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The knocking at Furina's door continues, ringing through her ears. Ever since she moved out of the Palais Mermonia, she's been living in this little house Neuvillette gave her — which was so coincidentally right in front of his office. Everyday a melusine drops by to send her food and other basic necessities, probably also by Neuvillette's orders. But they absolutely do not bang on her front door this recklessly.
"I am not accepting visitors at this hour!", she yelps from the living room, sitting up straight in her cushy sofa. But the knocking continues.
With an exasperated sigh and a shake of her head, she gets up to get the door. And to her surprise, it's the man himself.
"Neuvillette", she sighed, massaging her temples. She tilted her head back to meet his eyes, straining herself a bit due to the height difference. Out of consideration, he takes a step back. "What brings you here knocking like there's no tomorrow?"
Furina eyes him from the top of his head to his toes. He was holding a bag of groceries on her doorstep, hugging the brown paper bag close to his chest. This would be a sight to behold for any other Fontainian — the Iudex doing delivery service for the nation's former Archon in his full Chief Justice get up.
He clears his throat. "I heard you've been eating only macaroni these days", he says nonchalantly.
Furina sighs in exasperation, palming her forehead. "Was it not you who sent those melusines over to give me food?"
"Well, yes, but I had to make sure you were eating them. It is still my duty to look after you even if you are no longer the Hydro Archon."
The way he says it so blankly was almost irritating. It's not every day the Iudex of Fontaine comes striding to your house telling you to eat. Out of obligation, or so he says. If it was truly out of obligation, merely sending her an amount of Mora would suffice.
But no, he had to go out of his way to have food delivered to Miss Furina's doorstep, and then have the melusines to make sure she eats it while it's still hot. Not to mention how terribly obvious it is that he cooked them all himself by the bland flavour and moist texture — which she still chowed down regardless.
How did he know what she was eating anyway? They hadn't met since the day she left the Palais, nor have they even communicated in any way. Surely he hasn't planted her in front of his office to spy on her.
She lets out yet another sigh, gazing upon his unfazed expression. This man could really use some exercises for his facial muscles.
"Well, I'll have you know that I've received everything you sent me and I've been eating them", she says in a matter of fact way. Her eyes dart to the paper bag. "Anyways, what's in there?"
He hands her the bag and clears his throat again. "Just a few other things I thought you might need", he said. "You can have a look at them later. I just wanted to make sure your current living conditions are to your liking."
She sighs, nodding as she takes the bag from his hands. Of course that's why he was here on a random sunny day — which was unusually sunny compared to the past few days of endless rainstorms, for that matter — because he randomly felt like packing some things in a bag and go send them to her personally instead of having a melusine deliver them as they always do. What a coincidence.
"Yes, yes. Thank you", she mutters, peeking through the contents of the bag, to which he immediately turned his head away. Was he embarrassed? Whatever had he put in here...
He clears his throat, again. "Well, Furina, I must head off now. I have many unfinished things that must be tended to at the Palais. But please, take care of yourself and... Think about it."
"Think about what?", she calls out with furrowed eyebrows, but the Iudex had already turned on his heel and walked away. She shook her head.
"That Neuvillette...", she muttered under her breath, reseating herself on the cozy sofa. She sank into the fluffy cushions, clutching the paper bag close to her chest. She rummaged the bag, pushing her hands down to the base of the brown paper, trying to make out what sort of things were in there in the process.
One by one she pulls them out; some bread, a variety of pasta sauce but no pasta — probably because he knew she had a lifetime stock of macaroni, the usuals. The next was a packet of snacks, one he personally hated because they were 'too sweet', but were her favourite. He probably remembered she loved them from all the times she had tried to stuff one into his mouth to no avail. A soft giggle escapes her lips. She remembers that too.
She pulls out another small trinket — a lumitoile?
She had one of those sparkly starfish in a glass jar in her room back in the Palais Mermonia. When he asked her about it, she told him how they were beautiful and resembled how brightly something can glow even when engulfed by darkness. At the time he disagreed, but she doesn't remember what his argument was. They had disagreed on too many things back then for her to remember each and every one.
What was the meaning of him sending her this anyway?
She continued to rummage through the bag. More food, a dress of hers which she hadn't wore in a very long time —where did he even find this? Some ornaments for her hat, some hair accessories, which looked very peculiarly similar to his...
Until she pulled out the last thing from the bag — an envelope buried at the base of it. With a swift rip, the official Iudex's seal came off and out plopped the folded white paper. She flipped it upright and held it in front of her face, unfolding it and spreading it open in the air.
"Furina,
I sincerely hope the arrangements I made for you are sufficient and that you are in good spirits. Please make good use of the things I have sent to you.
By the way, you are always welcome back in the Opera Epiclese. The people miss your performances and have been questioning your return to the stage. The Opera will welcome you warmly if you ever decide to make a return to the spotlight.
Regards,
Neuvillette"
Ah, so that's what this is about. Think about it, he said. Think about coming back. For the people or so he says. But by the various things he had sent her, she knew better what he implied.
Think about it.
He needn't worry. She will.