"Damn it… damn it… I really want to just rush into their homes and kill them all." Fuyana was full of resentment, her scythe appearing in her hand as she swung it wildly through the air.
Faced with a dead end, Fuyana was extremely agitated, but she knew very well that rushing wouldn't solve the problem, yet she couldn't calm down.
"My other self, don't be anxious. Calming down to think is the best approach," Furina's gentle voice slowly said.
Of course, this gentleness was reserved only for Fuyana and her reflection in the mirror.
Listening to Furina's words, Fuyana slowly calmed down. She glanced at Furina and said, "Hmph, just play your role as the Hydro Archon. I don't need you to lecture me."
"Yes, alright," Furina nodded in response.
She had been with her other self for several days now, and though not entirely certain, Furina could guess that Fuyana was just being stubborn. For now, she just needed to agree with Fuyana's words.
Fuyana's breathing slowly evened out. She stared at the clothing, considering if there were other methods.
"Is this path truly blocked?"
"I had already planned to eliminate the nobles for Furina."
"If I fail like this, I'll definitely seem useless."
"No, think again, there must be a way."
Fuyana felt extremely suppressed internally, but she couldn't let her emotions show to Furina.
That would make Furina worry. The mission and responsibilities she carried were already heavy enough; she shouldn't have to share a part of them with Fuyana.
Fuyana stated directly that she couldn't do that.
Fuyana closed her eyes, her expression calm, as if nothing had happened. Furina didn't know what Fuyana was thinking internally. She stood beside Fuyana, silent.
Furina only knew that Fuyana was her only friend, the only person she could truly show her real self to. When Fuyana encountered difficulties, even if she couldn't solve them, she could at least think with her and stay by her side.
Looking at Furina by her side, Fuyana actually smiled. "How ridiculous. One of my missions when I was born was to accompany and guide you, yet I've ended up being the one accompanied."
She mumbled this to herself, and Furina didn't hear it.
Both Furinas were silent for a long time, contemplating a way to break the stalemate… After some time, a glimmer of light flashed in Fuyana's red eyes.
Perhaps it was Furina's companionship that helped Fuyana come up with an excellent plan.
"Furina, immediately lead the Gardes to surround Henri de Montsoreau's residence!"
"Huh?" Furina was startled by Fuyana's change. "Can I ask why?"
"Hmph, even if we can't trace the origin of the clothes, they are in our hands. What happened is still up to us, isn't it? As far as I know, this noble is one of the more timid among the top nobles. The fact that he hasn't lost contact indicates he participated in this plan. If we take the clothes to scare him, we might just extract the real information."
Furina was somewhat shocked, indicating she had learned something new… Midnight.
Three Garde squads sealed all entrances and exits to Henri de Montsoreau's residence within five minutes. By the time he reacted, he couldn't escape.
"Damn it! How did that Hydro Archon find out! And… I'm the first unlucky one." Henri de Montsoreau scrambled out of bed, changed his clothes, and spoke to his subordinate, his tone still shaken.
He had been severely frightened when he pulled back the curtains and saw the courtyard full of Gardes; the cold sweat hadn't receded yet.
"Sir, please don't panic. Talk to them first. What if they're just fishing for information and not actually here for you?" his subordinate slowly said to Henri de Montsoreau.
"Hmm, you're right." Listening to his subordinate, Henri de Montsoreau slowly calmed down and walked out the door.
"Good evening, Lady Furina. May I ask what brings you to my home tonight?"
"Furina, from now on, I'll take control of the body. I'll speak with him."
Furina hesitated slightly but still agreed to Fuyana's suggestion.
"Furina's" eyes turned crimson, but it was midnight, and the limited light couldn't change the dimness of the scene. No one noticed the change in the Hydro Archon's pupils.
She spoke with an oppressive tone: "Why I'm here for you, don't you know in your heart? Or do I have to spell it out for you, item by item?"
Fuyana's voice wasn't loud, but it was authoritative enough, frightening enough, to make everyone present lower their heads—including Furina, who barely dared to look at Fuyana, even though she was inside her own body.
The beads of sweat that had just disappeared from Henri de Montsoreau's forehead now reappeared. He bit the bullet and replied, "Lady Furina, please state your business directly. I truly don't know what you're referring to."
"Still not admitting it!" Fuyana's voice suddenly grew louder, causing not only the noble's few thugs to lose their footing but even several members of her own Garde to fall to the ground in fright.
She slowly took out the piece of clothing. Henri de Montsoreau recognized it at a glance—it was the uniform of one of his subordinates who had participated in the operation!
Henri de Montsoreau was drenched in sweat.
"Do you recognize this clothing?" A cold voice came from Fuyana, though she herself wasn't entirely confident.
She was gambling that Henri de Montsoreau would recognize the clothing.
"The owner of this clothing has already confessed, but he dared not come forward. We promised to protect his safety."
"Now, Henri de Montsoreau, do you still wish to resist? If you can atone for your crimes by rendering meritorious service, I might consider letting you walk out of the Fortress of Meropide in your lifetime."
"You know better than I do what life is like in the Fortress of Meropide, don't you?"
"Think about it, do you want to spend the rest of your life there?"
The words were not many, but for Henri de Montsoreau, this minute would be unforgettable for eternity.
Before his subordinate could dissuade him, Henri de Montsoreau immediately knelt to the ground, tears instantly streaming down his face.
"Wuwuwu, Lady Furina, I confess… I want to atone for my crimes by rendering meritorious service, please give me this chance! …XXX, XXXXXX… all participated!"
It must be said, the acting skills of those nobles in Fontaine were truly top-notch.
Upon hearing this, Fuyana's inner worries completely subsided, and she let out a long sigh of relief.
"Hehe, checkmate."
"The game is over."
"Gardes, take him away. Someone interrogate him for the specifics, and the rest of you, immediately arrest those on the list he provided!"
"Yes!"
"Alright, I'm giving you back control of the body. You know what to do next, right?"
Fuyana looked at Furina, who, to her surprise, was looking at her with starry eyes: "My other self, you're amazing! Teach me, how do you act so realistically!" Furina's head swayed back and forth, and her pouting was also very cute.
"Hmph, alright, alright, stop, stop. We'll talk about this later. Go finish things up quickly…"
...This night, for ordinary citizens, might have been just an ordinary night.
But for Fontaine's upper society, this night would be sleepless… I'm numb. I excitedly wrote 20,000 words only to realize I still have a few months until I turn sixteen… I can't sign a contract yet, so I'll just keep updating like this for now.