Carefully placing the small purple orb back into her pouch, Furina secured the bag on her back.
Creating the puppet would likely take Ei five days. Furina decided to spend those days in Inazuma, as Fidelle and Focalors were now her top priorities.
Fontaine no longer needed her; her return would serve no purpose.
Neuvillette, however, couldn't afford to stay away. Fontaine required his leadership to maintain order, and he had commitments to Sumeru and Inazuma that needed urgent attention.
"Traveler, I'm entrusting Furina to you," Neuvillette said, still anxious as he gave Lumine a final reminder before departing.
"Don't worry," Lumine assured him. "I'll protect Furina. If anything unexpected happens, I'll retreat into the Serenitea Pot and teleport away."
Although this tactic had failed her in Inazuma before, Lumine wasn't one to repeat her mistakes. She had already prepared contingency plans for any unforeseen circumstances.
"Thank you for everything you've done," Neuvillette said before leaving.
After Neuvillette departed, Furina followed Lumine into the Serenitea Pot, planning to spend a few days in Inazuma while waiting for the puppet's completion.
Surprisingly, Chu Xi and Furina got along remarkably well. During Furina's stay in the Serenitea Pot, Chu Xi rarely emerged.
Both women were fascinated by modifying the Serenitea Pot's architecture.
Furina's keen eye for aesthetics and Chu Xi's exceptional craftsmanship formed a perfect synergy. In just one day, they transformed and upgraded the Serenitea Pot considerably.
-
Now that they were in Inazuma, visiting Yuna was only natural.
Inazuma, Narukami Island.
The place where Yuna's ashes were entombed.
When Lumine and Paimon arrived, they found Itto sitting cross-legged before Yuna's grave, muttering an explanation under his breath.
As they drew closer, Lumine could make out what he was saying.
He was reminiscing about the old Arataki Gang—the one filled with laughter and joy, the one where Yuna had been. There was no sorrow in Itto's voice, only the happy memories of those days and... the regret that such beauty now existed only in the past.
"Trusted Friend and Paimon, you've come! Are you here to see Yuna too?"
Itto didn't turn around, yet he sensed Lumine and Paimon's presence.
Lumine and Paimon joined Itto, first paying silent respects at Yuna's tombstone for a few seconds. Then Lumine sat down beside Itto, her gaze drawn to the offerings placed before the stone.
A ridiculously straight wooden stick, a bowl of still-steaming ramen, and a massive, imposing Onikabuto beetle...
Without a doubt, these had been prepared by Itto.
Brushing the dust from his clothes, Itto stood up and turned to face Lumine.
"Trusted Friend, I heard Fontaine was invaded by the Abyss. What's the situation? How many casualties were there?"
Lumine was surprised by how quickly Itto had learned of this, but she proceeded to tell him everything.
After hearing Lumine's full account, Itto exhaled two white plumes of breath through his nostrils. "Abyssal scum..."
Thwack!
The Redhorn Stonethresher suddenly appeared in Itto's hands. He slammed it into the ground with tremendous force, the impact cracking the earth beneath.
Itto casually slung the Redhorn over his shoulder, grinning ferociously, his teeth bared in a terrifying smile.
"One day, I'll make the Abyss... pay the price!"
Itto's hairstyle had become even more wild and unruly, the horns on his head had grown longer, and his muscles bulged with newfound ferocity.
Shouldering the Claymore, he exuded an overwhelming sense of menace.
"Gotta go, Trusted Friend. Still haven't finished today's training. I'll catch you for dinner later."
Paimon watched Itto stride away, then turned back to Lumine, who stood frozen in place. "Lumine, don't you think Itto's changed? Like, a lot!"
Lumine: "Yae Miko said earlier that he's fully awakened his Oni King Bloodline. His potential is immense, and with all the hatred he's been suppressing... he's not the Itto we used to know anymore."
Paimon: "Even his aura is different now. I don't even dare call him 'bull-chucker' anymore!"
Lumine gently patted Paimon's cheek. "We share the same goal. I understand him."
The cost of growth... how poignant.
-
Lumine and Paimon returned to the Serenitea Pot and immediately heard a heated argument.
Hmm?
Perhaps "argument" wasn't quite the right word; it was more of a spirited debate.
It was Chu Xi and Furina, arguing over whose cooking was better: Yuna's or Fidelle's. Each staunchly defended their chosen chef, refusing to yield an inch.
Behind them, Focalors stood with her back turned, silently gazing up at the sky in a daze.
Furina: "No matter what you say, Fidelle's cuisine is the finest in the world!"
Chu Xi: "Not everyone thinks that way! When it comes to culinary excellence, Yuna reigns supreme!"
Furina: "That's because you've never tasted Fidelle's cooking!"
Chu Xi: "But I have tasted Yuna's masterpieces!"
Chu Xi had tasted Yuna's divine dishes and knew firsthand their transcendent flavor. Though she could no longer savor them, the blissful memories remained deeply etched in her heart.
Having never tasted Fidelle's cooking, Chu Xi instinctively believed no chef could ever surpass Yuna's culinary mastery.
Furina shared this conviction. She had personally verified Fidelle's culinary prowess—dishes so irresistible they had once driven her to sneak into the kitchen at night, unable to resist even a single bite.
How could anyone's cooking possibly be better than Yuna's?
Seeing the two were locked in a stalemate, Lumine and Paimon quickly stepped in to mediate.
"No arguing, no arguing!" Paimon chirped.
"We just need to wait until Fidelle regains her physical body and cooks a meal for Chu Xi... uh..."
Lumine wanted to slap herself. Stupid mouth! Why did you have to say that?!
"Ahem, what I meant was, Paimon and I have both tasted Yuna's cooking. Once Fidelle regains her physical form and we've tasted her dishes, we can decide whose cooking is truly the best."
Furina planted her hands on her hips. "Exactly! That's the plan! I'm certain Fidelle's culinary skills are unmatched!"
"This is a fair solution," Chu Xi agreed. "I approve!"
Seeing that Chu Xi hadn't seemed to notice her slip-up, Lumine breathed a sigh of relief. Next time, I need to watch what I say!
With the matter settled, Furina and Chu Xi huddled together again, deep in discussion about modifying the Serenitea Pot.
Lumine: "..."
Paimon: "..."
-
Five days later, at the Tenshukaku:
"The puppets you requested are ready. Take them."
"So fast?!"
"They're just inanimate objects, containers for souls. No need to imbue them with consciousness. Simple."
"..."
A true master is a true master. Their methods are beyond the comprehension of mortals like us.
With a wave of Ei's hand, two lifelike puppets materialized in the center of the Tenshukaku's open space.
The puppets were eerily lifelike, perfectly replicating both Fidelle and Focalors, down to every strand of hair and pore.
Furina couldn't resist taking a few steps forward, kneeling beside the two prone figures.
The sheer realism of the puppets made them resemble corpses, and Furina's eyes instantly welled up with tears.