Tartaglia told Lumine and her companions about his childhood encounter with his master and mentioned his attempts to find someone to spar with in Fontaine.
"I approached Fidelle several times, but she always declined, claiming she was too busy. That's when I thought of Fontaine's Champion Duelist."
"Champion Duelist?"
"Yes. In Fontaine, every suspect has one chance to 'defend their honor' before facing trial. They can challenge the official Champion Duelist to a duel. These Duelists are the strongest warriors carefully selected from across the nation, and the duels themselves are fought to the death."
Tartaglia: "So, this act is seen as a symbol of defending one's honor to the death. Win the duel, and you're exempt from trial; lose, and you still have to face the court obediently..."
"...And the worst-case scenario is dying in the duel... Because although Fontaine is rumored to have capital punishment, it seems no one has ever actually been sentenced to death."
"So, unless someone has suffered an unbearable injustice or places extraordinary value on their reputation, they wouldn't choose to risk their life in a duel. Otherwise, there's no need to gamble with one's life."
Lumine nodded thoughtfully.
Paimon asked, "Do many people actually escape judgment this way?"
Tartaglia replied, "Hmm... I've heard it's exceedingly rare. The Fontainian authorities likely established this rule to demonstrate respect for the individual reputations of their citizens."
"Currently, Fontaine's strongest Champion Duelist is named Clorinde. I've approached her several times, but she's refused every time."
Tartaglia's voice carried a hint of disappointment.
"Clorinde?" Paimon seemed to recall hearing that name somewhere...
Lumine interjected, "During our audience with the Hydro Archon, the other figure standing behind her must have been Clorinde."
"The Hydro Archon's two top bodyguards, huh?" Paimon mused. "If Fidelle is already so formidable, Clorinde must be incredibly strong too, right?"
-
In the live stream:
[ So her name is Clorinde! I remember her clearly, especially those buttons! ]
[ Champion Duelist... This feels a lot like the Duel Before the Throne in Inazuma. Could we be heading for a showdown like that later on? ]
[ What are you even thinking? The Duel Before the Throne involves any two people. In Fontaine's Duel, one side has already designated their Champion Duelist. Do you want us to die, or Clorinde? ]
-
After chatting for a while longer, Tartaglia left, and Lumine and Paimon decided to find a restaurant for lunch.
It was their custom: whenever they arrived in a new place, they always made sure to try the best local cuisine!
Following Tartaglia's recommendation, Lumine and Paimon arrived at Fontaine's renowned Hotel Debord. They handed the menu to Paimon, who fell into a long silence, menu in hand.
Lumine waited for what felt like an eternity before finally noticing Paimon's continued silence. Puzzled, she glanced over.
Paimon's big eyes were brimming with tears, her expression on the verge of weeping.
Lumine leaned closer and saw what Paimon was looking at: a page of the menu featuring Hotel Debord's signature dessert—tiramisu.
Lumine immediately understood why Paimon was so upset. Tiramisu... back in Inazuma, Yuna often sold it at her street stall.
Lumine and Paimon had even helped Yuna sell it before. Who would have thought they'd find it again in this distant land?
It made them wonder: had Yuna imitated Fontaine, or had Fontaine imitated Yuna?
"Paimon..."
Lumine reached out and gently patted the back of Paimon's head. Paimon wiped away her tears with her small sleeve and drew a large checkmark on the menu.
The two ordered other dishes, which were quickly brought to their table.
Paimon immediately tried the tiramisu. It was sweet and delicious, but still not quite as good as Yuna's.
But it was good enough. Paimon didn't touch the other dishes, savoring the tiramisu bite by bite until it was gone. Only then did she start on the other food.
It was rare to see Paimon eating so carefully, so slowly.
Perhaps she wasn't just eating cake, but memories—memories of their time in Inazuma, setting up stalls with Yuna, laughing together, and enjoying delicious food.
After finishing, Paimon noticed Lumine staring at her with concern. She suddenly realized:
"Oh! I-I'm sorry, Lumine! I forgot to save you some..."
"It's okay. We can order more and take some home."
"Okay, thank you, Lumine."
-
The next day, Lumine and Paimon arrived at the Opera Epiclese via the Aquabus.
Fidelle had also arrived at the Opera House ahead of Furina.
In her private box, Furina shifted restlessly, trying various poses until she finally settled on one that pleased her.
Noticing Lumine and Paimon enter the Opera House, Furina immediately straightened up, adopting a profound expression.
Fidelle stood silently behind and to Furina's side.
Meanwhile, Lumine and Paimon made their way to the auditorium. They had arrived early, so the venue was still sparsely populated and remarkably quiet.
Lyney had reserved first-row seats for them, right next to Neuvillette.
Paimon: "According to the seat numbers, this must be it... Let's sit down."
As they settled into their seats, they noticed the unusual silence surrounding them.
Neuvillette, seated next to them, wore an utterly solemn expression. Paimon stole a glance at him before quickly averting her gaze.
Paimon: "..."
Neuvillette: "..."
Lumine glanced at Paimon, then surreptitiously at Neuvillette. "..."
Paimon: "Mmm..."
The restless little creature couldn't resist leaning in to Lumine's ear. "Hey, Lumine... shouldn't we strike up a conversation with that person next to us? It's so awkward sitting this close with no one else around..."
Lumine: "That's your job, Paimon. Normally, you're the one who handles this."
Paimon's small face twisted into a grimace. "Ugh... I knew you'd say that..."
Just as they thought they were whispering secrets only they could hear, Neuvillette turned his head.
"My apologies. I hadn't realized the awkward atmosphere. My oversight. If you'd like, we can simply chat. It's no trouble at all."
Paimon: "Ah... you, you heard everything? Your ears are so sharp! I thought I was keeping my voice so low... Oh wait, no, that was rude of me, muttering behind your back like that... Let's, let's chat then. Uh... what should we talk about?"
Lumine gave Paimon an odd look. Voice so low...?
And now, things were even more awkward...
Still, Paimon was a master of small talk. She quickly steered the conversation to Lyney and his situation, drawing Neuvillette into the discussion.
Lyney soon arrived and introduced Neuvillette to Lumine and Paimon as the Chief Justice of Fontaine.
Upon learning that he was the Chief Justice, Paimon's expression immediately changed.
"Whoa, my apologies! We were being a bit too rash just now. We had no idea you were such an important figure, Mr..."
Neuvillette: "There's no need to be so formal. Being the Chief Justice is merely a job, just as everyone has their own place. I'm no exception."
"Oh, by the way, though I'm slightly reluctant, I should probably warn you... that person over there has been striking poses in the VIP seats for quite a while now..."
"She's been doing it just so she can show off her most 'dashing' appearance when you first look at her."
"You should probably notice her soon, or she'll get discouraged."
Lumine and Paimon followed Neuvillette's gaze and spotted Furina, the Hydro Archon, striking a pose in the VIP seats high above.
"Hehehehe..."
Noticing they had finally noticed her, Furina smiled.