Chapter 22: Heartbeat
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Calming her emotions, Furina finally settled down.
After "fiercely" warning Liu Yuan once again not to suddenly disappear and to promise to tell her no matter what happened, Furina returned to their usual way of interacting.
However, she suddenly seemed to realize something and asked:
"Right… Liu Yuan, how long have I been asleep?"
"342 hours, 32 minutes, 12 seconds."
Liu Yuan answered without hesitation.
Furina froze. What did she just hear?
"Ho… how much?"
"342 hours, 32 minutes, 12 seconds."
Liu Yuan repeated calmly.
"That's… um, wait… that's over ten days?!"
Furina shot up from the bed, staring at Liu Yuan in shock.
"To be precise, it's 14 days, 6 hours, 32 minutes, and 12 seconds."
Liu Yuan's voice was steady, serious. For those fourteen days, she had stayed by Furina's side without leaving once. Since she didn't need to sleep, she had naturally begun recording the time subconsciously. With her extreme sensitivity to time, knowing the exact count was effortless.
Furina instantly panicked at the thought — she had slept for fourteen whole days!
Fourteen days! A full two weeks!!!
That meant she hadn't shown herself to the people of Fontaine for half a month!
Even if the pressure of playing the "Hydro Archon" for five hundred years had finally dissipated in her dreams, it didn't mean she had given up on the role.
She didn't want to continue pretending… but that didn't mean she didn't care about Fontaine's citizens.
If, because of this brief indulgence, Fontaine truly collapsed as the Prophecy had foretold…
Furina couldn't let that happen.
She jumped from the bed in a panic — but after so long lying down, her body was weak. The moment she tried to step forward, her legs gave out, trembling beneath her.
Hydro energy instantly surged, wrapping around her falling body.
"Liu… Liu Yuan, take me there, quickly!"
Furina felt dizzy, the sudden exertion after long sleep made her blood rush to her head.
She was still just an ordinary human girl. The curse had given her longevity and preserved her appearance, but it had not made her immortal.
She was still, at her core, just herself.
Hearing her plea, Liu Yuan hesitated. She wanted Furina to rest, but in the end she gently lifted her up and walked toward the window.
The curtains had been tightly shut — Liu Yuan had drawn them, worried the sunlight might disturb her rest.
Now, sunlight flooded into the room, so bright that Furina's vision went white. It took a while before she could see clearly again.
Outside, Fontaine looked the same as always.
The sky still shone with dazzling light, no dark clouds, no flood swallowing the city — everything as it had always been.
Relief washed over her. Fontaine was safe, even after her two weeks of sleep.
It seems… it seems it should be fine…
She turned toward Liu Yuan, ready to explain herself — only to see the extremely serious look on Liu Yuan's face.
The next moment, she was lifted again.
"Eh? H-Huh? Liu Yuan—"
"You should rest more before getting out of bed. Doing this is too much for your body."
Her tone, unusually firm, carried a trace of anger.
Furina shrank a little under that gaze, fingers fidgeting guiltily.
Liu Yuan cared for her — she had known it for a long time…
If not for the Prophecy, Furina wouldn't have lost her composure like this. Perhaps she would have obediently listened, stayed in bed a while longer, and only risen once her body had adjusted.
But now she couldn't resist.
Without protest, she let Liu Yuan carry her back, tuck her beneath the blanket, and stand beside her like a vigilant guardian.
"If there's anything you need done, I'll do it. But before that, you must stay in bed for half an hour. After that, you can get up slowly, let your body adjust. Before then, you are not allowed to leave this room."
Liu Yuan's words were strict, almost like a doctor's orders.
Furina could only nod, cheeks heating, eyes darting away. She quickly pulled the blanket up, peeking out only with her mismatched eyes.
She's… so different from her usual self…
Normally Liu Yuan was gentle, quiet — hardly speaking, simply helping silently, always there.
But now — her tone, her presence — it was commanding, steady, persuasive. Furina found herself obeying without resistance.
And that unwavering gaze, those words filled with concern…
Ugh… my heart is beating so fast… my face is burning…
And all because of me?
Ugh… why is my heart is beating even faster!?
Her mismatched eyes met Liu Yuan's deep blue gaze, and Furina's thoughts drifted — unbidden — to the script of Namiya and the Ghost…
No. No, no, no… it can't be! There's no way I'd think of Liu Yuan that way!!!
But memories of their time together kept flooding her mind.
Liu Yuan was always near, always listening, always caring. Aside from being a complete bookworm… she was flawless. Beautiful. Attentive. Loyal. And only Furina could see her — her own exclusive "spirit at her side."
Her chest tightened. It seemed… it seemed… she really had no reason to refuse.
Realization struck like a spark. Her face flared, and she yanked the blanket fully over her head, curling up beneath it.
"No… no, Furina, calm down! She's just a bookworm who only knows how to read! Don't fall for her!!!"
She scolded herself silently, desperately trying to shake the thoughts away — but the more she tried, the more vividly her memories of Liu Yuan overwhelmed her.
"Ugh… Liu Yuan…"
Liu Yuan, still standing by the bed, looked on in puzzlement at the Furina-shaped lump under the blanket. Steam seemed to rise faintly from the fabric.
She could only stare in silence… and fell into contemplation.
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