"Uh… that… Fu… Fu Fu?" Fu Ning said hesitantly.
Furina's face lit up with a radiant smile, and Fu Ning stared blankly at her expression, as if stunned.
Finally, Fu Ning steeled himself.
He stood up and dropped to one knee before Furina.
Such a solemn gesture startled her.
"Uh… Fu Ning… you…"
Fu Ning's expression grew serious as he spoke. "Fu Fu, do you know? When I was gravely wounded, it was you who brought me back to Fontaine."
"And now, I've met you, Fu Fu."
"I know it now—you're the meaning of my life."
"All I want now is to protect you. I don't want you to leave me!"
"I like you, Fu Fu."
Still half-kneeling, Fu Ning summoned all his courage.
Furina stared at him blankly, stunned, her mind unable to process what she was hearing.
Her wish… had come true?
She couldn't believe it. Was this real?
Fu Ning began to panic when he saw her dazed expression.
What do I do now? Did I make her angry?
Yes! That must be it! How can I confess with nothing in my hands?
"I know! I know! Wait for me, okay? You have to wait for me! Fu Fu! Please—I'll be right back!"
"Combat talent—Sequence Two!"
"Melee talent—Sequence Three!"
"Auxiliary talent—Sequence Five!"
"Energy talent—Sequence Ten!"
In an instant, Fu Ning vanished. He activated all the power he could muster, and his speed reached a new peak.
In the blink of an eye, he arrived at a jewelry shop near the Palais Mermonia.
With a flash, he summoned his signature weapon—the Black Hole Staff—in his left hand and thrust it into the middle of the store, shocking everyone inside.
Speaking rapidly, Fu Ning declared, "I am Fu Ning, Supreme Guard of Fontaine! This is my weapon—the Black Hole Staff! I'm pawning it here temporarily! I need a ring! I'll be back soon!"
His eyes swept across the display cases frantically until they landed on a ring that caught his eye. Without hesitation, he snatched it up and disappeared once again in a flash.
Only stunned shopkeepers and civilians remained behind, speechless.
Flower shop.
Fu Ning arrived like a whirlwind, tossing everything valuable on his person—except the ring—onto the counter.
"Boss! I'm Fu Ning, Fontaine's top guard! I'm taking this bouquet! Pledge these things here—I'll be back!"
Without a second thought, he grabbed a huge bouquet of flowers and bolted.
The flower shop owner: "???"
She had never seen Fu Ning so frantic before.
What on earth had happened?
Inside the Palais Mermonia, Neuvillette sat in his office, frowning. He sensed Fu Ning's soaring aura and frenzied movements.
What's going on? Fu Ning seems… anxious.
You've always acted like the outcome was in your hands. Why now?
I don't understand, and frankly, I don't want to.
Still… something big must've happened. I should take a look.
Less than a minute later, Fu Ning returned to the Mo Mang Palace.
He handed the flowers and ring to Furina.
"Fu Fu, I like you."
Furina covered her face with her hands as tears quietly streamed down.
"I promise you, Fu Ning… I promise you!"
No longer able to contain her emotions, Furina flew into Fu Ning's arms.
Afraid the ring and flowers might hurt her, Fu Ning tossed them aside just before she collided with him.
"I don't care about the ring or flowers," Furina whispered. "It's you I care about, Fu Ning."
"Heh."
Fu Ning embraced her and lowered his head with a foolish grin.
Fu Fu… hehehe… my Fu Fu… soft and fragrant.
His eyes drifted to Furina's white hair.
Unable to resist, he gently took a lock into his mouth.
Mmm~ So sweet. It tastes like Fu Fu.
Then he even sucked on Furina's signature ahoge.
Completely unaware, Furina remained in Fu Ning's embrace.
Moments later, she looked up—only to realize the tip of her hair was still in Fu Ning's mouth.
"Ah! Fu Ning! Are you eating my hair?!" Furina's face turned beet red as she yelped in shock, puffing up in embarrassment. Utterly adorable.
At the door, Neuvillette stood silently, watching the scene unfold between Fu Ning and Furina.
Among the three high authorities of Fontaine, he suddenly felt… like an outsider.
Fu Ning later returned to the jewelry shop and flower shop, reclaimed his belongings, and resolved the chaos he caused.
Then, half-joking, half-serious, he reassigned all of Furina's official duties to Neuvillette for the day.
As Supreme Guard, Fu Ning gave the monster-clearing task to Clorinde.
As for criminal apprehensions, Fu Ning leveraged his overwhelming strength to make Lyney take care of it.
No one knew exactly how, but Lyney had become the current administrator of Meropide Fortress.
Still, to both Neuvillette and Fu Ning, it didn't matter who ran Meropide, so long as it remained a place for imprisoning criminals and manufacturing automatons.
So they turned a blind eye.
After wrapping everything up, Fu Ning returned to the Mo Mang Palace and flopped directly onto Furina.
"Defensive talent—Sequence Seven!"
He activated his defensive ability and sealed all entrances, ensuring no one would disturb their private world.
Hehehe… Fu Fu… my precious Fu Fu…
As expected of the Archon of Water—your entire body is as soft and fragrant as a spring breeze.
Fu Ning inhaled deeply, basking in Furina's scent, completely at ease.
A single breath—worth a thousand years of life.
Even though Furina had braced herself, she was still startled by Fu Ning's behavior.
"Ahh! Fu Ning! That tickles!"
"You looked so serious earlier—what happened to that version of you?"
Fu Ning didn't care about appearances anymore. He just wanted to be close to Fu Fu.
"Hey, Fu Fu. You've followed me to so many places—your legs must be sore. Let me give you a massage."
Without waiting for her reply, he laid across her thighs and grew curious about the leg rings she wore.
He reached out—grasped them, tugged, and then let go.
Snap! The leg ring rebounded, smacking Furina's thigh.
"Ow! Fu Ning! You're so bad!"