Lin Qiu felt nothing towards the emotionally broken Vacher.
Before you harmed innocents, you were indeed a pitiful victim.
But after that, you were merely a hateful perpetrator.
What's more, Vacher's actions were just self-gratification disguised as love.
And Vacher was quite incompetent; he also wanted to solve the problem of the primordial seawater.
Twenty years of research probably didn't yield as much knowledge as Rene gained in two weeks.
Forget it, comparing Vacher to Rene is an insult to Rene.
"The accused's emotions are abnormal, Gardes, control him," Neuvillette ordered.
Although Vacher tried to struggle, he was quickly brought under control.
Neuvillette explained the general content of the case to everyone, as well as the inference of Vacher's identity, and finally pronounced the verdict.
"Then, according to the results given by the Oratrice Mecanique D'analyse Cardinale, I declare."
"Vacher, guilty!"
After the verdict, cheers erupted throughout the venue.
"Great, the Serial Disappearance Case of Young Girls is finally over!"
"We can be considered witnesses to history, right?"
"Wuwuwu, sister…"
"I knew all along that Callas was wronged."
"Oh, come on, you were the one who cursed him the most back then."
"Ah? Was I? I don't remember…"
There were too many victims in the Serial Disappearance Case of Young Girls; everyone cheered at the news of the true culprit's capture.
Looking at Vacher, who was about to be taken away, Lin Qiu spoke:
"Vacher, do you want to see Vigneire?"
Lin Qiu knew that Vigneire didn't want to see Vacher at all; those who would meet Vacher were the Damselettes he had killed.
Vacher going to meet them would inevitably result in his mental demise.
This was the ending Vacher deserved.
"You… you can let me see Vigneire?"
Vacher was overjoyed but somewhat disbelieving.
"I am Qiu Cheng," Lin Qiu directly stated his identity.
When you're out and about, your identity is what you make it.
If you're just an ordinary Liyue person, they won't believe you, but if you're the author of the prophecy book, they'll at least believe half of it.
"Please, please take me to see Vigneire." As expected, Vacher immediately perked up.
Lin Qiu smiled. "Don't worry, even if you don't ask me, I'll take you. They are all very eager to see you."
"Lin?" Navia was a little surprised why Lin Qiu would help Vacher fulfill his wish.
If such a person could have his wish fulfilled, it would be too unfair to the victims.
Their wishes and lives were stripped away by this man.
"Don't worry, it won't be easy for him," Lin Qiu winked.
Navia understood, nodded, and said no more.
Furina walked over and stopped not far in front of Lin Qiu.
He cleared his throat, closed his small eyes, and tilted his head back, like a white swan.
"Ahem, friend from Liyue, thank you for helping Fontaine solve such a major case."
"As a token of my gratitude, I will grant you the opportunity to attend my tea party."
After Furina finished speaking, he cautiously opened his eyes a little.
His beautiful eyes glanced at Lin Qiu, as if worried that Lin Qiu would refuse.
"Alright," Lin Qiu readily accepted.
"Yay!" Furina cheered internally, still maintaining a serious expression on his face.
"Good, you will love this tea party."
Furina had specially prepared Lin Qiu's favorite food for him, thinking Lin Qiu would surely like it.
Lin Qiu couldn't help but laugh out loud; silly Furina was still so cute.
Furina did not leave immediately.
Because he also wanted to see how Lin Qiu would make Vacher see the person who had already disappeared.
Charlotte was equally curious, while Clorinde followed due to mission reasons.
Adding Navia, Melus, Silver, and the secretly observing Neuvillette, the team's numbers suddenly swelled.
With Furina and Clorinde accompanying them, the Gardes naturally wouldn't object, escorting Vacher behind Lin Qiu.
Lin Qiu led everyone to the fountain in front of the Opera Epiclese and said to Vacher:
"Perfect, you just drank the primordial seawater. If you walk into the fountain now, you should see them."
Vacher was half-believing, half-doubting, but with the mindset of 'better safe than sorry,' he walked into the fountain.
And then, from everyone's perspective, Vacher just stood there, Dizzy, motionless.
"Vacher? How are you here?"
The Hydro Eidolon in the fountain also didn't expect Vacher to suddenly appear.
"Vigneire? Is that you?" Vacher asked eagerly.
Now the Hydro Eidolon finally understood.
Someone had told Vacher that Vigneire was here and brought him over.
Feeling the people around, there were indeed a few beings particularly attuned to the Hydro element.
Perhaps one of them heard 'us' calling Vacher's name.
"Vacher, you look so old. How long has it been?"
"More than twenty years, it's been more than twenty years." Vacher was momentarily downcast.
"I feel like I'm dreaming, Vigneire, I can actually see you again." Vacher was excited.
"More than twenty years…" The Hydro Eidolon sighed.
It's been over twenty years!
Ten years apart, life and death unknown; over twenty years, what has happened outside?
How were their parents and relatives? Were they still grieving their deaths?
How were their friends? Did they still remember them?
If not for Vacher, in over twenty years, would they have achieved their dreams?
"Vigneire, it's so good to see you." Vacher smiled.
"Is that so, Vacher? But I think it would have been better if you weren't here!"
Vacher froze. "It would have been better if I weren't here?"
"How is that possible? Vigneire, you're lying to me, aren't you? You clearly loved me too!"
"If not for you, I would have finished law school and perhaps become a top-tier Agent."
"If not for you, I could have continued my painting dream; one day, my paintings would even hang in the Palais Mermonia."
"If not for you, I could have at least stayed with my mother, so she wouldn't grow old alone, weeping!"
"It's all because of you, Vacher!"
"It's all because of you!!"
"It would have been better if you weren't here!!!"
Listening to the Hydro Eidolon's complaints, Vacher was on the verge of a breakdown.
"No, impossible! You are not Vigneire!"
"That's right, I am not Vigneire; I am merely a—Sacrifice—who died by your hand!"
"The moment you killed the first Damselette, I ceased to be Vigneire!"
"It was you, Vacher!"
"You personally killed Vigneire!!"
"No, no, this is impossible, I did everything for Vigneire…" Vacher panicked.
The Hydro Eidolon interrupted Vacher's self-deceiving words.
Three voices rang out, each speaking different words.
"You only did it for yourself!"
"You never considered anyone else!"
"You are a liar, a murderous devil, a self-deceiving coward!"
Finally, the voices merged.
"The one thing you are not, is Vigneire's lover!!"
"No, Vigneire!" Vacher's emotions were on the verge of collapse.
In his view, he did all of this for Vigneire.
But not only did Vigneire no longer love him, she hated him. So what was the meaning of his life, of everything he had done?
Vacher: "Please, please let me see Vigneire."
Hydro Eidolon: "Vigneire will not see you. Not seeing you is her last act of mercy."
Hydro Eidolon: "Because I, we!"
All voices shouted: "Will not let you go!!"
One Damselette after another appeared around Vacher, surrounding him.
They were all victims of the Serial Disappearance Case of Young Girls; dozens of voices called his name.
Crescie: "Vacher!"
Limone: "Vacher!!"
Aizena: "Vacher!!!"
Vigneire: "Vacher…"
Everyone shouted in unison: "Die!!"
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah!"
Everyone only saw Vacher, who had just been standing still, suddenly let out a scream.
The Gardes rushed over, and the accompanying doctor checked him, shaking his head.
"Died from extreme fright."
Vacher met his end.