"Mr. Ron, that's the situation."
"Now, as the newly appointed Justice, you're required to participate in this Judgment. I understand it's a difficult position, but please carefully consider your verdict and make the most appropriate judgment."
Though he said this, even he himself wasn't sure what outcome would be considered "most appropriate."
Fortunately, the other party didn't press for further clarification.
"I understand," Ron replied. "Rest assured, the Department of Law recently enacted new regulations that perfectly apply to this case."
Upon hearing this, the other party let out a long sigh of relief.
Regardless of how the situation unfolded, at least the blame wouldn't fall on his shoulders.
"Excellent! Then that's all the better!"
Not long after the mid-trial adjournment, the Judgment resumed. Ron, dressed in a black evening gown, slowly took the seat previously occupied by the Justice—though he was now a Justice himself, albeit a temporary one.
If any problems arose, they could simply dismiss him and be done with it.
In this matter, everyone was determined to avoid taking responsibility.
No wonder—the accused were Furina and Focalors. Who, besides Neuvillette himself, would dare to judge them?!
"Court is now in session!"
Ron's tone wasn't overly solemn; a faint smile still lingered on his face as he quietly observed the two figures in the Defendant's Stand. He continued, "I have reviewed the charges against you both. Do either of you have any objections to the aforementioned accusations?"
Upon hearing Ron's question, Furina and Focalors vehemently denied any objections.
As if! How could they possibly deny the charges they had painstakingly concocted themselves?!
Furina and Focalors both gazed at Ron with expectant eyes, hoping he would send them straight to prison in the next moment.
"In that case, I will now announce the final verdict."
"First, Lady Furina, based on all available evidence, you have spent the vast majority of the past five hundred years as an ordinary person with no special abilities, correct?"
"And just over a month ago, you obtained your first Anemo Vision, granting you mastery over Anemo Energy."
"This means that all the crimes you've confessed to are unfounded."
"As an ordinary person, you simply lacked the capability to carry out such acts..."
Upon hearing this, Furina froze in shock, then deflated like a frost-bitten eggplant, her defiant spirit instantly crumbling.
Right, she'd completely forgotten about that! In the past, she'd possessed no special powers whatsoever. Still, Furina attempted one last struggle.
"Even if I couldn't have done those other things, the charge of dereliction of duty still stands, right?!"
"To determine the validity of this charge, we must consult Monsieur Neuvillette, who succeeded you in office. We need to ask whether Lady Furina ever exerted any coercion during his tenure."
"However, comparing the strengths of Lady Furina and Monsieur Neuvillette, I believe the answer to this question no longer needs to be obtained from Monsieur Neuvillette."
Ron's explanation completely shattered Furina's remaining resistance, leaving her face ashen.
Beside her, Focalors was overjoyed. Her high-stakes gamble had finally paid off!
Forgive me, Furina. With two Visions, you should be able to handle the workload!
"As for the accusations against Lady Focalors..."
Here it comes! Finally, my turn!
Focalors felt a surge of excitement. Perfect timing! Neuvillette must be busy dealing with Dottore's Segment. When I get to the Fortress of Meropide, I'll urge Rene to finish my new body while persuading Neuvillette to take me along. Wouldn't that be far more interesting than work?!
Hurry up! I can't wait!
Focalors gazed expectantly at Ron, seated a short distance away. She had no fear that her true identity would sway the verdict. After all, he had even dared to imprison Neuvillette—an act few would attempt!
"Lady Focalors possesses sufficient power, but according to Fontaine's newly revised laws, this nation lacks the authority to judge criminals for offenses not pursued by other countries, regardless of the truth behind the accusations."
"In other words, unless another nation formally accuses Lady Focalors regarding this matter, Fontaine will not cooperate with any law enforcement efforts."
Upon hearing this, Focalors' heart sank slightly, but she quickly regained her composure, noticing Ron's use of the word "most."
"However, the charges pertaining to internal affairs within Fontaine are fully substantiated, as Lady Focalors has already voluntarily confessed to these offenses."
I won the bet!
Focalors closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and embraced this victory that belonged to her alone!
"Therefore, I hereby deliver the final verdict...
Lady Focalors, guilty."
"She is sentenced to three months of 24/7 service as punishment. It is hoped that Lady Focalors will reflect upon her mistakes during this period."
Wow, three months? This is amazing!
Upon hearing the verdict, Focalors was so thrilled she nearly jumped for joy.
Under the strange gazes of everyone around, especially Furina's, Focalors suddenly felt uneasy. She quickly recalled the earlier verdict.
Wait a minute...
Three months of 24/7?
Could anyone actually impose such a sentence?!
"There's no such law in Fontaine!"
"My apologies, Lady Focalors, but this provision was recently added by the Department of Law."
"If you have any doubts, you may verify it yourself in the latest version of Fontaine Law, 20.0."
Hearing Ron's words, Focalors was utterly dumbfounded.
"No! I'll work myself to death!"
Focalors' composure shattered. The half-portion of her original workload had already been an unbearable burden; now, not only would she have to complete all her previous tasks, but she'd also have to work for two additional months. Despair began to grip her.
Just then, Ron delivered the final blow.
"Lady Focalors, I've obtained detailed performance data for your Clockwork Meka model. It can easily handle this level of workload without any issues."
Are you a demon?!
How can you utter such icy words with a body temperature of 37 degrees Celsius?!
Focalors, who had been desperately searching for an excuse to avoid the sentence, immediately abandoned her plan after hearing Ron's words.
"Ha ha ha ha! You've finally gotten your comeuppance!" Furina couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Finally, the verdict for Lady Furina."
Furina: "???"
"Wait a minute! Didn't you say I was innocent?!" Furina stared at Ron, utterly bewildered.
"Lady Furina, knowingly burdening law enforcement resources with baseless claims is a crime in itself, even if you were unaware of your innocence," Ron explained.
"According to the latest revisions to Fontaine Law, you are required to work 24/7 for a month to compensate for the time you wasted."
"For detailed regulations, please refer to Article 20.0 of the most recent Fontaine Law."
Furina's spirits plummeted.
Wait, has Fontaine Law really become this detailed?!
What have you people at the Department of Law done to it?! Bring back the Fontaine Law I used to know by heart!
"Ladies, please decide amongst yourselves who will go first."
Furina and Focalors exchanged a glance, both silent, their eyes reflecting profound despair...
-
"We're here. This is the Bimarstan."
Following Dr. Edward, Lumine and Paimon entered an open-air clinic.
The conditions were extremely basic. Almost every patient had only a bed to rest on, and to accommodate more patients, even the corridors and communal areas had been repurposed with additional beds.
Every cot was now occupied by patients, punctuated by occasional coughs. Yet everyone remained remarkably calm and quiet, showing no resentment toward the spartan medical facilities.
"Dr. Edward, you're finally back!"
Zachariah, the Bimarstan's other doctor, greeted Dr. Edward with a flash of surprise and hurried over to welcome him.
Hearing the commotion, the patients glanced over. Their faces lit up with gratitude as they recognized Dr. Edward, but none approached to disturb the two doctors.
"Thank you for holding down the fort while I was away, Dr. Zachariah."
"And as I've said before, there's no need for such formality. We're colleagues, after all."
Dr. Edward hung his coat up and turned to Zachariah.
"Come now, my medical skills are nowhere near yours. You've taught me so much; I consider you my teacher!"
Zachariah shook his head, still insisting. Dr. Edward could only smile wryly.
"Are they... new patients?" Zachariah asked, noticing Lumine and Paimon, who had accompanied Dr. Edward.
"They're the guards I hired. You know, the Akademiya might be planning something these days," Dr. Edward explained.
As soon as Dr. Edward finished speaking, Lumine and Paimon chimed in:
"Hello, Dr. Zachariah. We're responsible for Dr. Edward's safety now."
Zachariah glanced at the utterly defenseless Paimon, then at Lumine's slender arms and legs, noticing she didn't even possess a Vision. He opened his mouth to speak, hesitated, and finally sighed deeply.
"Dr. Edward, since you know the Akademiya is planning something, why not lie low for a while?"
Though Zachariah urged him, he knew in his heart that Dr. Edward would never heed his advice.
"That's impossible. The patients in the Restricted Zone must be running out of medicine soon. I need to transport the new supplies there."
"Stay out of this. If anything happens to me, these patients at the Bimarstan will still need you to care for them."
Upon hearing Edward's words, the patients lying quietly in their beds, listening intently, all felt their eyes redden with emotion.
None of them wanted Dr. Edward to put himself in danger, but recalling rumors about the Restricted Zone, they couldn't bring themselves to speak up.
As patients themselves, they understood the despair of those in the Restricted Zone better than anyone. They couldn't bear to deprive them of their last glimmer of hope, yet they feared something terrible might happen to Dr. Edward.
"Those damned Sages! All they care about is their academic research. Are our illnesses worth less than some cold, heartless knowledge? cough cough cough..."
One patient, unable to contain his rage, burst into a tirade, his words drawing supportive glances from the others.
"Sir, mind your tongue."
"There might be Akademiya spies watching the Bimarstan right now," Dr. Edward warned the speaker. "I wouldn't want to see any of you patients being taken away by them."
"Dr. Edward, Sumeru owes you so much!" Many eyes welled up with tears at his words.
"I appreciate your kindness, but I've never felt that Sumeru owes me anything. The Akademiya doesn't represent all of Sumeru. You—and all the people of Sumeru—are the true foundation of this nation!"
Dr. Edward's words deeply touched the crowd.
In Sumeru, those deemed intellectually unfit for advanced academic pursuits were often dismissed as useless. This was the first time many of them had felt genuinely valued, and their eyes glistened with emotion.
"Don't worry, everyone! The Traveler will protect Dr. Edward!" Paimon chimed in, fluttering over to reassure them.
"The Traveler is incredibly strong! No matter how many people the Akademiya sends, we can safely evacuate Dr. Edward!"
Just as Paimon finished speaking, Lumine struck a confident pose, hands on her hips, head tilted skyward, radiating an almost smug assurance.
However, the complete absence of a Vision on her person made it impossible for the others to believe Paimon's words.
"Ahem, Miss, it's not that I don't believe you, but you don't even have a Vision," Zachariah said, clearing his throat.
"You see, the Akademiya has many Vision holders. No matter how strong a normal person is, they'd struggle to..."
Before Zachariah could finish, a vibrant emerald light rippled across Lumine's palm. Countless vines erupted from her hand, rapidly spreading across several meters.
The sight left everyone stunned.
"Even without a Vision, the Traveler can still wield Elemental Power," Paimon declared, crossing her arms, basking in the group's astonishment as if she were the one wielding the Dendro Elemental Power.
"Now you can rest assured, right? I told you the Traveler was strong!"
"Rest assured! Rest assured!" Zachariah snapped out of his daze and hastily agreed.
"I'm truly sorry. I underestimated you earlier. Please don't take it personally. Dr. Edward's safety is now entrusted to you!"
"It's alright. We understand why you thought that way."
With the misunderstanding cleared, the atmosphere lightened somewhat.
Paimon chatted with Zachariah for a while longer before hearing Dr. Edward's call.
"You two, come over here. The bed is ready."
"Coming!"
Paimon replied promptly. Lumine and Paimon hurried over to Dr. Edward's side, and Lumine settled into the prepared sickbed.
What's that smell?
Lumine suddenly caught an indescribable odor and instinctively looked toward its source. She saw a medicinal pot filled with a deep green liquid, bubbling continuously from the high heat. Each bursting bubble released a terrifying, indescribable stench into the air.
Seeing this, Lumine's pupils widened in shock.
This medicine isn't for me, is it?!
By now, Paimon had also noticed the pot and nearly collapsed beside Lumine.
Catching herself just in time, Paimon urgently whispered to Lumine,
"Traveler, you take your time recovering. I'll go wander around the clinic and check on you later!"
Before Lumine could react, Paimon had already bolted.
Traitor!
Lumine glared at Paimon's retreating figure, hesitating over whether to run away herself. Just then, a strange clank sounded nearby.
Puzzled, Lumine looked down at her feet and saw Dr. Edward securing an iron chain around her other ankle.
Clank!
Lumine: "???"
"This is just to prevent any extreme reactions from your body that might cause complications," Dr. Edward explained, noticing Lumine's gaze. He stepped forward to shackle her hands as well. "Don't worry, this is just a routine physical examination."
Clank! Her wrists were now bound.
Lumine suddenly felt a surge of panic. No matter how she looked at it, this scene had nothing to do with normal medical treatment.
Rather than healing, this felt more like torture!
Dr. Edward's smile remained unchanged, yet Lumine felt a bone-chilling sense of dread.
I don't want treatment anymore! I need to get out of here!
While Lumine was lost in thought, her final arm was shackled.
She stared blankly at her last arm, now tightly bound by the iron chains, her anxiety intensifying.
Looking at his "masterpiece," Dr. Edward nodded in satisfaction, his smile widening further, as if observing a fish laid out on a cutting board.
"Relax, Miss. Let me examine your body to ensure everything is normal."
"But first, drink this bowl of medicine."
"I've specially increased the dosage, so the effects should be quite remarkable."
Dr. Edward spoke as he lifted the medicine pot from the stove and approached Lumine.
You call that a "bowl"?!
Lumine's eyes widened in horror. As Dr. Edward drew closer, the acrid stench intensified.
She shook her head frantically, but seeing that Dr. Edward showed no signs of relenting, she resolved to save herself.
Lumine began to struggle against the chains, but they proved far sturdier than she had imagined. Even with all her strength, she couldn't break free.
With no other choice, Lumine reluctantly decided to use her Elemental Power, even though it felt somewhat embarrassing. She valued her life above all else.
To her surprise, however, she found herself completely unable to control her Elemental Power!
There's something wrong with these chains.
The gravity of the situation finally dawned on Lumine, but it was too late. Dr. Edward, carrying a steaming cup of medicine, had already reached her side.
"Give up," he said with a gentle smile and soft voice. "I brought these chains from Fontaine. They're incredibly sturdy."
"Now, it's time for your medicine."
As the warm potion coursed down her throat, Lumine's last conscious thought before losing consciousness was an endless resentment toward Fontaine...