"Easier said than done. How are we supposed to accomplish all this in such a short time?" Furina sighed, her self-awareness unusually sharp at this moment.
How could they possibly uncover the truth behind this scheme in just a day or two?
And if the other party dared to act so brazenly, it meant they had powerful backers. By the time Furina and Richard found any leads, the culprits would have already covered their tracks.
There was no way they'd leave behind enough evidence.
"Lady Furina, don't underestimate the intelligence network of the Ministry of Civil Affairs." Richard pulled out a ledger from his coat and placed it in front of her.
"This is…?" Furina had an inkling of what it might be, but the sudden stroke of luck made her hesitant to believe it.
"As I've said, Lady Furina, you only need to trust me." Richard seized the opportunity to reinforce her faith in him.
Truth be told, he didn't even need to say it—Furina's trust in him was already at its peak.
In her eyes, what was Richard's role?
The hero who turned the tide in desperate times, the pillar that held up the collapsing empire!
A true statesman!
"This appears to be the personal ledger of that newspaper's editor-in-chief. It meticulously records transactions with various foreign entities—partly for accounting, partly as insurance in case those entities later turned against him." Richard gave the fabricated ledger a convincing backstory.
Did the editor-in-chief actually have such a ledger?
Maybe, maybe not. But it didn't matter.
Because whether he did or not, his collusion with foreign forces was now an established fact. For a politician, retroactively justifying the means based on the desired outcome was child's play.
Strictly speaking, there were procedural issues, but that was irrelevant.
Richard's goal was to legally legitimize the entire operation, not to obsess over procedural justice.
No one would dig too deep. The Maison Gardiennage wouldn't—because their loyalty lay with the Hydro Archon.
The foreign forces backing the newspaper wouldn't—because there was no point wasting effort on a discarded pawn.
The moment the newspaper was shut down, the moment Richard confirmed its shady dealings, the outcome had already been decided.
The reason Richard resorted to fabricating a ledger was a simple necessity. He couldn't very well tell Furina: "Hey, I used to work for the Fatui in Snezhnaya and can access Northland Bank's records anytime."
Playing both sides? Absolutely.
If he admitted that, he'd be signing his own ticket to Meropide—permanent suite, courtesy of the Fortress of Meropide!
"So, if I hand this ledger over to the Maison Gardiennage, the shutdown will be justified?" Furina asked.
"Not just justified—it'll also count as a political achievement for you. {Newly appointed Minister roots out a major threat to Fontaine, foils a sinister conspiracy.}". Richard, the very author of said "sinister conspiracy," declared solemnly.
Furina's eyes sparkled, but as a fair and self-aware archon, she knew who deserved the credit.
"Richard, this is clearly your accomplishment. Wouldn't it be wrong to claim it as mine?"
"The Minister and her Secretary General rise and fall together—we're a team, Lady Furina. Your success is my success. Besides, compared to me, you need this achievement far more." Richard spoke with heartfelt sincerity.
What he didn't say was: 'If not for your 'brilliant' leadership, I wouldn't have had the chance to earn this merit in the first place, no?'
Had Furina been even slightly more cautious, had she heeded advice or done her homework before taking office, she wouldn't have ended up in such a dire situation.
Of course, Furina had no idea Richard was playing both sides. Instead, she saw him as a considerate, loyal subordinate and was deeply moved.
"Then you must be rewarded properly!"
"Lady Furina, your forgiveness for my earlier negligence is already the greatest reward I could ask for." Richard smiled gracefully, the picture of humility.
What an exemplary secretary, what a devoted servant!
If Furina's favorability meter were visible, it would be spamming "Affection +1"* nonstop.
Soon, the "evidence" was delivered to the Maison Gardiennage. To ensure the safety of her lifeline, Furina personally dispatched Clorinde, her strongest duelist and bodyguard, to hand-deliver the ledger.
Though Clorinde usually kept a low profile at the Ministry, her combat prowess was among Fontaine's finest. With her escorting the ledger, there was no chance of mishaps.
Upon receiving the ledger, the Maison Gardiennage immediately moved to verify its authenticity by cross-checking with the Northland Bank.
The outcome was predictable.
The editor-in-chief, now confirmed guilty of libel, media manipulation, and colluding with foreign forces to undermine Fontaine's security, was delighted to receive a one-way ticket to permanent exile in Meropide.
The evidence was so overwhelming, and his confession so thorough, that he didn't even get a trial, straight to the Fortress.
The only regret Furina had was failing to extract the name of the real culprit behind the rumors about her.
'Hmph! Just you wait, you little hater. If I ever catch you!'
Meanwhile, Richard took the opportunity to pin a few more unsolved scandals on the editor-in-chief.
'Since you're never getting out, why not take the fall for these, too? The organization will remember your sacrifice!'
In the aftermath:
Richard cleaned up loose ends, secured Furina's trust, and confirmed her "all bark, no bite" nature. Furina, relieved to have survived the crisis and gained an unearned political victory, was smugly pleased, never stopping to ask herself: What does an archon even need achievements for?
Politicians needed accomplishments to prove their worth. But the Hydro Archon's mere existence was Fontaine's greatest asset—no proof necessary.
At best, she'd earn some fleeting praise and goodwill from the people.
And, well… Furina loved that kind of thing.
In the end, she still rewarded Richard by taking him to watch a trial from the most VIP seats in the Opera Epiclese.
In Furina's mind, nothing could be a greater reward than witnessing the dramatic twists of a high-stakes trial.
From his elevated seat, Richard agreed—though not for the same reason.
It wasn't the courtroom theatrics that interested him, but the fact that this spot was the closest one could get to the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale—second only to Neuvillette's position.
Richard gazed up at the colossal machine. Even without activating elemental sight, he could feel the immense energy pulsating within.
Was it just his imagination, or was there something more hidden within that mass of power?
But that wasn't his concern right now. His priority was securing control over Furina.
Though he'd gained her trust, taming her was another matter entirely.
Richard needed an obedient minister, not a naive one.
So, during this process, he'd also "educate" the Hydro Archon in his own way, ensuring she wouldn't repeat past blunders.
Honestly, after playing the high-stakes political games of Snezhnaya, Fontaine felt like child's play.
And this feeling was especially pronounced when dealing with Furina.
'Oh, Furina… You'd happily count the money for the person selling you out, wouldn't you? (Sigh)'
Meanwhile, Inazuma…
News had reached the Electro Archon's domain.
Though the full details were unclear, Inazuman spies in Fontaine had gathered enough intel, far more than the general public knew, including Furina's embarrassing press conference blunders.
When Kujou Sara received the report, her face was a picture of bewilderment.
'The Hydro Archon is… this unreliable?'
'How could she make such amateurish mistakes?'
'Compared to her, the Raiden Shogun was infinitely more competent, as expected of Her Excellency!'
Kujou Sara felt a surge of gratitude that she served the Narukami Ogosho, God of Thunder—a deity who would never commit such blunders.
Yae Miko, observing Sara's shifting expressions, could guess her thoughts.
"Does this child really think Ei is any better than Furina?" The fox envoy massaged her temples, thinking of the recluse hiding in the Plane of Euthymia.
The world believed Yae Miko held half of Inazuma's power, that her authority rivaled the Shogun's.
'But the truth?'
'This nation would fall apart without me!'
Afraid of loss, Ei had dumped everything onto a puppet and hidden away, chasing her so-called "eternity."
'Honestly, even Furina isn't this childish!'
"I concede, Lady Yae." Kujou Sara admitted defeat gracefully.
'So gods can be this irresponsible!'
Raised on Inazuma's doctrines of reverence and loyalty, Sara had always viewed deities as paragons of strength, wisdom, and dignity.
Her earlier assumptions were only natural.
Only someone like Yae, who interacted with gods regularly, knew just what kind of beings they really were.
"Since you've lost, our wager…?" Yae's eyes gleamed as she prepared to claim her prize.
"A bet is a bet." Sara saw no issue, just changing into a few outfits for some photos.
And since Yae promised the pictures wouldn't circulate, there was nothing to worry about.
"L-Lady Yae?!" Sara's composure shattered upon seeing the closet full of "unconventional" attire. She turned to the smirking fox in horror.
"Shrine maiden, samurai, secretary, defeated general… Take your pick, Miss Kujou Sara~"
"I hate ALL of them!" Sara screamed internally.
"Oh, and I also have some outfits Ei once wore—" Yae added casually.
Sara's eyes sharpened. "How could a subordinate dare to overstep so brazenly?!"
She grabbed the most familiar-looking samurai garb and marched into the dressing room.
Yae waited outside, adjusting her Fontaine-imported Kamera, far more efficient than hand-painting.
Before this invention, even the best artists could only produce two or three outfits a day. Now? Ten or more was effortless!
"Sara, are you done yet?" Yae called out after an unusually long wait.
"A-Almost!" came the flustered reply.
Finally, the door opened—and Yae's eyes lit up.
"T-This is a samurai outfit?!" Sara tugged desperately at the skirt's hem, trying to cover more skin.
The top was a black lightweight armor, if one could call it that. It barely covered the southern hemisphere, with a semi-transparent white silk shawl barely concealing the rest.
Her back was completely exposed—smooth, fair, and toned, a rare masterpiece. From the side, a hint of plumpness could be glimpsed—firm and perky.
Sara couldn't fathom how this design could be considered battle-ready. The most vital areas were unprotected, and the back, a warrior's most vulnerable spot, was left open.
And the lower half? Instead of practical trousers, it was a micro-mini skirt—tight and hip-hugging, a single misstep from disaster.
Not that battlefield veterans cared about modesty, but this was impractical!
The fabric felt flimsy, like it'd tear at the slightest movement.
If the designer were under her command, they'd be executed for treason.
"Perfect! It suits you far better than Ei." Yae grinned, snapping photos nonstop.
"T-THE SHOGUN?!" Sara's eyes widened. 'Had the Almighty Shogun worn this too?!'
'Such sacrilege—!'
"Just kidding. Ei would never agree to wear something this ridiculous." Yae sighed. Hard to trick someone who never leaves her realm.
'SO YOU ADMIT IT'S RIDICULOUS?!'
Face burning, Sara stood frozen, unsure how to react.
"Come on, don't just stand there! We've got more sets to shoot!"
By the time Yae was satisfied, hours later, she had amassed enough blackmail material to last a lifetime.
Not a single photo was explicit, yet each felt more humiliating than outright nudity.
"Lady Yae, you swear these won't be seen by anyone else?" Sara stared intently.
"Of course. I'd never show them to outsiders." Yae vowed.
Sara relaxed until a terrifying thought struck her.
"Would the Shogun count as an 'outsider'?"
When she voiced this, Yae's lips curled into a foxlike smile.
"That depends… on your performance."
Sara's heart turned to ice.
Never gamble with Yae Miko.
But regrets were useless now.
Kujou Sara left in defeat, her dignity in tatters.
Cherish your life. Stay away from bets… and foxes.
Yae tucked the photos away, stretching lazily before glancing toward Tatarasuna.
"The seal's weakening… Time to visit Fontaine."