When Furina heard Neuvillette's words, her eyes immediately lit up. She turned her head and watched the innkeeper standing nearby hand the bill to Neuvillette before leaving the office.
Only after the door closed did Furina finally voice her question. "Hey—what exactly is your relationship with that Miss Lora? You're actually covering all her expenses. I don't even get that kind of treatment!"
"She's a dear friend of mine," Neuvillette replied succinctly.
Furina frowned. "In all these centuries, I've never heard you mention having any friends, let alone a dear friend! Be honest—who is she really? You're the Chief Justice, you know. You can't lie!"
"She truly is my dear friend. There's no reason for me to deceive you about this," Neuvillette said seriously, looking straight at her.
Furina stared back at him, studying his eyes for a moment. Then she clicked her tongue, finished the pastry in front of her, stood up, and headed for the door. "Fine. If you won't say anything, forget it. How boring."
After stepping out of Neuvillette's office, Furina glanced back once, a smile tugging at her lips as she muttered under her breath, "If you won't tell me, I'll just investigate it myself."
With a flick of her wrist, she walked toward the elevator.
Neuvillette watched Furina's retreating figure until she disappeared from sight. Only then did he put the bill away and return to his desk, resuming his work.
"Furina… Focalors…"
Furina didn't recognize Lora, yet Focalors was Lora's retainer. What kind of secret, exactly, lay between Furina and Focalors?
...
In her own room, Furina summoned Clorinde.
"Lady Furina, what do you require?" Clorinde stood straight, her gaze fixed on Furina.
"I want you to investigate someone," Furina said, explaining the matter concerning Lora.
Clorinde frowned. "Since she's Lord Neuvillette's friend, wouldn't it be inappropriate for us to investigate her so rashly?"
Furina waved her hand dismissively. "I just feel like something's off! Don't you know what kind of person Neuvillette is? Someone like him having a friend at that level? I haven't seen him make friends in centuries, and suddenly a 'dear friend' appears out of nowhere—there has to be something wrong!"
"But Lady Furina, have you considered that if Lord Neuvillette finds out you're investigating his friend…" Clorinde still sounded uneasy.
"Relax! If he dares to dock my desserts, I'll cry right in front of him!" Furina planted her hands on her hips, brimming with confidence. "Alright, just do as I say. Go, now!"
Clorinde looked at Furina like this, sighed helplessly, and nodded. "Understood."
Unaware that she had already been secretly targeted by Furina, Lora stepped out of the inn the next morning—and immediately sensed someone watching her from the shadows.
Feeling the unfamiliar gaze, Lora smiled. She called Hélie over and whispered a few words to her. Hélie nodded firmly. "Lady Lora, don't worry. I'll get it done!"
"Alright, go."
Lora gently rubbed her head.
After giving Hélie her instructions, Lora walked off as though she hadn't noticed anything at all. Hélie also left the inn—but headed in the opposite direction.
She slipped into a corner and intercepted Clorinde, who was just about to leave the area.
"Why are you following Lady Lora?" Hélie demanded, staring straight at Clorinde.
"Uh… I'm not," Clorinde replied, completely caught off guard. She hadn't expected to be discovered so quickly and was momentarily flustered.
"Lady Lora said this—no matter who sent you, go back and tell them that if they send anyone again, she won't be so polite next time!" Hélie didn't give her any time to explain. She delivered the message and immediately turned around to catch up with Lora in the distance.
Clorinde watched the two figures leave, her brows tightly knit.
How did she notice me? Even if my tracking skills aren't the best in Fontaine, there's no way I should've been exposed that easily.
This Lora… she really is something else.
Clorinde returned to the Palais Mermonia and went straight to Furina's quarters, reporting everything that had happened that morning.
"What? She noticed you?" Furina stared at Clorinde in disbelief. "You're the strongest duel proxy!"
Clorinde's strength was universally acknowledged by the people of Fontaine—otherwise, she wouldn't bear that title. Yet she'd only been following Lora for a single morning before being discovered.
Clorinde sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, Miss Lora really is formidable."
"So even you couldn't investigate her…" Furina fell into thought, then suddenly straightened. "Looks like I'll have to handle this myself! Where did she go?"
"She seemed to be heading toward the Opera Epiclese," Clorinde replied.
"Perfect!" Furina immediately prepared to leave for the Opera Epiclese.
...
Guided by Hélie, Lora traveled by water and arrived outside the Opera Epiclese. She stood beside the Fountain of Lucine, gazing at the magnificent structure ahead.
"Lady Lora, shall we go inside?" Hélie asked. "There shouldn't be any trials right now—there's a performance going on."
Lora shook her head.
"No, not for now."
She withdrew her gaze from the Opera Epiclese and turned it instead toward the Fountain of Lucine before her. Slowly, she raised her hand, reaching toward the fountain from a short distance away.
When her power merged with the fountain, the boundless sorrow contained within its waters—along with the wishes of all the people of Fontaine—flooded into Lora's mind. She sifted through the chaotic torrent, searching until she found what she was looking for.
"So long… so lonely… how much longer…"
Those words carried sobs, spoken from the depths of utter mental collapse.
They were words more sorrowful than the grief of all Fontaine combined.
A century of suppressed emotion burst forth.
May there be no springs.
May fountains never cease to flow.
The torrent of life washes the valleys gray.
The mountain of life rises to the clouds, nearing the end.
Standing beside her, Hélie looked up at Lora's face.
When she saw the glimmer of tears in Lora's eyes, she exclaimed in shock, "Lady Lora—you're crying!?"