.
"—No, wait!"
"Huh?" She paused, slightly taken aback.
Is it allowed or not?
Furina hastily snatched back the box, her face flushed. "I-I'll help you open it."
"I have hands, you know."
"Using my hands is fine too, right?!"
The phrasing sounded odd, but Furina had no time to dwell on it.
She opened the box, carefully shielding its contents from Luna's view.
"...Just close your eyes!"
"So many demands," Luna chuckled.
"I know, please? Just close your eyes," Furina whispered.
Asking for favors here, of all places?
Luna nodded and closed her eyes. She had no intention of peeking; she could feel Furina's breath drawing closer, the delicate fragrance of her hair filling the air, and a stray strand brushing her nose.
"Don't open them, okay?"
"Alright."
The next moment, a cool sensation slid across Luna's neck.
It's the necklace, Luna thought. But what style is it?
Furina seemed to hold her breath as her fingertips traced the nape of Luna's neck, gently clasping the chain behind her.
Still with her eyes closed, Luna reached out and touched Furina's cheek.
"Don't move around so much," Furina whispered.
"Shouldn't we take advantage of this moment to do something?"
"...Let's skip that for now."
After a moment of awkward silence, Furina placed her hand over Luna's chest again.
"You can open your eyes now," she said, her voice filled with nervous anticipation.
Luna opened her eyes and looked down.
As expected, it was a necklace. A delicate chain held a teardrop-shaped golden pendant, within which was embedded an incomparably radiant red gem. The overall effect resembled a "Dripping Sun."
Luna gently stroked the necklace, saying nothing.
"Well? Are you so moved you can't even speak?" Furina asked anxiously.
"Mhm."
"Eh?"
Luna carefully pinched the gem between her fingers. "What's its name?"
"A name? I hadn't thought about it... Hmm... How about... 'Sun's Tear'?" Furina suggested.
[Treasure Information Discovered: Sun's Tear]
[Sun's Tear]
[Information: A symbol of Furina's affection and trust. To her, the figure leaping beneath the moon is like the soft glow of dawn. She wishes to capture this Sun's Tear, savor it gently, and etch it into her heart.]
[Treasure Rarity: S]
[Fixed Points: 1000]
I never expected my first S-rank treasure to be a gift from Furina.
Luna's cheeks flushed slightly as she caressed the necklace.
"I have a gift for Furina too," she said.
"Eh?!" Furina's eyes widened in surprise. Luna has one too?
She pursed her lips, suppressing a grin. "What... what kind of gift is it?"
"Shhh, close your eyes first."
Close my eyes?
Could it be some strange gift?
Like a collar or something...? Wild thoughts raced through Furina's mind as she squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could.
No peeking! No peeking! she mentally scolded herself.
Soon, Luna's presence drew near. A fingertip brushed against Furina's neck as she fastened something around it.
"All done."
Furina immediately opened her eyes.
"A necklace?"
Another necklace.
And it was also teardrop-shaped, but this one had a silver casing and a gem divided into two parts: a crystal-clear section as dark as the night sky, beneath which lay a crescent moon of deep blue.
"Why is it the same design?" Furina asked, puzzled.
"Because I asked the workshop boss and decided to make it similar to yours."
Furina puffed out her cheeks. "You secretly investigated my gift! This was supposed to be a surprise for you, but now it feels like the surprise is for me instead..."
"Are you mad?" Luna teased with a smile.
Not at all.
How could she possibly be mad?
There was a hint of annoyance, but it was far outweighed by her joy.
"Does it suit me?" Furina asked.
"Perfectly," Luna replied.
"What's its name?"
Luna pondered. "Since mine is called 'Sun's Tear,' how about 'Moon's Embrace' for this one?"
"That sounds quite romantic... Sun's Tear, Moon's Embrace... Ah..."
Could this mean...? Furina's face flushed crimson.
Luna pressed Furina's hand, leaning closer. "Want to hold me?"
"...Just for a moment."
Furina opened her arms and embraced Luna, letting her rest her head on her shoulder. Her fingertips sank into Luna's golden hair, and warm breaths ghosted against her neck.
"As you know, I was abandoned by my parents after birth and raised in an orphanage," Luna began. "But it wasn't a normal place..."
Luna recounted her entire past to Furina, omitting only the details of her time with Lynette and Arlecchino—those seemed unnecessary.
"I see..." Furina struggled to find comforting words.
A Luna shaped by such a past could never have a normal life or mindset.
Even though she only ever followed her own heart, Arlecchino was special to her, and Lynette was her family.
Yet she had broken her promise and left the House of the Hearth.
No wonder Lynette's attitude toward Luna had always felt so nuanced.
Furina couldn't find the words to comfort her; she could only continue stroking Luna's hair.
But in truth, Luna didn't need comforting. The most precious thing already resided in her heart.
"To you, that woman... 'The Knave'... is special, isn't she?" Furina whispered.
"Yes. If necessary, even the rules of the House can't bind me. But I would still accept her execution—because without her, I wouldn't exist."
"...Is it still the same now? Do you still feel that way? Would you still entrust your life to Arlecchino?"
Luna shook her head.
"No. If it were just me, I could do as I please."
She clutched the necklace.
"But unfortunately, I no longer belong solely to myself."
To gain something, one must naturally pay a corresponding price.
The moment she accepted Furina's most precious treasure, she was destined to never act as she had before.
Besides, there were now Chiori and Chevreuse to consider as well.
Furina's eyes lit up, and a smile bloomed on her face. "Yes, exactly! Even if that woman wants to execute you, you have to survive or escape—for me."
Then we can go anywhere together.
Teyvat is so vast; we could even move to another country.
"I won't run. Fleeing from battle is unthinkable. But you can rest assured on all other matters."
Luna stood up and pulled Furina to her feet.
She could hear the music drifting from the Court of Fontaine. Though the performance would soon end, at this very moment, she could still extend an invitation.
"Shall we dance?"
"Kick away all the heavy topics with our steps?" Furina suggested with a smile.
"Exactly."
"Alright! Perfect timing—I happen to know tap dancing!"
Luna's expression turned slightly awkward. "Tap dancing?"
Furina blinked. "Didn't you say we should kick away the heavy topics? Though... now that I think about it, tap dancing might be a bit odd for this mood."
She extended her hand, palm down.
"You decide. I'll follow your lead."
"Always."
Furina's smile radiated confidence and anticipation.
And so, in this secluded corner, beneath the bright moon, Luna took Furina's hand, and they began to dance to the distant, cheerful music.
This wasn't a performance for anyone. There was no audience, no stage—only the reflections of each other in their eyes.
The dance ended, and Furina gently kissed Luna.
There was no applause, no cheers, only the merging of their breaths and the frantic pounding of their hearts.
"You call me your treasure, but to me... Luna is my treasure too!" Furina laughed.
This is the endorsement of the former Hydro Archon, you know.