Thanks to Furina's concealment, the girl's other identity as No. 8 within the Mutual Aid Network remained undisclosed.
As a result, the girl who sacrificed herself to save countless lives, along with the other members of the Mutual Aid Network, were deeply respected and mourned by the Fontainians.
Charlotte's revised and published report brought tears to the eyes of countless readers.
The news that the strong and virtuous young woman, No. 8, had perished came as a profound shock, leaving many heartbroken and regretful.
Though many knew the girl was No. 8 that day, they maintained a tacit agreement to keep her secret, publicly adhering to the basic narrative of the news reports.
When Neuvillette first saw the Mutual Aid Network's emblem, he fell into a long, heavy silence.
After confirming the truth with Wriothesley, Neuvillette realized he had misunderstood the events of that distant year and sighed softly.
If he hadn't hesitated, unsure how to face that man back then, this centuries-long misunderstanding would never have persisted until now.
A torrential rain fell over Fontaine that day, lasting for hours.
Just as the Fortress of Meropide crisis concluded, the Cult of No. 6 finally ceased its activities. This further convinced Neuvillette that internal problems were tearing the organization apart, and he began contemplating whether to attempt dismantling it from within.
However, this plan proved too difficult to implement. Fontaine's various domains had been heavily infiltrated, and even the Marechaussee Phantoms, whom he trusted implicitly, had been compromised.
To this day, Neuvillette had yet to devise a foolproof method for identifying these moles. The Marechaussee Phantoms members involved in the previous incident were still under investigation, but so far, nothing suspicious had been uncovered.
If the moles truly were individuals who had recovered suppressed memories of their past lives, ordinary interrogation methods would be utterly useless.
To avoid disrupting Fontaine's stability, Neuvillette decided to temporarily ignore the moles, focusing instead on handling critical matters discreetly, away from prying eyes.
He also warned Furina about the situation.
They had been fortunate to encounter a member of the enemy organization with a fundamentally good heart before, but such a favorable outcome was unlikely to repeat itself.
Furina had initially believed that Fontaine would enter a period of tranquility after the Fortress of Meropide incident. To her dismay, however, the crime rate remained stubbornly high.
Every day, reports of crimes, both major and minor, from across Fontaine flooded into Palais Mermonia, showing no sign of diminishing.
Furina couldn't understand why. Why were there still so many criminals in Fontaine after the girl had left?
Had the girl not told her the truth after all?
No, that's impossible! She had no reason to lie to me!
Furina quickly dismissed her own doubts.
Could this lingering influence persist for much longer before finally fading away?
Before Furina could ponder further, news of Tartaglia's disappearance reached Snezhnaya.
Faced with the news of Tartaglia's vanishing, Snezhnaya could no longer remain indifferent. They immediately demanded answers from Fontaine.
Fontaine, of course, couldn't admit to having done anything to Tartaglia. While explaining that the investigation was still underway, they also produced records of Arlecchino's past crimes in Fontaine to preempt any excessive demands from Snezhnaya.
Diplomatic relations between the two nations soon devolved into endless wrangling. Snezhnaya repeatedly sought to send investigators to Fontaine, but Fontaine consistently refused.
The negotiations were unlikely to yield results quickly, as reaching a consensus between the two nations was proving exceedingly difficult. During this impasse, Neuvillette discovered something noteworthy.
News finally arrived from the agents he had sent to monitor the Fatui's experimental base. It seemed a major figure had arrived.
The informant hadn't seen the individual's face, but judging by the lavish hospitality the Fatui afforded them, their status must be exceptionally prestigious.
This Fatui detachment belonged to Dottore, "The Doctor." Considering the individual's status, the only plausible candidate was Dottore himself.
After such a long wait, progress had finally been made.
Yet Neuvillette struggled to decide how to respond.
Fontaine's current situation was markedly different from before. With a Fatui Harbinger having disappeared within the nation, taking action against Dottore without considering Snezhnaya's stance risked provoking extreme countermeasures from the northern nation.
Before Neuvillette could settle on an approach for contacting Dottore, news arrived that his informant had been assassinated.
The informant's death was brutally gruesome, clearly meant as a warning.
This sent Neuvillette into a full-fledged rage. His previous reservations vanished, replaced by regret for not acting sooner.
As a Harbinger of the Fatui from Snezhnaya, Dottore had not only conducted clandestine operations within Fontaine without notifying the authorities, but he had also resorted to murder. Neuvillette's favor for Dottore had plummeted to absolute zero.
Moreover, given Dottore's murky connections to that mysterious organization, Neuvillette had no intention of letting him escape justice.
Before long, Neuvillette arrived alone at the Fatui's secret laboratory.
Without wasting words, he unleashed a powerful hydro blast at the laboratory's entrance, violently carving a new passage through the structure. He then strode calmly inside.
After a brief investigation of the interior, Neuvillette discovered that the secret laboratory had already been abandoned.
Suppressing the urge to utterly destroy the place, Neuvillette ordered his subordinates to conduct a thorough search for any overlooked clues.
Meanwhile, Neuvillette had been tracking the Fatui soldiers' movements, swiftly pinpointing the location of a second secret laboratory. Sure enough, he soon received confirmation that the Fatui had all transferred to that facility.
Upon receiving this news, Neuvillette immediately set out for the laboratory.
Without hesitation, Neuvillette raised his hand toward the entrance of the secret laboratory...
Inside the laboratory, Dottore, looking significantly younger than his Sumeru counterpart, was listening to his subordinates' recent reports when he suddenly frowned.
Just then, a deafening crash echoed from the entrance, and the entire laboratory shook violently.
Sensing the terrifying aura of the intruder, Dottore smiled.
"Dispose of them," he ordered, gesturing to the Fatui soldiers who had recently arrived from the other laboratory.
Without questioning his motives, Dottore's subordinates immediately moved forward and subdued all the soldiers.
Any resistance was immediately crushed, and the air soon reeked of blood.
Sensing this terrifying presence, Dottore knew exactly who had arrived.
Despite his meticulous efforts to conceal his trail, the fact that he had been discovered so quickly meant there was undoubtedly a traitor within his ranks.
Of course, it was also possible that the Fatui soldiers had been careless, allowing themselves to be followed without noticing, thus exposing their location.
But even if that were the case, if they couldn't even handle such a simple task, they had no right to survive.
Soon, the chaos at the [location] was quelled. Sensing Neuvillette's rampage through his laboratory, Dottore took his remaining personnel and left.
(Spy- The location was legit blank...huh)
Before long, Neuvillette advanced steadily through the facility. Along the way, he destroyed a few traps and mechanisms but encountered no one.
As he entered the area, Neuvillette caught a foul, pungent odor in the air, and his brow furrowed instantly.
Moments later, he came upon the corpses scattered across the ground and fell into deep contemplation.
The uniforms on the corpses clearly identified them as Fatui soldiers, yet they had been personally eliminated by Dottore himself—a highly unusual occurrence.
What reason could Dottore have had for disposing of these Fatui soldiers?
Neuvillette shook his head, deciding to set the matter aside for the moment.
However, he now had a renewed understanding of Dottore's cruelty and indifference.
Neuvillette slowly levitated into the air, his body radiating a brilliant azure aura. A terrifying aura erupted outward, unleashing countless torrents that utterly devastated everything before him.
Soon, Neuvillette discovered Dottore's escape route amidst the shattered ruins and immediately pursued him.
Sensing the increasingly terrifying aura closing in behind him, Dottore couldn't help but feel his heart race with alarm.
With such power, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Neuvillette rivals or even surpasses the Archons.
Dottore realized he had severely underestimated Neuvillette's true strength, and he cursed inwardly, Why did I have to be the unlucky one facing this calamity?
Only a dozen or so people had been sent to Fontaine, and even among them, there were spies. Before they could even warm their seats, Neuvillette had already come knocking.
His strength as a "segment" was far from exceptional, barely reaching the threshold of an Archon. Against an enemy of this caliber, he stood no chance of resisting.
As for life-saving measures, he had few at his disposal; most remained in the Prime's hands.
After all, to the Prime, these "segments" were merely disposable pawns, utterly insignificant.
Though Dottore cursed the Prime inwardly, he maintained a composed demeanor outwardly.
"Open all the gates and release all the test subjects."
At Dottore's command, the Fatui soldiers immediately complied. Soon, countless stitched-together monsters surged from their cages, charging toward Neuvillette's position.
Dottore harbored no illusions that these test subjects could buy him much time; they were merely a means to buy him a sliver of opportunity to retreat.
Suddenly, a bone-chilling sensation washed over Dottore. He whirled around to defend himself.
A column of water, radiating boundless power, had traversed the distance in the blink of an eye and now loomed before him.
Despite Dottore's desperate attempts to resist, the overwhelming force relentlessly pushed him to the end of the corridor, where he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The other Fatui soldiers couldn't even withstand the aftershocks of this immense power; they collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
After hacking up two more mouthfuls of blood, Dottore lifted his head and gazed into the distance, his eyes falling upon the wreckage of monsters strewn across the floor.
Against such overwhelming power, Dottore was utterly helpless.
Inwardly, Dottore cursed the Fatui soldiers who had leaked his location. When constructing his secret laboratory, his primary concern had been its concealment. If not for someone's betrayal, no one would have ever discovered this place.
While Dottore himself didn't particularly care, the resulting diplomatic fallout would be disastrous. It would be impossible to explain this mess back in Snezhnaya.
Just then, the steady rhythm of footsteps echoed from afar.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Dottore turned to face the imposing figure approaching him.
After coughing up another mouthful of blood, Dottore forced a smile onto his face.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, why such fiery rage?"
"Surely we could find a quiet place, share some tea, and discuss matters calmly."
"I wouldn't refuse an invitation from Monsieur Neuvillette."
Seeing Dottore's nonchalant demeanor only fueled Neuvillette's anger.
"Before that incident, we might have been able to sit down and have a proper discussion."
"But now, Monsieur Dottore, you'll accompany me to the tower to continue our conversation."
"The previous incident?"
"Monsieur Dottore, you know perfectly well what I'm referring to."
Dottore appeared slightly bewildered.
"Could you be referring to the recent events in Fontaine?"
"I believe there's been some misunderstanding between Monsieur Neuvillette and myself regarding this matter."
"In truth, I have no connection whatsoever to that mysterious organization. My very presence in Fontaine is to resolve this matter."
Hearing Dottore's words, Neuvillette shook his head.
"Perhaps to you, Monsieur Dottore, human lives are utterly insignificant."
Neuvillette thought of the deceased informant and the earlier scene of corpses strewn across the ground, shaking his head again.
"I see no point in continuing this conversation for now."
Dottore was utterly perplexed by Neuvillette's sudden declaration. While he agreed with the sentiment behind Neuvillette's words, he couldn't see how his execution of traitors within his own organization had anything to do with the man before him.
At that moment, Neuvillette spoke again:
"Come with me, Monsieur Dottore. We've recently constructed a new prison in Fontaine, and I believe it will suit you perfectly."
"You have no right to refuse."
"Too many people's blood and tears await your atonement."
Before Dottore could respond, Neuvillette raised his hand, manipulating the Hydro Element to envelop Dottore's body. He then immediately retreated.
Fueled by his revulsion for Dottore, Neuvillette scarcely restrained his power. After all, Dottore possessed strength comparable to an Archon, so he wouldn't die easily.
Dottore writhed in agony as the violent torrents of water crushed him, his injuries worsening with each passing moment.
I should have found an excuse to decline this assignment back then, he thought bitterly. Fontaine? Anyone who wants to come here is welcome to it!
Why should I bear the blame for the Prime's mistakes?
Just then, the Prime suddenly sent a telepathic message, inquiring about the situation:
[ How's the situation in Fontaine? ]
Hearing the Prime's inquiry, Dottore's pent-up fury finally found an outlet. Yet he managed to restrain himself, replying directly to his Prime, who was far away in Sumeru:
[ The situation is manageable, but the workload is overwhelming. I'm struggling to handle everything here. ]
[ We didn't prioritize Fontaine early enough, which has led to severe staffing shortages in many areas. You're undoubtedly well aware of this. ]
[ Have I been exposed? ]
Dottore glanced at Neuvillette's retreating figure before replying:
[ No, Neuvillette hasn't realized I'm in Fontaine yet. ]
After sending this calm response, Dottore immediately inquired of his Prime Self:
[ When are you coming to Fontaine to handle things here? ]
[ Just wait a bit longer. I'm quite busy at the moment. Arlecchino has come to see me, bringing several intriguing new experimental subjects. ]
Hearing this, Dottore's resentment deepened.
Why am I getting beaten up in Fontaine while you're leisurely conducting research?
[ However, I can send the "me" closest to you to assist. ]
[ That works too. Have him come quickly. ]
Dottore immediately agreed.
He couldn't trick the Prime Self into coming, but luring another "segment" of himself here would be just as good. After all, he shouldn't be the only one suffering!
[ Just have him come directly. Neuvillette seems swamped lately and has no time to monitor things here. It's perfectly safe here. ]
[ Otherwise, once he frees up, things will become much more complicated. ]
There was a long pause after Dottore's message, as if the Prime was considering. Finally, a reply came:
[ Very well. I'll send him to find you immediately. Make the necessary arrangements. ]
Hearing this, Dottore smiled.
[ Rest assured, I'll make sure he's properly "arranged." ]