Man, this is definitely going to suck—no TV, no entertainment, no video games. Maybe I should bring Uno into this world. It's a simple enough game.
Lucien glanced over at Clorinde. 'Well, at least it looks like she won't be picking a fight with me anytime soon.'
"Enjoying the view?" he asked casually.
She turned to him with a bright smile. "Let's spar."
He grinned. "I was starting to think you'd never ask."
A spark flickered in his eyes—he was itching for revenge. 'That dumb rock had cost him their last match, but this time? This time, he was sure he'd win.'
They stood on the deck, locked in a tense stare-down, their eyes practically throwing daggers. A curious crowd had gathered around, murmuring at the unusual sight.
"Whose kids are these?" someone asked.
"No clue, but it looks like they're about to throw down," another voice chimed in.
"Someone, quick—go find their parents before this gets out of hand," a third added urgently.
Lucien's eyes were locked onto Clorinde, both pairs of purple eyes narrowing in a silent standoff.
They stood still, ignoring the growing crowd around them, each waiting for the other to make the first move.
But then—a voice cut through the air like a whip.
"Clorinde! Lucien!" Petronilla's voice boomed across the deck, making both of them flinch.
"If you're going to spar, at least do it properly!" she scolded.
The crowd fell into stunned silence, eyes wide as they stared at the woman whose voice cracked through the air like thunder.
A wave of murmurs rippled through the onlookers, disbelief etched across their faces.
"Is she serious?" someone shouted.
"Is she seriously lecturing us right now?" Lucien muttered under his breath.
his attention snapped back to Clorinde just in time to see her closing the distance in a flash. She launched a swift kick aimed at his face—but this time, Lucien was ready. He dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow.
But before the fight could go any further, a group of crew members quickly intervened, stepping between them and halting the match.
"There's no fighting allowed on the ship!" one of the crew members barked.
"Who are your parents?" One of them asked.
Clorinde and Lucien silently pointed at Petronilla.
Another crew member hurried over, addressing Petronilla with a polite yet firm tone. "The rules are quite clear, no combat of any kind is permitted aboard a Fontaine transport vessel."
Great—just like that, their sparring match was over before it even began.
"Monsieur, they were merely engaging in harmless play," Petronilla said with a calm smile.
"Mademoiselle, be that as it may, even a moment of carelessness could lead to grave consequences. The regulations aboard Fontaine vessels are absolute—no exceptions, regardless of age."
"Should there be any offense," the crew member stated firmly, "the guardian shall bear full responsibility—and be subject to a substantial fine."
Petronilla offered a swift, courteous bow. "My sincerest apologies. I understand completely." Then, with a sharp turn, her piercing gaze fell on the two culprits—clearly not wanting a fine on their behalf.
Lucien and Clorinde quickly followed suit, bowing their heads. "Sorry," they muttered. Fortunately, the crew member gave a nod and let them off with a formal warning.
Lucien groaned inwardly. 'Man, he wanted to show her who was better.'
This rivalry between them had been burning since they were babies—always pushing, always challenging. There was this fire between them.
'Is this what it feels like to have a sibling? He wondered. He'd never had one before.'
Either way, at least he hadn't been reborn into a terrible family again. This—whatever this was—felt different. Well, if you could even call it a family. He glanced at Clorinde, his sibling. Even if he had been reborn into this body, he still considered her his sister. A small smile tugged at his lips.
Then his eyes shifted to their master. She wasn't exactly a mother figure—more like a strict mentor. But he could tell, deep down, that she was trying to teach them something more than just how to fight. She was raising them to be independent.
That thought also worried him—once she felt they were independent enough, would she just leave? Something about her gave off that vibe. He just hoped it wasn't true, at least for Clorinde's sake.
"Mesdames et messieurs, your captain speaking," the voice rang through the ship's ornate intercom system, crisp and composed. At once, conversations dimmed, and passengers turned their attention to the nearest speaker.
"Firstly, I must kindly ask that you keep a vigilant eye on your children. The sea is beautiful—but unforgiving. Should anyone, by misfortune, fall overboard, you need only pull the red emergency line located at intervals along the deck. This will alert the bridge, and I shall bring the vessel to a complete halt to initiate immediate recovery measures. Your cooperation ensures a safe and pleasant voyage for all aboard. Merci, and do take care near the railings."
The captain droned on, listing off all the ship's rules—no running on deck, no leaning too far over the rails, the usual stuff. Pretty basic common sense, at least in Lucien's opinion.
But then the captain brought up the incident—the scuffle on deck. Lucien winced, a twinge of embarrassment crawling up his neck.
"The vessel will be departing shortly. We thank you for choosing the Angelic Sea Hare as your mode of travel. Wishing you a pleasant and serene journey ahead."
He'd made plenty of guesses about Fontaine, but now he was sure—the nation had to be inspired by France or something.
Everyone on this ship dressed fancy—just like some people in town. Even his own outfit, he realized, matched what other boys wore here.
He glanced down at it, still not entirely used to this style of clothing yet.
"Hmph… I wonder how the woman even moves around in those dresses," he muttered.
His master, however, didn't dress like that. Her outfit was more military in style, but she looked quite cool in it—especially with that hat and her weapons fully on display. It seemed she was allowed to carry them without question.
A few moments later...
HONK!
HONK!
HONK!
The ship's horn bellowed across the harbor, sending a flock of birds flapping into the sky. A low vibration rolled through the deck as the engines roared to life. Crew members moved with practiced ease, unfastening ropes and calling out to one another over the hum of machinery. Slowly, steadily, the ship began to drift from the dock, the gap between the vessel and the port widening with each passing second.
Lucien and Clorinde sprinted back to the railing, breathless with anticipation. The wind tugged at their hair as they leaned forward, watching the familiar silhouette of Plaisir gradually shrink, its cobbled streets and clustered rooftops dissolving into the blue haze of the horizon.
The boat sailed smoothly across the clear, sunlit waters. Children rushed to the railings, their laughter echoing through the deck as they pointed excitedly at the playful otters and the colorful array of marine life swimming alongside the vessel. Their parents stood close behind, smiling as they kept a watchful eye on their little ones, sharing in their wonder.
Lucien and Clorinde lingered at the railing for a moment longer, watching the ship move through the calm waters and the fishes below the surface swim away, until Petronilla's voice called out behind them. With a sigh, they turned and followed her down the corridor, footsteps echoing softly against the metal floor.
Lucien let out a groan as he stretched his arms overhead; he was tired and wanted to go to sleep.
They finally found their room. It was modest but comfortable, with just enough space to meet their needs—a small bathroom, two beds, and a couch at the far end. A round porthole offered a view of the open waters.
Without a second thought, Lucien threw himself onto the couch with a satisfied sigh.
"Man, these tiny legs weren't made for all that walking," he grumbled, rubbing his aching feet. "Still… not as bad as Master's training."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Petronilla said with a grin.
Lucien removed his backpack and placed it on the floor. The others followed suit, setting their belongings down beside him.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Lucien groaned, flopping back down onto the couch, his boredom evident as he stared up at the ceiling.
"We'll get something to eat, then hit the shed. As for tomorrow, you two will figure things out." Petronilla smiled. "Oh, and once we reach our destination, you'd better be prepared Yourselves."
He shivered, fully aware of what she meant.
"I can't wait!" Clorinde clapped her hands together excitedly.
"At least someone appreciates my teaching," Petronilla smiled, a hint of pride in her voice.
Lucien turned his head, muttering, "Yeah, well, it feels like I'm dying after every training session."
"Oh, please, you're just being dramatic," Petronilla remarked. "If your sister doesn't complain, then you shouldn't either."
Soon the sun dipped lower, casting a warm golden hue across the small cabin. Somewhere in the room, soft snoring echoed—Clorinde, most likely.
Lucien lay back on the couch, his belly filled.
Man, he hadn't even been to the Court yet, but already, Fontaine seemed way better than Mondstadt.
Well, to be fair, he'd only seen Mondstadt in the game, so maybe things would turn out different there.
Wait a second!
What timeline is this?' He frowns at the ceiling.
The only way to figure it out was to somehow find out if Jean—or any of the other characters from Mondstadt—actually existed here.
If not, then he was either in the past, the future… or maybe they didn't exist at all.
Lucien rubbed his head in frustration.
'And the twins… How could I forget about them? That's important. Not to mention the Fatui and the Abyss too.'
Oh, and the Gnosis too—they seemed pretty important to the Fatui.
Man, there's so much going on… should I really get involved in any of that?
Nah," he muttered, shaking his head.
'I'm not about to throw myself into trouble for no reason. But that doesn't mean I'll run from it either. If something comes my way and I'm ready for it… then yeah—I'll handle it.'
He let out a sigh, sinking deeper into the couch.
'Here I was, thinking things would be peaceful—now I'm just setting myself up for more stress.'
'I wish I'd had more play time before I got reincarnated... damn you gods! I would've been way more prepared.'
'Speaking of gods—the Archons, If he remembered correctly, each nation had an Archon—like that Anemo guy... what was his name again? Venti?'
That wasn't his real name, though. It started with a B... Ugh, I'm not gonna give myself a headache over it.
Now that he was thinking about the Archons… did Fontaine even have a ruler? Master never really talked about how the nation was governed.
But It was pretty obvious this nation ran on laws. Everything was so orderly—officers stationed everywhere, rules enforced even on a passenger ship.
Yet he still hadn't heard a single whisper about an Archon. Maybe once they reached the Court, he'd finally get some answers.
He wasn't in a rush to ask his master; those answers would come with time.
Slowly, his eyes began to close, the gentle hum of the boat fading into the background.
This time, his dreams didn't take him back to his old family. Instead, he saw himself running freely through a vast forest, laughter in his breath as he explored the land with unburdened joy.