Genshin Impact | "The Eagle Solstice" | Alhaitham x Lumine

The End of a Love Story, Part 5

Part 5

Everybody stared.

Neuvillette advanced to Furina's side. The sound of his cane tapping on the floor interspersed with soft footsteps as the crowd followed him with their eyes. He stopped and placed a hand over the backrest of the chair she was sitting in and lowered his head. Furina was sure he was going to kiss her. Right in front of everyone? Like reflex, she jumped out of the seat with the biggest laugh she could muster from her throat. That's so embarrassing...

"My dear Iudex!" she blurted after fake-laughing. Her eyes flickered to the people gawking at them as if they were actors on a stage. "Ahem! I-I completely forgot my place! I shouldn't have sat on your designated seat if that's what you mean to remind me..."

He winced at the abrupt response. "You are free to seat wherever you please, Lady Furina."

The former Hydro Archon shook her head, waving her hands between them. "No, I'm no longer the Archon. I can't sit there." Her eyes wandered over the table. All the seats on either side were taken.

"You can have my seat, Lady Furina," Clorinde stood up.

"No, no, no... Um, I'll seat right here." She pointed at Wriothesley who was seated on the first chair to the right.

"Huh?" The Duke ran his hand over his hair. "Uh... right, you can sit on my lap, Lady Furina." He slapped his thighs and turned to the Iudex for a reaction, smirking.

Neuvillette cocked an eyebrow. His antennae poised at a threatening angle to the Duke.

"Are you stupid? She's referring to your seat, dummy," Chiori snapped.

"Jeez, relax." He chuckled. "I was just horsing around."

Wriothesley stood up but a waiter approached them quickly bearing an empty chair. He wedged it at the corner and everybody seated on the right lane automatically stood up and adjusted themselves to give space for Furina. Wooden legs squeaked and scratched the marble floor unceremoniously. They all settled down after much fuss.

Furina sighed dramatically before plopping on the cushion. "Ah... That's more like it."

Neuvillette stood at the head of the table after everybody settled. 

He cleared his throat and began. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We are all gathered today in celebration of the Fontinalia Festival. It is all thanks to you and your hard work, participants..." Purple-blue eyes scanned the hall, acknowledging every person beaming at him. "...winners..." He glanced down at Furina beside him, eyes pouring with admiration. "...that the Festival was a resounding success. This is the first dinner we've held for the Festival in 500 hundred years, and may this day serve as the first of many. So, I shall no longer keep you waiting."

He picked up the goblet before him and raised it. People from all corners of the hall stood up and copied. "Let the feast begin." Everyone in the Palais drank from cups and cheered.

The musician resumed playing, filling the hall with relaxing music from cellos and violins.

Lumine's attention wandered back to The Scribe standing beside her, holding a cup just like the rest of them. Her grip tightened around the stem of her own glass. She could've sworn Alhaitham's eyes were red just now, but they quickly shifted to a normal teal shade.

He sipped the contents of the cup and murmured, "this is water."

Lumine drank from her own glass hesitantly, trying to process what she had just witnessed.

"The Hydro Nation lives up to its reputation," he added.

They all sat down and people began taking food from trays and distributing them on plates. Alhaitham picked up a plate piled with slabs of roasted meat and stabbed one with a serving fork. He paused mid-way. "You want this?"