Holding the manuscript fee from Focalors, Themis returned to the top floor of Palais Mermonia, exhausted in both body and mind. After handing the payment to Surintendante Chevalmarin, she went to find Furina.
Pushing open the door, she was greeted by the sight of Furina sitting at her vanity, dressed in nothing but a thin nightgown, tending to her long hair.
"Mm, Themis, good morning~"
The blue-and-white cat perked up at the sound, her eyes lighting up when she saw Themis.
She let go of the strand of hair in her hand and walked barefoot across the carpet.
As Themis watched Furina approach, sunlight bathed the little jellyfish in a soft, sacred, milky-white glow, making her skin appear even more radiant.
Yet, for some reason, in that moment, Themis found herself recalling the sly and slightly seductive expression Focalors had worn yesterday.
Hugging the pouncing Furina, Themis mentally whispered, Forgive me, forgive me.
Warm and soft in her arms, her guilt deepened. But once she reminded herself that Focalors and Furina were the same person, Themis quickly regained her sense of righteousness.
Then she immediately felt ashamed of herself again.
Damn it, how could I let that little water spirit, Focalors, mess with my head like this?Truly a goddess full of tricks.
But running off to the Opera Epiclese right now to pin Focalors down and properly educate her wasn't an option.
Stroking Furina's soft hair, Themis unconsciously swallowed.
Furina was utterly adorable, showing no wariness from their heated kisses the night before—if anything, she was even clingier now.
Themis's gaze wavered as Furina bounced around in her arms. Well, since they're the same person, it should be fine to kiss Furina too, right?
"Themis?"
Furina tilted her head up from Themis's chest, her clear, wide eyes filled with curiosity at the lack of response.
The cute little cat had no idea what kind of impure thoughts were swirling in Themis's mind.
Sheltered by Themis's watchful protection, Furina only knew a little about human romance—just kisses and hugs at most.
To her, being embraced and passionately kissed last night was already more than enough to satisfy her.
Pure and innocent, dreamy and lovely—Furina made Themis feel ashamed. I've been thinking too many indecent thoughts. Even I can't hold back anymore.
But she couldn't take all the blame!
After holding back for five hundred years, she had been teased by Focalors last night, only to be abruptly kicked out before things could escalate.
"Indulging all at once would be too much; better to leave you wanting more, make it gradual, wouldn't that be more exciting?"
Hearing those words, Themis had nearly lost it. If not for her incredible self-restraint—honed over five centuries—and her status as a proper and virtuous official, Focalors would have long been pinned to a desk, drenched in—
Themis had already made up her mind. If she really couldn't hold back any longer, she would ensure that the ever-teasing Focalors learned her lesson properly—through action.
Her five centuries of authority would not be disrespected.
With her thoughts running wild, Themis found herself utterly helpless when it came to Focalors.
Comparing her to the adorable Furina, Themis was shocked to realize that, in just one night, the balance of her heart—once entirely in Furina's favor—was tilting toward Focalors.
Hiss—
She sucked in a breath, a chill running down her spine.
Focalors… Was this part of your plan too?!
Truly despicable!
She scooped Furina up by the waist and carried her to the bed.
"Why did you come down without slippers?"
Though her tone was gentle, a storm raged beneath it. Themis's gaze locked onto Furina's dainty, pink feet—so similar to Focalors's, yet lacking the shackles of her anklets.
She patted Furina's foot lightly before pulling out a neatly folded pair of white stockings from the bedside drawer.
Holding Furina's waist, she positioned her sideways on her lap, ensuring the girl clung to her neck for balance.
Themis took one of Furina's feet in her slender hands. The delicate toes curled slightly in reflex.
With practiced ease, she slipped the thin white stocking over the small foot.
Furina obediently rested against Themis's chest, but the blush blooming behind her ears betrayed her flustered state.
Even though she had kissed Themis on the forehead of her own accord last night, this level of intimacy was still overwhelming.
Not to mention—Themis was holding her foot while putting on her stockings!
It wasn't the first time, but after last night, everything felt different. The gesture sent Furina's thoughts spiraling, her mind struggling to keep up.
When people feel shy, they instinctively look for distractions—especially as Themis reached for her other foot, making small adjustments.
Furina bit her lip, trying to remain calm. It's just a couple of touches. Themis has even bathed me before.
This is nothing.
Ahhh, no, it's still so embarrassing!
Since when was Themis so interested in my feet? Yesterday she only seemed to like kissing me and patting my belly!
The innocent Furina had no real understanding of what lovers typically did, but something about this situation made her blush uncontrollably.
Seeing that Themis showed no intention of looking away from her feet, Furina gritted her teeth and glanced up at Themis's neck.
The blue-and-white cat began to fidget.
Just as Themis was pulling the stocking up, she suddenly felt a soft bite on her neck.
Teeth grazed her skin, damp with faint traces of saliva. The bite was careful, not meant to hurt—more like a playful gesture between lovers.
Momentarily stunned, Themis's golden eyes widened.
Then she felt it—gentle licks following the bite.
Oh no.
Her heart skipped a beat. Why does it feel like I've been the one getting teased ever since last night?!
With Focalors, she had resigned herself. That woman had no sense of human shame and was full of tricks.
But when had sweet, innocent Furina started seducing her?!
Shocked beyond belief, Themis struggled to comprehend this turn of events.
Furina, misinterpreting Themis's furrowed brows, worried that she had bitten too hard. She quickly licked the spot again, hoping to soothe the pain.
Lifting her head, she asked nervously, "Themis, does it still hurt?"
Themis took a deep breath, staring at the anxious blue-and-white kitten. "Not really, but… if Lady Furina gives me a kiss, I'm sure I'll feel better immediately."
Furina's gaze flickered between Themis's lips and her playful, expectant eyes—realizing instantly that she had been tricked.
But—
What did it matter?
Leaning in, Furina's cat-cat attack commenced!
Sealing Themis's lips with her own, she was secretly delighted to see Themis momentarily stunned.
Her early-morning reading of that notebook her reflection had given her had paid off!
It said that taking the initiative could shift the dynamic, giving her the upper hand—and that would make Themis obedient.
Well, she no longer expected Themis to ever be obedient, but if she could gain some control…
Watching Themis's stunned expression, Furina felt triumphant.
You didn't see this coming, did you, Themis?! This is my strategy now!
And Themis really hadn't expected it.
But so what?
Her eyes narrowed, her grip tightening around Furina's waist.
If Furina wanted to play—
Then let the game begin.
-
Ten minutes later…
Furina lay on the bed, clothes in disarray, one shoulder bare, gasping for breath. Her unfocused eyes were misted over, and her flushed cheeks painted an image ripe for imagination.
On her shoulders and neck, there were several deliberately left red marks, the faint pink contrasting against her fair skin.
Themis hummed contentedly. While she hadn't planned to take things too far so quickly, to the point where the bedsheets would be soaked…
She was, however, well-versed in theoretical knowledge about how to stir up Furina's emotions while kissing. She had already tested a portion of it on Focalors yesterday—right before the god kicked her out. And today, she had let Furina experience some of it firsthand.
The results? Excellent. Absolutely perfect.
Themis felt that her five centuries of diligent study had definitely not been in vain.
Poor Furina. The innocent little blue-and-white cat couldn't comprehend this strange, overwhelming sensation—where it came from, what it meant.
The unfamiliar feeling was nearly out of her control, leaving her dazed and a little scared.
But with Themis' following kisses, she gradually recovered.
Clutching the bedsheets beneath her fingers, Furina, for the first time, felt like she had been deceived by her reflection in the mirror.
There was no "reversal of control" at all!
Instead, it had only made Themis fight harder!
Puffing up her cheeks, Furina was now highly suspicious of the notes her reflection had given her.
She could tell now—those tips were completely useless!
Themis: No, they were very useful. At least I'm having a great time.
Feeling utterly satisfied, Themis felt as if all the frustration from yesterday had completely vanished.
Swiftly dressing the little jellyfish up in fresh clothes, she opened the door to Furina's bedroom—only to be greeted by the sight of three seafood creatures standing guard outside.
Under their scrutinizing gazes, Themis happily made her way to her office.
Perfect. Decision made. Next time, once she dragged Focalors into this, she would skip the one-on-one entirely and go straight for a full-on party!
Furina was too sensitive—Themis hadn't even used her full arsenal yet, and already, Furina looked as if she had been utterly played with. If this continued, what would happen in the future?
No wonder the Hydro Archon had split into two halves. This was far too convenient for Themis!
Upon arriving at her office, Themis found that the pile of documents on her desk had grown a little taller. Since she had arrived late today, none had been processed yet.
The topmost document was from Neuvillette, inquiring about the situation in the Fortress of Meropide—where two Harbingers and the Traveler had joined forces. He wanted to know how to proceed.
If it were just Tartaglia alone, Neuvillette could handle it.
But two Fatui Harbingers plus a five-element Traveler? Neuvillette believed this was a situation that required careful vigilance—at least in terms of combat strength, he knew he was outmatched.
Themis glanced at the letter before picking up a fresh sheet of paper and writing a reply.
As long as they don't cause trouble and remain polite, everything can be discussed.
If they are disrespectful, they will receive the treatment they deserve.
However, this does not mean you should take on all three of them alone.
The only one likely to be impolite is the Fatui's Childe, Tartaglia. If he wants to negotiate, I recommend speaking directly to Arlecchino instead. She is intelligent and, in the matter of the prophecy crisis, is an ally who—though a Snezhnayan—has her heart set on Fontaine.
The Traveler can be ignored; their opinion is sometimes irrelevant.
Oftentimes, you can even treat them as part of the background.
As long as you provide sufficient reasoning, the Traveler is a very reasonable person. In fact, out of a sense of responsibility, there are times when they may even offer unconditional assistance—without expecting any benefit in return.
Of course, this doesn't mean they lack their own thoughts or should be subjected to moral coercion.
If you need their help, show the proper sincerity. Don't treat them as a tool to be ordered around.
It's best to be direct with them—it makes communication easier.
After writing a detailed response filled with methods and suggestions, Themis had the letter delivered to Neuvillette.
Back in the Fortress of Meropide, after receiving Themis' reply, Neuvillette felt a newfound sense of confidence in dealing with the trio.
If you ask why he felt relieved—
Well, isn't it obvious? This was personally authorized by the Regent herself!
That alone was reason enough. In all of Fontaine, this was an absolute guarantee—so much so that it could easily convince any Fontainian.
This was the prestige and authority Themis had built over five centuries.
Chief Justice Neuvillette was impartial and fair, but he had his shortcomings—he was distant, polite, and focused only on justice, unable to truly connect with the people like Melusines did.
The Hydro Archon Furina, despite being beloved and bringing joy to Fontaine, remained elusive and difficult to approach.
But Themis was different.
To all of Fontaine, she was omnipotent, a figure they could always rely on.
Whenever trouble arose, they could seek out Themis. She would respond with warmth, guide them through their confusion, and illuminate the path ahead.
With a Regent like this, how could you have any reason not to trust her?
This was someone even Lady Furina and Lord Neuvillette instinctively relied upon!