Neuvillette had not "truly" left Lovia's side.
After saying goodbye to Lovia and stating he would return to Fontaine, his figure indeed vanished from the coast. However, he did not set out on his return journey; instead, he concealed the vast majority of his aura and quietly stayed at a distance neither too far nor too close, silently watching that small wooden house by the sea.
He had promised to ensure her safety until she arrived safely in Fontaine.
Now that the official documents were all in order, any potential accidents were something he needed to guard against.
Leaving her alone to face the unknown preparation phase was not a prudent move in his eyes.
This was not out of distrust, but rather from responsibility and commitment, as well as the gentle emotion that had lingered in his heart since their first meeting—the desire to protect this sensitive soul.
He had promised to provide protection, and in his view, this protection should not only begin the moment she stepped onto the soil of Fontaine.
To leave a Little Melusine, who had just decided to trust him and clearly lacked a sense of security, alone in a foreign land to handle unfinished business while he was thousands of miles away, went against his inner principles.
Especially during this sensitive period when he speculated that Lovia might have met with misfortune and Liyue was about to begin a secret investigation.
Although Ningguang promised to ensure safety, he preferred to confirm it personally.
Therefore, during the two weeks Lovia spent buried at her desk writing furiously, Neuvillette was always nearby.
He would either sit quietly on a distant reef, sensing the peace of the area through the hydro element, or walk slowly along the edge of the Dock Area like an inconspicuous passerby.
Regardless, his gaze would always inadvertently sweep past that occasionally opened door.
During these two weeks of Lovia's diligent writing, Neuvillette's guardianship was not entirely uninterrupted.
As the iudex of Fontaine, he was, after all, burdened with the laws and order of the entire nation. Even with proper arrangements, some urgent matters that required his personal judgment still needed his presence.
However, this did not have any substantial impact on his guardianship.
The distance between Fontaine and Liyue was never an obstacle for him, who held the power over water. To him, the vast ocean was but a path of water that could be crossed in an instant.
Thus, during these two weeks, in the afternoons when Lovia took a nap, he would quietly return to the Opera Epiclese.
In Fontaine, he would quickly browse through files, listen to the most critical reports, and then make judgments and instructions with the highest efficiency. The entire process took no longer than a mortal's brief rest.
When Lovia slowly woke from her dreams and rubbed her sleepy eyes to continue writing, that presence as calm as water had already re-enveloped the seaside reef area, as if he had never left.
He did not expose himself because, in Lovia's perception, he should have returned to Fontaine long ago. These instantaneous trips between the two countries were, to him, but a minor balance between duty and promise.
He devoted the vast majority of his time—nearly "all" of it—to her as she silently prepared her luggage in Liyue Harbor.
Ensuring she could smoothly pass through this transition period was, in his view, just as important as maintaining the judicial affairs of Fontaine, and perhaps even more deserving of his direct attention now due to its fragility and the solemnity of his promise.
Fontaine could not do without its iudex, but fortunately, his power gave him the possibility of guarding both sides simultaneously... He watched that blue figure sometimes sitting by the door looking at the sea, sometimes busy inside the house, and sometimes frowning in thought over a letter.
He saw her figure working late into the night by lamplight, saw her carefully organizing her manuscripts, and also saw her occasionally go out for brief meetings and farewells with friends who radiated a friendly aura.
He also saw her reluctant and conflicted expression as she faced a room full of items while packing.
She seemed to be working very hard to handle everything well; that earnestness and persistence caused the pity and admiration in Neuvillette's heart to grow quietly.
Today, when Lovia once again put on that conspicuous hooded cloak and stepped into the streets and alleys of Liyue Harbor, Neuvillette naturally followed like a shadow.
He maintained a perfect distance, one that would not let her notice him but would allow him to appear immediately if necessary.
He watched her skillfully hire children to deliver manuscripts and watched her walk toward the Dock Area. However, just as Lovia crossed that quiet flagstone path and was called out to by a Damselette, a sudden change occurred.
Neuvillette's gaze sharpened instantly.
He was not wary because of that Damselette's appearance; although the Damselette who claimed to be the Director of the WangSheng Funeral Parlor acted erratically, there was no ill intent.
What truly caused his heart to tremble slightly was the seemingly ordinary existence standing beside him.
Almost the moment he sensed the other's existence, Neuvillette became clear about their identity.
Liyue's faked-dead geo archon, Morax.
Although the other had now stepped down from his divine seat and walked the mortal world in a human body, that heavy divine majesty accumulated over six thousand years was as weightful as a thousand tons.
At the same time, Zhongli's amber eyes seemed to glance toward Neuvillette's direction with a hint of understanding and calm scrutiny, before falling back onto the nervous Lovia in front of him, without making any further indication.
The two did not make eye contact, but Neuvillette immediately understood the other's intention: the geo archon had no intention of interfering and was merely watching the situation unfold, just as he guarded Liyue Harbor itself.
No words were needed.
Neuvillette understood that now was not a good time to appear. If he did, it might draw unnecessary attention or even interfere with Lovia's original plans, putting more pressure on her.
Moreover, meeting directly with this "former" ruler of Liyue was not a wise move.
Out of respect for Lovia's wishes and to avoid complications, Neuvillette chose to withdraw.
His figure shifted slightly, blending into the shadows like a ripple on water, instantly creating a greater distance and reducing his presence to a minimum until the faint geo element in the air gradually faded.
Neuvillette believed that with the geo archon's wisdom and position, he would not make things difficult for Lovia; his and the WangSheng Funeral Parlor Director's appearance was more like an accident.
Sure enough, after a brief exchange, Lovia hurriedly bid them farewell and merged back into the crowd.
Only when that vast sense belonging to geo returned to stillness, confirming that the consultant and the lively Director had left and Lovia had safely escaped the "predicament," did Neuvillette quietly follow again.
Neuvillette saw her standing before that empty Fontaine shop, looking around blankly, her small figure appearing exceptionally helpless in front of the deserted store; that courage forced into composure seemed to be eroded bit by bit by the obstacles of reality.
At that moment, a sense of apology born from "delay" welled up in Neuvillette's heart.
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