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Chapter 5

The days in Snezhnaya grew colder, and with them, Furina's determination burned hotter. Her encounter with Yoshika had left her feeling unsettled yet intrigued. Yoshika's icy exterior was beginning to thaw, but Furina sensed there was still so much she didn't understand about the dancer-and herself.

The next evening, Furina decided to attend another gathering at the Tsaritsa's palace, hoping for an opportunity to see Yoshika again. The event was a formal banquet, filled with Snezhnaya's elite, diplomats, and a handful of performers invited to entertain. Among them was Clorinde, the duelist of Fontaine, who stood near the entrance with her usual stoic expression.

"Furina," Clorinde said, inclining her head as Furina approached.

"Clorinde," Furina replied, her tone lighter. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I'm here on Fontaine's behalf," Clorinde said. "Not yours."

Furina smirked. "Always so serious. Tell me, how do you like Snezhnaya?"

"It's cold," Clorinde replied bluntly.

Before Furina could respond, a ripple of tension passed through the room. Yoshika entered, her presence commanding attention despite her quiet demeanor. She was dressed in a gown of deep crimson and gold, her spear strapped elegantly to her back-a symbol of her status and strength.

Furina's heart skipped a beat. Yoshika's gaze briefly met hers, and for a moment, the noise of the banquet faded into silence.

But the calm didn't last. A loud crash echoed through the hall as the main doors were flung open. A group of masked intruders stormed in, their weapons drawn. Chaos erupted as the crowd scattered.

Furina instinctively reached for her sword, the blue blade glinting in the chandelier's light. Yoshika, already in motion, unsheathed her spear with a graceful spin, the floral decorations catching the light like a sunrise amidst the chaos.

The leader of the intruders sneered. "Snezhnaya's false peace ends tonight!"

Furina stepped forward, her sword raised. "False peace? Try saying that after I've dealt with you!"

Yoshika shot her a sharp look. "Don't make this worse."

Before Furina could retort, the fight began. The masked intruders attacked with precision, but they were no match for Yoshika's fluid movements. Her spear danced in her hands, striking with deadly accuracy.

Furina, despite her dramatic flair, was a skilled swordswoman. She parried and countered with elegance, her blade shimmering with water as she unleashed her vision's power. Streams of water spiraled around her, disarming one opponent and knocking another to the ground.

Clorinde joined the fray, her gun firing precise shots that echoed like thunder. When an intruder closed the distance, her purple sword flashed, cutting them down with ease

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𝖠/𝖭: 𝖳𝖧𝖨𝖲 𝖢𝖧𝖠𝖯𝖳𝖤𝖱 𝖨𝖲 𝖲𝖮 𝖢𝖱𝖨𝖭𝖦𝖤 𝖧𝖤𝖫𝖯???💀😭 𝖠𝗇𝗒𝗐𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗍 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖻𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗒𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒😔