"The murderer is so cunning!"
After hearing Clorinde's account of the events in Poisson, Furina waved her tiny fist in frustration.
"The enemy is incredibly strong. After engaging them for a while, I realized I couldn't defeat them head-on, so I retreated."
"I originally planned to seek assistance from Monsieur Neuvillette, but I later learned he had already returned to Fontaine. Even the Marechaussee Phantom had withdrawn from the vicinity of Poisson."
"Ah? Neuvillette returned early?!"
"That's impossible! The murderer who kidnapped the Melusine hasn't been caught yet. Why would Neuvillette return early?"
"If it's about that place, it should still be able to hold out for a while, right?"
Furina looked bewildered.
Hearing Furina's words, a thoughtful expression crossed Clorinde's face before she explained, "Lady Furina, recent events in Fontaine have prompted Monsieur Neuvillette to return to the Court of Fontaine."
Hearing Clorinde's explanation, Furina nodded, picked up her red tea from the table, added a bit of sugar, and took a sip.
"I never imagined anything could make Neuvillette set aside the Melusine matter to deal with something else."
"Miss Clorinde, do you know anything about this?"
Clorinde nodded. "Lady Furina, I know some details. It seems there's been a sudden surge in young girl disappearances in Fontaine. The number of cases has already exceeded eight hundred, forcing Monsieur Neuvillette to rush back to the Court of Fontaine to oversee the situation."
"Oh, so that's how it is... What?!?"
Furina spat a mouthful of tea directly at Clorinde's face. Fortunately, Clorinde had anticipated this and swiftly dodged the imported tea attack.
Some of the tea splashed onto the unfinished cake on the table, adding a peculiar flavor to the dessert.
But Furina was too preoccupied to notice the cake. She grabbed Clorinde's shoulders, her pupils trembling with shock.
"Cl-Clorinde, is what you're saying true?"
"Have there really been so many young girls disappearing in Fontaine?"
Clorinde nodded solemnly.
"Yes, Lady Furina, it's true."
Furina slumped back onto the sofa in a daze, her face etched with disbelief.
"But Vacher, the perpetrator of the Serial Disappearance Case, has already been caught! Why is this still happening?"
"It's the work of Vacher's organization. They're likely trying to force us to compromise."
"They won't get away with this!"
Furina snapped, her voice burning with righteous anger at Clorinde's theory.
"After committing such an act, do they really think we'll yield or compromise?!"
"Impossible! Fontaine is the nation of justice—all evil will be brought to justice!"
"Their arrogance won't last much longer!"
"Monsieur Neuvillette will surely hunt them all down and bring them to justice!"
Seeing Furina's agitated state, Clorinde's expression shifted to one of thoughtful contemplation.
After a moment, Clorinde spoke:
"Lady Furina is right. These criminals have grown far too bold."
"Although we haven't yet uncovered their methods—how they can dissolve victims into water even under the Court of Justice's strict protection—"
"I believe we'll soon unravel their methods. Their arrogance won't last much longer!"
"What?! Victims turned to water even under the Court of Justice's protection?!" Furina exclaimed in shock. A sudden chill washed over her, and for the first time, she felt a profound sense of unease in this familiar room.
But as her gaze settled on Clorinde's broad chest, Furina's heart gradually calmed.
"Clorinde, is everything you're saying true?"
"This is so unscientific!"
Hearing Furina's question, Clorinde sighed.
"Lady Furina, I wish it were false too."
"But the same thing has happened countless times. We can't afford to ignore it."
"Moreover, I've even been targeted by the murderer myself."
"Apparently, someone sent a announcement letter to Palais Mermonia with my name on it."
"What?!"
Furina exclaimed in alarm, momentarily losing her composure.
"Don't worry, Lady Furina," Clorinde quickly reassured her.
"You know my capabilities. The murderer won't succeed so easily."
"Besides, with Lady Furina by my side, I'm confident that if anything unexpected were to happen, you would protect me."
"Y-yes, of course! I am the God of Justice of Fontaine, after all!"
Furina puffed out her chest slightly, forcing herself to appear calm.
"Clorinde, you can rest assured," she declared, her voice wavering slightly. "With the God of Justice protecting you, nothing will happen to you!"
"Lady Furina, being your bodyguard is the greatest honor of my life!"
Under Clorinde's fervent gaze, Furina's cheeks flushed slightly, and she self-consciously averted her eyes.
"Wh-what's wrong, Clorinde? You seem a bit different today."
Furina recalled Clorinde's usual demeanor: always professional and detached. Only when Furina herself was involved would Clorinde show faint traces of guilt or concern on her face.
But never like this—her eyes now seemed to brim with an emotion Furina couldn't quite decipher, making her cheeks feel like they were burning.
Moreover, she suddenly realized that Clorinde had unconsciously moved closer during their conversation, so close that Furina could feel the warmth of her breath.
"Oh, right, Clorinde, what time does the criminal's threat letter mention?"
Eager to break the suggestive atmosphere, Furina quickly changed the subject.
"That... I'm not entirely sure."
Clorinde frowned.
"But it should be soon. In other cases, the murderer hasn't given the Court of Justice much time to protect the victims."
This remark immediately alarmed Furina.
"Clorinde, we need to find Neuvillette right now!"
"What's wrong, Lady Furina? Is there something urgent you need to discuss with Monsieur Neuvillette?" Clorinde asked, her voice tinged with confusion.
"Y-yes, that's right. I suddenly remembered I have something I need to talk to Neuvillette about," Furina stammered, nodding stiffly as she rose from the sofa and grabbed Clorinde's hand.
"Come on, Clorinde, let's go!"
But Furina's grip closed on empty air.
Puzzled, she retracted her hand, only to find it damp.
As if struck by lightning, Furina froze, then turned to see Clorinde's arm dissolving into water.
"Lady Furina, what's wrong?"
Hearing Clorinde's question, Furina completely broke down.
"No!"
"Clorinde, I'll find someone to save you, I promise!"
"We have to find Neuvillette right away! He'll know what to do!"
Furina sobbed as she reached for Clorinde's other hand, but the moment she touched it, that hand began to dissolve as well.
Clorinde seemed to notice the strange changes in her body at that moment. She glanced down, her eyes widening in horror.
"Why? When did I come into contact with the Primordial Sea Water?"
"I didn't touch any liquids the entire journey, and Lady Furina was protecting me... This is impossible..."
Clorinde looked up at Furina.
"Lady Furina, did you see the murderer?"
Clorinde's words pierced Furina's heart like a dagger. Furina burst into uncontrollable tears, clutching Clorinde tightly.
"Waaah, Clorinde, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have acted so tough!"
"I didn't have the strength to protect you... It's all my fault! If I'd taken you to Neuvillette sooner, this wouldn't have happened!"
"No, there's still time! We'll go right now! Neuvillette must have a way to help you!"
"Clorinde, you have to hold on! Don't leave me!" Furina cried out.
Clorinde responded calmly, "It's too late, Lady Furina. Let go of me. It doesn't matter if I die, but I can't risk harming you."
But Furina only tightened her grip. "No, I won't! I won't let go of you, Clorinde!"
By now, Clorinde's hands had already dissolved into water, and her legs were beginning to show signs of disintegration. The dissolving liquid soaked Furina's clothes, but she remained steadfast, ignoring the cold, wetness.
Tears streamed down Furina's cheeks as the thought of losing Clorinde forever sent waves of panic through her.
"Lady Furina, please don't cry for me," Clorinde murmured. "In these final moments, I want to see you make a funny face."
"Clorinde..." Furina stared at her, momentarily stunned. She couldn't understand why Clorinde would make such a request.
"I can feel my strength fading... It seems my time has come..."
Upon hearing Clorinde's resigned whisper, Furina finally snapped out of her daze. She saw that most of Clorinde's leg had already dissolved, leaving her clinging to Furina for support. Overwhelmed once more, she burst into tears, sobbing, "Alright, Clorinde, I'll show you!"
With clumsy gestures, Furina pinched her nose, tugged at her mouth and eyes, and contorted her face into a bizarre grimace, snot bubbling from her nostrils as she cried.
Seeing this, Clorinde's face softened into a serene smile.
"To witness Lady Furina's adorable antics one last time... I have no regrets about dying."
"Lady Furina, please put me down."
Ignoring Clorinde's request, Furina gently helped her onto her favorite plush sofa. Wiping her tears, she watched with red-rimmed eyes as Clorinde slowly dissolved.
By now, Clorinde's entire lower body had transformed into water, while her upper body was gradually dissolving.
"Lady Furina, there's something I've kept hidden in my heart all this time."
"I've always deeply admired you, Lady Furina."
"Clorinde, I already knew!"
Hearing Clorinde's words, Furina's heart ached even more. Scenes from their past flooded her mind.
Clorinde had always taken such good care of her, striving to fulfill her every whim even when she was being capricious. She had treated Furina with such respect and devotion.
But what had Furina done in return? She couldn't even protect the people who loved her. If she hadn't stubbornly insisted on acting strong until the end, Clorinde might have had a chance to survive by seeking help from Neuvillette.
It was Furina's fault—she was the one who had doomed Clorinde!
As this realization sank in, Furina's tears flowed even more uncontrollably.
"No, Lady Furina, you don't understand."
"My affection for you is... special."
"At first, it was merely the affection of a subject for their ruler."
"But gradually, without realizing it, my feelings for you began to change."
"At first, I simply wanted more time to see you, to speak with you more."
"But later, gradually, my possessiveness toward Lady Furina grew stronger and stronger."
"Every time I saw you meeting with others, my heart ached unbearably."
"It felt like I wanted to possess you entirely, Lady Furina."
"To possess every part of you, to make your eyes focus solely on me..."
"C-Clorinde?!"
Furina's mind was completely reeling from Clorinde's confession, her cheeks burning under the intensity of the other woman's gaze.
Yet Clorinde wasn't finished.
"Lady Furina, how I wish you weren't a lofty Archon."
"Only then would there be no insurmountable chasm between us."
"I always thought this secret would die with me, never having the chance to be spoken."
"But in this final moment, I couldn't resist."
"I know this is an intolerable transgression, but... Lady Furina, before I die, I truly long to hear you say to me, 'Clorinde, I love you'!"
"Cl-Clorinde, this can't be real... You must be joking, right?"
Furina felt her head burning up. She had never imagined Clorinde harbored such special feelings for her, and she couldn't process this revelation.
Hearing Furina's words, disappointment, even despair, flickered in Clorinde's eyes.
"You're right, Lady Furina. I was just joking with you..."
Seeing the light fade from Clorinde's eyes and witnessing her body dissolving into water from the neck down, Furina felt her heart twist into a knot.
What am I doing? This was Clorinde's dying wish, and I can't even grant her that?
I'm the one who caused her death! Can't I even fulfill this one simple request?
Seeing Clorinde's eyelids slowly close, Furina could no longer hold back. Sobbing uncontrollably, she cried out:
"Clorinde, I love you!"
"I love you the most!"
"Please don't leave me! Don't die, waaaah!"
With a loud bang, the door burst open as Maison Gardiennage officers stormed in, weapons drawn.
"Lady Furina, what's happening?!"
After Clorinde's earlier warning, they had realized that they didn't always need orders to act. They understood that they must constantly monitor Furina's safety and rush to her side the moment any danger arose.
Although they might face imprisonment for disobeying orders, if anything were to happen to Lady Furina due to their negligence, it would be a sin they could never forgive themselves for.
Thus, when the Maison Gardiennage officers faintly heard Furina's sobs coming from her room, they immediately panicked. Grabbing their weapons, they stormed inside.
The moment they burst into the room, they overheard Furina's bold confession, leaving them utterly dumbfounded.
Wait, is the scene this explosive?!
Did we just overhear something incredible?!
But when they snapped out of their daze upon hearing Furina's continued weeping and saw only Clorinde's severed head remaining, their faces paled instantly.
"Miss Clorinde!"
The Maison Gardiennage officers lunged forward to help, but before they could reach her, a final, utterly content smile spread across Clorinde's face as she completely dissolved into water.
"Clorinde!"
"Miss Clorinde!"
"No!!!"
The room erupted in a chorus of anguished cries.
-
"Monsieur Neuvillette, I happened to run into Miss Clorinde while leaving Fontaine, so I immediately brought her back."
Neuvillette nodded, then turned to look at Clorinde, who was drenched to the bone, looking like a drowned rat.
"Do you have a towel? I'd like to dry off. This is rather uncomfortable."
Neuvillette instructed a nearby Melusine, who promptly provided a towel.
As Clorinde dried her hair, she calmly asked Neuvillette, "What did you want me for?"
"Originally, there was something. But now, it seems unnecessary," Neuvillette replied, noting that the time specified in the crime prediction letter had passed, yet Clorinde showed no signs of any unusual behavior.
Clorinde raised an eyebrow. "Why are you being so cryptic all of a sudden?"
Clorinde's demeanor toward Neuvillette lacked the usual deference, more akin to a conversation between friends. In truth, she had collaborated with the Chief Justice on several cases, gaining a fair understanding of the man.
"Just read this yourself."
Neuvillette handed her the crime prediction letter. Clorinde took it with one hand and began reading, her brow furrowing deeper with each line.
"So, you truly doubt my capabilities this much?"
Neuvillette, noticing Clorinde's peculiar gaze, considered explaining himself but ultimately abandoned the effort.
"I merely worry about unforeseen circumstances."
"The Chief Justice actually showing concern for me? Well, that's rare indeed."
"I suppose I should be slightly grateful for Monsieur Neuvillette's concern."
"But judging by the looks of things, this was just a farce. If there's nothing further, I'd like to meet with Lady Furina first, then draft my report and submit it to you."
After drying herself off somewhat, Clorinde returned the towel to the Melusine and addressed Neuvillette.
Receiving a nod in response, Clorinde turned and left Palais Mermonia, heading toward Lady Furina's residence.
Moments later, before Clorinde even reached the estate, she heard faint, heart-wrenching sobs coming from within.
Worse still, the guards at the gate were gone.
Seeing this, Clorinde's earlier suspicions were confirmed, and a suffocating sense of dread washed over her.
No, it can't be! It can't be the worst possible outcome!
Lady Furina is the Hydro Archon of Fontaine. She would never...
At that thought, Clorinde could no longer restrain herself. She surged into the estate like a bolt of lightning.
As Clorinde approached Furina's room, the weeping grew louder, and Clorinde's body grew colder.
Please, no... Please don't let my worst fears come true...
Clorinde's heart clenched, but as she drew closer, she suddenly recognized a familiar voice amidst the sobs—a voice she cherished deeply.
Wait, if Furina is fine, why are they all crying so desperately? Did Lady Furina accidentally drop her beloved cake on the floor?
Lost in thought, Clorinde was abruptly snapped back to reality by a desperate cry: "Clorinde, don't die! Don't leave me!"
Clorinde: ???
Clorinde glanced down at herself. Though disheveled, she was virtually unscathed, let alone dead.
Wait a minute... Could this be about the crime prediction note?
Suddenly remembering, Clorinde felt a mix of helplessness and warmth.
To Clorinde's dismay, even Furina doubted her abilities, believing she was in grave danger and already beginning to mourn her death with heart-wrenching sobs.
Yet Clorinde was also deeply touched to realize how important she was in Furina's heart.
A gentle smile crept across Clorinde's face as she thought of this, and she pushed open the inexplicably battered door.
"Lady Furina, please don't grieve. I'm unharmed."
But instead of the expected surge of relief and joy, Furina's face twisted into terror.
The Maison Gardiennage officers beside her wore equally haunted expressions, as if they'd seen a ghost.
Bewildered, Clorinde couldn't understand why her arrival brought not joy, but abject fear, as if she were a terrifying apparition.
Determined to understand what was happening, Clorinde took two steps forward, approaching Furina.
"What's wrong? It's me, Lady Furina."
"Don't come any closer!!!"
Furina shrieked like a frightened rabbit, then scurried into a corner, curling into a trembling ball.
Witnessing this, Clorinde froze in place.