"There's actually a law like that?" Paimon looked at Chaya in surprise.
"This young lady seems to know Fontaine's laws very well. You even know about that one!" Lyney looked at Chaya, somewhat surprised.
Lora stood to the side and smiled at Lyney. "My older sister worked at the Opera Epiclese for a while, so she knows a bit more about Fontaine's laws."
"Oh, so that's how it is!" Lyney suddenly understood.
But Paimon and Lumine only grew more confused.
Wasn't Lora from Liyue? Wasn't Chaya also from Liyue? How had they become Fontainians after one trip here? And Chaya had even worked at the Opera Epiclese before. What was going on?
Could it be that Liyue's adepti and the Court of Fontaine had some kind of work exchange in the past?
Lyney had only just finished tying the silk thread around Paimon when a group of Fontaine staff came running over from the other end of the harbor.
Seeing this, Lora blinked and said to Lumine, "Um... if you want to see Furina, she's here..."
After saying that, Lora retreated behind Chaya. Then, realizing something was wrong, she pulled Chaya with her and hid behind a nearby stone pillar.
Before Paimon and Lumine could react, Furina had already walked onto the platform. Then she climbed onto a crate, standing on top of it so the people below could see her whole body instead of just her head.
"That's the Hydro Archon?" Paimon was utterly shocked when she saw Furina appear.
Furina stood on the platform. Lora and Chaya were nowhere in her line of sight. With her hands on her hips, she declared loudly, "My wealthy, poor, cup-bearing, and empty-handed subjects, raise your cups! Those without cups may raise their arms instead!"
Chaya stood behind Lora and watched as she took a Kamera out of her side bag and snapped a picture of Furina on the platform. Then Lora clicked her tongue in admiration and sighed. "My daughter is so cute..."
Chaya: "..."
But perhaps Lora had been too brazen and had forgotten to hide herself. Her secret photography was soon discovered by Clorinde, who walked toward them with a serious expression.
Chaya noticed Clorinde approaching. She looked at Lora, who was still completely immersed in taking adorable pictures of her daughter, and wondered whether she should warn her.
Never mind. Better not.
Immediately after, Lora found a hand blocking the view in front of her lens. She froze, looked up, and met Clorinde's eyes.
"Clorinde?"
"Miss Lora?"
Both of them were rather surprised. Clorinde was especially surprised when she saw Chaya standing behind Lora. "Lady Chaya?"
Everyone's attention was drawn over. With all eyes on them, even Furina looked in their direction.
From where Furina stood, she could see Lora and Chaya clearly. The moment she saw them, her hands dropped from her hips. Her expression turned astonished, and her eyes widened in shock.
She nearly jumped straight down and ran over, but with so many people watching, she still had to maintain her dignity as a god, so she made no other move.
"Ahem! Um... Lora, Chaya! Why are you over there?" Furina demanded.
Lora quickly put away her Kamera, turned to Chaya, and asked, "Why didn't you warn me?"
Chaya said, "You were taking pictures so enthusiastically. I did not have the heart to interrupt."
Lora: "..."
"This is payback!"
"I suppose it is."
"..."
Clorinde made an inviting gesture toward them. "Miss Lora, Lady Chaya, please."
"Huh? So Chaya and Lora actually know the Hydro Archon?" Paimon was even more shocked when she saw this.
At Clorinde's invitation, the two walked into the middle of the crowd and quickly became the focus of everyone's attention. Even the Traveler from another land was no longer as eye-catching as they were.
"Ahem... everyone, allow me to make a grand introduction. This is my personal bodyguard, Miss Lora! And this is the Acting Chief Justice, Miss Chaya!" Furina looked at them and made their identities public.
"Acting Chief Justice? And the Hydro Archon's personal bodyguard?" Paimon looked at Lora and Chaya in even greater disbelief.
Lyney, standing off to the side, was also rather surprised. He said, "I truly didn't expect the two of you to have such identities. No wonder Miss Chaya knows Fontaine's laws so well!"
"I really don't like being stared at by everyone like this..." Lora sighed helplessly.
Friend, she had come to watch the show, not to perform in it.
"If you had been a little more discreet with your Kamera, we would not have ended up like this," Chaya said calmly from beside her.
It sounded a little like kicking her while she was down.
Furina called to them, "Come, come! My loyal guardian and defender of Fontaine's laws, hurry to my side!"
Lora looked at Chaya, asking with her eyes: Should we go or not?
Chaya spread her hands as if answering: Do you have a choice? Are you not going to help your daughter hold the stage?
Seeing Chaya like that, a line suddenly echoed in Lora's mind.
Original sin is the fairest. Everyone sinks. Seize the final feast, for the sinners' curtain call draws near.
Yes. The sinners' curtain call was drawing near. Then for this final feast, a little fun would not hurt.
So Lora quickly made her choice. She and Chaya came to Furina's side and faced Lumine and Paimon below together with her.
Lora stood beside Furina with her hands on her hips and said, "Traveler from another land, accept the judgment of our great Hydro Archon, Lady Focalors! This is a duel against a god!"
"Mm. That is only proper," Chaya said with a nod.
"Huh?" Both Paimon and Lumine froze in place, staring blankly at Lora and Chaya on the platform.
"Is this the Lora we know?" Paimon asked in confusion.
"No... only the Lora we know would do something like this." Lumine shook her head and sighed as she spoke to Paimon.
"Uh... I guess you're right." Paimon scratched her head, unable to refute Lumine.
But when Furina heard Lora's words, she froze on the spot. "Huh? A duel?"
"Yes, Lady Furina. Let these outsiders experience the mighty power of a god!" Lora nodded solemnly.
The people below also began to cheer. Someone cried out, "Oh my, is the duel starting already? I never thought we would get to see such an exciting scene right from the start!"