"The trial begins!"
Inside the Opera Epiclese, Neuvillette declared solemnly.
"The Judgment of the Hydro Archon Furina will now commence."
The moment the words left his lips, the audience erupted into a frenzy.
"Here it comes! The moment we've all been waiting for!"
"Oh my heavens! I never imagined I'd witness the Judgment of Lady Furina! It feels like a dream!"
"Indeed! Fontaine's Law can even judge an Archon! From now on, corrupt elites will think twice before abusing their power!"
"Lady Furina, we will always support you!"
Seeing the crowd's faces lit up with excitement, Furina planted her hands on her hips and declared loudly, "Yes, yes! Cheer! Applaud! This is a miraculous turn of events beyond anyone's wildest dreams!"
"Today, I, Furina, will reveal the true meaning of justice in this very courtroom!"
"Let us all witness this historic moment together!"
Furina's words ignited the atmosphere, sending the crowd into a frenzy of cheers and applause.
"Alright, Neuvillette, you may begin," she announced.
Turning his gaze away from Furina, Neuvillette sighed inwardly. Their Hydro Archon kept all her secrets locked deep within her heart, refusing to divulge even a hint.
He couldn't help but recall the tea party Arlecchino had hosted recently. She clearly knew something and had relentlessly probed Furina during the gathering.
Particularly regarding the recent No. 6 Incident, the preliminary death toll was estimated at around 2,300.
An utterly unacceptable number.
Although investigations revealed that most victims hadn't died but had instead returned to their Homeland, to those who knew them, it felt no different from death.
Beyond the immediate loss, the Prophecy's influence permeated Fontaine's every facet. The surging crime rate, the cult-like devotion to No. 6, all traced back to the looming prophecy.
Yet Furina's explanation remained unchanged: she insisted she was working tirelessly to avert disaster and simply asked for faith.
Such assurances rang hollow, especially without corresponding actions. How could anyone maintain faith under such circumstances?
Neuvillette himself wavered in his trust of Furina. After all, during the previous No. 6 Incident, she had remained conspicuously passive. However, No. 6 was indeed an enemy that sheer force alone could not defeat...
Interrupting his thoughts, Neuvillette refocused on the Judgment before him. He spoke slowly and deliberately:
"I will now present the details of the case."
"On the day of the incident, the victim drank heavily after work, eventually collapsing in a drunken stupor in a corner of Fontaine's eastern district."
"Unfortunately, a black cat had run onto a nearby rooftop. Due to years of neglect, the roof was in disrepair, and as the cat moved, it dislodged a decorative piece. The ornament fell from a great height, striking the victim directly on the head, causing immediate death."
"That is the entire sequence of events. The incident was witnessed by eyewitnesses, and the black cat was apprehended on the spot."
"Lady Furina, two Maison Gardiennage officers have testified that you know the black cat and that you asked them to help you find it around the time of the incident. Is this true?"
"Yes, that is correct," Furina replied without hesitation, acknowledging her connection to the black cat.
"On the night of the accident, I saw the black cat while strolling through the streets. Finding it particularly adorable, I chased after it."
"However, my actions must have frightened it. It panicked and fled, inadvertently triggering the tragic events that followed."
As Furina spoke, she turned her gaze toward the victim's wife, looking at her with sincere remorse.
"I'm deeply sorry about this. Since I'm somewhat involved, I'm willing to bear all the consequences!"
"No, Lady Furina, you have absolutely nothing to do with this! It was just my late husband's bad luck!"
The victim's wife showed no trace of grief, maintaining a remarkably calm demeanor.
"Exactly! It was purely that man's misfortune. How could anyone blame Lady Furina?"
"The black cat is clearly the culprit! I suggest we sentence it to death immediately!"
"The Cat Lovers' Association vehemently condemns your words!"
"Th-thank you for understanding," Furina said, glancing at the other person with gratitude. She knew she was innocent, but to protect her secret, she had to conceal the fact that she had been ambushed that day.
"It appears we are now ready to pronounce the final verdict," Neuvillette nodded, then continued, "In this unfortunate incident, the black cat's path was disrupted by Lady Furina's actions, leading to the tragic outcome. Therefore, I find Lady Furina..."
"Guilty!"
"Holy shit, here it comes!"
"She's actually being convicted! Monsieur Neuvillette truly is the most impartial and righteous Judge!"
"Sigh, you people clearly don't understand anything. We need to see what the final punishment is. If they just order Lady Furina to stay home for a month, it'll be as good as no punishment at all!"
"True enough. Let's wait and see how things develop!"
Neuvillette's verdict sent the atmosphere in the Opera Epiclese into a frenzy. Of course, some remained unconvinced that Furina would face any genuine punishment.
"Next, the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale will present its final judgment."
Neuvillette quickly received the Oratrice's written verdict.
Upon reading it, his expression remained impassive as he calmly announced the result.
"According to the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale's judgment..."
"Lady Furina, you are guilty!"
"The Judgment concludes here."
The moment the verdict was announced, reporters stampeded out of the Opera Epiclese like madmen, desperate to break this bombshell story before their rivals.
The public erupted in a frenzy. The God of Justice judged by Justice itself—what a sensational tale!
They would tell their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren about this day.
Meanwhile, Furina seemed to exhale in relief.
So be it. This is for the best.
Even if I've made mistakes, no one will doubt my authority as the Hydro Archon. I'm accepting Judgment solely to uphold the fairness of Fontaine's laws.
Furina rose from her throne and turned to see Neuvillette waiting for her in the adjoining room.
Seeing him, Furina stepped forward with a radiant smile.
"What's this? Come to comfort a condemned Archon?"
Neuvillette replied calmly, "No. I'm merely here to personally escort you to the entrance of the Fortress of Meropide."
Furina's smile froze momentarily before she feigned indifference.
"Oh, just imprisonment? Perfect! I haven't had a proper look at the Fortress of Meropide yet. Now's my chance for a thorough inspection."
"If you can bribe Wriothesley to permit such an arrangement, I won't object," Neuvillette remarked, walking slightly ahead of Furina to lead the way while his authoritative gaze silenced the journalists who had ambushed them along the path.
"Ha ha ha, Neuvillette, you're just teasing me! You must have already arranged everything for me, right?!"
Feeling a pang of guilt, Furina jumped up and patted Neuvillette's knee.
Neuvillette stopped walking, turned around, took a deep breath, and spoke slowly.
"Lady Furina, allow me to remind you once more. You are going to serve your sentence, not on vacation."
Furina's face instantly soured.
"But I'm the Hydro Archon! I can't possibly be treated like an ordinary prisoner, can I?"
"Wriothesley will handle the arrangements."
"If you encounter any difficulties, you can address them directly to Wriothesley as well."
With that, Neuvillette turned to resume his journey, but suddenly felt his arm being tugged.
"Wait, Neuvillette! Aren't my protectors coming with me to the Fortress of Meropide?"
Hearing Furina's words, Neuvillette sighed in exasperation.
"Lady Furina, allow me to remind you one last time: you are going to the Fortress of Meropide to serve your sentence, not to hold a fan meet-and-greet. The Maison Gardiennage officers will certainly not accompany you."
"What about Clorinde?"
"Naturally, she won't be either."
"Wait, what about my daily cake?!"
"There's none."
Upon hearing this, the light drained from Furina's eyes. She collapsed onto the ground and began rolling around dramatically.
"I want cake! I want cake! I want cake!"
"Without cake, Neuvillette, you might as well kill me right now!"
"Lady Furina, please stop being unreasonable," Neuvillette said, his head throbbing. Yet Furina continued her childish tantrum.
Sensing the commotion caused by reporters drawn by the scent of drama, Neuvillette had no choice but to intervene.
"Alright, I'll write to Wriothesley about the cake."
"Yay!" Furina immediately sprang to her feet, cheering before reverting to her usual composure.
After once again shooing away the reporters with a glare, Neuvillette resumed walking forward, his voice ringing out:
"Since you'd rather bear a crime that isn't yours than reveal what happened that night, even manipulating the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale to deliver a guilty verdict, I won't press further. Just remember this: you know what you've done."
In Neuvillette's view, Furina likely had no involvement in this matter. However, the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale's verdict forced him to suspect she had manipulated the outcome.
Upon hearing this, Furina was momentarily stunned. A look of awkwardness washed over her face as she remained silent, offering no response to Neuvillette's words.
Soon, the pair arrived at the entrance to the Fortress of Meropide, their journey unfolding in an atmosphere thick with unspoken tension.
As they descended in the elevator, Furina lost track of how far they had dropped. Finally, the elevator shuddered to a halt.
"Lady Furina?!"
"And Monsieur Neuvillette!"
Marette, the receptionist, looked shocked upon seeing Furina and Neuvillette.
The commotion drew the attention of others in the area, who turned to stare in surprise.
"Have you two come to inspect the facilities?" Marette asked tentatively.
"I'm here to process Lady Furina's imprisonment," Neuvillette replied.
Marette's confusion deepened.
What? Process Lady Furina's imprisonment? Has Monsieur Neuvillette successfully usurped her?!
"The charges and sentence are detailed here," Neuvillette said, handing the report to Marette.
"Ah, that case? I thought my friend was joking. I can't believe it's actually true."
"A one-month sentence... Very well, I've recorded it here."
"Next, we'll need you to hold up your prisoner number and take a photo, Lady Furina. Is that alright?"
Sensing Furina's pitiful gaze, Neuvillette sighed softly and said, "Follow the standard procedure, but I'll need to take the photo with me."
"Understood. Lady Furina, please stand over here."
Marette gestured Furina toward the photography station with an incredibly stiff smile.
Damn it! How could I have known Furina would end up in prison one day? If I'd known, I would have practiced my professional smile more!
"Oh, okay."
Furina obediently held up her prisoner number and stood in the designated spot. Being a prisoner for the first time made her heart race slightly.
Yet, strangely enough, she felt rather excited.
"Lady Furina, we're done."
"Let me see!"
Hearing Marette's words, Furina eagerly rushed over to Neuvillette, who had already obtained the photo. She bounced on her toes to peek at the image in his hand.
After examining the photos, Furina nodded approvingly.
"As expected of me! Even in this situation, I still exude confidence and charm!"
Neuvillette gently shook his head, then seemed to sense something and glanced into the distance. There, a slender figure in pale green glided toward them.
The woman had long, lustrous hair, with a delicate braid woven from a strand near her forehead. She wore a long dress the color of fresh spring shoots, and the turquoise Vision hanging prominently at her chest was particularly eye-catching.
Her refined appearance seemed entirely out of place in the tower, and those around her greeted her with delighted and excited expressions.
"Miss Emily!"
Neuvillette realized this must be the person Wriothesley had sent to escort Furina.
Finally, the young woman stepped forward and gave Furina and Neuvillette a slight bow, her face radiant with a smile as warm as the spring breeze.
"Lady Furina, Monsieur Neuvillette," she greeted them. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Emily, Lady Furina's escort."
She paused briefly, then turned to Furina, her smile brightening even further.
"Lady Furina, I look forward to your guidance from now on!"