"Fundamentally speaking, the people of Fontaine were all transformed from Oceanids. That's precisely why they dissolve when they come into contact with the Primordial Sea."
That all Fontainians could dissolve in a special kind of water was not shocking to either Navia or Arlecchino.
They both knew such cases had already happened multiple times in Fontaine.
But—
Fontainians being Oceanids in essence?
That was a revelation.
There was no public evidence to support such a claim.
And yet… it was Su Ran who said it.
Doubting him wasn't easy.
"How do you know this?" Arlecchino asked.
Everyone knew he was capable and extremely good at causing chaos—but how had he obtained information like this?
She didn't doubt the truth of it.
She just wanted to know the source.
"How I know isn't important. If you insist on an explanation—let's say I hacked into Irminsul and saw everything recorded in this world's past."
He certainly couldn't say, "I played the game and read the storyline."
That would terrify them.
And Herta might even start questioning reality.
After all, this planet existed within the same universe.
Herta wasn't foolish.
She would connect the dots.
"Then… does it also record the truth about the serial disappearances of young girls?"
If Irminsul recorded everything, then surely it also held proof of her father's innocence?
Navia's voice trembled slightly.
Irminsul sounded sacred.
She didn't dare hope she could ever approach it herself.
"It does. But Greater Lord Rukkhadevata doesn't like people touching her body."
"That little one?" Herta recalled the image she had seen earlier in the space station—the former Dendro Archon who looked identical to Nahida.
"As for the serial disappearance case—the culprit was Marcel. His real name was Vacher."
Su Ran told Navia directly.
"Uncle Marcel…?"
The shock hit hard.
After struggling to process it, Navia slowly accepted the truth.
"But why? So many lives… and my father…"
The man who had watched her grow up.
Her father's killer.
The culprit all along.
Her chest tightened painfully.
"This world doesn't always offer satisfying reasons. Not everyone's a fool like Dottore. Being driven by love is reason enough."
"You seem to have quite a few complaints about the Doctor," Arlecchino observed.
Back in Snezhnaya, she had noticed Su Ran's open disdain.
He killed one of Dottore's segments the moment they first met.
He never hid his contempt.
"Isn't that normal? Among the Harbingers, who actually likes him? Even Scaramouche hated him."
Su Ran never concealed his disgust.
Within Fatui, it was common knowledge.
He had risen by stepping over Dottore's corpse.
Even if Dottore himself didn't care, the friction between them was well known.
Truth be told—
Arlecchino didn't like Dottore either.
Given the opportunity, she wouldn't mind killing him.
But with so many segments…
Eradicating him entirely was troublesome.
"Navia. Stay here tonight."
"Tonight? Already?"
Navia froze.
Her heart pounded wildly.
She remembered what she had said—
That she was willing to give anything. Even herself.
Her face flushed red.
"What an imagination for a young lady."
Since she was standing behind him massaging his shoulders, he couldn't see her expression.
Herta, however, saw it perfectly.
"You thought he meant that, didn't you?"
"I did not! I absolutely did not!"
Navia's embarrassment deepened instantly.
She wanted to crawl into a crack in the floor.
"Looks like Genius will be very busy tonight," Arlecchino remarked dryly, looking at him like he was some scoundrel.
"Of course. Because tonight I'll be heading back to Inazuma first."
Su Ran sighed.
He hadn't meant anything improper—
Yet somehow everyone misunderstood him.
Was he really that misleading?
"To prevent Fontainians from dissolving, aside from restoring the Hydro Dragon's authority, I'm the only one who can do it. Arlecchino, if you were a Fontainian, I'd gladly have you replace Navia tonight."
He leaned forward, hands braced on the table.
Their faces were so close their noses were nearly touching.
For a split second—
Herta almost wanted to kick him from behind and see what chaos would follow.
Unfortunately, the puppet body was too short.
She couldn't reach it.
"Don't stare into my eyes," Arlecchino said coldly. "I can't guarantee what you'll see."
She met his gaze without hesitation.
"Your eyes look like mushrooms that've been sliced twice."
Crack.
The sound of knuckles tightening.
She was furious.
Her scarlet pupils locked onto his.
She intended to teach him a lesson.
But in the next instant—
Arlecchino suddenly stiffened.
As if she had seen something horrifying.
She staggered backward onto the sofa, breathing heavily.
She hadn't shown him anything through her gaze.
Instead—
She had almost seen something terrifying in his.
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