Chapter 71: The Blonde Underdog, the Inazuma Outcast, and the Archon Rival

"Though it may sound discouraging, I didn't say I agreed to your request." Furina leaned back in her chair, casually crossing her legs.

This gesture, while accentuating her slender figure, served no other purpose.

Luna nodded. "I understand."

"You mean you're certain I'll assist you?"

"Yes."

Furina let out a soft snort. "Interesting. Why don't you tell me what you can offer me? The wisdom of the gods doesn't come cheap, you know."

So hurry up and take back that statement of yours!

She could easily guess Navia's goal—it was undoubtedly to uncover the truth behind her father's death.

But Furina wasn't the God of Wisdom, nor was she even a true god.

If the Court of Justice couldn't find any leads, what sort of deductions could she possibly make?

Random guessing would be irresponsible; if Navia actually took her seriously, it could be disastrous!

"The price is this."

Luna slowly pushed forward a sealed gift box.

"What is it?"

"The recently released 'Radiant Chocolate Cake.'" As Luna spoke, she began to unwrap it.

Is—this...! Furina's eyes widened.

Layers of black and white, distinct and beautiful. No words needed; just looking at it, I can tell it's soft like cream, with specks of chocolate sprinkled across it.

It looks absolutely delicious!

Though tempted, Furina tore her gaze away. "It may be impressive, but it's still not enough for the wisdom of an Archon!"

Navia suddenly stood up. "I implore you, Lady Furina!"

"Huh?" Furina was taken aback.

"That day... the day my father died, you were there too, weren't you? Watching the whole thing?"

The day Callas died in a duel wasn't just Neuvillette and Clorinde who were present—Furina had been there as well.

But she was merely a witness.

Just like all the other spectators.

Hesitant, Furina said, "That's true, but didn't I mention this before? I'm sorry about what happened to your father, but..."

"But?" Chiori prompted.

"But there's not a single problem with the way things turned out! The Court of Justice has already investigated the case thoroughly. There are indeed many puzzling points, but all the evidence points to your father."

"Miss Navia, we must be guided by evidence here."

Navia lowered her gaze and slumped back into her seat, resigned.

Everything Furina said was true; evidence was paramount. Without it, there was no starting point for discussion.

"I know, but..."

"Let's set aside the facts for a moment, Lady Furina," Luna suggested softly. "We can just talk hypothetically."

Great, she's steered me back to the main topic again, Furina thought ruefully.

Furina had hoped to change the subject, but Luna had pulled her back in once more. What now? She pondered, rubbing her teacup. Maybe acting petulant and declaring, 'I'm leaving,' would be best?

Furina knew that her current demeanor wasn't a true reflection of her personality. It was a persona crafted to suit what the people of Fontaine desired to see: exaggerated emotions, willful temper, clearly visible moods — a performance rich in theatricality. This dramatic nature had its benefits when playing the part of a deity. After all, no one would second-guess her whims.

"Set aside the facts?" Chiori mused aloud.

"Exactly. Let's reconstruct the case itself, recreate the scene, and then..." Luna smiled. "...conduct a deduction."

Furina's attention was captivated by her words.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's play a game, shall we?"

This case was undoubtedly the work of a human.

With both victim and culprit in existence, we treated them as game characters, contemplated their roles, and deduced possibilities. We considered the criminal's plan from their perspective.

And now, a crucial piece of the puzzle had revealed itself.

If someone truly could turn a person into a gemstone...

Then the method would no longer be shrouded in mystery.

"Miss Watson," Luna said, "would you please recount what you know about the case?"

"Hmmm..." Chiori propped her face in her hands. "You've really become a detective, haven't you?"

Am I that cool?" Luna puffed out her chest.

"Yeah, yeah, you're so cool..." Chiori's tone carried a hint of sarcasm. "So, if you're keen on doing this, you must have picked up on some inside information, right?"

Furina also perked up. "Is that so?"

Luna stood and grabbed a pen, drawing a circle on the board in the room. "I can't be entirely sure yet, but as a hypothesis, it's not implausible. However, let's first review the entire scenario as we know it."

The tea party had suddenly turned into a detective mystery-solving session.

Navia walked over to Luna.

"The incident occurred three years ago. On that day, the Spina di Rosula was holding a banquet at the Confrerie of Cabriere's estate in the wilderness..." Navia's voice trailed off as she paused.

The Confrerie of Cabriere?

The Phantom Thief White Cat had warned them to beware of the Confrerie of Cabriere.

And on that fateful day, her father had been at the Confrerie of Cabriere's estate...

"Nana?"

Navia snapped back to reality, smiling. "Oh, it's nothing. I just recalled what the Phantom Thief White Cat said."

"The Phantom Thief? What did she say?" Furina suddenly asked.

Why did it seem like Furina cared so much about the Phantom Thief?

Navia and Chiori unconsciously reached the same conclusion.

But considering Furina's nature, it wasn't surprising that she'd be interested. After all, she was always drawn to intriguing matters.

"She said we should be careful around the Confrerie of Cabriere," Navia replied.

"Hmm... let's set aside what the Phantom Thief said for now. Continue, Nana," Luna nodded, encouraging her.

"I understand. At the time, a banquet was held at the Confrerie of Cabriere's estate in the wilds. But during the event, two gunshots suddenly rang out from outside."

Luna scribbled on her notepad, creating a mind map of the key points.

"When everyone rushed to the scene, they found my father holding his pistol. His friend Jacques, who he had been meeting with, was lying on the ground—already dead."

"This Jacques, who was he?" Chiori asked.

"He was a mole my father had planted within the Sinthe trade network," Navia answered.

Jacques had once been a Sinthe dealer, but his lingering conscience tormented him. Ultimately, at Callas's persuasion, he became the younger man's informer.

"My father had planned to exchange intelligence with Jacques that day," said Navia.

"In other words, he had no motive for the crime," Luna added.

Furina pondered this. "Could it be that Jacques suddenly dove into the water?"

"'I'm sorry, I can't agree to your request'—and then Callas, for... Let me be clear, this is just a reasonable guess!" Furina finished layering her armor before continuing. "...In short, he might have lost his temper and shot him on the spot."

Navia wasn't angry; instead, she shook her head slightly.

"My father wasn't that impulsive a person."

"But we can't rule out the possibility," Furina countered.

"But there were only two people at the scene, weren't there?" Chiori pointed out this discrepancy.

That could only lead one to consider the relationship between the murderer and the victim.

"You're right," said Luna. "There were only two people present, but that doesn't necessarily mean there were only two people throughout the entire event."

Navia shook her head again. "There was no trace of a third party at the crime scene."

"Then, what if... "

Luna picked up a sugar cube and dropped it into her tea, watching as it dissolved.

"...the third party became 'something else' and disappeared?"