Furina was so scared that he went numb, stumbling backward.
Then he bumped into a warm embrace.
King had stood behind him at some unknown point.
Furina curled up in King's arms; after feeling he had a backer...
He poked out a small head, glaring smugly at Arlecchino and making an intimidating sound.
"Hah—!"
Arlecchino: "..."
He blinked, his expression changing from dangerous to innocent.
He really meant no ill will.
It was just that hearing someone command him...
Made him instinctively annoyed, so he just narrowed his eyes for a moment.
Furina is the dignified god of water; is such a big reaction necessary?
"That won't do, Focalors."
Columbina took a step forward, his face full of seriousness.
"I can't just leave after finishing the meal."
"Because King promised me."
"That he will live with me from now on."
The scene fell silent for a moment.
And then—
"Pfft!"
The wine in Venti's mouth sprayed out.
He hurriedly wiped his mouth with his sleeve, his shoulders shaking like a sieve.
It's over, it's over.
Everything is completely over now.
After hearing such explosive news, I won't be silenced forever by Lord King, will I?
Raiden Ei looked up, her purple eyes fixed steadily on Columbina.
Her expression didn't change much.
But her fingers gripping the chopsticks betrayed the turmoil in her heart.
Another challenger?
Lumine's hand, wiping Paimon's mouth, froze in mid-air.
He looked at Columbina, then at King, then back at Columbina, and finally looked down at Paimon.
Paimon stood there with his mouth agape, drool almost spilling out.
"Paimon didn't hear wrong, right?" Paimon muttered. "That person with closed eyes said... he wants to live with King forever?"
Lynette's cat ears perked up with a "swish."
A dangerous red light flashed in her eyes.
Clorinde silently put down the Kamera and began to flex his wrists.
The head Furina had poked out of King's arms retracted; he was completely stunned.
"Li-live together forever?!"
His voice even cracked.
"What does this mean?!"
Columbina tilted his head, smiling innocently.
"It's exactly what it sounds like."
He reached out and began counting on his fingers.
"Eat breakfast together, eat lunch together, eat dinner together."
"Watch the sunrise together, watch the sunset together, watch the moon together."
"Spend every day, every year, every century together."
He finished counting, looked up, and gave Furina a bright, dazzling smile.
"That is what living together forever means."
Furina: "..."
Furina's cheeks puffed up once again.
This time they were even rounder than before.
Neuvillette silently looked away, pretending to study the patterns on the ceiling.
He saw nothing.
He knew nothing.
This matter had nothing to do with him.
He was innocent.
Venti curled up in a corner, so scared he was about to pass out.
I just came for a free meal, why am I hearing such explosive things?
I don't want to die yet.
Everyone in Mondstadt still needs me!
Wriothesley sat at the other end of the dining table, his brows furrowed together.
He watched the scene in silence, his mind racing.
Could it be...
Is this a honey trap from Snezhnaya?
After all, Lord King's strength is obvious to all.
Seeing that Lord King's divine power is peerless and he is invincible, did they devise such a wicked plot?
Wriothesley was lost in thought as he picked up the coffee in front of him and took a sip.
He completely failed to notice that the coffee was still scalding hot.
It was so hot he almost spat it out.
But he held it in.
I must maintain my cool and aloof image!
Paimon finally snapped out of his shock.
He floated to Lumine's ear and asked in a low voice, "Lumine, is that arrogant man with closed eyes trying to steal King from me?"
Lumine sighed and reached out to cover Paimon's mouth.
"Don't talk nonsense, kid."
Paimon: "Mmph mmph mmph!"
Raiden Ei silently picked up her teacup and took a sip.
Her gaze lingered on Columbina for a few seconds before shifting away.
Just a minor Snezhnayan Harbinger.
It's fine.
She has plenty of strength.
When he is alone, I'll just give him a quiet slash.
Ganyu crouched in a corner, flipping through his little notebook rapidly.
"Fontaine Observation Diary: International Relations Chapter—"
"Mr. King is suspected of having an intimate relationship with the Third Harbinger of Snezhnaya, Columbina."
"According to Columbina's own statement, the two will 'live together forever'."
"Mr. King did not deny it."
He drew two horizontal lines under the words "did not deny."
Then he added another sentence:
"Liyue's attitude toward Snezhnaya needs to be adjusted according to Mr. King's attitude."
Lynette took a deep breath.
She stood up, silently walked behind King, and stood firm.
She said nothing.
But the meaning was clear—
You are not welcome here!
Clorinde also stood up and walked to King's other side.
He crossed his arms and stood up straight.
Columbina tilted his head, looking at the two Damselettes.
Then he smiled.
"You two are both so cute~"
Columbina's smile grew even more radiant, not waiting for Clorinde and Lynette to react.
He looked around the dining table and said in his ethereal, dreamy voice:
"Everyone is such a cute girl, why don't we all live with King forever?"
As his voice fell, the dining room lapsed into a strange silence.
Furina's cheeks had puffed up to their limit, like a balloon about to burst at any moment.
He struggled out of King's arms, placed his hands on his hips, and glared at Columbina.
"What kind of shameless nonsense are you talking about?!"
"Everyone together?"
"Do... do you know what kind of place this is?"
"This is the Opera Epiclese! The political center of Fontaine!"
"It's not some... some place for debauchery!!!"
Columbina tilted his head with an innocent face. "What is debauchery? Is it edible?"
"You...!"
Furina was choked up and speechless, his small face turning bright red.
Paimon took the opportunity to break free from Lumine's clutches and floated to Furina's side, striking a pose as if ready to fight alongside him:
"Paimon doesn't agree either! King's emergency food is only Paimon—no, King only has Paimon in his heart! How can you just add people in whenever you want!"
He finished speaking and nodded vigorously to show his firm stance.
Furina was dumbfounded.
His heterochromatic eyes widened as he looked at the little thing with hands on his hips, acting so righteous; for a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Paimon? Paimon?!
That emergency food who yells "Paimon is hungry" and "Paimon wants to eat" all day actually jumped out at a time like this to declare sovereignty?
And...
"King only has Paimon in his heart"?!
What kind of bold and shocking words are those?!
Furina's brain lagged for 0.3 seconds, then he suddenly turned toward King.
King stood in place, his face still wearing that eternally unchanging calm expression.
But Furina clearly saw the corner of his eye twitch.
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