"Huh? Kitch…en? Is it something delicious?"
Paimon, who was particularly keen on eating, couldn't sit still when she heard this, feeling as if she "wanted to taste it right now."
However, after a brief moment of excitement… Paimon seemed to have thought of something, and her previously excited expression instantly fell.
"Wait! This time… we won't end up in Meropide because we're accused of stealing the Water God's dessert, will we…?"
Paimon asked with some lingering fear.
After all, the main charge when Yuto threw them into Meropide last time was stealing Furina's desserts, which made her somewhat worried.
Hearing this, Furina blinked, seemingly puzzled.
Stealing my dessert? When?
In Furina's memory, she had no actual contact with these two people at all, let alone having afternoon tea at the same table.
Moreover…
The only person who could have afternoon tea with her would be Yuto, now and in the future.
Thinking of this, Furina gave Yuto a thoughtful look, as if she understood something.
Yuto, who had just returned to his desk, slightly raised his head, looking at the strangely expressive Lumine and the terrified Paimon with a half-smile, and softly said:
"That was to 'legitimize' your reason for appearing in Meropide, to prevent any monsters from saying that I, the Fontaine Vice-Minister, am causing trouble everywhere."
"Of course, since you are working for Palais Mermonia and for me, your treatment will naturally not be bad."
As Yuto spoke, he took out a blank financial form, wrote a few simple words on it, and handed it to Lumine and Paimon.
"The day after The Prophecy disaster ended, I removed that charge from your records. Even if you want to buy a house in Fontaine now, it's not a problem."
"Wow! Is that really possible?!"
Paimon stomped her little feet excitedly, then suddenly realized something was wrong.
—They were clearly here to apologize to Furina! How did the conversation get so off-topic so inexplicably!
Thinking of this, Paimon suddenly felt a little embarrassed, and then turned to Furina, who was sitting beside her, and said:
"Furina… about what happened last time… we're really sorry, and we said some very harsh things… we're truly sorry…"
Paimon scratched her little head, saying apologetically.
Furina gently shook her head, indicating that she didn't mind, and then unhurriedly said:
"It's alright, I know your original intention was for the good of Fontaine, just as Yuto said, it's fine if everyone understands each other."
Lumine looked at Yuto before her, and also said apologetically.
"Sorry… we caused you some unnecessary trouble."
Whether from the perspective of combat or debate… they lost terribly.
Moreover, the core evidence she used to accuse Furina was self-defeating due to Yuto's appearance and the current public opinion in the streets of Fontaine…
As for the combat… that was a duel in accordance with fontaine law. Since they had already lost, from a legal perspective… Judgment had already reached a conclusion.
Yuto looked at the seemingly disheartened Lumine before him, gently sighed, and then spoke:
"You met Navia on the way here, didn't you? She told you about apologizing, right?"
Hearing this, Paimon was momentarily surprised, seemingly not understanding why Yuto would know about this.
"Eh!! You, you even know this? Is this the Assistant Administrator's intelligence network… so scary…"
Looking at Paimon, who had suddenly started imagining things, Yuto's mouth twitched slightly, and then he let out a soft sigh.
"This is just basic observation, not some particularly advanced technique…"
"Never mind, the topic has already strayed a bit."
Yuto paused slightly, seemingly wanting to use this pause to divide the topic.
"Lady Furina has never held even a shred of resentment towards you, and neither have I."
"As I said before in the Opera House, I don't believe either side was at fault. I was merely discussing the matter at hand."
"Whether it's Neuvillette and them, or you… I haven't had any aversion or narrow-minded emotions."
"You want Fontaine citizens to receive more information so they can live more peacefully, and there's nothing wrong with that. And I am defending a plan that can save Fontaine, and I am not wrong either."
"Essentially, our goals are the same; there's no right or wrong, merely a divergence due to differing perspectives on information."
Yuto gently shrugged, then raised his head, looking thoughtfully out the window, and softly murmured:
"If we must determine right and wrong in this matter… then the wrong side would be the arrogant and lofty Sky Island."
Hearing this, Lumine and Paimon both fell silent. After a while, Paimon finally spoke:
"Then what did you mean when you said 'the battle isn't over' during the duel?"
"Ah, that? That's because I knew such a thing couldn't be divided into right or wrong. Forcing it to continue would not only deplete our own combat power but also trample upon fontaine law."
"I didn't want to do that, so I created an excuse for us to end this normally."
Yuto smiled gently, and before Paimon could say anything more, he preemptively asked:
"Alright, do you have any more questions for me? If not… I'll take you to the kitchen now to get those special rewards."
Hearing this, Lumine was slightly startled, then lowered her head and began to formulate her words, considering how she would ask her questions later.
"I've already asked about my brother. Now I need to ask about the suspicious points regarding Yuto and information about Natlan… Oh, and also about the god's heart…"
After roughly formulating her words, Lumine asked:
"Yuto, what exactly did you experience in the Primordial Sea? Why did you gain an ability similar to the Vanguard's 'Evil King Armament'?"
Hearing this, Yuto nodded without surprise, and then quite frankly said:
"After I was swept into the Primordial Sea, I was swallowed by a pitch-black core. Inside, there was a monster in black armor, very aggressive, and it would constantly revive.
After I broke it apart about seventy times, it was completely Waste, and then I heard a voice calling itself "Evil-doer Knight".
He pointed out my Immortal Spirit identity and said a lot of ambiguous things. After that… I fainted. When I woke up, I had mastered this power and was sent to the surface."
Hearing this, Paimon's mouth twitched slightly, and then she muttered softly:
"Fainting… really like Lumine… always fainting…"
Yuto, however, selectively ignored Paimon's words and continued to ask:
"Is there anything else you need to ask?"
Lumine was silent for a moment, seemingly preparing herself for a refusal, and after a while, she slowly asked:
"Then… do you really have some ability to foresee the future?"
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