Hello I'm back, thy leg is healed but I don't have molars anymore.
===BREAK===
"Ahem! Ahem!"
Seeing that Lumine and Paimon seemed a little distracted, Furina coughed twice to reassert her presence.
"I have long heard that the two of you have stirred up storms of bloodshed in several nations. And yet, I still welcome you—I have even come in person to receive you."
"Uh… right… but also not really?" Paimon muttered under her breath.
"Heh. Fear is the conduct of small-minded people. As a god, I would never cling to such meaningless caution. You may rest assured—your devotion is perfectly clear to me."
"Devotion?" Lumine and Paimon exchanged a glance. Neither could find even the faintest trace of reverence for this unfamiliar deity within the other.
"An audience is sought to better behold my majesty and authority. A wise decision indeed. The intelligent always gather beneath the correct banner."
"Um… didn't you just say you came to greet us yourself? I think I'm starting to understand what 'exaggerated speech and gestures' and 'very individualistic' mean…"
Furina ignored Paimon's muttering and continued reciting her prepared lines.
"Welcome to the Nation of Hydro! I, the Hydro Archon Focalors, acknowledge the value and meaning of your journey! Now—you may cheer to your heart's content!"
The surrounding citizens of Fontaine erupted into applause and cheers once more.
Meanwhile, the supposed guests of honor were still in a daze.
"I didn't expect we'd meet the Hydro Archon this smoothly…" Lumine said.
"Yeah! We've only been in Fontaine for, what, a few minutes?"
After twisting her face in confusion for a while, Paimon decided to ask directly. "Um… Your Excellency the Hydro Archon, how did you know we were coming?"
"Oho—how quaint. As outsiders, you inevitably cling to rather mundane assumptions. But you will come to understand that even among gods, there are the 'mediocre' and the 'exceptional.' It is only natural that you are astonished by my brilliance. For me, acquiring information about you requires nothing more than a flick of a finger."
Paimon covered her mouth and whispered to Lumine, "Wow… she's so full of herself…"
"She's definitely unlike any god we've met before," Lumine agreed.
"Very well, that concludes the welcoming ceremony."
Though she said so, Furina made no move to dismiss the formation. Instead, she placed her hands on her hips and surveyed the crowd below—
"So those two are the legendary 'Blond Traveler' from distant lands? I didn't recognize them at first!"
"Lady Furina came here in person—is there going to be a spectacle?"
"Of course! That's the renowned Lumine! Lady Furina must be planning an exciting duel!"
"Ahahaha!" Taking in every reaction from the audience, Furina laughed loudly. "Indeed! Patience, my faithful citizens! Just as you imagine, I have resolved to engage in an epic duel with this traveler from afar!"
Paimon stared blankly, hands spread. "Wait—what?! We're fighting already? Isn't that way too sudden? We skipped so many steps compared to the other nations!"
Before making any move, Lumine glanced at Victor Wang. He gave a subtle shake of his head. After a brief thought, she remained tense and alert, but did not draw her weapon—simply watching Furina and waiting for what came next.
"Excellent!" Furina clapped approvingly. "As expected of the traveler I have taken an interest in—so composed even in the face of a god's challenge!"
"However, do not misunderstand. In this era, people crave ever-greater excitement. A mere contest of brute force cannot satisfy those hungry souls!"
She cast another glance over the crowd.
"Now that you mention it, a simple fight would be rather dull…"
"At the Opera Epiclese, criminals often request duels to defend their honor. I've grown tired of physical combat."
"You see!" Furina declared triumphantly, everything unfolding exactly as she had envisioned. "Thus, as the God of Justice, I have decided to duel this traveler… in the courtroom!"
"Ooooooh!" someone shouted. "Now that's more like it!"
"Of course! This is Fontaine—we'd be wasting the Opera Epiclese otherwise!"
Standing much closer to the audience, Lumine and Paimon naturally noticed how deliberately Furina was playing to the crowd.
"Why do you care so much about the audience's reactions?!" Paimon protested. "Have you been in the opera house too long? And what do you mean, duel in court? Can the God of Justice just arrest people whenever she wants?"
"We haven't committed any crimes," Lumine added.
"Heh." Furina gave a light chuckle. "Of course there is a reason to put you on trial. And it is obvious, is it not?"
"How is it obvious…? If this is about underwater breathing potions, we're carrying them! See?"
"Ahem. It was my order that such potions be distributed to visitors. As newcomers, why would I trouble you over that?"
"Then what is it?!"
"Listen well. Ever since the Fontaine Research Institute was blown sky-high by its own scientists, a decree was enacted—no unregistered flying objects are permitted within Fontaine's borders."
The crowd nodded in agreement. "That's true… that's true indeed! As expected of Lady Furina—she knows Fontaine's laws by heart!"
"H-How is that obvious? Wait…" Paimon suddenly froze. "Are you saying… I'm a flying object?"
"Are you not?" Furina countered.
"Uh… uh…!"
Paimon stomped and scratched her head in agitation, unable to formulate a rebuttal.
"She's my best companion," Lumine said firmly.
"And the airborne Fontaine Research Institute was also the scientists' 'best companion.' If you have no further objections, I shall issue your arrest in the name of the Hydro Archon."
At last, Lyney—who had been watching quietly from the side—knew it was time to step in. He stepped forward.
"My apologies, Lady Furina. I may slightly disrupt the atmosphere, but allow me to interject… I do not believe Paimon should be classified as an 'unregistered flying object.'"
"Exactly!" Paimon hurried to agree. "Finally, someone sensible! How could I possibly count as a released flying object?!"
"Oh? Great Magician Lyney, my dear citizen, I grant you the right to object. But how do you intend to prove that this little one named Paimon is not a flying object?"
"Heh. As a magician, if I disrupt the show, I must take responsibility for saving it. And since we have such a wonderful audience here, allow me to perform a trick."
With a snap of his fingers, a thread of Pyro energy materialized—one end attached to Lumine's wrist, the other to Paimon's back—connecting the two.
Lynette provided a timely sound effect: "Ta-da—"
"Huh? When did that appear on my back?!"
"As you can see," Lyney announced smoothly, "Paimon should be classified as… well… something like an un-released balloon. In any case, she is clearly not in a 'released' state. This thread has always existed—it's simply invisible to the naked eye."
"Pfft… hahahaha!" Furina burst into uninhibited laughter. "Magnificent! Absolutely magnificent, Lyney! I adore such unexpected twists. Only then can today's performance be called complete!"
"Performance?!" Paimon fumed. "You treated all of this as a show?"
"In that case, the matter of trial ends here. The God of Justice must not wrong the innocent. However—should there be cause, I would not hesitate to put even a foreign god on trial, let alone a traveler from afar. Hehehe…"
Though lacking confidence, Furina forced herself to say it to maintain her persona.
"Very well. Mr. Lyney, Miss Lynette—I eagerly await your upcoming magic performance at the Opera Epiclese. And to the Blonde Traveler and Paimon, we shall leave it here for today. Farewell."
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