Night had fallen.
Lu Heng and Furina stepped out of the restaurant—a decades-old establishment that had been passed down through generations. In Furina's words, this place had real culinary prowess.
"You full now?" Furina asked.
"Definitely." Lu Heng nodded firmly. "That foie gras was excellent. Let's come back for it next time."
"Hehe, that's exactly why I picked this place!"
In Furina's daily life, desserts were her greatest love. But she couldn't survive on sweets alone, so she was also well-versed in other dishes—though her expertise lay in eating them, not cooking them.
"It's about time."
Lu Heng glanced at the fully darkened streets of Fontaine's Court, where street lamps had long since flickered to life.
This meant most of the city was winding down for the night.
"Yeah, probably time to head back and sleep."
Furina rubbed her temples, sighing. "Tomorrow's issue of The Steambird might cause quite a stir. I just hope things don't spiral out of control."
"Neuvillette will keep an eye on things, won't he?"
Lu Heng wasn't worried.
Furina's public persona was well-crafted, and the newspapers would undoubtedly highlight her statements.
The idea that people could dissolve would certainly cause panic, but it likely wouldn't escalate into chaos.
To most, Furina was more of a celebrity—a mascot for the Palais Mermonia.
But a god was still a god.
And until her facade was shattered, the people of Fontaine trusted her completely.
"True."
Furina exhaled. "Well, it's late. I should head back to the Palais."
"I'll walk you."
Before she could protest, Lu Heng chuckled. "Helps with digestion. Plus, I haven't really explored the Court properly yet."
"Oh?"
Furina's lips curled into a smile. "Then when you're free, I—your local Archon—will have to give you a proper tour!"
"I know all the famous spots like the back of my hand!"
"Impressive." Lu Heng gave her a thumbs-up.
"Eh, not really." Furina waved a hand dismissively. "When you've lived as long as I have, you outlast some of the buildings. Of course I'd know them well."
"But longevity isn't necessarily a bad thing. They say, 'An elder at home is like a treasure.' Experience is invaluable."
"Then I'm the most experienced!"
Furina puffed up proudly. "No one understands Fontaine better than me!"
"Can't argue with that." Lu Heng nodded. "Shall we?"
"This way!"
Palais Mermonia
After a long day's work, Monsieur Neuvillette finally reached the end of his shift.
His emotions today had been… turbulent.
Fury at Vacher's crimes.
Grief at the truth behind Callas' death.
The exhaustion of overtime.
All these feelings tangled together.
But Neuvillette did not show them.
He was still learning emotions—unsure of their origins, their meanings.
Fortunately, none of this interfered with his duties.
Stepping out of the Palais, Neuvillette intended to enjoy the night breeze and reflect on the day's events, organizing his thoughts.
But the moment he exited, he spotted Lu Heng and Furina approaching.
He could feel the happiness radiating from Furina.
How long had it been since she had been this genuinely joyful?
Neuvillette pondered.
In their five centuries of working together, he had rarely seen Furina so… unrestrainedly happy.
Why?
He didn't understand.
Looking back, Furina's demeanor had always seemed like a mask—only occasionally slipping to reveal something more real.
Was this simply the inscrutable nature of gods?
Neuvillette had never interacted with other deities. He could only speculate.
"Neuvillette! Have you eaten yet?"
Furina greeted him cheerfully.
"No. I just finished work."
Furina immediately scratched her cheek, a pang of guilt hitting her.
She had gone out for a feast, while Neuvillette was just now clocking out.
Comparisons were cruel. Suddenly, she felt a little bad for him.
"There's a restaurant still open over there. Want to grab something?" She pointed into the distance.
Neuvillette shook his head. "There's food in the Palais. I merely came out to think in the quiet. Do not concern yourself."
"Oh. Right."
Furina nodded quickly before turning to Lu Heng.
"You can head back from here! I'll see you later—get some rest!"
And with that, she dashed off.
Lu Heng and Neuvillette were left standing in silence.
"Mr. Lu, did you accompany Lady Furina back specifically?"
Neuvillette's tone was neutral, devoid of any particular inflection.
But Lu Heng felt… weird.
Why did this sound like a parent interrogating their child's friend?
…Probably just his imagination.
"Escorted her back, and also wanted to familiarize myself with the Court."
"I see."
Neuvillette accepted the explanation.
"Well, it's late. I should head back." Lu Heng nodded. "You should eat and rest too. Fontaine will need you tomorrow."
"Thank you for your concern. I shall. Rest well."
Upstairs, Palais Mermonia
Furina leaned against the windowsill, peering down below.
As Lu Heng walked away, he seemed to sense her gaze and turned, waving up at her with a smile.
Furina waved back.
But when she glanced down again, she met Neuvillette's upward stare.
"?!"
She immediately ducked back inside.
"...?"
Neuvillette blinked, looking between Lu Heng's retreating figure and the Palais' top-floor window.
Were they… engaging in some new form of interaction?
This really confuses a dragon.
Shaking his head, Neuvillette returned to his contemplations in the night breeze.
Meanwhile, Back at the Shop
Lu Heng soon returned to his store.
The sign clearly stated business hours ended at 6 PM.
Now, the street outside was empty.
Though notably, property values on this block had skyrocketed in just two days.
Rumors said some wealthy tycoon had bought up several buildings, converting them into hotels for those unwilling to lose their spot in line by leaving overnight.
And the rates weren't cheap.
Given the shop's popularity, the investment would pay itself off in no time—funding even more card pulls.
Effectively, a free real estate grab and a revenue stream.
Lu Heng couldn't help but sigh.
No wonder the rich stay rich. They really know how to work the system.
Locking the shop's doors, he set a pot of tea to steep.
The day belonged to the customers.
But now?
It was his turn to pull.
Power, like money, was something you could never have enough of.
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T/N:
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