After the brief conversation between the two Furinas concluded, Furina remained rooted to the spot, mentally rehearsing her inaugural speech and completely disregarding Black Furina. Black Furina, meanwhile, waited patiently for Furina to address her.
Yet, Furina made no move, leaving Black Furina equally unresponsive. The two maintained this strange silence until, without either realizing it, an entire day had passed.
"Clip-clop—clip-clop—" The sound of a carriage rapidly approaching signaled the arrival of the procession sent to welcome Fontaine's new Hydro Archon.
The welcoming party for the new Hydro Archon consisted of a large contingent, perhaps several hundred people. They disembarked and slowly advanced toward Furina. A Court official, dressed in high-ranking civil servant attire and appearing to be the leader, stepped to the front. Upon seeing Furina, he bowed deeply before speaking: "Lady Furina, we are personnel from the Fontaine Court of Justice. I am Ide, the captain of this squad. We are here to escort you to the Court of Fontaine."
"Hmph, such tedious formalism," Black Furina stated bluntly, though only Furina could hear her.
"Oh... right..." Furina was completely flustered by the sudden appearance of the delegation and vaguely allowed herself to be ushered into the carriage.
The carriage traveled swiftly. A few hours later, it pulled up before the Fountain of Lucine. Furina alighted and followed the procession into the Opera Epiclese, finally reaching the podium to prepare for her inauguration speech.
Having heard the news of the new Hydro Archon's ascension, the citizens of Fontaine flocked to the opera house, eager to see what kind of deity she was and whether she met their expectations for a true "God."
"Let me deliver the speech. I guarantee I can convince everyone you are the true Hydro Archon. Are you absolutely sure you don't want me to try?" Black Furina asked Furina, her voice laced with temptation.
Furina didn't hesitate: "No. You haven't earned my trust yet. This matter is too crucial; I must handle it personally."
"Hmph, fine then. If you won't, you won't. I was too lazy to bother anyway," Black Furina grumbled, though her tone suggested otherwise.
Furina felt immense trepidation. This was, after all, her first time addressing the masses as the Hydro Archon, and she still hadn't settled on a plan for the speech. The presentation was about to start, and a hush fell over the venue.
"A very warm welcome to all ladies and gentlemen joining us tonight at the Opera Epiclese."
"I presume you have all heard the news regarding the new Hydro Archon? I am Furina de Fontaine, your new Hydro Archon."
"I am deeply honored to serve as the Hydro Archon of Fontaine. Though I may lack experience, I will dedicate myself to governing this nation successfully."
"To usher in an era of justice and fairness for Fontaine—that is the goal I, Focalors the Archon, the God of Justice, the Hydro Archon, aspire to achieve."
"Finally, I thank you all again for your attendance. Should you have any thoughts or suggestions, please submit them to the Court of Justice. I hope that together, we can strive for the future of Fontaine." Furina concluded her address with a humble and polite demeanor.
Hmm, if this had been the inaugural speech of a human official, it would have been perfectly standard.
However, this was the speech of the new Hydro Archon, and such a soft approach clearly failed to satisfy certain members of the audience.
"Wait, *this* is a god? Why is she so weak? Aren't gods supposed to be powerful and commanding? What a disappointment."
"Did you hear that? A god is asking *us* for advice!"
"She just seems like an ordinary person. So humble. There's no sign of omnipotence whatsoever."
"I suspect there isn't a new Hydro Archon at all. She's just a puppet installed by the Court."
The audience's murmurs of doubt swelled, the wave of sound threatening to overwhelm the entire opera house.
Before Furina could panic, Black Furina—who had been watching the speech while lounging on a sofa in the inner mental space—couldn't sit still any longer. She manifested Hydro energy to create a sound-dampening barrier, ensuring Furina wouldn't be disturbed while thinking, and then immediately launched into a tirade:
"Hey! What in the Abyss do you think you are? Is *our* Furina someone you can question? Do gods *have* to be commanding? Where did you get that standard? Are *you* a god?"
"What's wrong with her tone? Is it a bad thing for a leader to seek broad counsel? You insolent fool! The moment I take control of this body, you'll be the first one I eliminate."
"What's the matter? Humility isn't good enough for you? Furthermore, humility and immense power aren't mutually exclusive, are they? Do you prefer a violent god? Fine, I'll personally give you a demonstration. Hahahahaha—"
"Oh? Ah, yes, yes, you're right! Baseless speculation without evidence! You're absolutely right, our Furina isn't the Hydro Archon; *you* must be the real Hydro Archon of Fontaine!"
Black Furina verbally skewered every single detractor, one by one. It was obvious her mood was foul.
However, her actions did nothing to change the situation; Furina remained trapped in her predicament.
"Wait... what is going on? Everyone is doubting me? This is disastrous if it continues. If I'm exposed, everyone will be doomed." Furina panicked, cold sweat beading on her forehead.
"Calm down, Furina, calm down. Remember what 'Me in the Mirror' said. I just need to play the role of the god people imagine. Strong, charismatic, the image that dispels all doubt—that is the role I am destined to play."
Black Furina tried to interject, offering to take over the remainder of the speech, having already formulated a plan for this exact scenario before the address had even started.
"No, I already know what to do." Furina refused Black Furina's offer once more. Unless it was the last resort, she dared not gamble on whether Black Furina truly had Fontaine's best interests at heart.
At least now, she knew what to do... "Hahahaha... This is truly wonderful. This is exactly the reaction I hoped to elicit, my people."
"Before arriving here, I spent my time wondering if the people of Fontaine would truly submit to a weak, spineless puppet."
"It seems you have performed better than I anticipated. You all deserve the right to witness spectacular and unparalleled trials alongside me."
"What you just witnessed was merely a performance, a little gift for our first meeting. Now, I shall deliver my address properly!"
At first, Furina's voice trembled with nervousness, but her high-pitched, dramatically exaggerated tone gradually stabilized and became more natural.
"Very well, my dearest people..." Furina mustered her courage, striving to appear as extravagant as possible... In just a few minutes, Furina seemed unchanged, yet everything about her had fundamentally shifted... "Even the gods of this world can be judged by me, Focalors the Archon!"
Furina forcefully raised both arms and swept them upward, concluding her address with a magnificent, awe-inspiring flourish.
"Lady Furina! Lady Furina!" Thunderous applause and cheers erupted throughout the Opera Epiclese. At least for this address, the citizens had finally accepted their new Hydro Archon.
Watching the enthusiastic public reaction, Furina finally allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief.
"That should suffice for now."
Black Furina watched the dramatic shift in Furina's demeanor, seeing a "mask" materialize out of thin air on her face. She couldn't help but feel dejected; even the stray lock of hair on her head drooped sadly.
"Furina, I promise you, I swear, I will make you take off that mask... At least when you are in front of me..."