At Neuvillette's signal, Lovia took a deep breath and followed his tall, steady figure, slowly descending the gangway with the crowd.
When her feet truly stepped onto the soil of Fontaine, she actually stumbled.
The memory of floating at sea for an entire week remained stubbornly in her body; the solid ground beneath her feet seemed to still be undulating slightly, as if she were stepping on a soft, elastic carpet.
Every step felt like walking on clouds; her knees were weak, and she had to exert effort deliberately to confirm she was standing on solid ground.
"Are you alright?" Neuvillette noticed something was wrong, stopping to look back at her.
Lovia blushed slightly and held onto a nearby railing before answering, "I'm fine, it's just that... I feel like the ground is shaking."
How terrifying!! Is this the legendary seasickness? But shouldn't seasickness be dizziness? Lovia complained in her heart, gripping the railing even tighter.
Neuvillette thoughtfully adjusted his pace and stood waiting, comforting her: "People returning from a long voyage often feel this way. Although they've disembarked, their bodies still remember the rhythm of the waves."
"Even... even Melusines get like this?" Lovia couldn't help but ask.
A gentle smile flashed in Neuvillette's eyes: "Yes, even Melusines cannot escape this bodily inertia. I remember when we returned from our last long voyage, I personally saw Evelyne insist on walking while holding onto the wall after stepping onto the pier."
"She said she always felt like the ground was wobbling like a Slime."
This vivid metaphor made Lovia unable to help but imagine that Melusine walking cautiously while holding the wall, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly. She tried to let go of the railing and found that she was indeed more stable than before.
But only a little bit.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, how long will this feeling last?" she asked softly, moving forward with cautious steps.
"It varies from person to person." Neuvillette matched her pace as they moved forward slowly with the crowd again. "If you're fast, you'll adapt in half an hour; if you're slow, it might take a whole day."
Lovia nodded, her gaze unconsciously following Neuvillette's steady back as she trailed slowly behind him.
Neuvillette seemed completely unaffected, and he was even easily carrying her heavy luggage.
So dragon of all can avoid this terrible 'inertia'? I'm so envious!!
Before she had even fully disembarked, a wave of moist air, completely different from that of Liyue Harbor, brushed against her face, and her ears were filled with the noise of people talking in distinct Fontaine accents.
As soon as she appeared, the surrounding gazes, some obvious and others subtle, began to converge on her.
Lovia could clearly feel the curiosity in those gazes.
She lowered her eyelashes slightly, bit her inner lip, and subconsciously wanted to hunch her shoulders, but Neuvillette's upright back ahead allowed her to barely maintain her composure.
A foreman who was directing sailors to move crates immediately stopped what he was doing upon seeing Neuvillette and bowed respectfully. Then, his gaze fell upon Lovia. When he saw her human appearance but with Melusine antennae and a tail, a flash of obvious surprise crossed his face, but he quickly regained his composure and returned to his work.
Occasionally, fellow Melusines would pass by, and their reactions were more direct.
A Melusine carrying documents stopped and tilted her head, her large eyes filled with curiosity. She first greeted Neuvillette respectfully and then looked at Lovia. Her gaze held a touch of innocent bewilderment, as if she were trying to understand this both familiar and strange fellow kin before her.
Lovia felt a bit uncomfortable under this direct gaze and instinctively shrank behind Neuvillette, her fingertips unconsciously clutching a corner of his robes.
Neuvillette keenly sensed her nervousness. He turned slightly, unobtrusively shielding her from some of the gazes.
"Good day, Shulei. This friend beside me has just arrived in Fontaine from distant Liyue. The journey was exhausting, and..." Neuvillette said gently, his voice softening, "she is a bit shy and is still adapting to the new environment."
The Melusine named Shulei blinked her large eyes, a look of realization dawning on her face. She nodded vigorously and took a small step back with her documents, as if to show her understanding. Then, in a volume she thought was low but was actually audible to everyone around, she whispered: "I understand! Just like when I first came to Fontaine, I also felt a bit scared because of the crowds!"
Her pure and direct kindness left Lovia momentarily stunned.
Shulei took another curious look at Lovia, especially at those slightly twitching antennae, and then, as if remembering her task, she said hurriedly: "Then I won't disturb you! Monsieur Neuvillette, and... shy friend, I wish you a pleasant stay in Fontaine!"
With that, she clutched her documents and left with brisk steps.
The other gazes around them seemed to lessen significantly due to Neuvillette's clear stance and Shulei's words.
Lovia breathed a sigh of relief, her fingers quietly letting go of his robe. She looked up at the tall, steady figure beside her and thanked him in a low voice: "Thank you, Monsieur Neuvillette."
Neuvillette bowed his head slightly without saying much, simply continuing to lead her forward at that unhurried pace.
Gradually, that unsettling feeling of floating began to fade, ebbing away from her body like a receding tide.
After walking halfway across the pier, Lovia was finally able to walk relatively freely. Though she still swayed subconsciously at times, she no longer needed visual aids to confirm the stability of the ground.
"I seem to be... much better." Lovia felt much more relaxed, happily shaking her head, and even her tail couldn't help but wag.
Neuvillette looked back with an approving gaze: "You've adapted quickly."
Not far away, a lady in an elegant dress was talking with a companion when they suddenly noticed them. The companion lightly nudged her elbow and gestured toward Lovia.
The lady covered her mouth, her eyes showing unconcealed surprise. She whispered something to her companion, her gaze drifting between Lovia and Neuvillette with benevolent curiosity before politely looking away.
What made Lovia's heart stir slightly was that she saw several children playing nearby.
One little girl pointed directly at her and shouted to her friends: "Look! That big sister looks just like a Melusine!"
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"