Hello I'm back, thy leg is healed but I don't have molars anymore.
===BREAK===
"Hey, you two over there… yes, you two!"
Having just said goodbye to Antoine and Vigne and barely walked a short distance, someone called out and hurried toward them. Lumine and Paimon had no choice but to stop and wait.
The newcomer was a young man wearing a classic magician's top hat. His outfit was primarily red, black, and white—slightly flamboyant in style.
Once close enough, he spoke first. "I don't recognize your faces. You must be travelers from outside Fontaine, right?"
"And you are…?"
"Oh, let me introduce myself. I'm Lyney."
"Nice to meet you, Lyney! I'm Paimon, and this is Lumine. We just arrived in Fontaine."
"Good, I wasn't mistaken then. In that case, I have a little something for you both—"
With a flick of his wrist right before their eyes, Lyney produced two items out of thin air.
"Ta-da! Magic pouches."
"Wow! When I saw your hat, I wanted to ask—are you a magician?"
"Haha, I just perform a few tricks to make a living. I saw you speaking with the harbor official earlier. Did she mention magic pouches? Here—these two are for you."
"The person we just spoke to?" Paimon replied. "She did say that Fontainians have to carry magic pouches and underwater breathing potions at all times, while visitors only need to carry the potions. She even gave us some!"
"That's right. With the prophecy looming, any outsider entering Fontaine must carry three underwater breathing potions at all times, or they'll be violating Fontaine's laws. Magic pouches aren't mandatory since they're mainly for storage and not directly related to survival. Besides, their materials and crafting process are more complex than those of the potions. Not distributing them to visitors was Lady Furina's way of considering the costs."
"And yet you're just giving them to us for free?" Lumine asked.
"No need to be polite. I happen to have extra materials. I came to Romaritime Harbor precisely to help more visitors protect their belongings in case of flooding." Lyney smiled with narrowed eyes. "Don't let its small size fool you—the interior space is enormous. It's very useful for moving house or safeguarding valuables in an emergency. Want to try it?"
"Whoa! This is perfect for hiding—uh, I mean, storing snacks!"
"Paimon, I heard that."
"No, you didn't! You heard nothing!"
Lumine shook her head helplessly. She tested the pouch as well, then handed it back. "I won't need one. I have a more convenient way of storing things. You should give it to someone who needs it more."
"I see… fair enough."
At that moment, another figure approached from afar—a girl with cat ears and a cat tail. Her outfit was styled similarly to Lyney's, though in slightly different colors.
"Romaritime Flower." After exchanging a curious glance with Lumine and Paimon, the girl handed the materials she'd gathered to Lyney.
"Romaritime Flowers are used to craft magic pouches. So, while distributing them, we also collect more to make new ones."
Lyney casually explained before introducing her. "And this is my dearest sister, Lynette—also my most reliable magic assistant."
"You two seem really close!"
At Paimon's comment, Lynette quietly sighed.
"Haha, Lynette's usually this reserved. I'm the one who does most of the talking."
"Understandable! My partnership with Lumine is kind of like that too—it always feels like I'm the one talking."
"That's because you steal all my lines," Lumine retorted.
Paimon gasped. "Wait, really?!"
Lynette added expressionlessly, "I also think my brother talks too much sometimes."
"Ahahaha…" Lyney laughed. "Looks like we're quite alike, Paimon."
"Ahaha…"
"Oh right—we haven't properly greeted each other yet, have we?"
"Hm? Didn't you just introduce yourself?"
"But Lynette wasn't here then."
"True…"
This time, Lyney stepped forward very formally and extended his hand. "Nice to meet you, Lumine."
"Likewise."
Paimon eagerly reached out her hand as well, but instead of shaking it, Lyney simply patted her on the back. "And hello to you too, Paimon."
"Hey! Why didn't I get a handshake? What are you up to, Lyney?"
"Haha, don't worry about it. Just think of it as a Fontaine-style 'greeting ritual' for making friends. You might find it useful someday…"
"Really…? Well, alright. Having a local friend is always nice! Speaking of which, we were just about to head to the Opera Epiclese to meet the Hydro Archon. If it's not too much trouble, could you show us the way?"
"To see Lady Furina? Sure, sure. We're heading there ourselves later. But we need to finish something here first. If you don't mind, just follow me for now."
Lumine and Paimon had no objections.
But just as they followed Lyney toward the harbor elevator—
The Gardes, who had clearly been waiting inside, rushed down the staircase with rapid, synchronized steps, lining up neatly on both sides.
Then Victor Wang and Clorinde appeared, one on each side, extending the formation.
Finally, Furina emerged. She stood atop the raised platform where the elevator was located. Because the platform had a railing, she had thoughtfully had someone place a box beside it. Climbing atop the box unhurriedly, her entire figure—from head to toe—became visible. Indeed, her full grandeur could now be seen, unobstructed from head to toe.
Furina. And her box.
Though Lyney had long known Furina would be waiting here, he still put on a small show of surprise. "Oh? Aren't you two looking to meet Lady Furina? It seems she's come to meet you instead."
"Huh?! So that's the Hydro Archon? How did she know we were coming…?"
From atop the platform, Furina declared passionately,
"Citizens rich or poor, whether holding goblets or empty-handed—raise your glasses!"
"If you don't have one, raise your arm instead."
The offhand remark drifted lightly through the air, and Furina continued grandly,
"As you can see, foreign travelers have arrived in my nation! Come—let us offer them our blessings! A toast to the traveler from afar and her companion!"
Drawn by the lively scene and Furina's presence, onlookers clapped or waved their hands in response.
Paimon blinked in confusion. "Are we the 'foreign travelers'? But no one's holding a goblet, right? Hey—what are you staring at?"
She waved her little hand in front of Lumine's face, blocking her view. Lumine gently moved it aside and pointed forward. "That person… I think that's Victor."
"Victor? But he's not wearing a mask or a cloak!"
"It's definitely him. The aura matches."
"Oh! Then his strange illness must have improved a lot—that's great! I used to only see half his face. Looking closely now, it really is him… And he's looking at us too. But wait—how did he end up as the Hydro Archon's bodyguard?"
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