"M-Monsieur Neuvillette?"
Sensing the sudden, terrifying aura emanating from Neuvillette, the Melusine spoke hesitantly, her voice tinged with fear. Realizing he had lost control, Neuvillette immediately suppressed his overwhelming presence.
"My apologies," he said. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I merely lost control of my emotions for a moment."
"Please give me the letter that was delivered."
Upon hearing Neuvillette's request, the Melusine handed over the letter and promptly excused herself.
Neuvillette returned to his seat, opened the letter, and read its contents. He took a deep breath afterward.
He had never imagined that Clorinde would become the Murderer's target this time.
First, it was ordinary citizens, then Maison Gardiennage officers, and now a Champion Duelist?
And not just any Champion Duelist. Clorinde had earned her position through her own formidable skill.
This was a clear escalation of pressure.
A blatant message to everyone: the earlier choices of ordinary people weren't because the murderer lacked the ability to strike at others.
If something truly happened to Clorinde, Fontaine's situation would likely spiral into chaos. At that point, his authority as Chief Justice alone would be insufficient to influence the collective decisions of others.
To make matters worse, Neuvillette had already lost contact with Clorinde. Even if he wanted to protect her, he couldn't.
No, even if she were right beside him, he wasn't certain he could protect her.
That man had taken his own life right before his eyes, and yet Neuvillette couldn't even discern how he'd done it.
How could he, as the Hydro Dragon Sovereign, feel such overwhelming helplessness? Why did it seem like he could protect nothing, accomplish nothing?
Though Clorinde herself was no weakling, the fact that the murderer had dared to issue a precognitive crime notice meant they were confident in their success.
If word of this spread throughout Fontaine, Neuvillette shuddered to imagine the panic it would incite...
After dispatching agents to Poisson to search for Clorinde, Neuvillette sank back into deep thought.
It was highly unlikely that the perpetrator was stronger than him, meaning they had committed the crime using a method even he couldn't decipher.
Furthermore, Neuvillette had confirmed that the person's body hadn't carried any Primordial Sea Water at the time, yet they still dissolved into water.
Considering the perpetrator's connection to Vacher, it seemed plausible that Vacher, after years of research, had extracted a substance from the Primordial Sea Water that was even harder to detect, and this substance was the key to dissolving people into water.
If this were true, it would explain why the perpetrator was so desperate to either bring Vacher back or eliminate him entirely.
However, Vacher's soul had been completely lost, leaving behind only an empty shell. There was no way to verify his suspicions through him now.
With matters having reached this point, it seemed he had no choice but to resort to his final measure.
In addition to his Hydro Dragon Shockwave, Neuvillette possessed a unique authority: he could perceive the past of any water he consumed.
To confirm his theory, he would need to drink the Primordial Sea Water from Vacher's laboratory.
Neuvillette wasn't sure if this ancient power would affect him, but at this point, he had little choice...
Meanwhile, Clorinde, who had already clashed with No. 2 several times, hid behind a large boulder, panting, and glanced sideways at her pursuer, who was still searching for her.
"What's with this guy? Doesn't he ever get tired?" she muttered.
"And he doesn't even have a Vision, yet he can wield at least five Elemental Powers with such mastery... He's practically a monster."
What chilled Clorinde to the bone was that her opponent hadn't shown the slightest emotion—neither on his face nor in his eyes—since their first encounter. Combined with his terrifying power, he seemed like a machine programmed only for slaughter.
Of course, Clorinde hadn't deliberately provoked him. Like everyone else, her investigation in Poisson had yielded nothing.
Just as she received the order for the Marechaussee Phantom to withdraw, realizing that continuing would be a waste of time and preparing to return to Fontaine, her opponent came knocking.
He was a sly one, too. He didn't attack immediately, and since she saw no Vision on his person, her guard remained low.
Until he closed the distance and transformed into the Sun itself.
If Clorinde hadn't mastered the Electro Element, which could tear through space, this ambush would have left her severely wounded.
Black flames engulfed a hundred-meter radius, their inferno impervious even to the torrential rain.
Clorinde immediately recognized her opponent as her target and engaged in several back-and-forth clashes, but each time she found herself at a disadvantage.
Her opponent wielded Elemental Power with terrifying fluidity, conjuring abilities effortlessly while matching her own martial prowess.
After repeated failed attempts, Clorinde grew weary and resorted to a cat-and-mouse game.
What puzzled her was that, despite her original plan to have Neuvillette personally discipline her opponent, the enemy never strayed too far, no matter what tactics she employed.
It felt as if they knew her hiding places but were deliberately stalling.
She dismissed the idea that they were deliberately letting her escape only to drag her back into despair later—she sensed no human emotion in the enemy's presence.
If they were indeed stalling, what could their purpose be?
!!!
Clorinde's pupils dilated sharply, as if struck by a terrifying realization.
No, I can't afford to waste any more time with this opponent.
If they were truly stalling for time, their target was likely Lady Furina in Fontaine!
The thought ignited a fierce urgency and worry in Clorinde's heart. She glanced at the nearby cliff, took a deep breath, and a thunderous roar split the air as she shot toward it with blinding speed.
Her opponent immediately sensed her intent. Cryo Elemental Power and Anemo Energy erupted simultaneously, propelling them after her with equal ferocity.
Seeing this, Clorinde drew her sidearm without hesitation. Aiming at the relentless pursuer behind her, she emptied a clip of bullets charged with potent Electro Elemental Power. Finally, she leapt off the cliff without hesitation, plunging into the sea below...
Upon returning to Fontaine, Clorinde raced to the gate of Furina's mansion. The Maison Gardiennage officers guarding the entrance recognized her instantly. Their faces lit up with excitement as they swarmed around her.
"Miss Clorinde, it's such a relief you're safe!"
"Why do you say that? Has something happened?" Clorinde asked.
Hearing her question, the Maison Gardiennage officers exchanged glances before one of them spoke, his voice tinged with curiosity. "Miss Clorinde, are you unaware that your name appeared on a criminal's threat letter?"
Clorinde scoffed. "I just returned; I hadn't heard anything about it."
"But you're actually taking this seriously?"
"I might expect such panic from ordinary citizens, but you've witnessed my capabilities firsthand. If this group truly possessed such power, they wouldn't need to negotiate with the Fontaine authorities. They could simply eliminate all opposition."
Clorinde's words sent a chill through the officers, but upon reflection, her logic seemed sound.
"Their motive isn't strategic—it's simply to revel in our fear and indulge their twisted sense of satisfaction."
"If I'm correct, the timeframe mentioned in the threat letter is likely much longer compared to other cases."
The Maison Gardiennage officers were immediately awestruck by Clorinde's insight.
"Miss Clorinde, you're absolutely right. The timeframe for this crime is indeed unusually generous."
"We initially thought this was because of your exceptional strength, requiring the murderer to prepare even more thoroughly."
"But after hearing your deduction, we realize we were thinking too small!"
"Still, Miss Clorinde, you must be cautious. After all, we still have no leads on the murderer's methods."
Clorinde nodded in response. "I will be careful."
"By the way, where is Lady Furina right now? I have an urgent matter to report."
"Lady Furina hasn't left her room since you left, Miss Clorinde. Even her cake was prepared and left at her door. We suspect she might be working on something important."
Clorinde frowned slightly. "She's been holed up in her room the whole time?"
"Yes, and she's refusing all visitors. She's probably working hard to address the recent events."
"Have you informed Lady Furina about these recent developments?"
"N-no, Miss Clorinde."
"Lady Furina won't let us near her, so we haven't been able to tell her what's been happening lately."
"In that case, do you still believe Lady Furina is working hard to address the recent troubles in Fontaine?"
The Maison Gardiennage officers froze at Clorinde's question.
"One must always think deeply about things," Clorinde said, giving them a meaningful look before continuing.
"For matters of utmost importance, to ensure Lady Furina learns of them as soon as possible, even disobeying orders may be necessary to deliver the message."
"That's what we loyal followers of Lady Furina should do."
"Otherwise, if something is delayed because of our inaction, we'll become guilty of obstructing Lady Furina."
The Maison Gardiennage officers nodded vigorously, finally understanding her point.
"Think it over carefully. I'm going to see Lady Furina now."
"Safe travels, Miss Clorinde!"
Hearing the grateful voices behind her, Clorinde's lips curled into a faint smile.
After Clorinde left, the Maison Gardiennage officers resumed their discussion.
"I've always admired Miss Clorinde, but now I admire her even more!"
"I declare that from now on, besides Lady Furina, Miss Clorinde is also my goddess!"
"Speaking of which, Miss Clorinde had incredible luck returning when she did. It had been pouring for days, but it stopped just recently."
"If she'd come back any earlier, she would've been soaked to the bone."
"Wouldn't that have been even better?"
"Oh, so that's your true colors, huh?!"
"You don't want that?"
"Cough, cough, cough... maybe a little."
-
"Clorinde has been gone for so long. Haven't they caught the kidnappers yet?"
"Ugh, it's been so boring lately."
"I really want to go out and bask in the people's cheers and enthusiasm for me!"
"Besides, everyone hasn't seen me in ages. I wonder if they miss me?"
As Furina frowned, counting the days since Clorinde's departure on her fingers while absentmindedly popping her favorite little cakes into her mouth, there was a sudden knock on the door.
"Lady Furina, it's me, Clorinde. Please open the door."
Hearing that familiar voice, Furina froze for a moment before rushing excitedly to the door and flinging it open. There stood the figure she had longed to see day and night.
"Great! Clorinde, you're finally back!"
Furina cheered and threw herself into Clorinde's arms, burying her face deep in her embrace.
"I've returned, Lady Furina. I hope you've been well during my absence."
"Of, of course! I've been eating my favorite cakes every day, and there haven't been any bothersome incidents. I've been perfectly fine."
Furina spoke stiffly before abruptly changing the subject.
"Clorinde, do I get the feeling that your chest has shrunk a little?"
"Shrunk?!?"
Faced with Furina's quizzical look, Clorinde quickly clarified, "Lady Furina, I mean I'm wearing more practical attire for movement, which might give you that impression."
"Oh, I see! Thank you for your hard work this time, Clorinde!"
"But... the buttons won't fly off again, will they?" Furina asked with a hint of lingering fear, glancing nervously at the top button of Clorinde's uniform as if recalling some terrifying incident.
"Ahem... probably not," Clorinde replied, her expression momentarily twisting into something strange before returning to normal. She continued, "My apologies, Lady Furina. I failed to complete my mission this time..."
"Ah? You didn't catch the kidnapper?" Furina asked in surprise. She rarely saw Clorinde fail to achieve her objectives; in Furina's eyes, Clorinde had always seemed practically omnipotent.
"It's alright, I'm just glad you're back. Neuvillette can handle the case just as well."
"Thank you for your understanding, Lady Furina."
"Come in first, then we can talk."
Furina took Clorinde's arm and led her into the room, while Clorinde closed the door behind them.
Click. The door shut softly...