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Amidst the rustle of the mountain breeze and the sakura leaves, Furina heard a mellow, tender voice and the sweeping sound of a broom, making her stop in her hike. Her eyes were naturally drawn to the lone woman humming to herself under a torii gate, brushing aside the pink petals from the path. She had long, soft brown hair with bangs and almond-shaped eyes, but what truly caught Furina’s attention was her outfit: a white kosode, a red hakama, and wooden sandals with white tabi socks—the typical uniform of a shrine maiden, just as described in Furina’s books.
Furina had at last reached her destination, and as fatigue kicked in, she heaved a weary sigh.
“Good afternoon,” the maiden dressed in red and white raised her head and kindly called out to the panting foreign-looking girl. “How may I help you?”
“Um… I come from Fontaine, and I am here to meet with the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine. I have informed her of my arrival in my last letter.”
“I see, a visitor from afar,” she put aside the broom and stepped towards Furina. “and your name is? As you may be aware, Lady Yae is an extremely busy woman, so to notify her that you're here, I need to know who I'm dealing with.”
“Ah, my apologies. The name is Furina de Fontaine. The same name that appears at the end of my letters, as I choose not to use a pseudonym. My friend Lumine's the one who put me in touch with Lady Yae Miko.”
“Oh… F-Furina de Fontaine. Then, it means you are…” She took a closer look at the frail-looking woman standing in front of her: she was indeed a dear friend of the Traveler, and above all the former Archon of Fontaine. “I just wasn't expecting you to be the Fontainian that Lady Yae kept talking about recently." Her eyes grew wide open, only for just a fraction of the time, because not the slightest bit overwhelmed by who she was talking to, she grabbed Furina by the hand without any hesitation. "Anyway, I’m Miyuki, working as a shrine maiden here as you can see! Just follow me, I’ll lead you to meet with Lady Yae.”
Not letting any room for Furina to answer, she started walking hand-in-hand with Furina towards the inner sanctum. Although the place wasn't particularly big, the way Miyuki appeared to know it like the back of her hand and led Furina at a brisk pace was a testament to the time she spent living here. A shame that she didn't let Furina the time to take in the beautiful view that awaited visitors at the top, nor admire the elegant architecture of the Grand Narukami Shrine. That would have to wait until after the meeting with Yae Miko, as they were already in front of a small building
She carefully slid the wooden door open and bowed her head, an elegant bow displaying all the training the shrine maiden had received, beckoning Furina to come in.
“I'm going to have to ask you to wait in here. Please, remove your shoes at the genkan before stepping inside.”
Furina did as told and entered the humble, empty guest room, befitting the image of an Inazuman shrine. Inside, the air was noticeably cooler, probably thanks to the half-down shutters, there was only a low tea table and tatami mats, on which she tried to sit like they do in this country as best she could.
“N-no need to sit in seiza… Lady Furina.” Miyuki almost burst out laughing at the sight of the flustered Fontainian girl sitting awkwardly, a parody of how a proper seiza should be.
"When in Inazuma, do as the Inazumians do. It's basic respect"
“Indeed, but only if you do it the right way. I appreciate the attempt though. Here, sit down as you prefer." she placed a pillow on the floor, next to Furina. "Would you like some green tea? Or water, maybe?”
“T-Thank you. I'd rather have water—cold water, if possible,” she requested, finally sitting at her ease and stretching out her exhausted legs.
“Got it. It's so hot at this time of year. Is it the same in Fontaine?” she asked, yet not a bead of sweat on her face.
“Pretty close, I must say. But the hike up to the shrine is pure torture...”
“Everyone feels this way the first time, regardless of the season,” she smiled a bit at Furina’s tired face as she went to fetch water. “It is to demonstrate the visitor's faith, resolution, and commitment to our Excellency. And I probably shouldn't say this, but thank the Almighty Narukami Ogosho that all of us shrine maidens are allowed to live here. I couldn't possibly make such a tiresome trek on a daily basis.”
“I'd definitely die on the second day too. But are you sure it's okay? I mean, for me to meet your overseer without sticking to the traditional etiquette?” she asked, struck by the contrast between her sloppy posture and the refined, polished stance of Miyuki's seiza, who had just sat down at the other end of the table. “This place is Inazuma's most important religious site, isn't it?”
Despite being an Archon for more than five centuries, Furina had no training in diplomatic relations. All contacts with other nations had always been conducted by the Iudex or other subordinates, and her entire life had always been centered around the Court of Fontaine. Yet, she was aware that Inazuma was notoriously the most traditional, old-fashioned nation in Teyvat, with its ruthless Shogun heralding a stable, or even stagnant eternity over progress.
“It is, however Lady Yae herself isn't a stickler for rules and etiquette, including the most basic ones. To be honest, it's us shrine maidens who always need to remind her of them…" She heaved a desperate sigh as she filled Furina's bamboo cup with water. Of its precision and elegance, the gesture felt as if it had been repeated thousands of times. "Even if you weren't a foreigner, I doubt even the Shogun would hold it against you."
"Are you sure? I've heard her rule has undergone a paradigm shift, but the people's mindsets can't change in just a few years' time."
“Except that our people had already changed, she was the only one who had remained frozen in time. Well... maybe me too. Some days, I find myself wishing that we could rub off on Lady Yae like she rubs off on our Shogun. Makes you wonder what's the point of spending so many years studying and training to be a well-educated and smart shrine maiden like myself.”
“Truth be told, I'm not that surprised about her...” Yae Miko was not only the editor-in-chief of the eponymous Yae Publishing House, the publisher of innovative, tradition-breaking light novels that were all the rage all over Teyvat, but also the secret writer behind Pretty Please, Guuji Yae—the light novel Furina's become a fan of and the subject of her visit. “It can't be all plain sailing being under her orders, then?”
“Indeed, but I wouldn't change that for the world. Lady Yae precisely needs us to support her, and nothing could make me happier than serving her every day until my very last breath. Just as there's no one more committed to our Shogun than Lady Yae, there's no one more committed to Lady Yae than I am.” she affirmed proudly with absolute certainty in her eyes, as she gracefully stood up and headed back to the door. “All right, relax yourself, and I'll go and look for her. She will be here very soon for you.” the all-too-devoted maiden said as she shut the door and left.
Are they all like her here…? Furina thought, pondering how Yae Miko could have made Miyuki so utterly zealous and loyal to her person.
A few minutes passed in silence, except for the sound of all the shrine maidens bustling around outside and the occasional noise of sipping water. Then, Furina’s ears twitched at the approaching clatter of wood on the cobblestone path. The footsteps halted at the entrance, followed by the soft shuffle of someone slipping off their shoes—then came the quiet slide of the door.
"Lady Yae, this is our dear guest, Lady Furina de Fontaine. Lady Furina, this is the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, Lady Yae."
"I think we both knew that, thank you." she put her hand in front of Miyuki's mouth, and stepped forward. "Hello, Lady Furina. I do hope Miyuki received you well." The Kitsune's naturally cunning, alluring tone struck a chord in Furina's ears.
Furina could hardly believe her eyes. Yae Miko was the spitting image of Yae Masako’s portrait illustrated on the cover of Pretty Please, Kitsune Guuji. It was common for authors to include a character who was a sort of self-insert—but to this extent? What was the point of not putting your real name on the book in the first place? Seriously?
She wore the usual red and white priestess outfit, quite reminiscent of the uniform worn by all the shrine maidens, but at the same time highly distinctive, accentuating her inhuman beauty, her majesty and her prominence within the Shrine. Her most striking feature was, of course, the two fox ears perched on the top of her head. In addition, she wore a number of accessories, including jewellery on her pink ears and hair, and an anklet around her left ankle with a bell ringing every time she took a step towards the table.
"Y-Yes, very well indeed," Furina gulped at the intimidating presence. "she went out of her way to make me feel at ease and we also chatted briefly about anything and everything."
"Oh, I hope she didn't say anything out of place. You've stumbled on a rather peculiar one after all." she cast a side glance at the maiden still standing silently in the corner, as though she were waiting for something.
"She spoke very highly of you."
"Good. As she should." Yae turned to her servant and whispered something in Miyuki's ears that, while failed to reach Furina's own, certainly did not in making the brown-haired girl blush like a tomato.
"L-Lady Yae... I'm not yet worth—"
"Oh, but no other shrine maiden could have done a better job than you in welcoming our esteemed guest, little Miyuki. And you are now dismissed. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon as you see fit."
"T-Thank you, La-Lady Yae!"
The flustered maiden hurried out the sliding wooden door and slammed it shut, making way for Furina and Yae Miko to begin their conversation
"She's cute, isn't she? Lately, I've grown very fond of this little one. If only you could hear her delectable whimpers..." she commented as she settled on her knees across the table before adopting a serious tone. "Apologies for making you travel so far—we absolutely had to discuss this in person. I would have gladly made the journey myself to spare you the trouble, but you insisted—"
"Oh, don't worry. I've got time to spare these days, and I'm not just here for this conversation—I'm taking a whole holiday in Inazuma."
"Then I do hope you enjoy your stay and the season of festivals. I have no doubt the nation built and upheld by my Lord will appeal to the former Archon of Fontaine."
“Please, I ask you to treat me only as a fan of your work, as you used to during our written exchanges.”
"My apologies, it's just that an ordinary fan would never propose me something this big. The thing you mentioned in our last exchange—were you serious?"
"If I'm sitting in front of you right now, it's precisely because I am." Furina replied earnestly, rummaging in her bag before handing an item to the author. "I'll say it again in due form: I want to adapt your romance light novel Pretty Please, Kitsune Guuji into a play, to be soon performed at the Opera Epiclèse. Here's a first draft of the script I wrote myself. It's far from perfect, but please take a look and judge for yourself."
Yae pulled out small red glasses and began to read. Despite being just a rough draft, hastily written while traveling by boat, the script already appeared polished and thorough. The annotations and scattered corrections reflected Furina's enthusiasm, and the staging was precise, capitalizing on the unique venue of the Opera Epiclèse.
"Eh? You’ve already finished reading?" she exclaimed, as Yae was already putting down her glasses—glasses that were just for show.
"May I remind you that I'm the founder and chief-editor of Yae Publishing House? I'm used to reviewing my authors’ work almost daily."
"And? What do you think...?" Furina asked, apprehension in her tone. "I hope my dedication came through, but if this draft doesn't meet your expectations, I'm ready to rewrite it as many times as needed."
"No need for that, Lady Furina. It's a perfect theatrical adaptation—so much so that for the first time I have nothing to add. I expected excellence from the renowned Furina de Fontaine, but not to this extent. I already sensed it from our correspondence, but your understanding of the characters and of the core of the story is unmatched. Likewise, your changes and additions are relevant and the best way to condense the first volume into a play without losing any of its essence."
"T-Thank you... I wasn’t expecting such praises. But, why did you ask if I was serious? I’d understand if you still had doubts. After all, the quality of a play depends not only on the script but also on the casting—which hasn’t been decided yet. That said, I can vouch for the skills of all our actors. And I know this work must be dear to you—handing it over can’t be easy."
"You’ve got it wrong! I originally wrote it on a whim—I never expected it to become such a resounding success. It's hard to believe, honestly. My ramble has been exported all over Teyvat, and now my series is more popular than anything else my publishing house published. Can you imagine that?"
"You can’t force success; it comes to you," Furina laughed at Yae’s admission, the self-imposed pressure finally easing. "but what do you mean you wrote it on a whim?"
"I wrote it partly because of the mind-numbing stories my authors sent me at the time, but above all, I just wanted to catch my beloved Ei’s attention... That's the reason I decided to take up the pen for the first time in my life and wrote this ridiculous thing to mess with her—and oh, did I get her attention..." the vixen huffed, rubbing her thighs together as her body still remembered the ensuing punishment. "She was mad at me for weeks, but I have no regrets. Perhaps I can imagine myself a successful genius writer, but I never expected to land such a big fish. A theatrical adaptation directed by Furina de Fontaine? I might as well go all the way."
There was no reason for refusal, for the collaboration will put her publishing house in the spotlight, and allow her to bring her story to life.
"So, if I understand correctly, you're giving me your blessing?" Furina just wished for this play to happen, and even such an unconvential author couldn't change her perception of the novel.
"Absolutely—on one and only one condition: the two lead roles will be played by Ei and myself."
Saw it coming... It all went too smooth.
"Well… after seeing you, it was hard not to picture you in the role, to be honest. I suppose you also wrote the Shogun as a carbon copy of the real one too. Shouldn't be too hard to train you for the stage, given that. It’ll also save us the trouble of finding actresses who match you, and having you onboard will be great for publicity."
"So it’s settled. We have a deal."
Yae leaned over the table with enthusiasm and shook Furina’s hand, who returned the gesture.
"However, will the Shogun agree to star in our play? Considering what you just told me..."
"She did scold me—but I’ve got her wrapped around my little finger—don’t concern yourself with it. As proof, the series is still ongoing, isn’t it? Provoking my God's thunder is one of my favorite hobbies." she said naturally, leaving Furina perplexed. "Actually, I've already tried to produce a rakugo version of my story last year, a traditional form of theatrical storytelling quite different from the one you have in Fontaine, but Ei heard about it and pressured all of Inazuma's performers in my back, and now all of them refuse to even speak with me." Yae lamented as she handed a sheet of paper that looked like a contract to the puzzled Furina. "Just do me the favor of signing this document. Even though you’re no longer the Archon of Fontaine, you still carry diplomatic weight. I’ll present the play to Ei as a collaborative project between Inazuma and Fontaine, with her participation essential to strengthening our relationship."
Furina's hand showed hesitation hearing this questionable plan, but signed the paper anyway. Whatever went on between those two wasn’t of her concern or responsibility.
"All done." she handed the paper back to Yae.
"Thank you very much."
"It's a delight, and it was quicker than I'd imagined."
"It's all due to your brilliant work, and you've been willing to meet my unique and, I admit, slightly self-serving condition. Let's call it a day, shall we?" she said, setting the pen and paper aside. "You mentioned staying in Inazuma for a short while, right?"
"I’ll be here for another two weeks."
"Then, since we can’t move forward without Ei.... I’ll get back to you to discuss about the details and scheduling once I’ve convinced her. Should only take... maybe a few nights at most. Just tell me where you intend to stay."
That put an end to their first encounter.
The way back down was much easier, both physically and mentally. Even if the written exchanges had gone smoothly, meeting the author of a work you're a fan of to suggest a stage adaptation is nerve-wracking. What would have happened if Yae had criticized her understanding of the story and characters?
The sun was beginning to set, painting the magnificent scenery in shades of red, and as Furina reached the bottom of the mountain with a light carefree step, a husky but affectionate voice called out to her from beneath a sakura tree.
"Took you long enough, Droplet."
"Sorry to have kept you waiting. The trek was longer than I expected, and I had to enjoy the view a bit." she said while striding over to the woman with red-crossed eyes lurking in the shadow of the tree.
"And how did it go with her?"
"Better than I expected. I've got her consent to adapt the story, but she wants both herself and the Shogun to star in their respective roles... which means I'll have to meet up with them regularly—slightly interfering with our holiday time together."
"That's truly a shame, but if that's all it is, it's okay."
Seeing that Furina had regained some activity in her life and was at last embarking on new enthralling projects after her long hiatus, Arlecchino couldn't help but share a sincere smile. In itself, there's nothing inherently wrong with being inactive, Furina more than earned the right to retire, but the transition to a normal life was a tough one, something Furina found hard to adjust to. Well, ‘normal life’, except that she has been secretly dating the Fourth Fatui Harbinger for months now, so not so much.
"And your assumptions were correct by the way—Yae Miko is very... let's say eccentric." she said as they started to walk away from the foot of the mountain, side by side.
"Told you. Scaramouche's comments on her back then gave me an inkling of what kind of person she is."
"Yeah, even the shrine maiden I've met, while kind and caring, seemed to live in her own world up there. In any case, where do we go from here? I think there's a ryokan not far from here, ideal for a good night's rest."
"Sounds good to me, but aren't your feet aching?' she stilled, concern visible on her face as she noticed Furina was limping a bit.
Not giving her any time to reply, Arlecchino swept Furina off her feet, secured the smaller, embarrassed woman on her back and began carrying her on the road to the ryokan. She squirmed for a while, protesting that she could walk just fine, but the toned arms refused to budge. Thus, Furina resigned herself and rested her weight on Arlecchino's well-trained back, her chin on her shoulder.
The time they spent together was limited both by the work commitments of the Harbinger—who had managed to free herself up from her duty to escort Furina to Inazuma—and by the secrecy of their relationship. As such, the women intended to make the most of this respite in a foreign land.
After a few days, Furina received the news that the Shogun had agreed to take the role, followed shortly by the official announcement, the news spreading swiftly through both nations like a ripple across still water. What followed were several weeks of rehearsals under Furina's direction. The former Archon had to extend her stay in Inazuma, alone this time, as the very intensive rehearsals were better to take place in Inazuma, to make up for the cast members’ busy schedules.
Any lingering doubts Furina had were dispelled the moment she saw Ei and Yae side by side. Naturally, the two knew each other inside and out—their dynamic, synergy and intimity required no explanation and were an art in itself.
And to Furina’s delight, they were revealed to be both very talented! Granted, they were only playing different versions of themselves, but despite being inspired by them, the characters of “the good-for-nothing Shogun” and Yae Masako had altered personalities, fitting the tropes of light novel characters. Both set aside their egos and submitted to Furina’s direction with grace, offering not only disciplined execution but also subtle embellishments—nuanced expressions, spontaneous ad-libs—that breathed life into the script. Having the author probably helped a lot, but for a director, there’s nothing more satisfying than having actresses military following instructions, while still adding their personal touch to the play.
As for the secondary characters, that was straightforward. Yae brought her most faithful servants to Fontaine to play them—including Miyuki, who was overjoyed to be part of the adventure—further strengthening the international aspect of the play.
The night of the performance quickly arrived, Furina was settled in her private VIP box perched atop the Opera Epiclese as the lights dimmed, and the show began.
At her side sat Arlecchino, who had kindly come to support Furina despite the story not being her genre.
"Look at the fruit of my labor—they’re going to blow you away, Arle."
"You’ll have to forgive me, since so far, it’s just as boring as I remember." she was never one to mince her words, Furina had once lent her the first volume of the light novel, but she hadn’t made it past the first chapter.
"It has just started… You still have no patience at all."
"Welcome back, Almighty Shogun!" said Yae Masako, kneeling respectfully on the ground. She wore a red-and-white shrine maiden outfit, her fluffy fox ears twitching ever so slightly—and beneath them, a face that commanded reverence.
"You're back. I asked you to help patrol the territory half a month ago. How's it going then?"
"Oops, I shouldn't ask about work just as you've returned. Well, as usual, will you have dinner first, or take a bath first? Or do you prefer…"
"What? 'As usual'? You’ve never greeted me like that before."
Not a single member of the audience managed to suppress their laughter—except Arlecchino, as stoic as ever.
"Is it really that humorous?" she asked "At least I’m enjoying the direction, even if I can’t pretend to know much about it, to be honest."
"Thanks. I tried to incorporate as many elements of traditional Inazumian theater as I could, considering the play’s content, and since this is the first international performance in history. I’m always grateful to Yae for her guidance."
"Yay. Butter Crab, my favorite Butter Crab!" the Almighty Shogun shouted with mild enthusiasm.
"Ugh, Ei, put some energy into it, for Celestia's sake! It’s ‘Yay!’—just like you said so perfectly during rehearsals!" Furina stomped her foot and sprung from her chair. She would occasionally lose her temper over the smallest of details invisible to the average spectator.
"Calm down a bit, Droplet," Arlecchino softly whispered, resting a hand on Furina's shoulder. She was slowly being drawn into the play despite herself.
"Sorry."
A scene depicting a training session unfolded, the Shogun swung her sword with very little conviction, yet it displayed all the finely sculpted musculature of her back and arms, muscles flexing with each strike. But what captivated the audience was the the legendary sword they could admired up-close. It was in fact not a replica. Musou Isshin. The name of the legendary katana Furina had convinced Ei to bring on stage, the very katana she used in countless battle.
"Such a good girl…" Masako praised her lord and friend, clasping her hands together as always while biting her lower lip.
Instead of an innocent one, the tone of her voice was far more seductive than the script had intended, and Ei, turning crimson at the words, completely lost her temper—she struck the katana with such inhuman force that the very air sliced toward the front row of the audience. A round of applause rang out.
Furina let out a long sigh. "Rawness is part of the theater's appeal... At least the audience seems to be enjoying it." she murmured to herself, then smiled faintly as she noticed Arlecchino’s absolute focused expression, her eyes locked on the stage.
She looks so handsome like that…
Halfway through the play, Furina broke again the silence.
"Ah, how jealous I am of those two... Being a director is cruel. They look like they're having so much fun, just look at their faces."
"Wish you were on stage with them?"
"Only if you were up there with me." she laid her hand on Arlecchino's on the hand-rest and offered her an affectionate gaze.
"Never. But if I had to choose, I suppose I’d take Masako’s role."
"Then I’d be the Shogun." Furina picked up the notebook resting on the table beside her.
"Here, take my script. It might be fun to act along with them."
"But don’t you need it too?"
"I know it by heart. I’m the director, idiot. Come on, read it out loud."
"...If that's what makes you happy."
And so, while the audience watched the stage with rapt attention, the two of them performed their own private play from the shadows.
The end of the play drew near, and the now-iconic scene from the close of the first volume was about to come to life before the eyes of tonight’s audience.
The good-for-nothing Shogun was chewing slowly on a Butter Crab Masako had given her before departing to attend to her affairs, leaving her alone—alone with that sinking guilt that had haunted her for relying so heavily on her loyal Kitsune servant for so long.
Suddenly, a headache struck, followed by fever, and then she collapsed.
“Droplet, is it normal for the script to just stop here?” Arlecchino asked, unable to keep following her lines in sync with the present scene.
“I told them to improvise from here. For a moment this important, I thought it was the right choice—and the rehearsals proved me right. Watch and learn.”
Bathed in the pale spotlight, the Shogun laid in her futon. The stage, now emptied of Masako and all other characters, seemed vast and desolate.
A cough—or perhaps a low groan—escaped from the pained expression of the actress. She weakly raised one arm, as if reaching for something no longer there… and then let it fall to the ground.
“I have to admit, Ei’s acting here is incredible. You can feel all of her anguish, and her inner turmoil.” Arlecchino said.
She missed Masako’s soft lap.
She missed her humming voice, always helping her fall asleep…
She missed her Masako so, so much.
And that only made the guilt worse.
“Maybe it’s for the best she’s not here... Maybe she finally realized that spending all this time with someone like me—the ‘good-for-nothing’ Shogun—isn’t worth the pain. I’m only getting what I deserve.” Her weakened, feeble voice, barely more than a whisper, still carried all the way to the back of the Opera Epiclèse. "Sorry, Masako..." she murmured, before falling into slumber. There was no movement left on the scene, no slow breathing beneath the blanket, only the motionless puppet Ei used to manifest herself in the physical world.
Furina reclined her seat, lying back, and closed her eyes too.
Yae Masako appeared on the stage, as if she never left the Shogun's side, and she never did.
"I brewed this drink called Rainbow Aster. I just went to Ritou and bought some Calla Lilies from Mondstadt. Mix them with mint, and you get a drink that can cure your cold. Now drink it."
As the audience held its breath, Arlecchino watched the stage closely and repeated the line Masako had just spoken, trying to imitate Yae’s tone to perfection.
Like the Shogun on stage, Furina lay motionless in her reclining chair.
"Ah, looks like you can’t hold yourself up. Allow me."
The line was echoed softly by Arlecchino, who also mirrored Yae’s gestures with uncanny precision. Furina felt a shift in the air—likely Arlecchino leaning in closer—and caught the rising murmur of a confused crowd below. Then she felt… something unexpected.
A warm tongue slipping into her mouth?
“Ngh~ wh—” She tried to form words, but Arlecchino left no room for them, overwhelming her completely. She gave her tongue no respite, utterly dominating her with a feral hunger, and Furina could only moan into her mouth.
A hand wandered down her midsection, fingers curling at the edge of her waistband. Without further ado, she tried to insert a finger—before Furina snapped back to awareness and stopped her.
“Have you gone out of your mind?! That was not in the script—and it wasn't acting either, for that matter."
“Are you certain? I followed your instructions.” Arlecchino replied with visible disappointment, her gaze drifting toward the stage which Furina's followed.
"The Shogun in her weak state, should be mouth-fed the—" she couldn't finish her sentence.
There, in full view, and in front of the stunned audience, Yae was passionately kissing Ei, who in turn started to discard her kimono, soon making out with her. “Putain…” Furina muttered, her visage turning pallid and dumbfounded.
What was going to happen to her reputation as a director now? No, to her reputation as a person of integrity! Interviews as the director were scheduled at the end of the play... Her face drained of color as she pictured tomorrow's headlines in The Steambird—claiming she had authorized such a display of debauchery in the hallowed Opera Epiclese. Even Charlotte couldn't help save Furina skin.
“I’m sorry—I have to stop this before it goes too far,” she said, pulling her clothes back into place and rushing out of the room, leaving Arlecchino alone.
“Good luck.” Arlecchino murmured, slight amusement in her voice as she witnessed the fall of the play.
However, it was too late.
What was Furina going to say? That public indecency was considered normal in Inazuma? Of course, theater culture varied from nation to nation, and the rules of decorum were sometimes less rigid, but no one in their right mind would be foolish enough to believe such a lie.
They all did so good until now, why ruin everything in the end, Yae?!