With Kelly's help, Navia, Lyney, and Lynette uncovered multiple secretly constructed laboratories within Fontaine's borders, each revealing increasingly disturbing secrets.
First, they discovered body samples from people of various nations, with Fontainians being the most numerous.
In addition to human samples, there were also specimens from several unique races, though Melusine accounted for the majority.
Then came the bodies of magical creatures, but the samples were surprisingly scarce, perhaps indicating the researchers' limited interest in such beings.
Beyond these gruesome displays, the records detailed their experiments:
Dissections, human experimentation, brain surgeries...
Upon reviewing the experimental records, Lyney and Lynette experienced an overwhelming sense of déjà vu, prompting them to investigate further. They confirmed that the laboratory had been established by a mysterious faction operating within Fontaine, rather than being a secret base secretly set up in Fontaine by the Doctor, Dottore.
This possibility couldn't be ruled out entirely. Although Dottore primarily operated in Sumeru, he maintained a keen interest in conducting experiments in other nations as well. It was highly likely that he had one or more secret laboratories in Fontaine.
If these clandestine facilities were exposed due to an accident, the slight improvement in the Fatui's reputation among Fontaine's citizens would immediately crumble, potentially even worsening.
Realizing this, Lyney and Lynette promptly informed Arlecchino of their concerns.
Arlecchino showed no discernible reaction, leaving Lyney and Lynette uncertain about her stance. However, they soon set the matter aside, recognizing that issues involving a Harbinger were beyond their current rank to intervene in.
Afterward, they discovered several more secret hideouts. Though they engaged in numerous minor skirmishes, they never faced a truly challenging battle. Moreover, No. 2 and No. 6 had yet to reappear, and the even more mysterious No. 1, who existed only in experimental reports, remained elusive.
As for the other individuals identified by numerical designations, they hadn't encountered any of them, nor had they uncovered any leads.
Thus, despite the operation's continued success, the group's unease grew steadily. They sensed that the matter couldn't end so easily; their opponents still had too many hidden cards left to play, making a retreat now seem highly unlikely.
Conversely, the Fontaine citizens' sense of security steadily increased. Every day brought a barrage of news reports highlighting the recent operation's achievements.
To restore public trust, Fontaine's high command instructed news outlets to spare no effort in praising the Maison Gardiennage and the Court of Justice for their outstanding recent performance.
Under this relentless media barrage, the people of Fontaine gradually regained confidence in their authorities, returning to leisurely strolls through the streets, and the crime rate noticeably plummeted.
As time passed, the streets became teeming with crowds—a result of the people's long-suppressed spirits finally being released. Even on weekdays, the number of pedestrians far exceeded previous levels.
This was precisely the outcome Fontaine's high command had hoped for. Although Lyney doubted that allowing such unrestrained activity was wise before the mysterious faction had been completely eradicated, he had no interest in meddling in another nation's internal affairs.
Beyond these concerns, the group had forged a strong and amicable partnership with Kelly through their joint operations. Her resilient spirit and striking beauty earned their genuine admiration.
Lyney couldn't help but recall Arlecchino's recent warning to heed Kelly's cryptic words. Glancing at Kelly, who looked slightly pale from pushing herself too hard, he murmured to himself, "It seems Father was being overly cautious. I've spent enough time with Miss Kelly to be absolutely certain she genuinely wants to help us find a new laboratory."
"Since she's risking her life to help us so wholeheartedly, there's no way she's acting in bad faith."
"What's wrong, Brother?"
Lynette's voice snapped Lyney back to reality. He looked up at her concerned expression and shook his head.
"It's nothing."
Because Arlecchino had spoken to him privately, he couldn't share the matter with Lynette—a strict rule he had to abide by.
Lynette didn't press further. Instead, she unfolded a map and pointed to a spot.
"Miss Kelly has already found our next hideout. It's roughly in this area."
Lyney studied the location carefully and nodded, then began preparing for their departure.
Navia had already left for another potential hideout, a considerable distance from the map's marked location. It was unlikely they'd see her return this time.
Having carried out numerous missions already, the group required little preparation time and set off once again.
Approximately an hour after Lyney's group departed, Neuvillette received exhilarating news from the Melusine:
Vinani had awakened!
Neuvillette hurried down the corridor and soon arrived outside Vinani's hospital room.
Knock, knock.
"Come in," a familiar voice called from within. Forcing down his inner joy, Neuvillette slowly opened the door.
As expected, Vinani, who had been unconscious for nearly a month, was now out of bed, standing by the window. A Melusine doctor was beside her, conducting various medical examinations.
Vinani's complexion was still somewhat pale due to the prolonged coma, but her vital signs had remained stable throughout.
Appearing to have only recently awakened, Vinani's expression was slightly dazed.
"Monsieur Neuvillette," Vinani said, her face immediately becoming respectful as she recognized the figure entering the room.
"How are you feeling?" Neuvillette asked urgently.
"Thank you for your concern, Monsieur Neuvillette. I feel well. There's nothing bothering me physically."
Hearing Vinani's words, Neuvillette nodded. He then shifted his gaze from Vinani to the Melusine doctor beside her, who promptly responded with her assessment.
"I'm conducting a thorough examination of Miss Vinani's body, but so far I haven't found anything abnormal."
Neuvillette's mood lightened slightly. He then engaged Vinani in conversation about other matters, to which she replied demurely and attentively.
Neuvillette refrained from pressing Vinani about what had happened to her. He understood that the incident might be an indelible wound on her heart, and he wanted to give her time to heal.
Finally, after waiting until the Melusine Doctor had completed her full examination of Vinani and found no abnormalities, Neuvillette prepared to leave.
"Rest well. I'll arrange for your friends to visit you soon," he reassured her. As he turned to leave, he felt a tug on the hem of his robe.
"Monsieur Neuvillette... is he... alright?" Vinani asked timidly.
Taken aback by her hesitant question, Neuvillette paused briefly before deciding not to conceal the truth.
"The Maison Gardiennage officer named Henry is still unconscious, just as you were earlier."
"But you don't need to worry too much. His physical condition is quite stable, and I believe he'll wake up soon."
Vinani's eyes lit up slightly at Neuvillette's words. Seeing this, Neuvillette's gaze suddenly turned melancholic as he once again recalled that unforgettable past.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, may I see him?" Vinani asked.
Her words snapped Neuvillette out of his reverie. He nodded gently.
"Yes, go ahead."
Vinani's face immediately brightened with excitement, and a radiant smile bloomed on her face.
Seeing her regain her smile so quickly, Neuvillette's own expression softened.
"Perhaps your presence by his side will help him wake up sooner."
"If what happened earlier was too painful, don't dwell on it. Let time dull the edges of that experience."
"When you feel ready to face that memory bravely, tell me about it in detail."
"Understood, Monsieur Neuvillette!"
Vinani nodded earnestly, then asked with a hint of curiosity, "Does Monsieur Neuvillette have a past he'd rather not face?"
Neuvillette paused slightly before replying, "Yes, I do as well."
"To this day, I still deeply regret that incident."
"And the recent events also weigh heavily on my mind."
"I understand," Vinani murmured, lowering her head with mature understanding, refraining from pressing further.
Sensing Vinani's newfound quiet demeanor, Neuvillette couldn't help but sigh inwardly. It seemed the impact of her recent experiences wouldn't fade quickly.
"Huh? When did it start raining?" the Melusine Doctor wondered, glancing curiously out the window at the fine, steady rain that had begun to fall.
Neuvillette pondered for a moment before speaking again, "The Maison Gardiennage officer's ward is next door. I'll check on you again after finishing my duties."
With that, Neuvillette departed.
Unbeknownst to him, as his figure receded into the distance, a radiant smile blossomed on Vinani's face—this time, a smile of genuine joy.
-
"How many days has it been now?"
"How long have I been asleep this time?"
Vinani stared up at the familiar white ceiling, her eyes still hazy with confusion.
She had long been moved to a different cell. After determining she posed no threat, her captors had even stopped bothering to restrain her. They simply tossed her into a room cluttered with junk and left her alone, only coming at mealtimes to shove food into her mouth.
Yes, shove.
The thought instantly cleared the dazed look from Vinani's eyes.
At each meal, someone would force her to eat a pile of grotesquely distorted food. The foul-smelling mess was laced with drugs, not even subtly disguised. How could she possibly eat that?!
When she refused, they would simply grab handfuls of the stuff and jam it into her mouth.
Look at this! Is this the kind of thing a human being would do?!
Though, to be fair, the food itself wasn't as revolting as she'd imagined. The taste was merely mediocre.
But the indescribable shape and odor made Vinani feel like she was eating... well, that.
So the question arises: if that tasted like chocolate, would anyone actually eat it?
Even though Melusine's perception was likely the opposite of reality—meaning these things were probably exquisitely crafted—Vinani simply couldn't appreciate them.
And here's another question: would anyone eat chocolate shaped like that?
Vinani, for one, refused. Unfortunately, her resistance was futile. Every time, the other party forcefully shoved the food into her mouth, dealing a massive blow to her fragile little heart.
Eventually, Vinani surrendered, figuring she couldn't escape it anyway. Might as well try to enjoy it... Pah! Pah! Pah!
But to her despair, her captor paid no heed to her words, continuing to force-feed her.
As a result, mealtime became Vinani's greatest dread.
The drugs mixed into her food also made her constantly drowsy. With no way to tell the time, Vinani quickly lost all sense of it.
Despite the lack of timekeeping devices, Vinani could sense that a considerable amount of time had passed.
Initially, she had worried about potential side effects from the drugs, but she eventually stopped dwelling on it, realizing that worrying was pointless anyway.
After all, she was a hostage now!
Though her confinement appeared surprisingly casual, the room—which resembled a storage closet—might have been somewhat cramped and dusty, but it lacked nothing. Vinani had unearthed all the essentials for daily life, even discovering a two-legged mechanical dog to keep her company and pass the time.
She had given the mechanical dog an easy-to-remember name: Little Henry.
If the opportunity arose, Vinani planned to take Little Henry with her when she left.
She was likely the most relaxed hostage in the world.
Not only was she unconcerned about her own safety, but she was even scheming to pilfer some items from the kidnappers' base.
"I wonder how Monsieur Henry is doing now," she mused. "I hope his injuries have healed by now."
Vinani felt only a slight worry deep down. After all, she was living such a leisurely life that she assumed Lofan's situation was similar to hers—teetering on the brink of being forgotten by the kidnappers.
To be honest, Vinani couldn't quite figure out what was happening. Were Fontaine's high command refusing to rescue them, or were the kidnappers simply not using them to threaten Fontaine's authorities?
If it was the former, why hadn't she been killed already?
If it was the latter, why had the kidnappers held them captive, ignored them, and acted as if they didn't exist? What was their purpose?
"What do you think, Little Henry?" Vinani stroked Little Henry's head.
"Woof woof!"
"Never mind, I shouldn't have asked you."
Little Henry whimpered, as if feeling wronged.
Vinani immediately soothed him with vigorous head pats.
Just then, Vinani's body suddenly trembled violently.
Damn it, it's mealtime again!
Though Vinani had lost track of time, her body always reacted as mealtime approached.
Hearing footsteps approaching from a distance, Vinani quickly hid in a corner of the room, pulling a cardboard box over herself.
Just this brief movement left her panting slightly.
Vinani felt like she had gained weight, though she couldn't tell exactly how much.
But that wasn't her main concern, though. The moment the footsteps stopped at the door, she held her breath.
The door soon creaked open, and the footsteps resumed, this time much clearer.
But they quickly faded again. Vinani knew the person was searching for her hiding spot.
Whether she could endure fewer tortures depended entirely on her actions now!
Though she had never succeeded before, Vinani refused to give up hope. What if this time was different?!
But reality offered no "what ifs." The footsteps resumed, growing closer and closer.
With a swift whoosh, the cardboard box covering Vinani was yanked away.
Standing before her was a man wearing a mask.
Holding the box in one hand and a stack of exquisitely prepared food in the other, he leaned closer to Vinani and said, "Time to eat."
Vinani: "..."
Five minutes later, the man, finished with his task, left with a stack of empty plates, locking the door behind him. Vinani lay on the floor, cradling her bloated stomach, tears of humiliation streaming down her face.
"Monsieur Henry, when will you sneak out of your room and save me?"