Richard extended the invitation to Furina once again, but this time, he had already removed the shackles that had been holding her back.
Now the question was: What would Furina choose this time?
If she agreed, it would mean her centuries of watching trials at the Opera Epiclese weren't just out of passion, but because of deeper, more complex reasons.
If she declined, it would imply there were other reasons she couldn't leave Fontaine, and the Opera was just one of them.
But either way, Richard would gain useful information to support his own theories.
Of course, the truth was that, while Richard had pulled a lot of strings, he was mostly doing it because he knew Furina truly wanted to visit Mondstadt. So he was just giving her a gentle push, helping her realize that wish.
After all, he did call himself her friend. How could he just stand by and watch a friend be miserable?
And if he built up enough goodwill now, who's to say Furina wouldn't help him out one day when he needed it most?
"I... I'll think about it," Furina stammered, wiping at her tear-streaked face."You know, as the Hydro Archon and the Acting Minister, I've got a lot on my plate. Going abroad is a huge deal; it requires extensive preparation. It's not something I can just do on a whim, right?"
Despite her protests, anyone could see she was already tempted.
She just didn't want to say yes right away; she was waiting for someone (Richard) to give her one more solid reason.
But instead of Richard stepping in, it was Clorinde who blindsided her with a betrayal.
"Lady Furina," Clorinde said, "truth is... you don't really have that much to handle. City Hall won't stop functioning just because someone's absent…"
Then, realizing she'd said too much, she awkwardly added, "Uh, what I meant is... maybe you're not as indispensable as you think?"
Furina and Richard both turned to look at Clorinde in unison, clearly impressed by her masterful resignation skills.
"I think what Clorinde meant is that even if you're not around, she's perfectly capable of handling your responsibilities and making sure everything runs smoothly… so you can go to Mondstadt with peace of mind, for, uh… official business."
Richard almost said "vacation," but caught himself just in time.
Then he glanced warily at Clorinde, thinking: 'Wait, is this kind of behavior contagious now?That's kind of terrifying.'
"Yes, exactly." Clorinde quickly nodded to back him up.
'Wait, when did I agree to take over her workload?'
She cast a sidelong glance at Richard. 'Did he just throw me into another trap?'
Richard had cleverly framed this whole trip as a diplomatic visit, an official state mission.
If it were just Richard going to Mondstadt alone, he'd have to take personal leave. But if Furina, the Hydro Archon, came along, then it became a full-fledged diplomatic mission, meaning it could be covered by state funds.
Given her position as one of the Seven Archons, her visit held the same weight as Barbatos himself making an appearance.
She couldn't exactly sneak into Mondstadt quietly, either. Even if she tried, there'd be no hiding it, so she might as well go openly.
Framing the trip as a gesture of peace and friendship, especially by helping house refugees from Mondstadt, would send a strong message.
And despite Mondstadt's recent dragon disaster, it was unlikely they'd refuse such a diplomatic olive branch.
In fact, according to Richard's intel, the Knights of Favonius were practically hoping they'd come.
Why? Because the Knights were under diplomatic pressure from the Fatui and were in desperate need of a third-party presence to ease that burden.
When Richard saw the look on Furina's face, he knew: She had made up her mind.
"Actually, this diplomatic visit won't be as easy as you imagine," Richard added with a serious tone."Do you really think we're just going to Mondstadt to eat, drink, and have fun?"
"Wait... we're not?" Furina blurted out.
"Of course not," Richard said, breaking it down for her.
"Right now, Mondstadt is in turmoil. Outside, there's a raging dragon; inside, they're short on manpower and military strength. This is the weakest they've been in years."
"If we offer support now and help Mondstadt when they need it most, it'll pay off in the future."
"After all, as long as Barbatos is around, Mondstadt will never fall. And we don't even need to commit real resources, just showing our faces is enough."
Furina paused, thinking deeply. Then she asked the most important question:
"So we're really not going for fun?"
Richard smiled.
"Well… once the formal meetings are done, we can enjoy a little sightseeing. The views from Starsnatch Cliff are legendary across Teyvat. I could even be your tour guide."
Furina, now fully convinced, nodded and agreed.
This marked her first time leaving Fontaine since becoming the Hydro Archon, her first visit to the free city of Mondstadt.
Perhaps, in that land of freedom, she might at last get a taste of what that "fine wine" called freedom really meant.
The next day, the third day of the week, marked the official start of Lady Furina de Fontaine's first diplomatic journey, Queen of Waters, of Laws, of People, and of Balance.
But just as she stepped onto the ship, she turned back and saw a long line of people boarding behind them.
The line was so long it reminded her of the time Debo Restaurant released a limited-edition dessert, same crowd energy.
"Why are there so many people?" Furina asked. She was genuinely worried the ship might not fit them all.
"It's necessary," Richard explained. "On one hand, it shows Fontaine takes this diplomatic visit seriously. On the other, it's for your protection."
Furina looked again at the crowd: Middle-aged men with receding hairlines gasping for breath after a few steps. Elderly men with barely any teeth left.
Then she turned to Richard with a look that clearly said: "You're telling me they are here to protect me? Are you serious?"
But the crowd reminded her of something else:
Given the dragon disaster in Mondstadt… would she really be safe there?
Even Clorinde probably wasn't a match for a dragon, and she wasn't even coming, she was likely back in the office covering for her right now.
"Um… Didn't you say once that a wise person doesn't stand under a crumbling wall?"
"Yes, Lady Furina. But there's also another saying; One must risk danger to seize fortune.'"
Furina went pale with fear.