This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [381]

A Few Days Later – Judgment Day

At a national level, diplomatic relations between Fontaine and Snezhnaya were relatively amicable, with frequent trade interactions.

However, at a public level, the reputation of the Fatui had long been tarnished, leaving most Fontaine citizens with little goodwill toward them.

Now, an executive officer of the Fatui—Childe—had been captured by Fontaine and was awaiting trial. This situation posed a significant dilemma for Fontaine.

To not conduct a trial would tarnish the Tribunal's reputation and Fontaine's identity as a nation of justice. Critics could seize the opportunity to mock Fontaine, claiming it fell short of true fairness and justice.

However, to put Childe on trial would invite diplomatic pressure from Snezhnaya due to his significant status.

If handled poorly, it might even lead to a sharp deterioration in relations between the two nations.

On this day, Furina appeared early at the Opéra Épiclès, seated on her prominent throne, idly awaiting the trial to begin.

Since the night Luo Qing had tickled her foot, she hadn't gone looking for him.

Though in the past, she had always passed her time in this manner when Luo Qing wasn't around, the last few days had felt unusually dull and irksome. She couldn't shake the urge to seek him out for fun but ultimately resisted, mindful of her pride as the God of Justice.

"How much longer until it starts?"

Propping her head on her hand, Furina's gaze occasionally drifted toward the entrance, as though she were curious whether Luo Qing would show up today.

Hmph.

That night, he'd been so rough, grabbing her foot like that.

Just wait. Today, she'd make sure to target that so-called Childe!

Soon, the audience began filing in. Neuvillette took his seat as the presiding judge, and Childe stood at the defendant's podium, flanked by the Gardes' escorts.

The past few days, he had actually heeded Luo Qing's advice to stay out of trouble.

Otherwise, Fontaine's guards and their mechanisms wouldn't even have been a decent warm-up for him.

Of course, the main reason for his cooperation was to avoid troubling Clorinde.

After all, she had already agreed to an unrestricted duel with him—a chance he couldn't afford to miss.

"This is my first time seeing a courtroom set up in an opera house... Fontaine's legal procedures are certainly... unique."

Childe crossed his arms, glancing toward Neuvillette.

"Say, when is this trial supposed to start? I've been itching to fight Clorinde already."

Neuvillette remained silent, merely glancing toward Furina seated in her high chair. With a slight nod, he tapped his scepter, signaling the beginning of the proceedings.

"Now, I declare the trial of Childe, the Fatui Harbinger, accused of being the mastermind behind the serial disappearance of young women, officially in session."

He began reading from the testimony that implicated Childe as the perpetrator.

The spectators, eager for drama, were instantly hooked, anticipating a heated debate and dramatic twists.

Childe, however, grew visibly impatient.

"Can't we skip to the part where I fight Clorinde? I heard pleading guilty might lead to that... How about this—just convict me already so I can get it over with?"

"Hey!"

Furina's displeasure flared as unpleasant memories surfaced.

"This is a courtroom! You're a suspect, not here to pick fights!"

"Oh?"

Childe sneered, his expression indifferent.

"Looks like the Hydro Archon is in a bad mood. I wouldn't mind testing the strength of Fontaine's God of Justice. What do you say—care to try, Hydro Archon?"

"Eh…?"

Furina flinched, her earlier bravado evaporating.

"I… I didn't mean that."

"Enough."

Neuvillette tapped his scepter again, his tone calm but firm.

"Both of you, maintain courtroom decorum. Now, Childe, do you have any response to the charges against you?"

"I—"

Childe was about to speak when the courtroom doors burst open with a resounding kick.

Every gaze turned toward the entrance.

Even Furina couldn't help but look over, her heart instinctively tensing. Could it be Luo Qing here to disrupt the trial?

But as the figure came into view, it was Navia, who had previously caused a stir in the opera house. She strode in, her voice echoing loudly.

"He's not the culprit! The real perpetrator is someone else!"

Not Luo Qing... that's a relief.

Furina exhaled silently, her nerves easing. If Luo Qing had come to disrupt the trial, she wouldn't have known whom to side with.

Navia's dramatic entrance drew Neuvillette's stern gaze.

"Miss Navia, this is the second time you've disrupted court proceedings. Last time, I allowed it due to the critical evidence you provided. However, do not mistake my leniency for tolerance of your repeated contempt."

"Do as you please," Navia retorted, crossing her arms.

"After all, this place has seen its fair share of theatrics, hasn't it?"

Her gaze shifted to Childe as she continued.

"But none of that matters now. The true culprit in the case of the missing girls isn't him. I'm here to name the real perpetrator!"

"Someone clearing my name? How unexpected."

Childe chuckled, his expression one of amused detachment, as though he didn't care that he was still technically the accused.

"So, does this mean I'm off the hook for now, Chief Justice?"

Neuvillette remained silent for a few seconds before addressing Navia.

"Miss Navia, who is it you wish to accuse?"

Meanwhile, at Luo Qing's Residence

Luo Qing sat comfortably in his study, watching the courtroom proceedings unfold at the opera house through a scrying device.

A knock at the door broke his focus as Lynette entered.

"Lord Brighella, 'Father' invites you to join her for afternoon tea."

After her last escapade, Lynette no longer dared to enter Luo Qing's home through the window. She still shuddered at the memory of having her mouth stuffed with a stocking. If it happened again, who knew if it would be a pair of panties next time...

"Oh?" Luo Qing raised a brow, intrigued.

With Childe still on trial, what could Arlecchino want with him now? Was she planning to use Childe as a pawn again?