"So this is how it is."
"If sothing as dangerous as Primordial Seawater has been in use for so long, how could this have happened only now?"
The audience suddenly realized the truth.
"That makes sense." Marcel (Vacher) nodded in agreent.
He was still pretending to be wronged, acting as though the case had nothing to do with him.
"Mr. Marcel, please present your counterargunts," Neuvillette said.
"Counterargunts? Why should I counterargue? This is all just a misunderstanding. Besides, Navia didn't directly accuse of being the mastermind just now, did she?" Marcel replied.
"If he won't ask, then I will," Furina interjected.
Unlike the original course of events, she didn't inquire about evidence of a third person's presence.
This ti, Navia wasn't rely making a conjecture—she had presented solid proof.
With the help of Charlotte and others, Navia had already identified the third person who went missing that day.
"If Mr. Callas knew the critical information that humans could dissolve into water, why didn't he reveal it during the subsequent trial?"
"That alone could have given the trial room for maneuver..."
Furina directly asked the question that concerned her most—anything related to the prophecy.
"This was because..." Navia hesitated for a mont before clenching her teeth and continuing.
"To protect , to protect the Spina di Rosula, Callas chose to sacrifice himself."
"If he had revealed this crucial information at the ti, the real culprit might have been caught."
"But both I and the Spina di Rosula would have been torn apart in the backlash from the true mastermind."
"Perhaps afterward, the Gardes would have apprehended the culprit and delivered 'justice.'"
"But by then, what use would that 'justice' have been...?"
"By keeping this information hidden until now, he bought —bought us—more ti."
"Now that I've uncovered the truth, it will be , not the Opera Epiclese, who restores my father's honor."
"..." Furina fell silent.
Was Fontaine's "justice" truly correct?
If Fontaine's "justice" could truly deliver "fairness," why would an organization like the Spina di Rosula be so deeply beloved by the people?
"I have no further questions. Navia, please continue." Furina sat back down.
Little Furina seed sowhat upset. Lucian flicked his finger, and a curtain of water swept past Furina's eyes, leaving behind a rainbow.
Floating in front of the rainbow were bubbles, each reflecting images of desserts.
This was sothing he'd learned from Furina's idle animations.
"What's this...?" Furina blinked.
A flicker of delight appeared in her heterochromatic eyes, and she unconsciously swallowed.
Neuvillette shot a glance at Lucian.
The earlier action hadn't been aggressive, so he hadn't intervened.
But the Hydro Dragon couldn't comprehend Lucian's behavior.
Why do this in front of the Hydro Archon? What was the point?
"Marcel, don't you want to defend yourself?" Navia turned to Marcel.
"Defend myself? Why should I defend myself?"
"I've already said it's all a misunderstanding. Besides, when the 'Serial Disappearance Case of Young Won' occurred, I hadn't even arrived in Fontaine yet." Marcel smiled.
He had remained calm all along precisely because of this—he had a solid alibi.
As long as Navia hadn't uncovered his other identity, there was no way to prove his guilt.
"Ah? So he has an alibi? Then what's there to discuss?" The audience sighed.
It seed the case was about to end here.
Neuvillette also turned his gaze to Navia, curious how she would dismantle the alibi.
"You're right. When the 'Serial Disappearance Case of Young Won' occurred, 'Marcel' wasn't in Fontaine."
Navia openly admitted it.
Just as everyone thought Navia had been refuted, she pivoted.
"But Vacher was!"
"!?" Marcel's composure shattered.
"Surprised to hear that na?"
Navia noticed Marcel's unease.
"I was just a little startled to hear you ntion a na I don't recognize."
"A na you don't recognize, huh?"
Navia smirked at Marcel.
Lucian knew it was his turn to step in.
"My partner has collected so rather interesting evidence," Navia said.
Though Navia referred to Lucian as her partner, Neuvillette still wanted to stop this sudden disruption of order.
"Wait, Neuvillette. If there's evidence, let's hear it first," Furina interjected.
She'd been wondering how to get to know Lucian—wasn't this the perfect opportunity?
Neuvillette's raised staff ultimately didn't strike down, slowly lowering instead.
It wasn't just because of Furina's words—Neuvillette himself also deeply wanted to solve the "Serial Disappearance Case of Young Won."
This case had caused far too much tragedy.
"It's you?" Marcel recognized Lucian.
Wasn't this the new friend Navia had made so ti ago?
Ever since eting this guy, Navia had started acting differently.
"Yes, it's ."
"You really shouldn't have co to Fontaine," Marcel glared at Lucian with hatred.
"But here I am," Lucian paid no mind to Marcel's hostility.
"Not only did I co, but I also brought so things you didn't want discovered."
With that, Lucian retrieved a large number of items from his Vision.
Diaries, experint reports, the belongings of the missing girls, and even Primordial Seawater.
All of these had been found in Vacher's hideout.
Marcel was horrified but still tried to argue.
"You... How can you prove these things belong to !?"
That's right, these items were labeled with "Vacher"—what did that have to do with "Marcel"?
In response, Lucian pulled out a stack of photographs, all taken inside the Fontaine of Lucine factory.
Navia had evidence of Marcel selling Fontaine of Lucine, proving his connection to the factory.
Moreover, the diaries also ntioned the na "Marcel"—a na Vacher and Vigneire had co up with together.
"Thanks to Charlotte's Kara, the photos are of excellent clarity."
"Oh, and they're also videos. Would you like to watch?"
Though Charlotte hadn't taken the stand in this trial, her involvent was undeniable—she had a 100% participation rate.
The intel and evidence on Navia's side were provided by her.
The tools on Lucian's side were also hers.
Even now, Charlotte was still scribbling away in the audience, ready to continue reporting once the trial concluded.
Marcel wanted to argue further, but Lucian delivered the final blow.
"Vacher, don't you think you've tainted the na 'Marcel'?" Lucian pressed.
This was a na he and Vigneire had chosen together—yet now he was using it as a cover for his cris.
"..." Vacher fell silent. He truly couldn't deny that na.
He had lost. Once Vacher's identity was exposed, the evidence he had hidden surfaced one piece after another.
There was no room left for denial.
"Marcel—no, Vacher! By the ti you noticed the changes in , it was already too late," Navia declared.
"Mr. Marcel, do you have anything further to argue?"
"If not, the trial will proceed to the next phase," Neuvillette's tone remained indifferent.
"Noticed you... Hah! Who was there to notice !?" Vacher (Marcel) erupted.
"My lover dissolved right before my eyes, and I was powerless to stop it!"
"I told you! I told all of you! And what did you do!?"
"No one helped . No one cared. Not a single person believed !"
"What kind of farcical trial is this!? Pursuing justice—what a joke!"
"Vigneire's death was treated as nothing by every single one of you!"
"We made a promise—a promise to stay together no matter where we went!"
"But I... I can't dissolve!" Vacher pulled out a vial of Primordial Seawater and drank it in one gulp.
"I can't dissolve!!"
"I can't dissolve!!!"
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