[Lumine and Paimon were busy collecting evidence to help clear Lyney's name.]
[During this time, they were invited to a room by Navia, the boss of Spina di Rosula, for a pleasant meeting.]
["Miss Navia, why are you helping us?" Paimon asked curiously.]
["By my intuition, of course. My incredibly precise... intuition."]
["Furina brought charges against Lyney without any evidence. She is often like this."]
["Iudex Neuvillette asked if she wanted to press charges because he didn't want her to let the incident spiral out of control."]
["Usually, Furina restrains herself after hearing Lord Neuvillette's advice."]
["But this time, I heard the Pope was present. That might have fueled her arrogance."]
[At the mention of Pope Kael, Paimon and Lumine glanced at each other, recalling Furina's behavior at the scene.]
[After a moment of realization, Paimon looked back at Navia.]
["I feel like Miss Navia just doesn't quite trust the Hydro Archon and the Pope."]
["Furina is one thing, but shouldn't Pope Kael's status in the hearts of Fontaine's people be extremely high?"]
[Facing this question, Navia gave a faint smile.]
["As the Hydro Archon, Furina is very cute, but being the Hydro Archon doesn't mean she is always right."]
["As for the Pope..."]
[Navia seemed to remember something, her lips twitching slightly.]
[She forced a thin smile. "Even if the Pope were Mora itself, he wouldn't necessarily be liked by everyone, right?"]
["In this world, how could such a perfect existence exist?"]
Osial: "Right, right, right. I agree with this lady's statement. Even if it's Mora, not everyone likes it."
Ningguang: "..."
Keqing: "I think you just have a personal problem with Rex Lapis."
Hu Tao: "Consultant, my Lord Rex Lapis, did you hear that? Because you represent Mora but have no Mora, you've affected how much people like Mora."
Zhongli: "I simply believe Osial is just venting his anger over being sealed by me."
Azhdaha: "Morax, I find myself much clearer now. Hurry up and let me out."
Zhongli: "..."
Zhongli: "Speaking of which, Miss Navia is a person filled with justice. Is she trying to challenge Kael's position in Fontaine?"
Kaeya: "It seems so. And I feel this Miss Navia might have some history with Kael, the Pope."
Thoma: "Was she oppressed? So she wants to resist?"
Kamisato Ayaka: "When Miss Navia mentioned Furina, her facial expression was normal. But when she mentioned Kael, her expression changed."
Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Wow! What kind of story could it be?"
Kujou Sara: "Hatred? It looks a bit like it."
Navia: "Eh? My past life had a grudge against Mr. Kael?"
Lumine: "No way. Kael couldn't have done something to you, right?"
Yae Miko: "He must have done something. Otherwise, given Kael's status as Pope, Navia wouldn't feel like she wants to bring him down."
Aether: "Hahaha, is Kael finally going to suffer a setback?"
Paimon: "In any case, since the past Navia is on our side, we will definitely win."
Kael: "Wait a minute. You all know it's a past life. It can't always follow the development of this life, right? Maybe Navia failed to help you find that missing girl?"
Paimon: "Oh right, Lumine, we got too excited."
Lumine: "Ahem, winning or losing is secondary. As my man, if he can't even beat me, how would that work?"
Lumine: "My only desire to win is just because I don't want to see him suppressing me to protect other women."
Furina: "..."
Yae Miko: "Lumine certainly knows how to talk."
[The time for the trial arrived.]
[Furina stood at the prosecution's bench in the Opera Epiclese.]
[Her gaze turned toward the VIP seats opposite her.]
[Kael was sitting there quietly, sipping tea.]
['Hehe...']
[A smile flashed across Furina's face as she thought to herself: 'Tsk, since you're here, watch my performance closely.']
['Don't keep saying I don't look like a god should. When it comes to trials, I am very strong.']
[Furina shifted her gaze from Kael to Lyney, Lumine, and the others at the defendant's stand.]
[She spread her hands, a look of contempt on her face. "Look at how dejected you are. Your investigation yielded nothing, right?"]
["It is only natural. How could a guilty person ever find evidence of their innocence?"]
["But do not stop there, Lumine. You are the opponent I look forward to the most. Do not surrender after just a few rounds."]
["I have high expectations for you."]
Lisa: "Hehe, that sounds exactly like a declaration between love rivals."
Yae Miko: "Lumine, can you endure this?"
Lumine: "Sigh, what can I do even if I cannot? After all, she is the female lead right now."
[Neuvillette announced the start of the trial.]
[Furina was the first to point the finger at Lyney.]
["You intended to kidnap Halsey and kill Cowell. You could not have stayed in the box the entire time; in fact, you were likely out of the tunnel for a long period."]
["I ask you now: while you were in the box, did you hear any sounds?"]
['Sounds?']
[Lyney froze. He stated that aside from the deafening countdown, he had heard nothing else.]
["But when the countdown reached 30 seconds, a dull thud echoed through the venue. I believe everyone present heard it."]
[This accusation left Lyney completely stunned.]
[Even Paimon and Lumine felt things were progressing far too suddenly.]
[They had clearly heard it, so it was impossible for Lyney, who was supposedly in the box, not to have heard it.]
[In an instant, the scales of the Oratrice tilted toward Furina.]
[Seeing Lyney's dumbfounded expression, Furina placed her hands on her hips with an air of superiority. "Beyond proving your alibi is false, I have prepared other weapons. Confidence does not come from nowhere; I have come fully prepared."]
["You and Lynette are members of the House of the Hearth, are you not?"]
['What!']
[An uproar broke out across the audience at the mention of the House of the Hearth.]
["The Fatui..."]
["Lyney is actually a member of the Fatui?"]
[Even Paimon cast an incredulous look at Lyney.]
["So he is with the Fatui."]
["Then everything makes sense."]
["The Serial Disappearances of Young Women... was it really their doing?"]
[The citizens of Fontaine immediately turned their hostility toward Lyney.]
[Lyney was naturally unwilling to bear the blame and protested, "This matter has nothing to do with my identity, does it?"]
[Furina nodded indifferently. "Indeed. For you, clearing your name should be the top priority. You should not have anything you cannot speak of."]
["Unless, of course, you are hiding something else."]
[After saying her piece, she saw that he had no response.]
[Furina felt an immense sense of satisfaction.]
[She could not help but jump for joy in her mind.]
['Haha, the traveler from another land is speechless. She looks so shocked.']
['Next, they should start fighting among themselves. This victory is far too easy.']
['Whew, and to think I was so nervous about this trial that I could not sleep all night.']
['Oh my, oh my...']
[Then, her gaze drifted toward Kael, who was still sipping tea.]
['Drink, drink, drink... that is all you know how to do...']
['Did you even see my performance? So annoying...']
Paimon: "Eh? Furina, were you actually thinking like that when you confronted us in court back then?"
Furina: "No, absolutely not! This is all from a past life."
Paimon: "But so far, there has not been much of a change between the past life and this one."
Lumine: "She was definitely thinking that at the time."
Yae Miko: "Pfft, no wonder Navia said the Hydro Archon of Fontaine is cute. Seeing her inner thoughts, I think she really is quite adorable."
Nilou: "The so-called arrogance is just a facade. The Hydro Archon's inner self is actually a very cute girl."
Lisa: "No wonder Mr. Kael became the Pope of Fontaine. He must have seen through Furina's true nature long ago."
[Given that Lyney hid the truth, Lumine requested a one-hour recess to discuss Lyney's situation in detail again.]
[After the court reconvened, Lumine recounted how Lyney entered the Opera House tunnel and then sneaked into the core of the Oratrice through the vents.]
[Because of this, Lyney did not hear that loud bang.]
[The evidence Furina used to accuse Lyney became the most powerful proof to clear his name.]
[Furthermore, the Gardes found Primordial Seawater in Cowell's luggage, which can dissolve people.]
[Hearing for the first time that humans could be dissolved, the audience in the Opera Epiclese broke into an uproar.]
[Fortunately, due to the Trial, this matter did not continue to spread.]
[Just as Lumine was about to win the defense, the Gardes ran in to tell everyone that Primordial Seawater was also found in Lyney's luggage.]
[The situation immediately shifted again.]
A simple Fontaine Trial left people from other nations in Teyvat dumbfounded.
Primordial Seawater could actually dissolve people?
Arataki Itto: "What does that mean? People can be dissolved by water?"
Sangonomiya Kokomi: "This is the first time I've heard of such a thing."
Neuvillette: "..."
Jean: "The Iudex of Fontaine should know some inside information."
Ningguang: "I remember reports saying the great flood in Fontaine a while ago appeared suddenly. Could it be related to Primordial Seawater?"
Alhaitham: "They didn't dissolve. I remember visiting Fontaine and hearing their Prophecy was that the sea level would rise and people would dissolve in the seawater."
Torres: "The seawater did rise, but people didn't dissolve."
Arlecchino: "Perhaps the Prophecy changed."
Tartaglia: "Facing this question, everyone from Fontaine has gone silent. Are you hiding something from us?"
Arlecchino: "I am Fontainian, but I don't know what happened in the end either. Anyway, people didn't dissolve."
Yae Miko: "Don't be so stingy. With the exposure of the Reincarnation, I think Fontaine's secrets won't be hidden for long. Just tell us already."
Neuvillette: "Right. I think we should wait for the Reincarnation to be exposed and see how Kael, as a Reincarnator, deals with the Prophecy of his past life."
Venti: "Drink..."
[Having gathered all the evidence, Furina was brimming with confidence.]
["The sequence of events is that Lyney conspired with his assistant Cowell to kidnap the young woman, Halsey."]
["But fearing the truth would come out, Lyney killed Cowell and put him in the wooden box. After using the water tank to crush him, he used Primordial Seawater to dissolve Cowell."]
["This must be the finale, then."]
[With the joy of victory, Furina called out to Neuvillette: "Sitting there, that noble, highly respected Iudex, in your opinion, can we now..."]
[Just as Furina wanted Neuvillette to begin the verdict, Navia's appearance caught everyone's attention.]
["Everyone, listen. Listen to me."]
["After all this back-and-forth debating, I think everyone must be tired of listening."]
["Would everyone like to see another magic show?"]
["A magic show that can make a girl who has already disappeared reappear before us."]
[Eh?]
[Furina was instantly stunned.]
[In her reasoning, Halsey had already been harmed by Lyney. How could she appear again?]
[What does this Navia from Spina di Rosula want to do?]
[Furina looked calmly at the wooden box already prepared on the high platform.]
[Her heart was pounding with nervousness.]
[If Halsey really appeared, then she would have truly wrongly accused Lyney.]
[Wrongfully accusing someone as a god would surely have a huge impact on her.]
[But Navia wasn't the type of person to act recklessly.]
["This..."]
["I couldn't have really wrongly accused an innocent person, could I?"]
[Furina subconsciously looked across the room.]
[Kael was still drinking tea.]
["Hey, are you kidding me..."]
["You're still in the mood to drink tea right now?"]
["It's Navia." Paimon and Lumine looked at Navia happily.]
[Navia also gave the two of them a confident look.]
["Lumine, Paimon, I finally know who secretly took the macarons off the table while we were eating that day."]
["What? Could it be..."] Paimon looked at the wooden box on the stage in surprise.
Lumine: "Tsk, I didn't expect the past life to have reached this point already. That means we've won."
Diluc: "So confident?"
Paimon: "That's right! Miss Navia isn't someone who acts recklessly. She found the missing Halsey, broke the deadlock, and finally defeated the Hydro Archon to let Mr. Lyney see the light again."
Furina: "Hey, what do you mean 'see the light'? You make it sound like I was intentionally making things difficult for Lyney."
Navia: "Partner, don't make a decision too early. Mr. Kael hasn't made his move yet."
Lumine: "Even if my husband's strength is extraordinary, since you've already reached this step, partner, it's impossible for him to make Hywel disappear in front of so many people, right?"
Clorinde: "That makes sense."
["I'm counting on you, Mr. Lyney..."]
["Perform another wonderful magic show for everyone."]
[Navia gave Lyney a thumbs up.]
"Don't worry, Spina di Rosula has already made arrangements for you troubled souls."
After hearing Navia's encouragement, Lyney looked toward the wooden box in the center of the stage.
Melus and Silver stood on either side of the box, nodding to Lyney with full confidence.
Snap. Lyney snapped his fingers.
"Ta-da..." Lynette followed up with a cute sound effect.
In an instant, the spotlight converged on the wooden box.
When the box opened, everyone was struck with shock.
Inside, there was nothing.
"This is..."
Navia was the first to freeze. "That's impossible. This..."
Melus and Silver, finally reacting, were equally stunned. "Where is she?"
"We clearly saw her walk inside. Where did she go?"
Paimon and Lumine were also paralyzed with confusion.
The two of them looked at Navia in disbelief. They had agreed to help them deal with Furina together—could she be an undercover agent sent by the Pope?
But that didn't make sense. They were already unable to defend Lyney any further; for Navia to do something like this now would be completely redundant.
'What on earth happened?' Lumine couldn't suppress the shock in her heart.
"Huh? What's going on?"
Furina scratched her head blankly, completely unable to fathom what Navia was trying to achieve.
"Enough."
At that moment, Kael, who had been sipping his tea, finally set down his cup.
"The farce is over."
"Lord Neuvillette, I believe the verdict can be announced now."
As the majestic voice reached Neuvillette's ears, Neuvillette cast a meaningful glance toward him.
Was Kael intending to forcibly condemn Lyney?
~✦~ End of Chapter ~✦~
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