Yes, Lady Funina!

On the third day, Clarinde received news of the proposal's approval in Frynn's office.

She fell silent for a moment.

It wasn't that the repeated setbacks had made her insecure, but rather that she felt even if the proposal passed, it couldn't possibly be this quick, could it? Yan

When have the officials of Mo Mang Palace ever been this efficient?

Richard explained, "The Opiclay Opera House does indeed have hidden problems, and they are quite serious, to the point that we must address them."⑦

"To be honest, the problems at the Opiclay Opera House were bound to happen. After all, to avoid affecting daytime operations, maintenance work is usually done at night, and large-scale overhauls are rare. The last major overhaul and renovation must have been several years ago, right?"

"It's said that the decision was made because the public felt the Opizlie Opera House's decor was somewhat outdated."

At this point, Richard couldn't help but marvel at the high quality of the Opiclie Opera House; it has remained largely problem-free for centuries, with only minor issues like outdated decor and routine malfunctions requiring attention.

It seems the people in charge of building the Opizke Opera House back then didn't take any kickbacks...②

"It's easier to understand why those officials agreed so quickly to close the Opiclie Opera House for renovations. With Navisette's support, there were funding allocations, a budget, and professionals handling the process—it didn't require much effort. And most importantly—there was no responsibility involved."

"With such good terms, unless someone's completely out of their mind, there's no way they could disagree."

"When the benefits of something far outweigh the drawbacks, it would be strange not to rush to get it done," Richard said confidently.

Of course, there's one more reason Richard didn't mention about how quickly it was approved: he also contributed a small but significant amount.

There was nothing he could do; Richard was a kind and charitable man who always cultivated good relationships with others.

Everyone respects Secretary Richard.

Such matters are best kept private and not discussed openly. It would be bad if people who don't know the truth misunderstood Richard as a treacherous official who likes to form cliques and pursue personal gain.

So now... it's your turn to make a choice, Lady Funina.

"After all that you've said, I'm a little confused. What happened at the Opiclie Opera House?"

At this moment, Funina was completely confused, watching Richard and Claurind's back-and-forth discussion.

I felt like an outsider who hadn't watched the news in a long time and couldn't keep up with my colleagues' conversation. I could only watch them chat enthusiastically while I knew nothing and couldn't join in.

Human joys and sorrows are not shared; I only find it noisy (Frinina exclusive).jpg

She's still upset about not going to Mondstadt, while Richard and Claudia are completely oblivious to her unusual behavior. (Referring to having missed a piece of cake at afternoon tea.)

Yes, Frynn has decided not to go to Mondstadt; she doesn't want to miss even one of the trials!

After all, what if the trial she missed was the final judgment in the prophecy?

Funina couldn't afford to gamble; she had already paid too high a price for it.

As for Mondstadt... wait until everything is over before going there.

She hadn't had a chance to tell Richard about this yet.

"Furina, what's wrong?"

Richard noticed that a line of tears was sliding down Funina's cheeks, but Funina seemed completely unaware of it, and even smiled at him when Richard asked her about it.

"Me? What happened to me? I'm fine."

"But you're crying. Did the Opiclie Opera House's week-long closure really affect you that much?"

Upon hearing this, Funina, disregarding her abundant water element, widened her almond-shaped eyes in disbelief and asked, "The Opicley Opera House is closed for renovations? What about the trial?"

"Naturally, it will be postponed by one week. I regret to inform you, Lady Furina, that starting tomorrow, you will not be able to attend the trial at the Opicley Opera House for the next week."

"Of course, if you're bored, why don't you take a day off and go to Mondstadt with me? It should only take about a week to go there and back."

Volume 1: Chapter 39 Fortune Lies in Peril

"Of course, if you're bored, why don't you take a day off and go to Mondstadt with me? It should only take about a week to go there and back."

Richard extended another invitation to Funina, and this time he removed the shackles that bound her.

So, what choice will Funina make this time?

Choosing to accept means that Frynn's century-long habit of watching the trial at the Opicclay Opera House was not simply out of liking, but for some deeper reason.

Choosing to refuse implies that there are other reasons why Furness cannot leave Fontaine, and the Opicclay Opera House is only one of them.

Regardless of his choice, Richard was able to extract some useful information to support his inferences.

Of course, the reason he used so many resources was mainly because he saw that Frynn really wanted to go to Mondstadt, and he was just helping her fulfill her wish.

After all, he said he was Funina's friend, so he couldn't just do nothing and watch his friend be sad, could he?

Now that you've built up a lot of goodwill towards him, if he encounters any trouble in the future, will Funina stand idly by?

"I... let me think about it some more. You see, as the Water Goddess, and also the Minister of Administration, I must have a lot of things to do every day. Going abroad is such a big thing, so I must have to do a lot of preparations. It's not like I can just go whenever I want, right?" Fu Ningna's eyes flickered as she reached out and wiped away her tears haphazardly.

Despite all that Furina said, it was obvious to everyone that she was indeed tempted.

She just didn't give in verbally, waiting for someone to persuade her with a more compelling reason.

However, instead of Richard's offer of a way out, Frynn was betrayed by Clarinde.

Clarind said, "Lady Frinina, you don't actually have that many things to handle. The city hall won't stop functioning just because someone is missing..."

Perhaps Clarinde felt that her words were a bit too deliberate, so she quickly added, "Uh, what I meant was that you might not be as important as you think?"

Frynn and Richard looked at Clarinde together, marveling at her superb resignation skills.

“I think what Clarind means is that even if you, Frinina, are gone, she can fill your void perfectly well and do all the work for you, so you can go to Mondstadt on your business trip with peace of mind.”

Richard almost let it slip, but thankfully he managed to cover it up in time. He looked at Clarinde with lingering fear, wondering if this kind of thing could be contagious.

Kind of scary.

“Yes, that’s right.” Clarind nodded hurriedly in agreement after Richard came to her rescue.

Huh? Wait a minute, when did I say I would help Funina complete her job?

Clarin looked at Richard with a wistful expression. Had this guy just dug himself another hole?

Richard defined this trip as a diplomatic visit, commonly known as a business trip.

If Richard were to go to Mondstadt alone, he would have to ask for leave. But if he were to bring Frynn along, it would be a legitimate diplomatic mission, the kind that could be reimbursed at public expense.

After all, Frynn's status is undeniable; as one of the seven ruling deities of the mortal realm, she holds a position equivalent to the wind deity of Mondstadt.

As the water goddess, Frynn couldn't possibly sneak off to Mondstadt, and even if she wanted to, she probably wouldn't be able to. So, she might as well go openly.

Tell Mondstadt that they are not here to cause trouble, but to bring peace and friendship; taking in the refugees of Mondstadt is the best proof of that.

Therefore, even though Mondstadt recently suffered a dragon plague, it is unlikely that it would refuse this diplomatic visit.

According to Richard's intelligence, the Knights of Favonius were actually eager for them to go to Mondstadt.

The main reason is that the Knights of Favonius are facing diplomatic pressure from the Fools and urgently need to introduce a third party to alleviate their pressure.

Seeing Funina's expression, Richard understood that she had completely given in.

“In fact, this diplomatic visit is far from as easy as you think. Do you really think this trip is just about eating, drinking, and having fun?” Richard asked with a serious expression.

“Oh, isn’t that right?” Funina blurted out.

“Of course not,” Richard explained to Funina.

"Mondstadt is currently in a precarious situation, with the dragons raging outside and Winter pressing down on it, while it is short-handed and lacks combat power internally. It can be said that Mondstadt is at its weakest in recent years. If we lend a helping hand to Mondstadt now, I believe it will bring greater rewards in the future."

"After all, as long as the Wind God is there, Mondstadt will not fall, and we don't need to give anything substantial, we just need to show our faces."

After a moment's thought, Funina asked the crux of the matter: "So we're really not going there for fun?"

"Of course, after the official docking is completed, some entertainment is also acceptable. The beauty of Starcliff in Mondstadt is famous throughout Teyvat, and I can be your tour guide."

Since Richard had put it that way, Funina naturally had no more questions and nodded in agreement.

This also means that, after becoming the water goddess, Frynn has left Fontaine for the first time and traveled to the free city called Mondstadt.

Perhaps, in that free city-state, even she could faintly taste the wine called 'freedom'?

The following day, the third day of the week, marked the official commencement of the first diplomatic mission of Queen Fernina de Fontaine, Queen of Waters, Nations, Peoples and Laws.

As soon as she boarded the ship, Funina looked back and saw that, in addition to them, there was a group of accompanying personnel queuing to board. The length of the queue reminded Funina of when the Hotel de Bois launched a limited-edition dessert, and the queue must have been just as long.

“Why are there so many people?” Funina asked, worried that a single ship wouldn’t be able to hold them all.

“This is necessary, partly to show Fontaine’s emphasis on this diplomatic mission, and partly for your safety,” Richard said.

Fu Ningna glanced at the bald, overweight middle-aged men in the group who were out of breath after taking just a few steps, and the old man with white hair and hardly any teeth left. She then looked at Richard, the meaning in her eyes was self-evident.

They protected me... Are you serious?

However, this reminded Frynn of something: given the dragon scourge in Mondstadt, could her safety be guaranteed there?

After all, even Clarinde probably wouldn't be a match for a 'dragon', right?

Moreover, Clorind hasn't come yet; she should be in her office handling official business on her behalf right now.

"Um...didn't you say before that a wise man doesn't stand under a crumbling wall? So our mission to Mondstadt should be safe, right?" (Chapter 33)

"Yes, Lady Funina. But there's also a saying, 'Sacrifice your life for righteousness,' or rather, 'Fortune favors the bold.'"

Funina turned pale with fright.

Volume 1: Chapter 40 Mr. Macaron

Fryna suddenly became less excited about this trip to Mondstadt.

It wasn't because her safety wasn't guaranteed; ever since the last incident with the heist gang, she had a clear understanding of Richard's abilities.

I wouldn't say I could kill that Stormterror solo, but at least I should be able to protect myself from its claws.

What really bothered Funina was the topic of desserts.

Richard told her that Mondstadt had been severely damaged, and many people had been displaced by the Stormterror. Although the Knights of Favonius had organized relief efforts and provided disaster relief supplies, the atmosphere in the city remained gloomy and the people were disunited.

In this case, the menu for the welcome dinner will not include 'luxury' items such as alcoholic beverages and desserts.

After all, if rumors were to spread that "the people of Mondstadt are suffering while the upper class of Mondstadt is enjoying fine wine and food," the consequences would be absolutely unbearable for Mondstadt at present.

Of course, Mondstadt treated them to the highest standards of hospitality. Except for food, which was somewhat reduced due to the current situation, the other three aspects of accommodation, food, and transportation were all of the highest standard.

The Knights of Favonius' concerns were not unfounded, as there was a group of unruly guests eyeing Mondstadt with predatory intent.

The Fools certainly wouldn't mind kicking their 'ally' when they're down; in fact, they're already doing this under the guise of 'helping'.

With just a little incitement, the Knights might have to consider how to deal with the masses blinded by rage before they can even fight the Stormterror.

"So there aren't any desserts in the embassy?" Funina asked hurriedly.

“The embassy has them, but the receptions and banquets are held in the auditorium at the Knights of Favonius’s residence. However, there is juice available, Sunset Juice, which is seasonal and very sweet,” Richard shrugged.

She didn't care whether there was fine wine or not, since she didn't drink it anyway.

But the thought of not being able to eat desserts at the reception made Funina feel extremely uncomfortable.

She asked, somewhat reluctantly, "How long will the reception and banquet last?"

"Judging from the schedule... it won't exceed seven hours at most, and it usually lasts four to five hours."④

“Five hours…that just covers my afternoon tea time…” Funina said dejectedly, her ahoge (a single strand of hair sticking up) even drooping listlessly. ⑧

Fruit juice is good, but she still prefers black tea with desserts.

Thinking of this, Funina shifted her body slightly, moving closer to Richard. She took his arm while glancing to the side. 2

After making sure no one was paying attention, Funina said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "What do you think about hiding the cake in the hat?"

Richard glanced at Funina's pretty little blue hat and thought her little mind was incredibly clever; she always managed to come up with these mind-boggling suggestions. 8

“Good idea, but how will you, Furina, enjoy your treasured delicacy?”

Funina thought for a moment, then pictured herself standing in the center of a banquet, elegantly removing her hat under everyone's gaze to reveal a plate of chocolate-filled cake on her head, calmly taking the cake down, and even asking a waiter for a fork along the way.

Finally, in front of everyone, she cut off a piece and put it in her mouth. The sweetness filled her taste buds. The feeling of being surrounded by people drinking juice while she could enjoy dessert all by herself made the cake taste even better.

Just imagining that scene makes my toes clench.

She came to make friends on behalf of Fontaine, not to make enemies.

This proposal was rejected outright.

So Funina racked her brains and came up with another plan.

"Could we set up a lounge or discussion room next to the banquet to discuss the cooperation proposals put forward at the banquet, and bring the embassy's desserts in?"

Richard opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't know what to say. All his thoughts boiled down to one sentence: "That's a very constructive idea, Lady Funina."