"So, what's next?"
Marcel curled the corners of his mouth in self-deprecation, his gaze hollowly fixed on the pale ceiling, as if waiting for the final verdict, or perhaps as if he no longer cared.
"How do you plan to deal with me?"
King did not answer, instead turning and walking toward the heavy alloy door.
His pace was steady, and from beginning to end, he did not look back at Marcel once.
Outside the door, there was silence.
Everyone's gaze was focused on King, who had just walked out.
There were still traces of undried tears in Furina's eyes.
Neuvillette's expression was solemn.
Clorinde and Lynette were suppressing their killing intent.
Lumine pursed her lips tightly, while Paimon lay weakly against her chest, her head aching severely, her small hands clutching her chest tightly.
Charlotte's Kamera lens trembled slightly as it pointed at King.
[Ding! Detected super admiration and extreme anger from Charlotte, Emotion Points +15,000.]
[Ding! Detected multiple extremely complex emotions from Furina (self-blame, sadness, anger, determination...), Emotion Points +20,000.]
[Ding! Detected super recognition and extreme praise from Neuvillette, Emotion Points +15,000.]
[Ding! Detected extreme worship from Clorinde, Emotion Points +20,000.]
[Ding! Detected extreme admiration from Lynette, Emotion Points +20,000.]
[Ding! Detected slight shock and super deep thought from Lumine, Emotion Points +25,000.]
[Ding! Detected super anger, extreme sadness, and slight loss of control from Paimon, Emotion Points +600,000.]
King didn't bother listening to the noise the system was making.
His gaze swept over everyone and finally landed on Neuvillette, his voice clear and steady as it spread through the oppressive silence:
"Announce his crimes to all of Fontaine, word for word."
"'Vacher' and 'Marcel'—"
"Let these two names be forever carved on the pillar of shame in Fontaine's history, becoming synonymous with 'evil' to warn future generations."
"And one more thing..."
"Remember not to mention 'Vigneire'."
"She has no connection to Marcel."
"She was just an unfortunate girl who met with disaster."
Neuvillette nodded, the cold lights of the Meropide Hold corridor reflected in his deep blue eyes. He spoke in a low, clear voice:
"It should be so."
"Evil must reveal its true form under the sunlight, and justice must be served in the eyes of the public."
"I will take him to the Opera Epiclese."
"To begin the trial—"
"A public trial!"
"This concerns the future of Fontaine; it will be an unprecedented trial."
"We must let everyone witness with their own eyes what the end of evil looks like."
He turned to Furina, his gaze questioning:
"Lady Furina, the Supreme Trial will begin at the Opera Epiclese tomorrow at noon. What are your thoughts?"
"That is exactly what I want!!"
Furina straightened her back, though her eyes were still slightly red:
"I want everyone in Fontaine to see clearly what kind of end this demon in human skin will receive!!"
Her gaze fell on King, her eyes full of reliance.
Furina knew clearly that without King, all of this would still be submerged in darkness.
"King,"
Furina took a deep breath: "Tomorrow, can you attend the trial with me?"
King nodded without saying much.
Although he didn't like crowded occasions, things had developed to this point, and he had already been drawn into the center of the whirlpool.
He could not avoid this trial, nor did he want to.
Once the three pinnacles of power in Fontaine had made their decision,
The massive state machine immediately began to operate frantically around tomorrow's trial.
Orders were issued from Meropide Hold.
Through the Equitable Judgment, Special Patrol, Opera Epiclese, and other systems, the news quickly spread to every corner of Fontaine.
Overnight, the entire city of Fontaine seemed like cold water thrown into boiling oil, completely erupting.
Emergency extras of "The Steambird" were printed overnight, flying into streets and alleys with the scent of fresh ink.
Charlotte used her sharpest and most sorrowful penmanship to disclose every detail of the Serial Disappearances of Young Women.
On the front page, the shocking headline and Marcel's portrait shattered the existing perceptions of countless people.
"Philanthropist? Demon!"
"True Culprit of the Serial Disappearances of Young Women Brought to justice; Marcel (Real Name Vacher), President of the Cabrerets Trading Company, Captured!"
"Over Seventeen Years, Twenty-Nine Young Women Tragically Dissolved, All for a Mad Obsession!"
Hydro Archon Furina Enraged, fontaines strongest man King to Attend, Iudex Neuvillette to Personally Preside; Public Trial Tomorrow at the Opera Epiclese!"
Astonishment, anger, fear, lingering dread, sadness... all sorts of emotions spread and fermented in the night air of Fontaine.
People who once had dealings with Marcel were filled with anxiety.
Those who had received "favors" from Marcel were eager to clear their names.
The families of the victims, after a long search, were completely heartbroken—
Cries and accusations rose and fell in the night.
Even though it was already late at night, a huge number of Fontaine citizens still flooded the streets, gathering in front of bulletin boards, discussing and cursing incessantly.
The calls for severe punishment for the murderer rose wave after wave. Trust in Furina and Neuvillette, as well as worship for that "Lord Su Ze" who dragged out the demon, also reached a peak.
The Opera Epiclese was decorated overnight.
The grayish-white color symbolizing judgment was solemn and dignified.
All seats were reserved in advance, and even in the square outside the opera house, huge audio-visual transmission devices were set up to ensure that citizens who could not enter the theater could watch simultaneously.
That night, Fontaine was sleepless... The next day, at noon.
Sunlight pierced through the thin clouds over Fontaine, shining on the Opera Epiclese.
It made the solemn gates shine brilliantly, as if the Sun God himself were looking down.
Inside the Tribunal, it was crowded as never before.
Every inch of space was filled with angry citizens.
The auditorium could no longer be described as "full."
People were shoulder to shoulder, and even the corridors, stairs, and any place where one could stand were packed with people.
A silent and oppressive anger was like a physical thick cloud, weighing heavily on everyone's heart.
Everyone's gaze was focused on the central judge's bench and the empty defendant's dock.
Furina and Neuvillette were already in place.
Today, Furina wore an extremely solemn pure white divine outfit.
On the hem of her skirt were embroidered silver water ripples and scale patterns. She wore a small crown inlaid with sapphires, and her heterochromatic eyes looked down calmly, no longer showing their usual smile, but only the majesty belonging to a deity.
She sat quietly on the high-backed chair belonging to the Hydro Archon, her hands folded on her lap, like a god guarding justice.
Neuvillette was still in his meticulous Iudex uniform, holding his cane and standing on the judgment platform.
His expression was cold, his blue pupils like a Frozen deep sea, and he exuded an awe-inspiring aura that made people afraid to look directly at him.
Today, he was the incarnation of Fontaine's laws, the executor of justice.
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