pdf-ebookys Chapter 54 Performance
Chapter 54 Performance
Fontaine Palace, Mumang Palace, the Heavenly Palace.
Funina put down the report that Vilette had brought her, and the light in her blue heterochromatic eyes dimmed slightly.
The capture of Vacher, also known as Marcel, signaled the end of the serial disappearances of young girls, and the entire city of Fontaine was overjoyed and celebrated.
But aside from the victims' families, who will remember those lives that have already been lost?
As Funina scanned the rows of alarming numbers, her fingertips trembled slightly, and her heart clenched suddenly.
Every lifeless, unfamiliar character represents the demise of a life.
She looked up, her gaze unfocused as she stared at the mirror not far away, gazing blankly at her reflection, which was identical to her own, and remained silent for a long time.
Prophecy, a sunken prophecy.
The series of missing girls is just a small rehearsal before the end of the world.
From the moment she stepped onto this protracted stage and donned the costume of the water goddess, she never had a single night to enjoy peace and tranquility.
Prophecy is like death approaching step by step; every passing second is a step closer to it.
Everyone will dissolve in the water, and only the water god will sit alone on his throne and weep.
In each recurring nightmare, the apocalyptic scene would unexpectedly appear, until she would wake up in a fright, tears streaming down her face, unable to distinguish between reality and illusion.
But she had no one to confide in, nor could she confide in anyone.
When she accepted the mission, she knew it was an endless solo dance, and a rigorous test that allowed no room for error.
Once you've embarked on this path, there's no turning back.
……
Funina walked to the window and stared blankly at the Fontainebleau scenery shrouded in twilight through the luxurious floor-to-ceiling windows of the Mumang Palace.
Water God, what a noble and sacred title.
People hoped that the water goddess's power was omnipotent, and she indeed played the role of a deity, claiming to be the righteous and glorious judge of all gods, thus responding to the expectations of her people.
But holding this light piece of paper, she felt it was as heavy as a thousand pounds, and it almost slipped from her grasp.
That is the heavy weight of life.
She was not a god who could bring the dead back to life, but merely a pale and powerless mortal. For her, a long lifespan was not a blessing, but a curse.
"Ugh...I'm sorry..."
Without warning, Funina suddenly collapsed to the ground, covering her face and sobbing softly.
She deliberately kept her voice very low, lest passersby discover that the cynical, self-important water goddess was nothing more than a fragile little girl.
I am sorry.
I am not the god you expect to be recognized; I am not even capable of shouldering the responsibility of protecting you.
I am a liar, a sinner.
sorry Sorry……
Fu Ningna bit her lip and cried, tears streaming silently down her cheeks and striking the smooth tiles of Mu Mang Palace.
But she had no way out.
All Furina could do was pray, hoping that her reflection in the mirror would keep her promise and lead the creatures of Fontaine to find the true way out of this predicament.
All she can do is continue to stand in the spotlight, enduring the scrutinizing gazes of the world, and respond with the majesty of governance.
Even though this dark road is a desperate gamble, a do-or-die situation, there are never any companions to be seen, and there is never an end.
……
"Furina, you must be tired from the performance."
She still remembers that four hundred years ago, when she turned around, carrying the Thousand Spirit Mousse with great joy, she heard the blurry-faced boy behind her ask such a question.
At first, she didn't take it seriously, thinking it was just fans being polite and concerned.
But then the trial came—an unprecedented trial that upended the political landscape of Fontainebleau.
That gentle boy, in full view of everyone, revealed Fontaine's darkest secret, laying bare the bloody truth of the prophecy before all.
Only then did she suddenly realize, recalling the complex expression on the boy's blurry face that night.
"Furina, you must be tired from the performance."
Yes, really, I'm so tired.
For the next four hundred years, she pondered that question repeatedly, constantly recalling the meaningful smile on the boy's face, as if it were a mysterious and unpredictable forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.
She longed for understanding, yet feared it. Like a hedgehog with its feathers bristling, she adopted a defensive posture, licking her wounds alone in the darkness, silently shedding tears.
With the passing of the boy, those ambiguous words from back then were ultimately buried in memories.
Even so, whenever she felt she had reached her limit, recalling that moment always gave Funina some warmth and encouragement.
She knew that on this dark road, perhaps someone had once walked alongside her for a moment, even if she hadn't grasped that precious moment.
Perhaps, someone like her doesn't deserve hope and redemption.
Perhaps only one ending is left for her.
Funina looked up, took the last piece of the special mini cake from Maple Dew Cafe from the porcelain plate beside her, and gently put it to her lips, taking small bites and letting the sweet fragrance fill her taste buds.
But life can be quite dramatic and humorous at times, just like the water god, whose supply had been cut off for four hundred years, is now once again on Funina's table.
In this unexpected encounter, she read pity in the eyes of the returning young man, and in a moment of realization, it overlapped with the lingering image from her memories of four hundred years ago.
She felt an unprecedented joy, yet also a fear that no one could know.
So Funina chose to escape, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, worrying and feeling happy alone in the distance, but never mustering the courage to take another step forward.
Take another step forward,
It's either a world of light or a bottomless abyss.
She can't gamble, and she can't afford to gamble.
Even if the person she could confide in was right next to her, even if Villette's suspicions were closing in, even if the destruction of Fontaine was no longer far off.
She could only swallow everything alone, putting on an act of complete control to the outside world, and using exaggerated and pretentious language to cover up her deeply wounded heart.
However, she was already at her limit.
After acting for so long, where did that girl who didn't used to smile much go?
so tired……
so tired……
The cake looks delicious, so why am I crying so much?
After a long while, Funina slowly stopped crying, took a deep breath, and raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
She picked up the scattered reports, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards a certain direction in Fontainebleau, a barely perceptible hint of relief flashing in her eyes.
"Thanks……"
She murmured softly.
Thank you for fulfilling my duty as the water god and protecting the people of Fontaine.
I don't ask for understanding or forgiveness.
But at least give me a chance to express my gratitude.
Wiping away her tears, Funina gently put on the water goddess's hat. The moment she pushed open the door, the sorrow and pain on her face vanished, replaced by the radiant light of Funina de Fontaine, the water goddess of Fontaine.