Fontaine, Château de Mousse
"Lady Furina, it's Karius." A polite knock on the door of Furina's office was followed by the voice of Karius.
"Huh? Ah! Wait a moment—" Furina responded hurriedly. She jumped up from the sofa, rushed over to the desk, grabbed Fu Ning—who had been helping her with official documents—and dragged him aside.
Then, Furina sat down properly in her chair, assuming the pose of a diligent Archon attending to paperwork.
Fu Ning understood instantly and cooperated. He quietly gathered all the cakes and drinks on the table and tucked them into his black hole space. Then, standing at Furina's side, he posed as a formal guard.
"You may enter." Furina's voice was calm and composed, as if she had been hard at work all along.
Karius, a man with long blond hair and black-framed glasses, entered. His talents in intelligence gathering were so impressive that even Fu Ning had been surprised by him. He was a direct subordinate of Furina's.
Furina had sent him to Sumeru to track any movements of the Traveler and Paimon. Once he confirmed they were heading to Fontaine, he returned immediately to report.
"Lady Furina. Lord Fu Ning." Karius bowed respectfully to both of them.
Fu Ning nodded silently.
"I have confirmed that the two known as the Traveler and Paimon are currently preparing to depart for Fontaine from the Caravan Ribat in Sumeru," Karius reported after his bow. "Given the timing, I estimate they'll arrive in Fontaine very soon."
Furina, seated behind her desk with a composed expression, gestured discreetly to Fu Ning. He immediately understood—his beloved Fu Fu simply wanted to maintain her image as a dignified Archon.
"I see… Understood. You may take your leave, Karius," Fu Ning said thoughtfully, closing his eyes in contemplation.
"Yes, Lord Fu Ning." Karius bowed once more before exiting.
From the moment Karius had entered until he left, Furina had maintained the air of a serious and tireless Archon—calm, composed, and untouchable.
"They're coming… This should be entertaining," Fu Ning muttered.
"Fu Ning! I must've looked magnificent just now, right? Like a god who truly cares for her people?" Furina beamed, glancing at him with hopeful anticipation.
Fu Ning smiled helplessly. "Of course, Fu Fu. You are a god who truly cares for your people."
"Yes! Exactly! Thank you, Fu Ning!" Furina stood with her hands on her hips, visibly pleased with herself.
"By the way, Fu Ning! The Traveler and Paimon helped deal with the dragon disaster in Mondstadt, met you during the crisis over Morax's staged death in Liyue, helped Inazuma abolish the Vision Hunt Decree and reopen the country, participated in the conflict between Watatsumi Island and the Shogunate, and aided the Dendro Archon in Sumeru!" Furina listed excitedly.
"Every time they visit a nation, something major happens! I can't wait to meet them. Duelling with a foreign traveler sounds so exciting!"
"Fu Ning! Get ready! I want to show this outsider the full majesty of the Hydro Archon! You know what to do, right?"
Fu Ning nodded slightly. "Understood, Fu Fu. I'll go make the preparations."
***
Sea Dew Harbor
"Hey, a new face! Is this one of Linnet's friends?" Linny spotted Linnet standing with two unfamiliar individuals and greeted them with a bright smile.
Paimon turned toward the boy. "Huh? You are…"
Linnet shrugged. "Thanks for keeping my sister company. She often comes here to reminisce about our childhood. Don't worry too much about her."
"Well, I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm Linny, and this is my sister Linnet. You two must be travelers, huh?"
Linnet walked over to stand beside her brother.
Paimon smiled politely. "Nice to meet you! I'm Paimon, and this is the Traveler, Lumine. We just arrived in Fontaine."
"We were talking to your sister earlier, but the conversation was… a little unclear…"
Linny seemed thoughtful. "That's surprising. Linnet usually doesn't talk much—I do most of the talking between us."
Linnet: "…"
Paimon laughed: "Ah! I see! Lumine and I are the same. I'm always the one doing the talking."
Lumine: "That's because you steal all my lines."
Paimon gasped. "Eh?! Is that true?"
Linnet agreed. "My brother can be a bit chatty sometimes too."
Linny scratched his head, embarrassed. "Ahaha… Yeah, I guess we really are alike, Paimon."
Paimon chuckled. "Ahaha…"
"By the way, what was Linnet saying about the sea swallowing our memories—and us? What did she mean?" Paimon asked.
Linny nodded. "Oh, that. It's an old prophecy that's been passed down in Fontaine."
"Well… maybe calling it a prophecy isn't quite right. Prophecies are usually vague or symbolic, but this one… it's actually happening in Fontaine."
Lumine raised an eyebrow. "What's happening?"
Linny paused. "Hmm… it's a long story. Not sure where to start."
"Oh! But wait, shouldn't we formally introduce ourselves first?"
Paimon blinked. "Huh? Didn't we already do that?"
Linny stepped forward and shook Lumine's hand. "Nice to meet you, Traveler."
Lumine nodded. "Nice to meet you, Linny."
Linny then looked at Paimon with a peculiar expression, as if hiding something behind his back.
"And… hello, Paimon."
Paimon extended her hand, but Linny made no move to shake it.
"Hey! Why aren't you shaking my hand? What are you up to, Linny?"
Linny chuckled. "Haha, don't worry. Let's just say it's a unique Fontainean custom. You might find it useful later…"
Paimon blinked, then shrugged. "If you say so… It's always good to have a local friend."
"Speaking of which, we're headed to the Opera Epiclese to meet the Hydro Archon and… the God of Darkness? Could you show us the way, if it's convenient?"
Linny crossed his arms and thought for a moment. "You're going to see Lady Furina and…Fu Ning? Sure, I'm heading to the opera house soon anyway, but I've got a bit of work to finish here first."
"Please, follow me."
Ying and Paimon followed Linny toward the elevator.
As they walked, several Fontaine law enforcers ran by, clearly alerted by something.
"Hmm… You wanted to see Lady Furina and Fu Ning? Looks like they've come to see you instead."
The six members of Fontaine's Honor Guard saluted in perfect unison, their presence creating a formal and imposing atmosphere.
Clorinde descended the stairs slowly, her hand resting on her hip, and regarded Lumine and Paimon with a calm, assessing gaze.
"Swish!"
A burst of vivid colors marked the arrival of Furina, enhanced by Fu Ning's Sequence Five—his strongest support ability.
Fu Ning stepped forward, materializing a grand box from his black hole space. He even conjured a few elegant steps to help Furina ascend to the platform with grace.
At the same time, Fu Ning himself appeared beside her, emerging from concealment. He leaned silently against the wall behind Furina, arms crossed, watching Lumine and Paimon with an indifferent gaze, as if they were complete strangers.
The citizens of Sea Dew Harbor began to gather, drawn by the spectacle.
Paimon gaped. "Wait! That's Fu Ning—and is that… the Hydro Archon?! How did she know we were coming?!"
***
"Rich or poor, my people, raise the wine glasses that will soon appear in your hands! If you don't have one—use your arms instead!" Furina declared loudly, standing proudly atop the ornate box and waiting for Fu Ning's next move.
Fu Ning calmly counted the number of people gathered in the square. He then reached into his spatial black hole and produced a series of delicate, high-stemmed glasses, distributing one to each person with an elegant sweep of his hand.
When the citizens saw the goblets materialize out of thin air before them, they gasped in astonishment and eagerly reached out to grasp them.
All except Lumine and Paimon.
They had received nothing.
"Enjoy the gift from the God of Water!"
In an instant, clear, shimmering wine manifested in every goblet, drawing another chorus of amazed exclamations from the crowd.
From start to finish, Fu Ning made no visible movements—it appeared as though everything had been done by Furina alone.
"As you can see," Furina announced grandly, "strange travelers have arrived in my nation. Come, let us offer them our blessings—let us honor the travelers and their companions who have come from afar!"
The citizens raised their goblets high, then drank deeply. As soon as they finished, the glasses vanished, silently reclaimed into Fu Ning's black hole space.
Paimon turned to Lumine with a puzzled expression. "Huh? Is she talking about… the two of us?"
Lumine glanced around. "We're the only ones who didn't get wine glasses. So yes, I'd say we are."
Furina's voice rang out again, this time with theatrical flair.
"I've heard rumors that you two have brought conflict to every nation you've visited. And yet, I still choose to welcome you. No—I've come to greet you in person!"
"Fear is the vice of the coward. As a god, I do not let such trivial concerns dictate my creed. Rest assured, your sincerity is known to me."
"This audience is not merely for pleasantries. It is so that you might better appreciate my grandeur and authority. Naturally—such wisdom is admirable. After all, wise people always gather beneath the correct banner."
At this point, Fu Ning had no idea what Furina was going on about. But he still played along, maintaining his composed and mysterious demeanor beside her.
"Welcome to the Nation of Justice! I, Furina, shall recognize the value and significance of your journey. Now—celebrate as you will!"
Lumine blinked. "Is it always this easy to meet a god?"
Paimon was equally confused. "Yeah… I don't think I even reacted properly. We've only been in Fontaine for, like, five minutes…"
"And the Water God's opening remarks were kind of… uh… I'm not sure if I should say over the top or something else…"
Paimon turned to Furina with a hesitant smile. "Um… Lord Hydro Archon, how did you know we were coming?"
Furina smiled smugly, placing her hands on her hips. "Oh, I understand. You outsiders likely carry crude preconceptions. But remember—gods, too, can be either mediocre or brilliant. It's only natural to be dazzled by my genius."
"Rather than question my insight, perhaps ask yourselves: do you possess the manners and merit required to converse with a deity? For me, discovering your identities took no more than a simple flick of my divine will. Nothing could be easier."
Karius, standing at the side, bowed respectfully to Furina.
Paimon, speechless: "Uh… she's really full of herself…"
Lumine nodded. "She keeps bringing up the fact that she's a god…"
Furina, now slightly flustered by their silence, muttered under her breath: "Hmph… Hmm? Why are they looking at me like that… Was the welcome ceremony not grand enough? Should I say something else…?"
Lumine: "…"
Paimon: "…Uh… Is she waiting for us to say something…?"
Fu Ning sensed the awkwardness settling over the crowd. It was his moment to step in.
He stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Ahem. As you can see, the Lord of Water herself has come to greet you, travelers from afar. Do not mistake this for a mere welcome."
"You have crossed paths with other gods and stirred unrest in foreign lands. Naturally, the Hydro Archon is curious to face you in a duel."
The people of Fontaine began to murmur excitedly in agreement.
"Yes, yes! Master Fu Ning is right!"
"A duel between the Water God and foreign travelers—how thrilling!"
Furina's eyes sparkled with delight. "Ahahahaha! You're absolutely right, Fu Ning!"
"How could I stand idle when my people and my nation call out so passionately?"
"Consider this a reward. I've indeed resolved to have an epic showdown with this foreign traveler!"
Paimon stared, wide-eyed. "W-Wait, a duel?! Already?! Isn't this moving too fast?!"
Lumine calmly unsheathed her one-handed sword. "I've fought gods before. Let's give it a try."
Paimon panicked. "Ah! Lumine, wait! Fu Ning is still here! He's the one who punched Osial into oblivion!"
When Furina saw Lumine draw her sword, she instinctively took a half-step back.
Clorinde, watching from the side, turned her head and fixed a sharp gaze on Lumine and Paimon.
Furina seemed taken aback. "…Huh? Uh—Ahem! Y-You… You feel no fear? This is a duel with a god!"
Clorinde spoke sternly. "Traveler, what are you doing? Do you intend to provoke a god in front of her people?"
Fu Ning gracefully leapt off the platform, landing softly on the ground. He pointed the staff toward them and said coldly:
"Put down your weapon. Do not insult the dignity of the Hydro Archon."
Furina coughed twice. "Ahem! That's enough, Fu Ning. Clorinde."
"I admire her courage. Few dare raise their blade before a deity. Clearly, she is a true warrior."
Lumine sheathed her sword. Fu Ning retracted his staff and folded his arms again, observing them silently.
Furina sighed, then shook her head dramatically. "But alas, in this era, people yearn only for spectacle. Mere contests of strength no longer satisfy these ravenous souls."
"Moreover—if you wish to face a god, the proper rite is first to defeat the god's chosen champion. Are you certain you're ready for that?" Furina turned toward Fu Ning as if invoking his presence to prove her point.
Fu Ning turned and bowed slightly toward her in acknowledgment.
Lumine: "…"
Even though she had grown stronger since her days in Liyue, she couldn't help but recall how Fu Ning had once slain Osial with only two blows and then erased the Leviathan's body without a trace.
With Fu Ning standing there… Furina's words weren't empty boasts.
The citizens around them nodded in agreement.
"Yes, if it's just a duel, it's nothing special anymore."
"Over on Ile Nouvelle, criminals request duels for every little dispute. I'm honestly tired of it."
"Besides, with Master Fu Ning here, who could possibly defeat him?"
"Exactly! Master Fu Ning is Fontaine's strongest warrior! That foreign traveler doesn't stand a chance!"