"Come to think of it... wasn't Lynette kind of right?"
Furina and Clorinde exchanged helpless glances. What was the point of talking about things like that? Richard clearly didn't have those kinds of thoughts toward any of them.
Sure, he'd flirt with them now and then, but the guy was the worst kind of tease, he'd flirt, make hearts flutter, and then walk away without any follow-up.
He'd get you all flustered and then just leave.
That was exactly the kind of man he was, completely infuriating!
"You're right. Let's just go with Clorinde's plan," Furina sighed.
She'd realized there was no point in competing with Ningguang and Shenhe. Better to figure out how to make Richard act like a normal man instead.
At the very least, he should be like other men, not someone surrounded by stunningly beautiful women every day while acting like some enlightened monk who feels nothing.
With that in mind, Furina went to find Ningguang again. And the first thing she said completely threw Ningguang off.
"Did you know Richard's still a virgin?"
Ningguang: "...?"
'Was that even something one could say out loud?'
Ningguang stared at Furina, utterly at a loss. Laughing would seem disrespectful to Richard, but crying would just feel... wrong.
'Wait, had Richard really never lost his virginity?'
From what she knew, he'd always been surrounded by incredible women. That wasn't surprising, who wouldn't be drawn to a handsome, capable man?
Honestly, if Furina had told her Richard was a womanizer, it would've been easier to believe than hearing he was still pure.
Not that being a virgin was bad, actually, it was an unexpected plus. It meant that during those twenty years apart, no woman had truly entered his heart.
Not even this Hydro Archon before her.
Of course, even if someone had, Ningguang wouldn't have minded. Her outlook was broad. She didn't care who Richard's "first" belonged to, whoever it was, Ningguang would just see them as the "trainer" who prepared him for her.
After all, in the end, wouldn't she be the one benefitting?
From a certain point of view, it showed how confident she was about winning him in the end.
"Lady Furina, what exactly are you getting at?" Ningguang finally asked, regaining her composure. 'Surely Furina hadn't come just to gossip?'
Furina didn't dance around it. "Ningguang, when you say 'Mister', you don't mean that in a purely formal sense, do you?"
Ningguang's smile faltered slightly. "It's also a term of respect."
"But not just respect," Furina pressed. "You mean it as 'partner,' don't you? You love Richard, right?"
Ningguang didn't directly deny it. "Mr. Richard holds an extraordinary place in my heart," she said with the reserved tone typical of Liyue people.
"Just answer yes or no." Furina tapped the table, mimicking Richard's tone, trying to appear assertive.
Unfortunately for her, if Richard's aura was that of a tiger in the mountains, then Furina's was more like... a kitten's. Well, perhaps a baby tiger, to be respectful.
"Is... is it that important?" Ningguang asked softly. "Does it matter that much to you?"
"It does, because your answer determines what I'll say next."
"Very well." Ningguang straightened her posture. The gentle smile vanished from her face, replaced by calm determination. Her gaze met Furina's.
"Yes. I love him. I've loved him since twenty years ago."
Furina blinked. 'You could've just said so, why the drama?' she thought, exasperated.
"Alright, alright, don't stare at me like that," Furina muttered. "I'm not giving Richard up to you that easily. He's still my secretary-general."
"Now, will you tell me why you came?" Ningguang asked.
"It's simple. Richard won't be leaving Fontaine."
"That's it?" Ningguang wasn't surprised. She already knew Richard wasn't leaving anytime soon. If not for her intelligence network across Liyue, she might've missed her reunion with him entirely.
Even then, he'd only stayed two days before vanishing back to Fontaine, without even waiting for her formal thanks. Clearly, something in Fontaine was keeping him there.
"I mean it," Furina said gravely. "There's... something wrong with his body."
"What?" Ningguang froze, her imagination immediately running wild. "Explain, clearly."
If Richard had health issues, she had to help him. Not just for her own future happiness, but because she knew how such matters could wound a man's pride.
For Richard's sake, and her own future, this would become her top priority.
Even if she had to pause diplomatic duties, she'd fix this.
And if it truly couldn't be fixed... she wouldn't abandon him. They'd just have a purely spiritual, Platonic relationship instead.
Children could be adopted, and she had more than enough wealth to raise several.
Wait, Richard was immortal. He didn't even need heirs...
Ningguang's mind raced ahead, even drafting what she might say to comfort him.
Furina, seeing her face, realized immediately what she was imagining. "It's not what you think," she said quickly. "Richard said there's nothing wrong with him."
"Nothing wrong? Five hundred years and still a virgin?" Ningguang muttered, frowning slightly.
"Uh..." Furina hesitated. "Fair point."
Seeing Furina's silence only confirmed Ningguang's misunderstanding. Concern clouded her calm demeanor, rare for someone so composed.
When she suddenly stood, clearly intent on confronting Richard about it, Furina panicked and grabbed her hand.
"Wait! Don't, if you ask him that directly, he'll kill me!"
"You're right..." Ningguang took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "Men are sensitive about this, especially someone like him. Asking outright could backfire..."
"Can you please just let me finish?" Furina groaned.
"My apologies. Please, continue."
"Well, I can understand your concern, but Richard, "
Before she could finish, the door opened.
"Lady Furina, you called for me?" Richard entered with a stack of documents in his arms, just in time to hear his name.
"N-no! I didn't call you!" Furina stammered.
"But I heard-"
"No buts! And why didn't you knock?"
"As you can see," Richard lifted the documents slightly, "my hands were full."
"Yet somehow you can hold them with one hand now," Furina muttered under her breath.
Meanwhile, Ningguang could barely hold herself back. "Mister... about your body, "
"My body?" Richard raised a brow. "It's perfectly fine. This? It's nothing."
He casually lifted the stack of files with one hand like it weighed nothing.
"See? You could have knocked," Furina sniped.
"That's not what I meant," Ningguang tried again, carefully phrasing her words.
"You're wondering if something's wrong with me, aren't you?" Richard said dryly, glancing at a nervous Furina.
Clearly, he'd heard enough of their conversation before entering.
Furina flinched under his gaze. "I was about to explain, but you walked in too early!"
"You promised not to tell anyone," he said evenly.
Furina fell silent. Ningguang immediately spoke up in her defense. "Don't blame Lady Furina. I was the one who asked. Surely, I'm not an outsider to you?"
Furina eagerly nodded along, until she realized that statement sounded a little... off.
Richard sighed. "You're impossible..." Still, his tone softened. Ningguang's words had struck a chord, she truly wasn't "an outsider."
"Then... will you tell me?" Ningguang asked, her gaze meeting his directly now. There was no restraint in her expression anymore, only sincerity.
She knew this was her moment, and she wasn't going to waste it.
And Richard, being Richard, didn't reject her. He never did. Not with Ningguang, not even with Yae Miko after centuries apart.
He always left a mark, a hint, a connection.
Because, deep down, he needed them, anchors to reality that kept him from losing himself once his true power returned.
Of course, it wasn't just that. Richard was also, undeniably, a born flirt.
Or as he'd put it: "Dragon nature is inherently indulgent."
Neuvillette: "I'm calling a lawyer."
After clearing up the misunderstanding about his health, Richard left to handle his endless workload. The city's projects wouldn't run themselves.
Furina watched him go, exhaling softly. "Now you understand, he's not leaving Fontaine."
"Not yet," Ningguang replied calmly. "But once he finds that 'Primordial Womb' dimension and restores himself, he'll have no reason to stay."
Furina pouted. "Then I'll give him one."
'I'll make him stay for me.'
"You intend to use yourself to keep him here, don't you?" Ningguang said knowingly.
Furina blinked. 'Was I that obvious?'
"Is that... not allowed?" she huffed.
"Oh, it's allowed," Ningguang said with a teasing smile. "But when that happens, I suppose we'll have to compete again."
Furina was about to retort when inspiration struck. Her eyes gleamed mischievously.
"Who says it'll be just us?"
"Oh?" Ningguang arched a brow. "What are you implying, Lady Furina?"
"Lynette and Clorinde can join too. I don't mind sharing Richard," Furina said slyly. "But you, Ningguang, can you accept that?"
Ningguang smiled faintly. "Me? I don't mind."
Furina froze.
"In fact," Ningguang continued, her tone light but cutting, "if you don't mind, Lady Furina, why should I?"
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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