Genshin Impact | "The Eagle Solstice" | Alhaitham x Lumine

Fontaine, Part 3

Part 3

Navia and Lumine watched in awe as the two waltz-ed in and picked a table from the opposite side of the floor. Neuvillette didn't seem to notice the group.

Lumine and Navia looked at each other, wide-eyed at their own folly, then burst out laughing simultaneously. Paimon joined in and their laughter filled the floor, eliciting looks from the hotel diners as well as the Chief Justice and his companion.

Clutching her stomach, Lumine tried to recover from the fit. "Archons, I can't believe I came up with such a ridiculous idea. I'm so sorry." She wiped the tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. Otterlette hopped back to her lap.

"And I believed it like a fool and even spurred you on!" Navia answered after recovering from her own laughter. She shook her head and continued lightheartedly, the radiant smile never leaving her face. "The fault is not entirely yours, Traveler. I should probably resign as the president of Spina di Rosula. My father is rolling in the grave as we speak."

"Paimon knew it's not possible! Paimon might not be super smart but Paimon sure is the smartest in this table!"

"To be fair, we did meet a talking cat in one of our adventures. We also met hydro mimics in the form of animals talking like normal people. The idea that an actual person can transform into an animal isn't so far-fetched when you think about it."

The waiter came in with their orders and steadily laid them on the table.

Lumine found herself glancing at Monsieur Neuvillette's table, only to meet a pair of cold, blue eyes staring at her. It was the black-haired man accompanying the judge. She ended up staring back but the man didn't look away. Meanwhile, Neuvillette continued swirling the contents of his goblet while saying something to his companion who wasn't paying attention.

The Traveler dragged her eyes back self-consciously, choosing to focus on the liver dish spread before her. What the hell is wrong with that guy?

They started digging in their meals. Paimon wolfed down hers and chugged a bottle of Fonta, half-emptying it in one round. Navia ate her food slowly and with a grace Lumine had only seen among highborn women.

She took a bite of the dish. The burst of flavors made her smile and a soft laughter escaped her lips. The memory of the trial she had been through momentarily slipped her mind, blurring the hurt she had felt due to a friend's lie and the emptiness of not seeing her lover. Somehow, Navia and Paimon made her feel quite herself again.

She paused before slicing the dish, wondering what Alhaitham might be doing at this very moment. Did he miss her? Did he think about her as he went through his day?

The waiter returned with a wine bottle in hand. "Compliments from the gentleman next table." He gestured to the Chief Justice's spot across the room.

Navia received it and skimmed over the label. "This is expensive wine!" she blurted, awestruck.

The waiter cleared his throat. "The gentleman specified it's for the blonde woman-"

"But both of them are blonde!" Paimon said.

The waiter frowned, eyeing Paimon like she was an unsavory insect buzzing over an expensive dish. "-in a white a dress."

"Oh..." Navia handed Lumine the bottle.

"Surely, I can share it with everyone, right?" The Traveler said eagerly, already thinking how she was going to thank Monsieur Neuvillette for the generous gift. The waiter distributed wine glasses for the three girls and poured them each. She watched in a trance as crimson liquid sloshed in the glasses until they were filled. The waiter trotted away after giving them a curt bow.