The second cycle of Reincarnation reached this point.
The audience felt Furina's flighty nature as the Hydro Archon.
For the people of Fontaine, they had already experienced all of this before.
They didn't feel anything was particularly amiss.
The only issue was that they didn't understand what role the Reincarnator, Kael, was playing here.
For nearly ninety percent, or even closer to one hundred percent of Fontaine's citizens, they couldn't grasp the significance of Kael's Reincarnation in this life.
If it was a story of love and hate between him and Furina, there were no clear signs of it yet.
As for viewing him as a power-hungry ruler like the one in Dugier's words, that didn't seem to be the case either.
Even if Kael wanted to completely take over Fontaine, the one he would truly have to face was Fontaine's Iudex, Neuvillette.
"I get it. The Reincarnator Kael wants to control Fontaine and is just using Furina as a figurehead mascot."
"The person he needs to deal with should be the Iudex, Neuvillette."
"Oh, so the protagonists of this Reincarnation story are Mr. Kael as the Reincarnator and Master Neuvillette as the Iudex of Fontaine?"
"Mr. Kael is very powerful, but our Master Neuvillette is just as formidable."
"It will definitely be exciting to see the two of them compete."
...
In the livestream room.
Navia: "Is it really as our fellow Fontaine citizens say? Is Mr. Kael's main opponent this time Master Neuvillette?"
Clorinde: "Analyzing it from various angles, Lady Furina, who only seems to watch the show, appears to be..."
Paimon: "A pitiful supporting character?"
Furina: "Ah, really? Is this time mainly about Kael and Neuvillette? That's great! I can go back to watching the show in peace."
Neuvillette: "..."
Venti: "What! Mr. Kael has changed his tastes?"
Kael: "Don't talk nonsense. My preferences have always been normal."
Yae Miko: "So, does Mr. Kael like someone like Clorinde, or someone like Furina?"
Clorinde: "Does the fox from Inazuma always speak so indiscreetly?"
Furina: "..."
Lisa: "It's just idle chatter. There's no harm in discussing it. So, what kind does Mr. Kael actually like?"
Lumine: "Aren't you all misunderstanding? Couldn't he like someone like me?"
Nahida: "I believe Mr. Kael likes Lumine's type. After all, they have already confirmed their relationship."
Aether: "Nonsense! As her older brother, I haven't given my approval yet."
Dainsleif: "Aether, you have no say here anymore. Just wait quietly for the answer."
Yae Miko: "Is that so? What a pity. I can't exactly shrink myself down, can I?"
Kael: "..."
Kael: "I like... twin-tails..."
Yae Miko: "Understood. I'll change my hairstyle in a few days. But Mr. Kael is truly impressive to actually understand the appeal of twin-tails."
Lisa: "As expected of a Reincarnator, you certainly have broad horizons."
Furina: "Twin-tails? What's that...?"
Lumine: "I don't understand..."
Fontaine. Neuvillette's office.
Watching everyone chat so enthusiastically, Neuvillette suddenly felt a rare moment of leisure.
However, he didn't believe this Reincarnation event would involve him too much.
Neuvillette had a strong premonition.
What Kael cared about wasn't Fontaine, nor was it power.
In his heart, he should care about a certain person.
If it wasn't Furina, Neuvillette found it hard to imagine who else it could be.
The Pope and the Hydro Archon. Kael and Furina.
Their identities destined them to be in the same boat.
However, Furina's status as the Hydro Archon was a sham.
Once exposed, if things escalated, Kael would definitely be dragged into it.
Neuvillette once again recalled what Furina had told Kael privately in her past life regarding her power.
That was clearly a lie.
As for why she lied, Neuvillette knew it in his heart, and Lumine knew it too.
Presumably, Furina herself knew it best of all.
Yet, what Neuvillette couldn't understand was why Furina would fabricate such a reason to deceive Kael.
No matter how he analyzed it, Furina had no need or obligation to make up such a lie.
After much thought, Neuvillette finally found the key to the problem.
'It can only be said that some other feelings developed between the past Furina and Kael.'
'To the point where Furina didn't dare reveal her identity, but also worried that Kael would have other opinions of her, so she fabricated a lie to deceive him.'
Fontaine was a nation centered on Trials.
The existence of the Church wasn't actually that significant.
Perhaps it was because the Reincarnation System started by showing Kael arriving in Fontaine and becoming the Pope.
Too much had happened over the centuries.
Neuvillette couldn't grasp more intelligence regarding Kael and Furina.
Although he couldn't understand why Furina deceived Kael, his intuition from presiding over cases for hundreds of years told him one thing.
The psychological journey Furina experienced in her past life must have been even more desolate.
[Inside a luxurious room.]
[Kael looked out the window toward the Opera Epiclese.]
["Lord Pope, that is how things transpired."]
["Lady Furina can be considered to have succeeded, right?"]
[Clorinde let out a long breath.]
[Seeing Lumine draw her sword at that time had given her a cold sweat.]
[Clorinde truly looked down on the Hydro Archon in her heart, but since the deity and the Church were one entity...]
[No matter how unsightly Furina's actions were, as a member of the Church, she had to desperately find ways to help her resolve the subsequent trouble.]
[This was the most direct and important command Kael, acting as the Pope, had given them.]
["Lady Furina is going to the Opera Epiclese soon to watch Lyney's magic show. It seems Lyney has also invited the Traveler."]
["Is that so?" Kael responded indifferently.]
["The Opera Epiclese... Come to think of it, I haven't been there in nearly 100 years."]
Lyney: "Is Mr. Kael going to the Opera House? Then he should be able to see my magic performance."
Lynette: "Don't get excited yet, brother. Don't forget that an accident happened during this performance. You were almost put on Trial."
Lyney: "Right. Thanks to the Traveler and Miss Navia, I was cleared of suspicion."
Venti: "See? Isn't this exactly how things start?"
Arlecchino: "What do you mean by that, Lord Anemo Archon? Are you suggesting Kael would frame my children just for Lady Furina's sake?"
Tartaglia: "Arlecchino, considering what happened to me, it doesn't seem impossible."
Arlecchino: "..."
~✦~ End of Chapter ~✦~
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