(Chapter 50 Before the Opera)
Furina was momentarily taken aback when Tempest extended an invitation for her to join him at the opera. The unexpected offer caught her off guard, but only for a moment. Her initial surprise quickly gave way to a sly smirk, and without hesitation, she reached out and gracefully took hold of the other VIP ticket, a glimmer of amusement dancing in her eyes.
"Hmph! Since you're asking so desperately, I have no choice but to accept... Consider yourself honored, Tempest. You get to sit with me at the top of the crowd."
Furina responded with a hint of mock annoyance, her voice tinged with a touch of playfulness as she agreed to Tempest's request.
"Thank you, My Lady. I am truly honored and deeply grateful."
Tempest said with a warm smile, his voice carrying genuine appreciation as he acknowledged her acceptance of his invitation.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The next day. Three hours before Robin's performance was set to begin, Tempest stood at the exit of the Waterway Hub, patiently waiting for Furina. In his hand, he held an umbrella, prepared to shield her from the sun's rays as soon as she arrived.
"Hm, she's late..."
Tempest muttered to himself, as he took out his pocket watch.
Furina accepted Tempest's invitation, but with a condition: he had to treat her to a dessert at Café Lutece afterward. Tempest agreed without hesitation.
"Tempest!"
Tempest heard Furina's voice echoing behind him. He turned around to see her gracefully approaching.
"My Lady."
Tempest said with a short bow.
"My apologies for being late... I had quite a hard time persuading Neuvillette to allow me to go without a bodyguard escort."
Furina said as she sighed in frustration.
"No need to apologize, My Lady."
Tempest replied.
"Well then? Shall we?"
Furina said, her eyes gleaming with anticipation, clearly eager to get her promised dessert.
"Of course, My Lady."
Tempest said as he unfolded the umbrella, ensuring it provided ample shade for both him and Furina.
"Mm, I see you've come well-prepared... Just as I expected."
Furina voiced her approval, a hint of admiration in her voice as she observed Tempest's preparedness.
"Anything to make you comfortable, My Lady."
Tempest replied as they began their walk to their destination. Furina chuckled softly, her smile widening at Tempest's considerate gesture.
As Tempest and Furina made their way through the bustling streets, passing citizens looked on in awe and disbelief. The sight of a Proudmoore, once the most despised family in Fontaine, walking alongside the Hydro Archon was a remarkable contrast to the past. Some citizens bowed their heads in respect as the pair passed by, acknowledging the shift in perception.
"Can I ask a question, My Lady?"
"Yes?"
Furina responded, turning her head to face him and pausing their walk for a moment.
"You could easily obtain anything you desire with just a word, My Lady, yet, you chose to go the place directly. I'm not suggesting that I don't want to be here with you, quite the opposite, as I'm thoroughly enjoying every moment. I'm merely curious about what motivated your choice."
Tempest asked her his question, Furina sighed in response, before she spoke.
"Being an Archon can be quite tiring... I can't do things that mortals do every day. If I were to even step out of the Palais, I need to have an escort. I don't like it when someone watches my every move, and I simply want to enjoy my favorite desserts at the place they are made."
Furina spoke with a tinge of weariness in her voice, her words carrying a hint of frustration as she shared the challenges of being the Archon.
"I... I see, My Lady."
"I'm also quite glad you're my escort for today... I wanted to spend some time with a friend before he departed. We are friends, aren't we?"
Furina spoke with a warm and sincere tone, her voice filled with a hint of hopefulness as she inquired about their friendship.
"I am your friend, My Lady."
Tempest said with a warm smile. Satisfied with his response, Furina returned the smile and continued walking. Tempest followed suit, his own smile lingering as they made their way to Café Lutece.
"I'll let you in on a little secret of mine, but you have to promise to keep it to yourself, that's an order, understood?"
Furina leaned in closer, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial tone, her eyes glancing around to ensure no one was listening.
"I'll carry it to the grave, My Lady."
Tempest replied with a serious yet sarcastic tone. Furina chuckled softly at his response, clearly amused by his dedication.
"You better keep it a secret. Sometimes, I sneak out of the Palais at night to explore the city... The time I found you at the elevator? That was one of those occasions."
Furina spoke with a hint of mischief in her voice, a hint of a playful grin tugging at the corners of her lips.
"That sounds dangerous, My Lady. It's fine if you only wander around the grounds at Palais Mermonia, but the city, especially at night, can be quite risky."
Tempest said with a tone tinged with concern. As they both settled at a table in Café Lutece, his gaze remained attentive, reflecting his genuine worry for her safety, as he folded the umbrella.
"Oh, you be quiet, you're starting to sound like Neuvillette now, Tempest. And let me assure you, no one would dare to lay a finger on me, that's a one-way ticket to the Fortress of Meropide if they even attempted it."
Furina's tone held a hint of mock offense, her words tinged with a hint of playfulness as she scolded Tempest for his overprotective tendencies.
Tempest sighed in response, before shortly speaking.
"I am just concerned for your well-being, My Lady."
"And I thank you for that, Tempest... I'm just enjoying a little relief after exhausting myself at my duties."
Furina spoke with a hint of gratitude in her voice.
'She sounds lonely...'
Tempest thought to himself. Shortly thereafter, the manager of the café approached their table with a welcoming smile.
"It is truly an honor to have both the Duke of House Proudmoore and the Hydro Archon gracing my café. Everything today is on the house. May I ask what you would like to order, Your Grace? My Lady?"
The manager asked them.
"No, no, I insist on paying for both myself and My Lady. What would you like, My Lady?"
Tempest asked, turning his head towards Furina.
"But-"
"The Duke has spoken, monsieur. I'll have my usual, the one that the Palais Mermonia always orders, and a cup of hot chocolate, if you please."
Furina interrupted the manager before he could finish his sentence.
"As you wish, My Lady."
The manager said he then turned to Tempest.
"And what would you like, Your Grace?"
"I'll have the same as, Lady Furina, monsieur."
Tempest said, and the manager bowed in understanding before he left to prepare their order.
"So, how did you get these VIP tickets, Tempest? Did you purchase them?"
Furina spoke with a hint of curiosity in her voice, her head tilted slightly to the side as she gazed at the VIP ticket between her fingers.
"I was going through numerous papers from various noble houses across Fontaine, sending my thanks for their generous gifts of ships. Among those papers were many marriage contracts, and-"
"Huh? Tempest, you've accepted a contract marriage already?"
Furina stopped Tempest before he could finish his sentence, her eyes widened in surprise, her voice tinged with a hint of shock as she questioned Tempest about the contract marriage.
"Of course not, My Lady. I declined all of them. I'm still too young for such commitments. These tickets I have are from a letter I received from The Family. They've invited me to Robin's performance later at the Opera Epiclese."
Tempest replied, and Furina sighed in relief.
"I see... That's good to know..."
Furina replied with a sense of satisfaction.
After a short while, the food arrived. The manager, carefully balancing a tray, placed each dish on the table one by one.
Furina's face lit up with a big smile as she clapped her hands in delight. On the table, the chocolate cake was adorned with a swirl of cream, and the Hydro Sigil cookie was placed with care on top of it.
With a respectful bow, the manager departed from their table. Tempest observed with her as Furina carefully placed four sugar cubes into her steaming cup of hot chocolate, stirring them gently until they dissolved completely.
"Don't judge me... Everyone has their preferences, you know."
Furina said, taking a delicate sip of her hot chocolate and letting out a satisfied sigh.
"I would never, My Lady."
Tempest said as he took a spoonful of the cake.
'Hm, too sweet for me, but she's enjoying this, and that's good enough for me.'
Tempest thought to himself, as he watched Furina eat her cake, with a smile on her face, a smile slowly creeping on Tempest's face.
On the distance...
"Uncle, look! It's brother!"
"Hm?"
Penance, who was out shopping with Gardon and being thoroughly spoiled, was just about to dash over to her brother when Gardon, with a gentle but firm grip, tugged on her hand, effectively stopping her in her tracks.
"Uncle?"
"My niece, please look carefully."
Gardon said, and Penance glanced over at Tempest, noting that he was with Furina and clearly enjoying their time together. Seeing this, Penance couldn't help but smile, and she turned her attention back to Gardon with a look of contentment.
"Let's take a detour, Uncle."
Penance said, and Gardon responded with a nod and a smile. They then chose to take another direction, deciding to avoid interrupting Tempest and Furina, allowing them to enjoy their time together uninterrupted.
"My Lady, do you happen to know what Monsieur Neuvillette likes? It's been a month since my accolade, and I still haven't had a proper conversation with him. I'm thinking of giving him a souvenir once I return from Sumeru."
Tempest asked Furina as she took the final bite of her cake.
"Neuvillette? Well, he does have a fondness for water."
Furina spoke with a hint of nonchalance in her voice.
"Water? Is that all?"
Tempest asked in confusion.
Neuvillette... He has a preference for water in its purest form. There was this one time he went on and on for an hour about how water tastes differently in the various nations. So if you happen to find some crystal clear water in Sumeru, that might just appease him and satisfy his unique taste."
Furina chuckled softly, her words tinged with a hint of amusement as she shared a past conversation about Neuvillette.
"Crystal clear water... Note taken, My Lady."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
After an hour, the pair arrived at Erinnyes. Furina walked gracefully beside Tempest, who held the umbrella to shield her from the sun. Together, they made their way to the Opera Epiclese.
There was a long line stretching in front of the massive doors of the Opera Epiclese. Gardes stood at their posts, ensuring that everyone remained orderly and in line. At the center of the entrance, a well-dressed young man with golden irises and a unique hairstyle, part of his hair styled to resemble the wing of a bird, was overseeing the crowd.
The crowd parted willingly to make way for Furina and Tempest, with many people bowing their heads briefly in recognition of their authority.
"It is a great pleasure to finally meet you, Your Grace. The Family is immensely grateful beyond words to have you in our presence. Your acceptance of our invitation is a mark of your graciousness and an honor we shall never forget. I go by the name of Sunday, and I am in charge of overseeing my sister's performance."
The young man, known as Sunday, bowed his head respectfully as he addressed Tempest.
"The pleasures all mine."
Tempest replied, and Sunday then turned his head to Furina.
"Lady Furina, it is a great honor to have you return to witness my sister's splendid performance once more. Your continued support and presence at her performances is deeply appreciated, and I assure you, today's
performance will be a day to remember and cherish."
Sunday's gaze softens as he looks at Furina, his voice holding a tone of respect and gratitude.
"As do I, Sunday."
Furina replied, her tone polite yet commanding. Sunday nodded in acknowledgment and gestured for Tempest and Furina to follow him, leading them inside with a respectful demeanor.
On the grand stage of the Opera Epiclese, a variety of finely tuned instruments were arranged with precision, surrounding a smaller, elevated platform at the center.
"As precious VIPs, you both have the extraordinary privilege of meeting my sister prior to her upcoming performance. But it is truly us who are the honored ones for having you both here. I assure you, Robin may feel the pressure at first, but rest assured, it will not affect her performance. Her talent and passion shall shine through, making this day an unforgettable one for all involved. Once again, your presence is greatly appreciated."
Sunday, his tone oozing with confident assurance, responds with a smile.
They finally arrived at the door beside the stage, the one used for preparations. Sunday gave a quick knock on the door before speaking.
"Robin, I've brought Tempest Proudmoore and Lady Furina. May we enter?"
Shortly, a reply came from the other side of the door.
"Sunday? Yes! Please Come in!"
Sunday opened the door, revealing a young woman dressed exquisitely, seated on a stool as maids delicately applied her makeup. She had periwinkle-colored hair and striking green eyes, with part of her hair styled to resemble the wing of a bird, the same as her brother.
A small bird perched gracefully on her fingers, adding to her elegant appearance. Her face immediately brightened when Tempest and Furina entered the room. She gestured for the maids to leave them for a moment, then gracefully got off the stool to greet them.
"Your Grace, Lady Furina, it is a pleasure to have you both here."
Robin greeted them with a graceful bow, lowering her head slightly in respect and lifting the hem of her dress just enough to showcase her poise and elegance.