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Neuvillette does not understand humans.
He observes them from afar, watching as they go about their short, finite lives. He sees their fearful reverence of the Hydro Archon, their culture... and still he does not understand.
"Save our people," Egeria had asked of him, before she departed one last time. The finality of it all still leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.
And perhaps back then, Neuvillette would have said that the people of Fontaine were not his, but it is too late to tell her as such. Not when the Gnosis and the position of Archon had been granted to him, and he felt the souring tides with the onslaught of the cataclysm.
He still does not understand why he is here. But his position is one of utmost importance, and here he remains, while the rest of Egeria's other vassals had left in protest. He knows he cannot leave Fontaine with the same ease they had, not with the looming prophecy and his duties, and Egeria's last words.
Someone who is aware of him may accuse him of being a fatalist, he supposes. But he has seen the Heavenly Principles for himself, has heard of their conquest, and their remaking of the world in the wake of the Sovereigns' fall.
He had argued with Egeria in the past, before she indulged the Oceanids' wishes and committed a great sin. Reckless and foolish, he had insisted, and now the punishment had been laid bare before them.
He is aware of the futility of all of this, but he persists regardless. Egeria may be gone, slain in the cataclysm like so many other gods, but his duty remains.
It is duty that tethers him to his position, and it is his loyalty that further grounds him. He knows little of the Heavenly Principles' affairs at the present, what with their silence, but he must continue what his predecessor had started.
In a way, he could argue that this sense of duty is behind his reasoning for allowing the Hydro Sovereign a position of security in Fontaine, what with her connection to the Primordial Sea... the same sea that threatens the nation under his watch.
Furina, she had called herself, when he arranged an audience with her. A Sovereign reborn in a human shape, carrying fractured memories and a startling curiosity for the world she has found herself in.
She perplexes him, he finds. Her existence is contradictory and bewildering all at once. He'd expected various things from her: a grudge against this human world, perhaps a hatred for the current gods, but found none of that in her.
She was, for all intents and purposes, looking for a way to belong in this new order. Arranging an agreement between them had been surprisingly easy: his protection and shelter, and in turn she would aid him if he needed her assistance.
If Neuvillette does not understand humans, then he understands Furina even less.
She is an enthusiastic soul, once she had her time to become comfortable within Fontaine. She regarded human culture with a particular interest, and an eagerness to learn and further understand humans.
There is a faint sense of irony in that, Neuvillette knows. A Hydro Archon who is distant from his human subjects, while the Hydro Sovereign who arguably should detest humanity has nothing but respect and fascination for them.
That enthusiasm extends to him as well, he discovers.
Even after settling in a position as a well-known and beloved actress, Furina... has not really left him alone.
Often, she visits him in his office where others fear to tread, if only to talk to him about the fascinating beings that are humans. It is not an uncommon sight for her to carry a variety of sweets and pastries, and for her to comment on flavour profiles.
It is... confusing, in a way, why she often insists on visiting him, and any questions he may have for her are quickly replied to with the statement that it is a terrible thing to be lonely, and that he ought to have some company.
He suspects that she is speaking from experience in that regard.
He also finds himself indulging in her whims, more often than not.
His office, originally pristine and meant for him alone, eventually becomes decorated with a plethora of furniture, including a couch that Furina is more than happy to occupy during her free time, talking at length about a new play, or whatever else has caught her interest, and it does not take long for him to become accustomed to her near-constant presence.
There are some whims of hers that he still finds preposterous, admittedly. She has asked him to personally attend one of her shows more than once, and he has rejected all of those requests. He is far too occupied to handle such trivial matters, and there are other concerns at hand that he often needs to focus on.
Yet, his office seems unnervingly quiet whenever she is too busy to visit him, the room almost oppressively expansive. He is fortunate if he finds himself swamped with work during those days, but there are times when he simply has too much free time.
It is odd, to admit that he has started to miss her presence, but perhaps it is because her appearances are a particular routine that he is used to, and her absences are a deviation from that.
There is a relief, then, to find that Furina does not forget about him during those moments. If she is unable to personally visit him, he has found that she is fond of sending him letters.
He is not blind to the fact that several of those letters have tickets included: an unspoken invitation to watch her shows, because she is particularly stubborn with the fact that she wants to see him amongst the audience while she performs on the stage.
Furina perplexes him, in more ways than one. Her presence is strange, but not unwelcome.
And, perhaps, just this once, he will finally entertain her wishes and visit the Opera Epiclese.