"What are you doing?" Tartaglia asked the Maison Gardiennage officer cuffing him, his tone a mix of bewilderment and annoyance. "Didn't they just declare me not guilty?"
"Would you like to hear the verdict again?" the officer replied.
At the officer's words, Tartaglia glanced skeptically at Neuvillette. The Chief Justice graciously repeated the verdict:
"Monsieur Tartaglia... guilty."
Tartaglia: "???"
"He's a criminal after all!"
"Hahaha, look at his face! He's completely dumbfounded!"
"Sweating bullets now, Monsieur Tartaglia!"
"Unbelievable! I never would have guessed this. I thought Attorney Qiang had miscalculated this time, but he was right on the money!"
"Attorney Qiang: 'Good thing I made a quick getaway!'"
-
Hearing the audience's clamor, Tartaglia finally snapped out of his daze. His chest heaving violently, he angrily confronted Neuvillette.
"Didn't I provide a solid alibi?!"
"Didn't you declare the charges against me unfounded?!"
"Didn't you say this was my first time in Fontaine?!"
"Then why am I still being found guilty?!"
"If you just don't like me, why not be honest about it? Stop making excuses!"
In response to Tartaglia's furious outburst, Neuvillette calmly replied, "This verdict comes from the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale. The Oratrice was personally crafted by the Hydro Archon herself and is infallible."
"Though doubts linger regarding the case, I must uphold the Oratrice's verdict and pronounce you guilty."
Now truly enraged, Tartaglia yanked his hands free with such force that the handcuffs shattered into pieces.
Tartaglia immediately leaped onto the stage, pointing a finger at the jeering, troublemaking audience members before finally turning his gaze to Neuvillette.
"Are you people in Fontaine just bullying an honest man?!"
A sinister black aura suddenly emanated from Tartaglia, and his Delusion flared with renewed light.
Just then, Tartaglia sensed Neuvillette move, followed by an overwhelming force crashing into him.
Couldn't you wait until I finished transforming before attacking?!
That was Tartaglia's final thought before...
BOOM!
A deafening explosion erupted from the spot where Tartaglia had stood. The sinister black mist dissipated, revealing Tartaglia lying unconscious in a deep crater, while Neuvillette calmly strode toward the back of the stage.
"Seeing Monsieur Neuvillette in action again is as breathtaking as ever!"
"Did anyone time that? Was it even half a second?"
"Monsieur Neuvillette, forever the Archon!"
-
Even Navia hadn't anticipated such an ending to the Judgment. As she watched Tartaglia being carried away on a stretcher by Maison Gardiennage officers, her expression was complicated.
She had initially believed she had found the true culprit, but it seemed she was still some distance from the full truth.
There was no need to rush, though. Compared to before, she now had a clearer lead.
Moreover, today's events had finally cleared her Teacher's name, allowing her to finally inscribe words on his tombstone.
Since her Teacher hadn't truly died, Navia decided against engraving anything too somber. Instead, she planned to carve "Navia was here" and bring him to visit it someday.
"Let's go, Melus, Silver," Navia said, her smile returning as she turned to address the two behind her.
"Yes, Miss Navia," Melus and Silver exchanged glances before their faces relaxed into matching smiles.
-
News of Tartaglia's conviction spread like wildfire across Fontaine. Though Furina had always declared that in Fontaine, even the Archons would face Judgment, such a thing had never actually happened before. Even the imprisonment of a Fatui Harbinger was unprecedented, sparking heated debate among the people.
Another event caused equal uproar: the exoneration of Grett's name.
Upon learning of this, those whom Grett had saved wore expressions of profound shame and flocked to his grave to pay their respects.
The tombstone now bore an inscription, though Navia certainly hadn't carved anything like "I was here."
Gazing at the tombstone adorned with flowers, Navia smiled faintly, her gaze drifting toward the horizon as she fell into a reverie.
Teacher, I will find you soon.
On the Fatui side, Lyney and Lynette couldn't contain their shock upon hearing that Tartaglia had been sent to the Fortress of Meropide.
"This... I'd better consult Father first," Lyney muttered, clearly stunned.
He genuinely hadn't expected Tartaglia, a fellow Fatui Harbinger, to fail so spectacularly. After a moment's hesitation, he relayed the news through Fatui channels to Arlecchino as quickly as possible.
By this time, Arlecchino had already boarded a ship bound for Fontaine and would soon return there.
Originally, she had planned to leave several days earlier, but The Doctor, Dottore, had paid her a visit, demanding to know exactly what was happening in Fontaine.
The fact that Dottore, who was usually solely focused on his dream weapon research, had suddenly taken an interest in Fontaine's current affairs was no coincidence. Arlecchino immediately launched an investigation through her intelligence network, which delayed her departure by several days.
Standing on the deck, Arlecchino gazed at the sea, lost in thought. The mere thought of Dottore potentially coming to Fontaine unsettled her. She had no desire for him to turn Fontaine into another chaotic mess like Sumeru, though, admittedly, Fontaine's current state wasn't much better.
But stopping Dottore was no easy task. After much deliberation, Arlecchino concluded: there was no way.
The power gap was too vast. Arlecchino possessed self-awareness—the top three Harbinger seats wielded monstrous strength, a qualitative difference that dwarfed her own.
Moreover, recalling the No. 6 Incident in Fontaine, Arlecchino suspected Dottore might already be operating there, with her being none the wiser.
"This is getting more and more interesting..."
A cold, elegant smile flickered across Arlecchino's face.
"Tartaglia's probably out picking fights with strong opponents right now."
"Let him enjoy a few more days of relaxation. I hope you're having a good time in Fontaine, Tartaglia."
-
"It's quite lively here..."
"Emily, what did you just say?"
Furina asked the girl, her curiosity piqued. She thought she had heard the girl say something, but the voice was too soft to make out.
"Nothing much, just that a lot seems to be happening on the water lately," Emily replied.
Hearing this, Furina immediately tensed up.
"Has there been another serious incident? How many people died?"
Without her usual informants nearby, Furina was completely in the dark about the latest developments on the water.
"There has been one serious case," Emily paused before continuing, "Right after the final verdict in a trial, the convict snapped. They pulled out a gun they had smuggled past the Maison Gardiennage officers and began firing into the audience."
"Five people died, all of them outstanding contributors to Fontaine."
Emily sighed heavily as she finished speaking.
"How could this happen..."
Furina felt a pang of sorrow upon hearing this news.
Unbeknownst to her, Emily's face still wore a faint smile as she recounted the story.
"Anything else major happen?"
"Absolutely. I heard a Fatui Harbinger and his subordinates were imprisoned shortly after."
The words "Fatui Harbinger" made Furina's heart skip a beat, and goosebumps prickled across her skin.
"Oh, Lady Furina, let's go watch the Fatui Harbinger's welcoming ceremony!"
"Th-there's no need for that..."
The girl's words instantly stiffened Furina's body, her eyes filled with resistance.
But the girl, brooking no argument, grabbed Furina's hand and dragged her to the entrance of the Fortress of Meropide.
When they arrived, a large crowd had already gathered to watch. After all, the guest was a Fatui Harbinger, and many people were eager to witness the spectacle.
The girl and Furina's appearance caused only a minor stir that quickly subsided as they blended into the crowd and waited.
As they stood there, Furina trembled, nearly burying her small head in her chest in an attempt to minimize her presence.
Her heart pounded with fear. She dreaded seeing the attacker from that evening.
Though the figure had been cloaked in black and masked, she recognized the unmistakable silhouette—it was the Fatui Harbinger, The Knave.
Why wouldn't she be sent to the Fortress of Meropide? Could it be because she's already here? Would they try to harm her again...
These were Furina's greatest fears. She couldn't die—not because she didn't want to, but because her years of pretense had left her soul shattered beyond repair. Death would have been a welcome release.
But for the sake of all Fontaine's citizens, she couldn't die now!
Otherwise, everything would be for naught. Her efforts and sacrifices would become meaningless...
Yet this time, as Furina thought about death, a girl's face inexplicably flashed through her mind.
Immediately, the wounds in her heart seemed to smooth over slightly, easing her pain.
Perhaps now, beyond saving Fontaine, she had another reason to cling to life...
"Lady Furina, look! The Fatui Harbinger has arrived!"
Emily's voice snapped Furina back to reality. She shuddered, then turned to Emily.
"Emily, my stomach feels a bit uneasy. I need to use the restroom first."
Furina could no longer suppress her inner terror and prepared to flee.
But just as she was about to slip away, her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the figure. She realized it was a man and froze.
Moments later, she stared in disbelief at Tartaglia, his face twisted with anger and displeasure. The trembling in her body had inexplicably stopped.
It's not The Knave?!
A new wave of questions flooded Furina's mind.
What's Childe doing in Fontaine? I thought he was supposed to be operating in Liyue?
The simultaneous presence of two or even three Fatui Harbingers in a single nation was an extremely ominous sign.
If the Fatui Harbingers were to unite, even the reign of an Archon could be overthrown.
Furina had no doubt of this possibility. After all, the Fatui Harbingers were notorious for their reckless and ruthless actions.
While Tartaglia's entry into the Fortress of Meropide was likely aimed at capturing her, Furina knew he was merely the last-ranked Harbinger, so she didn't feel overly concerned.
Furina glanced at the Anemo Vision on the girl beside her, a sudden wave of reassurance washing over her.
If anything happens, Emily will definitely protect me!
"Lady Furina, what's wrong? Aren't you going to the restroom anymore?" Emily asked.
Hearing Emily's question, Furina forced an awkward smile.
"Ah ha ha, it's fine. I think I can hold it a bit longer."
"Since the other party has already arrived, leaving now might seem a bit impolite."
"Let's just see how things play out first."
As Furina spoke, a group of excited figures suddenly rushed toward them from the distance.
"Lord Childe!"
Upon seeing Tartaglia, they burst into tears of relief.
"We never imagined Lord Childe himself would have to rescue us in the end! We're so useless, only dragging you down, Lord Childe!"
Watching them, Furina curiously asked the girl, "Emily, who are these people?"
"They seem to be subordinates of that Fatui Harbinger called Childe," Emily guessed.
Furina nodded in understanding and glanced back at the scene.
He even brought his subordinates along. He's certainly thought this through for my sake.
Staring at his weeping subordinates, Tartaglia wore an awkward expression.
"Actually... it will take some time to get you all out of here, and I'll be spending that time with you!"
Upon hearing these words, the Fatui soldiers were even more moved, despite realizing Tartaglia couldn't actually save them.
Their superior was willing to share their hardships—what an honor!
With a leader like this, what more could they ask for?!
"Lord Childe, you don't need to go to such lengths for us!"
"Yes, Lord Childe, please leave now! This isn't a place for someone of your noble status!"
The Fatui soldiers pleaded, but Tartaglia immediately refused.
"No, I absolutely won't abandon you."
"You are my subordinates, after all!"
"Lord Childe!"
-
Watching the incredibly dramatic scene unfold before them, the crowd of onlookers who knew the truth couldn't help but twitch their faces, struggling to contain their laughter and shatter the harmonious atmosphere...