>>532134792
Dahlia.. forgotten

[Scene: Fontaine palace kitchen. Aether stirs something suspicious in a pot. Escoffier watches, arms folded, clearly unimpressed. The smell is… questionable.]

Aether: There! I made pagpag! It’s kind of a street survival food. Taught myself after a tough journey—

Furina: enters, halts with a hand over her mouth
A-Aether... I don’t think that pagpag dish looks appetising.

Inner Furina: ESCOFFIER PLEASE HELP!!

Escoffier: steps forward, absolutely livid
Mon dieu, what culinary crime have you committed in my kitchen?! Pagpag?! This is not a wasteland, garçon—this is Fontaine! No Frenchman, no citizen of culture, would touch that with a fork! We are not here for cultural enrichment, we are here to cook!

Aether: startled, hands up in surrender
I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to disrespect the kitchen… or anyone here! I promise—I'll never serve pagpag to Furina ever again!

Furina: regaining composure, arms crossed
See that you don’t. This is a palace, not a slum!

[Later — Neuvillette’s chambers. Escoffier speaks with quiet fury.]

Escoffier: He served Her Eminence pagpag. Scraps, reheated! A dish of ruin, not refinement.

Neuvillette: coldly Then justice must be served.

[Exterior. Rain falls as Aether stands near a carriage.]

Neuvillette: Aether, by the laws of this land and the dignity of our nation, you are to be deported from Fontaine.

Aether: sighing I didn’t think food could get me banished…

Paimon: [teary-eyed] I.. I’ll stay in Fontaine... someone has to make sure no one eats anything worse!