Hehehe, Melusines, hehe

Shedding her black-and-red cloak, Arlecchino stepped slowly into the shadowy hall of the Hotel Bouffes d'ete. Only a few wall lamps remained lit, casting cold halos of light and throwing her silhouette onto the wall.

She casually removed her mask, revealing her entire face, and walked to the window, resting her fingertips lightly on the cold stone sill. The sight of Xingsu during her attack on Furina just now replayed over and over in her mind.

He was here.

When had he arrived?

How had he crossed Sumeru's entire desert?

Had he recognized me?

What was he doing in Fontaine now?

Was he... doing well?

A string of questions surfaced in Arlecchino's mind, so consuming that she missed the child calling beside her.

"...Father, Father!"

Seeing her remain lost in thought without speaking, Lyney couldn't help raising his voice slightly, softly calling Arlecchino back from her thoughts.

Lyney had put away his usual obedient liveliness, a measure of cautious concern in his eyes.

He rarely saw Father so weighed down by worries.

After returning earlier, she had stood alone by the window for a long time, her thoughts entirely removed from official business, an inescapable air of gravity and conflict surrounding her.

At his voice, Arlecchino came back to herself slightly, concealing the complicated emotions in her eyes and instantly resuming her cool, restrained bearing as the head of the House of the Hearth.

She slowly drew her gaze back from the window and replied evenly, "Sorry, Lyney. I was thinking about some personal matters. Do you have something to report? Go ahead. I'm listening."

Lyney bowed slightly and reported softly, "We just received word from our informants. We have news of the person with star-shaped eyes you instructed us to watch for, Father. He arrived in the Court of Fontaine at around eleven this morning, then went around the city looking for work, but was turned down everywhere. No inn currently has any record of him staying there. However, our informant at the Palais Mermonia brought news that the Hydro Archon, Furina, appears to have brought that man back with her. He is currently staying at the Palais Mermonia."

"Yes, I'm aware."

Not the slightest fluctuation of emotion could be heard in her voice, yet every word carried unquestionable authority.

"Tell the children to continue following this man. Make sure they remain concealed. The target may have counter-surveillance skills. They are not to approach him, disturb him, or, above all, make contact without permission."

Lyney bowed and answered, "Yes, Father. I'll pass the order along immediately."

Watching Lyney turn and withdraw, Arlecchino looked toward the Palais Mermonia beneath the night sky once more.

Would he... come back?

"...Those are Father's orders. Everyone, get some rest for today. Leave one team to watch for developments at the Palais Mermonia. If there are no questions, you're dismissed. Rest well."

The children scattered, leaving only Lyney and Lynette.

Lynette stood quietly in the corner, completely vacant and distracted, without the slightest spark in her eyes. Holding a warm teacup in both hands, she mechanically sipped her tea, mouthful after mouthful, like a programmed doll.

"Ah..." Lyney helplessly pressed a hand to his forehead and said softly, "Lynette, activate conversation mode."

The instant his words fell, Lynette's unfocused gaze finally began to sharpen. She turned toward Lyney beside her. "It's very late already. Is something the matter, brother?"

Remembering Arlecchino standing by the window earlier, Lyney murmured, "Father's been preoccupied all day today, completely unlike usual. What do you think?"

Lynette lowered her eyes slightly, her voice certain and calm. "Father hasn't been herself since this morning, when she asked us to watch for that outlander with star-shaped eyes."

"Could it be... Father didn't sleep well last night? Is she too tired?" Lyney scratched his head and guessed.

"Stupid brother."

Lynette tossed out the words flatly, couldn't be bothered to explain further, and turned to walk straight away.

"Hey, hey, hey! Lynette! Wait for me!"

Lyney hurried after her slender figure, the siblings' footsteps fading softly down the mansion's silent late-night corridor.

Knock, knock, knock!

"Good morning, Mr. Xingsu. It's time to get up and set off."

A cool, steady voice came from outside the door. It was Clorinde.

In his sleep, Xingsu's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes. A peaceful night's sleep had somewhat soothed the exhaustion of his travels, dispelling most of the weariness in his eyes. Yet the hollow bewilderment in his heart remained distinct the instant he awoke.

He quickly sat up, rubbed his brow and eyes, and answered, "All right, I'll be right there."

After briefly straightening his clothes, he opened the door.

Dressed in her crisp Champion Duelist attire, Clorinde stood quietly outside, the morning light accentuating her upright figure and cool expression.

"Did you rest well?" she asked evenly. "I'll be setting out with you today. As arranged yesterday, I'll take you to Pinewood Town. Mr. Callas and Miss Navia there will arrange your work and accommodations."

Xingsu nodded lightly. "Sorry for the trouble."

Clorinde gave a slight nod, turned, and stepped forward. "Let's go. On the way, I'll give you a brief introduction to Poisson and how Miss Navia and Mr. Callas handle things, to help you get established afterward."

After finishing his simple preparations, Xingsu followed Clorinde out of the Palais Mermonia and boarded the Clementine Line Aquabus, traveling along the canal toward Poisson.

"Hello, dear passengers! Is there anything I can help you with?"

A tiny, delicate figure, pale skin with a translucent, watery sheen, and a gently swaying little tail, with a gentle yet lively appearance-she was a strange creature Xingsu had never seen in this world.

This was his first time seeing a Melusine.

When he had first arrived in Fontaine yesterday, he had taken this same Aquabus from Lumidouce Harbor to the Court of Fontaine, but it had been so crowded that he hadn't noticed this little one at all.

Now that I got a look... hehehe, so cute. I wanted to pet her!

On the same level as Tighnari's ears!

Aeval blinked sweetly, looking at the visibly dazed Xingsu, and tilted her head slightly. "Sir?"

Only then did Xingsu abruptly come back to himself. Realizing he had lost his composure, he felt his cheeks grow a little warm. "S-sorry. I've never seen a being like you before, and I was rude for a moment. I'm terribly sorry!"

Beside him, Clorinde, accustomed to seeing Melusines, stood quietly with a composed expression. As she watched the pure liveliness the young man displayed, a hint of softness passed through her eyes.

Understanding his curiosity, Aeval swished her tail briskly and explained with a smile, "My name is Aeval. I'm a Melusine. My companions are all over Fontaine. As for me, I've always worked aboard the Aquabus, helping travelers."

Help! She was so cute! I wanted to pet her so badly!

Xingsu unconsciously raised his hand, wanting to get closer for a look.

Just then, Clorinde slowly spoke beside him, her tone calm but carrying a clear warning:

"Ahem, Mr. Xingsu, I need to remind you of something. In Fontaine, reaching out to pet a Melusine without permission is considered rude. Deliberately harming a Melusine is, moreover, a crime severely punished under explicit provisions of the law."

Xingsu's raised hand stopped in midair. He hurriedly withdrew it and apologized with some embarrassment. "Ah, sorry, sorry. Thank you for the reminder. I didn't know Fontaine had that rule."

"It's all right. Many visitors don't know," Aeval said with a gentle smile, her tail swaying lightly. "We simply aren't used to strangers touching us without permission."

Throughout the journey, Aeval dutifully introduced Fontaine's scenery and buildings to her two passengers, vividly waving her little hands as she spoke.

Of the two, however, one was a local who didn't need to listen, and the other's thoughts weren't on the scenery outside at all.

Watching Aeval gesture with her hands, Xingsu suddenly had an idea. Choosing the moment just after she finished introducing a building, he extended his right hand toward her. "Thank you. Your descriptions are truly lifelike, Miss Aeval."

Aeval blinked her pale cyan eyes, looking at his open palm as her tail swayed lightly.

"Hmm... a handshake? I've heard Monsieur Neuvillette mention those."

She carefully freed one hand and gently placed it in Xingsu's palm, giving it a brief, soft shake before withdrawing it.

Ooooh! I touched her! Hehehe! Her hand felt so nice! Hehehe!

"Let's go, Xingsu. We're getting off here," Clorinde said to Xingsu, who was grinning foolishly beside her.

"Ah, huh? Getting off here? Hasn't the Aquabus not reached its stop yet?" Xingsu asked in confusion.

"Yes, right here. Take my hand." Clorinde paid no heed to Xingsu's question. "Get ready. Jump!"

"Huh? What? Jump? Hey, hey, hey!!" Before Xingsu could react, a tremendous force suddenly yanked him away.

Clorinde pulled Xingsu off the Aquabus with her, leaving a bewildered Aeval still aboard.

Those two passengers... had they just jumped off by themselves?

Huh???

There was no time to pay attention to the bewildered Aeval, because Xingsu was just as bewildered himself.

"The Aquabus doesn't stop at Poisson," Clorinde explained evenly beside him. "So this is the most convenient method."

"Then did we have to take this Aquabus?!" Having just recovered from the shock, Xingsu spoke with a deeply aggrieved expression.

"Using the Palais Mermonia's shared boats requires an advance application and approval. By the time approval comes through, at least half a month will have passed. Unless you think you can swim and run all the way here in one go, in which case I can suggest you sign up for a triathlon."

"..."

Fontaine truly was a wondrous nation.