Neuvillette regretted his decision to come here today. He shouldn't have bothered making the trip!
He had faced countless obstacles to enact that law, finally achieving success only to see it casually overturned now.
Though Fontaine Law still offered avenues to punish such actions, Neuvillette couldn't shake a sense of unease.
He wanted to protest, but the memory of the Fontaine Law revision team, their faces nearly burning with exhaustion, stopped him. With a soft sigh, he said to Ron, "Very well, I understand."
"It's wonderful that Monsieur Neuvillette understands!" Ron breathed a long sigh of relief, as if he had been dreading Neuvillette's wrath.
"It's nothing. There were indeed redundant provisions in Fontaine Law. Retaining them would only increase everyone's workload and cause unnecessary trouble..."
Just then, a commotion erupted from within the room.
"Wake up! Please, wake up!"
"Doctor! Where's the doctor? Hurry, come quick!"
"Someone's fainted here!"
-
Hearing the commotion inside the room, the two exchanged uneasy glances before entering the room one after the other.
The sight that greeted them was of a disheveled middle-aged man, roughly forty or fifty years old, lying motionless on the floor, his eyes tightly shut. He had a scruffy beard and messy hair.
Neuvillette frowned slightly upon seeing him. He could sense that the man had already passed away.
Sure enough, after the Melusine Doctor rushed in and attempted to revive the fallen man, she sadly pronounced him dead.
The cause of death was overexertion, leading to sudden cardiac arrest and a fatal heart attack.
Upon hearing this, a wave of sorrow quickly filled the room, punctuated by occasional muffled sobs.
A heavy feeling settled in Neuvillette's chest, and he eventually left the room.
Outside, a light rain had begun to fall.
Neuvillette stood silently beneath the downpour, gazing into the distance with a dazed expression.
He quickly snapped back to his senses, sensing someone approaching from behind, but remained motionless.
Moments later, a black umbrella shielded him from the downpour.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, standing in the rain is hardly a good habit."
The voice was unmistakably Ron's. Having noticed Neuvillette's departure, he had followed with an umbrella.
"Thank you," Neuvillette said, accepting the umbrella.
Though he had no need for it himself, he didn't want to reject Ron's kindness.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, those who were with him at the time said he had been sweating profusely and looked pale for quite some time, as if his body had been failing him for a while."
"But he suppressed his physical pain, finished his work, and only then collapsed."
"Yet when he finally fell, everyone saw him smiling."
Ron paused, then continued speaking to Neuvillette.
"This is what we strive for. Even if it costs us our lives, it's worth it. Monsieur Neuvillette, you needn't feel sorrow for us."
"Monsieur Neuvillette, you must have noticed the commotion in the room has subsided. Everyone has returned to their work, driven to burn themselves out completely before stopping."
"I understand, but..."
Neuvillette wanted to say something, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to speak.
He glanced at the room again, then shook his head.
"I should be going now."
"Thank you for the umbrella. I'll return it tomorrow."
With a black umbrella raised above his head, Neuvillette slowly retreated into the rain, his figure gradually fading from Ron's sight until he disappeared completely.
Ron watched Neuvillette's silhouette vanish without moving a muscle, his body motionless as if deep in thought.
-
In the dead of night, everyone was still tirelessly revising the Fontaine Law, showing no signs of stopping. The recent death seemed to have little impact on their relentless work ethic.
Suddenly, the door burst open.
"You're all breaking the law, do you realize that?!"
"Take them all in!"
A squad of Special Task Force officers in full uniform flooded the room, quickly subduing everyone inside and escorting them out.
"What's going on? You've got the wrong people!" The group protested, their faces a mix of confusion and outrage.
"There's no mistake," an officer replied. "Monsieur Neuvillette has accused you of severe overworking, which has severely damaged Fontaine's work ethic. You've been found guilty."
"Don't worry, it's just a minor offense. You'll be released after two days!"
The explanation only deepened their bewilderment. After a long moment of stunned silence, they erupted in angry shouts.
"No! We're not going! I still have work to finish!"
"Exactly! I'm perfectly healthy—I can keep grinding!"
"Do you even know who we are? Release us now, or I'll have you all thrown in jail!"
Despite their vehement protests, the Special Task Force officers ignored them completely, forcibly dragging them away.
"Hey, wake up!"
At that moment, someone noticed Ron slumped in a corner, snoring loudly, even drooling onto the floor.
Seeing the stark contrast, the Special Task Force officer wore a peculiar expression, but he quickly approached and woke Ron up.
"Ugh... Is it time for work already?" Ron yawned, stretching languidly.
"No, it's time to be arrested."
Seeing the officer's smug grin, Ron chuckled helplessly.
"If you're going to arrest me, you should at least give me a reason."
"What about the others? Have they been arrested too?"
"They were too competitive and set a bad example for Fontaine's work culture, so they've been detained."
Ron nodded slowly. "Then I should be fine, right? I'm not nearly as competitive as they are."
"No, you're no different."
"While you don't work overtime as often as they do, you frequently leave before your shift ends, which equally disrupts Fontaine's work culture."
"Monsieur Ron, come with us!"
The officer gestured for Ron to follow. Ron smiled and walked out of the room willingly.
"Oh, please thank Monsieur Neuvillette for me."
The officer paused, taken aback. Watching Ron's retreating figure, he replied, "Of course, no problem," though he didn't understand the reason.
The next day, news that Hydro Archon Furina would battle Fatui Harbinger Tartaglia in a week and broadcast the fight nationwide swept through Fontaine.
Newspapers were filled with coverage of the event, and the Fontaine citizens were already engaged in fervent debate.
"Is this Lady Furina's first time taking action?"
"I can't wait to see Furina unleash the full might of the Hydro Archon!"
"Having to wait a whole week for the spectacle is absolute torture!"
"Tartaglia? Isn't he the Harbinger who lasted only a second against Neuvillette? What's the point of watching such a lopsided fight?"
"Come on, don't be so harsh! Lasting even a second against Neuvillette is impressive! We should give Monsieur Tartaglia more encouragement!"
-
Lyney and Lynette, the sibling duo preparing for their magic show, were utterly baffled by the news. They couldn't determine whether Tartaglia had entered the Fortress of Meropide intentionally.
If so, they thought, then the previous case must have been genuine.
But if not, they wondered, why is Tartaglia causing so much trouble?
With the magic show imminent, and crucial to their investigation of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, Lyney couldn't afford to divert his focus.
He had already decided on his grand illusion: the Great Vanishing Act. This would allow him to approach the Oratrice's core during the performance.
Since the Maison Gardiennage wouldn't allow him to scout the location beforehand, and they were responsible for setting up all the mechanisms, he would only have about a minute to gather intelligence on the day of the show.
But Lyney was confident—a minute was more than enough for him!
After relaying the information about Tartaglia to Arlecchino, Lyney turned to Lynette and said, "Lynette, let's rehearse one more time."
"Alright, older brother," she replied.
-
Meanwhile, at Palais Mermonia, Neuvillette heard the news and couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
Even behind bars, Furina never gave him a moment's peace.
Neuvillette had originally planned to suppress news of Tartaglia's capture, delaying the report to Snezhnaya as long as possible while he interrogated Tartaglia himself.
But now, the whole of Fontaine knew within a day, and within a week, the news would likely spread to other nations.
You want to fight? Fine, but why make such a spectacle of it?
Neuvillette couldn't understand why Furina would publicize her victory over a rookie like Tartaglia. (Compared to the original timeline, this encounter occurred over two years earlier, rendering Tartaglia far weaker than he would have been in Fontaine otherwise.)
Wouldn't the fight be over in seconds?
Neuvillette sighed softly and shook his head.
He was powerless to curb Furina's reckless behavior, after all, she was Fontaine's Hydro Archon.
Speaking of which, Neuvillette bristled at the thought. I'm not even the Hydro Archon, yet I'm stuck with all the most exhausting work, and Furina still pesters me endlessly.
I just want to retire already! He yearned for a life of leisurely mornings with tea, afternoons strolling with songbirds, and evenings spent watching theater—a life of utter contentment!
He was already over five hundred years old. When would he finally get to retire?
Neuvillette took a deep breath. Given Furina's unreliable nature, he felt his retirement might be indefinitely delayed.
Since it seemed unrealistic, Neuvillette decided not to waste time dwelling on it.
Aside from questioning Tartaglia about certain matters, Neuvillette's primary concern remained: why had the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale rendered such a verdict?
Tartaglia clearly had an alibi, backed by irrefutable photographic evidence. Yet he was still found guilty. Did this imply some connection between the culprit and Tartaglia?
But if Tartaglia was telling the truth about this being his first visit to Fontaine, where could such a connection originate?
Or... was there something wrong with the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale's judgment?
By now, even Neuvillette couldn't help but doubt whether the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale could truly uphold impartiality and justice. He needed to find an opportunity to question Furina about this, after all, she was the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale's creator.
Just then, Neuvillette caught sight of the black umbrella in the corner and suddenly remembered an unfulfilled promise. He picked it up and headed toward the headquarters of the Court of Justice, where the people the Special Task Force had detained were being held.
"Detained" was a euphemism; in reality, their movements were merely restricted.
Neuvillette had only resorted to such forceful measures to prevent another tragedy from unfolding.
Yesterday, during their conversation, Ron had told him that such was the fate of their kind—not something to resist, but to accept with grace.
"However, Neuvillette disagreed. He believed he had the power to save these people, refusing to stand by and watch them die from overwork."
Even if it meant forcing them to stop, even if they resented him for it, it didn't matter.
He had expected Ron to question his actions, but the gratitude conveyed by the Special Task Force members Ron had sent calmed Neuvillette's mood considerably.
Soon, Neuvillette sought out Ron, returning the umbrella. Ron accepted it with a smile.
"Aren't you going to ask why I had you arrested too?"
"Isn't it because I often skipped work and set a bad example for the work culture in Fontaine?" Ron asked with a grin after hearing Neuvillette's words.
Neuvillette gazed at him, the corners of his lips curving slightly upward.
"Indeed, that is precisely the reason."
"You've violated the law. Accept your punishment here."
"Monsieur Neuvillette, are you referring to Miss Vinani's pastries?"
"Those are truly despair-inducing sights... Ahem, I mean, Miss Vinani, your pastries are absolutely delicious."
Seeing Neuvillette's subtle glance, Ron glanced behind him and immediately changed his tune.
Standing before them now was Vinani, visibly much slimmer than before.
Though still a bit rounder than her photos, she could now confidently say that the person in those pictures was indeed her—just from when she was much thinner.
Having ballooned in size and unable to carry out missions, Vinani, bored and idle, found inspiration in her kidnapping ordeal and now worked as a pastry chef specializing in treats for prisoners.
This pastry chef, however, worshipped Cthulhu...
Vinani gazed at Ron with a sweet smile. "Is that so, Monsieur Ron?"
"I'll prepare this afternoon's snacks with extra care for you, Monsieur Ron! Please look forward to it!"
"And I'll make a little extra, just in case Monsieur Ron doesn't get enough."
"You must finish every last bite, Monsieur Ron!"
Ron's lips twitched involuntarily before he quickly turned to Neuvillette.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, it's getting late. Why don't you stay for dinner?"
Neuvillette silently glanced at the blazing sun high in the sky, then silently shifted his gaze back to Ron.
"I still have work to do. I wouldn't want to intrude on your time."
With that, Neuvillette slipped away before Ron could react.
"He's so fast!" Ron exclaimed, watching Neuvillette's retreating figure vanish in a blur.
Just then, a plump hand landed on his shoulder.
"Monsieur Ron, you must finish everything!"
"Wasting food carelessly will result in punishment!"
Ron, seeing the ominous expression on Vinani's face, nodded vigorously.
Satisfied with Ron's reaction, Vinani departed.
Ron wiped nonexistent sweat from his forehead, bracing himself for what might be a rough night in this body...
Meanwhile, back at Palais Mermonia, Neuvillette immediately ordered Vinani's file to be pulled up.
It wasn't that Neuvillette suspected Vinani of any wrongdoing; rather, he sensed something peculiar.
He could faintly detect the presence of Hydro Elemental Power emanating from her body.
Yet she possessed no Vision. This was highly unusual, and Neuvillette couldn't help but feel curious about the changes Vinani had undergone recently.
After careful examination, Neuvillette discovered that as Vinani lost weight, her body seemed to become increasingly active. However, the exact cause remained unclear, leading him to conclude that the unknown drugs she had ingested earlier were still exerting their effects.
Perhaps Vinani's extreme weight gain stemmed from her body's inability to properly digest such vast amounts of energy.
Therefore, once she regained her original physique, her physical abilities might undergo a qualitative transformation.
The archives contained no record of Vinani possessing any Hydro Element manipulation abilities. It's likely she herself was unaware of this. However, Neuvillette, as the Hydro Dragon Sovereign, possessed an innate sensitivity to Hydro Elemental activity. This allowed him to detect that Vinani, after undergoing the drug-induced transformation, seemed to have gained the ability to wield Hydro Elemental Power without relying on a Vision.
Neuvillette's apprehension toward this mysterious organization deepened.
The development of such potent drugs indicated a level of power that defied imagination, especially if deployed on a large scale.
What concerned Neuvillette even more was the lack of concrete evidence of the organization's activities. Only the recent surge in crime rates and the seemingly deliberate attempts by Emily within the Fortress of Meropide to cultivate Furina's trust offered possible clues, though neither was conclusive.
Regardless, Vinani's newfound power was undoubtedly a positive development.
Neuvillette instructed his subordinates to bring Vinani to the hospital for an immediate examination. This also provided an opportunity to rescue Ron from his desperate situation.
Thinking of these exceptionally talented individuals, Neuvillette's composure returned.
Though the unknown enemy was formidable, Fontaine was on the cusp of completing its transformation.
Neuvillette began drafting a letter to Wriothesley, intending to send it immediately.
However, he suddenly recalled Wriothesley's claim that he was surrounded by traitors. Abandoning the letter, Neuvillette resolved to travel directly to the Fortress of Meropide.