After a six-day visit to Mondstadt, the Fontaine delegation was finally on its way home. Among them were Furina and Richard, comfortably aboard the return ship.
They occupied a private cabin, lavishly appointed, the size of a normal bedroom. Two leather sofas faced each other, each with a polished wooden coffee table accented with ornate metal inlays, stately and elegant. Just to the right of the sofa area was a dining nook, behind that lay a single-person bedroom, and even a private bathroom, all for the comfort of the Hydro Archon.
On such a compact expedition vessel, this was extravagance. The rest of the delegation had to make do with small private rooms; junior officials and lower-ranking staff didn't even get aboard this ship; they traveled on a more modest Fontaine vessel.
Richard didn't mind; any excuse to report to Furina got him an invitation to the cabin.
Thanks to the advanced propulsion of the Fukaros, the voyage from Mondstadt to Fontaine was shorter than usual. Setting off in the morning, they'd likely arrive by afternoon, making the cabin's bedroom largely unnecessary.
Richard's presence, however, was exactly what Furina had hoped for, a companion to while away the tedious journey.
They sat on the plush sofas. Furina held a Dodoco Klee had given her at parting, bored out of her mind by Richard's dry reports on trade negotiations and gains made during the visit.
She had heard enough of it and longed for something more interesting; this wasn't "work time," after all.
"Alright then, Lady Furina…" Richard began, tongue in cheek.
"How many times must I tell you, just call me Furina," she interrupted, pouting.
"Technically, we are on official duty," Richard protested.
"Well, it's so boring! It's just the two of us in this cabin. Are we going to solve Fontaine's biggest crisis this afternoon?" she teased. "A little idle leisure never hurt anyone. Shall we call these dessert hours, prepaid afternoon tea?"
This playful side of Furina was rare, but real. Sure, she wore a mask, but sometimes you just need to lift it slightly for fresh air.
"You've convinced me," Richard conceded, folding his papers aside.
Furina beamed. At her signal, Ms. Chevalier arrived with a platter of pastries.
"Thank you," Richard said politely, taking a slice of rich dark chocolate cake crowned with a single red berry.
Mademoiselle Crabaletta still looked wary; a vivid memory of him snapping eight crab legs of a heavy-shelled crab in half with his bare hands lingered. Though she trusted him now, the image stuck.
"Mmm… a cup of hot tea and fluffy sweet cake, that's a timeless combo, enough to brighten my whole day." Furina savored a forkful, cream smudging her lips. With a graceful flicker of her delicate tongue, she cleaned the corners most subtly.
Then she nonchalantly toyed with the Dodoco in her hands, right in front of Richard. He caught on.
"Furina... I have the gift promised back on Dragonspine. Albedo gave it to me before we left."
"Oh? I'd forgotten," she replied, playing it cool, even though she'd been thinking about it since then. Better to appear nonchalant than embarrassed if Richard had truly slipped his mind, too.
She was nearly five hundred years old, after all, still a subtle schemer.
"It's just a small token, from Albedo and me. I hope you'll like it." Richard carefully produced a beautifully wrapped box.
It wasn't overly elaborate, but wrapping matters, too. Packaging speaks to the giver's thoughtfulness. From Furina's reaction, it clearly mattered.
Her heart heard: "This gift carries my feelings." Forget "a small token" or "from Albedo", none of that mattered.
"Thank you," she murmured, eyes bright, taking the gift eagerly.
"May I open it now?"
"Of course." Unlike Liyue etiquette, in Fontaine it's proper to open a gift in front of the giver and express your appreciation.
She unwrapped it gently, saving the packaging to slip back into place later at home; she intended to keep it intact. This was truly the first gift she received, from a friend, and she cherished it deeply.
As Furina peeled back layers, Richard spoke softly:
"The gemstone atop was crafted using a unique weapon called Festering Desire. I borrowed a crystal from it, infused with the essence of monsters. Albedo and I used that to forge a piece combining defense and offense."
Furina's anticipation peaked as she opened the box fully. Nestled inside was an exquisite ring. Albedo's design balanced portability with beauty.
The ring's band was wrought in gold, engraved in interwoven vines, and inlaid with a premium Conduit Crystal. Not only elegant, but it was also highly conductive, channeling power from the crystal, which glowed like a flawless blue sapphire, harvested from the Festering Desire. Simply put, this ring was both beautiful and practical, worthy of being in Fontaine's finest auction. Truly, an art piece.
Furina absolutely adored it, especially the personal defensive power it provided, an emotional bullseye for her deeper needs.
She slipped off her white glove and placed the ring on her ring finger, slowly rotating her hand for Richard's reaction.
Her hand was already beautiful, smooth, pale, flawless, fingers slender as sculpted art. The ring's sheen and her delicate skin complemented each other perfectly; just that hand alone could captivate countless admirers.
Richard smiled and remarked, "It really is a work of art."
"You're exaggerating…" Furina blushed and buried her face in bashful amusement.
"I meant the ring," he added with a grin.
She gently punched him, lightly, more tickle than hurt, symbolic yet playful.
"Why did you think to give me this?" she asked, still admiring the ring.
"Because I wanted you to have something that protects you," Richard answered sincerely.
"I'm the Hydro Archon, of course, I can protect myself," she mumbled, her voice betraying slight uncertainty.
He looked at her meaningfully. "Can you really?"
You can fool others, but don't fool yourself. Furina couldn't meet his eyes. Only she knew whether she truly had the strength to shield herself.
"I... I…" her voice trailed off.
Richard gently shifted tones.
"People often misunderstand gods, believing they must wield overwhelming power," he said.
"Isn't that right?" she replied, curious.
"Not always. Take Barbatos, our Wind God, do you see his strength as great as before?"
"...Well…" Furina hesitated. She'd seen Barbatos only play a supporting role during the recent dragon calamity, and even been deemed arrogant and feeble by that Foolish Woman officer.
Still, she believed anemo god or not, Barbatos must be stronger than she was.
"In truth, Barbatos's former power was immense; he once blew away snow and cleaved mountains with divine wind. That is power," Richard explained.
"So why does he seem…"
"Delicate and melancholic?"
"Yeah, like a drunk bard."
"It's because he used much of his divine power to regulate Mondstadt's climate, to protect the people from the highland's harsh wind and snow. Mondstadt was once an icy wasteland."
Furina rarely paid attention to foreign history, and she hadn't known this about Barbatos. Few citizens did; it's buried under centuries of obscurity, only glimpsible in ancient texts.
"So maybe you appear weak because, like Barbatos, you've spread your divine power to maintain balance across Fontaine?" Richard proffered her an explanation.
"Huh? Oh… yes! That's it! You figured it out! Richard, you really are clever."
That, that was a smart justification. As reliable as her top secretary.
Furina blinked, understanding blossomed, then she smiled brightly, acknowledging it. Her expression ebbed and flowed like silk, the poise of seasoned artistry.
"You're too kind, Lady Furina," he nodded graciously, then diplomatically dodged further probing: "So... care to share where else your power goes?"
"Th-that…" she stammered, caught off guard.
He pretended not to notice and continued: "I assume it's tied to Fontaine's primary energy sources, Arkhe and Indemnitium?"
"Yes… I guess..." she said, uncertainty in her voice.
"You guess? Did I get it wrong?" he frowned.
"No! You were right, it's just… I can't go into detail. Just knowing you get it, that's enough."
Richard smiled in understanding.
Furina forced a shy grin, but thought inwardly: 'Is he really being kind, or did he see right through me and is protecting me?'
He had seen that it wasn't because her power was spread thin. Furina simply had none. If Barbatos retained even a weakened wind element, she had not a trace of divine presence, only the facade. Her situation couldn't be explained away by diversion of power.
And since Venti had already confirmed to Richard that she was "Hydro Archon," that stirred new suspicions in his mind, suspicions sparked by that strange incident on Dragonspine…