Chapter 111: So Long, So Lonely...
Conan found himself agreeing with Moroboshi. He replayed the Hydro Archon's words in his mind, paying particular attention to how she had referred to their group. There was a hidden meaning in her phrasing, he was sure of it.
This was also the primary reason he wasn't overly concerned for Ran and Natsume's safety. After all, the insidious method of dissolving people wouldn't work on their group of "Travelers from another world." And if it came down to a physical confrontation, he was confident that Natsume's abilities, combined with Ran's own formidable skills, would be more than enough to handle any threat.
"Since we've made a decision, let's get moving! To the Fountain of Lucine!" Natsume announced, pushing herself to her feet.
The children erupted in a cheer. "Yeah! Let's go!"
Conan watched them, a deadpan expression on his face. 'Is this level of excitement really appropriate?' he thought, a vein throbbing at his temple. 'This is an investigation, not a spring outing…'
A few minutes later, he was forced to retract his previous thought—the children were, in fact, treating this exactly like a spring outing. He watched them scatter yet again, this time drawn to a strange new plant, and felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him.
He turned back, his voice strained with helplessness as he called out to the children, who were huddled around a cluster of flowers that resembled delicate lilies-of-the-valley. "Hey, hurry up and come back! Be careful not to fall behind. I heard that strange monsters called Hilichurls sometimes attack travelers around here. If you stray too far, Natsume-nee might not be able to save you in time!"
"Okaay~" the children's voices chorused back, drawing out the sound playfully.
They reluctantly rejoined the main group, but their focus lasted only a few moments. Upon spotting a tree bearing strange, glistening fruit just ahead, they immediately forgot Conan's warning and rushed forward to surround it.
Ayumi's eyes lit up, remembering the dessert they had eaten earlier. "This must be the fruit they use in the Bubble Soufflé! It looks just like a tangerine."
"To be precise, it looks more like an orange," Mitsuhiko corrected, adjusting his glasses.
"Can we eat it?" Emori asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.
Genta stared up at the fruit, his stomach rumbling audibly. "It's just by the roadside, so we should be able to pick it, right?" he declared, jumping up and down in a futile attempt to snatch one.
"It should be fine," Natsume said, walking over with a smile. "If there are no markings on the trees, you can usually pick them freely." Seeing that the children couldn't reach, she effortlessly plucked a few of the fruits from the branches.
There were only three or four ripe ones, just enough for the children to share and have a small taste.
Natsume received a slice as well. True to its use in the soufflé, the Bulle Fruit was a delightful mix of sweet and sour, its juice popping on her tongue.
Amidst the children's playful antics, the group finally arrived at the Fountain of Lucine. It was a grand structure, water cascading down multiple tiers of sculpted stone into a vast, clear pool.
Moroboshi crossed his arms, looking it over with a critical eye. "Is this the Fountain of Lucine? It looks a bit… ordinary. It doesn't feel any different from a regular fountain."
"No way! It's obviously beautiful!" Genta shot back. "It's rare to see a fountain this big!"
Kikukawa scoffed with a touch of disdain. "That's just because of where you come from. For Moroboshi and us, things like this are easy to see. The Moroboshi family has a similar fountain, and it's even better looking than this one."
Genta's face flushed with anger. "You…!"
Sensing a conflict brewing, Conan quickly interjected. "We can't see clearly from down here. Let's go up to the fountain itself and take a closer look." Now was not the time for petty arguments.
Hearing Conan's suggestion, Genta bit back his retort. He shot a glare at Kikukawa, let out a sharp "Hmph," and stormed toward the fountain's edge.
Kikukawa shuffled his feet, feeling a little awkward. He leaned toward his friend and whispered, "I was just telling the truth, Moroboshi, wasn't I? Your family really does have a fountain like this."
"Enough," Moroboshi said, his voice laced with irritation. "What's the point of arguing about this now? Come on, let's all go look at the fountain."
Kikukawa and Emori could only mutter an "Oh," and obediently followed him.
The group circled the massive structure several times, examining it thoroughly from top to bottom. They ran their hands over the cool, damp stone and peered into the crystalline water, but no matter how they looked, it seemed to be nothing more than an exceptionally large and ornate fountain.
They gathered again before it, heads bowed in contemplation.
Suddenly, Natsume's head snapped up. "Did any of you hear a sound just now? It seemed to come from the fountain."
Conan knew Natsume had exceptionally sharp hearing; if she said she heard something, there was no doubt it was real. He quieted his breathing, closed his eyes, and listened intently. After a moment, he caught it—a faint, ethereal murmur carried on the splashing water. It sounded like a woman's voice, but the words were indistinct.
Even Ran, after focusing, heard the sound. A chill ran down her arms, and she instinctively grabbed Natsume's sleeve, her voice trembling slightly. "Does… does this game have ghosts, too?"
Conan looked at Ran's frightened expression with a pang of concern. "Ran-nee, are you okay? I'll protect you."
"Probably not," Natsume said, patting Ran's hand reassuringly. "I haven't heard any of the citizens of Fontaine mention ghosts. If it's not a common topic, it probably means this game doesn't have them. The sound must be coming from something else." She gave Ran a confident smile. "Besides, even if there were a ghost, I doubt it would be a match for me. Don't worry, Ran, I'll protect all of you."
Mouri Ran looked at Natsume with complete trust, her fear visibly easing as she nodded. She then looked down at the small boy by her side and said, "Conan, don't worry about me. Just take care of yourself."
Conan blinked. "…Oh…"
Beside him, Haibara offered a sliver of a smirk. "Well, well, great detective. It seems your Ran-nee trusts Natsume-nee more to protect her now. How does it feel to be treated like a child?"
A muscle in Conan's cheek twitched. 'That Haibara!' he fumed internally. 'Isn't she also being treated like a child right now? How can she possibly find the energy to mock me?'
Determined to identify the voice, Natsume moved a little closer to the fountain, leaning over the edge until the mist kissed her face. The splashing of the water was louder here, but after a moment of intense focus, the words finally became clear.
"So long… so lonely… how much longer…"
Having deciphered the message, she straightened up and turned back to the others. "That's the voice I heard coming from the Fountain of Lucine."
"What does that mean?"
"Who said it?"
Even after learning what the mysterious voice had said, the group was still completely bewildered. The cryptic phrase offered no clues.
It was Moroboshi who broke the stalemate. "Let's go check out the Opera Epiclese ahead," he suggested. "We have our court confrontation with the Hydro Archon there in three days. Since we have no leads now, it would be a good idea to go there first and get a feel for their trial procedures."
"Wait, an Opera House?" Conan's head whipped toward him, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Are you saying the trial is in an Opera House three days from now?"
Moroboshi found Conan's shock strange. "Yes. Didn't the Hydro Archon tell us earlier that she would have a court confrontation with us at the Opera Epiclese? You heard it too, so why are you so surprised?"
"I heard it, but I thought I misheard, or that the Hydro Archon misspoke," Conan admitted, his mind reeling. After all, that particular Archon had seemed more than a little unreliable. "It's really going to be a trial held in an Opera House?! But why? Isn't Fontaine supposed to be the Nation of Justice? Why don't they have a dedicated courthouse?"
[Inorin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/InorinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/InorinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]