So, in the end, the one who was abandoned was me?
As Dottore No. N watched the final Segment make his entrance—the very one who seemed to have gained Monsieur Neuvillette's special favor—he felt like he was trapped in a dream.
Who dared attack him with his still-incomplete dream Weapon?!
Just then, Dottore No. 6 descended the stairs from the second floor, the other Dottore Segments parting respectfully as he passed.
It wasn't out of reverence, but pure loathing that they sought to isolate him.
Dottore No. 6, however, remained unfazed. He retrieved the Memory Restoration Device he had prepared long ago and fitted it onto Dottore No. N.
Then, all the Dottore underwent another memory share. This forced procedure left Dottore No. N dazed and disoriented.
This time, the memory share wasn't reciprocal. He received nothing, clearly indicating that the other Segments had completely sold him out!
"What the hell are you all plotting?"
No one answered his question. Although they had suspected this all along, when they finally confirmed that the Segment collaborating with Fontaine's mysterious forces wasn't him, a mischievous glint appeared in their eyes.
Interesting... If it wasn't any of them present, nor the Prime, then was the information recorded in the intelligence true or false?
Regardless, as long as they could transmit this news...
"Monsieur Neuvillette, I have newly acquired leads!"
Seeing Dottore No. 6 rush to Neuvillette's side first, the other Dottore inwardly cursed him vehemently. The chatroom erupted into another round of condemnation against Dottore No. 6.
"Just as we suspected! He's the one collaborating with Fontaine's mysterious forces!"
"To avoid exposure, he disguised himself during meetings, making himself appear much younger. That's why his appearance differs from the information in the reports."
"What nonsense are you spouting? I've never been to Fontaine before!"
Though Dottore No. N didn't yet understand the specifics of the accusations, he immediately sensed their gravity and vehemently denied them.
"Denial won't help you. We've all seen your memories. If Monsieur Neuvillette doesn't believe me, he can ask the others."
Hearing Dottore No. 6's words, the other Dottores—excluding Dottore No. N—swiftly changed their attitude towards him.
If you're going to throw him under the bus like that, we have no choice but to give you a thumbs-up!
"Hmm, indeed, that is the truth."
Feeling Neuvillette's gaze upon him, Dottore No. 1 wore a conflicted expression, yet nodded solemnly. It gave the impression that he didn't want to betray his own kind, but was compelled to reveal the truth.
The other Dottores wore similar expressions, even adding insult to injury:
"That's right. He collaborated with that mysterious organization to conduct human experiments on the Melusine."
"Not only that, he corrupted dozens of Fontaine citizens with Abyss Power, transforming them into Abyss Monsters."
Now that they had decided to abandon Dottore No. N, they needed to ensure a clean sweep. After all, they knew themselves best, and they were notoriously vengeful. Leaving even a single root untended would lead to endless trouble later.
Therefore, Dottore No. 6's actions were precisely what they had in mind.
"Moreover, Tartaglia claimed it was his first time in Fontaine before his imprisonment."
"So, I suggest you reconsider your excuses and come up with something more convincing."
Dottore No. N glared coldly at Dottore No. 6. If he weren't still restrained by Neuvillette, he would have beaten No. 6 senseless immediately.
"Hmph, your attempt to pin everything on me is too obvious."
"Is that so?"
"I might be able to lie or fabricate evidence on my own."
"But so many people believe you are guilty. Are we all lying?"
As No. 6 gestured toward the other Dottore segments behind him, Dottore No. N's breathing grew rapid with rage.
Damn it! You're all just segments of the same person! If one of us lies, the rest inevitably follow suit!
We're all segments of the same being. Isn't this going too far?
Born from the same root, why must we turn against each other so fiercely?!
Neuvillette's expression grew increasingly cold, and the pressure restraining Dottore No. N intensified.
Sensing the shift, Dottore No. N realized the situation was growing dire and quickly spoke up.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, they're all lying."
"This has nothing to do with me. They're just looking for a scapegoat."
Dottore No. N desperately wanted Neuvillette to believe him, but his denials sounded feeble against the chorus of accusations.
"Who are the key figures in this mysterious organization?" Neuvillette asked, his tone calm but those who knew him well could sense his growing displeasure. Outside the New Fortress of Meropide, the storm intensified into a torrential downpour.
"I don't know."
Hearing Dottore No. N's response, Neuvillette nodded before continuing.
"What is the organization's objective?"
"I don't know."
"Do you know the locations of any other bases belonging to this mysterious organization?"
"I've already told you, I had nothing to do with any of this!"
Neuvillette took a deep breath, then spoke slowly to Dottore No. N.
"It seems you're unwilling to reveal anything."
"Then we'll proceed directly to the Judgment process."
"Monsieur Dottore, I will return tomorrow to inform you of the date and time of your Judgment."
With a shake of his head, Neuvillette turned and left.
The restraints on Dottore No. N's power finally gave way, but before he could even exhale in relief, a brutal blow struck the back of his head. He grunted and collapsed to the ground.
In his final moments of fading consciousness, Dottore No. N desperately wanted to scream, "What the fuck?!"
Dottore No. 6 clapped his hands, casually tossed the baton aside, glanced at the other Dottore clones, and leisurely returned to the second floor.
Witnessing this, the other Dottore clones raised their eyebrows in unison.
They had only just conceived similar plans, yet Dottore No. 6 had already executed them. It was clear that even among clones of the same madman, there were varying degrees of inhumanity.
To prevent Dottore No. N from causing any trouble before the Judgment began, the other Dottore clones first delivered a few more blows to his head before tying him up securely.
Dottore No. 1 gazed at the unconscious Dottore No. N and murmured softly, "It can't be helped. Someone has to quell the Chief Justice's wrath."
"Why did you stay in Snezhnaya? You can't blame us for this."
"You can only blame your own misfortune. As fellow 'selves,' you must understand us."
Meanwhile, Neuvillette arrived at the cell where Arlecchino was imprisoned.
His feelings toward her were deeply conflicted. He was grateful for her intervention during the No. 6 Incident, but the subsequent massacre had crossed his moral line.
Even knowing she had fallen into a trap set by Amos, the Cult Leader of No. 6, and even if every person she executed had indeed been guilty, they were still Fontainians. It was not for her, a member of the Fatui, to decide their fates.
Moreover, the vast majority of these individuals had no criminal records. While they might have pledged allegiance to that mysterious organization, their offenses certainly didn't warrant the death penalty. Arlecchino's actions had been far too extreme.
"Lady Knave, I demand an explanation."
"Hmph. There's nothing to explain, Neuvillette."
Arlecchino didn't even bother to look up at him.
"Before you stands nothing but a complete and utter failure."
"Ultimately, it was my own weakness that allowed that man to exploit me."
Had it been anyone else, Arlecchino would never have descended into such madness.
But Lyney was different—the child she saw as her successor, her most beloved.
In the end, Arlecchino couldn't bring herself to completely disregard his life. She sacrificed her own withdrawal to ensure the safety of Lyney and Lynette, the twin siblings.
"I've lost this time, Neuvillette."
"Soon it will be your turn, Neuvillette."
"You can't defeat that man. Your principles are even more rigid than mine, making your weaknesses even more glaring."
"That man is far more formidable than No. 6 ever was."
Neuvillette deeply understood Arlecchino's words. He carried far too many burdens of responsibility.
Just as last time, even when he knew there was a traitor among the Marechaussee Phantoms, he couldn't take decisive action. He couldn't even reveal the truth, lest it plunge Fontaine into chaos.
Some members of the Marechaussee Phantoms were directly responsible for the personal safety of Fontaine's nobles. If their identities were compromised, Neuvillette couldn't even begin to imagine the chaos that would engulf Fontaine.
He still hadn't devised a way to break the deadlock. Arlecchino's methods were far more thorough and cautious than No. 6's.
"You've already escaped Fontaine. Why did you, Arlecchino, feel the need to return?"
This was the part Neuvillette found most baffling. Arlecchino had no reason to return to Fontaine now; it would have been wiser to wait for the situation to cool down before resurfacing.
"The reason? Haven't you already seen it?"
"I can't be sure how many of my subordinates remain loyal to me."
"If they don't want to be disposed of for being useless, Fontaine is their only refuge now."
After hearing Arlecchino's explanation, Neuvillette finally understood her motives and sighed softly.
"I deeply regret not being able to provide Mr. Lyney and Ms. Lynette with the assistance they deserved."
"But that doesn't give you the right to act with impunity in Fontaine, Lady Knave."
"I will preside over your Judgment the day after tomorrow."
With those words, Neuvillette prepared to leave.
But just then, Arlecchino suddenly spoke.
"Neuvillette, aren't you curious about where I've been these past few days?"
Hearing her words, Neuvillette frowned and paused.
By this point, he didn't believe Arlecchino would say anything trivial. Yet if she considered something important enough to mention, it likely wouldn't be good news.
"In fact, I went to see Dottore."
"I hoped he could erase whatever influence was clouding the minds of my subordinates. But he utterly failed."
Neuvillette had already learned a great deal about Dottore, especially since he had captured all of his Segments. This knowledge was now quite detailed.
Dottore's genius was undeniable, leaving Neuvillette in awe. Though he loathed the man, he couldn't deny that even in Fontaine's current era, brimming with talent, Dottore's abilities ranked among the very highest.
Moreover, Dottore specialized in biology, a field where even modern Fontaine lagged behind Sumeru.
If even Dottore couldn't handle this matter, it would truly be a grave situation.
Arlecchino then recounted the events that had transpired in Sumeru to Neuvillette.
As Neuvillette listened, his mood grew increasingly somber.
This was the first time in centuries he had encountered such a situation.
What kind of ability is this? Could it be related to a newly designated member of the Numeri?
Neuvillette hesitated to dwell on such thoughts. Dealing with Amos alone was already a headache; the prospect of another Numeri member surfacing left him utterly uncertain how to ensure the safety of Fontaine's citizens to the fullest extent possible.
With these concerns weighing on his mind, Neuvillette resolved to return to Fontaine immediately to arrange follow-up measures.
Seeing Neuvillette preparing to depart, Arlecchino didn't attempt to detain him further. Instead, she said, "Neuvillette, please don't mention my imprisonment to the children at the House of the Hearth."
"Lady Knave," Neuvillette replied, "rest assured on that matter. If your situation were to become public knowledge, it would create trouble for both Fontaine and myself."
Hearing Neuvillette's response, Arlecchino nodded once and fell silent.
Neuvillette left the New Fortress of Meropide and returned directly to Fontaine, not even saying goodbye to Wriothesley.
However, when Neuvillette arrived back at Palais Mermonia, his heart sank again upon seeing a Melusine hurrying toward him, her face etched with anxiety.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, you've finally returned!"
"What's happened?" Neuvillette asked softly, praying inwardly that it wasn't the worst-case scenario.
But his prayers went unanswered. The gravity of the situation far exceeded his expectations, though this incident might not be connected to the mysterious organization he was investigating.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, just now, a massive surge of Primordial Sea Water suddenly flooded Poisson."
"The entire town has been completely submerged by the water and is now completely cut off from communication!"
Neuvillette's heart lurched. He had been expecting the Cult of No. 6's next move, but instead, he received the devastating news that the Prophecy was drawing near...