Lumine: "..." (Pupils shaking, brain crashing).
Paimon: "..." (Covering her mouth with her small hands, flying unsteadily).
Neuvillette: "..." (The Chief Justice's mask of authority cracked, his fingers unconsciously tightening around his staff).
Furina: "..." (Just moments ago she was worried about the prophecy, but now her mouth was wide enough to fit an egg, her gaze frantically switching between Skirk and the quartet).
the quartet (excluding Jesse): "..." (Although they were on the same side, they were still speechless by this move).
The scene fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the steady, long breaths of the shrunken Skirk in Jesse's arms. She even smacked her lips, sleeping exceptionally soundly.
After a long while, Neuvillette finally took a deep breath, trying to express his utter shock in the most official tone possible: "Are you... already expanding into 'cross-age demographic transit services'?" (The polite version: Are you trafficking children?)
"What do you mean, trafficking children! This is rescuing underage children! Understand?!"
Jesse loudly retorted, as if deeply insulted.
He looked around and happened to see Tartaglia and Arlecchino passing by while chatting. His eyes lit up, and he quickly stepped forward, naturally shoving the silver-haired little girl in his arms into Tartaglia's.
"Hm?"
Tartaglia subconsciously caught the soft bundle, looked down at the sleeping face of the little girl, and then looked up at Arlecchino beside him in confusion.
"Why am I holding her? The Knave should be better at taking care of people, right?"
Arlecchino glanced expressionlessly at the little girl, a flicker of imperceptible emotion passing through her red eyes, but she did not speak.
Jesse lazily explained, "Because she is your master, Skirk."
"Oh, Master."
Tartaglia subconsciously nodded. Two seconds later, his brain finally processed the information.
"..."
"M—A—S—T—E—R—!!!!!!"
Tartaglia immediately let out a piercing shriek comparable to a soprano's, loud enough to shatter glass!
He fumbled and nearly tossed the small Skirk in his arms, but quickly hugged her tightly again, freezing in place as if struck by lightning, his expression completely losing control.
Ignoring the petrified Tartaglia and the jaws dropping around them again, Zane cleared his throat and brought the topic back on track: "Forget about that kid. Wolf King should have finished the job by now. It's time for us to get down to business."
"OK! Watch me!"
Elliot made a flashy gesture, and his figure vanished from the spot with a swoosh, leaving only a gust of wind.
The next second, everyone heard a faint 'click' coming from the direction of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, like a precise mechanism being opened.
Immediately after, Elliot reappeared, holding... a miniature blue figure wearing divine attire and looking bewildered—it was Focalors' true form!
"Ah?"
Focalors looked at the suddenly changed surroundings and the group of stunned people, letting out a small, confused sound.
"Hmm?!"
Aside from Neuvillette, Lumine, Paimon, and the quartet, who were mentally prepared, everyone else (including Furina, who had just regained her senses slightly) collectively dislocated their jaws again; the sound this time was exceptionally crisp.
Neuvillette maintained his composure on the surface, but his slightly trembling fingertips and instantly constricted pupils betrayed the turmoil raging inside him.
"Um... Sir... Brave Warrior? Could you please let go of me now?"
Focalors said cautiously and awkwardly to Elliot, who was holding her.
"No problem! Customer, please take care!"
Hearing this, Elliot gently placed Focalors on the ground as if setting down a fragile item, even smoothing down her non-existent skirt hem.
Just then, a roar came from the sky, and a massive shadow descended.
The Wolf King's twenty-meter mecha body landed steadily, shaking the ground three times.
"Mission accomplished."
The Wolf King's mechanical voice was as steady as ever.
"Consensus has been 'reached' with Celestia. Moving forward, Fontaine's water level will permanently cease rising, and the punishment mechanism for the so-called 'Original Sin' has been permanently abolished. The Heavenly Principles... will no longer pursue Fontaine regarding this matter."
These words were like another thunderbolt, stunning Focalors, who had just managed to stand up.
"This... um... Great Mechanical Sir."
Focalors' voice was trembling, filled with incredible ecstasy and immense confusion.
"May I ask... exactly how you managed to achieve this?"
She had imagined countless scenarios of negotiation, maneuvering, or even sacrifice, but she never expected it to be so... simple?
Hearing this, the Wolf King silently raised its massive mechanical fist, large enough to crush mountains. The surface of the fist even flickered with lingering energy arcs.
It answered Focalors' question with action.
Focalors looked at the fist, which was larger than her entire body, instantly understood, and very wisely zipped her mouth shut, even making a motion of pulling a zipper across her lips with her hand.
Understood. It was physical persuasion! Perfectly reasonable!