Central-Northern Falano, Flottes.
Like many other large cities, Flottes is interwoven with multiple rivers that flow through its urban and surrounding areas. These rivers were the original driving force behind the city's development—and the Harvest River is one such example.
The Harvest River flows from south to north, cutting straight through Flottes and continuing through the vast northern plains of Falano before eventually emptying into the sea. For a long time before widespread pollution by household waste, it served as Flottes’ primary water source. Of course, when it comes to river pollution, it typically affects the downstream sections more—residents living upstream along the Harvest River could largely ignore it.
In the southern outskirts of Flottes, the Harvest River bends into a large meander. Inside that bend lies a massive palace complex—the Temple of the Goddess of Beauty, the royal palace of the late Bourbon Dynasty of Falano. In modern-day Falano, it remains an important venue for official state functions.
The entire temple complex stands nestled within the vast riverbend formed by the Harvest River. At this moment, a luxurious banquet is underway within its splendid halls. Though the Bourbons no longer rule the country, the temple still serves as a critical social hub for Falano’s elite and dignitaries.
During the daytime, the temple's brown-gray walls and blue-tiled roofs glisten brightly under the sun. The countless fine sculptures beneath the eaves and along the corridors are even more visible, while the gilded roof ridges gleam dazzlingly—visible even from kilometers away, announcing this place’s opulence to all. Nobles and dignitaries from across nations strolled leisurely through the palace.
In an open courtyard on the temple’s eastern edge—once the royal gardens—countless noble ladies in vibrant attire and flowing gowns were gathered. As they enjoyed exquisite pastries and chatted cheerfully, a small fountain gurgled nearby with clear spring water. In the garden’s corner, a small group of skilled violinists played a graceful melody, adding to the ambiance of the scene.
In another corner of the garden stood Adèle. She wore a soft pink-and-white, fluffy gown and fitted bodice similar to those worn by the other Falanoan noblewomen. Her head was adorned with a wide-brimmed hat decorated with flowers. As she nibbled on a petite cake, she quietly swept her gaze across the scene, and within her mind, Dorothy’s voice echoed.
“What’s the matter, Adèle? Not going to chat with the others? Maybe if you mingle a little, you’ll pick up some useful intel.”
Adèle licked the cream from her lips and responded internally with indifference.
“Them...? Heh, forget it. I really can’t deal with the topics of these officials’ wives and daughters—always gossiping about love affairs and petty nonsense. I’d honestly rather be in the hall talking politics with the men than bickering with them.”
“Oh? So you’re more interested in politics, Adèle?”
“Not quite. Politics is boring too, but at least it covers more ground. The conflicts are deeper. I enjoy watching politicians and self-styled experts shout red-faced at each other over differing opinions. I might not care much about the actual content of politics, but watching people argue about it? That’s fun.”
Adèle spoke with casual amusement, and from her seat in the distant carriage, Dorothy raised her eyebrows slightly and replied.
“Fair enough. Makes sense in its own way. Since you’re bored standing around here, why not take a stroll through the rest of the temple? Maybe we’ll find some clue to that so-called ‘treasure’ or ‘stage.’”
“Mmm, you’re right.”
Finishing her cake, Adèle wiped her mouth and took one last look at the noblewomen’s tea party before silently taking her leave.
Leaving the royal garden on the eastern edge of the temple, Adèle began her proper exploration of the Temple of the Goddess of Beauty. She first toured the rest of the garden—admiring its dense groves and meticulously trimmed hedges shaped into various artistic forms, resembling green sculptures adorning the lawns. The artistic quality moved her to linger. Every few steps, she came across elegant pavilions where noblewomen rested while enjoying the view.
“This royal garden is really something… In both size and refinement, it’s far better than the royal gardens in Pritt. Especially those hedge sculptures—they’re quite charming.”
Admiring the scenery, Adèle offered her mental commentary, then changed tone to ask Dorothy.
“Say, little detective, have you seen anything here that resembles a ‘seven-petal lotus’ pattern? A lot of areas in this garden seem like good spots for performances. Could the Splendor King Charles have hidden one of the stages here?”
“As for that… I haven’t found anything yet. According to Mr. F’s riddle, the three hidden stages should all bear the image of a seven-petal lotus. I’ve used corpse marionettes to observe this garden from multiple angles but haven’t found a trace of such a pattern. At first, I thought maybe the topiary looked like the pattern from above… but I was wrong.”
Dorothy responded through their connection. Adèle thought for a moment, then replied.
“I suppose the garden must’ve been planted with a lot of flowers, but it’s late winter now, and not many are blooming. If all the flowers were in full bloom, might we be able to see something then?”
“That’s possible. But if that’s the case, then we won’t be able to find all three stages anytime soon. We’re still quite a ways from peak blooming season.”
Dorothy’s response was practical, and Adèle nodded in understanding.
“True enough… In that case, let’s check out some other places. The riddle says there are three stages—we’ll need to explore more to find them.”
“Mhm.”
Dorothy agreed with a nod. With that, she followed Adèle’s line of sight as the two continued their exploration of the Temple of the Goddess of Beauty, still searching for clues to the mysterious stages.
After leaving the royal garden, Adèle continued eastward, and before long, she arrived at a small river. Both banks of the waterway were adorned with finely crafted embankments, lined with rows of street lamps. A wide stone bridge spanned the river, linking the two banks. Along the edges of the bridge were beautifully carved stone sculptures.
“This appears to be a canal specially excavated during the construction of the Temple of the Goddess of Beauty. It supplies water to the fountains and artificial lakes within the temple and creates a scenic river view. The decorations look quite nice.”
Dorothy commented mentally as Adèle walked along the bridge. Adèle curiously replied.
“Oh... if it’s an artificial canal, could it have been deliberately carved into the shape of a seven-petal lotus?”
“Nope. I’ve already seen it from above. Although the shape of the canal was indeed carefully designed, it doesn’t form a lotus. I’ve also inspected the surrounding embankments and the bridge—there’s no trace of a lotus motif. It probably isn’t here.”
Dorothy answered. Hearing that, Adèle nodded and continued forward, crossing the bridge.
After passing over the stone bridge, Adèle officially entered the main palace grounds of the Temple of the Goddess of Beauty. First, she passed through a tall, gilded gate and arrived at a vast square. The east of the square faced the canal and stone bridge, while the other three sides were surrounded by the temple’s elegant pavilions, all with blue-and-gold roofs. At the center of the square stood a tall bronze equestrian statue—mounted on the horse was a handsome, commanding man in regal attire. Many people stood below admiring the statue.
“This is the Honor Guard Square. That bronze statue is of the Splendor King Charles, the builder of the Temple of the Goddess of Beauty. He was the most capable and renowned monarch of the late Bourbon Dynasty. He won multiple wars and secured vast colonial territories for Falano. He weakened the nobility and centralized royal authority. He even challenged the church openly, restricting its various privileges in Falano.
“Charles wasn’t just a strong ruler—he was flamboyant and full of personality. He loved grandeur, commissioning massive architectural projects and hosting extravagant celebrations. He enjoyed public appearances, often dressing in luxurious outfits to deliver speeches. He even acted on stage himself, performing the role of a hero in public plays and dancing to showcase his skills. It’s said his acting and dancing were both excellent.”
As she gazed at the statue, Adèle mentally recalled and narrated like a tour guide, while Dorothy added her own knowledge.
“Truly a unique king… But there are also critics who claim that while he was famous, his extravagance depleted Falano’s treasury, leading his son Robert to impose excessive taxation in a desperate attempt to recover the deficit.”
“Yes, that’s one interpretation. But most of that comes from church scholars. Everyone knows King Charles had poor relations with the church. He aimed to bring all power in Falano under his control and opposed the church’s special privileges across the nations.
“One emblematic moment in his defiance was a play he once performed in—a reenactment of the Battle of the Black Forest. Everyone expected him to play his ancestor, Duke Bourbon, but instead, he cross-dressed as the Forest Dancer. That stirred an uproar among the audience.
“Not only did he subvert gender roles by playing the dancer, but he also altered the script. The Forest Dancer, once presented as a messenger of the Trinity, now claimed to be Falano’s envoy—a divine embodiment of the goddess who brings life to the land. The church was outraged. It caused a serious diplomatic crisis at the time.”
Adèle’s gaze sparkled as she described the statue. After carefully examining it and the surrounding plaza, she turned again to Dorothy.
“So? Did you find any lotus symbols on this Honor Guard Square?”
“No… The plaza is large, but there’s nothing that matches the required signs.”
Dorothy immediately reported her findings through her corpse marionettes. Adèle sighed softly.
“Sigh… If that’s the case, let’s keep looking.”
Saying so, Adèle continued on toward the eastern end of the square, where a massive fountain came into view.
Among the many fountains in the Temple of the Goddess of Beauty, this one was clearly the largest. It was situated behind the statue of King Charles and in front of the temple’s main structure—the Dome Hall.
The fountain was circular in design, adorned with various stone sculptures. A ring of fountain nozzles circled its edge, spraying tall arcs of water inward to bathe the statues in mist and droplets.
“This is the Dawn Fountain, the largest fountain in the Temple of the Goddess of Beauty. Honestly, the fountains here are really beautiful. Their designs are far more varied than the ones in Tivian. If I ever build a courtyard of my own in the future, I’ll definitely hire Falanoan craftsmen for the fountain… No, not just the fountain…”
Looking at the fountain, Adèle mused to herself. Dorothy responded promptly.
“It is beautiful, but unfortunately… no lotus here either.”
“Indeed… Then let’s keep going~”
Beyond the Dawn Fountain stood a massive iron gate nearly ten meters tall, as large as a city gate. The gate was covered in intricate reliefs and stood wide open, revealing a corridor leading into the main building.
Upon entering the grand palace interior, Adèle was greeted by a vast hall. The floor was paved with marble inlaid with star patterns. Thick stone pillars with ornate bases lined the edges, and overhead was a dome of stained glass panels. Sunlight filtered through the semicircular dome, casting chaotic, rainbow-hued shadows across the floor.
“This is the Dome Hall, the largest main hall in the entire Temple of the Goddess of Beauty. It connects the south and north wings as well as the central eastern corridor, and is linked to the Honor Guard Square on the west. It’s basically the central hub of traffic here.”
“That checks out… and there are quite a lot of people here too.”
From various perspectives, Dorothy observed the enormous hall and responded to Adèle. Though the place was bustling and grand, she still hadn’t found a single trace of the lotus motif.
Adèle continued along the main axis of the Temple of the Goddess of Beauty, heading west into the central building. Beyond the Dome Hall, separated by a tall, doorless archway over ten meters high, another large hall came into view.
This hall was directly connected to the Dome Hall. At its center was a raised circular platform with floor tiles distinctly different from the surrounding ones.
The tiles on the platform displayed flowing, stream-like patterns, giving the impression of moving water. However, the patterns on each tile were fragmented—limited to the tile itself and abruptly ending at the edges. The entire circular platform conveyed a sense of disjointedness, as if it had been forcibly pieced together.
On the northeast, east, and south sides of the platform were tiered audience stands—at least four layers high—each lined with wooden railings. Behind the railings were stepped seats and private boxes reminiscent of a theater. Suspended above was a massive chandelier shaped like a crystalline flower. The entire space gave off the feel of a grand performance hall.
“This is the Opera Hall. It’s the designated venue for theatrical and musical performances within the Temple of the Goddess of Beauty. That circular platform is the stage. It’s said King Charles often performed here himself.
“If we’re talking about the so-called ‘stages,’ this place is definitely a strong candidate for one of them. But at first glance, I still don’t see any lotus motifs.”
As Adèle strolled around the circular stage, a faint gleam in her eyes, she explained internally to Dorothy. Dorothy responded immediately.
“Judging by your expression, Adèle... you seem like you’d really like to perform on that stage too.”
“Of course. As a dancer, any noble and radiant stage is something I yearn for. This stage in the temple, though not the largest I’ve seen, is by far the most exquisite. If possible, I’d love to perform a public piece here in Flottes someday—on this very stage. After all, it was once graced by my ancestor.”
While responding, Adèle continued her quiet tour. After leaving the Opera Hall, she proceeded along the palace’s central axis.
Along the axis, with Dorothy observing through her perspective, Adèle toured several grand halls, including the bedrooms of the king and queen. After nearly an hour of exploration, she finally reached the westernmost end of the palace—the terminal hall on the central line.
This grand hall was filled with collections of arms and armor, neatly arranged along its edges. The walls and ceiling were covered in vivid frescoes depicting the epic history of Falano.
“This is the Hall of Glory. It’s the Temple’s war trophy exhibition room—a place for kings to show off their military triumphs. These murals represent key battles throughout Falano’s history. The most striking among them depicts the Victory at the Black Forest.”
Standing in the center of the Hall of Glory, Adèle continued her commentary to Dorothy. Dorothy, from Adèle’s viewpoint, looked at the mural depicting the Black Forest Victory. Sunlight poured through the skylight, illuminating the face of the Forest Dancer on the mural. At a glance, it seemed to depict a beautiful woman—but upon closer inspection, the features carried an androgynous quality. Compared to the other paintings and statues of King Charles within the temple, this figure shared roughly 70–80% resemblance.
“Heh... what a flamboyant king. But it’s a shame—there’s not a single lotus in these murals…”
After finishing the tour of the Hall of Glory, Adèle exited the main palace and arrived at its easternmost side. Before her was a vast artificial lake. Small boats floated on the water, and across the lake, a small chapel could be seen in the distance.
Adèle strolled along the clear lake shore with Dorothy, admiring the peaceful waters. On one side of the lake, they even saw a few plots of farmland and some quaint, rustic-style houses—along with a waterwheel turning in the canal nearby.
“This lake is called Lake Blossomwater. It’s the largest man-made structure within the temple. Over there is the Chapel of Her Grace—the designated place of worship within the palace. And that… ‘farmhouse’ compound was supposedly built so the queen and princesses could experience the life of common farmers. Truth is, the cost of that little estate could buy hundreds—maybe thousands—of real peasant homes…”
Standing by the lake, Adèle surveyed her surroundings as she explained to Dorothy. Dorothy, in turn, observed the spotless, elegantly furnished, and extravagantly built “farmhouse” and offered her thoughts.
“Looks like the royal family’s idea of a farm differs quite a bit from a farmer’s…”
“Exactly. After all, real farmers don’t get to eat cake in their courtyard~”
Adèle chuckled, then turned to gaze at the calm lake under the setting sun and continued.
“Well, we’ve more or less explored the entire Temple of the Goddess of Beauty now. So, my brilliant little detective—have you found those so-called three stages?”
“As far as our investigation goes… despite the sheer size of this temple, I haven’t found even a single trace of a lotus. It’s still too early to confirm the locations of the three stages.”
“Oh~ so even the little detective has hit a wall, huh?”
Adèle asked curiously. Dorothy then calmly replied.
“Not quite a wall. I’ve actually got a tiny bit of a lead. But I’ll need to confirm some key information—with someone.”
“Someone? Who do you plan to ask?”
Adèle asked, intrigued. Dorothy responded without hesitation.
“Naturally… Mr. F.”