The next morning, when Lin En woke up, Ronava was no longer in bed.
He turned over and saw a note next to the pair of crystal glasses on the bedside table that read, "Waiting for you downstairs."
He washed up, changed his clothes, and went downstairs. Ronava was sitting by the window on the first floor of the hotel, with two cups of hot coffee and some bread in front of her.
She simply sat there quietly today, her fingers occasionally touching the ring on her ring finger.
Seeing Lin En come down, she gestured for him to sit down in front of her.
Where to go today?
Lin En took a bite of her bread.
"Just wander around outside the city."
The two left the inn and walked along the canal out of the city.
The mornings in Court of Fontaine are quite lively. Breakfast shops bring out freshly baked bread, and florists bring out newly arrived flowers and display them at the entrance.
Lin En hung the Kamera around his neck, stopping every now and then to take a picture. Ronava walked beside him, her steps unhurried, occasionally glancing at the scene in his viewfinder.
When she reached the square behind the opera house, Ronava suddenly stopped.
Her gaze fell on the stone steps across the square, where a person stood, looking down at a document in his hand.
A young man with brown hair, dressed in a waiter's shirt, was with her.
The woman raised her head, her gaze sweeping across the square and landing on Ronava, before she stepped over.
Lin En also noticed the man; it was the Knave, Arlecchino!
He instinctively stood in front of Ronava, after all, she was Harbinger of the Fatui, and he didn't want to start a fight as soon as they met.
" The Ruler of Death."
She stopped two steps away, bowed slightly, as if in a gesture of respect.
I never expected to meet you in Fontaine.
Ronava looked at her, her golden eyes showing no emotion.
"..."
Arlecchino smiled, her gaze shifting from Ronava to Lin En, pausing for a moment.
That glance was brief, but Lin En always felt that there was a sense of being carefully measured in her gaze, which made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
"This must be Mr. Lin En."
Her voice was very gentle.
I've heard so much about you.
Lin En did not answer.
The Knave's smile remained unchanged. She took a pale blue letter from her sleeve and handed it to Ronava.
" Her Majesty the Tsaritsa wishes to speak with you."
Ronava did not answer.
"If it weren't for the crowds here, you would be dead."
She knew that killing a Fatui's Harbinger now would not do her any good, and might even implicate Lin En, so she couldn't act rashly.
The Knave took back the letter without being annoyed, and even invited Ronava to sit in the House of the Hearth.
" Her Majesty the Tsaritsa says that you are now powerless and severely injured, and her goal has been achieved. She is now willing to cooperate with you. If you are willing to cooperate, Snezhnaya will no longer be your enemy."
Ronava looked at her, the corners of her mouth curving slightly, a cold and sharp smile.
Why should I cooperate with you?
The Knave picked up the coffee on the table in front of him, took a small sip, and moved with composure.
Her Majesty the Tsaritsa seems quite interested in the person beside you.
She placed the cup back on the table, her gaze calmly settling on Ronava's face.
"After all, how could a mere mortal be capable of causing the downfall of Ruler of Death?"
The air fell silent for a few moments.
Lin En felt Ronava's aura turn cold in that instant, so cold that it made the back of his neck tighten.
The air around her seemed to freeze; even the wind stopped.
She glared angrily at the Knave.
You are threatening me.
"I wouldn't dare."
The Knave shook his head slightly.
"I was merely relaying the Queen's words; she meant no harm, she was just curious."
"How could a mortal make the Ruler of Death lower its guard? Her Majesty the Tsaritsa believes the answers to these questions are worth discussing, if you wish."
Ronava Lin En stared at her profile, his eyes as cold as a knife.
He reached out and gently touched the back of her hand, which was hanging by her side.
Her fingers twitched slightly, then slowly loosened.
What if I say no?
Ronava spoke up.
The Knave placed the pale blue letter on the table and took a step back.
"The Queen said she won't force you. But if you change your mind, you can take this to Snezhnaya to see her."
She nodded slightly, her gaze lingering on Lin En's face for a final moment.
"Mr. Lin En, I look forward to seeing you again."
She turned and left with the young man behind her, her steps unhurried, and soon disappeared into the crowd at the end of the square.
Ronava stood there, silent for a long time.
"How dare she..."
Ronava finally spoke, her voice filled with anger, which even startled Lin En.
"What should we do then?"
Ronava glanced at him sideways; the sunlight fell on her face, softening the anger in her eyes.
"I'll handle it, but don't leave my sight for the time being."
Lin En nodded. What exactly was the Snezhnaya Queen trying to do? Was she going to use him to threaten Ronava?
"So what's the itinerary for today?"
He asked.
Ronava looked at him for two seconds, let go of his hand, and turned to walk towards the canal.
"Continue, just a lackey of Snezhnaya, nothing to fear."
Lin En followed her and walked to her side.
"Where shall we go?"
"Fall."
Ronava said.
"You said you wanted to go see it."
Lin En was taken aback. He had casually mentioned the big waterfall north of Court of Fontaine earlier outside the aquarium, and he hadn't expected her to remember it.
The two walked north along the canal, passing through a tree-lined avenue.
Lin En hung the Kamera around her neck, stopping every now and then to take a picture: a white sailboat passing by on the canal, a gray cat sunbathing on the bridge railing, Ronava walked ahead.
After walking for about half an hour, the terrain gradually rose, the stone path turned into a gravel path, and the sycamore trees on both sides were replaced by low shrubs and wildflowers.
The air was filled with a damp scent, carrying the aroma of earth and moss. The sound of water could be heard in the distance, starting as a faint murmur, growing louder as you went further, and finally turning into a continuous roar.
At the end of the gravel path is a stone railing, beyond which lies a cliff, and below the cliff is Court of Fontaine's largest waterfall.
The river water cascades down a cliff hundreds of meters wide, creating a mist that refracts sunlight to form a rainbow spanning the waterfall.
The roar of the waterfall was so powerful that the stones beneath our feet trembled slightly. Below the waterfall was a deep pool with emerald green water, splashing everywhere. Ferns and moss grew all around, and the air was filled with cool, refreshing vapor.
Lin En leaned over the stone railing and looked down. He raised his Kamera to take a picture of the waterfall, then turned to take a picture of Ronava, only to find her standing beside the railing, not looking at the waterfall, but looking down at the ring on her ring finger.
The mist settled on her silver hair, condensing into extremely fine droplets that shimmered faintly in the sunlight.
" Ronava."
She looked up.
"To see the waterfall."
Lin En pointed ahead.
Ronava turned her gaze to the waterfall and watched it for a while.
A rainbow stretched across the mist, from one cliff to the other.
Her expression was calm, as if she was thinking about something.
Are you thinking about Snezhnaya?
He asked.
Ronava glanced at him sideways, without denying it.
"Since the God of Cryo dared to send her subordinates to deliver a message, it means she has already gathered enough intelligence. She knows where we went, and may even know your rank and background."
"Then why is she even negotiating? Wouldn't it be simpler to just take action?"
"Because she's unsure."
Ronava placed her hand on the stone railing and looked at the curtain of water from the waterfall.
"She's unsure of your background, and she's also unsure of how much I've recovered. She's testing me, and she wants to test you too."
Lin En was silent for a few moments, then smiled.
"What is there for me to test? I'm just an ordinary person."
Ronava looked at him, her gaze lingering on his face for a few seconds.
"You've never been an ordinary person."
She smiled slightly.
"At least for me, it has never been ordinary."
The mist drifted from the direction of the waterfall and landed on the two of them, fine and cool.
Lin En looked at her, and that dull, soft feeling welled up in his chest again. He reached out and covered her hand with his.
"Then it won't be ordinary, and I don't intend to become ordinary anyway."
Ronava didn't reply, but simply turned her hand over and tucked her fingers between his.
After a long time, Ronava released her grip.
Let's go.
She said.
"I'm going back."
"Won't you watch it for a little while longer?"
"I've seen enough."