Yes, Furina-sama!

Furina handled "Monsieur Macaron's request" with remarkable efficiency, returning to the banquet hall in roughly the time it took to finish a cup of tea.

At the same time, she turned to Richard, who was helping her handle the Mondstadt officials, and said, "Secretary General Richard, Miss Brownie has some important documents that need your approval."

She certainly wasn't the kind of boss who'd enjoy her own treats while leaving her staff behind!

Afterward, Furina naturally picked up the topics handed to her by the officials and effortlessly blended into a lively discussion about the arts.

When it came to politics or economics, Furina might not be the most capable, but when it came to art? That was her domain.

No one knows art better than Furina!

Richard nearly lost his composure when he heard Miss Brownie, but fortunately, his reflexes were sharp; he covered it up with a light cough and inconspicuously wiped the corner of his lips.

Furina noticed this subtle gesture and reflexively wiped the corner of her own lips too, and sure enough, she felt the remnants of Monsieur Macaron.

'Oops… better wipe that off before anyone notices.'

Without giving anything away, Furina gently pursed her rosy lips and took a sip of the sweet-and-tangy Sunsettia juice to calm herself.

...

Richard left the hall, planning to head to the "dessert room", when he unexpectedly spotted a familiar face by the door.

"I already told you, I'm not some suspicious person! I'm Charlotte, a reporter trainee for the Steambird Newspaper. This is my press card!"

This young lady, wearing a pure white off-shoulder evening gown and a vintage gold monocle over her left eye, was arguing with an on-duty knight.

"Excuse me, is something the matter here?" Richard stepped forward to ask.

He recognized Charlotte; she was the same reporter who had interviewed Furina during that street speech. With just a few words, she'd stirred up Furina's sense of mission.

A very dangerous journalist, indeed.

But it seemed she was in a bit of trouble this time.

The knight on duty knew who Richard was; he'd heard that this man was close to Acting Grand Master Jean. Some even said they'd seen him out shopping with Jean and little Klee, the scene had looked just like a cozy family of three.

Now, however, Richard's official identity was Fontaine's top envoy on a diplomatic visit to Mondstadt. Either way, he was not someone to offend.

So before Charlotte could even open her mouth, the knight quickly explained: "Mr. Richard, while I was on patrol, I found this lady loitering back and forth in front of the special temporary discussion room reserved for Fontaine. She seemed very suspicious, so I stepped in to question her…"

"Secretary General Richard, I'm Charlotte from the Steambird! I'm definitely not suspicious!" Charlotte's eyes lit up when she finally saw a familiar and influential figure; she was visibly relieved.

The knight looked puzzled and asked: "Mr. Richard, do you know this lady?"

Richard looked at Charlotte, who was gazing at him expectantly. He nodded slightly and said, "Yes, I know her. Thank you for your hard work, sir knight."

"Just doing my duty! If you two know each other, then I'll continue my patrol." The knight straightened up, clicked his heels together, and gave Richard a standard knight's salute.

When the knight was gone, Richard turned his eyes to the young reporter before him.

Only then did he notice that Charlotte had clearly gone to great lengths with her outfit to sneak into the hall.

She wore a long, pure white, form-fitting evening gown, and her pink hair was done up into an elegant bun adorned with a creamy white floral hairpin, giving her an innocent, refined look.

The gown's design was simple yet elegant, but it seemed a bit tight. The bodice pressed slightly into her skin, creating a faint line across her soft chest, accentuating her slender waist, and highlighting her best features.

The overall effect was fresh, elegant, and full of youthful charm, a far cry from her usual reporter look.

"Explain yourself, Miss Charlotte. If I recall correctly, your name isn't on the official list of embedded reporters submitted by the Steambird." Richard asked with a calm smile.

Charlotte's pretty face froze. She had planned to bluff her way through with the "embedded reporter" excuse, after all, she assumed someone like Richard wouldn't remember every single name on the list.

But now, it seemed her plan had failed…

"I… came on my own expense." Charlotte sighed, giving up her cover and confessing honestly.

As an intern at the Steambird, she hadn't secured her place yet. Though she'd scored a big win last time with her Furina interview, it wasn't enough to earn her a precious spot on this diplomatic trip.

Anyone with eyes could see, Furina's first foreign visit as Hydro Archon and to a disaster-stricken Mondstadt, no less. It was bound to produce explosive stories.

Charlotte trusted her journalistic instincts; there was no way she'd miss out. So she paid out of pocket, bought the fastest ticket to Mondstadt, and called in favors with senior reporters stationed there. After a bit more personal "investment", she'd actually managed to sneak in.

What could he say? She really was a born reporter.

"So instead of digging up stories inside the hall, why are you out here?" Richard asked, not particularly bothered, but staring straight into her eyes.

Charlotte, still just an intern, couldn't handle Richard's calm pressure; her eyes darted aside as she muttered, "I just… needed some fresh air…"

"Fresh air?" Richard gave a half-smile as he looked around at the narrow, windowless corridor. Even the banquet hall had better ventilation than this.

Seeing Charlotte still stubbornly pretending, Richard raised a finger and said,"Perhaps I should remind you, Miss Charlotte, that what you're doing right now is illegal."

"I-illegal?!" Charlotte's eyes widened in disbelief.

How could it be illegal? Sure, she'd used some tricks to get in, but it was still within the rules, nothing illegal, right?

"Yes. Under Fontaine's Diplomatic Relations Act, Chapter 3, Article 6, anyone who attempts to gather confidential diplomatic information may be held legally accountable by the envoy."

"Gather confidential diplomatic? I wasn't!"

Before Charlotte could protest, Richard pointed to the sign behind her that read: 'Fontaine Diplomatic Intelligence Discussion & Analysis Room.'

And just in case she still wanted to argue, he raised his voice slightly: "The soundproofing in this room isn't exactly great, wouldn't you agree?"

Right on cue, a voice responded from behind the door: "Yes, Secretary General Richard, sir!"

Charlotte: …