Hidden away in a secluded corner within the labyrinthine pipes, Furina devoured the cake the young woman had meticulously prepared for her. Before long, every crumb was gone.
Whether it was her imagination or not, Furina couldn't help but feel that this cake was even more delicious than the previous ones.
Thinking about this, Furina couldn't help but lick her lips, then glanced at the cake box again, checking for any remaining crumbs.
Alas, the box had been thoroughly licked clean. Furina could only wait with disappointment for the next time the young woman would bake for her.
I wonder how Emily's doing right now?
After finishing the cake, Furina's thoughts began to wander.
I hope she hasn't been injured.
Even though I warned her not to push herself too hard, she's probably still fighting tooth and nail.
And that Tartaglia guy definitely doesn't hold back. If Emily gets hurt, I'll make Neuvillette teach him a lesson!
The image of the young woman possibly covered in bruises and wounds tugged at Furina's heart.
Furina stared blankly at the rusty iron pipe for a long while, lost in thought. If only I could watch a live broadcast of the battle...
But the Mutual Aid Network was too poor to afford broadcasting equipment.
Oh no!
After what seemed like ages, Furina suddenly remembered something and slapped her hand against her forehead.
Emily forgot to tell me when I'm supposed to come out of hiding!
What am I supposed to do? It's been so long—I don't even know if the battle's over yet.
"Wait a moment. Emily didn't tell me when she'd be back. She probably wanted to come here herself to let me know."
"But so much time has passed, and Emily still hasn't arrived. Could something have happened to her?!"
The thought immediately filled Furina with worry. The image of the girl, bruised and battered, that had haunted her mind now seemed about to become reality.
"No, I have to go check on her!"
Furina took a step forward, then hesitated.
"If I just go out like this, won't I ruin Emily's plans?"
Torn between her concern for Emily and her fear of disrupting her arrangements, Furina found herself in a dilemma.
"I'm the Hydro Archon! If anything unexpected happens, I'll just deal with it however I see fit."
Shaking her head, Furina made up her mind.
"It's been far too long. Something might have happened to Emily."
"She might need me right now. How can I just cower here and wait?!"
Furina immediately retraced her steps, but after only a few paces, she collided with a young girl at a corner.
The girl's springy body rebounded Furina's head, allowing her to regain her footing. Yet Furina's eyes couldn't help but moisten. Why are all the people I know so well-developed?
"Don't worry, Lady Furina," the girl said with a reassuring smile. "You're only five hundred years old—still a child. You'll grow into it eventually."
Furina felt as if a sword had pierced her heart. She knew all too well that she was just an ordinary person, meaning she had spent roughly thirty times the normal human lifespan cultivating a perfectly flat "runway."
No, this isn't the time to dwell on that!
"Emily?!" Furina exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with surprise as she gazed at the girl. "Thank goodness you're safe! I was so worried about you earlier!"
The girl smiled warmly. "Thank you for your concern, Lady Furina. I was slightly delayed by some urgent matters and arrived a bit late."
Furina nodded, her heart easing slightly, but then she resumed circling Emily anxiously.
"Emily, are you really alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Don't worry, if that Tartaglia guy bullied you, I'll have Neuvillette beat him up!"
"Hehe, I'm really not hurt."
Emily chuckled softly.
"See? I'm perfectly fine."
"Shouldn't Lady Furina be more concerned about the outcome of the battle?"
"It doesn't matter, Emily. The result isn't important."
"What matters is that you actually listened to me and didn't push yourself too hard."
Furina changed the subject. She noticed Emily's clothes were spotless, still the same outfit she'd worn when they left that morning, suggesting she'd surrendered immediately upon realizing the situation was hopeless.
Although Emily hadn't resolved Furina's current predicament, Furina couldn't bear to hurt her genuine concern and changed the subject.
"Lady Furina doesn't think I lost, does she?"
"Did you win?!"
Furina spoke with some excitement, then seeing the girl's beaming smile, she chuckled awkwardly, having inadvertently revealed her true feelings.
"Yes, I won."
"Monsieur Tartaglia was indeed a formidable opponent, but I got lucky and discovered his weakness during the battle, securing a narrow victory."
"Now, Lady Furina, you no longer need to worry about Monsieur Tartaglia's persistent challenges. He lost the duel and forfeited his right to challenge you."
"Excellent!" Furina cheered. "Emily, you're absolutely amazing!"
"Just luck," Emily replied modestly.
She makes it sound so easy! Furina thought to herself, silently grumbling at the girl's nonchalant remark. She quickly recovered and said cheerfully, "To celebrate today's victory, how about unlimited cake tonight, Emily?"
"I don't think so," Emily replied with a smile, politely refusing the offer. "Lady Furina, your recent sugar intake has already exceeded your limit. That cake you just had was the last one."
"Oh, come on..." Furina groaned.
Upon hearing these words, Furina's expression immediately turned wistful.
"But today's a day worth celebrating!"
"No."
The girl refused again without hesitation.
"Besides, the time has come."
"The time has come?"
Just as Furina was pondering the meaning of the girl's words, a scream suddenly erupted from the distance.
"Someone's dead!"
"Dead! So many people are dead!"
"Help! Someone come quickly!"
-
Furina's face paled at the piercing scream.
"Emily... it sounds like someone has died over there."
Furina tugged timidly at the girl's arm, seeking confirmation.
"Yes, I heard it too, Lady Furina."
"Let's go check it out," the girl said with unwavering composure, striding toward the source of the scream.
"Wait, wait for me, Emily!" Furina called out, rushing to catch up as Emily began to walk away.
The two quickly arrived at the source of the sound, a secluded corner.
Just as they reached the spot, they collided with a woman in prison garb, visibly shaken.
"L-Lady Furina, Miss Emily..."
Seeing them, the woman visibly relaxed, as if she had found a lifeline, and gradually regained her composure.
"What happened? Did someone die? How many are dead? How many are injured?" Furina asked urgently after offering a few words of comfort.
However, Furina's questions immediately reignited terror in the woman's eyes.
"They're all dead! Everyone's dead!"
"So many corpses! So much blood!"
"It's too horrible! Don't ask me anything else!"
The woman blurted out these words in a frenzy before fleeing.
Seeing her reaction, Furina's heart sank further, a sliver of dread creeping into her thoughts about the scene that awaited them.
Just then, a remarkably calm voice came from the young woman's side.
"Let's go, Lady Furina. We should take a look."
"Wait, Emily. Shouldn't we wait for the others before investigating the scene together?"
"No, we can't wait for a crowd. The murderer might slip into the crowd and use the opportunity to destroy incriminating evidence."
Furina followed behind the young woman, wanting to say more, but they had already rounded the corner and come face-to-face with the gruesome scene.
Furina's pupils constricted sharply, and she immediately closed her eyes in sorrow, unable to bear the sight.
A dozen or so corpses lay scattered on the ground, all clad in prison uniforms, clearly inmates of the Fortress of Meropide.
Each body had been mutilated with extreme brutality, as if crushed by some immense force. Blood continued to seep from every wound, pooling into crimson puddles on the floor.
Beyond the carnage, the metal walls were riddled with massive dents, and the pipes were breached and damaged in multiple places. A twisted, deformed section of iron pipe lay on the ground, sewage pouring from its ruptured end, mixing with the blood on the floor and turning it black.
"Emily, let's get out of here quickly. We'll let others handle this..."
The oppressive atmosphere made Furina feel like she couldn't breathe. She looked urgently at the young woman, only to find her remarkably calm, seemingly unmoved by the horrific scene before them.
"Emily?"
"Why do you look so composed?"
Hearing Furina's question, the young woman smiled faintly and replied, "When you've seen this much, you naturally grow numb to it."
Furina's heart sank. She hadn't realized Emily's past had been so bleak, that she had grown accustomed even to death.
"Alright, let's secure the scene now," Emily said. "We need to prevent unauthorized personnel from approaching, lest the murderer attempt to tamper with the evidence."
Furina nodded immediately.
Soon after, the guards from the Fortress of Meropide rushed to the scene.
"Lady Furina?"
Their expressions shifted to surprise when they saw Furina, and they quickly offered her a formal salute.
Furina waved her hand dismissively. "Forget the formalities at a time like this. Hurry and check the scene—there are quite a few casualties."
Hearing Furina's words, the guards' faces turned grim as they quickened their pace and entered the crime scene.
Shortly after the guards arrived, a crowd of onlookers began to gather. When they saw Furina present, they were astonished and began whispering among themselves.
"Isn't that Lady Furina?"
"Miss Emily is here too."
"Of course! Miss Emily is Lady Furina's bodyguard. She'd naturally be by her side!"
"But why is Lady Furina here?"
"I heard dozens of people died here. I wonder if it's true."
"Dozens? More like hundreds! They say the bodies are piled up like mountains, and the sea is stained red with blood!"
-
Because Furina was standing guard outside, no one dared to force their way into the scene to satisfy their curiosity. Instead, they waited in place for the final outcome.
Hearing their chatter, Furina felt a surge of irritation.
So many people have died, and all they can do is crowd around and spread rumors as if this were some kind of spectacle.
Just as Furina was about to speak, a familiar voice called out:
"Lady Furina! Miss Emily!"
Both women turned toward the sound, spotting Charlotte rushing toward them.
"We meet again, ladies," Charlotte said breathlessly. "I heard there were many victims here. Is it true?"
"Yes," Furina replied directly, her tone grave. Having met Charlotte before and knowing her reasonably well, she didn't hesitate to be frank.
"There have been numerous deaths. The guards from the Fortress of Meropide are investigating the scene. In the meantime, it's best for unauthorized personnel to stay away."
"Mm-hmm, I understand! I've cooperated with the Maison Gardiennage on several occasions, after all!"
Charlotte nodded, then turned to Emily.
"Miss Emily, I haven't congratulated you on your final victory yet."
"It was just luck, really. I never expected Monsieur Tartaglia to step right into the trap I'd set."
"Miss Emily, you're far too modest. Even before that, your battle with Monsieur Tartaglia was completely evenly matched."
Hearing Charlotte's words, Furina asked curiously, "Is that true? Emily is actually that strong?"
"Huh? Lady Furina, isn't Miss Emily your personal guard? Don't you know her strength?"
"Ah, well... you see, my own power is so overwhelming that I couldn't even sense the difference in their abilities."
Understanding dawned on Charlotte's face. "I see. So that's how it is."
"I had today's battle recorded. If Lady Furina is interested, I'll send you the footage."
Furina's face lit up with delight.
"Of course I'm interested!"
"I haven't really seen Emily in action before!"
"Then Lady Furina must watch closely! Miss Emily has brought great honor to Fontaine!"
Charlotte said with a smile. Emily's victory over Tartaglia had a profound impact on Fontaine.
Unlike Neuvillette's victory, Emily's win against Tartaglia was achieved as a mere mortal.
"I will certainly watch carefully," Furina replied, nodding. She felt a growing anticipation for the battle.
Just then, the guards who had gone ahead returned, their faces grim. Their boots were soaked in blood, leaving crimson footprints with each step.
They cast a strange glance at Furina before turning their attention to the young woman and asking, "Miss Emily, when you and Lady Furina arrived at this place, did you notice anyone else?"
Emily nodded.
"There was one other person—a slender woman in prison garb. She must still be serving her sentence."
"She was likely the first to discover the crime scene. Lady Furina and I only arrived after hearing the commotion she made."
"However, she was terrified at the time. After we obtained basic details from her, she fled."
After confirming the essential details with the young woman, the guards nodded and continued their questioning.
"Before we arrived, did you see anyone else enter the crime scene?"
The young woman shook her head.
"Very well, thank you for your cooperation, Miss Emily. We have what we need."
"Wait a moment!"
Furina suddenly interjected, glaring at the guards with displeasure.
"Am I not here? I am the Hydro Archon Focalors! Shouldn't you be questioning me first?"
Feeling ignored, Furina hastily asserted her presence.
Though she disliked such displays, she had no choice. The Hydro Archon's persona demanded such capricious arrogance.
"Um, Lady Furina..."
Faced with Furina's indignation, the guards hesitated, their expressions conflicted.
"What's wrong? Is there something you're reluctant to tell me?" Furina asked.
"No, nothing at all. Actually, we've already resolved most of the issues here. We're just about to report what happened here to the Duke," the guards replied.
With that, the guards turned to leave.
But Furina could sense they were concealing a secret and grew visibly annoyed.
"Aren't you going to explain the initial investigation results to me?"
"We need to report to the Duke first before we can provide Lady Furina with an official response," the guards said after a moment's hesitation, still refusing to elaborate.
"This isn't appropriate," Charlotte interjected, sensing the odd atmosphere. "Lady Furina's status is paramount. Why should she have to wait for the Duke's approval? Your actions risk damaging the Duke's reputation, you know?"
Hearing Charlotte's warning, the guards' faces showed a moment of internal conflict before they finally steeled themselves and spoke with grave solemnity:
"Our preliminary investigation reveals that the victims died from an exceptionally powerful attack. The walls struck by the impact bear massive, concave dents."
"Only a handful of people in the Fortress of Meropide could have executed an attack of this magnitude."
"Based on the residual Elemental Power in the air, we've deduced that the murderer likely used Hydro Elemental Power..."
Though the guards didn't explicitly name their suspect, everyone present immediately understood their implication. A collective gasp swept through the room...