Vacher's End

The moment the culprit and evidence were both caught, everything became simple.

Afterward, Chevreuse escorted the man named Marcel while Clorinde took the relevant evidence, and they headed to the Palais Mermonia, where Neuvillette was.

Then, all of Fontaine was urgently notified of the trial for the perpetrator of a major cold case, which began at the Opera Epiclese a few hours later.

A few hours later, at the Opera Epiclese.

After Marcel's feeble excuses and cries of injustice, the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale declared him guilty, bringing this incident to an early end thanks to Wu Wanghai.

Having gone through another nerve-racking trial, Wu Wanghai finally relaxed his tightly wound nerves.

The true culprit, Vacher—also the merchant association president Marcel—was, just as in the story, escorted by the Gardes from the Opera Epiclese to the Fortress of Meropide.

Wu Wanghai followed them out and saw Navia beside them, her brows slightly furrowed and her mood clearly foul.

Wu Wanghai sighed. Indeed, her father had also disappeared because of the Primordial Sea Water. And the person she had trusted for so many years had turned out to be the murderer who betrayed her father...

Navia left with her two black-clad bodyguards.

Wu Wanghai pursed his lips, feeling rather miserable himself.

He had still arrived too late. In the innermost experimental room, there had only been a pile of girls' clothing and a puddle of clear water.

If only he had arrived a little earlier, one fewer girl would have been sacrificed.

Furina was not in a good mood either. She had not expected the water capable of dissolving Fontaine to appear after all. That meant the prophecy was not far from coming to pass.

Furina quietly slipped away while no one was paying attention, and Clorinde, who had been beside her, also departed without a sound.

In the lobby just inside the opera house's main entrance, the escorted Marcel suddenly broke free and ran ahead of the Gardes.

"Hey, what are you doing?! Stop him!" a Garde shouted.

Marcel ran to a spot not far from Wu Wanghai and shouted, "Wait, you! Yes, you!"

"Huh? You mean me? What is it?" Wu Wanghai asked suspiciously. Was this guy looking to settle scores with him?

"Resisting law enforcement will only add to your sentence!" A Garde ran to Marcel's side.

"I just want to say something to him. I have no intention of escaping! Please, please give me a little time." Marcel spread his hands in plea.

At that moment, Neuvillette, who had come out last, arrived as well. Seeing the situation, he said, "Let him speak."

"Thank you, thank you." After thanking Neuvillette and the Gardes, Marcel said to Wu Wanghai, "When I was being escorted just now, something suddenly occurred to me. How did you learn the name Vacher? I should have erased all records completely, unless there is one possibility..."

Wu Wanghai watched Marcel fall into thought. He could hardly tell him that he knew because he had read the story.

But there really was one explanation. "That's right. I met that person."

Wu Wanghai had forgotten what the water spirit who spoke to him was called. Had she never told him?

Marcel's voice rose, filled with urgency and disbelief. "You! Are you telling the truth?! You've seen her? How is that possible? How did you manage to see her?"

"At the Fountain of Lucine outside, by relying on my perception of Hydro." Wu Wanghai pointed outside.

"The Fountain of Lucine? You're saying... she has been so close to me all along? And yet I..." Marcel was filled with regret.

Suddenly, Marcel turned to Neuvillette and begged, "Please, give me a chance. Let him take me to see her. This is the one request of my life. You may deal with me however you wish afterward."

"You're getting a little carried away, aren't you? A felon on a major sentence still has this many demands?" A Garde pointed at Marcel.

"Is this request as important to you as your life?" Neuvillette asked.

"Yes! No, it is more important than my life!" Marcel said.

Could humans truly defy their instinct for survival for the sake of spiritual desires?

Neuvillette considered this, then nodded. "Very well. I grant your request."

"Lord Neuvillette, this may be..." The Garde hesitated.

"I will go with him as well. You need not worry about being held responsible should the prisoner escape."

"Ah, understood. With Lord Neuvillette there, I am certainly at ease," the Garde said.

"Thank you, thank you, my lord," Marcel said gratefully.

Watching their exchange, Wu Wanghai suddenly remembered the ending Marcel was supposed to have.

He should also fulfill their request and bring Vacher over!

And this ending was far more fitting than merely sending him to prison.

Everyone stood beside the Fountain of Lucine, while the Gardes kept watch from a distance to prevent any accidents.

"Is this the place...? You said she is here, but what exactly must I do to see her?" Marcel asked.

Of course Wu Wanghai knew the answer to that question.

He himself had never drunk Primordial Sea Water. He had managed it merely by enhancing his perception of Hydro.

"Didn't you drink a lot of Primordial Sea Water back then? As long as you drink that stuff, theoretically..." Wu Wanghai said, but to be safe, he unleashed the burst he had charged up again during the previous battle.

"Water Park!"

This time, the burst's range just barely enveloped the three people, including Neuvillette.

Neuvillette slightly raised his left hand. This blue light could actually improve even his control and perception of Hydro, despite him being the Hydro Dragon.

At that moment, a soft call rang out before the three of them.

"Vacher~"

Marcel drew closer to the Fountain of Lucine in delight. "Vigneire! It's me! I'm Vacher, Vigneire!"

"Vacher... Vacher..." The gentle voice grew weak, before seeming to shout with all its remaining strength.

"I'm here~ I'm here!... Where are you, Vigneire? I'm coming to find you..." Marcel's excited voice trembled.

As he spoke, Marcel—Vacher—ran into the Fountain of Lucine and collapsed.

Wu Wanghai spread his hands and looked at Neuvillette. Well, he did not have an omniscient perspective now!

Neuvillette had not expected to hear the water spirit's voice as well, and was somewhat surprised. But this man...

Neuvillette began to ponder.

"The girls in those missing-person cases became puddles of water because of Vacher's experiments. Their consciousnesses continued to drift through the water, gathering together, then separating from one another," Wu Wanghai roughly explained to Neuvillette beside him.

"His Vigneire is no longer Vigneire. The resentment of all those girls will take Vacher away. Only then can it be considered true justice being carried out. Can a lifetime in prison really soothe the souls of the departed?"

"Good will be rewarded, and evil will be repaid... I have finally brought this suffering to an early end."

After Wu Wanghai finished speaking, he saw Vacher's face twist in agony in the distance. Then his head suddenly drooped. He seemed to have lost all signs of life.

Neuvillette listened to Wu Wanghai's words and saw that Vacher had already stopped breathing before him. He called for the Gardes to carry him away and take him to the Fortress of Meropide so a doctor could examine him.

Perhaps true justice had already been carried out, but the formal procedures still had to be followed.