"Lady Lora, Romaritime Harbor lies ahead!"
Hélie stood at the bow, pointing toward the harbor before them as she addressed Lora behind her.
Lora stepped forward to the railing, gazing out at Romaritime Harbor.
Ever since entering the territory of Fontaine, she could sense the immense, surging power hidden beneath the earth and deep within the ocean—a force that had not yet reached its critical point.
Moreover, just as Rhodeia and the others had said, the water quality of Fontaine was no longer suitable for the survival of Oceanids like them. The blood of Elynas had polluted the waters of Fontaine.
"We'll disembark at Romaritime Harbor, then take a small boat all the way to the Court of Fontaine to meet Neuvillette at the Palais Mermonia," Hélie explained as she arranged the upcoming itinerary and reported it to Lora.
"You handle the arrangements," Lora replied. "There's no need to report every single detail to me."
"That won't do!"
Hélie shook her head and spoke solemnly.
"You are Lord Neuvillette's honored guest. I will respect you as I respect Lord Neuvillette!"
Lora said nothing more.
After disembarking at Romaritime Harbor and passing through a series of customs inspections, they officially entered Fontaine's territory.
On the way to the Court of Fontaine, Lora gazed at the surrounding mountains, rivers, and the sea, her heart filled with complicated emotions.
Fontaine now felt both familiar and alien to her. Many places she once knew lay silent, embraced by the sea, resting upon the ocean floor and gazing up at the stars beyond the waves.
Her eyes fell upon the magnificent Opera Epiclese.
"The Opera Epiclese…" Lora murmured as she stared at the grand structure.
At this very moment, within that opera house, her child was enduring five hundred years of boundless solitude alone.
But she couldn't go there now. Focalors's plan was flawless—except for the fact that she would sacrifice herself.
Everything Lora had done was meant to build upon that plan and save her life.
Hélie stood behind her and spoke gently. "Lady Lora, it's still quite a distance from here to the Court of Fontaine. Would you like to rest for a while?"
"Very well," Lora replied with a nod, returning to the cabin.
The Court of Fontaine had changed drastically compared to five hundred years ago. Aside from a handful of buildings she could vaguely recall from memory, time had washed nearly everything away.
Only the Palais Mermonia remained largely unchanged.
Hélie led Lora to the entrance of the Palais Mermonia and registered their arrival. She then said, "Lady Lora, please wait here for a moment. Lord Neuvillette is still presiding over a trial at the Opera Epiclese."
"That's fine," Lora replied calmly. "That is his duty."
The hall of the Palais Mermonia bustled with people. Lora sat quietly, observing the citizens of Fontaine.
After a while, she turned to Hélie. "I'll go take a walk outside. Just around the palace—you'll be able to find me easily."
"Would you like me to accompany you?"
Hélie asked.
Lora shook her head. "Let me walk alone."
"Understood," Hélie replied with a nod.
Stepping out of the Palais Mermonia, Lora glanced to her right at the Statue of the Seven. The figure atop the Hydro Archon statue no longer bore her likeness.
Ever since Focalors inherited the divine throne, every Statue of the Seven in Fontaine had automatically transformed into her image.
The benevolent Hydro Archon Focalors held aloft a greatsword that symbolized justice and fairness.
That sword bore a striking resemblance to Lora's "Judgment of the Raging Sea."
Lora didn't wander far, merely strolling around the exterior of the palace. Everything around her felt at once familiar and unfamiliar.
She took the elevator down from the Palais Mermonia and stepped onto the main street of the Court of Fontaine, watching the steady flow of people.
Her blue-white hair drew more attention than most. In Fontaine, a hair color nearly identical to Furina's naturally stood out.
She wandered for quite some time before finally encountering Hélie, who had come searching for her.
"Lady Lora, Lord Neuvillette has returned! We should go see him right away," Hélie said.
"Alright," Lora replied with a nod.
Guided by Hélie, Lora arrived at Neuvillette's office. When the door opened, she saw him bent over his desk, hard at work. Official documents were piled high before him as he reviewed them with a stern expression.
"Lord Neuvillette! I found the person you asked me to locate!"
Hélie announced excitedly.
Neuvillette set down the document in his hand and looked up. When his gaze fell on Lora, he paused briefly, a flicker of daze passing through his eyes before he quickly composed himself.
"Very well," he said. "You may leave. I would like to speak with this young lady alone."
"Yes, sir!" Hélie replied, promptly exiting the office and leaving the space to the two of them.
Neuvillette approached Lora, lowering his head slightly to look at her as he gestured politely.
"Please, have a seat."
Lora accepted without hesitation and sat down on the nearby sofa. Neuvillette took a seat across from her.
"Let me think… where should we begin?"
Neuvillette murmured after sitting down.
Hearing his not-quite-soliloquy, Lora raised an eyebrow.
"In a situation like this," she said lightly, "shouldn't the first thing be asking what I'd like to drink?"
"Hm! You're right—my oversight," Neuvillette admitted at once, immediately having someone bring in two glasses of water.
"My apologies for keeping you waiting," he said.
Lora shook her head with a smile. "It's fine. As Chief Justice of Fontaine I know you're always busy."
"Then how should I welcome you…" Neuvillette pondered again. "Welcome to Fontaine—or should I say, welcome back to Fontaine?"
"What do you think?" Lora replied with a smile of her own.
Neuvillette continued, "You are not human. I want to know your true identity."
"If you didn't know my identity," Lora said, momentarily taken aback, "then how did you send Hélie all the way from Fontaine to Liyue to find me?"
She had assumed he already knew the truth.
So he didn't?
"I saw you in a dream," Neuvillette explained. "Not long ago, I dreamed of you wielding the power of the sea, fighting against a god."
His gaze shifted to the Hydro Vision at her waist.
"This," he said quietly, "is beyond what a Vision alone should be capable of."