Oil, Water, and Something Else [1]

Isaac and Navia both took the Aquabus to Erinnyes Forest, and, although it was raining continuously, it didn't hinder the two one bit.

"It's still raining..." Getting off the Aquabus with an umbrella, Isaac made a comment while putting his hand out to feel the rain. "Don't you find this odd, Miss Navia?"

"I find it odd too. The sky was clear as day just thins morning— then it immediately turned dark like this." She said as she too got off the Aquabus with her parasol. "Working with a lot of manpower in this weather condition would be tough. It's good that I followed through with my plan."

'Its currently autumn so the rainy season should be over in Fontaine.' Isaac thought but soon immediately drew a speculation. He conjured up a wry expression as he thought of one of the possible explanations: 'Well... There is a Hydro Sovereign that can make the skies rain whenever he gets upset... So...'

'Yeah, this might be Neuvillette's doing.'

"The dirt roads leading to the location you provided are gonna be problematic, Miss Navia." Looking at the horizon where only dark clouds could he perceived, Isaac immediately knew that their journey would not be easy. "Should we perhaps wait until the rain stops?"

Navia observed the environment for a moment before shaking her head, followed by a soft sigh. "There's no need. We can still travel with this weather."

"As long as you're fine with it," Isaac shrugged his shoulders and didn't complain. However, he couldn't help but face the sky and mutter something under his breath, "But this rain..."

"...Che rilassante."

"Hm? Did you say something, Isaac?" Hearing a faint sound come from Isaac, Navia turned her head and looked back at him.

"Just talking to myself." Isaac shook his head before walking up to her with his umbrella. "I was just... Admiring the ambience of the rain, that's all."

"Hmm... Well, alright." Navia agreed with Isaac at first, however, her curiosity remained unsatisfied. She then made a comment while the two of them walked, "Still, how could you ever find the time to admire ambience out here in the public, even more so at a time like this?"

"How could I not?" Following beside her, Isaac spoke with an amused expression. "I could admire anything at any given moment. There's no limitation to beauty and admiration to it."

"Beauty... You're calling this damp weather beautiful?" Navia rolled her eyes as she conjured a wry smile. Her pristine blue eyes then looked at Isaac's figure beside her. "Can one truly appreciate the beauty of something that others may not perceive as beautiful?"

Upon hearing this question, Isaac paused in silence for a few moments before giving his answer. "And what of it?"

"Others may not agree to what I see as beautiful— but to me, that doesn't matter much. I admire what I want to admire."

"Alright... I get your point, but consider this," Finding their conversation interesting, Navia continued to entertain Isaac with her curious questions. "What if you held a rose?"

"It might look, smell, and feel good, but beneath it are thorns that would hurt you if you're not careful." True to her family's motif, she made a reference to a flower— a rose.

"Would you still find it beautiful?"

As the pair walked through the rain side by side, silence enveloped for a few moments before it was broken by Isaac's words.

"Do you know that saying, Miss Navia? That beauty is in the eye of the beholder?" Isaac, smiling enigmatically, said while looking out at the far distance. "I believe in that saying very much. That's because I choose to believe what is beautiful and what's not."

"A thorny rose, you say? I'll still compliment it." He added. "Because, ultimately, those thorns are part of that rose— as such, they too are beautiful."

"Piacevole." He muttered to himself while looking at Navia. He then shook his head as he wore a wry smile.

Upon hearing Isaac's answer, Navia chuckled lightly before speaking, "Must you always add a touch of romanticism to your words? I say that you have a much better tongue than bards."

"How else would I express my admire for beauty?" Isaac shrugged his shoulders as he lightly chuckled too.

He then looked back at what he said and thought with introspection. 'I might as well become a red head knight hell-bent on admiring beauty if I keep this up.'

The two of them continued to talk amongst themselves, discussing various topics. However, their conversation soon ended when they reached the top of a set of stairs.

"Hold on, this is the turning point." Isaac said as he stopped Navia on her tracks. He then looked around the road they were at before muttering something to himself, "...Dobbiamo fare una deviazione..."

He then looked back at Navia before speaking again. "If we want to get to the location you provided, we need to walk... There."

Isaac then pointed at a hill with his finger before looking back at Navia beside him. "Are you fine with that, Navia?"

"It's all fine by me." She nodded her head upon receiving Isaac's words. However, she soon changed her expression to a cheeky smirk. "More than that..."

"You've been speaking a lot of Remurian for a while now..." Navia pointed out her findings as she smirked at Isaac. "I wasn't sure at first... But now I'm certain."

"Oops— I was caught." Smirking back at her, Isaac lightly laughed as he turned around. He the started explaining, "I was just doing it for fun. Took you long enough to notice."

'Also... Remurian?' Remembering that Ancient Remuria was essentially the Ancient Roman Empire equivalent in this world, Isaac felt that it fits the overall context. 'I didn't even know that. I was just doing it for the shits and giggles.'

'The more you know.'

"Hehe, just to let you know, I'm quite well-versed in Remurian myself." She said as she went past Isaac. However, she soon turned around and winked at him with a cheeky smile, "Pensavi di poterlo nascondere da me?"

"Non va bene, amico mio. Devi essere più onesto!"

'Oh no... What have I done...' Isaac, upon hearing her proudly talk, could only conjure up a wry smile as he started to realize what he had done. 'She seems to love speaking this way though... Albeit I don't mind it...'

"Mio Dio, You're very good at it." Chuckling wryly, Isaac walked up to her with his umbrella while shaking his head.

"Of couse... Me and my father would always practice this when I was child." She said with a soft smile as if remembering a distant memory.

[+5]

"That's nice." Isaac commented with a warm smile, seeing her change in demeanor.

Shortly after their short conversation, the two them went off-road and started climbing a hill that would lead them to the location Navia provided. It was quite far, but since they were at a hill, they were confident that they'd get a vantage point.

Since it was still raining and the environment was muddy, Isaac paid close attention to their surroundings and Navia to prevent any kind of accidents such as slipping.

Fortunately, no such things happened and the two of them reached the top of the hill.

"Phew, that's it." Still holding on tightly to her parasol, Navia looked at the distance and nodded her head in confirmation. "That's it— that's the location of the painting."

"The Weeping Willow of the Lake."

In the distance, a massive weeping willow tree atop a large boulder could be seen. Although the rain was limiting the view, it's presence was quite prominent and was shard to miss.

The looming clouds in the horizon blocked off all the sunlight that could possibly permeate through its veil— drowning the land beneath it with its darkness.

Even then, the soothing rain coupled with the howling winds coming from the mountains contradicted this phenomenon. This otherwise inconvenient weather, was, for better or worse, soothing.

"The Weeping Willow, huh?" Looking at the distance, Isaac, who was holding his umbrella, commented. "Do people still go there?"

"Some daring hikers and adventurers do," She said as she stood beside him, also surveying the area. "Though, there shouldn't be any people present around this time."

"Well, I expected that much, at least," Isaac shrugged his shoulders. He then took out his revolver and made sure all the bullets in its brass canister were present. "Let's be careful. Hydro Eidolons might be present nearby as well as some rifthounds."

"How'd you know that?" Turning her head to Isaac, she curiously asked him.

"I won't be an investigator if I haven't at least gathered information beforehand." He replied as he rolled his eyes at her with a wry smirk. Leading the way, he continued, "Come on then."

Isaac was just about to lead the way, when suddenly, a flash went past his eye that caught him off guard. "Huh?"

"Race you there!" Navia, who, despite carrying her parasol, ran quite fast. With a mischievous expression, she looked at Isaac. "The last one is a rotten egg!"

"...but it's raining... how..." Isaac, looking at her get further from him, commented with a wry expression. Looking at the way she ran, he made a confused expression. "How is she not slipping...?"

Isaac wanted to entertain this thought more, but upon seeing Navia go down the hill at astonishing speed, his inner competitiveness couldn't help but he lit up.

"Well, if that's how you want to play..." Shaking his head, Isaac let out a soft sigh before smirking. "Then so be it."

Meanwhile, Navia, who was running at an adequately fast speed down the hill, miraculously was able to not trip and fall.

Of course, this was but one of the many skills she developed as the head of the Spina Di Rosula. No matter the adversity, she must have a vast array of trump cards to use at any given moment.

Her lush blonde hair fluttered in the air as the wind went past her, and, because she was wearing a compact suit made for outdoor hiking, she didn't have to worry about getting mud all over her.

'Is Isaac lagging behind?' Sensing no one behind her, Navia turned around to see Isaac and to rouse up his competitiveness. "What's wrong, Isaac? Couldn't keep up?"

However, when she turned around, she suddenly saw Isaac's figure running up to her. What surprised her was that he was actually catching up!

"Wait— what, huh?!"

"Hold on! How are you able to do that?!" Seeing Isaac not tripping in all the slippery mud, Navia couldn't help but shout at him as she saw him rapidly approaching her like a train.

"Heh, my genius is... It's almost terrifying!" Isaac smirked as he gradually got closer and closer behind Navia.

"You...!" Finally, the moment Isaac got closer to her, Navia was able to understand how he was able to stay upright. She then called him out, "You're using your vision!"

Beneath Isaac's feat, small but sharp spike-like roots were present. Each time Isaac's foot landed, the roots would extend and plant themselves in the ground, giving him traction. They would then retract and the process repeats itself.

With their help, Isaac was able to run without having to worry about falling down.

That's right! Isaac has made—

"This is the power of Track Spike Shoes!" He said proudly as he slowly caught up to her.

"That's cheating!" Navia shouted, however, she didn't slow down one bit and instead kept running to outrun Isaac who was chasing her like a bull.

"Says who?!" He replied while breathing heavily as he ran. "This is an impromptu challenge!"

"Even so! Using a vision is still cheating!"

"Skill issue!"

"What?!"

---

As Navia and Isaac ran down the hill shouting at each other while also having fun, in the far distance, two figures also carrying umbrellas could be seen observing them.

One was a tall figure while the other was petite.

"Is that not..." The tall figure, having observed Isaac's shenanigans, was just about to point him out when he noticed the petite person next to him.

"That... What is Isaac doing with her?" The other figure said while keeping an eye on Isaac and Navia.

"WHY... Is he with her?"

The petite figure's voice deepened solemnly. Whether it's from frustration, irritation, anger, or disappointment was unknown.

"..." The other tall figure remained silent, and merely watched with impartiality.