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Chapter 11: The Comfort That Carnage Brings

What makes matters worse is that if she actually does come back to Fontaine, it would just hasten the prophecy. So she essentially traded one suffocating world outside the eyes of the people for another... less suffocating one. But it was still a prison in her eyes. A prison that she willingly entered to escape another one.

She coughed. Her throat hurt. But she has to do this. The prophecy should never be fulfilled. She knows she has to go back eventually. Who knows if or when Fontaine would drown? She can't rely on Aether and Paimon and Tubby all the time. She's got to find information. Anything that can give her a sliver of hope.

Her friends are just distractions. She needs to-

"Hey Furina!" Paimon opened the door to the library to find her buried under a messy pile of books again. Paimon is starting to see Aether instead of Furina. Since he would do the same thing every time he gets the urge to find a lead about his sister. She understands that this is important to her, but... 

Paimon would rather have her friends be happy than bury themselves in guilt and shame. 

"Come on! Let's read something less boring! How about reading some romance novels?" She suggested. "Of course... that is if you're fine with that."

Furina wanted to just let Paimon leave. Or better yet help her find something in this library of Aether's that is related to anything about the Primordial Sea. But... 

Now that she thinks about it... 

Is it really wrong for her to have a break? 

Is it really wrong for her to just be herself?

Is it really wrong for her to have fun with a friend?

Besides, if she comes back to Fontaine, it'll hasten the prophecy. If she wasn't there to begin with, then no one could expose her as a- But what if her absence is exactly what proves to the people that she's- No. No. She's on vacation. Aether said that her people bought her excuse. Furina knows her people. They're gullible enough to believe anything as long as you're confident enough to speak your lies. 

And they trust Aether. Why wouldn't they? He managed to successfully solve not one, but two cases. If anything, that just proves to the Fontainians that he is a symbol of justice. Not as grand as herself, but one that is to be admired all the same. 

So she snaps out of her anxiety and smiles. Excitedly, she asked, "I love me some romance novels! Which ones have you got?"

"Making an Empire in the Middle of a War by Flaming Fox, Freeing a Slave by Seafaring Swordsman or... Five Hundred Choices, Only One Confession by Conductor Rabbit," 

"All of these are from Inazuma, aren't they?"

"What gave it away? The Inazuman text? Or the awful titles?"

"Both."

"Sorry, for some reason Aether really likes reading these when he has the time. Helps him relax. But it just makes me excited you know! Like when your favorite character that you're rooting for is getting closer and closer to the main character and you're feeling bubbly inside and your face flares up is the best feeling in the world. Besides eating, but you get my point right?"

"It's even better when their confession scenes are early in the book right?"

"Or when it's well-earned. Like all those chapters reading were finally worth it because they're together and it just makes you jump for joy!"