章 5: Childish Tendencies [2/2]
If you were to ask Isaac what he disliked the most, you'd most likely get "Losing money" as the first answer.
However, if the situation is right, then you'll get another answer. An answer that, unsurprisingly, is quite understandable.
"Ah, Lady Furina, what brings you here?" Lyney, who was performing just a moment ago, saw Furina and didn't seem surprised at all. "Also, how could you have possibly seen through my new trick? I just came up with it. Really, I'm curious."
Furina responded with a concealed chortle. "The reason I'm here is because I felt bored in Palais Mermonia. I figured that going out in secret would bring a pleasant mood to me."
"And it just so happened that I noticed a performance happening here." As someone who loves drama and performances, one should have expected Furina to appear here.
"As for your trick, I figured it out in less than a second." Of course, she didn't forget to boast about herself.
"Hear that, ladies and gentlemen? Lady Furina had already figured out my new trick!" Lyney smirked at her words and soon looked at the audience who were enjoying the showdown between him and Furina.
He then looked at her with an amused gaze. "Well then, Lady Furina, could you care to explain to the audience?"
"It would be my pleasure." Furina smiled confidently. Afterward, she started explaining the mechanism behind the trick.
Meanwhile, on the second floor, Isaac was quietly eating his food whilst watching them in silence. 'So that's Lady Furina... a.k.a the God of Justice and our Archon...'
He took a sip of Fonta from a glass as he continued to observe them. 'I have to say... She sure loves showing off...'
Thinking back on how Furina first introduced herself in the game, a soft and hushed chuckle escaped from Isaac's lips. 'Then again, that's how she is.'
'I wonder...' As he thought of this, a complicated glint appeared in his deep amber eyes. '...was this truly her true self? Or a façade she put up to cope with the prophecy.'
There's currently a prophecy circulating in Fontaine. Almost everyone knows of it, including Lady Furina herself.
It's said that every person in Fontaine was born with "sin", and no matter how many trials they hold, the sin cannot be absolved.
Until one day, the sea waters would rise, drowning everyone in Fontaine. And only the Hydro Archon would remain, weeping on her throne.
'Perhaps the reason she's trying to enjoy every moment with her people is because she knows the prophecy would one day happen, leaving her all alone...' Although Isaac sounded harsh in his mind, it was all just his speculation. Regarding the Hydro Archon— Furina's true self, he has no right to say anything about it.
'At the end of the day, it's just the whims of the divine...' Isaac rolled his eyes as the thought of the floating abode of the Gods appeared in his mind.
Looking at the Furina below, he scoffed once more and finished his drink. 'Time to leave. I still need to make preparations for tomorrow's terrorist.'
He then took out his money and placed it under his silver plate. After doing that, he stood up, wore his halved top hat, and picked up his silver-inlaid wooden cane.
He then started making his way down and intended to leave Hotel Debord unnoticed by any of the guests.
Climbing down the stairs, he saw Lyney and Furina chatting while Lynette was standing nearby. It seemed like Furina had indeed guessed his new trick right.
Looking at Furina's proud and boastful face, it was obvious that she took pride in what she was doing. Looking at her, Isaac scoffed lightly. 'What a childish Archon we have.'
'...at least it's better than the Anemo, Geo, and Electro Archons.' Isaac once more rolled his eyes at the thought of the other Gods.
'Barbatos with his Absence... Morax with his planned retirement... Beelzebul with her tyranny...' He soon shook his head and removed those thoughts from his mind before quietly strolling at the sides, unnoticed by the guests.
Just then, when he was just about to leave through the door, someone shouted at him. "Hey, you! You dare leave while in my presence?"
'You've got to be shitting me.' Isaac cursed under his breath. It was rare for him to do that. He turned around and saw that the white-haired Archon with a protruding Ahoge was walking towards him with a face of contempt. Isaac internally sighed, 'Let's try to placate her as much as possible...'
He then put up a cordial smile and slightly bowed to her. "Is there something wrong, Lady Furina?"
"There is." Furina crossed her arms as she analyzed Isaac. Likewise, he was also doing the same. "Why are you leaving when I'm still here? Do you not wish to witness your God in all her glory?"
'You're really full of yourself, Brat.' Isaac kept his gentle smile on his face. He then quickly refuted. "Oh, no no no, I think you've been mistaken, Lady Furina."
"It's just that I wished to go home. As you know, one needs rest to maintain a healthy mind." Isaac explained in the most convincing way possible while keeping up his cordial front. "I did not intend to offend you whatsoever."
"Is that so?" However, it seems like Furina was not convinced. She then added with a mischievous smile, "Then how would you explain your frequent insults from earlier? Every time you looked at me, you'd sigh and scoff as if mocking me."
'...you noticed that?' It seems like Isaac needed to change his habits. As it turns out, he was not the only observant person in the room. 'I should be more careful in the future.'
"Although there's no law stating a direct mockery towards the Archon, what you did had insulted me." Furina then crossed and placed both her arms on her hips. "Apologize."
Isaac listened to her and felt his forehead veins throb. He then looked at the other people looking at them.
"Whoa, he actually dared to leave while Lady Furina was present..."
"He has a great face, perhaps I could hire him as our new model..."
"What a daring young man..."
"Does he not know that Lady Furina doesn't tolerate insults directly thrown at her?"
"Someone's in for an earful from Lady Furina, heh."
'How would I know any of that?' It's not like it was intentional. Moreover, how could he even memorize all the laws in Fontaine?
Letting out a light sigh, Isaac cleared his mind and once again looked at Furina with renewed vigor.
Lifting his lips to form a smile, he slightly closed his eyes and held his halved top hat to his chest before he politely apologized to her. "Please, forgive my ignorance, Lady Furina."
"Y-You..." Furina, however, got flustered. It would seem like this wasn't how she intended for things to go. "Yo-You are forgiven. Hurry on then!"
'Did she intend to rouse up a feud between us? And use that to gain recognition from the audience?' Isaac's amber eyes showed a sinister glint. His sincere smile soon turned to a sinister smirk. 'Looks like she didn't expect me to outright apologize... Hah.'
Isaac nodded and returned his halved top hat to his head as he carried his cane. "Well then, I bid you adieu, Lady Furina."
With that, he calmly walked out of the door, leaving Furina's flustered self looking at his departing figure.
'My first interaction with the divine...' After leaving through the doors, Isaac looked up at the night sky with a faint smile. '... Well, that went well.'
With that, Isaac then proceeded to walk back home, while showing off his beloved cane.
...not knowing that someone was watching him from the shadows.
*
*
*
Meanwhile, inside Hotel Debord.
"My, my, Lady Furina." Lyney approached Furina with a mischievous smirk. "It seems like someone escaped your sinister scheme."
"Ha! Sinister? Scheme? I would never resort to such underhanded tricks." She lied as naturally as she breathed. Her mood then changed and she stomped to the ground with an annoyed expression. "Hmph, now my mood turned sour."
"But that man..." Furina then whispered under her breath as she remembered Isaac. 'His eyes... What a pair of sinister eyes he has.'
It seems like Isaac had left an impression on her. And, to some extent, she had also seen through his façade. She then subconsciously burned his image in her mind.
Soon, whispers started floating around Hotel Debord. "He actually escaped Lady Furina's tantrum..."
"And handled the situation pretty well to top it off."
"I have a feeling Lady Furina won't just let him off the hook."
"Haha, c'mon. Lady Furina isn't that petty. But I agree, perhaps she'll still one day peruse this matter."
Hearing the words of the people, Furina's mind started churning as she thought of a new act. She then looked at her people with a confident smile. "Haha, yes, my dear subjects. I'm not someone who would go out of my way to pursue something as petty as this. Rest assured, I, Furina, am a God with high magnanimity."
She was someone who catered to her people. As long as it's within her scope of abilities, she would follow the will of the crowd.
She often does this during trials, leaving Chief Justice Neuvillette to clean up after her.
After she said this, cheers erupted in the audience. "Yeah!"
Just then—
Bam!*
Suddenly, the doors of Hotel Debord bursted open and someone entered. The person who entered instantly silenced everyone.
"Ugh, couldn't you at least let me be for a while?" Seeing who it was, Furina groaned.
"I'm merely following Monsieur Neuvillette's orders, Lady Furina." The person who entered, Clorinde, said with a stern voice. She then added, "Let us go, Lady Furina. Let the people sleep."
Yes, it was none other than Clorinde. She was one of the Champion Duelists of Fontaine, and also Furina's bodyguard.
"Ugh, fine..." With a drooping face, Furina willingly left with Clorinde and returned to Palais Mermonia.
"...what a lively series of events." Lyney, who was left behind in Hotel Debord with the audience, stated with a smile.
"Livelier than usual, yes," Lynette said beside him with her deadpan expression.
"Why don't we wrap up this show too?" Lyney smiled at her.
"Alright." With her same flat tone, Lynette agreed.
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