A few hours earlier…
At the top of the Palais Mermonia, heavy rain drummed against the windows of Lady Furina's room as the morning light slowly crept in.
Inside, Furina struggled to fall asleep; she tossed and turned as tears slowly slipped down her cheeks. She clutched a pillow tightly, the only thing keeping her company, aside from the stray cats she fed now and then.
"Another day," she muttered, giving up on sleep as she rose from bed. She decided to start her day early with a slow yawn and gentle stretching. She wiped the lingering tears from the corners of her eyes and dressed.
Standing before the mirror, she reached out a hand toward her reflection and whispered, "You've got this, Furina."
Adjusting her outfit, she flipped her hat, placing it neatly atop her head.
Furina swept out of her room, striding toward her office.
The office door creaked open, and she froze, eyes narrowing at the mountain of paperwork swallowing her desk.
A quiet sigh slipped from her lips as she lowered herself into the chair, staring at the stack like it had personally offended her.
Her eyes flicked to the first page an exhaustive report on Fontaine's economic output, budget reallocations, and infrastructure proposals.
Her fingers tapped a slow, deliberate rhythm against the polished wood as she struggled to make sense of the paper in front of her.
"Unbelievable—I don't understand a single word of this!" she muttered, her voice sharp with irritation.
Well, it looks like Neuvillette would be receiving yet another delivery.
She glanced out the window, noticing the heavy rain had finally stopped, yet an uneasy feeling lingered, as if something had happened.
Suddenly, a knock echoed at her door, startling her for a brief moment.
Quickly, she straightened her posture, composing herself with practiced grace.
"Come in," she said.
The door swung open as one of her investigators stepped in, an officer she had personally assigned to investigate current matters.
"Lady Furina, apologies for the interruption, but you asked to be informed if there were any issues with the water levels."
"Ah, yes—do tell," she replied with a wave of her hand.
"In the lower regions of northern Fontaine, near the Liffey territory, several dozen homes have been flooded. The cause is still unknown, but it's highly suspected that the recent heavy rainfall may be to blame."
Furina's heart ached.
"And the people… are they safe?" she asked, her voice trembling despite her effort to sound composed.
"Many were injured, but no lives were lost," he continued, eyes scanning the report. "The wounded are currently receiving medical care."
Furina exhaled slowly, her shoulders dropping, and the tension in her chest loosened. No one was hurt. Good, she thought, but the lingering question gnawed at her: What about next time?
She had desperately searched for a way to stop—to defy the cruel fate that loomed over Fontaine… yet every effort had been in vain.
Now, the people of Fontaine were getting hurt, and there was nothing she could do to stop the disasters from continuing.
I just… I want to give up.
It was a feeling she had carried for years as she acted like she was an Archon—an ache she kept buried. More than anything, she longed to confide in someone, anyone… but she never could.
Unless?
No. Furina, you cannot give up. You must carry the secret and press on until the very last moment.
She inhaled sharply, her gaze hardening as she masked the storm within with perfect, regal poise.
"Thank you for your report. Now, listen closely! I require you to fetch Monsieur Neuvillette at once.
"Of course, Lady Furina," he said, closing the door behind him, leaving Furina alone.
Furina gazed up at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting. At least she could help those who had lost their homes.
A few moments later…
"Lady Furina, doing so will put the trials on hold," Neuvillette had tried to argue, but it was like reasoning with a stubborn child who refused to listen.
"It's only temporary," Furina had replied, folding her arms. "Besides, you can always set up another location in the meantime."
Neuvillette sighed quietly. She is the Hydro Archon… when she chooses to be, he thought.
Lady Furina smiled, satisfied with her victory in the argument, and was just about to take her leave when his calm voice cut through the moment:
"Will you be addressing the Gardes about the relocation efforts?"
She looked at him with a hint of surprise, as if the thought hadn't crossed her mind—then quickly recovered. "But of course not. I leave it in your capable hands, Monsieur Neuvillette."
He watched as Furina hastily slipped away from her duties, darting through the grand halls of the Palais Mermonia with her usual dramatic flair.
There she goes again, he thought with a silent sigh, leaving the matters in my hands, as always.
Back to the present:
Amid the chaos of the restless crowd, a figure in a dark cloak slipped in unnoticed, taking advantage of the distraction as the Gardes struggled to manage the distraught families who had lost their homes.
"Let us speak with Lady Furina! We shan't move an inch until she gives us answers!"
An elderly gentleman cried out, voice shaking with frustration.
"Aye, precisely! If you officials remain silent, then let our Archon speak for herself!"
The crowd stirred restlessly, ignoring Lieutenant Louis's attempts to restore order.
"What is all this ruckus about?" a middle-aged man's voice rang out as he stepped into the Palais Mermonia, flanked by members of the Spina di Rosula.
"Mr. Casper," Lucien greeted Callas respectfully. "It's good to see you."
"Ah, young Lucien," Callas said with a warm smile. "So you've finally joined the Gardes—it took you long enough."
Lucien rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, it's my first day—and as you can see, it's already been a wild one," he said with a tired smile. "I take it you're here to lend a hand?"
"Yes, once I heard what happened, the Spina di Rosula quickly assembled to offer our aid, though it seems they've stirred quite the commotion."
"Yeah. They're demanding to speak with Lady Furina and refuse to take no for an answer. We're trying to avoid any harm to the civilians."
"Hmph… then I suppose we'll have to wait for Lady Furina to grace us with her presence," Callas responded.
Yeah… that'd be nice.
But his patience was wearing thin.
Where is she? His eyes swept the restless crowd, tension coiling tighter with every passing second.
Wait—just beyond the corner, he caught a glimpse of someone peeking around.
It was Furina.
Lucien wasn't the only one who had spotted her.
Amid the crowd, a man subtly signaled to someone hidden in the shadows.
A man dressed in red attire emerged from the crowd, steadily pushing his way toward Lucien.
"Hey, you! I need your help with something!" he called out.
Lucien's eyes narrowed, a creeping sense of unease tightening in his chest.
His instincts flared—something about the man's urgency felt off.
In the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Furina approaching the crowd, her steps poised and graceful.
Unaware, just behind her, a hooded figure—silent, deliberate, and far too close for comfort.
Lucien's senses screamed danger.
Shit.
He's trying to distract me, his jaw tightening as his hand instinctively moves to grip his revolver.
Lucien moved swiftly, shoving the man aside, refusing to be distracted.
"Wait!" the man called out, but Lucien wasn't listening.
His eyes locked onto the Hooded figure. Catching a subtle motion of their hand slipping beneath the dark fabric, pulling something out.
He didn't need a second guess. He knew exactly what it was.
Without hesitation, his Vision flared at his hip. In one swift motion, he drew his revolver.
"Furina, get down!" Lucien shouted.
Furina's eyes widened in alarm.
Without thinking, she flinched and ducked, the urgency in his voice cutting through the noise like a blade.
BANG!
The bullet soared past Furina, striking the hooded figure in the shoulder.
The force of the impact sent them staggering back against the wall, leaving a crack.
The crowd erupted in screams, panic sweeping through like wildfire, watching everything unfold.
"Gardes! Secure all entrances—now!" Louis barked, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Without hesitation, the Gardes sprang into action, fanning out to block off all exits.
"Paul! Rose! On Lady Furina—protect her!" Louis commanded.
"Yes, sir!" Paul and Rose responded in unison, drawing their swords as they rushed to form a protective barrier around Furina.
Furina stood frozen, hands clenched tightly together, her mind spinning.
Her eyes locked onto the dagger lying on the floor—the very weapon that could have ended her life.
Someone had just tried to kill her… here, in the very heart of the Palais Mermonia.
Meanwhile, Lucien kept his revolver steady, eyes locked on the fallen figure.
Even as he kept his gun aimed, his gaze flicked toward Furina.
For a brief moment, she looked truly frightened—but he pushed the thought aside, focusing on the threat at hand.
Damn it! What happened to the guy who tried to distract me?
Lucien whipped his head around—only to see the man in question already pinned to the ground, Callas and his men restraining him.
"Lock down the premises. Anyone who attempts to leave is to be detained immediately," Neuvillette commanded, upon hearing what had transpired.
Yes, Monsieur Neuvillette," Louis quickly replied.
The heavy clank of Gardemeks and the sharp barks of Fontaine's hounds echoed through the halls as they moved swiftly to secure the building and its surrounding areas.
Within moments, Palais Mermonia went into complete lockdown.