Upon hearing the words "great vortex," Furina's smile instantly vanished, a trace of solemnity flashing in her heterochromatic eyes.
She was no longer the lively Damselette dreaming of festive celebrations, but the God of Fontaine, responsible for the safety of her people.
"great vortex?"
Furina furrowed her delicate brows. "In this season, there are occasional currents along the shipping lanes, but to form great vortexs... and so many of them? What are the details? Have any ships been damaged? Any casualties?"
Clorinde shook his head. His voice was steady, but the content of his report was alarming: "Currently, there have been no reports of shipwrecks or casualties."
"However, according to Poisson, the whirlpools appeared suddenly, are quite large, and unstable, with a tendency to expand further."
"Five aquabus lines have already been forced to reroute. The transport of goods and movement of people between Poisson and Fontaine has been greatly affected."
"The mayor of Poisson has requested the Opera Epiclese dispatch 'professionals' to assist with the investigation and handling, as they believe this may not be a simple natural phenomenon."
Furina stood up, paced twice in the room, and lightly tapped her chin with a finger. "Although there are occasional oceanic current disturbances this season, such a large-scale anomaly... is it a precursor to an undersea earthquake? Or caused by a migration of large sea beasts? Or..."
A flicker of imperceptible worry flashed in her heterochromatic eyes, and she did not continue speaking.
King listened quietly.
great vortex?
Problems in Fontaine's waters immediately reminded him of the prophecy in the game about "Fontaine being submerged by the Primordial Sea."
Although the timeline seemed to be still early, any water-related anomaly could be an ominous sign.
He put down his teacup and looked at Clorinde. "Specific location?"
"Mainly concentrated in the sea area southeast of Romaritime Harbor, extending to the northern sea of the Salacia Plain, forming a belt-like distribution," Clorinde replied immediately, adding, "The Water Police and Waterway Administration have dispatched small speedboats for monitoring, but due to the influence of the whirlpools, they cannot enter the core area."
King nodded.
The response of the Fontaine civil servants was quite good.
Regardless of what caused the whirlpools, such trouble affecting people's livelihoods falls into the category of urgent matters that need to be handled.
"I'll go see if I can solve it."
King stood up, his words concise.
He was now the "Great Guardian of Fontaine."
Last night, so many people looked at him with those eyes, Furina hosted a banquet for him, the public felt at ease because of him... Although most of it made him feel helpless, since he was expected this way, some responsibilities could not be shirked.
After all, he was KING.
"I will arrange a boat and escorts immediately!"
Clorinde immediately turned to make arrangements.
A flicker of imperceptible light flashed in his eyes—Mr. King would indeed not stand idly by.
"I'm going too!" Furina suddenly stood up, her tone resolute.
"Lady Furina!!"
Clorinde and Lynette looked at her simultaneously, their eyes filled with disapproval.
Clorinde instinctively wanted to dissuade her: "The situation on site is unclear, there may be danger, you..."
"Exactly, it's precisely because there's danger that I must go!"
Furina interrupted him, puffing out her chest, her voice firm and strong: "My people are suffering, how can I sit idly in the Opera Epiclese? Besides..."
She looked at King, her voice softer, but filled with confidence: "With Mr. King there, I will absolutely be fine!!"
King glanced at Furina.
His reason told him this was inappropriate, after all, Furina was just a cursed ordinary girl.
However, King looked at Furina's heterochromatic eyes, filled with determination and even a hint of plea, and the words of refusal that came to his lips were swallowed back.
Let her come then. Superalloy Blacklight Body combined with Explosive Heart Release Fist should be enough to protect her.
"Remember to stick close to me." King ultimately did not object.
Seeing King's approval, Clorinde no longer tried to dissuade her, only his expression became more serious: "I understand. Then please, Lady Furina, prepare as quickly as possible. We will meet at the Opera Epiclese's private dock in ten minutes. Lynette, you..."
"I also wish to accompany Mr. King." Lynette calmly interjected, her tone unyielding.
As a maid, she had her own persistence; regardless of the danger, she would definitely stay by King's side.
"Alright."
Clorinde nodded and quickly left to gather personnel and a boat.
Furina also lifted her skirt, told King, "Wait for me!", and hurried back to her private chambers to change into more suitable attire.
Only King and Lynette remained in the room.
Lynette quietly and swiftly cleared the dining table, then walked up to King, bowing slightly: "Sir, do you need me to prepare anything for you? Weapons, or special armor?"
King shook his head.
Explosive Heart Release Fist and Superalloy Blacklight Body were his best weapons and armor.
"Then please wait a moment, I will go prepare some emergency medicine and supplies." Lynette said, then silently exited the room.
Ten minutes later, at the private dock on the side of the Opera Epiclese, reserved for dignitaries.
A sleek, medium-sized speedboat, emblazoned with the Opera Epiclese's emblem, was ready.
Aside from the necessary sailors, there was also a fully armed squad of about ten Equitable Judgment elites, led personally by Clorinde.
King had changed back into comfortable modern casual wear, loosely covered by a long blue trench coat Furina had just given him, and stood quietly at the bow of the boat.
Lynette, dressed in a modified maid outfit suitable for action, carried a giant medical bag and a briefcase filled with emergency items, silently standing behind him to his side.
Furina also arrived on time.
She had swapped her elaborate gown for a stylish yet practical blue and white fitted hunting suit, her long hair neatly tied up, and wore a soft hat with a veil, maintaining the elegance of a deity while ensuring ease of movement. Her slightly pursed lips and occasional glances towards the direction of the whirlpools revealed her inner anxiety.
"Depart immediately!!"
Seeing everyone assembled, Clorinde gave the order.
The speedboat's engine rumbled lowly, cutting through the calm harbor waters, and sped towards the reported anomalous sea area.
The further they moved from Fontaine, the gloomier the sky became.
The formerly clear sky was now piled with lead-grey clouds, and the sea breeze carried an unusual chill and a faint briny smell.
After about twenty minutes of sailing, even without binoculars, the anomaly in the sea ahead was visible.
The once clear blue and smooth sea surface now seemed to boil, dotted with dozens of rotating whirlpools, both large and small!
The smaller ones were only tens of meters in diameter, while the larger ones were even hundreds of meters wide!
The seawater frantically sank at the center of the whirlpools, forming a deep, dark hole, while white waves and foam churned at the edges, emitting a dull rumble, like the painful groans of the sea.
Even more unsettling was that in the center of some of the larger whirlpools, indistinctly visible were irregular, swirling masses of water flow, glowing with a faint blue light. They had no fixed form, sometimes resembling twisted human figures, other times angry beasts, emitting chaotic and sorrowful emotional fluctuations.
"That's it!"
Clorinde pointed to an area ahead where the whirlpools were particularly dense.