While the audience buzzed with excitement over the earlier commotion, Tartaglia's aura had completely transformed.
Tears welled in his eyes as he heard how his subordinates had risked everything to deliver crucial information to him.
If even my men are fighting this hard, how can I calmly accept this Fontaine's so-called "Judgment"?
Tartaglia immediately stood up, pointed a finger at Neuvillette, who was seated at the head of the table, and declared, "Let's fight, Neuvillette!"
"Silence!"
Neuvillette ignored Tartaglia's provocation, striking the ground with his cane.
"Loud disturbances are forbidden in the courtroom."
"Hey, hey, Monsieur Chief Justice, did you even hear what I said earlier?"
"Now that your little game of 'Judgment' is over, let's play a real game for grown-ups: a battlefield brawl!"
Tartaglia leaped down from the defendant's seat, landing on the stage. A bow and arrow materialized in his hands, both composed of Hydro Element energy.
The audience froze for a moment, then erupted into a frenzy.
They never expected this reckless young Harbinger from Snezhnaya to brazenly challenge Neuvillette.
"Good, coming to this 'Judgment' was worth it after all!"
"We're finally going to see Monsieur Neuvillette in action! I can't wait!"
"Exactly! Even watching him through the screen earlier, you could feel his overwhelming power. Seeing it up close must be even more breathtaking!"
"Should we move back a bit? What if we get caught in the crossfire?"
"Probably not necessary. Monsieur Neuvillette will surely be careful about that."
-
"Monsieur Tartaglia, I must remind you that this is the time for Judgment. Please return to your designated position immediately."
Neuvillette regarded the taunting Tartaglia with unwavering composure.
"Otherwise, I will add the charge of disrupting the order of Judgment to your offenses."
"I couldn't care less!"
"Come and fight me, Neuvillette!"
"Or do you need a little assistance from me?"
Tartaglia completely disregarded the murmurs of the audience.
"After all, my subordinates went to such great lengths to deliver this information to me. At a time like this, there's no choice but to fight!"
With that, Tartaglia charged excitedly toward Neuvillette.
"Let me experience Monsieur Neuvillette's true skills!"
As Tartaglia's figure rapidly approached, Neuvillette calmly raised one hand, a blue aura blossoming from his palm.
In the next instant, a massive column of water slammed into Tartaglia, propelling him backward with even greater force until he crashed heavily onto the stage.
"It's starting! It's starting!"
The audience leaped to their feet, utterly captivated by the unfolding battle.
Even concerned that Tartaglia might lose too quickly, many began cheering him on.
"Hey, Harbinger over there! Try a slide attack!"
"Hurry up and fight! If you put on a good show, I'll donate to the Fatui!"
"Come on, big brother with the bow! Just hold out for a few more seconds!"
-
Having achieved his objective, Neuvillette prepared to withdraw. Suddenly, he sensed a shift in Tartaglia's aura.
A flash of Electro illuminated the stage as Tartaglia vanished from his original position. A dark figure surged forward at blinding speed, hurtling toward Neuvillette once more with an ear-splitting sonic boom.
Sensing Neuvillette's immense power, Tartaglia's eyes blazed with battle lust. Gripping the Electro-infused spear with both hands, he thrust it toward Neuvillette's chest.
This time, Neuvillette's brow furrowed slightly. Just as the spear was about to pierce him, a transparent, azure barrier materialized before him. Tartaglia's momentum halted abruptly, the spear clanging harmlessly against the barrier's surface.
Seeing this, Tartaglia switched from thrusting to sweeping, lashing the barrier with lightning-fast strikes. He then channeled Electro energy, summoning a barrage of thunderbolts, but the barrier remained unscathed.
Noticing Neuvillette's subtle movement, Tartaglia immediately retreated, temporarily withdrawing from the fray.
"Stop this, Monsieur Tartaglia," Neuvillette said calmly, his gaze fixed on Tartaglia. "The Judgment has not yet concluded."
"Stop? Hahahaha, you must be joking!" Tartaglia roared, his voice brimming with excitement. "I'm just getting warmed up!"
"You're truly formidable, Neuvillette!" he exclaimed. "I never expected to find such a powerful opponent in Fontaine."
Tartaglia twirled his Electro spear twice before planting it firmly on the floor beside him.
"Looks like I'll have to use my full strength against an opponent like you!"
As Tartaglia spoke, the Delusion on his body flared with an eerie light, and a sinister aura instantly enveloped him.
Sensing Tartaglia's rapidly escalating power, Neuvillette frowned and glanced at the still-watching audience. With a soft sigh, his figure vanished from its position in an instant.
A dazzling blue light surged forward with overwhelming force, shattering the sinister aura surrounding Tartaglia. In its wake, Neuvillette stood unscathed, while Tartaglia lay unconscious on the ground.
"Court is adjourned for one hour to allow Monsieur Tartaglia to recover. The Judgment will resume afterward," Neuvillette announced to the Maison Gardiennage officers before calmly striding back to his seat.
"How did he get one-shotted? He should have lasted longer!"
"What kind of Fatui Harbinger is this? He's so weak!"
"It's normal. I heard he's just the last-ranked Harbinger."
"Last-ranked? Well, that explains it."
"Don't be discouraged, Monsieur Tartaglia! Even lasting one second is still impressive!"
"Try harder next time!"
As Tartaglia was escorted away by two Maison Gardiennage officers, the audience erupted in a chorus of disappointed boos.
They had expected a real spectacle, but the skill gap was so vast it was like an adult bullying a child. Even the recorded footage had been more entertaining.
"Alright, folks, show's over. Come back in an hour."
Just as the audience began to disperse for a break, several Maison Gardiennage officers rushed in.
"Bad news, Monsieur Neuvillette!"
"Just moments ago, the Fatui stationed outside the Opera House erupted into infighting and killed one of their own on the spot!"
Hearing this, the audience immediately settled back into their seats.
Good heavens, this day has become far more exciting than expected!
Neuvillette took a deep breath. Can't I ever catch a break?
Although the deceased was not a Fontaine citizen, the fact that the incident occurred within Fontaine territory—and right at the entrance of the crowded Opera Epiclese—meant the nation couldn't simply ignore it.
"Bring them in," Neuvillette ordered.
-
An hour later, Tartaglia finally awoke from his unconsciousness.
Staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, his mind still felt hazy.
Who am I? Where am I? What was I supposed to be doing again?
Oh, right. He seemed to have been defeated by Neuvillette—a crushing defeat, to be exact.
"You're awake?"
Suddenly, a cute face appeared in his field of vision. Tartaglia recognized her; she seemed to be one of the Melusine, a race from Fontaine.
"Where am I?"
"The Opera Epiclese's lounge," she replied.
"I must say, you're quite brave to challenge Monsieur Neuvillette."
"Ever since that incident, all the negative rumors about Monsieur Neuvillette vanished overnight without a trace."
"That incident?"
"Let me show you."
Hearing her words, Tartaglia struggled to sit up, but found his body completely immobilized.
So strong... Just one strike left me this badly injured.
"Don't move around too much!"
"Although your injuries aren't too severe, you still need to rest properly."
"I'll bring everything to you."
With that, Melusine pulled out the recording and played it for Tartaglia.
As the screen filled completely with blue, and after a brief pause, the footage stabilized to reveal only an enormous crater, Tartaglia, lying on the sofa, couldn't help but swallow hard.
Even the current Overlord of the Vortex Osial isn't this strong!
Just what kind of being did I challenge earlier?!
Could it have been the Hydro Archon of Fontaine?
But isn't the Hydro Archon supposed to be called Focalors?
Still, there's no doubt their combat power has already crossed the threshold into Archon territory.
My subordinates actually let me fight a god? They really do have high expectations of me!
Tartaglia couldn't decide whether to feel gratified or exasperated.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. He quickly checked his body, confirmed that all his parts were still intact, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Though every inch of his body ached, it was nothing serious—as long as all his parts were still intact, it wouldn't stop him from picking fights in the future.
Of course, Tartaglia was still exhilarated. Clashing with formidable opponents was his driving force, and nothing thrilled him more than encountering a worthy adversary.
Sooner or later, he'd have another rematch with Neuvillette!
But he needed to take things step by step. Challenging Neuvillette now would be suicidal.
He wasn't eager to meet an untimely end.
"Wait a minute... if Neuvillette unleashed such power, who was his opponent?"
Tartaglia suddenly realized a crucial question and blurted it out.
As soon as he spoke, the Melusine Doctor's expression turned grave, as if the subject was deeply taboo.
"Since Monsieur Tartaglia's condition has stabilized, I'll be taking my leave now."
With that, the Melusine Doctor packed up her things and waddled out on her short legs.
Tartaglia wanted to stop her, but his body remained completely immobilized, forcing him to give up.
Still, watching the Melusine leave without answering his questions, a wide, excited grin spread across his face. Fontaine is even more interesting than I thought!
"Alright, this time I'm going to have a real brawl in Fontaine!"
No sooner had the Melusine Doctor left the resting chamber than two Maison Gardiennage officers entered.
"Monsieur Tartaglia, it's time. Please come with us back to the Judgment."
As the officers approached, Tartaglia let out a sigh of exasperation.
"Seriously, are you guys ever going to let this go? I've told you already—I didn't kill anyone, and I have no interest in your childish 'Judgment' game."
Hearing Tartaglia's assessment, the officers paused momentarily before their tone turned icy.
"Whether you're connected to the deceased is for Monsieur Neuvillette to determine."
"Though you are a Snezhnayan, Tartaglia, you are in Fontaine now. You will abide by our rules."
"As for not wanting to participate in the Judgment, that's not up to you!"
Soon, a Maison Gardiennage officer wheeled in a wheelchair. Despite Tartaglia's fierce resistance, they strapped him into it and wheeled him out of the lounge.
"Hey, hey! Is this how Fontaine treats its guests?!" Tartaglia protested loudly, his entire demeanor souring at the thought of his humiliating wheelchair-bound appearance soon being displayed before countless people.
"Monsieur Tartaglia, Monsieur Neuvillette has already shown remarkable leniency by not holding you accountable for disrupting the court. Please don't push your luck."
Just as Tartaglia was about to retort, he suddenly spotted a group of Fatui soldiers being escorted down the hallway by Maison Gardiennage officers. He immediately recognized them as his subordinates.
"We're citizens of Snezhnaya! You Fontainians have no right to arrest us!" one of the soldiers shouted.
"Enough chatter! Just shut up and behave!" an officer snapped back.
Tartaglia stared in disbelief, "???"
"Wait!" Tartaglia shouted, bringing the procession to a halt. "What's the meaning of this, Fontaine? Arresting me is one thing, but now you're going after my men too?! Do you think you can bully the Fatui like this?!"
The officer remained unfazed by Tartaglia's accusations. "They murdered people within Fontaine's borders. Why shouldn't we arrest them?"
"Instead of worrying about them, perhaps you should worry about yourself, Monsieur Tartaglia. The suspicion against you hasn't been cleared yet."
Tartaglia froze for a moment, then glanced at the Fatui soldiers.
The soldiers' faces lit up with surprise and excitement at the sight of him.
"Lord Childe! It's wonderful to see you whole again!"
But their expressions quickly turned somber as they noticed Tartaglia was in a wheelchair.
Oh no, oh no! Lord Childe's legs are broken! He'll never walk again!
"Don't let your imaginations run wild," Tartaglia said, seeing the soldiers' troubled faces. "I'm just badly injured. I'll be back on my feet soon enough."
He paused, then asked, "Did you kill anyone in Fontaine?"
The Fatui soldiers immediately became agitated.
"Lord Childe, the man who died was a spy sent by The Knave to infiltrate our ranks!"
"That woman again!"
Tartaglia understood. He understood everything now. From the moment he arrived in Fontaine, he had been stepping into her trap, one step at a time.
Tartaglia now strongly suspected that his arrest was also Arlecchino's doing.
Arlecchino, just you wait! I'll get the Hydro Archon's Gnosis before you do, and then I'll mock you relentlessly!