Fontaine Is Screwed
In Fontaine recently, the casual conversations of the locals have mostly revolved around two major events.
Qi Yi, that is, Fontaine wants alkyl octani.
Fontaine is facing an increasingly severe flood crisis. Water levels are rising gradually, inundating low-lying coastal areas. More and more people can no longer dismiss it as mere hearsay and are forced to confront the prophecy hanging over the entire nation—
Until one day, the sea level in Fontaine will begin to rise, and the people burdened with sins will gradually be submerged by the sea... In the end, everyone will dissolve into the sea, leaving only the water god weeping on his throne. Only then will the sins of the Fontainian be washed away.
"Hearing that the sins of the Fontainian are beyond redemption? Then let justice flourish amidst evil! Prophecy is but the prelude to the stage; judgment is the final clarion call. I will stand guard at the Opera Epiclese, witnessing with you all that Fontaine will finally break free from its fate of sinking into the sea and usher in our own glory! I, the water god Focalors, will surely lead you to resolve Fontaine's crisis!"
Furina continued to appease the people of Fontaine with her flamboyant performance style.
No matter how splendid the speech or how grand the event, it can never silence the public's opinions.
The sea level is rising quietly day by day, and a visible crisis hangs over Fontaine's head, leaving no room for self-deception.
Despite Furina's daily speeches and attempts to maintain a defiant demeanor, the entire nation remained gripped by fear and rumors. The fear and doubt in the hearts of the people never dissipated; instead, they deepened with the rising tide.
Secondly, a mysterious codename, "Morning Star," quietly swept through the streets and alleys of Fontaine, sparking widespread discussion.
This previously undisclosed name was revealed by a pink-haired the Steambird who wished to remain anonymous, through in-depth investigations by the Special Patrol Unit, and thus entered the public eye.
The recent spate of mysterious suicides among nobles in Fontaine all point to this enigmatic figure. What's even more shocking is that after these nobles' unexplained deaths, their long-hidden corruption, crimes, and exploitation of the people are all exposed and made public in a short period of time.
Especially as the crisis intensified, some people began to profit from the national disaster by hoarding necessities, causing prices for food, clean water, and other supplies to remain high.
In a short time, the polarized opinions in Fontaine intensified.
The aristocratic circles viewed the Morning Star as a dangerous criminal who wantonly trampled on the law and carried out vigilante justice, and as a heretic who disrupted the order of Fontaine.
But ordinary people revered him as an unsung hero who punished evil and promoted good in the dark world. In a repressive world where the law was hard to uphold, only the Morning Star brought belated justice to the common people who had nowhere to seek redress.
However, Court of Fontaine, who holds judicial power, has a particularly intriguing attitude.
Faced with a series of vigilante murders and a clear public outcry, Court of Fontaine neither publicly pursued accountability nor condoned the actions, remaining silent throughout and choosing the most subtle approach of handling the situation with a cool head, allowing this battle between good and evil to continue to ferment in the undercurrents of Fontaine.
The folklore about the "Morning Star" has long been popular throughout Fontaine, and everyone on the streets and alleys talks about it with great interest.
Some have penned legendary novels, portraying the Morning Star as a solitary hero walking alone in the dark; others have staged new plays, bringing to the stage scenes of noble misdeeds, secret purges, and scandals, with dramatic singing and plot twists, and every performance is sold out.
No one knows his true appearance or identity, yet everyone is telling his story.
These two major events that affected the entire city of Fontaine converged on the same person— the Morning Star, also known as Xingsu.
A letter with neat handwriting was delivered to the Supreme Judge Neuvillette.
In his letter, he expressed that he might be able to find a new way to alleviate or even break this apocalyptic language crisis. He only hoped to have an audience with the water goddess Furina, to seek the goddess's divine power, and to do his part for Fontaine, who is trapped in the shackles of fate.
The letter's language bordered on a plea.
Neuvillette then truthfully told Furina about Xingsu's purpose in coming and his extraordinary abilities in research.
At that time, Furina was putting on a flamboyant and exaggerated act day after day to deal with the public's anxiety and the country's crisis.
For a long time, the Fontaine Research Institute has been a gathering place for outstanding talents. However, countless scholars and researchers have devoted their lives to the cause, yet they have always been helpless against the rising sea levels and the looming crisis. When she heard that someone claimed to have a way to break the deadlock, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.
No matter what, as long as there is even a glimmer of hope, we should hold on to it tightly.
Inside the reception room of Palais Mermonia, warm sunlight streamed through the windows onto the carpet. In the center of the room stood a large, round tea table with gilded edges, on which steam rose from the teaware. A multi-tiered pastry rack held macarons, cream puffs, and various baked goods.
Xingsu and Furina sat facing each other at the table.
"Hello, it's nice to see you again, Miss Furina."
This gentle greeting startled Furina. She subconsciously scrutinized the young man before her, his familiar features gradually triggering her memory. After a moment, her eyes lit up with a look of sudden realization.
"You, you were that Sumeru scholar back then!" Furina remembered that when she was assassinated, he had rushed over to help her out of the predicament, and even lost all his belongings because of it.
"It seems Lady Furina still remembers me; I am truly honored. Please rest assured, I have kept my promise and have not mentioned a word about that night to anyone." Xingsu smiled faintly.
If Furina knew that the assassin from that assassination attempt was now her lover, one wonders what her expression would be.
"Hmm, thank you for keeping my secret. How is life in Fontaine?" Furina picked up her teacup and asked with great interest.
"Not bad. Although I've left Poisson, I've found a decent job in Court of Fontaine. And at the same time, I've found my soulmate, and we're living together now." Xingsu leaned back in his chair, a faint smile on his face. "Speaking of which, I was invited by Neuvillette to become an honorary researcher at Fontaine. Unfortunately, bad luck struck; on my first day on the job, the Fontaine Research Institute was blown up."
"Hahaha... I see..."
The brief reminiscing passed quickly. Furina soon straightened her posture, lightly touched the rim of her glass with her fingertips, and steered the conversation back to business:
"Let's put aside idle talk for now. You mentioned in your letter that you have unique insights into the crisis of rising sea levels in Fontaine; let's discuss that now."