The sun was shining brightly when I stepped out of the hotel.
Lin En changed into clean clothes and threw the tattered old shirt into the trash can.
Ronava was not wearing her usual outfit today. She changed into a light-colored long dress, and her silver hair was loosely tied back with a plain-colored hairband, making her look much softer than usual.
Lin En glanced at it a couple more times, but when she caught a glimpse of it, she quickly looked away.
Where to go today?
He asked.
"Go wherever you like."
Ronava tightened her hairband.
"It's the last day."
Lin En nodded. Indeed, they should set off for Natlan tomorrow. At least Ronava had helped Natlan back then, so Mavuika shouldn't stop her.
The two walked slowly along the canal, without a specific destination, simply following the stone path.
As they passed the bakery, Ronava paused, looked at the freshly baked desserts in the window, took out Mora, bought one, and handed it to Lin En.
Didn't you just have breakfast?
Lin En was puzzled. She had just eaten breakfast, so why was she buying dessert now?
"You'll be spending a lot more time in the wild, so you probably won't have a chance to eat it even if you want to."
Ronava replied, and Lin En thought it made sense, so he took it.
When passing by the flower shop, Lin En picked out a small bunch of red roses, which the shop owner wrapped in paper and handed to him.
He handed it to Ronava, then took out his Kamera to take a picture of her.
"I feel that roses suit you well; they both have a kind of cool and aloof quality."
Lin En praised him.
Ronava held the flowers up to the Kamera lens, as if handing them to Lin En through the Kamera.
With a click, Ronava held the flower to her chest and made the suggestion.
"You've been taking pictures of me the whole time, but we haven't taken a group photo yet. Why don't we take a few more before we leave Fontaine?"
Lin En nodded.
"That seems to be true; the only group photo was taken in Charlotte."
He gave the Kamera to the florist and asked her to take a picture.
He patted the wrinkles off his clothes, went to Ronava's side, took her hand, and gave her a peace sign.
The florist is counting down.
"Three~ Two~"
Just as he counted to two, Lin En felt a bit heavy on his shoulder. He looked up Ronava leaning her head on his shoulder, making the same peace sign as him. She looked at the Kamera with a smile on her lips.
"One!"
The florist covered his mouth with his hand and chuckled as he spoke.
What a loving couple! Wishing you a long and happy life together.
She handed over the Kamera and a photograph, which the two of them glanced at.
Ronava's eyes are slightly narrowed as she looks ahead with a smile, while Lin En turns his head to look at her. Light shines from the side, making this photo full of a story.
"Hmm, very good."
Ronava praised the photos and then put them away.
As Lin En reached the opera house square, she glanced in the direction where she had met the Knave the day before. Thankfully, no one was there. What if she had run into her again on the last day...
People came and went in the opera house square, and several street performers played their instruments under the colonnades, the music mingling with the sound of the canal.
"Take a break."
Ronava had already sat down on a bench, patted the seat next to her, and said to Lin En.
Lin En sat down next to her, and she placed the roses on her lap.
Ronava seemed to want to say something, but after thinking for a moment, she reminded him.
"Tomorrow we'll travel from Fontaine to Sumeru, and then from Sumeru to Natlan. This journey will take several days."
Lin En leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and savored the moment.
"With you here, what's a little distance? We've come all this way, this little bit won't make a difference."
Aren't you afraid?
"Who wouldn't be scared? I'm just kidding. How could I be scared? I'll do my best for you."
What you fear most is what happens.
"Then I'm afraid you'll fall for me."
"Glib-tongued."
Ronava turned her head and looked into the distance.
After sitting on the bench for a while, the two continued walking.
At the other end of the square, there was a photo studio with various photos displayed in the window, including scenery of Court of Fontaine and group photos of tourists.
Lin En pulled Ronava inside for a look. The owner, a middle-aged man wearing glasses, heard that they had just taken a group photo and enthusiastically recommended a postcard-sized photo album that could hold many photos.
"Um."
Lin En pointed to the photo the florist had taken.
"I can get another copy printed; I'll put it in my wallet."
Ronava glanced at him, a little puzzled.
The shopkeeper quickly printed a few small bills. Lin En paid, tucked one into a compartment of her wallet, and handed the other to Ronava.
She took it, looked at it, and put it in her small photo album.
Where did you get this photo album?
Lin En was somewhat surprised to see that Ronava's small photo album already contained quite a few photos.
"I bought these before, otherwise I'd have too many photos."
Ronava carefully placed the photo into the album, picked it up and looked at it against the light for a couple of moments, then closed it and put it away.
"No, I want one too!"
He also bought a photo album from the photo studio owner and put that group photo as the first picture in it.
When they left the photo studio, the sun was already setting. The two walked back to the hotel along the canal, passing a general store where Lin En went in to buy some dry food and bandages, as well as a bottle of insect repellent.
Ronava was waiting at the door, holding the bouquet of roses in her hand, which attracted the attention of several passersby.
It was already evening when they returned to the hotel. The two packed up their last bit of luggage and tied the bundles back up tightly.
Lin En checked three times to make sure everything was there.
Ronava sat on the edge of the bed, closed the photo album and put it at the bottom of her bundle. She then picked up the dried flower from beside her pillow, looked at it, and tucked it into the album.
When are you leaving tomorrow?
Lin En asked.
"At daybreak, merchant ships depart from Fontaine Sumeru Vourukasha Oasis. The early morning ferries are less crowded."
Lin En nodded, took a shower, changed into her pajamas, and lay down.
Ronava turned off the light and lay down beside him, her silver hair spread out on the pillow, moonlight filtering in through the gaps in the curtains and falling between them.
" Ronava."
"Um."
"Thank you for your stay in Fontaine."
Ronava turned her head, her expression obscured in the darkness, but he could feel her gaze on his face.
"What are you thanking me for?"
"Thank you for coming on vacation with me. You didn't even need to take this vacation; you could have just gone to Natlan."
Ronava remained silent for a few moments.
I need to rest too.
She said.
"And..."
"And what?"
"Besides, coming out with you is better than being alone."
Lin En chuckled in the darkness and rolled over to face her.
In the moonlight, her profile was serene and gentle, with a very faint curve at the corner of her mouth. He reached out and touched her fingers. She did not pull away, but simply opened her fingers slightly, and their fingers intertwined.
"She's asleep."
She said.
"Good night."
Tomorrow he'll be leaving for Natlan. Lin En closed his eyes, thinking about his Fontaine these past few days: the opera house, the aquarium, the canal cruise, the waterfall, the rings, the photos—he memorized them all, like saving photographs.
Then, holding Ronava's fingers, he slowly fell asleep.