On the outskirts by the Whisperwind, the area gradually stirred to life under the drizzling rain.
Changli and Cantarella sat across from each other in an old-fashioned breakfast diner. Steaming traditional dishes were laid out on the wooden tabletop.
"This shop has been here since I can remember," Cantarella took a light sip of black tea, her gaze drifting past the window to the slowly flowing river outside. "For decades, the flavor has stayed the same, the most traditional Ragunna breakfast."
She paused, a barely perceptible hint of melancholy seeping into her tone. "It's a shame it's so far from the city center... Business grows quieter every day. Who knows how much longer it can last."
A faint smile touched Changli's lips. "Is that so? Then it seems our tastes are quite similar. In Jinzhou, I also frequent such old establishments... The flavor is excellent, but sadly, their fate is no different from here."
"No wonder we can become friends," Cantarella turned her head, looking at her, a trace of undisguised emotion in her voice. "So, when do you plan to return to Jinzhou?"
"In a few more days," Changli replied.
She had originally come to Rinascita at Cantarella's invitation to deal with the Dark Tide ravaging the land.
But reality proved far more complex than she anticipated, if the Dreamless of Jinzhou was still within controllable bounds, then Leviathan's corruption of Rinascita was already complete.
Even she was powerless against it.
"I've heard that the current Jinzhou Magistrate is your disciple, and also a Resonator of Sentinal Jué," Cantarella asked softly. "Is there really no way to ask that child to intervene, to have Jué lend its aid?"
Changli shook her head. "Jinshi may be a Resonator of Jué, but she's still inexperienced, lacking in real combat training. Moreover, the current Jué is far from its peak strength. The North Wilds are still occupied by the Tacet Discord forces; they are always waiting for an opportunity against Huanglong. If Jué were to leave Jinzhou, the consequences would be unthinkable."
Hearing this, a shadow of disappointment flickered, unconcealed, in Cantarella's eyes.
Could it be that Rinascita... was truly beyond saving?
"However—" Changli's tone shifted slightly. "In Ragunna, I encountered a 'familiar face' from the past."
"A familiar face from the past?" Cantarella narrowed her eyes slightly. "Who?"
"The young man we met on the ship earlier," Changli said calmly. "A few days ago, I happened to run into him again on the streets of Ragunna. We visited the Cathedral of Mercury together and attended a performance."
"Oh? So that's your type?" Cantarella raised an eyebrow with a light, teasing laugh.
Changli paid no mind to her joke, merely offering a faint smile. "But during the performance, that young man was drawn into a Sonoro Sphere by a melody and glimpsed a truth that the Order and the Fisalia family... have been desperately trying to conceal."
Hearing this, the frivolous expression vanished instantly from Cantarella's face, replaced by solemnity. "He... saw something?"
Changli paused briefly, lowering her voice. "He told me he saw the heavenly steed... being dragged into the bottomless abyss of the deep sea by a giant fish."
Cantarella's eyelashes fluttered lightly, her lips parting slightly. "Truly unbelievable... I've never heard of someone being pulled into a Sonoro Sphere by the Sentinel's echo because of a performance. Could that person... have some connection to the Sentinel?"
Changli turned her head, looking out the door at the steady drizzle. "Who knows? Perhaps... he is the knight who can save Rinascita?" She paused briefly, a faint, elusive smile touching her lips. "Besides, if you're truly that curious, why not go and meet him yourself?"
"What do you mean?" Cantarella was slightly taken aback.
She followed Changli's gaze toward the shop entrance, where there should have been no one, now stood two figures quietly.
One was the Second Daughter of the Montelli family.
And the other was precisely the young man they had met at sea earlier, Ray.
"Second Young Miss, what brings you to such a remote place?" Ray asked with a touch of confusion.
"Of course because the flavor here is the most traditional," Carlotta replied lightly. "Haven't you tried it?"
As they conversed, they stepped through the doorway. Just as Carlotta was about to find a seat, her eyes caught sight of Cantarella and Changli sitting nearby.
Her movements stilled almost imperceptibly, and a frost-like chill immediately settled over her face as she stared straight at Cantarella.
Although she had never met the head of the Fisalia family in person, Carlotta had long been familiar with her appearance from numerous portraits. With just one glance, she recognized her.
"It seems today's luck isn't the best," Carlotta's voice was cool, though she maintained her composure. "The head of the Fisalia family, Miss Cantarella. If I'm not mistaken, this should be our first formal meeting?"
Cantarella showed no reaction to Carlotta's obvious hostility, still responding with elegant grace and a smile. "Indeed it is, Miss Carlotta. But please rest assured, today I am merely meeting a friend for a casual gathering. I have no intention of crossing blades with the Montelli family."
As she spoke, she slowly rose and walked toward Carlotta or more precisely, toward Ray behind her.
Carlotta stiffened, almost instinctively activating her resonance ability. A gun instantly appeared in her hand.
"Please don't be tense." Cantarella's tone was gentle, as if soothing a startled bird. "There might be some misunderstanding between us, I actually don't have much interest in you, Miss Carlotta."
She looked at Ray as she spoke, tilting her head slightly with a meaningful smile.
"Could it be that our little guest has already forgotten our encounter at sea?"
Hearing this, Carlotta's eyes widened in disbelief as she turned to look at Ray. "What encounter? Do you two know each other?"
Ray awkwardly averted his face, raising a hand to rub the back of his head. "Well, Second Young Miss, let me explain... It's not what you think."
He was just about to explain about the encounter at sea, but before he could utter a single word, Cantarella had somehow slipped past Carlotta and appeared before him.
She gently took his hand, lifting it between them, and spoke in a tone that was highly suggestive.
"Although it was a brief yet lovely encounter, if our little guest were to forget it so soon... I'd be quite heartbroken."
She tilted her head slightly, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes.
"How about we go over there and have a proper chat?"
Her utterly captivating smile caused Ray's breath and heartbeat to skip a few beats. He nodded dazedly, then suddenly snapped back to reality and quickly shook his head.
"Oh, don't refuse so quickly." Cantarella's voice was melodious, as if laced with invisible hooks. "An old acquaintance of yours is waiting over there. By the way, have you considered... joining the Fisalia family?"
Carlotta watched this unfold before her eyes, fury threatening to shatter the boundaries of reason. Only her ingrained upbringing and sense of identity kept her barely restrained.
She rose onto her toes, a strained, not-quite-smile on her face as she grabbed Cantarella's shoulder, her voice icy.
"Poaching my people right in front of me... Even for the head of the Fisalia family, that's probably not quite appropriate, is it?"
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