"..."
Navia's words left both Clorinde and Furina in silence, while the audience below focused their gaze on her.
As the head of the Spina di Rosula, one of the top guilds in Fontaine, Cares's combat prowess was naturally not to be underestimated.
Furthermore, given the previous deduction that Cares was capable of disarming the 'third party' and taking their gun, his combat ability was self-evident.
Furina looked at the expectant audience below, then at Clorinde beside her, cleared her throat, and said,
"Uh, so during the duel… could you sense that Cares was trying to die?"
"Yes, I could."
Clorinde nodded, gently closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, seemingly recalling the situation at the time.
Even today, whenever she recalled the duel… she felt suffocated.
What kind of belief could make a person abandon their desire for life?
After hearing Navia's words, Clorinde understood.
It was love; it was responsibility.
It was a Father's love for his daughter, and a guild leader's sense of responsibility.
Thinking of this, she slowly opened her eyes, looked firmly at Furina in front of her, and said softly,
"As a Duel Proxy, I have experienced countless battles and personally ended the lives of countless dishonorable individuals."
"I have also seen various forms of people's desire for life: fervent, steadfast, frantic, twisted…"
"So I can tell at a glance who is fighting to live and who is seeking death."
With that, Clorinde looked at the audience below, seemingly wanting to make public the truth that had been silently held in her heart for three years.
"I swear by my identity as a Duel Proxy and the honor of the Shadow Hunter, Cares had no intention of surviving!"
Hearing Clorinde's words, Navia gently closed her eyes, and a glimmer of crystal tears slipped from the corner of her eye.
Just as she had said, what she needed was not guilt or care, but someone to step forward and clear her Father's name.
This was enough.
At this moment, the Opera House was uncharacteristically quiet; one might even say… the atmosphere was heavy.
A Father who sacrificed his life to protect his daughter deserved their respect.
But because this was also the Opera House, and the Judgment had begun, it had to continue.
Furina took a deep breath, then looked at Neuvillette and said softly,
"If that is the case, I have no other questions. It seems that the past incident truly has value and necessity for a reinvestigation…"
Neuvillette nodded gently.
"I agree as well. However, Ms. Navia, you have not yet told us the connection between this case and your accuser, Mr. Marcel."
As Neuvillette raised his question, the audience below finally realized… what they were watching.
"That was a great speech, but does it have any necessary connection to the 'Missing Girls Case'? Besides the Primordial Sea Water… there doesn't seem to be any further connection."
"Indeed, perhaps there were two groups using this item: one was the killer, and the other was the illicit drug organization from last time."
"Uh… I actually don't care about this; I just want to know if I can hear the conclusion of the 'Missing Girls Case,' otherwise I'd feel quite cheated."
Navia ignored these remarks and looked firmly at Neuvillette, saying softly,
"Of course there is. The relevance of these two cases lies in—'Timing'."
"Just as Mr. Yuto analyzed, the first shot came from the 'third party,' and the second shot came from Cares in self-defense."
"In the mastermind's plan, to kill Cares and Jacques, he had to hear two gunshots."
"And at the last moment of Mr. Lyney's Judgment a few days ago, the culprit also decided to have that person dissolve in public only when his identity was about to be exposed."
"If the culprit were not present, it would be impossible to grasp the timing so precisely."
With that, Navia looked at Yuto beside her, signaling him to state the final conclusion.
Yuto nodded knowingly, then took out two lists from his pocket, each stamped with the seals of the Security Patrol and the Marechaussee Phantom, and waved them towards the audience.
"These two lists in my hand: one is the guest registration list from the banquet three years ago, from the Security Patrol."
"And the other is the audience list for Mr. Lyney's Judgment a few days ago."
"After comparing the two lists, we found one person among them, and that is… Marcel."
Hearing Yuto's words, Marcel nodded gently, then feigned a sigh.
"So that's why I'm suspected… sigh, even knowing it now, it still feels a bit unbelievable."
"But I'm used to it. Navia, you've always been impulsive since you were little, easily controlled by emotions, which is also what makes you charming."
"I suppose… that's also why you were able to persuade Assistant Administrator Yuto to be your Licensed Agent."
With that, Marcel lowered his head, thought for a moment, then looked up and said,
"Even if all those assumptions just now are valid, there's a very important question… can someone who isn't present necessarily fail to grasp the timing?"
"Fontaine's mechanical technology is among the best in Teyvat, and achieving remote surveillance and eavesdropping is not difficult."
"Moreover, with the existence of elemental power, Vision Holders of Anemo and Electro attributes could do it, couldn't they, if it's just surveillance and eavesdropping?"
As Marcel's words fell, the Oratrice Mecanique D'analyse Cardinale, which had been leaning heavily on the stage, gradually tilted, finally leaning slightly towards Navia.
Seemingly noticing this, Marcel nodded slightly, then said with a sigh of regret,
"Ah… to be accused of being your Father's killer by the child you loved most, who wouldn't feel disheartened?"
"Never mind, consider it a lesson for you."
Marcel gently shook his head, as if he truly wasn't a villain, but an elder concerned about his junior.
"Do you know what your biggest loophole is?"
"Where?"
Navia subconsciously retorted.
"Still 'Timing'."
"Friends familiar with the Kabrie Commercial Guild should know that I came to Fontaine from Snezhnaya."
"Initially, I ran a small business in Beryl Region, and it was only with Cares's support that I gradually reached my current position."
"I am a merchant, a businessman. I have no motive for making girls disappear; there's no profit in doing this, and the risks are high."
"Moreover… the Missing Girls Case had already occurred before I even arrived in Fontaine, hadn't it?"
Hearing Marcel's words, Navia's pupils slightly contracted, seemingly surprised by Marcel's statement, then she lowered her head and began to ponder this point.
She could clearly feel that he was changing the subject.
In other words… the key now was to attack him with evidence related to Vasher, rather than debating with him.
Seemingly seeing Navia frowning in thought, a subtle curve appeared at the corner of Marcel's mouth.
In his opinion, what if you, Navia, investigated ever so thoroughly? As long as this 'skin' wasn't peeled off, the things he did could never be discovered.
Thinking of this, he once again put on the disheartened expression of an elder towards a junior, saying with
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