Yuto's words made Furina instinctively look up, her beautiful, mismatched eyes gazing at him strangely before she let out a soft hmph and said:
"Hmph, I am not one of those Gods in the Fontaine Opera who demand offerings from their subordinates and citizens. This is what you, as my subordinate… should do for me!"
Furina tilted her small head slightly, trying her best to maintain her usual public persona.
However… her performance today felt a bit strained.
Hearing this, Yuto raised his head slightly, intending to comfort Furina with the same gentle tone as before, but…
In the afternoon sun, he noticed a tear stain at the corner of the young girl's eye…
That tear stain was extremely well-hidden by Furina, likely a remnant after a hasty touch-up…
"Sigh… Furina's mental pressure is really getting worse and worse. Before, one comforting session could calm her for at least half a year, but now she can't even last a few days…"
Yuto sighed silently in his heart, then took the opportunity of drinking red tea to observe Furina's room.
—He wanted to find the source of Furina's increased mental pressure from the lingering clues in the room.
His sea-blue eyes quickly scanned every corner of Furina's room but found nothing conclusive.
Just as Yuto was considering whether to subtly extract information from Furina… his gaze was drawn to a newspaper casually placed on the bedside table.
Perhaps due to the effect of that special Vision, Yuto easily resonated with the Electro element in the air, and finally… saw the contents of the newspaper.
When Yuto clearly saw the content on it… he truly felt an urge to rush out right now and demolish the Steam Bird News Agency as an illegal building.
Although this was just one page from Steambird Newspaper's daily issue, all the sections on this page were basically related to Furina.
"Water God Furina's words in the Opera House… is it genuine confidence or a deliberate pretense?"
"Facing The Prophecy, she chose to avoid discussing it. Is it a well-planned strategy or a feigned profundity due to lack of confidence?"
"Is Furina truly the Water God of Fontaine? Why is she indifferent to The Prophecy crisis?"
Upon seeing this, Yuto slightly closed his eyes, not wanting to read further.
This entire page… was criticizing some of Furina's actions during the second Judgment.
After the "original sea water" appeared in the public eye, the environment in Fontaine suddenly became somewhat… every man for himself.
They desperately wanted to get a solution to The Prophecy from Furina, but they did not get their wish.
Rumors in the streets claimed: the so-called "The Prophecy" was actually a "challenge" left by the first Water God, Egeria, to the second Water God, Focalors.
Such words were equivalent to placing the entire responsibility of "The Prophecy" on Furina's shoulders.
They naturally believed that Furina, who had lived for five hundred years, should provide a solution, and if Furina did not speak clearly… then she would be like a sinner for all eternity.
But what could Furina say?
Could she really say: Focalors told her to hold on, and when the so-called time was ripe, The Prophecy would naturally be resolved?
She did indeed tell the public that she had a way, but couldn't explicitly state it, but what was the result?
—Aside from being labeled as "deliberately mysterious," what else did she gain?
Thinking of this, Yuto couldn't help but take a sharp breath, then looked at Furina, who was nonchalantly eating a small cake in front of him, feeling a pang of heartache.
Five hundred years of solitude was already unbearable for ordinary people, and now she also had to bear a so-called "distrust" from the public…
Such content alone made one feel somewhat suffocated just thinking about it.
Yuto gently shook his head, then looked deeply at Furina, and after calming himself down slightly, asked:
"Furina… have they been saying things about you again?"
Hearing this, Furina's movements, which had been dividing a small cake, suddenly paused, then she pretended to speak nonchalantly:
"Isn't this normal? How can the thoughts of a God… be fathomed by mortals?"
"Since I said I have a way, then I have a way. I never talk nonsense or make empty promises."
"As a God, would I really bother with my citizens?"
"When the time is right… I will naturally solve the problem."
Furina shrugged as if she didn't care, as if she truly didn't mind those opinions at all.
But… Yuto could hear it.
The words she spoke… were not only for him to hear, but also to encourage herself.
Compared to five hundred years of incessant solo dancing… the public's misunderstanding and distrust hurt her more deeply.
At this thought, Yuto sighed slightly, then began to ponder how to make Furina a little happier.
But… he couldn't comfort her so openly, nor could he say things like "even if you're not the Water God, I'll still stand by your side."
Those words wouldn't comfort Furina; they would rub salt in her wounds.
She would feel that even Yuto thought she wasn't like the Water God, which would mean that the task her Mirror Self gave her had completely failed.
—Her five hundred years of solitude would have been completely meaningless.
Yuto wasn't a fool; he couldn't say such things.
After another moment of silence, Yuto gazed intently at Furina, who was still eating her small cake, let out a long, deep breath, and a thought formed in his mind.
As her Assistant Administrator, Yuto not only had to comfort her at this moment, but also…
Stand up for her.
"It's just another interview, no big deal…"
Yuto thought this as he looked at Furina, who was eating a small cake in front of him, and softly called out:
"Furina…"
"Hmm? What's wrong? Do you want some cake? My diligent Assistant Administrator?"
Yuto shook his head, gently blinked his gentle sea-blue eyes, and softly said:
"As your Assistant Administrator… I will always stand by your side, shielding you from those rumors and gossip."
"Even if one day… you stand against all of Fontaine for the sake of the salvation plan…"
"I will remain steadfastly by your side, my God."
With that, Yuto gently picked up the cane placed nearby and hurried out.
He needed to go find Charlotte; he wanted to, to the greatest extent… curb the influence of these people's remarks on Furina's mental state.
The title of "Palais Mermonia Spokesperson"… could finally be reactivated.
------------------------
I've already uploaded over 40 chapters of this story on Patreon.
If you're enjoying it, you can check out the latest chapters early over there.
patreon.com/Greyhounds
Thank you so much for your support.
And if you're enjoying the story, don't forget to leave a Power Stone for me.