Just as Yuto had predicted, not long after he left, Lumine and Neuvillette, who had emerged from the Opera House together, saw Vasher kneeling in pain.
...And Esmond, who stood by, unable to pull him up.
"Ugh... What's wrong with this guy? Wasn't he just acting like no one understood him? Why is he so pathetic now?"
Paimon looked at Vasher, who was kneeling on the ground, and then at Esmond as if asking a question.
Esmond sighed softly, then relayed everything Yuto had said earlier.
After hearing those words, Paimon immediately nodded her small head in agreement.
"Exactly! This guy is a serious criminal; making demands is already outrageous! What's more, Yuto is the victim, so why should he tell him!"
Neuvillette glanced at Vasher, who was kneeling on the ground, and shook his head gently.
Even the usually benevolent and gentle Yuto had made such a decision... so he didn't need to feel any pity for this guy.
"Is this what you meant by... 'pity without value or necessity'?"
Neuvillette said softly, then looked up at Vasher, who was still kneeling, feeling a bit puzzled.
"So... humans really will go against their survival instincts for spiritual needs..."
Neuvillette stroked his chin, lost in thought.
While Paimon was indignant about this, Lumine was pondering the last sentence Yuto had left her.
He had given her the final choice, allowing her to decide whether to tell Vasher the information.
"After drinking the primordial sea water, approach Lucine Fountain, and you will hear that voice."
This simple sentence... should she say it or not?
Soon, Lumine came to her answer: no.
She wasn't a cruel person, but for Vasher... she felt not a shred of sympathy.
Moreover, Vasher was a serious criminal, constantly killing for his own selfish desires, and even manufacturing addictive lesse to sell, causing many families to be ruined.
Such a person... should spend the rest of his life in regret.
Thinking this, Lumine nodded gently and, after a brief farewell to Neuvillette, left the Opera House with Paimon.
For her now, Navia's celebration banquet was far more appealing than letting Vasher see Vignier.
Neuvillette watched Lumine's receding figure and gently shook his head.
All of this development was within his expectations.
To be honest, even he himself felt that... Vasher shouldn't, and didn't deserve, any redemption.
"No one... can forgive the perpetrator on behalf of the victim."
Neuvillette said softly, then had the Melusine near the Opera House summon a few guard mechs to directly escort away Vasher, who was kneeling on the ground, weeping bitterly.
...
The reason Lumine could hear "Vignier's" voice was essentially because she had drunk the primordial sea water, and her consciousness had slightly overlapped with the Primordial Sea, allowing her to hear the calls to Vasher.
So, Vasher didn't need any special method now; he just needed to pass by Lucine Fountain to hear those calls.
Under the escort of two guard mechs, one Melusine, and Neuvillette and Esmond, Vasher quickly accepted his fate as if his soul had been lost, until... they passed by Lucine Fountain.
"Vasher..."
Vasher, who had resigned himself to never hearing Vignier's voice again in his life, suddenly heard this familiar yet ethereal voice.
He abruptly looked up, staring in disbelief at the Lucine Fountain before him, and shouted loudly:
"Vignier?! It's me! I'm Vasher, Vignier!"
As Vasher spoke, he struggled frantically, trying to break free from the mechs' restraints.
"Vasher... Vasher..."
As the calls grew more urgent, Vasher's struggles became increasingly violent, as if he was trying to tear off the mechanical arms.
Perhaps because his once-dead will was reignited by these calls, Vasher actually broke free from the two guard mechs' restraints and scrambled to the edge of Lucine Fountain.
The two guard mechs seemed to want to go forward and grab Vasher, but Neuvillette stopped them.
"Perhaps it's a coincidence, or perhaps... this is fate."
Neuvillette gently shook his head, quietly waiting to witness the final fate of this heinous individual.
Under those increasingly urgent calls, Vasher had lost all reason.
"I'm here... I'm here! Vignier, where are you? I'm coming to find you..."
With that, Vasher plunged into Lucine Fountain without hesitation.
With a splash, Vasher collapsed into Lucine Fountain, unconscious.
...
When Vasher woke up for the second time, he found himself in a watery blue space.
He slowly stood up, walking forward while calling out:
"Vignier... is that you? It's me, Vasher, Vignier..."
As if summoned by Vasher's voice, a Hydro Eidolon suddenly appeared before him.
"Vasher... why did you come? I told you, you didn't need to come..."
"No, if only you weren't here..."
The Hydro Eidolon whispered softly.
"What... did you say?"
Vasher asked incredulously; he found it hard to believe... his lover would say such a thing.
"If it weren't for you, I could have finished my law degree and, under the guidance of that Assistant Administrator, become a first-rate Licensed Agent."
"If it weren't for you, I could have continued my painting dream, and one day the Momang Hall would be filled with my paintings..."
"Without you, I could at least have stayed with my mother, not letting her die alone and in tears..."
"Vignier's" tone grew more sorrowful. She took a deep breath, then uttered the conclusion that broke Vasher's heart.
"All of this is because of your selfishness, Vasher, all because of you!"
Her voice suddenly turned hateful, as she gritted her teeth and spoke to the man before her.
"No... you're not Vignier at all, who are you?! Where's Vignier?!"
"That's right, I'm not Vignier, I am... a 'Sacrifice'."
"Every girl who died by your hand, her consciousness has, with the dissipation of her flesh, returned to the Primordial Sea."
"Our consciousnesses flow ceaselessly within the Primordial Sea, no longer dispersed, finally merging into one like converging streams of water."
"I am Cressy, I am Lilomoni, I am Azerena..."
"But uniquely... I am not Vignier."
Hearing this death-sentence-like declaration, Vasher found it difficult to accept for a moment.
"Then... where is Vignier? Where did she go?"
"She doesn't want to see you again; every wisp of consciousness related to her is avoiding you."
"Don't you understand? 'I' once said not to let you come find her; that not only meant she didn't want to see you, but also her... last shred of mercy towards you."
"Because she knew that once you came here, 'we' would absolutely not let you go!"
"Vasher... Vasher... Vasher..."
Countless repeating whispers entangled Vasher's ears, and the figures of the young girls who had died by his hand now continuously appeared and assailed him.
"Vasher..."
"Die."
------------------------
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