Inside the stone tower on the inner side of the harbor was an elevator. No one knew how long it had been in operation, and it was the only way up.
The iron gate opened, and the two stepped inside. There was room for more than ten people, and no operator. The elevator slowly rose on its own. Through the iron bars, they could see the harbor growing smaller and smaller, the cargo ships on the river turning into moving specks.
Lin En held on to the bars and looked out. Wind rushed through the gaps, carrying the smell of dampness and rust.
"This elevator's rusty. It won't break down, will it?"
The moment he said it, the elevator jolted, giving him a fright. Fortunately, he hadn't jinxed it.
At the top, the elevator stopped and the gate opened.
A broad waterway stretched out before them. White stone railings lined both sides, with a streetlamp at regular intervals.
Several elegantly shaped little boats floated on the water, each resembling half a seashell.
At the end of the waterway, the white walls of the Court of Fontaine stood high above them, in full view.
"Taking an aquabus across will save us some effort."
Ronava pointed to a small boat moored beside the waterway.
"Yeah. If I had to walk all that way, my feet would be done for."
Lin En nodded. He'd barely rested since leaving the Sumeru rainforest, and after walking for so long, anyone would have been exhausted.
The two bought tickets and boarded the boat. It sailed automatically, with only a Melusine there to maintain order. The boat moved slowly along the waterway, crossing a stretch of sea and passing under several white stone arch bridges.
The buildings on either side grew denser and taller. They had neat white stone walls, pointed roofs and arched windows. Here and there, colored glass glinted in the sunlight.
When the boat reached the station, Lin En disembarked and found himself high above the Court of Fontaine.
The station stood high in the city center. Looking down, he could see the whole city spread out below. Roads wound in a maze at different elevations, and white buildings rose in layers, stretching from the mountainside all the way to the water. Pedestrians came and went along the streets.
"Someone with no sense of direction would get lost here."
Lin En sighed.
"Where wouldn't someone with no sense of direction get lost?"
Ronava added.
"I guess that's true!"
The two went down the stairs from the station, descending the white stone steps one at a time until they reached the city streets.
All kinds of shops lined the streets. The scent of butter drifted from bakeries, buckets of fresh flowers stood outside flower shops, and there were vendors selling newspapers, postcards and snacks.
The pedestrians wore Fontaine-style clothing, mostly in shades of white and blue.
The two found an inn in an alley near the station.
It wasn't large, but it was clean.
Lin En asked for a room, put down his luggage and washed his face. He was just about to go out and find something to eat.
Suddenly, it darkened outside the window.
Lin En walked over to look. At some point, gray clouds had gathered in the sky, hanging heavily over the Court of Fontaine's pointed rooftops.
Lightning flashed, and before the thunder came, the rain came crashing down.
Raindrops the size of beans struck the stone pavement, kicking up a haze of white mist. Pedestrians ran for shelter beneath eaves and into shops, and the street, bustling only moments ago, was more than half empty in an instant.
"Why am I so unlucky?"
Lin En sighed against the window.
"It starts raining as soon as we get to Fontaine. The first day of our wonderful vacation is ruined."
Ronava stood in the doorway with an umbrella she had borrowed from the inn's front desk. It had a black canopy and a handle made of bamboo.
"Let's go."
"Only one umbrella?"
"It's enough."
The two left the inn and crowded under the umbrella. It was small, barely big enough for both of them.
Rain pattered against the canopy, and the wind drove the drops sideways, striking Lin En's shoulder. He moved closer to Ronava, pressing his shoulder against her arm.
Through their clothes, he could feel her warmth.
Ronava didn't move away. She simply tilted the umbrella a little more toward him.
They walked through the rain for a while, then turned into a large restaurant.
The restaurant was warm, its lights a soft yellow. A small bottle of fresh flowers sat on every table.
Ronava closed the umbrella, shook the water off and placed it in the stand by the door. She found a table by the window and sat down, ordering Fontaine-style seafood soup and grilled fish, along with a dessert said to be a local favorite.
Rain was still falling outside, running down the glass in streaks. Lin En looked through them at the blurred lights across the street and took a sip of hot soup, feeling warmth spread through his stomach.
"How's Fontaine's food?"
he asked. Fontaine's food seemed a little better than Sumeru's, and it tasted good too.
Ronava tried a spoonful of soup and nodded.
"Not bad."
By the time they finished eating, the rain had eased a little, but it hadn't stopped.
The two walked back under the umbrella. There were far fewer pedestrians than before, and the streetlamps lit up one by one, their warm yellow light reflected on the wet stone pavement.
As they reached a square, Lin En spotted someone.
The man stood beside the fountain in the middle of the square, wearing a long, dark blue coat. His silvery-white hair gleamed coldly under the streetlights.
He had no umbrella. Rain fell on him and dripped from the hem of his coat like beads of water sliding down glass. He stood there in the rain, his head tilted slightly upward as he gazed at the sky, his expression calm, as though listening to the sound of the rain. It was Neuvillette.
The word "Jiahao" instantly popped into Lin En's head, though it didn't seem appropriate for describing Neuvillette.
Ronava saw Neuvillette too. She didn't stop walking, but her gaze lingered on him for an extra moment. There was something a little strange.
Neuvillette seemed to sense something and slowly turned his head.
His gaze fell first on Ronava, and his pupils contracted slightly. Then he looked at Lin En before looking back at her.
He was silent for a few seconds, then walked over. Rainwater dripped from the ends of his hair, but strangely, his clothes weren't soaked, as though an invisible film of water were keeping the rain off.
"Ruler of Death, I didn't expect to see you here."
Neuvillette knew that the Ruler of Death's authority had been reclaimed, but he hadn't expected to see her here, accompanied by a human she seemed to be close to?
Ronava looked at him and inclined her head slightly.
"Hydro Dragon Sovereign."
Neuvillette looked at Lin En and asked,
"And this is?"
"A companion."
Neuvillette nodded and asked no further questions.
He glanced up at the rain still falling, then looked at the umbrella the two of them held.
"I brought this rain."
There was a trace of apology in his voice.
"I'm sorry to have spoiled your enjoyment."
Neuvillette was silent for a few breaths, then said,
"If you don't mind, you could come to the Palais Mermonia for a while. There's food and hot tea there. It would be better than getting caught in the rain here."
Lin En looked at Ronava. Her gaze rested on Neuvillette's face for a few seconds before she nodded slightly.
"Sorry for the trouble, then."
Neuvillette turned and headed toward the Palais Mermonia, walking slowly, as though waiting for them.
The rain was still falling, but above his head, it seemed to part around him of its own accord, forming a faint, invisible circle of dryness around him.
Lin En followed with the umbrella, Ronava walking beside him. They stayed close together, their shoulders almost touching.
The Palais Mermonia stood at the highest point of the Court of Fontaine, and climbing up there took Lin En quite some effort.
The three climbed the stone steps. When the guards at the entrance saw Neuvillette, they saluted and made way.
Neuvillette led the two into a side room and had hot tea and clean towels brought in.
He sat down opposite them, his long silvery-white hair falling over his shoulders. His pale purple eyes looked especially deep in the lamplight.
"So,"
He picked up his teacup, his gaze falling on Ronava.
"What brings you to Fontaine?"
Ronava accepted a cup of tea and took a small sip.
"A vacation."
Neuvillette's hand paused. He was somewhat shocked.
"...A vacation?"
The Ruler of Death said she was vacationing in Fontaine with... a human? What on earth had happened during this time?
"Mm."
Neuvillette looked at her in silence for several seconds, then slowly set down his teacup.
"All right."
There was a trace of resignation in his voice.
"Fontaine is indeed a good place for a vacation."
He turned his head to look at the rain outside the window. It had grown lighter, but it was still falling in a steady drizzle.