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78.7% Genshin: The Serenity System / Chapter 85: Oil, Water, and Something Else [4]

Capítulo 85: Oil, Water, and Something Else [4]

"Here... Don't cry, alright?" Gently wiping off her tears from her face, Isaac softly smiled. "You look much better when you're not crying."

"Are you implying that... I don't look good when I am crying?" Furina replied as she allowed Isaac to wipe her tears away while looking at him with piercing eyes.

Currently, the two of them were sitting beneath a shade, hidden from the eyes of Navia and Neuvillette.

The two of them sat down on the land beneath the shade of the weeping willow tree above, slightly shielding them from the rain.

"I didn't say that," At her question, Isaac smirked. "I just prefer you smile more. That's all."

"Is that so..."

Looking directly at Isaac, Furina's mind wandered as she quietly observed him gently wiping her face.

Isaac, who noticed her silently staring at him, tilted his head and curiously questioned her, "Is something on my face?"

"Nothing... But I'm curious..." She mumbled, still locking in with Isaac. "You have a beautiful shade of eyes... Yet they look... Lifeless. Why is that?"

Upon hearing her question, Isaac paused for a moment before chuckling lightly. He then took his hand off her and answered her question, "I could ask the same to you. Why are your eyes heterochromatic? And why do they hold such an allure?"

"Touché..." Furina tilted her head back to the boulder behind them with a sigh. She then pointed at his face, "I'm guessing it's a secret that you aren't ready to divulge yet?"

"Something like that, yes." He shrugged his shoulders before also resting his back on the boulder behind them.

Under the light rain pouring down from the skies of Fontaine, Isaac and Furina shared a moment of silence as they both watched the rain fall and assimilate to the ground.

The smell of the Earth, coupled with the rain, produced a petrichor smell that brought an unnatural sense of warmth to the two.

Isaac and Furina sat side by side, just quietly witnessing the passage of time go by.

"Should we go back now?" Opening his mouth, Isaac spoke with an unhurried voice. "Monsieur Neuvillette must have a lot on his plate, right? I bet he's a busy person."

"Don't worry. He applied for absence today in the court, so we don't have to worry about taking much of his time." Furina smirked smugly as she recalled the procedures they went through just so Neuvillette could go out.

"Oh my... To think he'd take a day off just to accompany you..." Hearing this, Isaac also smirked slightly. "This must have been an important occasion."

"Now that I think about it, why are you guys here?" Suddenly realizing this, Isaac voiced out his curiosity.

"That's what I wanted to ask you," She said as she turned her head and looked at Isaac with a piercing gaze. "Why were you and Navia even here? Did you find clues about the painting?"

"Well, it went something like this..." Isaac then proceeded to explain what Navia told him, and what led to their current situation.

As Furina listened, her face became more and more flushed as she figured out the overall situation.

"...and now we're here." Isaac finished explaining. He then looked at Furina beside him. "Do you get it now?"

"I get it. I overreacted." Furina replied with a faint sigh as she tilted her head forward. "Still, your flowery words earlier... Hmph."

Witnessing the way she acts, Isaac observed her for a moment before smirking. He then leaned closer to her and teased her, "Why? Jealous?"

"Y-you!" Seeing Isaac try and tease her with an obvious bait, Furina pushed him away. "You're such a fool!"

She paused for a moment before tucking her legs together with her arms and hiding her face. She then finally mumbled a sentence under her breath as she hid her face. "Of course I was..."

"We already... already did that thing..." Still hiding herself, Furina continued speaking. "...I'd obviously feel this way!"

"Those moments we shared together... mean a lot to me, you know..."

Hearing this, Isaac became silent for a moment before forming a soft smile. He then gently tapped her head with his finger. "I get it..."

Furina felt Isaac's tap and lifted her head, looking back at him. She saw his gentle expression, and, for the first time ever, saw something different.

His usual lifeless deep amber eyes, which always gave her a sense of uneasiness, now had a tinge of vibrant warm color. It was as if she was watching a sunset by the sea as she looked into his hazy eyes.

"Don't worry," he spoke, with his usual gentle tone, reassuring her of any worry. "Leaving you would be the last thing on my mind."

Isaac could never fully know Furina's heart nor her true essence. Nonetheless, his deep admiration for her actions as well as her sacrifice for the nation was something he could never replace.

He knew how much she cried, and how much she had hoped for her cruel reality to stop and have a moment of respite. The endless theatrics and the show that never ends had utterly and depressingly crushed her mental fortitude many times.

Yet she was but an actor that must continue to act the fool to fool others, and as such could only smile at the cruelty of fate.

"Furina, you might find this absurd but..." He said as he slowly reached out his hand and held her's. "I just feel like... You deserve a peaceful life."

"From one actor to another, I know how tiring it is to keep wearing our masks..." As he intertwined their fingers together, Isaac looked at her directly and tilted his head to the side. "But that doesn't mean we can't put our masks down once in a while."

Hearing Isaac's words, Furina looked at him silence for a few moments. She contemplated deeply in her mind about his words, and what they possibly meant.

After a while, a soft but brittle smile appeared on her face as she spoke. "Putting down your mask... I can't do that."

"The nation must have a proper Archon to rule over them... And I must be that proper Archon." She added as she looked at her hand intertwined with Isaac. "As for why..."

"You don't need to tell me." Isaac quickly cut her off. He then took his gaze off her and looked at the horizon. "You must have a reason for doing that. Like me, you too have a reason for wearing that mask."

Isaac then slowly stood up, with Furina watching him, he inhaled and exhaled deeply.

He then turned around and faced Furina who was huddled and extended his arm as he invited her.

"To us, the fools."

Furina, who watched Isaac, fell silent. Watching his hand, various thoughts flooded her mind.

'Does he know about my true purpose?'

'But mirror-me hasn't said anything about the plan failing, so he must not have known about the plan...'

'What is his secret?'

'Is he really related or perhaps the Clown?'

'A peaceful life...'

In a short span of moments, many topics rose in her mind. Questions regarding Isaac were the most prominent— curiosity, suspicion, and intrigue were the three most evident.

Her eyes softened as she continued to ponder these thoughts in her mental space where she sat on a throne of lies.

'The fact... that the plan is still ongoing despite me being this close to someone means...' As she entertained this thought, she lifted her gaze and looked at Isaac. 'Not to mention that he knew about my act...'

That familiar, curly brown hair, his warm amber eyes, and his usual amiable expression was all she saw.

'Are you... finally my savior?'

Five hundred years. It was a long and arduous journey of keeping her burden to herself, not daring to get close to anyone in fear of failing her other self's grand plan.

For hundreds of years, she never got close to anyone romantically because she feared any mistake.

But now... Looking at Isaac, who she got close to without risking the failure of their plan, Furina sensed something she was most familiar with.

Tears.

Without her knowing, a stream of tears ran down her face as she looked at Isaac's hand.

"Huh?" Realizing this, Furina tried wiping her tears away, yet they still continued to run down. "This... Sorry, I just..."

"It's alright." Isaac's words of comfort reached her ears. He then bent down on one knee and wiped her tears off again. "See? From one actor to another..."

"We can put down our masks for a while."

"...Hic." Hearing Isaac's words, Furina didn't hold it in anymore and immediately jumped up to him and hugged him as tightly as possible. It was as if a dam broke and a flood of emotions drowned her senses, leading her to appropriate it.

- Tud!

"...there, there... It's alright." Isaac, who fell to the ground, didn't scold her. He instead only gently patted her back as she clung onto him tightly while silently sobbing. "It's alright. Just let it all out..."

- Sniffle...

- Sob...

"Hic... uwa..." Soft and quiet sobbing only emanated from Furina who buried herself in Isaac's chest, muffling her cry with his shirt.

"Sometimes, we just need to slow down and take a break..." Sitting down on the soil once more, Isaac gently whispered to her as he let her use his shirt for a while. "And that's perfectly normal for everyone... Including you."

And just like that, the two spent another silence under the weeping willow tree, disregarding Navia and Neuvillette who were still waiting for them to come back.

Isaac didn't care for this right now, however, and only provided comforting words for Furina who was sobbing on his shirt.

As for Furina, who finally found an outlet to pour out her hundreds of years' worth of frustration, continued to quietly cry. Something she didn't know was possible was right in front of her, and she wasn't willing to let it,or rather, him go.

This too was a form of serenity— freedom from shackles.

---

"Are you fine now?" Standing up, Isaac once again wiped Furina's face for her.

"Y-yes..." Furina, whose eyes were faintly red from crying, looked at Isaac who was gently cleaning her with his handkerchief. "I'm sorry for this unsightly behavior... That wasn't befitting of me..."

"Don't worry about it," Isaac shook his head before smirking. He then made a joke, "If it fancies you, I can even give you this shirt so it can truly become your handkerchief, haha."

"...alright. I'll be expecting it..." She nodded her head as she spoke softly while looking up at him. "...I don't want to bother you so..."

"You can give it unwashed..."

"Huh?" However, contrary to his expectations, Furina boldly accepted his words. "...are you sure?"

"Yes." She reaffirmed as she nodded her head in confirmation. She then continued and tried to play it out normally. "I'll be grateful for the gift."

'Is she thinking of...' Thinking of something impure, Isaac shook his head as he felt his face heat up. 'No, now's not the time to think about that. Lock in, Isaac.'

"Shall we go back now?" After cleaning her face, Isaac suggested to Furina once more. "I think it would become too suspicious if we still haven't come back."

"Alright," Hearing his suggestion, Furina nodded her head. She then looked at him and gently knocked on his chest. "But no words of anything that happened... Alright?"

"Also the shirt."

"Sure, sure." He nodded his head. He then gestured with his body, "Ladies first? I'll be right behind you."

"So gentlemanly all of a sudden? Hehe, fine." Not finding anything strange with Isaac's words, Furina softly smiled as she agreed and walked in front of him.

Unbeknownst to her, however, Isaac intentionally walked behind to do something.

Looking at the painting right above the boulder, Isaac's mind raced as a thought popped up in his mind.

He then took out something from the system storage and splashed it on the corner of the painting before putting it back.

After doing this, Isaac caught up to Furina as if nothing happened.


Capítulo 86: Oil, Water, and Something Else [5]

"What took the two of you so long?" Neuvillette spoke with a heavy tone. It was evident that he was upset at how long Furina and Isaac disappeared.

"Forgive me, Monsieur Neuvillette. It's just that me and Lady Furina got a little too carried away in our conversation." Wearing a feeble look, Isaac wryly smiled as he quickly apologized. "I hope it wasn't much of an inconvenience for you?"

"No, It does not." Neuvillette shook his head with a solemn expression before looking at Furina beside Isaac. "Still, what did the two of you talk about for your conversation to last that long?"

After saying this, Neuvillette's eyes darted at Furina as if trying to convey a message to her.

As for Furina, she noticed his gaze and immediately knew what he meant by those words.

Looking back at Isaac and Neuvillette, she pondered for a moment before speaking. With her usual confident tone, she uttered, "It's nothing much. Me and Isaac just discussed some matters regarding our film."

"Is that all?" Neuvillette inquired, intending to find out more from her words.

"Indeed. There is nothing else."

Neuvillette stayed silent for a moment as if interrogating her inside his mind, his eyes sharp and narrowed at the two's expressions.

Isaac and Furina, on the other hand, remained calm on the surface. Neuvillette might have an exceptional talent in discerning human emotions, but he was currently facing two master actors.

Hiding their true intentions was as easy as breathing, if Isaac were to put it into words.

After a while, however, Isaac finally broke the silence with his similarly usual confident tone.

"Erm, Monsieur Neuvillette? Are you alright? You've been awfully silent for... awhile now."

Although a few seconds had only passed, it was as if an eternity had passed by in Isaac and Neuvillette's perception. To them, such little details were always needed and as such forced them to adjust their perception.

As for Furina, she only saw the two of them look at each other for a few seconds and that was it.

Awakened by Isaac's voice, Neuvillette lingered for a few more moments before shaking his head.

"Forgive me for that incessant stare. That was rude of me."

"No worries. It happens to the best of us." Isaac shrugged his shoulders.

He then looked around for a bit with his deep amber eyes and noticed something peculiar. A confused expression soon appeared on his face.

"By the way... Where's Navia?" He asked, genuinely concerned about his new business partner.

Neuvillette shook his head as if he too was confused about the situation. He quickly followed up to Isaac's question.

"Miss Navia has left not too long ago. We talked a bit about the discovery of the painting, however, she soon abruptly left."

"She merely said that there was still a lot of business she had to attend and gave her apologies to you, Isaac."

After Neuvillette's explanation ended, Isaac fell into contemplation for a few moments.

Looking at Neuvillette, he had a guess as to why she immediately left.

'...she still doesn't like him, huh? Well, that figures.'

Isaac couldn't blame her. Knowing about her father's past, as well as the true revelations of the events behind his death, he had somewhat understood Navia's reluctance and enmity regarding Neuvillette.

Releasing a soft sigh, he subtly shook his head with regret and uttered in the next moment,

"Really? That's a shame... She and I did pretty well for our first partnership."

"I think I'll visit her once this is over."

After he said this, however, an elbow suddenly rammed to his arm. It didn't hurt him too much, but it still stung. 'Ow... What the?'

Turning his head, he looked at Furina and saw her pouting expression as if telling him no.

Accompanied by a silvery voice that she usually never does— as if copying Isaac's demeanor— she spoke.

"Ah, but Isaac, do we not have other pressing matters? Remember?"

If there was one thing Isaac was good at, it was sensing the meaning between lines. Instantly, he knew what she meant.

"Y-Yeah? Yeah! You're right. It's... It's that thing, right?"

Isaac doesn't know what he's talking about.

"Yes, it's that thing." Furina, on the other hand, smiled cheerfully upon hearing his response.

"I see..."

Seeing her happy face, Isaac's mental fortitude collapsed and gave in to Furina's desires.

'Ah... those contribution points... the reward...' Remembering the rewards for retrieving the painting, Isaac grimaced with regret.

Turning his head back to Neuvillette, he conjured a wry smile and said with a hesitant tone.

"Well, I guess I won't be able to meet up and discuss with Navia about my... contribution... for discovering the painting. A pity."

'Notice the lines!' He internally begged Neuvillette to notice his intentions.

Neuvillette, on the other hand, stared at him for a moment before shaking his head.

"You needn't worry. Navia had already said that you will receive a portion of the rewards for the discovery of the painting."

Upon hearing this, Isaac's mood became brighter. Nothing sounded better than getting more money, after all.

Even if he had become a crime lord with multiple assets under him and is making more Mora than an average person, he still couldn't help but be filled with joy when his pockets got an extra few more.

Was this greed? Of course it was.

Was he ashamed of it? Hell no.

Isaac might be a lot of things but he wouldn't shy away from greed.

Smiling cheerfully, he nodded at Neuvillette's words.

"How considerate of her. Oh— and you too, of course."

Furina, who was beside him, on the other hand, scowled as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Is money the only thing up there in that thick skull of yours?"

He blinked.

"Yes."

She rolled her eyes.

"Oh really? Then I take it that you have no room for me up there— your dear God and employer?"

He then replied quickly.

"Well... It's not like that..."

Hearing this, she smiled sharply at him.

"Hmph. It better be."

Watching the two of them banter, Neuvillette took a moment to observe them in silence, as if trying to learn from their interaction.

Then, without the two noticing, the impartial supreme judge of Fontaine raised his hand and looked at it with his sharp eyes.

For a moment, it was as if the Iudex was pondering something grander than his work— something more personal, it seems.

A few moments later, however, he snapped out of the illusion he had conjured up in his elusive mind. With a shake of his head, he looked at Furina and Isaac before opening his mouth and speaking.

"If there's nothing more, then may I suggest we return?"

It was evident that the Iudex wishes to return to his... beloved... office, from what Isaac sees.

Neuvillette then continued, "Since you have accomplished your goal here, there should be no more hold ups, right? Lady Furina?"

"Indeed." She replied with a satisfied expression. "Not only had we found my beloved portrait, but I also convinced my dear assistant to do another task for me."

'How come I have no idea about it, though.'

Isaac thought with worry as he felt an ominous feeling from Furina's words. But in the end, he remained composed outside.

Sensing Isaac's confusion, Furina then looked back to him and flashed a cunning smirk as if she was planning something devious.

Isaac had seen a lot of people's expressions, and very few have showed him that kind of smile. Perhaps the only close to doing it was Lyney, but even then, it wasn't intentional.

This one... This one was pure deviousness.

'...this can't be good.'

Isaac's danger senses were going off.

Trying to placate his mood, he nodded his head. He then looked at Neuvillette and shortly added after Furina's words.

"I mean, what can I even do when it's my lady's request?"

He continued with a wry smile, half-joking.

"For her, I'd even go to the stars and the abyss."

Neuvillette nodded his head.

"I must admit that your loyalty is a trait that should be admired by many." Neuvillette said with the same impartial voice of his.

Furina, on the other hand, smiled brightly after hearing Isaac's words. With a cheerful voice and a hidden scheme mixed in, she spoke while looking at Neuvillette.

"Finally starting to see my assistant's wondrous traits, are we? Well, I'll just let you know now that he's occupied for the time being— so no laying any hand on him!"

Neuvillette shook his head. Although it never appeared, Isaac could have sworn that the impartial chief justice displayed a sort of hidden scowl.

"There is no need. You can keep him to yourself. I have no plans of hiring anyone... for the foreseeable future."

Somewhat satisfied with the Iudex's answer, Furina nodded her head. Shortly after, she intertwined her arm with Isaac and dragged him with her.

"If there's nothing more, then me and my assistant will be going now! We still have a lot to do, after all!"

She then looked up at Isaac, her eyes brimming with excitement of what she was planning.

"Let's go, my dear... assistant."

Isaac, who was being dragged away, had enough strength to break away from her but decided to just let her do her thing.

Looking back at Neuvillette, Isaac conjured a wry smile, showing that he too shared the Iudex's problem.

Isaac then raised his hand and waved at him while running with Furina to the hills.

"Sorry for this abruptness, Monsieur Neuvillette. It was nice meeting you!"

With those words, Isaac turned his attention back to Furina and ran with her. To the Iudex, their destination was unknown, and, for the time being, he did not want to know.

Seeing the two leave, Neuvillette became silent for a few moments before releasing a deep sigh. Holding his cane, he depended on it for a moment.

"Lady Furina... I hope your judgement is right. Otherwise..."

He shook his head.

The Chief Justice ought to have more faith in the God of Justice, but the latter was making it difficult for the former.

Turning his head, he looked back to the painting resting below the massive tree situated in the middle of the lake.

"..."

Neuvillette lingered for a few moments as he stared at it, observing the painting which had disappeared under their noses not too long ago with interest.

"...hm?"

Just then, Neuvillette noticed something at the bottom of the painting. Curious, he got closer and observed it closer.

"That is..."

Situated near the edge of the painting, a dark stain was present. It blended well with the oil painting, and, with the mix of water from the rain, it produced a unique blemish.

Oil, Water, and Something Else produced such a stain.

From its hue, Neuvillette initially suspected it to be something akin to blood, but he needed more information to verify his suspicion.

The stain had already dried, but Neuvillette sensed that it had been put there not too long ago.

Curious, the Iudex extended his hand to observe it further.

With his elusive power related to water, the impartial chief justice was able to resonate with the stain pretty fast. In fact, it did not even pose any difficulty for him to determine what it truly was.

It was indeed blood.

And indeed, it was from a human.

However, what Neuvillette sensed more left him perturbed. With his affiliation with water, he was able to notice the lingering influences on the blood.

"Such vile contempt..." He mumbled to himself while analyzing the blood.

Hidden in the blood was an endless amount of fear and hatred. It was as if the person the blood came from had suffered an inhumane amounts torture.

What surprised Neuvillette more, however, was that he could still trace the blood's origins back.

...and the source was still inside the Court of Fontaine.

Gazing up at the painting before looking back at the dried blood at the edge of it, Neuvillette lingered for a few moments before his eyes narrowed. He then mumbled a few words to himself.

"An invitation, is it?"

He doesn't even need to guess who was inviting him.

"Clown..." He added as he stared off at the direction of the Court of Fontaine.

A moment of silence soon enveloped the chief justice for a few moments as he deeply contemplated the matter.

As for the person who had invited him, he was currently being dragged away against his will.

It was almost comical.

Such is the perverseness of fate.


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