The time for the trial arrived swiftly, and Dottore sat in the front row of the Ophicleuse Opera House. Turning around, he saw Columbina and Furina seated together on a higher platform.
Dottore: (...) (Columbina, did you really just go up there like that?)
"The court is now in session!"
The nobles of Fontaine took the stage one by one, offering endless sophistry because they believed that Neuvillette’s methods could never uncover what they had done.
I finally understand why people treat trials like operas. This is genuinely entertaining.
Watching the Fontaine nobles on the defendant's bench put on a defiant display of denial.
Neuvillette produced the evidence of the Fontaine nobles' crimes, which had been provided by Dottore.
As the charges were read out one by one, the faces of the Fontaine nobles grew increasingly pale, though they were not yet panicked, believing that their allies—the Fatui—would come to save them.
They still did not know that Arlecchino had been tied up by Dottore once again and tossed into a dumpster. Even if Dottore hadn't thrown her in the trash, surely even Arlecchino's meager intellect wouldn't dare cause trouble right in front of the Hydro Dragon.
Yet by the time Neuvillette finished reciting every single charge, no one had come to their rescue. At last, the expressions of the Fontaine nobles shifted, revealing sheer terror.
"In conclusion, the nobles of Fontaine—are guilty!"
"No, the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale has not issued its final verdict! Your words mean nothing, Neuvillette!"
Dottore smiled. The Weeping Dragon was the very entity brought back to Fontaine by the one residing within the Oratrice. Even without that, everything these people had done amounted to dancing across the Hydro Archon Focalors's minefields.
"Please, Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, render your verdict."
The Oratrice stirred, spitting out a single card. "According to the judgment of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, the nobles of Fontaine—are guilty."
With the pronouncement complete, the guards stepped forward to escort the Fontaine nobles down to the Fortress of Meropide.
"Wait, I have something to say! A Fatui Harbinger came to visit us earlier, claiming she wanted to help us!" a young noble shouted frantically.
Dottore: I really need to find some time to plant Arlecchino in the dirt as fertilizer.
"And her only demand in return was to arrange a meeting between herself, another Harbinger, and the Hydro Archon! I suspect their true goal is to drive all the Melusines and the Chief Justice out of Fontaine!"
"I also suspect that the Fatui Harbingers harbor malicious intentions toward the Hydro Archon."
"This is troublesome." Although Neuvillette knew that the Hydro Archon had invited me to a tea party, he was bound to call me up there anyway.
"Mr. Dottore, please take the stand."
***
Hearing that Dottore was about to face trial, the two women reacted.
Columbina: (...)
Furina: Huh?
***
After Dottore took his seat on the stage, his consciousness was pulled away. Offering no resistance, he soon realized that while he was still inside the opera house, the surrounding area was entirely empty save for a young girl resembling Furina standing on the stage.
Dottore looked up toward the girl, noting that the execution blade had not yet appeared overhead.
Presumably, the collection of belief was still insufficient.
"Have you finally revealed yourself? The Hydro Archon—Focalors."
"Ah, so you already knew, Fatui Harbinger."
"That is beside the point. What is your purpose in dragging me in here?"
"I want to ask you to reinforce the sealing device that restrains the Primordial Sea."
"What makes you think I would help you?"
"Because you aren't a bad person.""Oh? I suppose even you, the Hydro Archon, must know what I did in Sumeru, sitting right there in the court."
"Of course. But I also observed you when you came to Fontaine, and after several incidents, I don't think you're a bad person."
"So could I ask you to reinforce the Primordial Sea devices?" Focalors asked with a smile, looking at Dottore.
"I can. But there's a condition."
"What is it?"
"Find a way to go discuss it with our Tsaritsa yourself."
"I will."
…………
Consciousness returned to the Opiscle Opera House.
Shortly after, Neuvillette delivered his verdict.
"In light of the above, Dottore—is guilty."
"Please, the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, render your judgment."
"According to the judgment of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, Dottore—is guilty," Neuvillette read out expressionlessly.
"Wait—" Furina started to speak, but Columbina covered her mouth.
Because she sensed no resistance in Dottore's emotions, yet when Furina tried to speak up in his defense, she detected rejection. (With the strength of a God, having slightly sharper hearing shouldn't be a problem, right?)
Following that, Dottore was escorted to the Fortress of Meropide by the gendarmes.
He had his photograph taken with an expression of intense reluctance.
Upon reaching his cell, he wrote a letter, then used a single-use teleportation device to transport straight to Neuvillette's office. At that moment, Furina and Columbina were having a "friendly exchange" with Neuvillette.
The form of the exchange roughly consisted of Columbina grabbing Neuvillette by the neck and lifting the entire crying dragon up into the air. Furina stood off to the side, urging Columbina to calm down.
Dottore, who had just teleported in: ……
"Alright, alright, Columbina, put Neuvillette down first."
"Take this letter back to Snezhnaya. It looks like I won't be able to return for quite a long time."
"You should have the strength to just break out yourself, Dottore."
"I've made a deal with someone to help her accomplish a task. As for what I'll get out of it? That depends on The Tsaritsa." As he spoke, he handed the letter over to Columbina.
"I need to get back to labor. Goodbye, everyone." With that, Dottore used a single-use teleportation device once more and returned to the Fortress of Meropide.
"Well then, goodbye, Furina. I'll be off now. If you want to come find me, you can use this," Columbina said, handing a single-use teleportation device over to Furina.
"Goodbye, Columbina."
After leaving, Columbina first went to rescue Arlecchino, whom Dottore had tied up inside a trash can, told her to continue establishing the orphanage in Fontaine, and then used a single-use teleportation device to return to Snezhnaya.
Neuvillette: Is there no one to speak up for me?
Looking out the window at that moment, a light drizzle had already begun to fall.
Pierro was handling official business when Columbina informed him that Dottore had been locked up in prison in Fontaine.
Pierro: I may not know what is going on here, but I am utterly astonished.
Dottore, what is wrong with you? You possess the combat strength of a God, and even Columbina, whose rank is one position lower than yours, can grab someone by the neck and lift them up—how come you couldn't do that?