For Her
"Uh…Paimon feels like she's out of the loop" the Traveller's companion spoke confusedly, "Who's she?"
Aether was still overwhelmed by what he had just figured out and he was rendered speechless and unable to respond to Paimon. Every single clue he had picked up on from two days prior till the present moment were all clicking right into place, revealing the main focus of Drakonov's grand scheme behind the scenes.
It wasn't anything nefarious nor was it anything done solely for the sake of a better future for Fontaine. Instead, he had his own agenda running parallel to the work entrusted to him by Neuvillette. The way he had seamlessly weaved it into his original endeavours was truly astonishing.
His solution for the problem surrounding Rocherfleur was also a pathway for him to achieve an important goal of his.
"I'm speaking of my dear friend" Drakonov chuckled, answering Paimon, "The former Hydro Archon, of course."
"Huh?" Paimon raised an eyebrow, "Furina?"
"The one and only" he nodded.
Still perplexed, Paimon turned towards Aether.
"What's Furina part in all of this?" she asked.
The Traveller was fortunately able to gather his thoughts clearly once the initial astonishment had faded away. He was certain of what Drakonov was planning towards and he could see exactly how noble the Snezhnayan was towards the former God of Justice.
He then took a deep breath, relaxing himself before he gave Paimon an answer.
"Drakonov has been using the situation at Rocherfleur as a means to help repair the damaged ties between Furina and the people of Poisson" he told her before looking at Drakonov, "At least that's what I've gathered from what you've said."
"Whaaaaa-at?" Paimon tilted her head.
"Haha! It seems like I should clarify things a bit more" Drakonov smiled.
"Ehehe…Paimon will appreciate it if you could" she smiled sheepishly.
Clearing his throat, the maestro leant back against his chair.
"The people of Poisson have a fair bit of resentment against Furina because of what happened to them not too long ago" he began, "I am sure both of you were aware of that."
Aether and Paimon both nodded.
"Er…yeah…" Paimon replied, "They weren't…uh…too friendly when we went with her there after everything."
"It's understandable after all" Drakonov continued, "She was their leader when the rising Primordial water dissolved their loved ones and they believed she should've done something to save them."
"While it was a tragedy that nobody could prepare for, they must've felt that their faith in her as their archon meant nothing after that incident" Aether added.
"Indeed" the maestro nodded, "However, there is a way to redeem herself in the eyes of the people of Poisson."
"Oh! There is?" Paimon asked with a bit of hope and excitement, "What is it?"
"I have already said that the townsfolk of Rocherfleur are mostly relatives of those living in Poisson" Drakonov explained, "Just like The Traveller had mentioned, I plan to utilize the situation that they are facing right now and turn it into an indirect opportunity for redemption for her."
"You can do that?" she raised an eyebrow, "Umm…Paimon thinks that you're really a good friend to Furina for thinking that way but can you really do that? Does this mean you'll tell her about your plans?"
Aether nodded along to Paimon's question as it was one he had hoped to ask the Snezhnayan too.
"I've been wondering about that too" he asked Drakonov, "Will she be a part of it?"
The calm demeanour he sported did not falter one bit as he let out an amused chuckle before answering.
"I'm not exactly confident about revealing everything to her" Drakonov replied, "However, saying that, she will play a part in this. After all, I'm doing this for her sake."
He then rose up from his seat.
"I wouldn't find it too difficult of a task to fulfill" he said, "Luck is on my side and several pieces are falling into place exactly as I envisioned. However, I would appreciate it if you two could play a small role as well."
Aether and Paimon both looked at one another, seemingly surprised by his request for their aid. It wasn't too far from the realm of possibility to assume that Drakonov would not have wanted anything to do with them given that they had almost disrupted his ongoing mission for the good of Fontaine.
However, instead of taking that route, he had politely asked for their help in a matter which would be absolutely beneficial not only for the townsfolk of Rocherfleur but also for Furina.
"W-What!? You want our help?" Paimon exclaimed.
"I am being genuine in that" Drakonov replied, "In case I am unable to convince the Fatui and the bandits to leave Rocherfleur alone, I am sure our combined might will be enough to drive them off."
"…we could do that…but, is it right for us to be a part of this?" Aether inquired.
"I believe Furina trusts you too" Drakonov chuckled, "That is enough for me."
The Traveler put his hand close to his chin as he began to go through all of the possible scenarios that could arise if they agreed to working with someone who had a superb talent for planning things.
"The Fatui within the city might be suspicious of him if they see him with us too much…" he thought, "Will this be safe for him? Will he lose the trust he has formed with the Fatui and the treasure hoarders then?"
"…you care about Furina that much, huh?" Paimon awkwardly laughed, "Paimon really believes you're a good guy now."
"Paimon's right…" Aether smiled while stilling speaking through his thoughts, "Drakonov might've been shady at the start but with Neuvillette's testimony, I don't doubt he is really trying to do what's best for everyone. I think we can trust him now."
The maestro of the Grand Orchestra laughed for a moment before nodding.
"I won't be modest and say that my actions aren't for a noble cause" he told them, "And yes, I wish for my friend to be in the good books of every single citizen of Fontaine."
"I don't see any problem in helping you" Aether declared without hesitation, "How about you, Paimon?"
"Paimon's with you, Traveller!" she said happily, "So, what do you want us to do, Drakonov?"
Drakonov seemed to be thrilled by the enthusiasm in her voice as he smiled widely before speaking.
"My forenoon schedule will keep me with the orchestra but I will venture back up to the outskirts of Rocherfleur in the afternoon" he replied, "If you two could meet me at the South shoreline around three, I will relay the rest of my plans to you."
"That's understandable" Paimon nodded, "Most people think being part of the orchestra is all that you do after all."
"We'll be there" Aether told him.
"Thank you both" he said in a sincere tone, "For now, I shall take your leave. I'll be waiting for you at the designated place and time."
"See you, Drakonov!"
With a wave of his hand, he left their side. Aether and Paimon waved farewell for the time being as well, finally able to put every bit of their unease regarding him to rest. The conversation had gone a long way in turning him from a suspicious figure to a reliable ally in their joint pursuit of helping the people of Fontaine.
Though the current problem at hand wasn't nearly as substantial in comparison to what they had faced so far in Fontaine, seeing how far Drakonov would go to repair Furina's relationship with the people of Poisson amazed them and made them understand how much this meant to him.
"So, Traveller…" Paimon decided to recap what she had learnt so far, "…Drakonov wants to help the people of Rocherfleur which will then somehow lead to the people of Poisson no longer disliking Furina?"
"That's the general gist of his plan" Aether nodded.
"Uhh…do you think he can actually do that? While also dealing with the Fatui and the treasure hoarders?" Paimon inquired.
"…maybe that's what he needs our help for?" Aether shrugged.
He wasn't sure what kind of a role Drakonov had envisioned for them. They could be made to help out more in repairing Furina's reputation instead of being directly involved in his plans to deceive the hostile forces. But at that point, it wasn't too clear.
"He does have Neuvillette on his side" he continued, "So, we might not have to do anything that important, all things considered."
"Yeah…you're right" Paimon smiled, "But it'd be really swell to see the people of Poisson being friendly towards Furina again, right?"
"That is what we want too, isn't it?" Aether chuckled as he wiped his mouth with a napkin, "Well, all we have to do is wait until afternoon. We can't have any more answers till then."
Smiling nervously, Paimon held up an empty tray with crumbs on top of it.
"Can Paimon get…er…more pastries?"
After laughing at her request, Aether nodded.
"Sure, why not?" he shrugged.
The two friends resumed indulging in the delicacies that the café provided until they had their fill. What seemed to initially be a routine conversation between the two had morphed into something astounding the second Drakonov entered the fray.
Instead of any lingering doubts and suspicions remaining, a new alliance was seemingly forged in the aftermath as they learnt new important information regarding the maestro's plans for the near future. While much of the possibilities regarding their inclusion could be left to the imagination, they were sure that whatever they were involved in would be for Fontaine.
Not a single gray cloud was in sight as the sun shone unobstructed high above Aether and Paimon. The shoreline South of Rocherfleur was on the scenic part of Fontaine and as such, the whole atmosphere felt more relaxed and calming as compared to the hectic beauty of the Court of Fontaine.
In the distance, they could make out the treasure hoarder camp from a different angle; the same place where they found Drakonov the previous evening. At the moment, there seemed to be no signs of any congregations happening at that particular location nor were there any Fatui in the immediate surrounding areas.
The Traveller sat on top of a ruined wall; Paimon by his side as always. The calls of the seabirds nearby and the foghorns of ships in the distance filled the air as he waited patiently for the arrival of Drakonov.
"Hmm…he said he'd be here around this time" Paimon stated in an impatient yet concerned tone, "Do you think he might've forgotten?"
"That's impossible" Aether replied, "I don't think he's the person to make us go all the way over here for nothing."
"Paimon agrees now that she thinks about it…" Paimon said, floating in front of him, "Do you think we still have time to see what Rocherfleur is like while we wait for him?"
"It's just over that hill, isn't it?" Aether pointed at a small hill at the end of the path.
He had not been to that particular town yet and while he was sure there weren't any remarkable things about it, he wanted to see how the townsfolk were holding up, considering the looming threats of the Fatui and the treasure hoarders.
While he didn't necessarily need it, seeing the defenseless people might spur him on in his bid to make sure no one in Fontaine had anything to worry about.
"Ah! You've made it."
The familiar calm voice from behind them instantly took their attention.
Standing right there with a smile was Drakonov who had now worn his fake delusion on his neck. It was still surreal for the duo to think that they were now allied with a person who had been quite a mystery for the entire time they had known about him.
"I hope I had not kept you waiting for long" he said while chuckling.
"Uh…it wasn't too long of a wait" Aether replied, maintaining his composure.
"W-We were just checking out our surroundings!" Paimon added.
"That is good to know" Drakonov nodded, walking towards the path right next to them, "None of the Fatui have shown up yet, coming this way, have they?"
He then pointed his finger towards where the route continued ahead, leading straight to the town of Rocherfleur as both Aether and Paimon had learned.
"We didn't see anyone going that way" Aether answered, "Not even the townsfolk."
"Uhhhh…is that something important?" Paimon asked Drakonov, scratching the side of her head.
The two adventurers were once again surprised to see him remain so calm and casual all the while. His smile had not faltered one bit even when the situation he was involved in was quite perilous and could have severe consequences if things didn't go as planned.
"I believe it is" he told them, laughing slightly, "Hehe…I'm fairly certain that means they are all right next to the entrance to the crystal cave, probably bickering with the treasure hoarders again."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Paimon tilted her head.
"Those bandits are at the crystal cave?" Aether asked.
"Well, you two would have already noticed that the camp in the observable distance is fairly devoid of the bandits right now" Drakonov explained clearly, "Wouldn't that suggest their presence near the crystal cave on the far side of Rocherfleur right now?"
The Traveler appeared to catch onto what he was implying.
"Since we didn't see them enter town or go through this route…they must all be somewhere on the other side of Rocherfleur…or at least next to it" he guessed, "We didn't hear any commotion within the town so it's very probable they are near the crystal cave."
Drakonov smiled and nodded, looking quite impressed that he was able to piece together what was going on.
"Er…won't that mean they're inside the cave?" Paimon asked, looking worried, "Paimon doesn't feel too good about fighting both the Fatui and the bandits inside a cave full of crystals."
"I'm very sure they haven't entered the cave yet" Drakonov told her.
"Eh? Why's that?" she was puzzled by his confidence.
"Because there's a rather resilient Tainted Hydro Phantasm near the cave that keeps blasting anyone who approaches" he replied, "The meeting I had with the Fatui and the treasure hoarders was also to discuss how to get rid of that final obstacle."
"Oh! Really?!" Paimon's eyes widened, "A Tainted Hydro Phantasm?...Paimon has seen a fair number of those guys up close and they're really territorial. If it's the type that's hard to get rid of, Paimon can imagine it being a problem for the Fatui and the bandits."
"Is that also why they want to set up camp right in Rocherfleur?" Aether inquired, "So they can more be efficient in attempts to drive that Hydro Phantasm away?"
"I believe that to be the case" Drakonov replied, "If they can achieve that, they will have unimpeded access to the caves."
Paimon then smiled sheepishly as she floated right in front of the Snezhnayan.
"So…um…did you help them find a way to get rid of it then?" she asked.
Drakonov once again laughed a bit before answering.
"Not necessarily" he chuckled, "I only suggested splitting up into two groups: One drawing the Hydro Phantasm away from the mouth of the cave while the other group attacks it from behind."
"That could certainly create the opening they'd need to defeat it" Aether nodded, seeing the logic behind his suggestion.
"It isn't something that can be achieved by just one group alone. Not in the immediate future" he explained, "But together, they could very well achieve that."
Noticing that Paimon was about to ask something, Drakonov grinned and continued before she could open her mouth to speak.
"However…" he said in confident tone, "…My intention is not letting them have unrestricted access to the cave and putting the townsfolk of Rocherfleur in constant fear for their safety."
"That's…good to hear…" Paimon awkwardly laughed, "Hehe…Paimon was wondering why you were trying to help them get rid of the Hydro Phantasm…she's wondering no more."
"I appreciate that" Drakonov smiled at her, "That being said, our goal for today is to fight off a single Fatuus."
Aether and Paimon both shot him confused stares. They had been prepared already to clash with a larger number of adversaries, so to hear that they were only required to deal with a single foe was surprising to learn.
"What? Just one Fatuus?" Paimon put her hands to her hips.
"Why just one?" Aether asked as well, "Aren't we supposed to fight the bandits that are near the crystal cave right now?"
"We already know the Fatui and the treasure hoarders haven't passed through Rocherfleur today so the ones near the cave are probably just scouting the Hydro Phantasm" Drakonov told them, "They won't be a problem for now. They're under the belief that they don't have the numbers yet to defeat it."
The maestro then proceeded to stand right in the middle of the road leading right into Rocherfleur before gesturing for the duo to join him.
"Our target is on his own in Rocherfleur right now, striking a very tense conversation with the mayor" he explained, "We'll confront him and force him out of town."
"Eh? Did we miss him earlier then?" Paimon looked on in confusion, "If he's there, how come we didn't hear any sort of commotion?"
"Is it because he is alone?" Aether asked.
"Correct" Drakonov nodded, "I had also suggested sending one person to scout the town not only to make sure the townsfolk had no means to fight back but also to not cause any sort of a scene. After all, they are all on edge at the moment."
"Ah…Paimon gets that" she nodded, "Er…but is it really important to just drive him off when he'll probably leave without doing anything?"
Chuckling, Drakonov crossed his arms.
"Ah! My dear floating comrade…" he smiled, "…this is a huge opportunity for us."
"Uhhh…how so?"
"Our little scout has provided us with the perfect stage and the perfect audience to get them unknowingly hooked to our main plan at hand…" he told them as they listened carefully, "…As my dear friend would say – This is the opening act…I, the director…the scout, our antagonist…"
He then pointed at them in a dramatic way.
"…and the two of you being two of the three protagonists in this performance."