"Look, everyone! There's another broadcast!"
Just as the fervor of discussion began to wane, a new broadcast suddenly appeared.
Some viewers, like those following a serial drama, eagerly watched the latest scene, while most others anxiously anticipated what depraved act the Murderer would commit next.
Yet this time, the moment they saw the figures on screen, they were stunned.
Chief Justice Neuvillette and Spina di Rosula President Navia were facing off against No. 6, a key member of the evil forces and the mastermind behind the recent disappearance of over a thousand young girls!
It felt like a scene from the final battle!
The sight of the Maison Gardiennage officer sent shivers down their spines. The gaping wound on his shoulder was horrifying, yet he faced such a depraved murderer without a trace of fear on his face.
The Maison Gardiennage officers maintaining order couldn't help but feel profound respect for Lofan when they saw him on screen. Even caught in such extreme danger, even after losing an arm and with his uniform drenched in blood, his gaze remained unwavering.
The officers who recognized Lofan's face paled instantly, their expressions shifting to profound worry.
Just then, the ground began to tremble violently. Several coastal towns heard a deafening roar, followed by waves several meters high crashing against the shore.
Just as the panicked crowd along the coastline was about to sound the alarm, the waves abruptly retreated back into the sea, and the surface quickly returned to its calm state.
"What was that just now?"
"Was it an earthquake?"
Just as they hesitated about whether to evacuate, a horrifying conversation from the screen shattered their composure completely.
The residents of the targeted town screamed and scattered in panic.
The perpetrator intended to mix Primordial Sea Water with the rainwater, directly annihilating an entire town.
What terrified them even more was the realization that these broadcast images had been bait to lure them into the streets. Who could guarantee that the murderer would only strike one town?
Though some fled in terror to seek refuge, most remained, clinging to the hope that their Chief Justice could somehow reverse the dire situation.
And indeed, the tide turned swiftly—though not through the Chief Justice's intervention, but because of the Maison Gardiennage officer.
No one could have predicted that this unassuming officer would step forward. His impassioned words ignited the Maison Gardiennage officers' hearts, instilling in them a newfound sense of responsibility.
The public, too, was deeply moved by the officer's speech. His final words completely overturned their previously abysmal impression of the Maison Gardiennage.
The broadcast cut out in a blinding white flash, but the crowd remained in stunned silence long after the screen went dark.
Both the grotesque stitched army and the ominous presence of "Neuvillette" would haunt many as enduring nightmares.
Yet it seemed this ordeal was finally over.
Beyond that, Neuvillette's overwhelming power left countless people in awe. Speculation about his true identity ran rampant, with some even suggesting he was the true Hydro Archon, given how Furina appeared to be more of a mascot.
At this moment, most finally understood the source of the earlier tremors. The broadcast had been deliberately delayed, indicating the battle had already concluded.
As relief washed over the crowd, different reactions to No. 6's existence emerged.
For some, deeply buried malevolent impulses had been fully awakened, though they still maintained a human facade.
Just as No. 6 had warned, "Anyone can be No. 6!"
-
Feeling the aftershocks of the explosion behind her, Vinani nervously hugged Little Henry tighter.
Fortunately, Little Henry was a mechanical dog. Otherwise, such a tight embrace could have suffocated him, leading to condemnation from the Dog Lovers' Association.
Neuvillette glanced at the "balloon" beside him, hesitating to speak. But seeing Navia frantically shaking her head, he shifted his attention to her and changed the subject.
"A significant amount of Primordial Sea Water has mixed into the seawater here. I will use my powers to gather and seal it."
"In the meantime, I must ask you to destroy the devices filled with Primordial Sea Water and mobilize the Maison Gardiennage officers to seal off this area."
"And... escort Miss Vinani to safety."
Vinani clutched Little Henry even tighter, pretending not to hear anything—a blatant act of self-deception.
Neuvillette cast a slightly apologetic glance at Vinani before turning back to Navia.
"I'll explain the details when I return."
He glanced at Vinani again. There were so many questions he wanted to ask her, but now was clearly not the time.
Navia nodded, agreeing to Neuvillette's requests.
Arlecchino had refused Neuvillette's assistance, choosing instead to evacuate her Fatui forces overland on their own. During his search for Vinani, Neuvillette found no other living captives in the base.
Ultimately, most of the base's secrets were obliterated in a cataclysmic Pneumousia Energy explosion, leaving only fragments for future excavation.
It was highly probable that No. 6 had perished completely, yet Neuvillette felt little relief.
On one hand, there was the sacrifice of Lofan. On the other, at least five more enemies of No. 6's caliber remained at large.
Moreover, if the numbering system held more than just sequential significance, those ranked higher in the hierarchy would likely prove even more formidable.
So far, they had only clashed with No. 6 and No. 2, the latter seemingly a purely martial type. The rest remained shrouded in mystery.
No. 6's demise would likely provoke retaliation, and how many more innocent lives would be lost in the aftermath remained unknown...
Neuvillette momentarily withdrew his thoughts, then divided a portion of his power to continue safeguarding Navia and Vinani. Pale blue bubbles enveloped the two women and their dog, rising toward the surface with deceptive slowness—in truth, with astonishing speed.
As Navia and Vinani's figures gradually receded into the distance, Neuvillette radiated a brilliant azure light, followed by an overwhelmingly powerful aura surging from his body...
Meanwhile, Navia was explaining recent events to Vinani. Upon hearing about No. 6's heinous acts, Vinani's face immediately flushed with fury and a hint of sorrow.
Vinani had no idea such horrifying events had transpired in Fontaine during her abduction. The revelation that someone had impersonated her to approach Neuvillette sent a chill down her spine. She was immensely grateful that Lofan had uncovered the imposter's true identity; she shuddered to think what terrible consequences might have ensued otherwise.
Even now, she realized, her closest acquaintances might struggle to recognize her—let alone distinguish her from a perfect double who looked exactly as she once did.
"Miss Navia, am I really that... fat now?" Vinani asked, her voice trembling with tears.
Navia forced an awkward smile, glancing away as she replied, "Don't worry, Miss Vinani. You're just... a little fuller now."
"Just put in some effort, and you'll lose the weight quickly..."
Woof! Woof!
Hearing their conversation, Little Henry sensed his moment to shine. He immediately opened his back, revealing a remarkably bright mirror, and nudged it toward Vinani.
Vinani only glanced at it out of the corner of her eye, but her body jolted violently. She stiffened, pretending not to see the reflection, and continued chatting with Navia.
Seeing that Vinani hadn't noticed the situation, Little Henry grew anxious and pressed the mirror even closer to her.
This time, Vinani couldn't ignore the mirror's presence any longer. Refusing to face reality, she clutched her head and bolted away, with Little Henry hot on her heels.
Given the bubble's limited size, Vinani had no chance of escaping her fate.
In the end, Vinani sat sobbing on the bubble, hugging Little Henry's dog head.
"You bad dog!"
Navia silently shifted her gaze to the seascape beyond the bubble, a hint of anxiety stirring within her.
She still hadn't figured out how to break the news about Lofan to Vinani. Even if she remained silent, Vinani would inevitably learn the truth once they reached town.
"Miss Navia, I need to lose weight!"
Vinani wiped away the tears from her face and spoke with unwavering resolve.
"Monsieur Henry wouldn't even recognize me like this!"
"And he'd definitely laugh at me!"
"So, until I've slimmed down, I won't see him. Please keep this a secret for me, Miss Navia."
Hearing Vinani's words, seeing her forced smile and the lingering tears at the corners of her eyes, Navia sighed inwardly and nodded.
"Don't worry, Miss Vinani. I'll keep your secret."
How could she have been so foolish? Vinani had been a member of the Marechaussee Phantom; how could she not have noticed something was amiss?
Until now, Vinani hadn't asked Navia about Henry, clearly having already guessed the truth.
A dull ache pressed against Navia's chest. While weight gain was indeed a devastating blow to any woman, Vinani wouldn't have wept so bitterly over just that. She was simply using it to mask the true sorrow in her heart.
Navia could empathize deeply with Vinani's pain, but the difference lay in the fact that her teacher had left her with hope, while Vinani had lost him completely.
At that moment, Navia felt incredibly fortunate compared to Vinani, and her longing for that towering figure grew even stronger.
Teacher, when will I see you again...?
After escorting Vinani to the town and handing her over to the Maison Gardiennage officer, Navia joined the officers in searching the surrounding area. They quickly discovered the devices and successfully dismantled them.
With this task completed, the town was finally declared safe.
The townspeople showered Navia with gratitude, bringing her fruits and sweets as tokens of their appreciation.
After politely urging everyone to return home, Navia immediately went to check on Vinani.
By then, Vinani had undergone a simple medical examination, and no abnormalities were found—aside from her excessive weight gain, which could be overlooked for now.
Navia knew that Vinani had been subjected to numerous experimental drugs mixed into her food at the base. After hearing the initial diagnosis revealed no major issues, she breathed a sigh of relief before immediately contacting the Marechaussee Phantom in Fontaine through Spina di Rosula channels.
Almost as soon as Neuvillette finally managed to concentrate and seal away the Primordial Sea Water contaminating the seawater, and returned to town, Fontaine sent personnel to conduct a more thorough examination of Vinani's body.
In addition, a Mechanic specializing in Clockwork Mekas arrived from Fontaine to check the Clockwork Hound Vinani had brought with her for potential threats.
The results of this investigation shocked many. Little Henry's body had been implanted with a highly destructive bomb. Fortunately, the bomb required a remote activation device; otherwise, countless lives could have been lost.
Upon learning this, Navia finally realized the true location of the bomb No. 6 had mentioned being hidden near Vinani.
No wonder they hadn't restricted Vinani's movements much, and had even sent Little Henry to keep her company.
Navia's fists clenched again at the thought. Neuvillette's expression also turned grave, but thankfully the situation seemed to have calmed down for now, and the rain hadn't intensified.
After successfully disarming the bomb, Little Henry was thoroughly repaired, finally no longer a limping Clockwork Hound.
Watching Little Henry frolic around Vinani again, the Mechanic couldn't help but marvel at the intricate craftsmanship of the Clockwork Hound. Not only did it possess multiple auxiliary functions, but its combat capabilities were also surprisingly effective. It could prove to be a valuable assistant to Vinani in the future.
Finally, Vinani's medical report arrived, revealing something truly extraordinary: her health was unnaturally robust.
In fact, Vinani's physical condition was now significantly better than before her abduction. This explained why, despite her increased weight, she only felt slightly more fatigued than usual. Had she retained her previous constitution, such a heavy body would have likely forced her to resort to rolling for movement after just a few steps.
The Melusine Doctor, responsible for examining Vinani's body, speculated that the drug used on her was likely a benign experimental medicine, developed for internal members to take upon successful research.
The weight gain was likely a side effect, indicating the drug was still in development.
However, with a little effort to lose the weight, Vinani had emerged as the biggest winner in recent events!