Lumine raised her gaze to Neuvillette at the judge's bench. Their eyes met across the chamber. The Traveler shook her head, and Neuvillette sighed inwardly.
They had reached this inevitable moment—the scenario no one wished to face.
Furina stood upon the stage of Opera Epiclese, her mere presence drawing thunderous cheers from the crowd.
This was no ordinary trial, but the first divine judgment in Fontaine's history—a spectacle worthy of chronicling in annals and echoing through future generations!
Themis cradled the Sleeping Beauty Focalors, gazing at the stage's radiant star Furina. In this moment, she seemed more luminous than the sun itself.
"Though her performance remains somewhat theatrical, I believe Furina means it this time," Themis murmured.
Paimon clutched her head. "We're clearly the ones who initiated this trial, so why does it feel like Furina's completely taken over?"
Lumine's expression grew increasingly grave. "Though the trial hasn't begun yet, it's evident that Furina enjoys high prestige among Fontaine's people. This bodes ill for our cause."
"Because it means our task has become exponentially harder." Paimon glanced at the jubilant crowd, feeling utterly overwhelmed.
Furina surveyed the scene. "With the stage now so lively... who is my opponent?"
Her gaze swept across the platform, even pausing on Neuvillette seated high above.
Neuvillette turned toward Lumine. "Let us welcome the prosecutor..."
Lumine stepped forward, positioning herself directly opposite Furina.
"I am the prosecutor!"
The foreign Golden Traveler stood accusing a native Fontaine Archon. The audience below stared at Lumine with peculiar expressions, their gazes shifting between the two figures.
A confused spectator murmured, "By the way, has anyone seen Lady Themis? Where might she have gone?"
The audience with wild imaginations: "I heard someone saw Lady Themis and that Traveler having a private meeting a few days ago. Are they here today to fight over who owns her?"
The skeptical audience: "Lady Themis is Fontaine's Regent! How dare a wandering Traveler think she has any claim to our Regent! Unacceptable! Absolutely unacceptable! The Regent belongs to every citizen of Fontaine!"
The audience steeped in wild rumors: "Lady Furina and Lady Themis are the true soulmates destined by the heavens! I won't let this vile foreigner break up Fontaine's officially recognized historical couple!"
The audience with wild imaginations: "I heard someone saw Lady Themis and that Traveler having a private meeting a few days ago. Are they here today to fight over who owns her?"
The skeptical audience: "Lady Themis is Fontaine's Regent! How dare a wandering Traveler think she has any claim to our Regent! Unacceptable! Absolutely unacceptable! The Regent belongs to every citizen of Fontaine!"
The audience steeped in wild rumors: "Lady Furina and Lady Themis are the true soulmates destined by the heavens! I won't let this vile foreigner break up Fontaine's officially recognized historical couple!"
The players with omniscient perspectives: "The tense atmosphere of the trial has completely vanished... You Fontainers seem to have some kind of... condition! Mihoyo, what mischief are you stirring up now?! But I'm loving this chaos—more please!"
Neuvillette: "Both parties have taken their positions. Then the trial shall..."
"Wait! We object—! Monsieur Neuvillette!"
The opera house doors burst open as a crowd stormed inside.
"Guard, maintain order!"
Neuvillette frowned deeply as he observed the crowd detained by the guards.
"Though the trial has not officially begun, loud disturbances are prohibited in the courtroom."
"Please select a representative to articulate your grievances."
"I shall voice our demands, Monsieur Neuvillette!" Navia stepped forward from the assembly, her gaze sweeping across the opera house's seated audience.
"President Navia of the Spina di Rosula, state your justification for forcibly entering the courtroom."
Neuvillette's headache intensified as he regarded Navia. The last time such chaos had been orchestrated was by her father, Callas.
Lumine and Paimon exchanged bewildered glances, utterly perplexed by Navia's sudden appearance. She had clearly stated earlier that she wouldn't obstruct their efforts—though neither had she promised support.
Unaware of the girls' thoughts, Navia stood resolute. Her purpose here was to give voice to the collective will of the people.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, this trial has come too suddenly."
"The only Fontaine citizens who received this information were those present at the opera house."
"This is deeply unfair to the rest of Fontaine's people!"
"Moreover, this trial of Lady Furina lacks both proper legal documentation and a legitimate process!"
"It's nothing but a farce, orchestrated by your own design to deceive Lady Furina into attending this sham of a trial."
"Even if Fontaine's trials are likened to theater, we cannot so easily condemn our Archon based solely on these individuals' opinions."
"We demand that the audience for this trial be expanded to include all of Fontaine's citizens!"
"Only then can we honorably conduct a trial against our Archon!"
Shocked audience member: What?! This trial was deliberately set up by Monsieur Neuvillette to target Lady Furina?! Oh no! I knew Lady Themis wasn't here today—she must have already been targeted by these schemers!
Audience member seeking entertainment: I agree! A divine trial must be grand and magnificent! The gods are our Fontaine people's gods, so naturally they should be witnessed by all of us Fontaine people!
Hydro Archon supporter: My poor Lady Furina! She's just a little jellyfish—what could she possibly have done wrong? Besides eating cakes and watching trials, what other sins could she possibly commit? This is all slander!
"Your argument makes sense, but the Opera Epiclese simply doesn't have the capacity to host all of Fontaine's citizens for this trial!"
"Such a suggestion is utter nonsense!"
Navia leaned against the crowd behind her, fearlessly meeting Neuvillette's gaze. "Our proposal is reasonable and lawful! It doesn't violate any of Fontaine's laws!"
"Lady Furina! You agree with us, don't you?"
A small question mark slowly appeared above the stunned Furina's head, giving her a moment to catch her breath. She still hadn't fully processed what was happening.
"Ahem—of course, my dear subjects!"
The exaggerated tone dominated the atmosphere. Truth be told, Furina herself felt somewhat uneasy and couldn't help but silently pray, hoping the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale would lend her some support!
"Since this trial concerns our Archon Focalors, naturally, every citizen of Fontaine has the right to participate in this judgment!"
Themis, manipulating the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale in its chamber, tilted the balance in Furina's favor, symbolizing agreement with her and the crowd's position.
"Having the entire Fontaine participate in the trial..."
"This is ridiculous! How can everyone possibly take part?!"
Paimon exclaimed in shock.
"We initially just wanted Furina to reveal her secret. How did this escalate into a trial spanning the entire Fontaine?"
"Waaah, now the situation's become even more serious!"
"What was Navia thinking?!"
Paimon stomped her feet in mid-air, on the verge of a breakdown.
Standing beside Paimon, Lumine also felt dizzy. Exposing Furina as not being an Archon in front of all of Fontaine... This was truly beyond redemption.
The thought that Furina's downfall had been orchestrated entirely by her own hand made Lumine wish this trial would simply disperse before it officially began.
Neuvillette sat on the high platform, his eyes brimming with bewilderment. He shared Lumine's sentiment—how had things escalated so rapidly into this uncontrollable spectacle?!
The Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale began operating without warning. Before the gathered crowd, massive quantities of hydro elements flooded into the Opera Epiclese.
The Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale once again demonstrated true divine power. Screens of various sizes unfolded throughout the Opera Epiclese, each representing a citizen of Fontaine.
"Based on the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale's judgment, President Navia of the Spina di Rosula's petition is deemed valid and shall be fulfilled."
Though Neuvillette wished to halt this spiraling trial, the Oratrice's intervention left him powerless to intervene.
"Ohhhhh! This is the power of the Hydro Archon!"
"Amazing! Lady Furina! You're my Archon!"
"Haha—being tried by the gods alongside the entire Fontaine delegation! This is a first in my life!"
The arena buzzed with unrestrained excitement and cheers, the cacophony of voices so overwhelming it made one's head spin.
The Oratrice activated the silence mechanism.
The observing players chattered: Alright, alright, Fontaine's already developing future tech, huh?! Khaenri'ah's true legacy lies in Fontaine! Oratrice, this is absolutely absurd!
"Now that your request has been fulfilled, the trial shall commence!"
As Neuvillette's voice faded, he reluctantly declared the start of this lost-control trial, already spiraling beyond his grasp.
"There's no need to repeat those tedious formalities."
"As the one being tried—the protagonist of today—I still don't understand what grounds you're using to judge me."
Furina began, "Let's be clear: it's natural for mortals to fail to comprehend the gods' actions. But this misunderstanding alone cannot serve as grounds for conviction..."
Lumine interjected, "Exactly. But the reason for your trial isn't what you've done or failed to do as a god..."
Lumine: "The reason for your trial is this—You're not an Archon at all, Furina."
When the foreign Traveler's words reached her ears, though Furina had already been injected with several doses of mental fortitude by Themis and had mentally prepared herself, the actual hearing of these words still produced uncontrollable fear within her.
However, this fear was not enough to make her abandon her composure.
Shocked audience member: Wait... What? Furina isn't an Archon?
Confused audience member: Huh? If Furina isn't an Archon, then who is?
Unimpressed audience member: I thought it would be something more dramatic. With Furina's performance, people have been saying she's not an Archon for five hundred years. Is this really worth being so surprised about?
Puzzled audience member: Furina isn't an Archon? What evidence does she have? Even if Furina isn't an Archon, then we should find the real one! A never-seen Archon—could this really be Fontaine's true Archon?
Neuvillette: "Silence! Silence! The accusation stands."
"Madam Furina, do you admit to the charges brought forth by the prosecution?" Neuvillette turned to address Furina on the other side of the courtroom.
"Hmph~ This is truly too amusing to contain." Furina burst into laughter. "If I'm not the Archon, then who could possibly be Fontaine's Hydro Archon?"
"I'd like to see who in Fontaine dares to claim they're the righteous goddess Focalors!"
"If she's here, let her step forward!"
"If not! What's the purpose of this question?!"
Furina raised her head, her eyes sharp and cold as she stared at the Traveler across from her.
Undaunted by the retort, Lumine pressed on. This arrow was no longer on the string - it had to be loosed. "We don't know who Fontaine's true Archon is, but we have ample evidence to prove you're not the genuine deity!"
Audience member 1: I thought we'd see that audacious imposter of a god. All this fuss for this?
Audience member 2: They claim Furina isn't the god and there's another true one. Why not just summon the real deity? Wouldn't that be simpler?! A coward who can't even stand on the dais - how could such a spineless creature be our Fontaine's god?!
Audience member 3: Exactly! Get off the stage! We don't need useless gods! A true deity should be like Furina - perfect, beautiful, kind, and guiding us Fontaine people!
Furina felt somewhat ashamed as she listened to these words. In truth, she wasn't as perfect as they imagined.
"If you're so certain you can prove I'm not a true Archon, then please present your evidence!"
CatCatEatsNoMedicine stared at the evidence displayed on the screen, fell into deep thought, and reluctantly chose the first option.
Lumine: "The evidence is this—Furina, you're just an ordinary human cursed with no power! The curse's aura still lingers on you! Neuvillette can confirm this curse's presence!"
Neuvillette: "Indeed, as Chief Justice, I can testify that Furina possesses a curse's aura. The accuser speaks truth."
All Fontaine viewers: Huh?
"Moreover, even without manifesting the curse's reality..."
Lumine: "Based on my previous encounters with Archons in other nations, we can duel here to prove whether you're human or divine!"
"Ha, I'm well aware of your past exploits," the Archon retorted.
"But I refuse!"
"Exactly! I'm just a weak Archon, not skilled in combat! I possess no fighting power whatsoever!"
"This guy, to avoid battle, would actually say such things with such brazen confidence?!"
Seeing Furina's carefree attitude, as if she didn't care about the boiling water, Paimon was completely dumbfounded.
Furina: "Even if you look at me like that, I still won't accept."
Lumine: "So, you admit you're human?"
Furina: "I never said that. I only said I have no power. I never claimed to be human."
"Isn't it obvious?!"
"The Anemo Archon Barbatos scattered his power across Mondstadt, making it spring-like all year round."
"In Liyue, Guoba, the Stove God, distributed his divine power to the land to suppress disasters, eventually losing all his strength and divine consciousness."
"And me, the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, the Goddess of Justice Focalors."
"When the entire Fontaine faced the Prophecy Crisis five hundred years ago, I split my divine power into two parts. One created the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, while the other suppressed the agitation of the Primordial Sea. Now I have no power left. What's so hard to understand about that?"
"As for the curse... Do you really think defying the heavens' command is so simple for a god?! Being cursed by Celestia isn't beyond possibility, is it?!"
Furina, hands on her hips, silenced the Traveler's words completely.
Her arguments were both reasonable and well-founded - part improvised, part based on intelligence from Themis.
While the Anemo Archon Barbatos still maintained some semblance of power through his performance, the situation for the Guoba Archon was far more dire.
With barely any energy remaining, it made sense not to act and risk losing face before the people.
As for using elemental power, weren't her three friends proof of her divine abilities?
The ability to wield elements without a Vision could only belong to a god!
The crowd's gaze shifted to Furina standing alone at the stage's edge, her delicate frame contrasting with the scene. Their expressions turned from shock to understanding, nodding in agreement.
Their god might be childish and dramatic at times, but she was undeniably a responsible deity.
This explained why Lady Furina never performed miracles in public.
All her power had been used to suppress the calamity - five centuries of containment that had delayed the disaster until now.
Furina had already done her utmost—what more could they possibly want?!
"Wait! Wait! We have objections! What's the matter with you people at Palais Mermonia? You couldn't even detect the curse on Furina! You're all useless freeloaders! When will you get out of there? I don't pay taxes for you to squander them!"
"Exactly! They should be punished severely!"
"Kick them out immediately and leave more spots at Palais Mermonia! The selection pressure has been unbearable lately! There are only so many positions!"
"My poor Furina! She's been smiling through the pain every day, but her body might be riddled with injuries! Even then, she forces herself to smile!"
"Neuvillette! Why didn't you speak up earlier? If we'd known sooner, we Fontaine people would have sold everything we owned to help Furina break the curse and regain her strength!"
"Celestia! What right do you have?! What did our Furina ever do to deserve this? She only tried to save us Fontaine people! How dare you curse her! We Fontaine people won't stand for this!"
Furina, Lumine, Neuvillette, and the players: ...
The players silently lit cigarettes and tucked them between their lips. These Fontaine people were truly a bit... off. Was the curse really the main point?! Wasn't the main point whether Furina was a god?!
But then again, since Furina already knew about Celestia and Barbatos's affairs, she was probably a real Archon after all.
Hearing about Guoba, however, came as a complete surprise. Who would have thought Guoba's dialogue would appear in Fontaine?
Why was Furina so weak? Apart from her voluntarily distributing her power to suppress disasters, the Fontaine people firmly believed it was all due to the curse!
If not for the curse, their beloved, beautiful, and gentle Furina-sama wouldn't have to serve as this damned mascot!
Though being a mascot wasn't bad, who wouldn't want their own god to display more divine power and prove how truly powerful they were?!
Paimon: "It seems our explanation didn't convince the viewers at all."
"Though I'm not sure why I feel relieved about that."
Paimon scratched her head. This development was something they hadn't anticipated, truly unexpected.
Though Lumine had eased some of her guilt toward Furina, the questions still needed to be asked—she had to at least uncover the source of the Prophecy.
"I have a second piece of evidence!"
"That is—the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale! You didn't create it at all!"
"Furina! During the young girl's disappearance case, the Oratrice experienced an anomaly. You never knew why it occurred, did you?"
Furina: "I thought you were going to say something else..."
Even if you wanted to increase your chances, you shouldn't use such a ridiculous excuse. Historical records and chronicles clearly state that the Oratrice was created by the Hydro Archon herself!
"Besides, didn't Neuvillette discover that the Oratrice possesses its own consciousness?"
Neuvillette nodded silently. "Indeed, I've sensed that the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale possesses its own consciousness. When my judgment conflicts with its verdict, I temporarily defer to its decision."
"Exactly! That's precisely it!" Furina snapped her fingers, her face radiating confidence. "As a divine creation, the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale maintains independent consciousness, free from any Fontaine faction's influence. This very independence allows it to accurately judge every case in Fontaine!"
"Therefore, I acknowledge I cannot control the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale."
"But doesn't this imply even the Justice Archon is subject to legal judgment? This paradoxically demonstrates the Justice Archon's supreme embodiment of justice and fairness!"
"Thus, your second accusation is utterly invalid!"
The Oratrice tilted toward Furina. At that moment, the blue light reached the second slot.
Lumine and Paimon exchanged glances, their expressions turning troubled.
Furina's argument had disrupted the Fontainers' train of thought, leading them to follow her reasoning without finding any flaws.
A thoroughly convinced audience member: Exactly! All Fontainers must be judged by the law, including the Hydro Archon herself. By including herself in this legal framework, she proves her fairness. This cannot disprove her divinity!
The calm observer: If the Oratrice has its own consciousness, then Neuvillette also feels he might encounter situations where his opinions differ from the machine's. Given this, it's perfectly understandable that Lady Furina didn't recognize the Oratrice's abnormalities during their last encounter.
The wavering observer: Both sides make valid points. This is truly difficult to decide. I have choice paralysis. But I'm certain Lady Themis' choice can't be wrong. We must trust Lady Furina.
The skeptical observer: Lady Furina isn't a god. Who is the true Archon? Someone with her temperament could never imprison a god in Sumeru. At the end of the day, Lady Furina isn't a god. This is just the other side's one-sided accusation. Even if there are other gods, we've never seen them. Can we really trust this third party that suddenly appeared?
"There's no choice, Traveler. Use your Ultimate Skill."
"I've figured it out. These Fontaine people will blindly believe Lady Furina's actions are justified, no matter the reason."
"We don't have enough decisive evidence in our hands!"
Clorinde: "So, I have no role left to play, is that it?"
Seeing Lumine and Paimon nod, Clorinde expressed her understanding. However, out of kindness, she still warned them:
"Though I don't know how well you can handle pressure, I'm quite relieved I didn't have to take action against Lady Furina."
"At least this means I won't be harassed by her overzealous fans later. But your upcoming performance might make all Fontainians furious, you know."
"I suggest you consider your escape route."
Watching Clorinde walk away with ease, Lumine wanted to do the same, but her mission wasn't complete yet!
Furina observed Lumine, who was still deep in thought, feeling no fear at all.
After all, the Traveler had already exposed the biggest secret. Whether the Fontainians believed it or not was another matter entirely.
At least for now, few seemed to believe it, but it had still exposed her position.
As for the Traveler's next purpose, Furina had nothing to say - she truly knew nothing about it!
If she could reveal her inner expectations, Furina would have shaken the Traveler's collar to hurry her up. Her final act was about to end, and she was more anxious than anyone else!
Under Furina's gaze, Lumine took two deep breaths. After a long silence, she finally spoke.
"Now, I have one final piece of evidence!"
"As you all know, Fontaine people dissolve in the waters of the Primordial Sea. To prove whether you are a god or human, simply touch the waters of the Primordial Sea!"
"Of course! To ensure your safety, I will use only a small sample to verify your identity!"
"Then, Furina, do you dare to try this test?"
The Traveler produced a test tube containing a single drop of diluted purple Primordial Sea water.
"Me?" Furina chuckled with confidence. "What reason would I have to fear? Regardless of the outcome, I shall remain the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, Focalors!"
Though her words remained defiant, fear gnawed at Furina's heart. Yet she refused to let anyone see her true feelings.
Accepting the test tube from the Traveler, Furina removed the stopper.
The Fontaine people watched with bated breath, their palms growing clammy with anxiety.
Worried Spectator: Wait! She claims it's diluted, but what if Lady Furina dissolves?
Skeptical Spectator: What? Do you doubt Lady Furina's divinity?
Worried Spectator: "Whether Lady Furina is an Archon or not, I just don't want to see her get hurt! Of course, if she's human, I wouldn't mind either. I'd gladly buy her a daily ticket to support her!"
Art-Loving Spectator: "I've always thought the Archon position was a burden on Lady Furina's path to divinity! She clearly belongs in the arts—she should become our goddess of art!"
Confused Spectator: "??? Your arguments seem contradictory!"
Serious Spectator: "Even if Lady Furina could refuse, what if this reckless experiment goes wrong?"
Spectator Noticing Absence: "How strange! Where has Regent Themis gone? Why wasn't she present at the Opera House from the beginning?"
Nurse Sigewinne stepped forward, carefully examining the skin where the drop of reagent had fallen.
Neuvillette: "Miss Sigewinne, please announce the examination results."
Sigewinne: "As you can see, Miss Furina's skin condition and rapid breathing indicate..."
"She has been affected by the Primordial Sea, to the same extent as any ordinary human exposed to the same concentration."
Neuvillette: "Thank you, Miss Sigewinne. Please return to your seat, Lady Furina."
Furina silently returned to her seat.
Lumine observed the silent Furina, feeling perplexed. "What's going on, Furina? There was no need for this. Could it be that your status as an Archon is more important to you than your life?"
"Enough already," Furina said. "Since the examination is complete, that means you've reached your conclusion."
Though her heart was heavy, Furina managed to put a smile back on her face.
The Fontaine people stared at Furina in silence. Their eyes held disbelief, disappointment, and above all, confusion.
The Archon they had worshipped for five centuries... was just a human all along?
What kind of joke was this?! Did this mean all Fontaine people for the past five centuries had been blind fools?!
"Furina... don't you have anything to say?"
Lumine watched as Furina silently accepted this revelation, somewhat taken aback. According to her expectations, even if Furina's deception had been exposed, she should have displayed some other expression or reaction more befitting her character.
"Me?" Furina said, somewhat surprised. "What could I possibly have to say?"
"Now that you've uncovered my true nature, I see no reason to continue pretending to be the Hydro Archon."
Her admission came so unexpectedly that the believers who were still trying to find excuses for Furina were caught completely off guard.
"Lady Furina! If you're not the Archon, then who is our true Fontaine Archon?!"
"Or perhaps... has Fontaine never had its own Archon from the beginning?!"
"Could it be... that the joke we've all been making for years is actually true?"
In the hearts of the Fontaine people, there arose that once-dismissed joke they'd always treated as a jest.
"Could it be... that Regent Themis is actually the true Hydro Archon of Fontaine?!"
In the real world, players were utterly bewildered by this revelation.
What was happening? Furina had clearly presented a powerful and well-reasoned rebuttal earlier.
Why would she suddenly admit to not being an Archon after the Primordial Sea's emergence?!
This couldn't be right! They'd seen footage in both the PV and the game's storyline of Furina wearing a divine dress!
Could it be that her divine power was stolen during that period, reducing her to an ordinary person?!
"Oh no! My wife actually staged a coup and usurped the throne!" CatCatEatsNoMedicine slapped her thigh, her face contorted with anguish.
Wife, why couldn't you have been content with your position? Why steal the Hydro Archon's divine seat?!
Does the title "Sustainer of Heavenly Principles" not suit your ambitions?
Was it necessary to lower yourself so far?!
"So the Hydro Archon is actually Themis?!"
"But that's wrong! The PV clearly stated Furina, the Hydro Archon, is innocent!"
"I don't care! I want the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, Themis!"
"I'm about to cry! I still don't know who the Hydro Archon really is! Which one is the one entering the gacha pool?!"
"Haha, I'm different. I like them both. Whichever one enters the gacha, I win!"
"You might win, but Mihoyo never loses!"
Even players with an omniscient perspective were utterly bewildered, let alone the people of Fontaine caught in the midst of it all.
Navia stood at the back of the audience, her brows furrowed as she appeared equally perplexed.
Though deeply skeptical about the idea of Themis being the Hydro Archon, given the current circumstances, it seemed the most plausible explanation.
So where exactly had the Hydro Archon gone?
"We originally thought that by judging Lady Furina, we could uncover her secret, understand the full scope of the situation, and find a way to save Fontaine."
"But now, we don't even know who the Hydro Archon is. Not only has this failed to resolve anything, but it's created even more mysteries."
"Furina! What exactly is your secret?" Lumine stepped forward, her voice urgent with confusion as she pressed the question.
Furina exhaled a long breath. The Fontaine people stared at her in stunned silence, completely unaware that this seemingly carefree pseudo-Archon could harbor hidden secrets.
"Hasn't my secret already been exposed by you all?"
"Masquerading as a god, forever. This day may be distant, but it matters not."
"My secret's been revealed. Why do you think I have others?"
Furina looked at the Travelers from afar with a puzzled expression, as if genuinely baffled by what other secrets they could possibly mean.
"Wait! You're saying pretending to be a god is your entire secret?!"
Unbelievable!
Lumine's mind buzzed with disbelief. If this was all of Furina's secrets, then what purpose had their entire trial served?!
It wasn't just Lumine. The other members of the plan were equally taken aback by this revelation.
"Then what's the reason behind the Prophecy's descent?" Paimon pressed. "Do you know?"
"No. Otherwise I wouldn't have spent so long investigating myself." Furina shook her head, spreading her hands in helpless resignation.
Neuvillette sat in his seat, though the news was too heavy, too shocking.
But since the trial had ended, it was time to announce the verdict.
"I, as Chief Justice, find Furina guilty of disguising herself as a god while claiming human identity, deceiving the people..."
"...Guilty."
"Now, we hand the matter to the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale for final determination."
The Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale began to operate. Under the witness of all Fontaine people, each blue gem representing a stage of the trial lit up, sending a tremor through everyone's hearts.
"Based on the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale's result, I declare..."
"...Hmm?"
Neuvillette's eyes widened as he looked at the final result from the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale.
Paimon asked in panic, "Wh-what's wrong? What's the result?"
"Based on the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale's result..."
Neuvillette paused momentarily before declaring, "The Hydro Archon, the Archon of Justice, Furina—also known as the God Focalors, the Innocent—!"
The arena erupted in a cacophony of voices as Neuvillette's pronouncement sent shockwaves through the crowd.
"What—?! Lady Furina is the Hydro Archon—?!"
"The Hydro Archon! The Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale declared Furina to be the Hydro Archon! Did I mishear that?"
"No, no! Lady Furina is indeed our Archon!"
"But wait, that's not right! Lady Furina would be affected by the Primordial Sea too!"
"Why wasn't it the curse that turned Lady Furina into an ordinary person?"
"N-no, you're right! That makes sense!"
"Wahh, this is fantastic! Lady Furina is truly the Hydro Archon! I knew our family's twenty generations of faith couldn't be wrong!"
Lumine and Paimon were equally bewildered. They had gone through great lengths to prove Furina wasn't the Hydro Archon.
Yet the Oratrice had declared Furina to be the true Archon without error.
"But why?!" Paimon demanded, her voice thick with confusion. "Even Furina herself admitted she wasn't a god!"
Lumine offered only a blank stare in response, equally lost.
"I... I'm the Hydro Archon?!" Furina's eyes widened as she sat frozen in her seat. She pinched herself sharply, disbelief coloring her features. "I'm actually the Hydro Archon?!"
Her mind reeled as the Oratrice's verdict crashed through her consciousness like thunder. While the acquittal should have brought relief, the revelation of her true identity left her reeling.
This was all an elaborate charade from the beginning?
Neuvillette cleared his throat from the dais. "However—"
The crowd below fell silent at once.
"By the judgement of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale—"
"...I declare that Fontaine...
is to be put to Death."
"Death! Death sentence?!" The Fontaine delegation erupted in panic.
"Wait! There must be a mistake!"
Paimon's voice rose shrill. "The entire region of Fontaine has been sentenced to death by the Oratrice?!"
"Doesn't this mean it's even worse than the Prophecy crisis?!"
Furina slumped in her seat, staring bewildered at the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale. "No, this can't be right."
"Even if this trial is accusing me of not being the Hydro Archon, why would the final judgment target all of Fontaine?"
"It must... there must be some mistake somewhere!"
-
Title: Fontaine's Death Sentence