Furina's eyes darted around, determined to break the oppressive atmosphere.
She spun around gracefully and began sharing amusing anecdotes from the city streets, such as the Arbiter who nearly delayed a court hearing due to his obsession with a new mechanical bird, or the embarrassing backstage brawl between two Clockwork Mekas at the Opera House over a spare gear.
Focalors chimed in with obscure trivia about the ancient customs of Oceanids or amusing stories about the early development of Fontaine's laws.
Though Neuvillette's brow remained furrowed, the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease slightly. He occasionally cast an exasperated glance at Furina's exaggerated descriptions or nodded subtly at a historical detail Focalors mentioned.
Under their coordinated efforts, the atmosphere finally eased into a rare moment of lightness. The rain outside gradually subsided, losing its oppressive edge.
Creak—
Fidelle pushed the door open, having eavesdropped at the entrance for quite some time.
The three occupants of the office turned to look at Fidelle, who gave them a slight nod. Her gaze swept past Furina and Focalors before settling on Neuvillette's face.
"Neuvillette... there's a dinner gathering tonight. Would you... care to join us?"
The Fontaine Chief Justice was always so busy; Fidelle wondered if he would even have the time.
Neuvillette glanced at the documents on his desk. "Thank you for the invitation. I will make sure to arrive on time."
Furina's eyes sparkled like stars, and she danced with excitement.
"Fidelle, what delicious dishes are you planning to make? Will there be mini cakes? And that pork cutlet you made last time was also excellent..."
As Furina reminisced about various delicacies, Fidelle secretly noted them down, mentally planning tonight's menu.
Knowing Neuvillette needed to clear his schedule for the gathering, the three decided not to disturb him further.
Under the eager gazes of the staff, the three women left Palais Mermonia. Once outside, Furina turned back to admire the towering structure.
Five hundred years... I've spent five hundred years here. Now that I'm leaving, besides the exhilarating sense of complete liberation, there's also a faint lingering sense of melancholy.
Focalors placed her hand on Furina's shoulder. Furina turned back and smiled at Focalors and Fidelle before the three of them departed together.
Back home, Fidelle assigned Furina a task.
Well, for a subordinate to give their superior a task... Besides Furina genuinely wanting to help, there was another reason: to prevent Furina from sneaking into the kitchen to steal snacks.
Furina had done this before, so Fidelle wasn't surprised.
Fidelle had prepared quite a feast for the evening. The kitchen was filled with sizzling oil and scalding-hot soups, and Furina, who wasn't skilled in cooking, didn't even know how to use many of the utensils. If she accidentally got hurt, Fidelle would be heartbroken.
So, Fidelle decided to send Furina out to invite friends to the banquet.
Of course, inviting so many people would be too much work for Fidelle alone, so she summoned Escoffier, the head chef of Hotel Debord...
-
That evening, at Furina's residence.
With the house overflowing with guests, the sofas proved insufficient. Wriothesley and the others went upstairs to bring down extra chairs.
Almost everyone present couldn't help but glance, intentionally or unintentionally, at Furina and Focalors seated on the sofa.
Nearly everyone had witnessed the near-live broadcast of Focalors' final moments, leaving them filled with reverence and deep regret for the goddess. Now, with Focalors sitting right before them, they couldn't resist studying her.
Focalors: "Please, everyone, there's no need to be nervous. We're all friends here."
Furina: "Exactly! Fidelle's cooking is absolutely divine, Traveler! You must savor every bite and remember to tell Chu Xi when you get back that Fidelle's cuisine is the best in the world!"
Furina hadn't forgotten her last argument with Chu Xi.
Tonight's gathering included nearly every gacha character from Fontaine, excluding those from the House of the Hearth. Present were Wriothesley and Sigewinne from the Fortress of Meropide, along with Clorinde, Navia, Chevreuse, Charlotte, Neuvillette, Chiori, and our very own Lumine and Paimon.
Furina hadn't invited everyone alone; she'd insisted on bringing Focalors along.
This gesture left the invited guests utterly flattered and overwhelmed. Not a single person refused or even hesitated for a second.
Due to Chu Xi's unique physical constitution, she didn't need to attend this gathering. Instead, she secluded herself within the Serenitea Pot, focusing on her own transformation project.
Furina, who had finally completed her mission, would occasionally peek her head into the kitchen to check on the preparations.
Fidelle, keenly aware of Furina's eagerness, decided to...
Before the main course arrived, Fidelle prepared a cake and served a slice to each guest as an appetizer, ensuring they wouldn't fill up too quickly.
Fidelle personally cut a small slice for Furina and whispered in her ear, "Lady Furina, please don't eat too much. There are many more delicious dishes to come. If you fill up now, you won't be able to enjoy them later."
Limited to just one small slice, Furina felt a twinge of disappointment. But knowing more treats awaited, she resolved to restrain her appetite for now.
Furina forked a tiny piece of cake and brought it to her mouth. The familiar flavor washed over her tongue:
The moment her tongue touched it, the dense cream collapsed like a soft cloud.
The rich vanilla aroma mingled with the sweet-and-tart burst of fresh berries, exploding in her mouth.
The moist, fluffy cake base, infused with the gentle warmth of honey, slid effortlessly from her tongue down her throat.
She closed her eyes in contentment, her delicate lashes fluttering softly, and the corners of her lips involuntarily curved upward.
Furina couldn't resist taking another small bite, savoring the delightful aftertaste lingering between her lips and teeth for a moment longer before reluctantly setting down the delicate silver fork.
"Focalors, you have to try it! Once you taste it, you'll understand why I keep saying Fidelle's desserts are so delicious."
Furina urged her persistently, only relaxing when Focalors finally took a bite of the small cake and made the same expression as her.
"See? I wasn't exaggerating, was I?"
"Delicious!" Focalors exclaimed.
Having gone over five centuries without tasting human food, Focalors finally understood why Furina would sneak into the kitchen just to steal a bite.
If it were me... I probably wouldn't act like Furina. But... I have to admit, this little cake truly is exquisite.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Paimon and Lumine exchanged silent glances after tasting Fidelle's small cakes.
Only when their plates were empty did Paimon look at Lumine with disappointment.
Lumine patted the little one's head and sighed.
Why does Fidelle's cake taste so much like Yuna's?
Yuna's cooking had always been exceptional—so delicious, in fact, that her flavors were easily recognizable.
After Yuna left, they had assumed they would never taste such extraordinary food again. Yet here they were, encountering it once more...