Hello I'm back, thy leg is healed but I don't have molars anymore.
===BREAK===
The office door was opened from the inside. Clorinde and Charlotte, who had been waiting for quite some time, both looked into the room at the same time. The one who opened the door was Victor Wang. Furina, who had wiped away her tears and regained the dignity of the Hydro Archon, was sitting in the main seat of the office with an unusually bright smile.
Passing by Victor Wang, Clorinde, who bore the responsibility of protection, strode quickly toward Furina and asked in a low voice, "Are you all right?"
"Don't worry. What could possibly happen to me? Besides, the information Victor uncovered is extremely, extremely important. You didn't eavesdrop, did you?"
Clorinde replied solemnly, "I did not. Miss Charlotte did attempt it, though she claims she didn't hear anything."
"I already said it's just an occupational habit! Knowing there are secrets hidden behind a door, what reporter could resist pressing their ear against it… And besides, what kind of reporter would eavesdrop right under someone else's nose? I stopped immediately after you reminded me, didn't I? I really didn't mean to!"
"Hehe…" Furina, the seasoned actress, let her acting surge as she said in a tone of troubled reflection—as if she had eaten one slice of cake too many and now had to mind her figure—"It's really nothing too serious. It's just that the prophecy I've waited for so long is finally about to arrive."
Despite having mentally prepared herself, hearing the current Hydro Archon confirm it in person still made Charlotte's pupils shrink slightly.
Clorinde, true to her temperament, was shocked beyond measure internally, yet her expression only stiffened for an instant before she asked bluntly, "You mean… the prophecy that Fontaine will be submerged?"
"That's the one. No need to make such a fuss."
"No wonder… a secret of this magnitude…" Clorinde seemed to understand Furina's abnormal reaction when she first met that unfamiliar visitor, yet something still felt off.
"It hardly counts as a secret. Even if I didn't say anything, once some time passes and the water level starts rising, the people will naturally find out."
Right—what feels off is that even though Furina knew from the moment she saw Victor that he would bring dire news, would a Hydro Archon truly reveal such fear unless she had no countermeasures prepared for the prophecy at that time…? And yet after just one private discussion, she speaks of it now with such calm indifference… Does the issue lie with that visitor?
With that thought, Clorinde tested the waters. "Lady Furina, it seems… you already have a plan?"
"Ah~ who else could it be? I am the Queen of all waters, all lands, all peoples, and all laws—the Hydro Archon Furina de Fontaine. I know some people think I never do any real work, but helping my beloved citizens through hardship is, after all, my inescapable duty. Whether it's dissolution or inundation, of course I have ways to deal with it."
She paused slightly, glanced up at the clock hanging in the office, and said calmly, "However, the people of the Court of Fontaine are already off work at this hour. Whatever needs to be done will have to wait until tomorrow. And as for hiring Victor as my guard… that will also have to wait until tomorrow."
"You're hiring him as a guard?"
"Oh, I have no intention of dismissing you. From now on, you and Victor will be colleagues. He's new here—if there's anything he doesn't understand, you can teach him."
Clorinde hesitated, then nodded, and extended her hand toward Victor Wang. "I don't know what happened, but I'm Clorinde."
Victor Wang also extended his hand. "I already introduced myself earlier. Just call me Victor."
"You're very strong. When you have time, we can spar in swordsmanship."
"Swordsmanship isn't my strongest suit. If we're limited to the sword alone, I'd probably lose."
"You're being too modest."
Clorinde studied Victor Wang carefully. It wasn't mere politeness—both her words and the handshake stopped precisely where they should.
"All right, all right. If I remember correctly, Madame Susanna is hosting a tea party tonight. I hadn't clearly accepted her invitation before, but now I feel like paying a visit…" Furina was in excellent spirits. Halfway through her sentence, she turned her head toward Victor Wang. "Being my guard is very tiring. Running around late at night like this happens all the time. But since you haven't officially taken the post yet, I won't make things hard for you. Clorinde, let's go."
"W-Wait!" Charlotte hurriedly stepped forward. "Lady Furina, our scheduled interview—"
"Cough, you're really going through with the interview?"
"Of course! I personally submitted the interview request to Miss Euphrasie. If I go back empty-handed, I'll definitely get scolded!"
"All right, all right. What kind of interview could it be anyway… just photos, right? Sigh, take whatever you like. Afterward, I'll pick a few I'm satisfied with."
...
The next day. Palais Mermonia, Furina's office.
"All right, with this, you now have the authority to freely enter the Palais Mermonia and the Opera Epiclese, and to follow me at any time."
"There's even a salary."
"Of course. Since we've decided to put on an act, we must do it professionally. We can't leave even the slightest flaw for others to seize—I'm extremely strict about this."
Stripping away the mantle of the Hydro Archon, the superstar was another identity far closer to Furina's true nature. Trials and performances had occupied the vast majority of her five hundred years. To remain devoted to performing as a passion all this time meant she truly loved it—and because of that… Victor Wang suddenly felt a bad premonition.
"I thought this position was just for convenience… I'd like to ask, I haven't lost my freedom, have I?"
"What?" Furina asked, confused.
"I don't need to clock in and out every day according to guard standards, do I?"
"Of course you do. Overtime is also required when necessary. I already said that yesterday, didn't I?"
"I thought you were saying that for their benefit… Th-Then why isn't Clorinde here today?"
"Clorinde belongs to the Court of Fontaine. Her primary duty is serving as a Duelist, and only secondarily as my guard. Although I rarely miss trials or duels she participates in, we sometimes can't act together for various reasons. Also, when I have no plans to go out, she's free to move as she wishes. Like today—I didn't call her over."
"I—"
"You're different. You're a full-time guard," Furina said with her hands on her hips. "If you have personal matters, you may of course arrange your own time, as long as you remember to submit a leave application according to regulations. In emergencies, you can make it up afterward—I'll approve it. But no skipping work without reason."
"Isn't there… some kind of position here that doesn't require doing serious work? Like an aide or something?"
"You'd have to ask the Court of Fontaine about that, but as far as I know, absolutely not. Even someone like me still has to regularly handle government affairs and diplomatic engagements."
"..."
"You're my only partner. Don't even think about slacking off."
"I'm not…"
"That's good. Also, I won't make strict demands about dress etiquette, but you must understand social etiquette and dining etiquette. They may come in handy. As for the duties of a guard, Clorinde will teach you once she's back at work."
"..."
"But there's no rush. We have plenty of time for all that. For today, let's start by pushing forward our plans."
===BREAK===
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