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Furina sat alone on the balcony of the Palais Mermonia, resting her chin on her palm as she gazed at the shimmering waters of Fontaine. The city was calm tonight, a rare silence before the storm of war. But her mind was anything but quiet.

Yoshika.

That stubborn, frustrating, fascinating woman.

Furina had always been good at reading people, at understanding them. Yet, Yoshika was an enigma—a mystery she couldn’t unravel, no matter how many times she tried.

The way she pulled away. The way she refused to let anyone too close.

The way she looked at Furina, as if she wanted to say something but always held back.

Furina sighed dramatically. “Honestly, how troublesome.”

“Talking to yourself again?”

Furina startled slightly before turning to see Neuvillette standing nearby, watching her with his usual calm expression.

She huffed. “And what of it? I am the Former God of Justice. I can talk to myself as much as I please.”

Neuvillette simply walked forward, standing beside her. “You seem… troubled.”

Furina scoffed. “Troubled? Ha! As if. I am merely—” She paused, then sighed. “Fine. Perhaps I am troubled.”

Neuvillette waited patiently.

Furina hesitated, then finally admitted, “It’s Yoshika.”

Neuvillette did not seem surprised. “I see.”

Furina turned to him, frowning. “Why does she act like that? Like she doesn’t matter? Like she’s—like she’s scared of being seen?”

Neuvillette looked thoughtful for a moment before responding. “Perhaps she fears what being seen would mean.”

Furina crossed her arms. “She’s already seen. Everyone in Fontaine knows her as the Dancer of Snezhnaya, the Tsaritsa’s daughter. And yet, she still acts as if she’s invisible.”

Neuvillette was silent for a moment. “Because that is not the ‘real’ her, is it?”

Furina blinked.

Neuvillette continued, “People who hide behind masks do so for a reason. Yoshika, I believe, has worn hers for so long that she may not know how to take it off.”

Furina stared at him. Then she sighed dramatically. “How infuriating.”

Neuvillette smiled slightly. “And yet, you care for her.”

Furina opened her mouth to argue, but the words didn’t come.

Because he was right.

She did care.

Perhaps more than she should.

“Ugh.” Furina groaned, throwing herself onto the railing. “What is this feeling?”

Neuvillette raised an eyebrow. “If you do not know, then perhaps you should ask yourself—what do you want from her?”

Furina froze.

She hadn’t thought about that.

What did she want?

Yoshika’s attention? She already had that.

Yoshika’s trust? That was harder to earn.

Yoshika’s—

She shook her head, her face heating up slightly.

Neuvillette smiled knowingly. “I believe you already have your answer.”

Furina huffed, crossing her arms. “Tch. This is annoying.”

Neuvillette chuckled. “Love often is.”

Furina nearly choked. “Who said anything about love?!”

Neuvillette simply turned, walking away as if he had already said all he needed to.

Furina was left standing there, fuming.

Love?

Ridiculous.

…Right?

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𝖠𝖭 𝖭𝖮𝖳𝖤: 𝖶𝖮𝖠𝖧 𝖥𝖨𝖭𝖠𝖫𝖫𝖸 𝖢𝖱𝖴𝖲𝖧𝖨𝖭𝖦 𝖮𝖭 𝖤𝖠𝖢𝖧𝖮𝖳𝖧𝖤𝖱 𝖧𝖤𝖧𝖤𝖧𝖤𝖧🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭