Hello I'm back, thy leg is healed but I don't have molars anymore.
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"Mmm…! The cake from Hotel Debord—the sweetness is as exquisite as ever! It perfectly whets the appetite without being cloying at all. Even though reason tells me I should control my calorie intake, my heart still wants to drown in this sensation… What a pity, what a pity there's only this much."
"No matter how much you lament, the portion you've already given me is absolutely not going back."
"What? I'm just looking… But if you don't like cake, I wouldn't mind finishing it for you…"
"The only reason I'm not touching it is because I'm saving it for last. More importantly—are you really going to be full just eating desserts?"
"For me, this is already an extremely indulgent meal. A full serving of 'Delicious Ile flottante,' a full serving of 'Rainbow Macarons'… Normally there are six macarons on a plate, and I'd eat at most three. Today I ate all of them. I feel a bit guilty. And on top of that, half a slice of limited cake—"
Furina's eyes drifted again toward the untouched half-slice of limited cake sitting in the middle of the table.
Victor Wang happened to finish his main dish at that moment. He casually pulled the remaining half-slice over to his side and, in three bites, sent it straight into his stomach.
"This limited cake really is delicious. Definitely worth saving for last… What were you saying?"
"I was saying this meal is already very high in calories. I can't possibly consume any more…"
After mourning the lost half-slice for a moment, Furina stood up and regained her energy. "Since you're done eating too, let's go. On to our next stop!"
"And where would that be?"
"Of course, the Opera Epiclese, which I've been away from for so long! I'm going to spend the whole afternoon there and make up for the eight days I missed! And while we're at it, we can experience the Navia Line aquabus—and meet the senior Elphane that Aeval spoke so highly of."
"But Elphane might recognize you."
"As long as we ask her to keep it a secret, that should be fine. It's not like I can make a grand appearance in my usual official transport… And we are absolutely not flying again!"
…
They arrived at the Court of Fontaine's waterway hub and waited for a while on the third level. Soon, a fully packed aquabus pulled in. Old passengers disembarked, new ones boarded. The crowd flow was completely different from the Clémentine Line.
To prevent the guide here from suddenly blurting out her true identity like Aeval had done, Furina hid behind Victor Wang's cover and carefully approached the Melusine at the bow. She cautiously poked half her head out and raised a finger to her lips.
"Shh…"
The Melusine examined her briefly and asked in confusion, "Passenger, I do not understand what you mean."
Awkwardly, Furina stepped out from behind Victor Wang. Seeing that the Melusine showed no special reaction, she opened her mouth to ask something. "You—"
"Welcome aboard the Navia Line aquabus. Today's destination is Erinnyes. I am the guide for this voyage, Elphane," Elphane cut in promptly.
"I—"
"The aquabus is about to depart. There are still plenty of seats available. Please feel free to choose any you like," Elphane cut in again.
"Melusines—"
"Melusines are a young race born in Fontaine. We differ from humans in many ways. However, there is one similarity: different Melusines have different personalities. Some enjoy chatting. Others do not," Elphane cut in once more.
Left with no choice, Furina blurted out at lightning speed, "It's actually about Aeval!"
"Aeval? What about her?"
Seeing that Elphane was no longer responding in that official tone, Furina finally explained, "Aeval from the Clémentine Line recommended her admired senior—Elphane—to us. She said Elphane is an amazing and warm-hearted Melusine, and that if we had the chance, we absolutely had to take the Navia Line to hear your commentary."
"…My apologies. On the contrary, if you simply wish to enjoy the aquabus experience, I would personally recommend taking the Clémentine Line with Aeval as the guide. She is the truly amazing and warm-hearted Melusine."
"I think I understand." Glancing at the other passengers, who clearly found nothing strange about Elphane's demeanor, Furina continued, "There are too many people here. If everyone tried to chat, there wouldn't be much time left for the actual commentary. With so many passengers, it really isn't suitable for conversation."
"…Yes. My apologies."
"It's fine."
They found seats nearby. Furina lowered her voice and whispered to Victor Wang, It seems she didn't see through my disguise.
Victor Wang replied quietly, "Melusines differ from one another. Or perhaps she simply didn't observe you closely. Either way, that's a good thing."
"Now then. The aquabus is about to depart. During the voyage, passengers are requested not to extend their heads, hands, or any other body parts outside the vessel. The operator of the aquabus shall not be held responsible for any accidents resulting from such actions. Also, when you have time, please purchase The Steambird. Although I personally do not read it…"
"Pfft—" Furina couldn't hold back her laughter. "S-Sorry, sorry! Don't mind me, I didn't mean to!"
The more she tried to explain, the more awkward Elphane became. Clearing her throat, she continued in earnest:
"In the past, there were rumors that criminal organizations used the advertising section of The Steambird to communicate through codes and ciphers. This legend significantly increased the readership of the advertisement pages. Investigations were even conducted into certain shops and workshops… In any case, I strongly recommend subscribing to The Steambird."
Furina covered her mouth with one hand while smacking her thigh with the other. Victor Wang hadn't found it particularly funny at first, but seeing her like this, he almost lost his composure as well.
Elphane, unwilling to concede, added in self-defense, "Melusines can see things that passengers cannot. Therefore, my commentary may sometimes be unexpected. Regardless of what happens, I will continue reading from the prepared script. I ask for your understanding."
"Understood, understood!" Furina finally stopped laughing and turned to Victor Wang. "Such stiff advertising—but when a Melusine says it, it's adorable!"
"Whether it's adorable is one thing. Honestly… your sense of humor might just be a little low."
"I-Is that so?"
…
"Passengers, please look to the left side of the sky. That silhouette is the renowned Fontaine Research Institute. It is said that regardless of rank, every employee there is working overtime frantically. I wonder whether that contributed to the accident that blew the Institute into the sky… However, thanks to the experimental mishap, a new tourist attraction was created. Human ingenuity is truly magnificent."
…
"Passengers, please look to the right side of the route. That is the Opera Epiclese. You can see it clearly even from this distance. The main stage inside is grand and resplendent. Some artists dedicate their entire lives just for a chance to perform there—it's almost like something out of a passionate novel."
…
"This neither short nor long aquabus journey has now come to an end. We have arrived at Marcotte Station on Erinnyes.
If you wish to meet the two most distinguished figures of the Opera Epiclese, it is not recommended to wait here for such an opportunity. They each have their own exclusive means of transportation and would not take this complimentary aquabus.
In my opinion, the two distinguished figures are not attempting to emphasize differences in status, but rather to avoid having their words and actions captured and exaggerated by certain newspapers, thereby giving rise to unnecessary speculation…"
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