As the first faint light of dawn crept over Fontaine, many residents awoke with a vague sense that something significant had transpired during the night.
Sure enough, as sensational news spread through the city, Fontaine erupted into chaos once more.
Marquis Relf and all those who had pushed for the Fleuve Cendre Edict had been overthrown overnight?
Previously, even Counts had been the highest-ranking officials brought to justice. The downfall of a Marquis was a bombshell of a magnitude rarely seen in a century.
Many newspapers tore their hair in frustration, bitterly regretting their early slumber the previous night and only learning of this earth-shattering event now.
Just as the newspapers were scrambling to publish sensational reports ahead of their rivals, The Steam Bird dropped an even more explosive bombshell:
The perpetrator of the serial suicide case was dead!
The entire article was penned by Charlotte, who selectively recounted the events of the previous night, supplementing them with photographs taken along the way as evidence. The ending, however, had been revised: Lyney and Navia had seized the perfect opportunity to thwart the villain's scheme, making it abundantly clear to everyone in Fontaine just how deranged and utterly mad Grett truly was.
When countless citizens read that Lofan had buried countless explosives beneath the official relocation zone for Fleuve Cendre refugees, intending to massacre tens of thousands of lives in a single blast, they could barely contain their terror, utterly horrified by his madness.
What if the enemy's true target wasn't just the people who came from Fleuve Cendre, but Fontaine itself? The mere thought of this possibility filled everyone with immense gratitude toward Lyney and Navia for successfully thwarting the scheme.
Thankfully, the perpetrator was already dead; otherwise, they might have become the next targets before long.
Although the perpetrator had also come from Fleuve Cendre, the district had suffered devastating losses, and Navia was one of the key figures in stopping the plot. As a result, most people didn't hold a grudge against those from Fleuve Cendre; in fact, many even felt sympathy for them.
No matter how many nobles died, it would never be enough. But in Fleuve Cendre, only innocent people had perished!
Soon after, the Court of Justice issued an official statement, hinting that Marquis Relf and the other detained individuals might have been collaborating with the perpetrator of the serial suicide case. Instantly, all public fury was redirected toward them.
In an instant, everyone associated with Marquis Relf's faction was branded with infamy for generations to come. Some even argued that Fontaine's laws were too lenient and proposed amendments to increase the severity of their punishments.
If these proposed amendments were enacted, the nobles facing imminent charges would surely envy their deceased peers, while those who had recently died might count themselves fortunate to have escaped the impending wrath.
Amidst the uproar, Marquis Relf, after a brief moment of collapse, regained his composure. He still had a trump card up his sleeve.
He believed that once the Marechaussee Hunters he had sent to Poisson Town reported back with news, the situation could still be salvaged.
Then came the news: several bodies had been discovered in the forests near Poisson Town. Their attire identified them as Marechaussee Hunters, and preliminary investigations suggested they had committed suicide after experiencing extreme terror.
When Marquis Relf received this report, his body went limp once more, as if his soul had been completely drained.
Navia finally buried Lofan's body beside her father's grave. The tombstone remained unmarked, fearing that those driven mad by grief might desecrate it, denying her teacher's soul its final rest.
She chose this burial site because both men had died bearing the same burden of infamy.
Placing a bouquet of flowers before the grave, Navia forced herself to speak through her overwhelming sorrow.
"Teacher, things are proceeding largely as you planned."
"You deceived everyone so thoroughly this time... Even if we tried to fully clear your name in the end, it would be nearly impossible."
As she spoke, tears streamed from the corners of her eyes.
Melus and Silver watched helplessly, unsure how to comfort Navia, unable to suppress their own grief.
Navia had never hidden the truth from them. Hearing the strikingly similar circumstances of Callas's death under false accusations, Melus wept openly.
After an immeasurable time, Navia finally regained some composure. Bowing her head once more, she continued to murmur to herself.
"Whether your last words were a lie or not, I will never give up searching for you."
"But before that, I have something else I must do. I will personally bring to justice the culprit who framed my father and caused his unjust death!"
As she spoke, Navia's eyes regained their steely resolve, and her fists clenched involuntarily.
"After I settle this matter, I will mentor another student just as you taught me. Then, for the rest of my life, I will dedicate myself to tracking down any trace of you."
"Teacher, if you don't want me to work so hard, please appear before me soon!"
Despite these heavy thoughts, Navia's heart remained surprisingly light.
"It's fine if you lied to me—I'm your student, and there's nothing I can do about it even if you did."
"But you wouldn't lie to Charlotte, would you? I'll take your last words as truth!"
Yes, this was the source of Navia's unwavering confidence.
"The day we meet again might be far off, but I believe our paths will eventually converge!"
"Teacher, I must leave now. After that criminal Relf has been brought to justice, I will visit you again."
Navia reached out and gently caressed the newly erected stone monument, her eyes brimming with sorrow and reluctance.
Her teacher had sacrificed so much, only to die in disgrace, unable to even leave his name on the monument.
Marquis Relf and the few remaining nobles implicated in this affair would soon face the full force of Fontaine's laws. But weren't they just the tip of the iceberg?
Navia understood Lofan's reasoning. While the other nobles might not be any better, gradual change was necessary to maintain stability in Fontaine. At least most of the remaining nobles were capable of doing real work.
For now, Navia suppressed her inner fury, refusing to let it consume more people. Enough, she thought. Let's deal with Relf and his ilk first.
"I've kept your beloved guitar. Come find me if you want it back."
"I've also kept your Vision. The guitar's too bulky to carry around all the time."
"Speaking of which, Teacher, you never gave me a proper gift. How about these two items as your present to me?"
"If you don't object, I'll take that as a yes."
Navia forced a sorrowful smile, then turned to face Melus and Silver, who were equally grief-stricken.
"Let's go, Melus, Silver."
"Yes, Miss Navia."
Just as Navia was about to leave with her companions, a group of familiar faces approached, causing her to freeze.
Without a word, the group silently filed past Navia, one by one placing bouquets of flowers before the nameless tombstone and bowing deeply.
"You..." Navia tried to speak, watching their actions, but her voice caught in her throat, her vision blurring once more.
"Miss Navia, you don't need to say anything. We understand," one of them said.
"If Monsieur Grett were truly the person they claim, you would be the most furious of all."
"Yet all we see in your eyes is sorrow."
"From now on, we will follow you as we once followed Monsieur Grett."
Their eyes were red-rimmed, their gazes fixed on Navia with unwavering sincerity.
Navia raised a hand to wipe the tears from her eyes, then nodded gratefully to the group, overwhelmed with emotion.
-
Inside the House of the Hearth, Lyney and Lynette were respectfully reporting the details of their recent mission to Arlecchino, the Knave.
After listening to their report, Arlecchino chuckled softly.
"Heh, quite an amusing performance," she remarked casually, her gaze shifting repeatedly between Lyney and Lynette as if contemplating something.
Unaware of Arlecchino's scrutinizing gaze, Lyney and Lynette kept their eyes lowered, avoiding direct eye contact and failing to notice the subtle changes in her expression.
"Father, I suspect this incident may be related to the Prophecy,"
Arlecchino's gaze lingering on Lyney with a curious expression.
"Tell me your thoughts."
With Arlecchino's permission, Lyney began to outline his theory.
"According to Fontaine's prophecy, everyone will eventually be swallowed by the sea."
"I've often wondered what would happen to our consciousness if that were to happen. Would it drift along the currents to every watery corner of the Teyvat Continent? Would it gather at the source of water? Or would it simply dissipate entirely?"
"Monsieur Grett's dying words—that the souls of the departed return to the 'Homeland'—validated one of my long-held conjectures."
"I believe that by pursuing this line of inquiry, we might uncover something significant."
After listening to Lyney's explanation, Arlecchino remained silent for a long moment before finally speaking.
"An interesting idea. Proceed with your investigation as you see fit."
With that, Arlecchino turned to leave, but paused at the door to add one final remark.
"You'll be taking my place soon enough. You don't need my approval for every decision anymore."
"Sometimes, you must trust your own judgment."
Lyney forced a wry smile. He had no desire to assume that position, but he simply nodded in acknowledgment, as did Lynette beside him.
"Yes, Father."
After Arlecchino left, a puzzled expression settled on Lyney's face.
"Lynette, I get the feeling Father isn't particularly interested in this matter. In fact, I suspect she doesn't even believe I'll find anything worthwhile."
Lynette nodded in agreement. "Brother, have more confidence. You can drop the 'feeling' part."
"You noticed it too, huh?" Lyney chuckled wryly, then murmured softly, watching Arlecchino's retreating figure, "Father's motives are becoming increasingly difficult to fathom."
There was no doubt that their views on this matter diverged, which was why Arlecchino had added the ambiguous remark about leaving the decision to him before departing. As for Lyney's choice, it was obvious.
"Let's go, Lynette. I never imagined Monsieur Grett would plant bombs even in his own laboratory. The trail's completely gone cold. We've got our work cut out for us now."
As an intelligent man, Lyney trusted his instincts above all else. If Arlecchino had given him a direct order, he would have obeyed without hesitation. But given the freedom to decide, he preferred to rely on his own judgment.
"Understood, Brother." Lynette simply nodded slightly.
The day of Marquis Relf's Judgment arrived swiftly. Nobles of lesser rank had already been convicted in separate courts, leaving Marquis Relf as the final defendant.
The trial was held, of course, at the Opera Epiclese, with Chief Justice Neuvillette presiding personally to ensure absolute impartiality.
After days of relentless rain, the sky finally cleared, revealing a bright, sunny day.
Guarded by officers of the Court of Justice, Marquis Relf was led to his designated place. The prosecution bench remained empty, as the Court itself was prosecuting the case. They would simply present the evidence, and Neuvillette would conduct the questioning.
Though Marquis Relf appeared to have aged decades overnight, his expression remained eerily calm, betraying nothing of the turmoil churning beneath his composed exterior.
The Judgment had drawn unprecedented public attention, crowding the Opera Epiclese beyond its capacity.
Despite the chaos, Navia, Melus, and Silver had managed to secure tickets. Charlotte, by virtue of her unique status, had also gained entry. They had exchanged knowing glances earlier, each aware of the others' true purpose for attending.
They needed to witness Marquis Relf's conviction with their own eyes to find closure.
Navia's gaze remained fixed on Marquis Relf. Sensing her presence, he turned to meet her stare.
Startled by the searing hatred burning in her eyes, Marquis Relf paused momentarily before casting her a contemptuous glance. How dare this lowly peasant glare at me with such malice!
If it weren't for that madman who appeared in Fleuve Cendre, he would never have suffered this humiliating defeat.
To this day, Marquis Relf couldn't understand why all his Marechaussee Hunters had committed suicide. If Lofan was behind it, how could he have been so easily killed by those inexperienced children?
But dwelling on these questions was pointless now. He refused to surrender. He still had one final card to play.
"Lady Furina has arrived!"
The announcement drew all eyes to Lady Furina's reserved seat.
"Lady Furina is truly here!"
"As expected of Lady Furina! She never misses an opportunity to preside over the judgment of the wicked!"
"With Lady Furina present, justice will surely be served!"
Hearing the murmurs from the crowd, Furina straightened her posture even further.
This was her first public appearance since the incident, and she was determined to reclaim every ounce of the authority she had lost.
As she approached her seat, mentally rehearsing which sitting position would project the most regal presence, her gaze happened to drift toward the defendant's dock.
When she recognized the person occupying it, she froze in utter disbelief, abandoning her motion to sit down and instead remaining in an awkward, half-squatting stance.