What was he even thinking, throwing himself into a swarm of crazed fangirls?
If you're wondering what I mean, well—I'm currently getting squashed to death by a stampede of screaming, starry-eyed fans.
Not exactly his brightest idea.
But there was one thing he couldn't believe—
This was how he was going out.
He had hoped for a warrior's end, falling in battle… or maybe a quiet death after a long life.
But not like this.
Trampled by a stampede of screaming fans — what an utterly humiliating way to die!
"Someone help me!" he shouted, but his cries were completely drowned out by the chaos.
He fought against the tide of bodies, but at some point, the struggle drained out of him. The world spun around in a dizzy blur, and he felt himself slipping—on the verge of passing out—
But then…
An authoritative voice cut through the chaos, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"If you are not here on official business," a smooth, commanding voice declared, "I must ask you to leave immediately. Otherwise, you will be charged with trespassing."
Everyone fell silent.
"It's Monsieur Neuvillette," several people whispered to one another, their voices hushed with nervousness.
Neuvillette stood with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
"I will not repeat myself. You have three seconds to disperse," he stated.
With a chorus of mild complaints and reluctant sighs, the crowd began to disperse rapidly.
"Thank you, Neuvillette," came a soft voice filled with gratitude.
"Furina," Neuvillette said with a weary sigh, "please remember to bring your guards next time."
Furina crossed her arms with a huff. "I merely went for a short walk. How was I to know this would happen?"
Neuvillette's gaze remained steady. "Lady Furina, it is of the utmost importance that you take your safety seriously."
Before she could respond, her gaze shifted—and there, lying helplessly on the ground was a small child.
Furina's heart skipped a beat.
Without hesitation, she rushed over, her robes sweeping behind her as she knelt beside him.
"Hold on, little one," her voice trembling with urgency as she gently checked for signs of injury.
Lucien's eyes fluttered open, and what he saw left him breathless.
A beautiful woman stood before him, her hair a striking white streaked with shades of blue.
But it was her eyes that truly captivated him—each one resembling a shimmering droplet of water, unlike anything he had ever seen.
There was only one word to describe it.
"Beautiful," he breathed, his voice barely more than a whisper, lost in the weight of the moment.
Furina, catching his words, turned crimson with embarrassment.
Lucien's eyes widened in horror as he realized what he had just said.
Great, now I'm going to die for real—of shame.
"Oh my, thank you for the compliment, young one," Furina said, quickly regaining her composure as the flush faded from her cheeks.
Lucien slowly got back onto his feet, rubbing the back of his head.
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to say that out loud," he mumbled, flustered.
"Oh, it's quite alright," Furina said with a playful smile, placing her hands on her hips. "I get that a lot — after all, I am a god."
Wait… so she's Furina, the Archon?
Lucien took a clearer look at her — dressed in an elegant blue outfit, a stylish hat perched atop her head. Aside from her striking beauty, she didn't exactly seem godlike to him.
But the man standing beside her, who was silently staring at him with a piercing gaze… now he seemed far more intimidating than her.
"Child, may I ask your name?" Neuvillette inquired, his voice calm and measured.
"Uh—my name is Lucien, sir!" he stammered, straightening his posture.
"Lucien… a fine name," Neuvillette said with a small nod.
He stepped forward and gently placed a hand atop Lucien's head. "I offer my sincerest apologies for the disturbance. Should you have sustained any injury from this incident, rest assured the Court will cover all medical expenses."
"Wow, that's kind of you, mister," Lucien said, surprised by Neuvillette's unexpected gentleness.
Neuvillette gave a small nod before turning toward Furina.
"Now then, with that matter settled, Lady Furina, I believe we have pressing affairs to attend to."
"Oh! Yes, we certainly do!" Furina exclaimed, her voice full of energy. Without warning, she playfully pinched Lucien's cheeks, causing him to freeze in surprise. "Now, go along with your parents, surely they're looking for you," she said with a smile, before hurrying off with Neuvillette.
Lucien stood there, dazed, watching as Furina and Neuvillette disappeared through the grand doors of the Palais Mermonia, the heavy entrance swinging shut behind them with a soft thud.
He touched his cheek where Furina had pinched him, his fingers lingering in disbelief. Was he supposed to be mad?
A slow grin tugged at his lips. No, definitely not.
After all, it wasn't every day a stunning god pinched your cheeks.
Though… he tilted his head slightly, thinking. She did seem to be missing a little in the "chest" department, but hey, who was he to judge?
Also, that nice fellow—he must be Neuvillette.
He heard his name mentioned on the Aquabus earlier, but the real confirmation came when he was getting trampled—he clearly remembered the fangirls shouting it while he was stuck on the ground during his near-death experience.
He seemed like one of those types who didn't show much emotion.
As for the Archon… well, he had expected something a little more, he didn't know, divine.
But then again, remembering how Venti loved to drink, maybe this was just how Fontaine's Archon turned out.
Either way, he had only interacted with her for a few moments—he figured it was too soon to judge her.
"Brother!" Clorinde called out, waving like nothing had happened.
Oh, fantastic. Nearly trampled to death and they didn't even notice. Wonderful.
Inside the Neuvillette office:
"Furina, these so-called 'walks of yours' put you in grave danger," Neuvillette said calmly. "As the Hydro Archon, I strongly advise you to bring at least our champion duelist with you next time."
"You worry too much," Furina replied, waving a hand dismissively. "But fine, fine, I'll take your advice to heart."
Neuvillette sighed inwardly, though his expression remained unreadable.
"Now, then," Furina said, placing her hands on her hips. "What was this urgent matter you wished to discuss? I'm very busy, you know."
"Surely busy with all the paperwork you tend to leave behind," Neuvillette remarked, dryly.
Furina gasped, clutching her chest dramatically. "Certainly not! I would never—" she added, letting out a nervous laugh.