After Neuvillette explained the function of the water bottle, the people of Fontaine in the audience became restless.
"Passerby A: What! Such a dangerous thing has been underground where we live all this time?"
"Passerby B: It should...be controlled, right? Didn't they say it wouldn't leak out?"
"Passerby C: Then how did these leak out?"
"Navia: My father...was investigating this? He was so close...to finding the answer."
"Lumine: (This thing is actually so dangerous... No, Lyney and Lynette shouldn't be able to get this kind of thing. This can further clear their names.)"
"Paimon: Good thing this thing is useless to outsiders..."
Neuvillette had the Gardes stabilize the scene.
"Neuvillette: So, Miss Qixuan, please explain the reason."
"Qixuan: That makes it much easier. Do you think a Mondstadter who changed his name could get this kind of thing?"
"Passerby C: Indeed... But aren't Lyney and the others Fatui?"
"Lyney: We never knew such a thing existed!"
But the audience below the stage clearly didn't buy it.
At this moment, a commotion suddenly came from the entrance. The guard at the door seemed to have no other choice but to report.
"Guard: Reporting, Mr. Judgement, a woman claiming to be a Fatui Harbinger suddenly arrived at the entrance, requesting to participate in this trial."
As he said this, the guard's legs were still trembling, clearly terrified.
"Lyney: Could it be...?"
"Lynette: It's Father."
"Paimon: Father? Didn't they say it was a lady?"
"Lumine: Paimon, Childe said it, have you forgotten?"
"Paimon: Oh, oh! I remember now, it's Arlecchino, the Damselette."
"Lyney: Yes, I didn't expect to alarm Father."
After some thought, Neuvillette allowed the Damselette to enter. After all, she was acting on behalf of the Cryo God, so there was no need to make enemies.
The Damselette walked in step by step, her aura making the nearby guards and Fontainians feel afraid.
"Arlecchino: Mr. Neuvillette, it's a pleasure."
"Neuvillette: May I assume you are here to testify for Mr. Lynney?"
Arlecchino glanced at Lyney, then at Lumine and the others, and finally met Furina's eyes.
"Furina: (Such terrifying eyes. Why is she staring at me? She wouldn't be trying to silence me, would she? No, no, Neuvillette is here, she won't make a move. I'm safe, I'm safe.)"
Furina comforted herself.
"Arlecchino: That's right. I think it's necessary for the public to re-evaluate the Fatui. Not all Fatui led by Harbingers are so incompetent."
"Neuvillette: Please state your testimony."
"Arlecchino: Indeed, as a Harbinger, it's necessary to do intelligence work before coming to a country. But this kind of intelligence is considered 'high-level' in Fontaine, and it receives the same treatment within the Fatui. Not even close confidants would know a single bit of information, let alone the children I've taken in. Although I do sometimes send them to scout for things, Mr. Judgement can surely verify these."
"Neuvillette: The testimony is valid. Does Miss Furina have anything else to say?"
"Furina: We're discussing who the murderer is. You...why are you bringing up such things?"
"Arlecchino: Oh? Then I find it necessary to ask our Hydro God."
Qixuan walked back.
"Qixuan: Looks like I don't need to continue."
"Paimon: Eh? So is Cowell the murderer or not?"
"Lumine: ...What's certain is that he intended to harm that Damselette, not Lyney. And only locals would have an advantage in obtaining such a thing, so..."
"Paimon: Oh! So Cowell was just a pawn, and there's a mastermind behind him."
"Qixuan: Paimon isn't that stupid after all."
"Paimon: Hmm... I wasn't stupid to begin with!"
At this point, the discussions in the audience became even more heated.
"Furina: Wh-what?"
"Arlecchino: As the Hydro God of Fontaine, you wouldn't be unaware of the Primordial Seawater, would you? And from the moment I heard the details of the case until the trial began, I haven't heard the Hydro God mention it. Is it ignorance, or fear of causing public panic? That is indeed a reason, but as the Hydro God, stopping such a small amount of Primordial Seawater shouldn't be difficult, should it? Yet from beginning to end, Hydro God, you seem to have shown no abilities befitting a Hydro God, have you?"
Furina panicked. She couldn't refute what this lady said. As she said, should she perhaps display her hydro clearance? Don't be ridiculous, her reflection gave her nothing!
"Furina: I...I was just worried that using my clearance would scare you all. Yes, that's right, a God's clearance is unimaginably powerful, how could I use it lightly?"
Furina's explanation was as full of holes as her current state of mind.
"Arlecchino: Then...please tell me, as a deity, is protecting your people more important than scaring them?"
After hearing this, Furina sank weakly into her seat.
"Paimon: How...how bold. She, she, she's doubting if Furina is a fake Hydro God?"
"Lyney: Father...she doesn't do things without preparation."
"Lynette: How shocking..."
"Lumine: Hmm... Is there a connection between the Primordial Sea and the prophecy of Fontaine?"
"Paimon: It seems...there is indeed a connection. The Primordial Sea can dissolve Fontainians. If that much Primordial Seawater erupts, I...I can't bear to think about it."
"Lyney: Then we need to know when it will erupt to have countermeasures."
"Lumine: Yes, we'll investigate the Fortress of Meropide afterward."
"Qixuan: Are you sure? That's a prison."
"Paimon: Ah, this..."
The reaction from the audience was more intense than on the stage.
"Passerby C: What?! Is the Hydro God really fake?"
"Passerby A: Now that you mention it...it seems I've never seen Lady Furina display the Hydro God's abilities."
"Navia: This is truly...indescribable."
..........
At this moment, on the judgment seat.
"Neuvillette: Miss Furina, please answer Miss Arlecchino's question to you."
Furina appeared very weak at this moment, already starting to be exposed. No one supported her, no one believed her. It was so painful, she was about to give up.
"Qixuan: (Is it...a bit too much? Never mind, I'll make it up to Fufu later.)"
Seeing Furina unresponsive, Neuvillette reminded her again.
"Furina: I...I have nothing to say. I lost, that's it."
Arlecchino hadn't even brought up the prophecy yet. If she had, it would have been truly over.
"Neuvillette: In that case, please let the Cardinal Judgement make the final verdict."
The verdict given by the Cardinal Judgement was also 'not guilty'. Just like that, Lyney was acquitted. Furina returned to her room and shut herself in. Neuvillette, after checking on her once, did not continue to persuade her.
..........
"Arlecchino: Thank you all for helping Lyney. I apologize for the trouble."
Lyney and Lynette stood behind her with bowed heads, clearly about to face punishment when they returned.
"Paimon: Uh...haha, this is the first time I've seen such a polite Harbinger. No, Childe seems to be, too. No, wait, he did scheme against us."
"Arlecchino: It seems you've already met my colleague. He's not a bad person, that was just a necessary task."
"Lumine: So, are you the one who came to Fontaine this time to retrieve the Gnosis?"
"Arlecchino: It seems you know a lot of things. Then I won't hide it. It is me. However, the current Hydro God has some strange aspects, and I need to observe more."
"Oh, by the way, thank you also, young lady. The Fatui don't owe favors for nothing. If you encounter difficulties in Fontaine, you can find me at the House of the Hearth."
"Qixuan: You're too kind. I'll definitely go if I have difficulties."
(Basically no difficulties. The only difficulty is what to eat tonight. Should I go mooch a meal?)
Arlecchino paused for a moment, then a faint smile appeared on her face. She said, "You're always welcome," and left with Lyney and Lynette.
..........
"Paimon: So now...what do we do?"
"Qixuan: It's getting late. Are you all hungry?"
As soon as words related to eating were mentioned, it was Paimon's turn to shine.
"Paimon: Hehe, since that's the case, I've scouted out several good restaurants while shopping earlier."
"Lumine: I knew it..."
"Qixuan: Haha, let's go."
On the other side...in Neuvillette's office, after handling the day's affairs, Neuvillette sat in his seat, deep in thought. Focalors...what exactly are you doing?
At this moment, in Fufu's room, she was talking to herself in front of a mirror. Looking closely, oh, ordinary people couldn't see it, but there was a person in the mirror who looked exactly like Furina.
"Furina: I...I can't hold on much longer. Today, a Fatui Harbinger openly questioned my identity. I...I don't know how to refute her. I really..."
As Furina spoke, she began to cry. Focalors was silent for a moment, then reached out and hugged Furina, comforting her: "Alright, alright, I know you've been through a lot. Don't cry anymore, Furina. You look better when you smile."
"Furina: You...you still have the heart to say such things now."
"Focalors: Furina, you've already guessed my identity, haven't you?"
"Furina: I know...you are the Hydro God. Then why...?"
"Focalors: Shhh... Since you want to know, come in."
Then, ignoring Furina's scream, she directly pulled her into the mirror.
At this moment, Furina was in Focalors's space. The floor beneath her feet was a vast expanse of azure blue... It was called a floor, but it looked more like a vast azure ocean. The surroundings were also azure blue. Furina looked into the distance. Focalors, dressed in her divine attire, stood in the center. It was the first time Furina had seen Focalors's divine attire.
"Furina: So beautiful..."
Furina said blankly.
"Focalors: Pfft, thank you for the compliment, Furina. You're also very beautiful."
Furina's face reddened, and she said, "You...you'd better get to the point."
Focalors took Furina's hand and walked forward. Furina still didn't know what she was going to do.
Waves of water suddenly surged around them, forming figures. These figures danced, seemingly revealing an unknown past, while Focalors provided the narration.
"After the God War ended, various nations had different forms of life, especially a species called 'humans.' They experienced joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, and also had brave and persistent sides. Humans are complex, but precisely because of this, they are favored by the Gods. At that time, I yearned for human life, Furina. And the primordial humans of Fontaine were basically extinct. The first Hydro God, Egeria, did not have the ability to create humans, so she thought of a method."
"Furina: Wh-what method?"
Furina had a bad feeling.
"Focalors: To transform all the Pure Water Spirits into humans, including me."
Furina was stunned.
Focalors continued: "At that time, Egeria used her duty of guarding the Primordial Sea to steal its power and create humans. That's how Fontainians came to be."
"Furina: Then...the sin in the prophecy?"
"Focalors: You must know that even Gods cannot create humans without authorization, let alone steal Primordial Seawater. This act incurred the wrath of the heavens. Therefore, Fontainians have been burdened with the original sin of stealing the Primordial Sea's power since birth, which led to the later prophecy: all Fontainians will dissolve in the sea, leaving only the Hydro God weeping on her throne."
(It's said the protagonist has already greeted them. Let's take a closer look at the front, what a surprise.)
"Egeria knew that only the one in the heavens could not be opposed. Therefore...when she went to that war, she made me her successor."
"Furina: Then wouldn't that mean...?"
"Focalors: It's very tricky, isn't it? This matter is a hot potato in anyone's hands. But what can I do? I'm her most trusted familiar. At that time, all my kin didn't understand me. They refused to help me, thinking I wasn't worthy of this position. But only I knew what this position meant."
"I pondered for a long time and finally came up with a solution: deceiving the Heavenly Principles to save the people of Fontaine. For this, I stripped away my divinity, leaving behind my human self, which is you, Furina."
"Furina: I...I'm not a Pure Water Spirit?"
"Focalors: Haha, you are my ideal self, of course you are human! You have joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness; you cry and you laugh. Furina, do you know? I am very happy to have created you."
"Furina: I... Then how does your plan deceive the Heavenly Principles?"
"Focalors: Do you know the Cardinal Judgement? It was forged from the faith of the people of Fontaine and my divine power. After centuries of accumulation, it is now strong enough to kill a God."
At this point, Focalors even smiled, looking very happy.
"Furina: Wait...kill a God? You're not thinking of...!"
"Focalors: Of course not the one in the heavens, but...myself."
..........