As Marcel asked those two questions, the audience once again "switched sides" and began to denounce Miss Navia.
"So, this is slandering a good person, is it?"
"Sigh... I thought there was some explosive content, but it's just this?"
"Even if the former boss of Spina di Rosula was wronged... this Miss Navia will have to bear the crime of slander and defamation~"
Click—click—click—
With the sound of gears turning, the Oratrice, which had been slightly tilted, gradually leveled out, its attitude... self-evident.
Listening to the fickle remarks from below, Mr. Yuto's brows furrowed slightly.
He wasn't angry because of these utterly baseless words, but because he couldn't expose this old man's true nature right now.
Luminae hadn't brought the key evidence yet, and even if he were to step forward now and reveal that Marcel was Vasher... he probably wouldn't admit it.
Thinking of this, Mr. Yuto slightly tightened his grip on his cane.
Although he held the esteemed position of Assistant Administrator and had considerable prestige in Fontaine, the Opera House was a place where evidence spoke, not prestige.
Precisely because of this identity, he couldn't be so... reckless.
"Never mind... I'll wait a bit longer. Once this fellow says the words that correspond to the 'script,' I'll play my trump card directly."
Mr. Yuto nodded gently, his tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and the expression on his face returned to calm once more.
And his change in expression was noticed by Furina, who had kept her gaze fixed on Mr. Yuto since the debate began.
The young woman tilted her head slightly in confusion, thinking to herself:
"Could it be... Mr. Yuto has another trump card he hasn't played? Did he actually investigate everything? Or is it that..."
"He already knew the outcome of all this?"
...
Looking at the silent Mr. Yuto and Miss Navia before him, Marcel secretly rejoiced.
The moment he saw Mr. Yuto, he thought that something he had done had been discovered by this Assistant Administrator who had lived for over four hundred years, but now it seemed... heh heh.
However, he still couldn't relax his guard, because the Oratrice hadn't fully sided with him. What he needed to do now... was to make the Oratrice lean towards him.
Not only that, he also had to pretend to be understanding and forgiving towards Miss Navia.
This way... the only person capable of investigating his misdeeds would be completely powerless.
Thinking of this, Marcel continued to speak:
"Your analysis of Mr. Cares's emotional journey back then, I find it very reasonable."
"But what you are doing now, isn't it betraying his expectations?"
"He hoped you could be more rational, calmer, more thorough, and not always focus only on yourself!"
"When you understand how to consider others, how to no longer be controlled by impulse, your Father should already be satisfied."
Marcel spoke earnestly, as if he truly were an elder who cared for Miss Navia.
Hearing this, Miss Navia slowly closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and softly said:
"This was never just about me, it hasn't been for a long time..."
"The biggest difference between me and the countless victims in this whole affair is that I have the ability to seek the truth, and they don't."
"Those whose families were broken because of lesse, those who lost their dearest loved ones because of the Serial Disappearance of Young Girls, those who were purged for their sense of justice..."
"Innumerable names flash through my mind, and I'm sure names have flashed through the minds of those present as well..."
"What did you think of, Marcel?"
The eyes of the young woman, like a yellow rose, became incredibly sharp at this moment. She stared intently at the hypocritical old man before her, let out a sneer, and then whispered:
"Was it 'Vasher'?"
Upon hearing these two words, Marcel's pupils instantly contracted to pinprick size, as if that name were an unspeakable taboo to him.
But by the time he tried to act as if nothing was wrong... it was too late.
His every move was already exposed in the sight of Mr. Yuto and Miss Navia.
Looking at Marcel's abnormal behavior, Mr. Yuto sneered and said:
"You really do know that name, don't you..."
"No, no, Mr. Yuto, I was just surprised to hear Miss Navia mention a... completely unfamiliar name."
"Could it be that Mr. Cares's case is going to involve another poor soul?"
Hearing this, Mr. Yuto gently shook his head, a subtle smile appearing on his face.
He knew, the time had come.
Just as Mr. Yuto was about to say something, a slightly hurried footsteps mixed with the sound of security officers came from the passage.
Everyone in the Opera House turned their gaze to the passage where the sound came from, wanting to see what was happening.
"Miss, you cannot...!"
A pure white figure quickly ran to the central aisle of the auditorium, while Paimon held up the red notebook she had just obtained from that laboratory and shouted loudly:
"Navia! We're here!"
Paimon said this while handing the notebook to the security officer beside her, who understood Paimon's meaning and quickly ran towards the accusation stand with the notebook.
Looking at the two figures, Mr. Yuto's smile became even more pronounced.
However, this smile did not last long. He immediately gave Neuvillette an apologetic look, seemingly sorry for his 'teammate's' actions.
Neuvillette glanced at Mr. Yuto, sighed slightly, and helplessly rubbed his forehead:
"How many more times will this kind of disorderly conduct be staged?"
Hearing Neuvillette's words, Furina finally shifted her long-held gaze from Mr. Yuto, shrugging indifferently and saying:
"It's fine, Neuvillette. Since they're so confident, they must have found the most crucial evidence."
And at this moment, Mr. Yuto also received the red notebook brought by the security officer.
He quickly scanned it, then closed it with a "snap" and said with a sneer:
"'Unfamiliar name,' huh... If that's the case, Mr. Marcel, do you know the name 'Vignier'?"
"Wh-?!"
Mr. Yuto looked at Marcel, who was utterly shocked by the name 'Vignier,' with a hint of amusement, then scoffed and said in unison with Luminae:
"Marcel, of course you're not familiar with someone named 'Vasher,' because..."
"You are 'Vasher'!"
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