Chapter 45

Fontaine places great emphasis on trials.

Here we have the most impartial Chief Justice in all of Teyvat—Neuvillette.

And the trial mechanism that has gone centuries without a single error—the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale.

Moreover, the mechanical energy used by Fontaine's citizens is also supplied by the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, drawn from the Indemnitium obtained through trials.

But in the story of reincarnation.

Wriothesley was going to arrest Du Jiye.

Simply because Clorinde said the Pope said Du Jiye was guilty—so he was guilty.

At least in a land of strict laws like Fontaine, such behavior is baffling.

Navia: "How strange. I remember Clorinde and Wriothesley being extremely aloof—how could they convict Du Jiye of a crime just because of one word from Mr. Su Bai?"

Clorinde: "It really is bizarre."

Lumine: "I remember investigating the Yanmao Society with Duke Wriothesley before. That president, Du Jiye, is exactly as Su Bai said—on the surface he looks like he's doing it for everyone's good, but behind the scenes he uses every means and mental manipulation to persecute the members of the Yanmao Society."

Wriothesley: "Mm... things seem to be getting more interesting than when we were dealing with it..."

【"The Pope..."】

【"Is this an order from His Holiness the Pope?"】

【"This..."】

【The members of the Yanmao Society, upon hearing the words "the Pope," visibly grew intensely agitated.】

【The fear on their faces actually gave way to beaming smiles at the mention of "the Pope."】

【"Enough."】

【Du Jiye furrowed his brow and shouted loudly: "Even if the Pope says I'm guilty, Chief Justice Neuvillette should still hold a new trial for me."】

【"You're meting out mob justice here."】

【Wriothesley and Clorinde paid no attention to Du Jiye's frenzy.】

【Stepping to Wriothesley's side, Clorinde asked with an indifferent expression: "Are you announcing his sentence, or shall I?"】

【Wriothesley shrugged slightly: "When it comes to announcing His Holiness the Pope's directive, I imagine you're even more eager than I am, aren't you?"】

【"Hmph, talk too much." Clorinde let out a cold laugh, but the faint, barely perceptible curve at the corner of her mouth betrayed what was truly in her heart.】

【"Fine, as expected, I should be the one to read it out."】

Only then did she turn her gaze to Du Jiye: "His Holiness the Pope has issued the following directive—Du Jiye, through despicable means, has attempted to establish a private faction within the Meropid Fortress to satisfy his own selfish desires."

【"Henceforth, Du Jiye is sentenced to death."】

【"Carried out immediately."】

Fontaine.

No citizen of Fontaine could believe what was unfolding before their eyes.

The normally aloof Clorinde and Wriothesley were actually displaying such devout expressions.

What was even more unimaginable to the citizens.

In Fontaine's hundreds of years, there had never been anything called a death sentence.

The only death sentence ever given was to Furina, who had impersonated the Hydro Archon.

But in the end, Furina was still alive and well. They had long assumed that during that trial, due to the interference of the flood and the giant whale, the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale had malfunctioned.

In Fontaine, no one could imagine what a death sentence looked like, let alone that such a death sentence would come from a single word of Su Bai's.

One could see that in the previous life's Fontaine, Su Bai, as the Pope, had single-handedly controlled everything.

Neuvillette: "....."

Clorinde: "Th-this... this can't really mean Du Jiye gets the death sentence?"

Paimon: "Not sure, but I remember when we were arresting Du Jiye, it took a huge effort. In the end, during the arrest, that guy had already taken control of most of the mechanical defenses in the Meropid Fortress, and even so, the Duke didn't kill him."

Wriothesley: "So you're saying that in Fontaine, Mr. Su Bai as Pope took Du Jiye's life with just one sentence?"

Furina: "This..."

Yae Miko: "I understand now. In the previous life's Fontaine, although Mr. Su Bai was the Pope, his authority had already surpassed that of the so-called Hydro Archon."

Lynette: "Even the Chief Justice, Lord Neuvillette, has..."

Navia: "Lord Neuvillette probably wouldn't be controlled by Su Bai, but I never expected the normally aloof Clorinde to actually..."

Clorinde: "Watch what you say. So far, Su Bai hasn't even shown himself."

【After the verdict was handed down.】

【Clorinde looked toward the dumbfounded Du Jiye.】

【She sneered disdainfully: "Not bad. You are the first person in Fontaine's history to be sentenced to death—and personally announced by His Holiness the Pope."】

【"Take him away and carry it out."】

【Clorinde waved her hand casually, and the guards immediately stepped forward to haul up the half-collapsed Du Jiye.】

【"No..."】

【"I protest."】

【Du Jiye struggled desperately: "This doesn't follow Fontaine's trial procedures."】

【"This verdict is unjust."】

【"Hmph!" Wriothesley let out a cold laugh: "Just a criminal, and yet in the Meropid Fortress he got into the business of greedily chasing power."】

【"The people here may be criminals, but their crimes don't amount to being tools for satisfying one man's desire."】

【"No..." Du Jiye's wail was filled with rage.】

【"Greedy for power?"】

【"Hahaha, if that counts as being greedy for power, then what does that damned Pope count as?"】

【"He's even worse off than me."】

【"Wriothesley, you've disgraced the title of Duke of the Meropide Fortress."】

【"Clorinde, you've sullied the identity of a Duel Agent even more."】

【"You're nothing but loyal dogs under Su Bai's command."】

【The cursing coming from around the corner made Wriothesley and Clorinde throw their hands up.】

【Clorinde's face twisted with disdain: "What kind of thing compares itself to His Holiness the Pope? Doesn't know what's good for it."】

【Then, Du Jiye's cursing came again from around the corner.】

【"In all of Fontaine, the one who deserves to die most is Su Bai."】

【"He is Fontaine's true sinner."】

【However, with just that one sentence, a frosty chill rose over Clorinde's previously disdainful, beautiful face.】

【She strode out with long steps.】

【Immediately after, two gunshots rang out from around the corner.】

【Du Jiye never got the chance to speak again.】

Dead.

Du Jiye had truly been executed.

Was the executioner an enraged Clorinde?

The citizens of Fontaine were collectively dumbfounded.

They couldn't understand what on earth was going on.

In the previous life, had Fontaine truly been completely under Su Bai's control, just as Du Jiye had said?

Especially Clorinde—simply because Du Jiye had cursed Su Bai, she personally stepped forward to carry out the death sentence on him.

Anyone could tell that Clorinde was venting her own dissatisfaction.

Navia: "Oh my god... Clorinde... you..."

Clorinde: "What on earth is going on?"

Aether: "Hey! @Su Bai, you don't really have some ability to control other people's minds, do you?"

Su Bai: "Don't talk nonsense. I generally convince people through virtue."

Wriothesley: "This is the first time I've seen Clorinde do something so out of character out of anger."

Paimon: "Out of character? Du Jiye was already a goner anyway. Clorinde is at most just the one carrying out the sentence."

Lumine: "Eh? Does that mean the heroine of this cycle's story will be Clorinde?"

Lisa: "Lumine, when you run into a rival, aren't you angry, nervous, jealous?"