Silence!
Neuvillette's grey eyes swept over the audience below, and the previously noisy crowd quieted down.
Once the audience was silent, Neuvillette gently spoke:
"The appeal is reasonable. We shall recess. The trial will resume in one hour."
Hearing Neuvillette's response, Furina looked at Traveler opposite her with a hint of pity and softly said:
"You knew about this, yet you still didn't refuse to defend Mr. Lyney. It seems my opponent's professional ethics are beyond imagination~"
"However... the outcome won't change much because of this."
"My dear audience, let the joy of 'Justice' arriving settle a little longer!"
Listening to Furina's speech from the accuser's stand, Yuto nodded slightly.
His words to Furina were effective; at least she really listened.
While maintaining her flamboyant persona, she also laid a groundwork.
—A groundwork to maintain her image after the true 'Justice' was discussed.
Thinking of this, Yuto nodded with satisfaction and then turned his gaze towards the backstage of the Opera House.
"I hope you can truly figure out and speak those words."
"But then again, this is the predetermined plot. I just want to see how you'll perform."
...Traveler stood with her arms crossed, a posture of refusal, looking at the siblings who had their backs to her, choosing to remain silent.
And Lyney also understood that he had lied to Traveler, and at such a crucial and dangerous moment.
He knew very well that he was the one who had wronged Traveler, so he didn't know how to begin explaining everything.
Thus, both sides were silent, no one spoke, and the air in the backstage room gradually became heavy.
Perhaps realizing something, Lyney turned around somewhat awkwardly, forced a smile that wasn't particularly pleasant, and said:
"I didn't expect the Hydro Archon to dig all this up. Oh dear... this is embarrassing now."
He gently scratched his grey hair, then said apologetically: "I'm sorry, Traveler, Paimon."
And Lynette also lowered her cat-like head at this moment, softly saying: "I'm sorry."
Paimon looked at the two people apologizing in front of her, then shook her head somewhat confusedly and said irritably:
"I don't even know where to start asking. Sigh... We trusted you so much!"
"Even during the investigation, all our deductions were based on the premise that you weren't bad people!"
"Navia, upon hearing that Yuto was willing to offer some help, even took us to Palais Mermonia!"
"You... I don't want to say harsh words, but I'm really angry!"
Paimon said, with her arms crossed and puffed cheeks.
Lyney, seeing this, sighed softly and said gently:
"I'm truly sorry... I know you're all upset, but I still want to explain my actions."
"I know about your various entanglements and grievances with the Fatui during your journey. Just hearing the name makes you uncomfortable."
"But as you've come to understand, the Fatui organization is vast, and the Harbingers all have distinct personalities; the things they want to do are completely different."
After saying this, Lyney glanced at Lynette beside him, and she took over the conversation at this moment, saying:
"Now we want to save people, as many as possible... save more people."
"Indeed, regarding this nation and the disaster its people may face, I believe you and I are on the same side emotionally."
"So... I think as long as we don't reveal our identities, we might be able to become very good friends."
"I didn't want to 'lie' to you, so I chose to... 'conceal'."
"Truth is important, but if we always reveal the truth, we'll waste a lot of effort."
Hearing this, Traveler fell into thought.
Putting herself in their shoes, if Traveler had known from the beginning that Lyney was a member of the House of the Hearth, she might not have said another word to him.
Under this broad definition, if Lyney truly wanted to save as many people of Fontaine as possible, his attitude towards Traveler should be like this.
Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius, the Traveler who directly confronted a god, closely connected with the Liyue Qixing, a crucial force in resolving the Vision Hunt Decree, the first sage of the Lesser Lord Kusanali... With these halos stacked, for Lyney, Traveler was a power he had to leverage.
So... what he just said was actually valid.
Thinking of this, Traveler nodded slightly, but this did not mean she had let down her guard against these two people with "prior records."
"Who's to say... everything you just said isn't a lie?"
Traveler asked in a deep voice.
Hearing Traveler's rhetorical question, Lyney fell into dejection and silence, slowly speaking after a long pause:
"Yes... So whether it's a lie or not will be for you to judge."
After saying this, Lyney paused slightly, then returned to his previous relaxed state.
"Oh dear, if I were you, I probably wouldn't be able to trust this guy named Lyney anymore."
"A coincidental meeting, a Fatui identity, a magician by profession, performing acts of deception..."
"But please, still believe me, at least in this case... I am absolutely not the culprit."
"I'm sorry, but... please forgive me."
Lynette echoed him.
Looking at the two people in front of her, Traveler fell into contemplation.
Actually, from Yuto's words... she had vaguely felt that something was amiss, as if something had been overlooked.
Whether Lyney and Lynette could truly be called friends was beside the point; considering the current situation, she was their defense attorney, so... at least these matters had to be completed.
Thinking of this, Traveler pulled back Paimon, who was about to erupt, and softly said:
"First, explain the other question: during the magic show... where did you go?"
Traveler's words made Paimon instantly stop what she was about to say, and then she changed the subject:
"Exactly, first let's hear your answer. If you want to earn our trust, tell us everything honestly!"
Lyney nodded, "Of course, I'll tell you whatever you ask."
"We've always wanted to know how the Oratrice Mecanique D'analyse Cardinale works, why it has self-awareness, and can accurately pronounce all crimes?"
"Later, during our investigation, we learned that beneath the Oratrice Mecanique D'analyse Cardinale, there is a core."
"From that moment on, Lynette and I began designing the exchange box magic, with the true purpose of getting close to that core."