"Nahida, have you noticed something?" Lumine asked, noticing Nahida's expression.
"It's just a guess," Nahida replied. "But regardless of whether my hunch is correct, Chu Xi's body shows no issues right now. You can all rest assured."
"Nahida, are we expecting guests?" Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's voice echoed from the entrance of the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
"Mom!" Nahida's face lit up with a smile.
"It's the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata!"
Rukkhadevata immediately noticed the peculiar Chu Xi. "Did you come here for this little one?"
Rukkhadevata approached Chu Xi and gently patted her shoulder. A pure stream of energy flowed into Chu Xi's mind, instantly clearing her thoughts.
"I'm late. Could someone fill me in on what's been happening?"
Nahida stepped forward and presented a Canned Knowledge device.
Rukkhadevata accepted it with a smile, lightly pinching Nahida's cheek with her large hand. "How thoughtful of you, Nahida! You truly are a good daughter to your mother."
Nahida's small face flushed pink, but her eyes couldn't conceal her joy.
"So that's what happened..."
Having learned the full account, Rukkhadevata sighed softly.
The Doctor... She had met him before—a brilliant and talented individual. Sadly, for various reasons, he had chosen his current path.
"Rest assured, Sumeru will not stand idly by. Since he was once a Sumeru citizen, Sumeru must take necessary action."
Rukkhadevata, equally displeased with the Doctor's actions, resolved to take necessary action as well.
After chatting with the two generations of Dendro Archons at the Sanctuary of Surasthana for a while, Lumine, Paimon, and Chu Xi prepared to leave.
Upon learning that the trio's departure was to commemorate Sumeru's unnamed Pure Soul—who had also saved Rukkhadevata's life—Rukkhadevata and Nahida decided to join them.
The memorial site was located near a branch of the great tree where Silaya often lingered. Lumine brought pita pockets, while Chu Xi offered a bouquet of flowers...
-
After their journey to Sumeru, the trio returned directly to Fontaine. In a single day, they had visited four nations, paid respects to four departed friends, and helped Chu Xi resolve her physical ailment.
By the time they arrived back in Fontaine, it was past midnight, and Paimon was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.
Only Chu Xi remained fully alert, showing no signs of fatigue whatsoever.
As they retreated into the Serenitea Pot to rest, Chu Xi, wanting to fit in, forced herself to sleep. Before drifting off, however, she pulled out the remaining half-bottle of maintenance fluid and drained it in a series of loud gulps.
-
Palais Mermonia.
Furina stared at the letter in her hand, flipping it over and over for a long time. After setting it down, she pondered for even longer before finally turning to Fidelle and saying:
"Fidelle, let's go find Neuvillette."
"Right now? But Lady Furina, what about your cake?"
"Hmm? Is it ready? Then... then let's eat the cake first, Fidelle. Bring it out quickly!"
Fidelle presented a lovely pink cake, and the two shared it equally. Only after finishing their treat did they set out to find Neuvillette.
"Lady Furina, is something the matter? You seem a bit down."
"Ugh... it's nothing much. Just that The Knave suddenly wants to meet with me. The topic is about Childe. How infuriating! Why didn't she say anything at the opera house? Isn't it a bit late now?"
Fidelle considered for a moment before offering her opinion:
"Why don't we just refuse?"
Furina suddenly leaned in close to Fidelle, her voice conspiratorial: "Fidelle, be honest. Could you beat The Knave in a fight?"
Though she didn't understand why Furina was asking, Fidelle pondered the question carefully before answering:
"I haven't fought her directly, but The Knave is the Fourth Seat of the Fatui Harbingers. I've sparred with Angie before—Angie is Childe's sister and the adjutant to the Captain, the First Seat of the Harbingers. I'm no match for Angie, and since the Harbingers' ranks are determined by strength, I likely wouldn't stand a chance against The Knave."
Furina: "Then let's go meet her anyway."
Fidelle frowned, unwilling to see Lady Furina forced into something against her will.
"Lady Furina, why ask such a thing? If you don't wish to go, simply refuse. While I may not be her equal, defeating me wouldn't be easy for her either. We shouldn't fear her."
"Fidelle, you're overthinking this. How could I possibly fear her? I simply want to avoid escalating the conflict between us."
"I see. I understand now, Lady Furina."
Though lingering doubts remained, since Lady Furina had spoken so decisively, Fidelle chose to trust her judgment.
-
Inside Neuvillette's office:
"Lady Furina, I believe that without sufficient intelligence preparation, even a face-to-face meeting could result in a 'Direct Rupture' rather than a 'Reconciliation.' We still haven't determined what offense Mr. Tartaglia committed. I think it's best to avoid a meeting altogether."
Furina: "Hmm... Well, I don't think we should overthink things for now. Ahem... Even if the God's choices don't make sense at the moment, their superiority will inevitably become clear in the near future.
"Besides, you'll be there with me during the meeting. If anything goes wrong, I'm sure you can adapt to the situation."
Neuvillette: "I must confess, communicating and interacting with people outside the courtroom is not my forte. You overestimate me. More importantly... when did I agree to attend this meeting with you?"
Upon hearing this, Furina panicked completely:
"Eh?! You're not coming?! No... no, no, no! That won't do! I can't go alone. You absolutely must come with me—I'm definitely bringing you along..."
Furina's beautiful, wide eyes stared intently at Neuvillette, who simply closed his own.
"Lady Furina," Neuvillette said, "could it be that there's some reason behind this matter that I'm unaware of?"
Furina swiftly retreated, waving her hands frantically. "No, no... Look, I'm the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, the God of Justice known as Focalors, revered and beloved by all..."
Raising her small hands, Furina stood before the blue-lit window, the celestial light streaming down upon her, making her appear almost divine.
Fidelle, utterly mesmerized, quietly retrieved the compact camera she had purchased from Charlotte from her Vision Space.
Click—
The atmosphere in the office froze for a moment. Furina and Neuvillette both turned to stare at Fidelle.
"Ahem, my apologies," Fidelle murmured, quietly stowing the camera away.
"Let's get back on track," Furina said. "This is merely how I wish things to proceed. Don't overthink it. I'll go arrange the meeting details myself..."
Furina pulled Fidelle out of Neuvillette's office.
Behind them, Neuvillette let out a quiet sigh.