"Uh...?"
Furina stared at the sketch in Luo Qing's hand.
Aside from the figure's build, doesn't this person look exactly like ?
Was Luo Qing trying to hint at sothing?
"This is definitely ..." Furina muttered under her breath. "It's not my fault I'm... uh, smaller."
"..."
Luo Qing was silent for a mont.
With a sharp flick, he delivered a playful knock to Furina's forehead.
"I told you, it's not you!"
"Ugh..." Furina covered her forehead with both hands, whining softly. "You're really not hinting at anything here?"
Luo Qing felt exasperated. He raised his hand again, ready to give her another flick, but Furina quickly shielded her head, curling up defensively.
"Okay, okay, okay! I get it! It's not !"
Luo Qing lowered his hand and continued, "So, do you recognize this person?"
"I..."
Furina examined the sketch carefully.
If it wasn't her, she genuinely had no idea who it could be. Could soone in this world really look so much like her?
"If it's not , then I don't know who it is." She shook her head. "Maybe it's just a hallucination from being exposed to too much of the Primordial Sea's water?"
"A hallucination..."
Luo Qing thought back to the vision he'd experienced in that starry space.
An endless expanse of shimring stars, a tranquil sea, and the distant echo of whale calls.
Given his current ntal strength, it was unlikely he'd be affected by re hallucinations. More importantly, he distinctly rembered sensing an intelligent presence within the Primordial Sea's waters.
"Alright. I'll look into it myself later."
With that, Luo Qing stood, preparing to leave.
Logically, Neuvillette, with his impressive power displayed back in ropide Fortress, might know sothing. However, Luo Qing had no intention of seeking him out.
His partnership was with Furina, not the Chief Justice.
If he'd wanted to consult Neuvillette, he would've done so back at ropide. There was no need to wait until now. Not every matter could be casually brought to the Chief Justice.
"Wait, you're leaving already?!"
Furina was stunned.
After so long without seeing each other, he's just going to leave after asking a question? Does he not care about at all?! Doesn't he know how much effort I put into helping him get to ropide?!
"If I'm not leaving, what am I supposed to do here?" Luo Qing turned back to her, puzzled. "Do you have sothing else to say?"
While he was a bit annoyed with Makoto and the others for showing up in Fontaine without informing him, it had been almost half a year since he'd seen his family. He missed his wife and kids terribly.
Tonight, he'd make sure to spend so quality ti with them.
"I..."
Furina lowered her gaze, her face tinged with a faint blush.
She fidgeted for a mont before finally speaking.
"I... never mind. Just go."
"..."
Luo Qing gave her a confused look but decided not to press further.
"Alright, see you."
He turned and headed for the window, preparing to climb out.
After a few steps, he paused, seeming to rember sothing, and looked back at Furina.
"By the way, since you've already t Makoto and the others, if you're free tonight, you can co over to my place for dinner."
After all, she was his collaborator. A bit of courtesy wouldn't hurt.
He couldn't treat her like a re tool, after all.
"Huh...?"
Furina blinked in surprise.
By the ti she snapped out of her daze, Luo Qing was already gone, leaving the window swaying slightly with a soft creaking sound.
"He invited to his house for dinner... Does that an..."
Furina's thoughts wandered, recalling what Makoto had told her about making a choice.
Should I go...?
anwhile, Luo Qing set aside the mystery of the woman in the drawing for now and focused on rushing ho.
From the palace at Marechausse to his own house, he moved swiftly.
Standing before his door, he straightened his collar and tidied his hair before gently pushing it open.
Inside the living room, the won in his life were all seated together, as if they'd anticipated his return today.
Makoto sat on the sofa knitting, Ei and Theresa were reading light novels together, Bu'er and Nahida were discussing the future of the Akademiya while wearing Akasha terminals, and Rosalyne stood silently to the side, observing them all.
Everything looked just as it always did.
"Welco ho, honey~"
Makoto set down her knitting with a sweet smile and approached Luo Qing.
Before he could say a word, she wrapped her arms around his waist and stood on her tiptoes, planting a light kiss on his cheek.
"Mwah~ You've gotten even more handso while you were away~"
"..."
Luo Qing found himself rendered speechless by Makoto's affectionate greeting.
Soon, the other won also set aside what they were doing and approached him.
Makoto released him and stepped aside, making room for the others.
Bu'er was next, giving him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek as well.
Ei, looking a bit shy under everyone's gaze, quickly hugged him and then retreated behind her sister.
Even Theresa, who'd never left the house, clung to Luo Qing shalessly, wrapping her arms and legs around him and burying her face in his chest as she nuzzled him.
After everyone had taken their turn, Nahida stepped out from behind Bu'er.
She looked up at Luo Qing and hesitated for a mont before softly calling out:
"D-Daddy..."
Although they'd already acknowledged their father-daughter relationship in the Akasha network, this was the first ti she'd addressed him like this in the real world.
"Aww!"
Luo Qing chuckled warmly and scooped Nahida up into his arms.
Who wouldn't love such an adorable, white-haired little daughter?
The joy of returning ho made Luo Qing montarily forget that he'd intended to question Makoto about why she'd co to Fontaine in the first place.
As night fell, the cozy atmosphere persisted.
With so much to catch up on, Luo Qing decided to save his questions for later, perhaps during so quiet pillow talk before bed.
For now, it was dinnerti.
Makoto and Bu'er worked together in the kitchen, preparing an array of dishes from various nations. The nearly four-ter-long dining table was piled high with a feast fit for a banquet.
Luo Qing sat at the head of the table, while the won took their seats along both sides.
Just as they were about to start eating, there was a sudden knock at the door.
"At this hour...?"
Luo Qing had a sudden hunch and got up to answer it.
But Makoto beat him to it, striding over to the door and opening it with a smile.
"Oh my, it's Furina!"
Makoto greeted her warmly, glancing slyly in Luo Qing's direction.
"It's so late—did you need sothing?"
"..."
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