[Lumine: If there had been any other way, I would never have done this.]
[Paimon: Traveler, I understand. You want to do something for Fontaine.]
Furina gave a cold snort: "Well then, there's no need for Neuvillette and Clorinde to explain their roles themselves. One of you assembled an audience on short notice and prepared the stage. The other made every preparation for a duel, all so that when I appeared on stage, you could immediately proceed with a trial I couldn't refuse. Isn't that right?"
Neuvillette nodded: "That is indeed the case."
Furina looked down toward Clorinde in the audience and declared with fervor: "Hmph. I commend your courage, Clorinde. Facing a duel against a god without flinching—you truly are my most outstanding Champion Duelist."
Clorinde placed a hand over her chest in salute: "Thank you."
Furina then turned to the Traveler: "As for you, Lumine, your task was to find me and keep me talking, to prevent me from noticing anything strange about the house, right up until our confrontation?"
Lumine shook her head: "No, you've guessed wrong on that point. My task was to make one final attempt, hoping that before you reached the courtroom, you would reveal the hidden information."
Furina sighed: "Ah, is that so? It seems I missed my final chance."
"No matter. Now that it has come to this, an irrefutable trial has already begun. There's no reason for the stage to go cold, and no reason not to see it through."
[Yae Miko: The people putting a god on trial—is this a Fontaine specialty? Ei, I'd like to put you on trial too.]
[Kujou Sara: Lady Yae, what is the meaning of this?]
[Yae Miko: I simply feel that eternity does not suit Inazuma, and eternity does not suit you, my friend, Raiden Ei.]
[Ei: I have seen it, Miko. There's no need to persuade me. Only eternity is closest to the Heavenly Principles. (Yae Miko weeps)]
[Yae Miko: But bearing that eternity... it's far too cruel for you.]
[Ganyu: Accused by all, solitude, betrayal... I feel like crying.]
[Yelan: This trap was exquisitely crafted, one link interlocking with the next. It's astonishing.]
[Ningguang: Putting a god on trial is a feat I would never have dared to imagine.]
Lumine lowered her head. There was no other choice now but to judge the Hydro Archon.
Still, she was a little curious—just what had Furina been about to say before they reached the courtroom?
Both sides were in position. Neuvillette declared the trial open!
Furina, standing in the defendant's stand, smiled as she said, "Those tedious opening statements need not be repeated, Neuvillette."
"I must trouble you to fast-forward to the reading of charges. As the one on trial—today's main character—I still don't know under what name you intend to charge me."
"Let me be clear: it's perfectly normal for mortals not to understand a god's ways, no? This alone is not grounds to convict a god."
Lumine: "You're right. However, the reason we are putting you on trial isn't for what you've done or failed to do as a god."
"The reason we are putting you on trial is—you're not a god at all, are you, Furina?"
Like a stone cast into a pond, her words sent ripples through the crowd. The audience instantly erupted.
Shocked audience member: "Wait—Lady Furina isn't a god?"
"I thought this was an accusation of dereliction of duty against the Hydro Archon. But... is this accusation serious?!"
Within the live broadcast room, everyone was equally astounded!
[Charlotte: Why would Lumine say that too? How could Furina possibly not be a god?]
[Sigewinne: I've never doubted Furina's identity either.]
[Wriothesley: I came to the Fortress of Meropide at a very young age. Even so, I grew up hearing stories of Furina. How could she not be a god?]
[Ningguang: Earlier in the broadcast room, the Knave already raised the possibility that Furina might not be the Hydro Archon. Lumine's view likely came from the Knave. I wonder if the Knave has any corroborating evidence.]
[The Knave: After watching the preceding events, I have come to believe in Lady Furina. Her concern for the people of Poisson cannot be faked. Her weeping by the river cannot be faked. On this point, I choose not to answer. However, the broadcast room will provide the answer.]
[Venti: This broadcast system clearly has its own consciousness. It even called out the Geo Archon's identity earlier. We can just ask the broadcast system. System, system, is Furina the Hydro Archon?]
[Zhongli: Barbatos, after all these years, you're still as mischievous as ever.]
[Nahida: Irminsul's memory tells me that Furina is the Hydro Archon.]
[Furina: Did you hear that, Knave? You may now dispel your doubts about me. In light of your admission of fault, I pardon your offense.]
In response to Lumine's charge,
Neuvillette's gavel came down decisively: "The charge is valid."
Neuvillette then looked to Furina: "Lady Furina, do you admit to the charge brought by the accuser?"
The smile on Furina's face instantly vanished, replaced by a flicker of panic: "I do not admit it. Of course I don't admit it."
However, confidence quickly returned to her: "I, Focalors Furina de Fontaine, one of The Seven Archons, Queen of All Waters, Kindreds, Peoples, and Laws, am undoubtedly a true god."
The audience below also agreed: "Yes! Lady Furina may have an eccentric personality, but to say she's not a god is a bit..."
"We've never doubted Lady Furina's identity either. At most, we've just complained about her not doing her job. Why would the accuser say such a thing?"
The scales of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale began to tip accordingly.
Furina looked to the audience, her voice firm and confident: "Exactly! I believe the eyes of everyone in the audience are discerning. Many of you have taken it as common knowledge since birth that I am a god. Surely you will all support me."
"Look, even the Oratrice is naturally tilting in my direction. Are you certain you want to carry out such a hopeless rebuttal?"
"If you withdraw the charges now, I, in the name of the God of Justice, promise not to pursue the crime of false accusation. We'll simply consider everything that happened today as a farce the public enjoyed. How about it?"
[Charlotte: As expected of Lady Furina. She overwhelmed the Traveler in terms of sheer presence in an instant.]
[Wriothesley: Furina is, after all, a god. When it comes to presence, she can't possibly lose.]
[Keqing: I wonder if Lumine will give up at this point...]
[Lumine: If it were me, without having obtained any information, I definitely wouldn't give up.]
[Ningguang: This presence is not inferior to that of the Geo Archon.]
[Navia: As expected of a god.]
Navia: "A rebuttal that's one-sided from the very start? Not only do we have to refute Furina, but we also have to shake the common knowledge of Fontaine's citizens."
Without waiting for Lumine's answer to retract the accusation, Furina seized the initiative and launched an offensive of her own: "Very well, my attempt at persuasion has failed. Then I shall ask my question: If I am not a god, what do you suppose I am?"
"I, who have occupied the divine throne for five hundred years, by what means have I sustained a lifespan of at least five centuries?"