"Silver..." Melus's helpless voice rang out.
Silver was still a bit too young even a corny joke like that could make him laugh.
Ahem... "My apologies, Young Lady." Silver quickly resumed his usual expressionless demeanor.
Lucian also took the opportunity to apologize. "My apologies, Miss Navia. Your fame stretches from Ireland to Cathay there's no one who doesn't know you. How could I not recognize you?"
"I hope you're not angry."
As he spoke, Lucian handed Navia a folding stool prepared for guests.
"Ahahaha, it's fine." Navia laughed breezily.
With a smooth motion, she brushed her skirt and sat down without complaint.
Ireland and Cathay... I don't know where those places are, but judging from the phrasing, they must be very far apart, right?
Lucian watched as Navia sat on the folding stool, feeling a sense of dissonance.
It was like seeing a cosplayer who had changed into full costume, applied exquisite makeup, put on colored contacts and a wig, ready to attend a convention only to be dragged back to their hometown by their parents, left to sit blankly on a stool.
By now, the crowd that had been dispersed earlier began to gather again due to Navia's arrival.
This wasn't because Navia was particularly beautiful... well, maybe that was part of it.
The main reason was her identity as the boss of the Spina di Rosula.
Though the Spina di Rosula was well-known these days, its reputation wasn't exactly stellar.
Already accustomed to the whispers around her, Navia paid them no mind.
"Mr. Lucian, correct?"
Navia had been nearby earlier and overheard Chenee's conversation with Lucian, so she knew his name.
"Just Lucian is fine," he replied.
"Alright, Lucian. Pleased to meet you."
"I'm Navia Caspar, boss of the Spina di Rosula. Just call me Navia." She skipped the formalities.
"Silver, her subordinate."
Silver introduced himself with a cold expression.
Had Lucian not heard him laugh earlier, he would've thought the man was utterly emotionless.
"I'm Melus. A pleasure." Melus removed his hat in greeting, exuding warmth and elegance.
Navia glanced at the growing crowd around them, their murmurs reaching her ears.
"That's the current president of the Spina di Rosula?"
"They say she's the daughter of that murderer."
"You mean the unjust Callas? I used to think he was a good man who'd have guessed..."
"Yeah, helping residents and building waterways on the surface, but in secret..."
"Thank goodness that hypocrite was brought to justice!"
Navia clenched her teeth.
When it came to her father, she still couldn't completely ignore the comments.
Especially since Navia was an emotional person by nature.
Lucian noticed the tension in her expression, despite her efforts to control it.
"I'm about to pack up. If there's something to discuss, why not change locations?" he suggested.
"Oh?" Navia forced a ladylike smile.
"Thank you."
She knew Lucian was trying to spare her feelings.
After all, he'd just invited her to sit why would he suddenly suggest moving elsewhere?
His thoughtfulness eased some of the tension in Navia's demeanor, making her smile more natural.
"Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Lucian." Melus gave a slight bow.
Silver, meanwhile, silently gathered Lucian's belongings and followed behind.
The four of them left the murmuring crowd behind.
This time, Lucian didn't get to enjoy a good meal.
Navia didn't take him to a restaurant but instead brought him to the Spina di Rosula's secret base.
This was their territory no one would dare gossip here.
Moreover, Navia's willingness to bring Lucian here showed she was already leaning toward trusting him.
"Here, we can speak freely. Not even the Court of Fontaine will know what we discuss."
Navia spoke with a hint of pride.
After all, the Spina di Rosula was a civilian organization building a base under the Court's nose wasn't easy.
Yet she'd managed it. Didn't that prove her competence?
"Ah, right. I recall you mentioned you hadn't eaten breakfast yet. Let's talk over a meal." Navia waved her hand.
Silver stepped forward promptly.
"Eggs, sugar, and almonds, I've brought them all."
"You'll have to try my hand at this. My macarons are exceptional, not something just anyone gets to taste."
"Thank you."
Lucian smiled faintly at the scene. This is how things should be.
Though... Navia, dressed so elegantly, whisking egg whites here...
It was a strangely refined yet domestic sight.
"Here, try this. My pride and joy."
Navia handed Lucian a macaron, accompanied by freshly brewed tea.
The macaron was even decorated with a cute cat face.
Lucian, with no appreciation for aesthetics, bit off half the cat's head in one go.
"It's delicious," he praised.
"Good. Then let's move on to the main topic."
Navia straightened up. "I'd like you to divine the truth about my father."
Lucian had guessed this was why Navia sought him out.
But he really wanted to say:
My dear Young Lady, do you even understand what fortune-telling is?
Fortune-telling predicts what might happen in the future, whether an event is auspicious or ominous.
Asking someone to divine what happened to a man who died years ago...
Isn't that a bit unreasonable?
If posed to a legitimate fortune-teller, this request would've earned anything from curses to outright insults.
Fortunately, Lucian was no legitimate fortune-teller and he did know the truth.
"Regarding your father, Callas, he was innocent," Lucian stated firmly.
Navia shot to her feet like a Fontainian girl at attention.
She had pursued justice for her father everywhere, from the Court of Fontaine to the streets, yet Lucian was the first to declare her father's innocence with such certainty.
Even Neuvillette had only acknowledged the case's peculiarities.
She hadn't held much hope initially, having already consulted fortune-tellers and diviners to no avail, some even thought she was wasting their time.
But Navia refused to let go of any possibility, which was why she'd approached Lucian as a last resort.
"C-Can you tell me what you know?"
Navia's usual confidence was gone, her tone now cautious, as if afraid the only lead would vanish.
"I'll pay you!" she added hastily.
Lucian ignored the mention of payment and countered:
"Can you promise me you won't act impulsively if I tell you?"
The reason Lucian didn't outright reveal Vacher's identity was that Navia wasn't yet in a position to confront him.
Killing Vacher wouldn't be hard.
But Navia wanted to clear her father's name, and that required defeating Vacher in court.
Yet the evidence of Vacher's crimes was still lost somewhere in the depths of the sea.
The only ones capable of finding and exploring such a place were likely Freminet and the Traveler.
If Navia sent people to search en masse now, how could they possibly avoid alerting Vacher?
It would only tip him off.
And even if Vacher were a fool who somehow missed it, it wouldn't matter, the ocean was teeming with monsters and harvesting machines.
Ordinary people couldn't operate underwater for long, let alone search for a hidden factory.
Seeing Lucian's solemnity, Navia realized the mastermind's significance and steadied herself.
"I promise."
===✧✦✧===
Character Voiceline · Lucian: About Navia
"Truly a strong, brave, and radiant young lady. Most importantly, her generosity is unmatched!"