Chương 22: A Hasty Gathering and Parting
"Good, that's reassuring," Arlecchino said, her eyes glinting with a momentary relief.
"And you? Now that you've returned, what do you plan to do?"
"Me?" Clervie laughed. "I am, officially, Lady Furina's Oceanid, but she didn't require me to stay by her side; she's given me full freedom."
"Now that I am a Oceanid, I think I'll pursue my old dream that went unfulfilled: I plan to let the currents take me, seeing the world as I go."
"That sounds wonderful," Arlecchino nodded approvingly.
Clervie then turned to her. "And what about you? Will you go back to Snezhnaya?"
"Yes."
"Alright then," Clervie smiled. "Until we meet again!"
"Yes, until we meet again."
With those words, Arlecchino rose and departed from the House of the Hearth, not looking back even once.
A simple reunion between old friends.
Their meeting was brief, and their farewell just as swift.
But to them, this was enough.
Clervie had once been innocent and optimistic, yet years of despair had taken away her smile.
She once thought that with freedom, she could be just as cheerful as before. But now, she realized that she could never go back. Her past experiences had left scars, ones that had changed her. Even with her freedom, she could no longer be the bright girl she once was. This, as they say, was what it meant to "grow up."
The same was true of Peruere. She had endured much since becoming a Harbinger.
Arlecchino could no longer return to being Peruere.
Their quick parting was because they knew each other well.
Did Clervie want Arlecchino to stay? Of course she did, but she didn't ask her to.
Because she understood Arlecchino and she understood the Fatui.
The House of the Hearth's downfall had cost Snezhnaya dearly, and someone had to be held accountable.
Arlecchino had saved the children, so she had to take responsibility in their stead.
Her return to Snezhnaya would undoubtedly be fraught with danger.
Clervie could have tried to make her stay, but she knew Arlecchino would not listen.
Because she understood Arlecchino.
For Arlecchino, the Tsaritsa had pardoned her, and now she owed her loyalty. Serving her was the cost of that mercy.
By saving the children, she had chosen to bear the punishment in their place; this, too, was her responsibility.
She could have chosen not to return, but Arlecchino would never flee. Since she had acted, she would pay the price—that was her principle.
And staying true to herself was Arlecchino's strength.
So even knowing the dangers that awaited her friend in Snezhnaya, Clervie didn't hold her back.
Similarly, Arlecchino's feelings toward Clervie were complex.
Before becoming a Harbinger, Clervie had been her only friend. After taking up the title, she had been consumed by battles and intrigue, never meeting another friend since.
The children of the House of the Hearth were her family, but family and friends were different.
In front of family, she had to hold back, maintaining the authority expected of a father.
But a friend was different—a friend was someone who understood her.
With a friend, she could set aside some of her burdens with ease.
To this day, Clervie had remained her only true friend.
So to say she didn't miss her would be a lie. Over the years, Clervie's memory had never faded from her mind.
And even though she missed Clervie deeply, she did not ask her to stay by her side.
Because she understood Clervie.
"Freedom" was the one thing Clervie had always longed for.
Now, as a Fatui Harbinger, Arlecchino was bound to endless conflicts, darkness, and secrets that could never see the light of day.
Clervie was a gentle, innocent, and kind soul. She could become an adventurer, a poet, or the head of an orphanage.
She was fit for many things, but the darkness of the Fatui was not one of them. That was why she had defied her mother long ago.
Every person's ideals are shaped by their character.
Now, she had been reborn through the Hydro Archon's grace, freed at last from the shadows of the Fatui to live her life as she pleased.
As a Harbinger, how could Arlecchino ask Clervie to stay and once again enter the darkness of the Fatui?
Be it the children of the House of the Hearth or Clervie, it was the same.
Now that they had a chance to seek the light and find true freedom, she would let them go and offer them her blessing.
This was their reunion.
They exchanged few words, no long goodbyes. Their meeting was brief, and so was their farewell.
But because they understood each other, they chose mutual respect and blessings. And that was enough.
Arlecchino moved through the darkness.
She still remembered the words Clervie had said to her when they were young, gazing out the window together under the moonlight.
"I heard the northern lights in Snezhnaya are breathtaking. When we're free, let's go see them together!"
A faint smile crept onto Arlecchino's lips as she moved through the shadows.
"I've already seen the northern lights in Snezhnaya. They are beautiful."
"I'm sorry I couldn't see them with you."
"But don't worry. Someday, you'll follow the waters to Snezhnaya and see the beauty of the northern lights yourself."
"May you find eternal light, Clervie."
Meanwhile,
The beautiful Oceanid watched the direction in which Arlecchino had left.
"And may you find your own light, Peruere."
With that, Clervie turned and drifted in the opposite direction.
The next day.
After having their memories burned by the Flame of the Phial, the children of the House of the Hearth were released from the Fortress of Meropide.
Just as people tend to reconstruct their dreams upon waking, making them appear more logical, the brain also fills in the blanks after memory loss to prevent disorientation or confusion.
All of these children were brought to the former grounds of the House of the Hearth.
Before this, however, Furina had already sent people to clear out the site—removing weapons, poisons, interrogation rooms, documents, and anything else reminiscent of the House's darker past.
And under the guidance of Furina and the Arlecchino, the children, devoid of their memories of the House and the Fatui, gradually accepted a new reality.
This place was now an ordinary orphanage, and they were its residents. The former head of the orphanage had passed away in an accident, and before their passing, they had appointed Lyney as the next director.
As Arlecchino had anticipated, Lyney's nature would make him a caring father figure once unshackled from the Fatui.
Embracing this reality, Lyney quickly adapted to his role as head of the orphanage, soon settling everyone in.
Following Furina's directive, the House of the Hearth was renamed the "Fontaine Children's Welfare Center," funded by the Fontaine government to provide care for homeless orphans.
Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet even received official positions within Fontaine, taking on the responsibility of managing the welfare center.
Standing on the rooftop of a tall building, Arlecchino gazed at the House of the Hearth.
Furina personally visited the welfare center, bringing supplies and offering her care to the children.
Clervie, under the guise of a water spirit (Oceanid) attendant sent to assist Lady Furina, also moved into the center to help care for the children.
Watching the former House of the Hearth now flourish, seeing the children play freely in the sunlight…
Even if that home no longer held a room for her, a gentle smile appeared on Arlecchino's face.
"Congratulations, and blessings to you, Clervie, Lyney. May you both succeed in creating the free and happy home you envisioned."
With a contented expression, Arlecchino departed Fontaine.
A new day began.
Since they shared only one body, only one of the two could control it at a time.
Unless one of them fell asleep and closed off their consciousness, Furina could sense what Felina was doing when she was in control, able to share Felina's perspective.
Likewise, when Furina controlled the body, Felina could observe everything Furina did.
Today, Furina's consciousness was still resting.
After nearly five centuries of constant tension, her spirit was weary and exhausted.
And the best way to relieve mental fatigue was to do something enjoyable and, of course, to sleep deeply.
So with Felina's companionship and support, Furina had taken to sleeping in more often, allowing herself a deep rest.
This morning, Felina was the first to awaken, taking charge of the body.
She put on a white sundress with maple leaf patterns, slipped into a pair of white shoes, and stood before the mirror, admiring her—or rather, Furina's—beauty over and over.
"Furina is so beautiful—no matter how many times I look, I still adore her."
Grinning happily at her reflection, she looked down, her gaze resting on her chest.
"Furina's perfect… just a little flat here."
"Right, I remember reading somewhere that a little regular… attention might help. Why not give it a try?"
Eyes brightening at the idea, she set to work! She slipped off the straps of her dress, letting it hang loosely around her hips, and reached up, cupping Furina's—or rather, her own—slimey curves, beginning a rather experimental massage in front of the mirror.
After about half an hour…
"Morning, Felina."
A drowsy voice echoed in her mind, and Felina stiffened, hastily adjusting her clothes.
"Good morning, Furina. I don't have anything pressing today, so why don't you take the reins for a while? It's my turn to rest."
"Sounds good!"
Furina agreed and, taking in her reflection in the mirror, her eyes lit up.
"Did you choose this outfit? It's beautiful!"
Smiling, she decided she was ready for the day since Felina had already dressed them up, and turned to leave for breakfast.
But just then, something unexpected happened.
Furina reached for the doorknob to open the door, but the moment she exerted any force, the handle snapped off as if it were made of brittle biscuit.
"Huh? Not again."
Furina sighed. Ever since Felina had acquired the Archon's Divine Body, they had broken eight doorknobs, thirteen chairs, and ruined twenty-seven sets of silverware.
When she asked Felina about it, Felina had explained that it was due to a surge in power from recent training gains, making it temporarily difficult to control the body's newly acquired strength.
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