The old woman left, but her final words plunged the four into deep thought.
"Lady Furina was here?" Charlotte asked uncertainly.
"But if Lady Furina had been here, why didn't she intervene to save the people?"
"Perhaps the old woman mistook someone," Silver suggested. "In such a dangerous situation, ordinary people would naturally pray to the Archon. It wouldn't be surprising if she imagined Lady Furina appearing before her."
Navia shook her head. "Let's set this aside for now. If Lady Furina truly appeared, there would likely be other witnesses. We can gather more information later by questioning others."
"Right now, our priority is identifying the deceased."
"Based on the old woman's account, their behavior was abnormal—perhaps they were recalling their past lives."
"If my deduction is correct, then the casualty count from the Poisson incident shouldn't be as severe as initially feared."
Navia let out a small sigh of relief at this thought.
Considering Poisson's population, around three hundred casualties would already be considered remarkably low for a disaster of this magnitude. However, Navia's heart wasn't cold enough to judge the tragedy solely based on numbers. When she realized that a significant portion of the deceased might have actively chosen to end their lives, her heart felt considerably lighter.
"Miss Navia, leave the inquiries about Lady Furina to us," Melus and Silver said hastily after hearing Navia's words.
"Very well, I'll leave this matter to you two. Please be careful," Navia replied.
"Rest assured, Miss Navia, we'll be fine," Melus and Silver assured her.
After saying that, Melus and Silver immediately left.
"Then let's go confirm the identities of the deceased with the Mayor of Poisson," Charlotte suggested.
Navia nodded in agreement, and the two quickly found the Mayor of Poisson.
Although the Spina di Rosula's headquarters had relocated and only a few members remained in Poisson, the Mayor still fondly remembered the society's presence. Upon hearing Navia's request, he immediately provided her with the neatly organized information on the casualties.
"President Navia, since many residents followed the Spina di Rosula to the new city, Poisson's population has dwindled, making it easy to identify the casualties this time," the Mayor explained.
"Did you notice anything unusual about these individuals recently?" Navia asked, flipping through the documents alongside Charlotte.
Hearing this, the Mayor paused to recall.
"Unusual... I don't think I noticed anything in particular."
"What is it, President Navia? Is there a problem?"
Navia shook her head.
"Someone saw people seemingly jump into the Primordial Sea Water of their own accord."
"Ah, that matter."
"It's quite normal, isn't it? Fontaine has been experiencing incidents of people dissolving into the Primordial Sea Water every few days now."
Seeing the Mayor of Poisson's nonchalant demeanor, Navia and Charlotte were left speechless.
Hearing him say it, it did seem these incidents had become increasingly common recently. But since when had the Fontaine citizens grown so utterly accustomed to such tragedies?
"Some may indeed have recalled their past lives, but I also know there are those who chose this path because their lives were truly unbearable."
"President Navia, please don't grieve for them. Everyone has their own choices, and we should respect those choices."
The Mayor of Poisson consoled them, his broad-minded attitude making Navia and Charlotte feel as though they were lagging behind the times.
"However, some of them actually fell into the Primordial Sea Water while saving others."
At this, the Mayor sighed softly.
"Actually, I nearly got caught by the Primordial Sea Water myself. A young man pulled me to higher ground, and that's how I survived."
"But that young man slipped and accidentally fell into the Primordial Sea Water."
"He's just one case I've encountered. I'm sure similar incidents have happened elsewhere."
The Mayor of Poisson sighed again before turning to Navia and Charlotte.
"President Navia, is there anything else you need?"
"Not for now."
"Very well, I must excuse myself to console the families who have lost loved ones."
Navia nodded to the Mayor of Poisson, watching his retreating figure with a heavy heart.
Sensing her unease, Charlotte offered comfort.
Navia waved her off, assuring her she was fine. The two found a secluded spot to wait for Melus and Silver to arrive.
The moment the duo appeared, they delivered a bombshell to Navia and Charlotte.
"Miss Navia, after our inquiries, several people have confirmed seeing Lady Furina at the scene."
"If so many people are saying the same thing, it seems this matter is indeed true."
After hearing Melus and Silver's report, Navia and Charlotte couldn't fathom why the Hydro Archon Furina would appear at the scene but completely ignore the ordinary people in danger.
"Oh, right, someone mentioned even more details," Melus suddenly added.
"One person said that the Lady Furina they saw seemed different from her usual self."
"The Furina they saw had a cold, detached expression. And while her gown was the same style as usual, upon closer inspection, its color was noticeably darker."
Navia's mood grew even heavier after hearing Melus's description.
If the intelligence was accurate, it was highly likely that the figure who appeared wasn't the Hydro Archon Furina they knew, but another entity entirely.
Could this incident with the Primordial Sea Water be connected to this other Furina?
What were this Furina's motives? Or was it simply that someone happened to witness the real Furina focused on official duties, and her serious demeanor was so different from her usual behavior that it seemed like a different person?
Navia couldn't immediately grasp the full implications, but she recognized the crucial importance of this information. Verifying it would be simple: she only needed to investigate whether Furina was still in Fontaine.
If Furina remained in Fontaine, she would undoubtedly attend her daily packed schedule of Judgments, as she thrived on public appearances.
If this was indeed the real Furina, Navia needed to understand why she hadn't intervened to save the residents of Poisson.
But if it wasn't Furina... then Fontaine might be on the brink of a terrifying crisis.
With these thoughts swirling in her mind, Navia shared her concerns with the others. Her deduction sent a wave of tension through the group.
Charlotte, however, felt a mix of anxiety and excitement. Though she sensed this situation could spell trouble, the journalist's instinct in her fueled an intense anticipation.
"Why don't we search in the direction those people saw Lady Furina? Maybe we'll find her!"
"No, that's too dangerous."
Navia rejected Charlotte's suggestion. After their encounter with No. 2, she had realized her strength was still insufficient. While she could protect herself alone, ensuring the safety of Charlotte, Melus, and Silver during this operation would be far too risky.
"We should report this to the Court of Justice. Contact Neuvillette first, then we can make a plan."
"Alright," Charlotte agreed, a hint of disappointment in her voice. However, reason quickly prevailed, and she abandoned her impulsive idea.
Soon after, the four of them found the leader of the Court of Justice's rescue team.
"You saw Lady Furina at the scene?"
The leader was visibly taken aback by Navia's explanation. He immediately turned serious and addressed the group, "Understood. I'll contact Monsieur Neuvillette immediately to verify this. Thank you for providing such crucial intelligence."
After receiving this crucial intel, the leader hurried away.
The four temporarily put aside their investigation and joined the efforts to reassure and comfort the Fontaine citizens.
Meanwhile, when Neuvillette received the news, he felt a slight unease.
He had been stationed in Fontaine throughout the day, waiting for updates, and had confirmed that Furina had not left the city. Therefore, if the Furina sighted in Poisson wasn't merely someone cosplaying, it was highly likely connected to the mysterious organization's next move.
What puzzled Neuvillette most was why they would create a fake Furina. Wouldn't an Archon easily see through such a ruse?
He couldn't fathom the purpose behind this. If their goal was to mislead the public, a simple public appearance by the real Furina would suffice.
Surely no imposter could possibly resemble the Hydro Archon more closely than the real Furina herself?
Neuvillette shook his head. Though the sudden news of the mysterious organization's actions had stirred a moment of tension within him, his concern remained muted.
In his view, directly impersonating an Archon was the height of folly.
Though Furina might appear to spend her days in idle pursuits, she was, after all, the Hydro Archon of Fontaine. Her divine authority brooks no defiance.
While Neuvillette didn't anticipate any serious consequences from this incident, he deemed it necessary to inform Furina in advance. He instructed his messengers to relay the news to her immediately.
Having resolved the immediate crisis, Neuvillette turned his attention to the casualties of the incident.
When the final death toll proved far lower than his initial projections, his heart finally eased.
As he read further, however, he learned that the vast majority of the dead had voluntarily plunged into the Primordial Sea Water. He shook his head with a mix of helplessness and resignation.
Yet it was precisely their actions that alerted others to the abnormal rise of water mixed with Primordial Sea Water, prompting a swift evacuation that allowed most people to reach safety in time.
In this sense, they had performed a final act of good in their final moments.
As for those who had died unexpectedly while helping others, Neuvillette resolved to provide their families with additional compensation, hoping they would find solace in their grief.
Poisson was now uninhabitable. Even if it was confirmed that the Primordial Sea Water would not rise again, few would dare to remain. The question remained: where would the remaining ten thousand residents of Poisson go?
After some deliberation, Neuvillette decided to ask Navia for assistance.
The city built near Fontaine, jointly constructed by former Fleuve Cendre residents, was already taking shape. It had more than enough capacity to accommodate the people from Poisson, and many of its residents were originally from Poisson themselves. With the Spina di Rosula's headquarters also relocated to the city, entrusting these people to Navia's care for the time being seemed the best course of action.
Reflecting on the thriving city, Neuvillette couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. Even he had underestimated the sheer talent hidden within Fleuve Cendre.
These individuals had made immense contributions to Fontaine's development. The vast majority were children of criminals, perpetually denied Fontaine citizenship and forced to languish in the sunless depths of Fleuve Cendre without access to education.
Ultimately, the Spina di Rosula refused to abandon them, providing scholarships for their studies abroad. Lacking Fontaine citizenship, they were ineligible to attend local schools and had to seek higher education overseas.
In those foreign lands, their treatment was far better than what they would have received in Fontaine. Yet the overwhelming majority chose to return to Fontaine, back to Fleuve Cendre, after completing their studies. They accepted meager salaries to become teachers for the countless children trapped in similar circumstances.
Had it not been for that incident, Fontaine might have missed out on a whole generation of talented and grateful individuals.
Although the original intent behind enacting such harsh laws was to increase the cost of crime, thereby reducing its incidence, how could anyone choose their own birth? Such laws were truly inhumane.
Recent improvements to Fontaine's legal system in this area have been widely praised, finally making this point clear to everyone.
Thank goodness that man appeared.
Everything he did exposed these previously overlooked truths to the public eye.
Not long ago, the false charges against him were finally cleared. To commemorate him, the sole sea route connecting the new city to Fontaine was named the "Grett Line."
Thinking of this, Neuvillette couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.
During that era, a significant portion of power remained firmly in the hands of the nobles. The plan to purge Fleuve Cendre had bypassed his office entirely; had he been consulted, he would never have approved it.
Later, his rigid adherence to the rules allowed the situation to spiral out of control, step by step, until it became irreversible.
If he had realized this sooner, he could have spared Navia the loss of both her father and her most respected teacher.
Back then, Navia had tearfully questioned him, asking if he possessed human emotions, if he understood the feelings of regret and sorrow.
Not long ago, he had finally come to understand.
In truth, he should have realized it much earlier. Otherwise, he wouldn't have feared facing the Judgment from over four centuries ago.
Neuvillette shook his head. Now was not the time to dwell on the past.
He was currently grappling with a far more pressing concern: whether the recent surge of Primordial Sea Water had been caused by human intervention.
If it was indeed orchestrated by that mysterious faction, it could paradoxically be a good thing for Fontaine.
After all, if it was a natural occurrence, it would mean the Day of Prophecy was imminent.
Yet he had no means of countering the Prophecy, nor did he know what preparations Furina had made.
Despite his attempts to communicate with her, she remained completely tight-lipped about her plans, leaving him utterly helpless.
He hoped that after learning about the events in Poisson, Furina would finally tell him everything.
Neuvillette snapped out of his thoughts and wrote a letter for Navia, instructing his messenger to warn her group against taking any independent action to track Dark Furina's last known direction.
If this was indeed the work of that mysterious organization, they were likely leaving false trails to lure pursuers into a trap. Neuvillette had been burned too many times before to take any chances.
With that task completed, Neuvillette immediately rose from his desk and left the office. Another Judgment required his personal attendance, and he was so swamped with work that he wished he could split himself into multiple copies to handle it all.