"I trust you."
These four words kept circling in Furina's mind, filling her with endless strength.
But surely… there was something else that ought to be said.
"That's for sure. Believing in the Hydro Archon is always the right choice."
As she spoke, Furina struck her signature hand-on-hips pose, her expression brimming with confidence.
"Lady Furina," Leo said with a hesitant tone, "I'm going out to take care of something and… I might not return tonight."
"You're not coming back?" Furina's head snapped toward him. "Where are you going? What are you doing? Why won't you return at night?"
Originally, Leo had only planned to step out briefly, but the moment he mentioned he wouldn't be back until morning, Furina's instincts sharpened.
Seeing the sudden glint in her eyes, Leo hurriedly explained:
"On my way back, I ran into Clorinde. We spoke about Chief Justice Neuvillette, Carole, and the Thorn Rose Society.
It turns out Carole gave us a detailed account of the missing girls' case. After discussing it, Clorinde and I decided we must head to Baisong Town to investigate."
At the mention of the serial disappearances of young girls, Furina's tense expression softened into a sigh of relief.
"…What exactly did Carole tell you?"
Her tone was calmer now, so Leo recounted everything.
"He met with me alone, asking that I secretly protect his daughter, Navia. Of course, I couldn't agree to that—I am your bodyguard, Lady Furina.
But Carole also warned me that the next target of the disappearances might be Navia herself. At first, I dismissed it. But when I spoke with Clorinde, we agreed it was worth investigating."
Furina blinked, lost in thought. A case that had spanned nearly twenty years was not something to ignore. She had been haunted by it herself for a long time.
But still…
Clorinde. Who was she, really? Duelist, Champion Duelist of the Opera Epiclese… all of that was irrelevant. What mattered was her figure, her face, her cool-headed personality.
Furina's heart seized at the thought—what if Leo got swept away by Clorinde?
And then there was Carole's daughter Navia. Another beautiful girl.
Her little guard was so cute, so earnest, so handsome—what if he were stolen away?
Panicked, Furina darted over to a drawer and began rummaging through it.
Seeing her search frantically, Leo stood and stepped closer, curious.
The drawer was full of sparkling jewelry, and Leo's heart tightened in confusion.
This is… this is—
Finally, Furina found what she wanted: a ring decorated with black and blue crystals, shimmering beautifully in the light.
"Come here, Leo, wear—"
She turned her head, but froze when her eyes met Leo's dazed expression.
His breath was close against her skin. Furina's heartbeat stuttered, and she swallowed back all the words she had prepared.
Leo, handsome and disciplined from years of martial training, stood awkwardly, scratching his head with flushed cheeks.
"I—I'm sorry, Lady Furina. I was just… daydreaming."
Ignoring his excuse, Furina grabbed his right hand and slid the ring firmly onto his middle finger.
Then she held her hand up to compare. The sight made her smile with satisfaction. Perfect.
Now, Leo wore her ring on his right hand, just as he still wore the bracelet she had once given him.
This way, there was no need to worry about women outside trying to claim him.
Leo stared at the ring, stunned, his entire face scarlet.
"Lady Furina, I… you…"
Before he could finish, Furina shoved him toward the door and slammed it shut.
"Remember this! You are not allowed to remove that ring without my permission! The same goes for the bracelet!"
Leo stood outside in a daze, too shocked to move.
No one knew how long he stood there until Neuvillette happened to pass by. Catching sight of Leo's flustered expression, he raised a brow.
"Leo, why do you look like this? Are you unwell?"
Startled, Leo snapped back to reality. "N-no, I'm fine, Lord Neuvillette. It's just… a little hot."
He scratched his hair nervously with his right hand, unintentionally showing both the bracelet and ring.
Neuvillette's eyes flickered with recognition. He understood at once why Leo was so embarrassed.
"Yes… it does seem rather warm. Perhaps some fresh air would help. Care to join me?"
But Leo shook his head quickly. He had more urgent matters.
"No, no… Lord Neuvillette, I actually need to head to Baisong Town. It may take some time."
"Baisong Town? That's interesting. I believe Clorinde headed there as well."
After hearing Leo recount the situation, Neuvillette nodded gravely.
"So that's how it is. It seems the key to unraveling the mystery of the missing girls lies in Baisong Town. Bring Carole's case files with you—they may prove useful."
Going through his office records, Neuvillette retrieved the relevant files and handed them to Leo.
"Here are Carole's statements and related information on the missing girl cases. Compare them carefully—you may find something suspicious."
"Understood. I hope this time we can find a decisive lead."
"Be cautious. We do not yet know how vast this organization may be."
"Yes, sir!"
Leaving Neuvillette's office with the files in hand, Leo made for Baisong Town. But after only a few steps, he sensed someone trailing him.
Glancing back, he caught sight of a faint blue skirt peeking from behind a marble pillar.
Leo couldn't help but smile, his chest warming. He knew exactly what this meant.
Meanwhile, in Mondstadt—beneath a great oak tree swaying in the wind—an unkempt young man lounged lazily, humming a song as he enjoyed the breeze.
A stray gust carried a letter right into his hands. The bard caught it with ease, instantly recognizing its sender without needing to look.
Of course, it was from his beloved apprentice. Likely inviting him to visit Fontaine again.
But as Venti unfolded the letter and read its contents, his smile faded little by little, until it vanished altogether.
The matter was far too complicated. He did not want Leo entangled in something so dangerous.
And yet… even a fool could see that Leo's heart was already ensnared.
"That makes things… troublesome," Venti murmured.
In Liyue, outside the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, a tall figure in dignified robes stood beneath the afternoon sun.
Sensing the shift in the breeze, Zhongli lifted his head.
A letter borne by the wind drifted into his hand, surprising him.
There were only two people whose letters could travel this way—one unspoken, the other someone he had not heard from in a long while.
Breaking the seal, Zhongli scanned the words.
"Master Zhongli, long time no see…"
By the time he finished, he closed his eyes briefly, then crushed the letter in his palm.
A thoughtful hum escaped his lips as he pinched his chin.
"It seems… it is time to meet with an old friend."