Chapter 107: Proposing a Duel
"As you can all see, travelers from a foreign land have arrived in my nation. Come now, let us bestow our blessings upon them!" As Focalors finished speaking, a wave of enthusiastic applause and thunderous cheers erupted from the assembled crowd.
At that moment, Conan recalled Ayumi's earlier description and found it utterly spot-on. The woman on the stage carried herself like a massive celebrity, basking in the adoration of her fans. She did not, however, feel like a god.
"She doesn't feel like a deity at all."
Conan turned to see who had voiced his exact thoughts. It was, as he expected, Haibara.
"If I hadn't been told that this Hydro Archon has truly lived for five hundred years," she murmured, her gaze analytical, "I would never be able to equate her with a divine being."
"Five hundred years?!" Conan's eyes widened in surprise.
If she had truly lived that long, then within the context of this game, she was undeniably a god—even if she was a far cry from any deity he had ever imagined.
Focalors swept her gaze over them, a practiced smile on her lips. "I hear you have come to resolve the prophecy plaguing my nation. I will grant that your intentions are good, but you have absolutely nothing to worry about. With me, Focalors, presiding over Fontaine, this prophecy is a trifle, nothing to be concerned about. Therefore, strange travelers, if there is nothing else, you may leave."
A knot of anxiety tightened in Conan's stomach. This had to be a tactic devised by "Noah's Ark" to bar them from entering Fontaine. If the Hydro Archon herself expelled them, it would almost certainly register as a mission failure.
But what could they possibly do to make a god change her mind?
"Lady Focalors, please do not be in such a hurry to send us away."
Just as the others stood frozen, at a complete loss, Natsume's voice cut through the air. She recalled some of the information she had gathered about Fontaine's legal procedures and its penchant for spectacle. Guessing that this game's setting mirrored the Fontaine of Teyvat, she stepped forward, projecting her voice so all could hear.
"Although your power likely means you have no need of our help, we would still like to offer what small assistance we can. Therefore, to prove our strength to you, let us engage in a spectacular duel!"
Conan stared, baffled. A duel? To prove their strength? To solve a prophecy, shouldn't they be proving their deductive skills?
And while he and the others had witnessed Natsume's incredible physical prowess, their opponent now was a god. Was it really wise to challenge her to a fight?
"Natsume..." Ran tugged on the back of Natsume's shirt, her expression etched with concern.
Natsume glanced back at her, offering a small, steady look that signaled for her to rest assured. I have this under control.
Seeing the unshakable confidence in Natsume's eyes, Ran's own worries subsided, and she let her hand fall away, ceasing her attempt to stop her.
When the surrounding crowd heard that someone had actually issued a duel challenge to the Hydro Archon, they weren't the least bit offended. On the contrary, they began to cheer with even greater anticipation.
"Hahaha, very good! Daring to challenge me, a deity, to a duel—strange travelers, I commend your courage!" Focalors threw her head back and laughed, the sound echoing across the plaza. "Consider it a reward for your audacity. I agree to engage in an epic duel with you!"
From the moment Natsume had spoken, Conan had been watching the Hydro Archon's reaction with hawk-like intensity. She was a god, after all, and he had no idea how she would react to being so brazenly challenged.
Because of this intense focus, he caught it: a flicker of something in Focalors'expression the instant she heard Natsume's proposal. Though she masked it a heartbeat later with a booming laugh, Conan was certain of what he'd seen.'This Lady Hydro Archon... she seems reluctant to duel?'
Conan couldn't be entirely sure of his own assessment. She was a god; if she didn't want to fight, why would she agree? Surely no one could force her.
After hearing Focalors accept the challenge, Natsume settled into a ready stance, her body coiled with potential energy.
Conan noticed that as Natsume prepared for action, the Hydro Archon took an involuntary half-step back, her eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly.
"It seems Lady Hydro Archon is afraid of the duel," Haibara observed quietly beside him.
"You noticed it too," Conan murmured back.
"Yes. Although she is trying very hard to hide it, the apprehension is still visible. It seems this duel will not be proceeding today."
And just as Haibara predicted, Focalors suddenly raised a hand, halting the proceedings. She declared that a simple duel lacked sufficient entertainment value and, with a flourish, transformed the challenge into a courtroom confrontation.
The stage would be the "Maiden Disappearance Case" that had recently gripped Fontaine. Their task was to integrate all the current clues and, in three days, at the grand Opera Epiclese, identify the culprit and their methods. They would have to present their findings and defend them under the sharp questioning of Lady Focalors herself. To win, their conclusions must be validated by the final judgment of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, thereby proving their deductive prowess.
"Exactly! Now that's more like it!"
"Yes, this will be worth watching!"
"Lady Hydro Archon, your idea is brilliant!"
Listening to the renewed cheers and fervent excitement of the crowd, the group of players felt a shared sense of confusion. Why were these people so ecstatic to hear about a criminal trial? And what exactly was a "courtroom duel"? A debate between two lawyers?
Although the situation was still a bit unclear, Focalors' proposal was a clear sign that they were now permitted to enter Fontaine. also, games rarely included irrelevant plot points. This meant that the Maiden Disappearance Case was intrinsically linked to their mission objectives; uncovering its truth was now a necessity.
Without hesitation, the group accepted the Hydro Archon's terms for a trial by ordeal.
Upon hearing their agreement, Focalors said little else. She gestured to an individual who was apparently assigned to help them understand the case details, and then, with her honor guard in tow, she departed.
For some reason, Ran felt that the Hydro Archon had left in a bit of a rush. Was something the matter?
She didn't dwell on it. Whatever could make a god so anxious must be an important affair, and certainly not something they needed to concern themselves with. Their priority now was to enter Fontaine and begin gathering clues.
As the group of two adults and nine children officially set foot in the nation of justice, they were immediately stunned by the scene before them.
It was just as the stories claimed: Fontaine was the nation of water. Fountains and streams were everywhere, a network of canals and waterways connecting the various districts and cities, plied by elegant aquabus steamboats. Strange, clockwork robots patrolled the streets or stood motionless at charging stations. Occasionally, they would even see short, curious individuals with unique builds weaving through the crowd—some working, some simply enjoying the day, living no differently from the ordinary citizens of Fontaine.
"This is like something out of a fantasy," Mouri Ran breathed, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in the stunning cityscape.
"Yes," Natsume agreed, a soft smile on her face. "Perhaps a scene this dreamlike can only be seen in a holographic game."
Haibara, standing nearby, paid no attention to their conversation. Her eyes were fixed on the short, non-human figures walking past. These Melusines, with their peculiar appearances, were clearly another species entirely. She found herself genuinely curious about their physiological structure; if only she could find a way to examine one.
Her fingers twitched, a familiar scientific urge rising within her. But with no instruments or equipment at hand, Haibara could only let out a silent, regretful sigh and abandon the thought.
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