"What do we do, boss? That woman next to the guy... doesn't she look a lot like our Fontaine's Hydro Archon, Lady Furina?" one of the Treasure Hoarders whispered to his leader.
The boss looked just as confused. He had thought the two were just a couple out on a date in the wilderness and that they just happened to be blocking the only path to the hoarders' hideout.
Since they had important goods to transport, and operating under the principle of "less trouble is better," he had originally planned to quietly sneak past with his men through the bushes.
But the man saw through them with a single sentence. The boss had been about to teach the couple a lesson for being nosy, only to realize their "enemy" might actually be their own Hydro Archon.
'Damn it! This was like a hero setting out to fight the Demon King, only to encounter the Demon King himself as the first roadside mob!'
'And why was Lady Furina having a picnic in the wild with some guy? Could it be…? No, no way, absolutely not! That's Lady Furina, after all!'
Clearly, although this Treasure Hoarder boss had turned to a life of crime, he was still a Fontaine citizen at heart.
Furina, as Fontaine's beloved superstar and spiritual idol, was someone dear to every citizen. And now, he had stumbled upon her out in the wilderness with a ridiculously handsome man, having a private outdoor cookout.
Their interaction seemed awfully close, even he, a bystander, felt the two of them looked oddly perfect together…
'No way! I do not approve of this relationship!'
The boss had the expression of a fan whose favorite idol just got caught dating, shocked and bitter. His already rough face twisted into something even more vicious and fierce-looking.
At least, that's how it appeared to Furina. She quietly stepped back two paces and edged closer to Richard.
That small movement only made the Treasure Hoarder boss more certain: the Hydro Archon was on a date with her boyfriend by the riverside.
Driven by a sudden flood of extreme emotion, the boss made a decision…
He forced a smile, rubbed his hands together, and said, "M-My lords, we were just passing by. We didn't see anything, we're not doing anything bad. See?"
This guy wasn't stupid. He didn't get to where he was by picking fights he couldn't win. The moment he realized the power gap was too big, he immediately decided to play it safe.
Everyone knew, those who charge in recklessly without understanding their opponents are the ones who die the fastest.
He'd become the top dog among the Treasure Hoarders around Poisson Town because he knew when to bend and when to strike, who to provoke and who to avoid.
So, faced with Furina and Richard, he instantly backed down and tried to bluff his way out.
As for idol worship or not… ha! He wasn't some nerd from the Fontaine Institute.
He'd been hustling in the streets for years. He could toss away his pride at any moment, let alone some superstar nonsense!
Furina knew these Treasure Hoarders were up to no good, but with so many of them around, and Clorinde not present, fighting them head-on would be reckless…
So she shot Richard a look, silently conveying: 'Richard, maybe we should wait for Clorinde to return before picking a fight with this group.'
Richard caught her signal and gave a nod, indicating that he understood.
Seeing Richard nod, Furina let out a small breath of relief. If it really came to a fight, never mind protecting Richard, she might not even be able to protect herself!
The confidence she'd shown earlier in front of Clorinde? All an act.
She definitely couldn't handle a gang of vicious-looking criminals like this!
If she had known this would happen, she never would have let Clorinde leave. But seriously, who would expect something like this during a picnic? The odds were tiny!
Furina mentally cursed her bad luck, struggling to find a way to speak that would both maintain her dignity as an Archon and not provoke the hoarders into desperate action.
Then, she heard Richard say:
"Lady Furina says that as long as you surrender peacefully and cooperate with our investigation, we'll let you go once it's confirmed you've done nothing wrong."
'Wait, what!? When did I say that!?'
Furina's expression nearly cracked. She was about to protest, but remembering her persona, she changed her words mid-sentence:
"Indeed! That's exactly what I meant. I advise you not to act rashly. Considering you are citizens of Fontaine, I'm willing to be lenient. But if you remain stubborn… then do not blame this god for showing no mercy!"
Furina puffed out her, well, barely-there chest and pronounced judgment like a courtroom judge delivering a sentence.
But mentally, she was far from calm.
'Oh no, oh no, is this really going to turn into a fight!? Ughhh, Richard, why did you suddenly open your mouth!? I was signaling you to hold off!'
'You're usually so sharp, why can't you read a room now!?'
'If the Treasure Hoarders are the problem, let the Maison Gardiennage deal with them. We're just Ministry personnel, what business do we have getting involved!?'
Furina was panicking.
She was out in the wild, about to be surrounded by Treasure Hoarders, completely powerless in combat. What should she do?
It's urgent!