After being delayed by Childe and Charlotte for two days, Luo Qing still hadn't found an opportunity to et Navia as planned.
Leaving Theresa at ho to continue working on Charlotte's... thoughts, Luo Qing once again made his way to the Ashen River District, where he finally encountered Navia.
"Mr. Luo Qing..."
Navia gave a slight nod. Her personal bodyguard stepped forward, placing a large docunt case on the table between them.
"This contains everything Spina di Rosula has collected about Lady Furina over the years. Please take a look."
As a major patron, Luo Qing commanded Navia's respect.
"And as for the prophecy..."
"It is said to have been left by the forr Hydro Archon. Soday, Fontaine will sink. Its people will be judged, dissolved into the sea, leaving Furina as the sole survivor, sitting on her throne in tears..."
The weight of the prophecy brought a somber tone to Navia's voice.
"Dissolved into the sea, huh..."
Luo Qing muttered to himself, his mind flashing back to the café where he had first witnessed a girl dissolve into water.
Opening the docunt case, he began to sift through its contents.
The case was packed to the brim.
But most of it consisted of newspapers from The Steambird.
So articles detailed Lady Furina's appearances at high-profile trials, where her dramatic interventions had turned the tide.
Others offered glimpses into her personal quirks, such as her fondness for playing with stray cats or her frequent visits to a renowned Fontaine dessert shop.
To the citizens of other nations, gods might seem distant and unknowable.
Take Liyue's Archon, for instance—a figure who appeared once a year to deliver guidance before vanishing.
Or Inazuma's Archon, who had delegated her duties to a puppet and secluded herself in the Plane of Euthymia.
But in Fontaine, Furina's presence felt less like that of a god and more akin to a top-tier celebrity.
The newspapers relished covering her, and the public loved gossiping about her.
Luckier residents might even spot her strolling the streets, petting dogs, or indulging in desserts at her favorite shop.
She wasn't just visible—she was a part of their everyday lives.
To Luo Qing, Furina seed less like a divine figure and more like a hurried, beloved superstar.
"Is this all?"
Luo Qing frowned slightly after finishing the docunts.
Beyond recording Furina's daily life and public appearances, the file contained nothing of substance.
Not a single detail about her combat abilities.
Even Nahida, imprisoned for 500 years, could enter dreams to guide her people.
And then there were powerhouses like Morax, the God of War, and Raiden Shogun, who could cleave mountains with their strength.
Furina, in contrast, appeared to spend her days playing and idling—there was no evidence of her ever wielding divine power.
"Could she really be a fraud..."
Luo Qing mused.
His previous attempt to test Furina had revealed no trace of divinity. Before he could dig deeper, however, Neuvillette had interrupted.
Perhaps... it was ti to try again.
"I'll need to avoid Neuvillette and test her once more..."
Determined, Luo Qing resolved to find another opportunity to probe Furina's true nature.
"That's everything?"
"Yes, for now, this is all we've been able to gather," Navia replied with a nod.
"Alright then..."
Luo Qing wasn't overly concerned. He paused briefly before asking, "By the way, has anyone ever seen Lady Furina in action?"
"In action?"
Navia seed puzzled.
"Do you an her impassioned argunts in the courtroom?"
"No, I an her power as a god," Luo Qing clarified. "Lady Furina is an Archon, isn't she? Has anyone ever seen her display her divine abilities?"
"That..."
Navia thought for a mont, searching her mories.
It seed no one had.
"Not to my knowledge... In the past, crises beyond the capabilities of the guards were always resolved by Clorinde, the Duelist Champion."
Navia continued, "For truly dire situations, Chief Justice Neuvillette would intervene. But Fontaine has been peaceful for so ti now, so it's been ages since Neuvillette had to step in personally."
"So no one's ever seen Lady Furina use her powers directly?"
"No..."
Navia nodded hesitantly before asking, "Mr. Luo Qing, why are you suddenly interested in this?"
"It's nothing..."
Luo Qing shook his head. "I was just curious about what such a charming Archon might look like when in action."
"Uh..."
"That's all for now."
Luo Qing closed the docunt case and picked it up.
"Please continue gathering information. Don't worry—the promised Mora will be delivered in full."
"Thank you, Mr. Luo Qing."
Navia stood and bowed politely.
The enormous sum of Mora was critical to Spina di Rosula's operations. Otherwise, they wouldn't have dared to investigate their own Archon.
"Oh, one more thing..."
Just as Luo Qing was about to leave, a thought struck him.
He turned back to Navia.
"A traveler from Suru should be arriving in Fontaine soon. You've likely heard of her, haven't you?"
"Yes..."
Navia nodded.
"I've read about her in The Steambird."
"Perfect. When she arrives, please take the ti to interact with her. You might uncover sothing unexpected~"
Lumine was en route from Suru to Fontaine.
Thanks to his unrestricted access to Suru's Void Network, Luo Qing was fully aware of her movents and knew exactly when she would arrive.
Though the future storyline remained a mystery to him, Lumine, as the protagonist, was bound to bring opportunities wherever she went.
While Luo Qing had a friendly relationship with her, his current goal was to seize the Hydro Gnosis.
To avoid unnecessary complications, he decided to remain in the shadows, letting Navia serve as his proxy.
Better to let soone else take the spotlight for now.
---
"..."
- Gardevoir
(End of Chapter—Support the translator at /WiseTL]!)
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