Furina, who had been peeking from the side, was gently pulled forward by Lumine.
[Keqing: Furina's flustered expression is quite adorable.]
[Sigewinne: I knew Miss Furina wouldn't really stay out of this.]
[Arataki Itto: Hahaha! Didn't someone say they were going to rest just now?]
[Furina: I can decide to rest, and then decide to come check on things the very next second, can't I?]
[Kuki Shinobu: Boss, please calm down.]
[Ningguang: It feels like we've cornered a nervous kitten.]
Furina spoke first, somewhat awkwardly: "Ah… um… hello. I, uh, accidentally overheard part of your discussion."
Paimon asked directly, "Furina, didn't you say you were going to rest? Why are you here?"
"Well…" Furina hesitated, "I was just a little worried about how things were going. Just a little."
"And when you first came looking for me, I think I rejected the idea too quickly and ended up saying some rather harsh things."
"I didn't fully understand the situation at the time, and afterward I kept feeling guilty."
"Sorry, Paimon."
[Ningguang: That explains part of it.]
[Nahida: Even without being a god, Furina still deeply cares about people.]
[Yae Miko: When it comes to sharp remarks, Paimon is actually more lethal.]
[Furina: Indeed… that floating creature was quite rude.]
[Venti: Furina feels bad after saying something harsh—unlike Paimon.]
[Paimon: Hey—!]
[Lumine: Just accept the apology.]
[Paimon: …Fine. Sorry.]
[Furina: I forgive you on behalf of my future self.]
Paimon laughed. "It's fine. Paimon didn't take it seriously anyway."
Lumine asked, "Then why didn't you come back earlier?"
Furina looked embarrassed.
"You really like asking difficult questions. I already said I refused… but I couldn't stop thinking about it afterward. That's what makes it embarrassing. And then I got caught."
[Zhongli: In terms of putting people on the spot, the Traveler is also quite skilled.]
[Furina: Exactly! You could've helped me come up with an excuse!]
[Lumine: …Avoiding topics isn't really my strength.]
"But it sounds like you've already figured out part of your problem."
Lauwick quickly responded, "Ah—when I first heard you might ask Furina for help, I was shocked. I thought… how could we possibly deserve that?"
Furina shook her head.
"You don't need to think that way. And there's no need to call me 'Lady.' Just Furina is fine."
"If you care this much about the troupe, why must it disband?"
"If it's only a matter of funding, there are other solutions. You could suspend performances and look for investment."
"If your bond is strong, then you should face the hardship together."
[Ningguang: That was exactly my thought.]
[Keqing: If everyone loves the troupe, disbanding seems unnecessary.]
[Nilou: In Sumeru, many performers face similar difficulties.]
[Neuvillette: As Chief Justice, I have never judged theater content itself, so that is not the issue.]
[Nahida: Then the reason must be something else.]
Dulphy let out a long sigh.
"If there were another choice, who would want to make this decision?"
"After our troupe leader left, we lost our anchor. Everything began to fall apart."
Lauwick continued, his voice heavy.
"Our leader, Aurelie—the founder of the troupe—was one of the victims in the serial disappearance of young women."
"That's why I already knew about the Traveler and Paimon. Thanks to you, the truth finally came to light."
"But even though the culprit was brought to justice, our leader will never return."
Dulphy added quietly, "Our leader was also a devoted admirer of yours, Furina. She joined the theater because she watched your performances."
"She gathered people who had lost direction, wrote scripts, performed herself, and personally guided each of us."
"Back then, many people loved our shows. The troupe was thriving."
"Then the incident happened… and everything collapsed."
Lauwick clenched his fist.
"Without her, we couldn't create or manage things properly. No matter how hard we tried, everything she built slowly crumbled."
"Rather than watch those memories deteriorate, we thought it was better to end it ourselves."
[Ningguang: Without their core pillar, they could no longer sustain the troupe.]
[Nilou: She must have been a wonderful person.]
[Venti: This would make a tragic ballad.]
[Yun Jin: It could even be adapted into an opera.]
[Ganyu: That's heartbreaking… is there truly no chance she could return?]
[Neuvillette: Many victims vanished in that case. Some for over sixteen years. The likelihood is extremely low.]
[Ningguang: Meaning she is most likely dead.]
[Neuvillette: Yes.]
[Keqing: Such a tragedy…]
Furina spoke softly.
"I never imagined that someone so talented was among the victims."
"This final performance… it shouldn't just be a farewell."
"It should be a gift to her."
Dulphy nodded.
"That's exactly how we feel."
Furina took a breath.
"I'm glad I followed you here. After hearing all this, I can't simply stand by."
Paimon blinked. "Furina?"
"I'm not breaking my own rules," Furina said. "And you no longer need a substitute actor."
"As an experienced audience member, I can help guide the performance itself."
"Of course, only if you want that kind of assistance."
[Nilou: Furina's performance experience perfectly complements their lack of creative direction.]
[Venti: That confidence—unmistakably a seasoned performer.]
[Furina: Naturally. Performance is my domain.]
[Paimon: She's back in performer mode.]
[Ningguang: Without her insight, this final show would likely fall short.]
[Nahida: Even if the casting issue is resolved, Furina sees the deeper problem.]
[Neuvillette: I look forward to seeing the result.]
[Charlotte: With Furina involved, this will be headline worthy.]
Dulphy replied eagerly,
"We would be honored. Guidance from Furina means everything to us."
Lauwick hesitated.
"But… we can't afford to pay you."
Furina waved her hand.
"I don't need payment. If you want to thank me, just tell me stories about your leader."
"After leaving the opera house, I realized that viewing things from above only shows part of the truth."
"The law settles disputes, but it doesn't resolve emotions. Once judgment is passed, where do those emotions go?"
Lumine asked, "Do they flow away like water?"
Furina shook her head slightly.
"No. I think they eventually return to people's hearts."
"Like your longing for her. It's something I never truly witnessed before. Now, I want to."
[Paimon: She's starting to sound like Neuvillette.]
[Neuvillette: That comparison is… unnecessary.]
[Lumine: Paimon means she doesn't quite get it.]
[Nahida: Even without divinity, Furina still thinks in a very 'archon-like' manner.]
Paimon muttered, "You still talk like you're on stage."
Furina sighed, "This is different… honestly, arguing with you is exhausting."
She then looked at Lumine.
"Would you come with me? Taking a break from your journey to listen to a story isn't so bad."
Lumine nodded.
"For your sake. And this does relate to the disappearance case."
Lauwick brightened.
"Thank you! Our leader adored Furina's performances. All of us did."
"Our rehearsal room is small, but please come."
Coincidentally, the rehearsal space was right next to Furina's new residence. It was clean and well-kept, with people organizing props inside.
When they saw Furina enter, they rushed over in disbelief.
Biro: "F-Furina?"
Eran: "Why are you here?"
Lauwick introduced her.
"Furina will be assisting us as a performance consultant for Daughter of Water."
"And these two are the Traveler and Paimon—you know them."
Biro and Eran bowed.
"Thank you for uncovering the truth behind the disappearance case. Our leader finally received justice."
Paimon waved.
"No need to thank us."
[Neuvillette: The perpetrator of the disappearance case has already been judged.]
[Ningguang: It would have been better if she had only been missing…]
Furina asked, "You mentioned Daughter of Water. What kind of story is it?"
Dulphy replied, "It's the final work our leader left unfinished."
"For us, performing it means resolving our deepest regret."
Paimon frowned.
"Unfinished? So the problems aren't just about casting."
[Venti: No funding, no finished script, missing actors—this is quite a challenge.]
[Sigewinne: Fortunately, Furina is here.]
[Ningguang: Indeed.]
Lauwick nodded.
"Yes. Let me explain the story."
"The protagonist is a young pure water spirit who defies her kin and becomes human."
"She experiences friendship and love, believing she has found happiness."
"But one day, her true identity is exposed, and everything changes."
[Ningguang: A figure loved and trusted until her identity is revealed.]
[Furina: …That resemblance is unsettling.]
[Venti: This is the leader's story—and Furina's as well.]
Furina asked quietly,
"And how does it end?"
Dulphy shook his head.
"That's the problem. There is no ending."
"We can't agree on whether it should conclude with reunion… or with tragedy."
Lauwick added, "By 'realistic,' we mean reflecting the leader's disappearance."
"But we don't want to turn the stage into a display of raw grief."
"And two key actors still haven't returned."
"One is Boro, who plays the protagonist's lover. He secluded himself to write the ending but missed the deadline."
"The other is Vilman, who plays the antagonist. After the leader vanished, he left Fontaine entirely."
"He promised to return for the final performance… but hasn't appeared yet."
Dulphy looked at Furina.
"Now that you're here, perhaps we finally have a chance to bring them back."