"Mm... ah... ah." Hearing a voice, Aether looked down—and sure enough, Furina, who had been fast asleep, was slowly opening her eyes.
As her eyes fully opened, she found herself staring directly into Aether's.
Still half-asleep, Furina's mind hadn't quite caught up yet. She held his gaze for a few seconds until Aether smiled and said gently, "You're awake. How did you sleep last night?"
That's when it finally registered—she was lying with her head on Aether's lap. In an instant, she bolted upright in a panic—or rather, in a flustered daze. Her face turned crimson as she waved her arms aimlessly, not knowing what to do.
Maybe she realized she looked silly like that, because she simply turned her head away and shut her eyes.
Watching her entire string of reactions, Aether felt a warm fondness rising in his chest. She was so cute. This was exactly how an ordinary girl should act when caught in such intimate proximity, right?
Furina was becoming more and more like a normal girl. And to Aether, that was a beautiful thing worth celebrating.
Furina, meanwhile, had no idea what Aether was thinking. But when he didn't speak for several seconds (which felt like an eternity to her), she started to worry—was he angry about what she just did?
But... but... in the plays she had performed before, resting one's head on a man's lap was a very intimate gesture—something only lovers would do.
She didn't think their relationship was quite at that level. At most, they were... close friends. Yes, that was it. Dearest friends.
...
What if he is mad? Furina thought nervously. She cautiously cracked one eye open and peeked toward Aether.
Of course, Aether wasn't angry. He wasn't that dense. It was clear Furina was just shy—and that was exactly what he had anticipated. He was prepared for this.
Last night, he had actually been the one resting on her lap. But he figured staying in one position too long might be uncomfortable for her, so eventually they ended up simply sitting close together, quietly watching the stars.
Eventually, Furina drifted off first, which was completely natural. She was, after all, a regular human. The curse she bore only extended her lifespan, not her stamina.
Once she'd fallen asleep, Aether gently repositioned her head onto his lap, hoping to make her rest a little more comfortably.
It meant he couldn't really sleep himself, but he didn't mind. He didn't need rest—not yet, anyway.
At first, he simply gazed at Furina's peaceful expression, lost in thoughts of his previous life.
But then he had a sudden realization—what if she woke up like this?
So, he prepared a little something in advance, just in case.
"I'm sorry, Furina," he said softly, "I just didn't want you to sleep uncomfortably. I prepared a gift for you... Please don't be mad, alright?"
His gentle tone made her heart skip a beat.
"I understand," she mumbled, her cheeks growing even redder. She... kind of liked that voice.
Seeing that she had calmed down, Aether took out the surprise he'd saved from last night.
Furina blinked, looking curiously at the cone-shaped object in his hand. "What's that?"
He passed it to her. "It's a dessert. It's called ice cream. Try it."
Furina took a bite. "Mmm... It's a little strange, but actually... pretty tasty."
Watching her take a huge bite, Aether sighed in mild exasperation. "If you eat it like that, you'll catch a cold."
He pulled out another one and demonstrated, "Look—like this. Slowly. Don't rush."
Furina stared as Aether gently licked and softly pressed his lips against the treat, savoring it at an almost agonizing pace. For some reason, she suddenly felt parched.
Of course, the ice cream itself wasn't anything special. But Furina, still inexperienced in matters of love, hadn't yet realized she'd already fallen for Aether. That's why even his smallest actions seemed inexplicably captivating to her.
...
To stop herself from spiraling into strange thoughts, she focused intently on her own dessert and stopped looking at him.
Seeing her settle down again, Aether spoke, "It's about time to send you back to Fontaine. But just so you know, if you ever feel like it, there's no need to attend the trials anymore. I'll make sure everything goes according to plan."
Furina's expression dimmed slightly at his words, but she nodded. "I believe you."
And so, after they finished their sweet treats, Aether brought Furina back to Fontaine.
"I can't take you straight to your room just yet," he explained. "For now, I can only send you as far as this scenic fountain by the entrance of the Opera Epiclese."
"But remember what I said, Furina. At least when it comes to attending trials, you're free to choose. From now on, follow your heart. Don't be afraid. I'll always be here to support you."
Worried she might instinctively head straight into the opera house again, he made sure to explain.
Furina listened quietly, then asked, "When will you... Come again?"
"I..." Aether thought for a moment. "If you need me, I can come every day."
"Really?" she looked at him skeptically. "From what I know, Inazuma, Sumeru, and Natlan aren't exactly peaceful right now. Since you've already gotten involved in Mondstadt and Fontaine, I imagine you'll end up meddling in the other nations too, right?"
"It won't get in the way," Aether smiled. "Coming to Fontaine is easy for me. As long as I want to, I can be here every day."
Furina sighed softly, then turned to him again. "Are you this nice to everyone?"
Aether shook his head. "Of course not. Aren't we friends?"
But at that, Furina's expression changed slightly. Her tone turned just a little sharper. "Do you treat all your friends like this?"
Aether blinked, confused. "Why? Is there something wrong with that?"
Then Furina suddenly recalled a conversation they had last night, while nestled together beneath the stars:
"Furina, have you thought about what you'll do once everything is over?"
"No... Maybe I'll just stay home and read novels. I doubt anyone will like me anymore by then."
"Don't say that. You should make more friends. Humans are social creatures. If you keep isolating yourself, you'll feel lonely eventually."
Lonely... That word stuck with Furina. So she asked quietly, "Lonely, huh? If there's something—or—someone who can stay with you forever, aside from friends, that would be..."
"Aether, have you ever imagined what your future wife would be like?"
"My wife, huh? Lady Hydro Archon, isn't there no a law in Fontaine saying a man can't marry multiple wives? At least, not in your country."
"You...!"
Aether's frankness immediately killed the conversation, but he had meant it seriously. It was a genuine question—one that mattered deeply to him.
...
Of course, there's a problem, Furina thought, stewing as she replayed that conversation in her head. She was now fairly certain Aether was open to the idea of marrying multiple women.
Which meant... if he went to other nations to help out, became a hero, treated others as kindly as he treated her... wouldn't those girls be drawn to him too? Wouldn't they fall in love with him? Wouldn't they... end up with him?
Just thinking about it brought a strange fear bubbling up inside her—a fear she couldn't explain. But one thing was clear: if she didn't act now, the next time she saw him, he might already belong to someone else.
That was unacceptable.
At the very least... she had to be the first.