From the perspective of the Reincarnation Light Screen.
The Furina of the past life did not look like a god at all.
Although the Anemo Archon, Barbatos, appeared to do nothing productive on the surface, upon learning Dvalin was controlled by the Abyss Order...
Venti at least stepped forward to lead Lumine and the others to find a way to save Dvalin.
At the very least, he was the leader of the rescue operation.
Rex Lapis, Morax, concealed his identity and retired after faking his own death.
However, the name of Morax resonated throughout the continent of Teyvat.
The idea of holding his own funeral was merely Morax's way of publicly washing his hands of Liyue's affairs.
But in the shadows, if something truly happened to Liyue, it was impossible for Morax to ignore it.
As for Inazuma's Raiden Ei, there was even less to say.
With her focus on martial arts, no one would be bored enough to actively seek trouble with her.
Regarding the Dendro Archon of Sumeru, there wasn't much information.
But judging from her speech, she didn't seem like someone who neglected her duties.
However, as the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, Furina spent all day watching operas or theatrical performances.
It seemed she was personally quite passionate about these matters.
As for Fontaine's political affairs, she truly didn't care at all.
Not only that, Furina would have massive emotional fluctuations when pointed out by others.
And she was extremely timid.
From head to toe, one couldn't see a trace of the dignity or utility a god should possess.
Yae Miko: "I guess the Kael of the past life wanted Furina to take back her power because he couldn't stand her being every day... well... how should I put it..."
Paimon: "That cowardly look when being questioned?"
Yae Miko: "Hehe... like an attention seeker... I'm a bit embarrassed to say it clearly here."
Paimon: "Miko, but you already said it."
Furina: "..."
Alice: "I think the little fox is afraid that when the viewing ends and people regain their memories, the wife will complain to her husband about being scolded, and Mr. Kael will come looking for trouble with the little fox."
Yae Miko: "Pff... what can be done? Since she has a Reincarnator as a backer, I can only lie flat and let Mr. Kael handle me when the time comes."
Lisa: "???"
Kujou Sara: "Lady Miko, please do not forget your identity. You are the Grand Narukami Shrine's High Priestess of Inazuma, our Guuji. Please mind your influence; you represent the image of Inazuma."
[Neuvillette stood high upon the trial seat.]
[His expression was solemn.]
[He knew that all of this was highly likely Kael's doing.]
[However, he had overlooked that mysterious consciousness inside the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale.]
['Did I overlook it, or...']
[Neuvillette felt a seed of doubt.]
[Based on his understanding of Kael, the other's strength made it impossible for him not to sense that mysterious consciousness at the core of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale.]
['In a hundred years, have even people like you developed other thoughts in your heart?']
['Because of status, because of time...']
['The illusion that you can control everything in Fontaine has emerged.']
['Pope, I hope you can realize this soon...']
['Otherwise...']
[Neuvillette stared at Kael for a long time.]
['Even if you have sacrificed much for Fontaine and possess great merit, once you violate the law, if there is evidence, I will not show mercy.']
[Hywel confessed everything.]
[In Neuvillette's eyes, she was nothing more than a puppet controlled by Kael.]
[Escaping through the tunnel yet not thinking of leaving Fontaine immediately, instead lingering suspiciously near the Opera Epiclese.]
[Thinking carefully, this did not fit the normal behavior of a thief.]
[Unfortunately, Neuvillette had no evidence.]
[Kael also turned the incident with the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale into a trial given to the people by the gods, indirectly raising the height of divine authority in the hearts of the citizens.]
[Neuvillette said no more.]
[Relying on Hywel's final testimony, he delivered the closing statement for the case.]
[The Mondstadt thief, Hywel, was actually named Lillian.]
[Lyney's assistant, Cowell, had been unaware of her true identity. He mistook her for a Fontainian and selected her as the magic show's volunteer.]
[His goal was to use the Primordial Seawater to dissolve her, creating the illusion of another victim in the Serial Disappearances of Young Women and framing Lyney for the crime.]
[Unfortunately for him, the plan failed. The Primordial Seawater in the wooden box did not dissolve Lillian. Fearing that Lyney was trying to capture her, she panicked.]
[After entering the box, she attempted to escape through the tunnel, only to run into Cowell, who had come to stop her.]
[A struggle ensued. Lillian knocked Cowell unconscious with a vase found in the tunnel and shoved him into the box.]
[In the end, the water tank fell, crushing Cowell to death. The Primordial Seawater contained within the decorative balloons inside the box then dissolved his body.]
["The truth has come to light."]
["In accordance with the judgment rendered by the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, Mr. Lyney and Miss Lynette..."]
["Are not guilty!"]
[Neuvillette pronounced the final verdict.]
[Cheers erupted instantly throughout the Opera Epiclese.]
["Brilliant! Simply brilliant!"]
["And Lady Furina knew everything all along! She used this trial to give us the ultimate test."]
["The significance of this trial is far greater than any we have seen before."]
["..."]
[Neuvillette ignored the roaring applause.]
[He turned his gaze back to the Garde who had previously searched Lyney's suitcase.]
["Now, there is one final question."]
["Please explain, Officer Vaughn. How exactly did you find Primordial Seawater in Mr. Lyney's suitcase?"]
[That was right.]
[If the case unfolded as described, how could the officer have found the water in the suitcase?]
[Furina's mind raced.]
[The only possibility was that this officer, Vaughn, had committed perjury. He and Cowell must have worked together to frame Lyney.]
["Right..."]
['That despicable man is the reason I almost wrongly accused an innocent person.']
[Seething with indignation, Furina was about to lash out at Vaughn.]
[But the moment she looked up and caught sight of the VIP seats across from her, she immediately deflated.]
['No, no, no...']
['If I speak up now, that guy will definitely be even harsher later.']
[Neuvillette's presence was overwhelming.]
[A mere officer of the Garde stood no chance against his pressure.]
[Vaughn quickly confessed. He was indeed Cowell's accomplice, and both were acting on orders from their boss.]
[Their mission was to pin the Serial Disappearances of Young Women on Lyney.]
["Our boss is... he's..."]
[Vaughn stammered, his voice trembling.]
[Just as he was about to reveal the mastermind, he clutched his head in agony and let out a blood-curdling scream.]
[A second later, his entire body collapsed into a puddle of water, leaving nothing but his clothes behind on the stage.]
["What is this!?"]
[Having witnessed a person actually dissolving into water with their own eyes...]
[Everyone in the Opera Epiclese gasped in horror.]
["So it was all true."]
["Does this mean we Fontainians can really be dissolved by Primordial Seawater?"]
["No way... it's actually happening."]
Arataki Itto: "That gave me a heart attack! That officer really just melted?"
Kamisato Ayaka: "How strange. When did he come into contact with the Primordial Seawater? And who triggered the dissolution?"
Navia: "It was a man named Vacher. Speaking of him..."
Spina di Rosula.
Navia struggled to steady her breathing.
On the light screen, she saw two familiar figures.
Melus and Silver.
Seeing them again like this...
Navia was overwhelmed with a whirlwind of emotions.
Sangonomiya Kokomi: "It wasn't Mr. Kael?"
Kamisato Ayaka: "My first thought was Mr. Kael as well."
Lisa: "How curious. To think Fontainians truly can be dissolved. In that case, the Prophecy isn't just an empty threat."
Nahida: "Hydro Archon Furina, could you explain this to everyone?"
Alhaitham: "Silent as expected. This chat is nothing but riddles upon riddles. It's exhausting."
Jean: "At any rate, the people of Fontaine are still alive. Does that mean the previous flood wasn't the fulfillment of the Prophecy?"
Neuvillette: "Ahem. Thank you all for your concern regarding Fontaine. However, I would like to remind everyone that we should be guessing whether the mastermind behind the scenes is Pope Kael."
Arataki Itto: "Didn't they say it was someone named Vacher? Oh, I get it! You mean in his past life, Brother Kael ruled Fontaine with an iron fist, so maybe Vacher was one of his subordinates."
Kuki Shinobu: "Impressive. Boss is actually starting to use his head."
Clorinde: "If Vacher can pull off such a method in this life, he certainly could have in the previous one. It's nothing special."
Venti: "That won't do. If there's a Vacher in both lives, doesn't that prove the Pope was negligent? Letting such a troublemaker slip through the cracks?"
Lumine: "My husband was the Pope. His primary duty was to uphold divine authority. Did you think it was like Mondstadt, where Acting Grand Master Jean has to personally find lost cats and dogs? You spoil the citizens of Mondstadt far too much."
Jean: "Well..."
Barbara: "Lord Barbatos, you've had too much to drink. Please, just stop talking."
Venti: "Huh? I'm fine. One look at the light screen and my head clears right up."
Barbara: "Shut up! You're so annoying!"
[Everything came to an end.]
[Everyone present was subjected to an inspection, with the exceptions of Furina, Neuvillette, Clorinde, and Kael.]
[Unfortunately, not a single clue was found.]
[As they were leaving the Opera Epiclese...]
[Lyney and Lynette found Lumine.]
[They explained their identities to her.]
[Along with the reasons they had joined the House of the Hearth.]
Dvalin: "I see. So Lyney and Lynette were once orphans."
Osial: "Later, after Lyney learned magic from people on the streets, he caught the eye of a Fontaine noble. The noble adopted the siblings and took Lyney into various social circles. But one day, this noble treated Lynette as a gift and gave her to another noble. Then, that noble was planning to transfer Lynette elsewhere..."
Azhdaha: "And so they were saved by a Fatui Harbinger? Hehehe, Morax..."
Cloud Retainer: "Fatty, what does this have to do with Rex Lapis?"
Azhdaha: "Of course it does. The nobles of Fontaine are a testament to the darkness within the human heart."
Zhongli: "..."
Osial: "Teyvat truly still needs to be ruled by Archons like us. Dvalin, come and break me out. I will lead you in a rebellion."
Dvalin: "??????"
Enjou: "This feeling is as helpless as when the Prince asks me to deal with Master Kael."
Yae Miko: "I didn't expect Fontaine's aristocratic circles to be so dark."
Neuvillette: "..."
Clorinde: "Don't talk nonsense, Fox. Is the Inazuma Shogunate any cleaner?"
Kamisato Ayaka: "It is as pure as white milk."
Tartaglia: "The Knave actually did something good like that?"
Arlecchino: "Keep it low-key. Fortunately, I was on time. Otherwise, Lynette would have been defiled just like those girls in the basement."
Lyney: "Regardless, Father's great kindness is engraved in my heart."
Lynette: "Engraved in my heart."
Paimon: "So..."
Kael: "Huh?"
Nahida: "If the nobility is so dark, then as the Pope, wouldn't Mr. Kael be..."
Kamisato Ayato: "Nobles of all levels would have to curry favor with him."
Yoimiya: "Maybe in his past life, Lynette was meant to be a gift for Mr. Kael, but she was saved by The Knave?"
Kael: "So the truth is as Yoimiya says. Arlecchino, I'll remember this debt. (Chuckles)"
Lynette: "How mean, Mr. Kael is just joking. (Blushes)"
Arlecchino: "Ahem, Traveler, it's time for you to take control of the situation."
Lumine: "I can't control it. I can't control it at all. (Helpless)"
[Night in Fontaine.]
[It was exceptionally lively.]
[The basement of the Opera Epiclese.]
[Kael arrived before the core of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale.]
[The azure crystal caused his originally majestic expression to soften slightly.]
[Sensing the fluctuations of the Oratrice's core energy.]
[Kael felt as if he could sense a heartbeat.]
[He raised his arm. Just as he was about to touch the core, a stern voice rang out from behind him.]
["Lord Pope, the night is late. What are you doing here?"]
["Could it be that you are dissatisfied with today's verdict and wish to investigate the Oratrice?"]
[Kael stopped his movements.]
[A helpless, bitter smile appeared on his face.]
[He turned around and looked at Neuvillette standing behind him.]
["Aren't you also unable to sleep? Iudex Neuvillette."]
[In front of the Oratrice's core.]
[The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, thick with the scent of gunpowder.]
[A single wrong word seemed ready to spark a violent confrontation.]
["I only came to ask you one thing."]
["During today's trial, why did you want to send Lyney to the Fortress of Meropide?"]
["Is it because it's easier for you to make your move there?"]
["I have no idea what you're talking about," Kael replied, not giving Neuvillette a direct answer.]
[He slowly began to walk out.]
["I think if Lyney were sent to the Fortress of Meropide, his end would be just like Dugier's."]
[Neuvillette's words made Kael stop in his tracks.]
[Seeing this, he continued, "Neither of us are people of Fontaine."]
["However, I am still grateful for everything you have given to Fontaine over these past hundred years."]
["Whether it was the Narzißenkreuz Ordo back then, or your support when I reformed and eradicated the old nobility."]
["Without your contributions, my path as the Iudex of Fontaine would not have been so smooth."]
["However, you were present at today's trial. The fact that people are being dissolved has been confirmed."]
["This means the prophecy people speak of is very likely to happen."]
["I believe that at this moment, you should recognize what you need to do, rather than wasting energy on meaningless matters."]
["The Narzißenkreuz Ordo?"]
[The memory was fresh in Kael's mind.]
[It was as if everything from the past was flashing before his eyes.]
["If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten."]
["Is Lord Neuvillette here to remind me? To make sure I don't forget that I once killed my friends with my own hands?"]
[Neuvillette frowned.]
["No, you..."]
["Forget it. I'm not in the mood to chat today. When I'm feeling better, I'll have a proper heart-to-heart with the Iudex."]
[Interrupting Neuvillette.]
[Kael ignored the Iudex behind him and walked straight away.]
Clorinde: "Narzißenkreuz Ordo?"
Navia: "I've never heard of it."
Wriothesley: "It must be something from a hundred years ago. I remember the Fortress of Meropide holds a former... uh... I don't know how to describe that person."
(He is a boy who can transform into a Hilichurl, a long-life species.)
Kamisato Ayaka: "Mr. Kael killed his own friends with his own hands?"
Ningguang: "Was it for power?"
Nahida: "Eh? No way..."