Fontaine, Palais Mermonia.
Furina stepped out of the bath, wrapped in a towel, droplets still clinging to her skin.
As she approached her bed, her phone buzzed.
A message.
Her eyes lit up.
Was it her cousin sending her a good morning text?
She grabbed the phone immediately.
It wasn't.
Her shoulders sank a little.
But the message was from a gaming friend, someone she'd teamed up with last night.
[Cream Puff: Good morning, Adeptus Fujin.]
[Fujin: Boss, I ran into something and wanted to ask your advice.]
[Cream Puff: What is it?]
[Fujin: It's like this. I have a friend who seems to like someone.]
Furina's expression changed into a mischievous little smile.
That line was way too classic.
[Cream Puff: If she likes him, tell her to go after him.]
[Fujin: That's the thing. The person she likes is already with another friend of mine.]
[Cream Puff: Ah, a love triangle.]
[Fujin: Yes yes yes! So she's conflicted, and came to me asking what to do. But I don't have any experience, so I didn't know how to answer.]
[Cream Puff: I see.]
[Fujin: Boss, do you have any guidance?]
[Cream Puff: Guidance? Sure. Just go for it.]
[Fujin: Huh?]
[Cream Puff: If she doesn't know how, I can send you some reference material.]
[Cream Puff: (guidance_materials.zip) sent.]
Furina snorted a laugh as the screen showed [received].
In the mirror, Focalors' reflection appeared.
"Early in the morning and you're already acting insane."
"I'm not. I just remembered something delightful."
"What delightful thing?"
"Heh, not telling you."
-----
Guidance materials…
Fujin wasn't the first victim—
no, beneficiary—of Cream Puff's educational support.
She opened the zip file out of curiosity.
A row of text documents instantly filled the screen.
All of them were novels.
And judging by the titles alone, she already knew exactly what kind of novels they were.
Fujin stared in silence.
Lingyuan, who had been watching her go still while holding that little device, leaned a little closer. She wanted to see what had happened.
But the moment Lingyuan's head drew near, Fujin reacted like a guilty thief. She immediately locked the screen and turned sharply toward her.
"Why are you leaning so close?"
"I was curious. I wanted to look."
"There's nothing worth looking at."
"You don't dare show me?"
"It's not that I don't dare. Chat logs are private."
"Your face is red."
"It is not."
"Look at your reflection in the water."
Fujin glanced at the water beside them.
Sure enough, her cheeks were flushed.
She steadied herself, willing the warmth in her face to fade.
When she glanced back, Lingyuan was still staring at her phone with obvious curiosity masked under a stiff, tsundere expression.
She really couldn't win with this girl.
Fujin thought for a moment, then said, "It's been a long time since you saw Ganyu, hasn't it?"
Lingyuan froze for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. Ever since she left Jueyun Karst for her post in Liyue Harbor, we haven't met again."
"Do you want to see her?"
Lingyuan blinked. "Right now?"
Fujin lifted her phone. "Yes, right now. I have her contact. I can call her for a video chat."
"Video?"
"It lets you talk face-to-face from far away."
"…"
Lingyuan didn't understand, but she was visibly shaken by the idea.
"Want to try?"
"…."
She hesitated, then looked at the device in Fujin's hand.
Finally, she nodded.
"…Okay."
It absolutely wasn't because she was curious.
She just wanted to see her old friend again.
Obviously.
Fujin tapped on Ganyu's avatar and sent a video invitation, then passed the phone to Lingyuan.
"Here. When she picks up, you'll see her on the screen."
"Alright."
Lingyuan held the phone carefully, staring at the message on the screen.
[Inviting the other party to join video chat]
"Why can't I see her yet?"
"Give her a minute. She might not be awake."
"That's impossible. The sun is up. She never overslept before!"
"That was before. Now she's worked as the Qixing's general secretary for years. Let her sleep in and enjoy herself a bit."
"…"
Several more seconds passed.
Fujin asked, "Still nothing?"
"No."
"Weird… is she busy? What would she be doing at dawn…?"
Then suddenly—
"Ah, there she is! Ganyu!—"
"Eh? Lingyuan? I thought it was Fujin. Long time no see."
"Long time no see! Ganyu, why's your face so red?"
"Is… is it? Maybe I just woke up! My face looks a bit flushed."
"But you look really alert? And why are you sweating so much? Your hair's stuck to your face…"
"W–well! Don't worry about the details!"
"…Alright…"
Red cheeks? Sweating?
Fujin's ears twitched. Her curiosity sharpened.
She leaned subtly closer, wanting to see how exactly Ganyu looked—
But before she could glimpse anything, Lingyuan immediately pulled the phone away like she was guarding treasure.
She turned to glare at her. "Why are you leaning over?"
"I'm curious. Just want to take a look."
"Nothing to see."
"I know Ganyu too. I just wanted to say hi."
"I'm talking first. You can say hi later!"
Lingyuan marched off with the phone.
Fujin stared at her back, speechless.
Such a petty little tsundere!
All because I didn't show her my phone earlier, now she's getting revenge?
But still…
Ganyu, sweating and flushed at dawn…
Was she morning training?
Lingyuan lowered her head in thought.
Back when Ganyu lived in Jueyun Karst under Cloud Retainer's care, she often visited Chenyu Vale.
Ganyu had been a little chubby back then, soft and round-cheeked.
Adorable.
She'd already started controlling her diet and was known to exercise regularly.
So… sweating that much early in the morning…
She must have been exercising, right?
That made sense.
----
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