The Truth, Lost With the Rain

==Steps==
# Go to the Palais Mermonia
# Go to the Chief Justice's office
# Talk to Neuvillette
# Go to Poisson
# Talk to Navia
# Talk to Melus on the ship
# Visit Jacques' family
# Talk to Florent
# Go to the Court of Fontaine and speak to Thierry
# Contact Marcel
# Go over the clues with Navia
==Dialogue==
;(Approach the Palais Mermonia)
: Navia: The Palais is right up ahead. Come on.
;(Enter the central area)
: Sedene: Halt! Please state your business here. The Chief Justice is presently occupied with official matters.
: Paimon: Huh... This place does look pretty heavily guarded. Guess that proves that Neuvillette's files are really secure!
: Navia: Hey, don't you recognize us?
: Sedene: Huh? Who are you? Just to be clear, I don't care who you are or who you might be related to, our rules make no exceptions.
: Navia: See? They've got great discipline, too.
: Paimon: Yep yep, Paimon can tell!
: Sedene: ...If you're just here to crack jokes, I can point you towards the exit. Unlike some, we're busy, so please leave if you don't have a reason to be here.
: Navia: No, no, what I meant to say is, shouldn't you remember us from a few days ago? We were at the trial of the Great Magician Lyney.
: Sedene: Ohhhh! Yes, I remember, I read about it in The Steambird. You... You must be Lyney's attorneys. It's all coming back to me now.
: Navia: We're here today to report and archive some information on a follow-up case.
: Sedene: Huh? Is that even a thing...
: Navia: Of course! Don't worry, we're here on official business. You can trust us.
: Sedene: Alright, then I'll let you through. The Chief Justice is just inside.
: Navia: Thanks so much!
;(Knock on the door)
: Neuvillette: Please, come in.
;(Enter the Chief Justice's office)
: Paimon: Um... Sorry to barge in, Monsieur Neuvillette. We only lied to get in because we didn't know any other way...
: Neuvillette: It's alright. Please let me know how I may be of assistance to you.
: Paimon: Uhh, so you're not mad at us?
: Navia: We're looking for a man called "Vacher." He may have been an eyewitness in the serial disappearances case. If we can find him, we may be able to unearth some key information on the case.
: Neuvillette: Ah, I see. In that case, please wait here a moment while I browse through the files.
: Paimon: Who knew that Neuvillette would be so easy to talk to...
: Neuvillette: Unfortunately...
: Neuvillette: I'm quite certain that no one by the name of "Vacher" has been involved in any case, criminal or civil, in the past several years.
: Neuvillette: There are no records of him either in the files or in my memory.
: Guess that's that...
: So we're back to square one...
: Paimon: , what if it was really all just a dream?
: Navia: Is that so... Alright then, thank you so much, Monsieur Neuvillette. We'll take our leave now.
: Neuvillette: Ahem...
:;(The group begins to leave)
: Neuvillette: ...Miss Navia, I can understand how you feel.
:;(Navia stops walking)
: Neuvillette: Your father, Callas, was a truly exceptional man. We deeply regret his passing.
: Navia: ...
: Navia: And what are you trying to say, Monsieur Neuvillette?
: Navia: Are you trying to console me? Extend your sympathy? Or just express some tendril of regret...
: Navia: No... You are not trying to do any of that. I can hear it in your voice. There's no emotion behind your words — you only said those things because you felt like you should.
: Neuvillette: ...
:;(Navia walks back to Neuvillette)
: Navia: It's just like last time. After my father took his place in the Duelists' Ring, I pushed through the guards to talk to you as a last resort...
: Navia: You even told me then that you thought there was something fishy with the case, yet you still allowed the duel to go ahead.
: Navia: In your eyes, the value of a human life is nothing compared to those cold laws you hold so dear.
: Navia: If you truly regret my father's death, then why didn't you call a stop to the duel!?
: Navia: Why didn't you... give me the power to stop him from throwing his life away, why did you just let him die, despised and hated by all...
: Navia: Everything was hanging on a thread at that moment... Just the tiniest effort could have changed everything.
: Navia: There are still so many things I never got to tell him... So many questions he still owes me answers to...
: Navia: If you really have no heart, then just look me in the eyes — I, Navia, will show you the true meaning of "regret"!
: Neuvillette: ...
: Neuvillette: ...I'm sorry, Miss Navia.
: Navia: You and my father are truly alike. You'd keep all kinds of things in your heart, and never say a word to anyone.
: Navia: It's not so much that you can't feel, but that you would never express anything.
: Navia: Oh well... In any case, everyone already knows full well the apathy of the Chief Justice.
: Navia: My apologies for taking my emotions out on you, Monsieur Chief Justice. Let's go, and Paimon.
:;(Outside the Palais)
: Paimon: Navia... Are you okay?
: Navia: I'm fine...
: Navia: Ah... rain... It's raining.
: Paimon: You're right... Wasn't it still sunny when we went into the building? And there shouldn't be any active trials today, how strange...
: Navia: Now that I think of it... On the day my father was convicted of murder, it was also raining.
: Rain...
: Paimon: What is it, ? Did you think of something?
: Your father's case...
: Was he outside when it happened?
: Navia: Yeah, he was outside... It was uncovered and the rain could fall there. Why? Do you think the rain could have affected the crime scene?
: Navia: That thought has occurred to us before. We've even expanded the search area to try to account for that, but didn't find anything of value.
: But there was something you didn't know at the time.
: Navia: Oh? Wait, you don't mean...!
: The fact that people can be turned into water.
: Paimon: So you're saying that the true murderer could have been turned into water? And then got washed away with the rain...
: Paimon: Yeah... And if that's what had happened, then no one would have believed your dad even if he explained what he saw to the authorities!
: Navia: I really think I've found a true genius for a partner... You're completely right, how did I not connect the dots earlier...
: Navia: Alright, let's go to Poisson! With this new lead in mind, we'll get to the bottom of my father's case for sure!
: Paimon: Yeah! We're gonna make progress for sure this time!
: Navia: Do you want to go with me now, or do you want to head over by yourself later?
: We should go while the idea's still fresh!
:: Navia: Great. Let's go, then.
: You can go first, I'll join you later.
:: Navia: Alright, then I'll wait for you at Poisson.
----
;(Approach Navia at Poisson)
: Paimon: Woah, what a huge ship! Why would a ship be anchored at a place like this?
: Navia: Hehe, there's no need to be so surprised. While it may look like a ship, it's actually Spina di Rosula's headquarters.
: Navia: My father was the one who asked for it to be built like this. Perhaps our taste in exterior design is the only thing we occasionally had in common.
: Navia: A gigantic and glamorous ship embodies discovery, opportunity, ambition, and conquest. It symbolizes Spina di Rosula's bright and limitless future.
: I think I'm starting to get why you like it.
: Paimon: And Paimon thought you were bluffing when you said Spina di Rosula had a glorious past!
: Paimon: Paimon was confused why a group with such a history would live in the sewers...
: Paimon: But now that Paimon has seen this ship for herself, she's been convinced!
: Navia: Well, Poisson is where Spina di Rosula began, after all. It's our main base, our home.
;(Approach Melus on the ship)
: Navia: Melus, we're back!
: Melus: Apologies for the wait, Demoiselle, and our most important partners.
: Melus: You said before that you still had some business at the Court. What brings you back to Poisson so quickly?
: Navia: Uh, about that... it's because my partner here reminded me of something really important. You see, what if my father's case had something to do with Water from the Primordial Sea?
: Navia: You still remember, right, Melus? On that night, it was raining...
: Melus: Yes, the case was quite similar to that of Mr. Lyney's. Both were what you'd call "impossible murders."
: Could the mastermind be the same person?
: Paimon: Could you tell us a bit more about what happened before?
: Navia: Yeah, of course. Many years ago, something called "Sinthe" began to gain popularity in Poisson.
: Navia: At a glance, it was a kind of drink that could excite your mood and produce many pleasant hallucinations.
: Paimon: Wait, didn't that Garde guy who turned into water also mention that the Primordial Water could be used to produce some kind of potion?
: Navia: Yes, he did. Considering what we know now, it's almost certain that Sinthe is created using Water from the Primordial Sea.
: Navia: If you drink Sinthe for an extended amount of time, you'll suffer many side effects, such as losing the ability to focus or control your emotions.
: Navia: And if you were to stop drinking it completely... you'll experience flashes of paranoia and anxiety, while lacking energy to do anything. It's an extremely dangerous substance.
: Navia: As he oversaw Poisson, my father was compelled to put a stop to Sinthe abuse, and called for a complete ban of it.
: Melus: Boss' uncompromising attitude incurred the Sinthe vendors' wrath, but no matter how much they threatened or bribed him, he refused to yield.
: Melus: Not only that, Boss became determined to find the mastermind behind the Sinthe operation, and put an end to the problem once and for all.
: Navia: Yes, but the enemy was very cunning, so he could never get anything out of the dealers, all of whom only sold the stuff and weren't privy to the rest of the operation.
: Navia: Recognizing that, my father decided to contact the dealers in secret, and cultivate personal relationships with them. Finally, he was able to convince someone to become his informant.
: Navia: The man's name was Jacques. He felt greatly ashamed about his work after seeing many families destroyed by Sinthe abuse.
: Navia: That night, my father hosted a banquet at this countryside estate. He planned to meet up and exchange information with Jacques over some food.
: Navia: But then we heard two gunshots from the courtyard. We raced to the scene and found my father, still holding a gun, and Jacques, who was already dead on the ground...
: Paimon: Huh!? How did that happen? Weren't they on the same side?
: Navia: Sounds just like Lyney's case, doesn't it? In both cases the culprit seemed obvious, but neither appeared to have any motive at all.
: Navia: Looking back on it, though, I now believe the most important clue was something we all overlooked at the time — there were pieces of clothing left at the scene.
: So they could have belonged to someone who got dissolved?
: Navia: Precisely. It's all thanks to you that I made the connection now. Back then, we all just thought they were some costumes that Jacques used to disguise himself at the banquet.
: Navia: But considering it now, it's almost certain that they belonged to a third person at the scene. With one extra person, we'll also need to reconsider why the two shots were fired.
: Maybe your father got into an argument with Jacques...?
: But it's also possible that the third person was to blame.
: Navia: You're right, we still don't know what happened, but my intuition tells me that we're on the right track to figuring it all out. I'm finally headed towards the truth...
: Melus: Jacques was an empathetic man who was infinitely remorseful for his past actions. It's unlikely that he turned on Boss with zero warning.
: Melus: I think this "third person" is probably the key to the full truth.
: Melus: On that note, however... Even though this will not please you, Demoiselle, as your and your father's butler, I must still offer a word of warning.
: Melus: Our opponent is insidious and cruel. They are extremely difficult to deal with, and Boss has already lost his life trying to bring them to justice.
: Melus: Even though Spina di Rosula has lost most of its former glory, Poisson has welcomed a new time of peace, and we have been allowed to live out our lives...
: Melus: There's no need to follow your father's path. It would be both wise and in line with Boss' wishes to step back and give up on the case.
: Navia: If that's indeed what he wished for, then he should have told me that himself.
: Navia: Was I not the closest person to him? And yet, I was the one most kept in the dark.
: Navia: What was the point of him dying without sharing any of the secrets he knew? Did he manage to protect anything in the end?
: Navia: Sinthe is still here, "Callas the Unfaithful" is still his epithet, and Spina di Rosula is barely getting by. Nothing has changed.
: Navia: Did he think I'd just accept his meaningless death, and live out my life just as meaninglessly?
: Navia: I've never accepted that, ever. Not since that day, and certainly not now.
: Navia: I want to find out the real answer for everyone's sake. For the missing girls... for the victims... and for myself.
: Paimon: Navia...
: Melus: This is indeed the best moment to act. Your partner appears to be quite reliable, and more importantly, Demoiselle, I think you're also ready to take this on.
: Navia: So you do know something else, Melus.
: Melus: Yes, I do. In fact, even before that banquet, Boss already knew of the connection between Sinthe and the serial disappearances case.
: Melus: But what drove all the tensions to the boiling point was the revelation that you, Demoiselle, had been selected as the next target to "disappear."
: Navia: What...
: Melus: Boss also didn't tell you that he had been diagnosed with a rare illness. The doctors told him that he had no more than five years left to live...
: Melus: And the serial disappearances case caused him great anxiety.
: Melus: Five years was nowhere near enough time to resolve this long-standing conflict, but once he passed away, all the danger would pass onto you.
: Melus: Knowing all of this, he decided to use one final intimidation tactic before his death. He claimed to have already gotten his hands on some key incriminating evidence for the other side, and even told some members of Spina di Rosula about the details.
: Melus: But as long as you remained safe, he would not share the evidence with the public.
: Melus: If something were to happen to you, then he and all those he had told would immediately expose all they know about Sinthe and the disappeared victims.
: Paimon: Right, so nobody would be able to get off scot-free...
: Melus: As we've seen, Boss' tactic has worked. Even though Boss has been gone for a long time, the other side has not tried to take Demoiselle's life.
: Navia: No, I don't believe it! He never appeared to look sick to me!
: Melus: No father wants their daughter to see them weak and haggard, especially someone as proud as Boss.
: Melus: To him, dying in a duel and suffering lasting dishonor as "the Unfaithful" were still far preferable than losing face in front of his daughter.
: Navia: Argh!
: Navia: ...So he chose to die in silence so that he could protect me?
: Melus: I'm afraid you're not understanding this correctly, Demoiselle. What Boss wanted to hand to you was not a parasol, but a sword.
: Melus: If Boss' spirit could hear you telling me that you want to find the answer for the sake of everyone involved...
: Melus: I'm sure he'd be extremely proud.
: Navia: That fool, couldn't he have just given it to me straight...
: Navia: No, he might have set up everything precisely because... he never thought I'd be able to understand him...
: Navia: Is that the amount of confidence he had in me? And what if I was never able to make it to where I am now...?
: He gave you the choice to live how you want.
: Navia: Yeah, I suppose that's true... With the way he'd set things up, if I had wanted, I could have just lived out my life without a care in the world.
: Navia: But thankfully, he rarely talked to me about complex matters, and thus understood little of me as a person. In this case... he really didn't need to give me an easy way out.
: Navia: Melus, what was the key evidence that he shared with you?
: Melus: It's the location where Sinthe is produced. Essentially, it's the enemy's headquarters.
: Melus: When he was threatening the enemy, Boss didn't share the specifics of the incriminating evidence he found.
: Melus: But if you want to use it against the enemy, you'll still have to take several things into consideration.
: Paimon: Why? If we know where the place is, can't we just go storming in?
: Melus: You mustn't forget that we're fighting against a mysterious and dangerous organization that's been in operation for decades.
: Melus: There's no telling what might be lying in wait at their headquarters. We also have no idea what kind of evidence we may be able to find inside, nor what people we may be able to capture.
: Melus: But a single visit to their headquarters would be tantamount to a formal declaration of war.
: Melus: The worst case would be that we leave empty-handed, but also open ourselves up to full retaliation.
: Paimon: Then in that case, why not work with the Fontaine authorities?
: Melus: Well, you saw one of them dissolve during Mr. Lyney's case. We have no idea just how thoroughly they may have been infiltrated.
: Navia: That's true... Seems my father really had no choice...
: Navia: But things are different now. It should be a lot easier to prove the other side's guilt now that we've connected Sinthe with the disappearances case.
: Paimon: You sound like you've put a lot of thought into this, Melus!
: Melus: I am the butler, after all. I live but to serve the Boss and Demoiselle's will.
: Melus: I've always been willing to take on any kind of risk for your sake, but considering my relative lack of ability, I've spent my time keeping secrets, performing basic investigations, and waiting for the right time to come.
: Navia: Thank you for all of that, Melus. Have you discovered anything new in the past few years?
: Melus: Let me think... One conclusion I came to was that the enemy must be quite familiar with Spina di Rosula, or at least, have an informant planted here.
: Melus: When I announced orders to the organization's members on Demoiselle's behalf, I used to deliberately keep a few people in the dark, and observe the reactions of the Sinthe vendors.
: Melus: If the vendors didn't change their plans, then the individuals informed of our orders must be innocent. If the vendors packed up and fled, however, then someone must have given them the news.
: Melus: After several rounds of testing and investigative tracing, I've narrowed the suspect list down to three people.
: Melus: The first is Florent, Spina di Rosula's senior adviser.
: Navia: Huh? Florent?
: Melus: Yes. Surprising, isn't it? He was one of the people Boss trusted the most, which also means that he was someone who understood Boss really well.
: Melus: Thanks to his position within Boss' innermost circle, he always knew our upcoming plans, and could thus avoid capture this whole time.
: Melus: There's someone else like him, too. Marcel, the head of Confrerie of Cabriere.
: Navia: Uncle Marcel...
: What is this "Confrerie"?
: Melus: It's a guild in Poisson. Boss helped it to grow to its current size and prominence.
: Melus: In the beginning, they were only reselling some daily goods, but now, they're one of the richest guilds around with a lot of business connections in the city.
: Paimon: So, they're like a sister organization of Spina di Rosula?
: Navia: Yes, you can say that. When we were fighting against the Sinthe dealers, they provided us with plenty of support.
: Navia: It's a bit difficult to imagine someone using their own money to hunt down themselves...
: Melus: The final suspect is Thierry, the man responsible for coordinating information between Spina di Rosula and the Gardes.
: Melus: Although the Gardes mostly leave us to our own devices, there are still many activities we have to report to the local authorities.
: Melus: Since Thierry is always in the know about our current activities, he could theoretically always plan one step ahead.
: Navia: I see... These are all people who I communicate with quite regularly.
: Navia: To think that the enemy we've been fighting against has been right next to me all along, among those I trust the most... It's almost too hard to believe...
: Melus: If you want to investigate them, please take every precaution to not alert the quarry. Judging from our experience, the enemy is extremely cautious.
: Navia: Of course, and thank you, Melus. You've provided us with a lot of great information.
: Melus: You're too kind, my lady. I'm just doing my duty.
: Melus: Ah, and before I forget, proving Boss' innocence would also mean clearing him of blame in Jacques' death...
: Melus: After that incident, Jacques' wife and daughter were taken into the Spina's care. They still live in Poisson today.
: Melus: If it might help, you could also pay them a visit. I can make the necessary arrangements.
: Paimon: Aw, thank you so much, Melus! You really are the best!
: Navia: A new case awaits, my dear partner.
: Leave it to me.
: Navia: I hope we can work together to uncover the truth, and end this case once and for all.
:;(Obtain )
:;("Callas' Case Records" added to the Case Record)
----
;(Approach Melus, Coralie, and Adele)
: Melus: It is settled, then. Please excuse me, and enjoy your conversation at your leisure.
: Navia: Thank you for arranging everything for us, Melus.
: Coralie: Excuse me, Miss... Do you need anything from us?
: Adele: ...
: Navia: Huh!?
: Paimon: Hey, Navia's all quiet... This isn't like her at all.
: Let's not bother her for now.
: Navia: I'm sorry that I only came to visit after all this time. After what happened... I didn't know how I was supposed to face the two of you.
: Coralie: Ah, if it's about that, there's no need to apologize. After my husband died, Spina di Rosula sent us a lot of Mora and support. I understood your guilt and apology to be genuine.
: Navia: But aren't all of those things nothing compared to the loss of Jacques?
: Navia: I can understand the kind of pain that comes with losing a father so needlessly.
: Adele: ...You don't understand at all.
: Navia: I didn't know how to face you because I didn't know what I could possibly bring as a consolation gift.
: Navia: I know only the full truth could bring closure to you — and to all of us.
: Adele: Mhm...
: Coralie: I'm sorry... I appreciate the sentiment, but you don't have to carry all that guilt.
: Coralie: On the matter regarding my husband, my daughter and I have more or less found our answer already...
: Navia: Would you mind sharing it with me? I really can't believe that my father could ever bring himself to shoot Jacques.
: Coralie: I always knew that my husband's money was earned through others' suffering. He told me countless times that if he could turn back the clock, he would never go into the Sinthe business again.
: Coralie: He had many regrets, and felt that he took the idea of providing for his family too literally. For the longest time, he thought Mora was everything.
: Coralie: So when Mr. Callas came to him with a proposal, he accepted it almost immediately.
: Coralie: He tried to be as careful as he could, but even so, he was still found out by the higher-ups...
: Navia: They found out about his betrayal?
: Adele: Papa didn't say that exactly, but Papa did tell me that I should never be ungrateful.
: Coralie: Before he left that day, he told me that he had no choice. It was only later that I realized it was his final farewell to the two of us.
: Wait, does that mean...
: Someone ordered Jacques to take out Callas?
: Coralie: I don't know that for sure, but you could say that's... the conclusion I eventually came to.
: Coralie: Which is why I'm the one who should feel guilty. Callas had always taken great care of us, both when he was still alive, and after he passed away...
: Coralie: Even if he fired the shot that killed my husband, it was likely in self-defense. It is impossible for me to hate him for what he had done.
: Adele: But Mama, why is Papa still the bad guy if he did the right thing?
: Adele: Papa always wanted to be a good man, so why did he have to do a bad thing in the end?
: Navia: Well, things aren't always as they seem. You still feel like your Papa was a good man, right?
: Adele: Yeah, Papa was a really good man. The best in the whole world...
: Navia: Then you should hold onto that. If a good man had to do a bad thing, then he must have had his reasons.
: Navia: Regardless of whether he left you a parasol or a sword, he must have done so to give you a better life.
: Adele: Oh...
: Navia: Thank you for everything you've told me. I will definitely find the truth. The current state of things is not something I'm willing to just sit back and accept.
: Coralie: Thank you. I'm very grateful to hear this from you.
: Coralie: Even though your personality is quite different from your father's, your determination when you speak is really similar...
: Navia: ...You really think so?
: Navia: That's the first time anyone's said that to me.
:;("Testimony From Jacques' Family" added to the Case Record)
;(Talk to Coralie or Adele again, optional)
: Coralie: I'll leave my husband's case to you.
: Adele: Thank you, Miss Spina, and Miss Spina's friend.
;(Walk away from Coralie and Adele)
: Paimon: Are you okay, Navia?
: Navia: I'm fine, don't worry. Let's investigate the three suspects next.
: Navia: Florent should be nearby, and we should be able to find Thierry and Uncle Marcel in the city.
: Navia: I'll get myself together on the way, so please don't worry!
;(Approach Florent)
: Florent: Greetings, Boss. How may I be of assistance today?
: Navia: I'm sure you've heard about what happened at the opera house? Someone got turned into water right in front of us...
: Florent: Yeah, I've heard... With something that dramatic, I'm sure journalists will milk it for all its worth, and it'll be all the talk for the next several weeks.
: Navia: It also reminded me... On the day that the incident happened with my father, it was raining outside, and we found some clothes left at the scene...
: Navia: After my partner here put the dots together for me, I feel like we should try to reopen his case.
: Navia: Can you do me a favor and try to recall what happened that night?
: Florent: Hmm, let me think... Mr. Callas was feeling pretty upbeat that day, so he was drinking and bantering away with us at the table.
: Florent: After that, he told us that he wanted to go get some fresh air, so we let him go without thinking much of it. Who knew that we would hear two gunshots ring out right after...
: Florent: My first reaction was that Mr. Callas' life was in danger, so I grabbed my holster and made a mad dash towards the scene.
: Florent: But when I got there, it was already too late. Mr. Callas was standing over a dead body with a gun in his hands. All we could do was look back and forth at each other, not knowing what to say...
: Navia: So you also remember two gunshots, then?
: Florent: Indeed. The Gardes said the first shot didn't hit anyone, while the second killed Jacques... but I've never really bought that explanation.
: Florent: Reason being, Mr. Callas had left his gun on the table. I even made sure to confirm that before running to the scene.
: Florent: But according to the Gardes, that doesn't mean he couldn't have had other guns on his person.
: Florent: About the clothes left at the scene that you mentioned... Do you think there was a third person there who was turned into water?
: It's very possible.
: Navia: At least from our perspective, my father had no reason to kill, so he would also have no reason to bring an extra gun with him.
: Navia: The gun he was holding probably belonged to Jacques, or a third person on the scene.
: Florent: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. So you're saying... Mr. Callas ended up with the gun because he seized it from one of the other guys?
: Florent: But hold on, if that's what had happened, then why didn't he share the truth with any of us?
: Florent: He didn't even want to face the Oratrice Machine, and chose instead to prove his honor in a duel...
: Florent: Did he lose all faith in the courts after seeing someone dissolve right in front of his eyes?
: Navia: About that... Melus told me a thing or two, so I think I can understand why he committed to the duel.
: Navia: I'll tell you everything once the whole truth has been revealed.
: Florent: I understand. Then, I'll leave Mr. Callas' honor in your hands, Boss.
: Florent: And if I may just say one more thing... The whole "Callas the Unfaithful" epithet has been a thorn in my side since the day it was invented.
: Florent: Many people have laughed at me for still calling him "Mr. Callas" even after so many years have passed.
: Florent: But it was Mr. Callas' trust that allowed me to rise through the ranks of Spina di Rosula and live the life I lead today.
: Florent: No matter what others might say, he'll always be the man I respect the most, and he'll always be my Boss.
: Navia: Don't worry, I will definitely find the truth.
: Navia: You and all our other comrades at the Spina deserve to know the truth as well.
:;("Information Regarding Florent" added to the Case Record)
;(Talk to Florent again, optional)
: Florent: My apologies, Boss, for that last sentimental bit.
: Florent: It's just... Many years have passed while I've held my tongue. It's not often that I get to share my true feelings with others.
;(Talk to Thierry)
: Navia: Hey, Thierry. It's me.
: Thierry: Oho, now what brings you here, Miss Navia? I've heard that you made quite the name for yourself at the opera house.
: Navia: Haha, so you've caught news of that already?
: Thierry: Oh, okay... Hey, I'm also a member of the Gardes, you know. The way you make it sound, people would think I was sent off to Poisson because I had done something wrong.
: Navia: Are you sure there isn't a little bit of truth in that? Under normal circumstances, shouldn't you have been called back to the city already?
: Thierry: Haha, I mean, where I work is really up to me. Let's just say I enjoy the ambience of Poisson.
: Thierry: Callas did a fantastic job running the town, building Spina di Rosula from the ground up, and clearing many obstructions in my way.
: Thierry: It would be next to impossible for me to find a similarly easy but high-paying job in the city.
: Thierry: Anyway, enough chitchat, are these two friends of yours? You here for some formal business?
: Navia: Ah yes, these two are my partners.
: Navia: What happened at the opera house made us realize that Lyney's case and my father's may be related. We're trying to re-investigate the details of my father's old case.
: Thierry: Ah, I get it. You think there might be more to the case now that we know people can be dissolved into water, right? I was also flabbergasted when I first heard of it.
: Thierry: If you want to go through the original files from your father's case, I can help you look for them.
: Navia: That'd be much appreciated, thank you. Actually, I have another question — do you have the authority to dispatch Gardemeks?
: Thierry: Of course! Without them, I couldn't possibly handle Poisson on my own.
: Thierry: Why do you ask? We definitely can't use them to forcefully get more evidence for your father's case.
: Navia: Well, you see, just recently we were attacked by a horde of unnumbered Gardemeks in the city.
: Navia: So if you hypothetically wanted to do something against me, all you would need to do is get rid of the meka's serial numbers and send them after me...
: Thierry: Hahaha, then you think too highly of my abilities. "Dispatching" meka is very different from "controlling" them.
: Thierry: If I had to make an analogy... when you order a dish, the chef will make it for you. You can ask the chef to cook, but not to massage your shoulders, or carry your baggage.
: Thierry: If you try to make unreasonable demands, the chef would just think you're out of your mind and ignore you completely. The same goes for me and my Gardemeks.
: Thierry: Removing a serial number is also not as easy as you might think. There are a lot of complex steps to it, and it's almost impossible to keep it a secret.
: Thierry: So I can promise you — those meka were definitely private units.
: Thierry: They're certainly not cheap, so whoever their owner is must be super rich, powerful, or both. Now that you mention it, though, being in the Sinthe business would definitely be profitable enough to afford this...
: Makes sense.
: Navia: Haha, then you're officially in the clear, Thierry.
: Thierry: Ahaha, thank you for the vote of confidence, Navia.
: Thierry: Jokes aside, I'd like to wish you all the best with your investigation.
: Thierry: I'll be staying in the city for a little while, so just come find me if you need any support from the Gardes.
:;("Information Regarding Thierry" added to the Case Record)
;(Talk to Thierry again, optional)
: Thierry: I'll see what I can do for you and Spina di Rosula when it comes to Garde stuff, but don't go advertising it to everyone else, haha.
;(Approach the Confrerie of Cabriere)
: Calcagni: Hello, how may I help you?
: Navia: I'm here to see Marcel. Could you please let him know? You can just say Navia is looking for him.
: Calcagni: Sure, I will let him know right away.
:
: Marcel: Navia, hello! Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm not as young as I used to be, so my legs are giving out a bit.
: Navia: It's alright, Uncle Marcel. There's no need to stress.
: Navia: I just wanted to talk to you briefly about what happened in the opera house. I'm sure you saw everything too, right?
: Marcel: Yes, I've never seen anything so strange.
: Paimon: Oh, you were at the opera house, too?
: Marcel: That's right, I went there with Navia to see the magic show. Who knew it would turn into a whole murder mystery...
: Marcel: I also witnessed your marvelous sleuthing work. Quite impressive.
: Marcel: To beat the Hydro Archon at her own game on her home turf... I can already imagine everyone in Fontaine discussing your exploits over a few glasses of wine.
: Paimon: Oh, Paimon doesn't want to become the talk of drunkards...
: Marcel: Hahaha, apologies, it's just how Fontaine is as a nation. Everyone loves drama and theatrics.
: Navia: Uncle Marcel, you've also noticed that other thing, right? The fact that humans can dissolve in water...
: Marcel: Yes, I was reminded of your father's case right away. Is that what you're investigating now?
: Navia: Exactly. I still don't have much solid proof, but I can sense that the other side has already begun to act.
: Marcel: Oh, and what makes you say that?
: Navia: We were attacked on Erinnyes by some unnumbered Gardemeks, and there was also an attempt to get me to drink Water from the Primordial Sea.
: Navia: If not for the vigilance of my partner, I probably wouldn't even be here talking to you right now.
: Paimon: You're giving us too much credit! Wasn't it you who protected us?
: Marcel: Alas, it seems things are heating up again. The peace that Callas sought so dearly will soon become a thing of the past.
: Marcel: But rest assured, Navia, Poisson will always remain a safe haven for you. If you're scared, you can always return there.
: Marcel: If anyone dares to lay their hands on you there, the Confrerie of Cabriere will use its funds to the last Mora to bring them to justice.
: Navia: Thank you, Uncle Marcel. But I don't intend to go into hiding. I'm going to strike while the iron's hot.
: Navia: Do you have any new thoughts on my father's case?
: Marcel: Hmm, about that... Sorry, my age's catching up with me, so it'll take me a while to recall my memory.
: Marcel: The Confrerie was responsible for that banquet, so I was out and about the whole time making sure things were running smoothly. I didn't even have the time to drink with the guests.
: Marcel: Then I heard the sound of a gunshot, and the rest was history.
: Navia: It's okay, no need to push yourself. We'll ask around some more, see if there are any valuable clues elsewhere.
: Marcel: Sounds good. Just let me know if you ever need Mora.
: Marcel: All my wealth comes from Callas' patronage and support. I'll spend however much it takes to clear his name.
:;("Information Regarding Marcel" added to the Case Record)
;(Talk to Marcel again, optional)
: Marcel: Alas, why do these kinds of things happen to the kindest people...
;(Approach the marked area)
: Navia: We've talked to all three suspects, purely based on their conversations with me...
: Paimon: None of them sounded particularly suspicious.
: Yeah, none of them really stood out as a suspect.
: Navia: I suppose that's to be expected, though. If a single conversation's all that's needed to find them out, then my father wouldn't have needed to investigate the case for so many years.
: Navia: Anyway, even though we didn't make a breakthrough, let's still compile what we were able to find.
: Paimon: Hmm... But where should we start?
: Jacques' motive.
: Paimon: Ah, you're right! Florent mentioned that Callas probably only ended up with the gun because of circumstance. Hmm... that makes sense.
: Navia: According to Jacques' family members, he already told them that he had been discovered and that he had no choice before he left home that day.
: Navia: Hmm, if I had to guess, he probably received an order from the Sinthe boss to kill my father. Had he refused, he and his family's lives would have been forfeit.
: Paimon: So, Jacques fired the first shot?
: If I was Jacques...
: I wouldn't have fired a shot at all.
: Navia: Oh? And why is that?
: Could he guarantee his safety after killing Callas?
: Could he guarantee his family's safety after killing Callas?
: Paimon: Ooh, that's a good point! Jacques probably already knew that he was just being used as a tool for murder. And once he had completed his mission, he'd be of no more use to his boss...
: Navia: So, what would make more sense from his perspective would be to turn his back on the order, and seek protection from my father.
: Seems the third person was the one who derailed everything.
: Navia: Makes sense, but without evidence, that's still just a theory...
: Navia: Besides Jacques, the attack from the Gardemeks has been bothering me quite a bit as well.
: Navia: It's obvious that our enemy has become more antsy after the secret of the Primordial Seawater was revealed.
: Paimon: Do you think he knew, even then, that we'd follow this lead to the end?
: Navia: Given everything that's happened since... it's quite possible.
: Navia: But who among the three suspects would have the ability to control privately owned Gardemeks?
: Florent.
:: Navia: Florent? It is true that he was closest to my father, and thus had the best chance of learning about his dealings with Jacques...
:: Navia: But as Spina di Rosula's adviser, his work mostly deals with personnel and security, so he shouldn't have much means when it comes to finances.
:: Paimon: So you're saying he's too broke to afford a meka army?
:: Navia: Exactly, he can't. And even if he could, I don't think he would be able to dispatch a whole group so quickly.
: Thierry.
:: Navia: Thierry, you say? Hmm, it is possible that he's figured out a way to convert the Gardemeks for personal use...
:: Navia: But I didn't feel like he was lying when he was talking to us about the meka. I also don't think he'd be able to keep that kind of tampering under wraps.
:: Paimon: Yeah, had he actually tampered with the meka, we'd be able to prove it with a simple check of the Gardes' inventory.
:: Paimon: If the meka were taken from the Gardes, it should be pretty easy to find out when and how that happened.
: Marcel.
:: Navia: Uncle Marcel? Hmm, my father did really trust him, and they worked together on a large number of projects. Maybe that's how he got to know Jacques.
:: Navia: And with funds from the Confrerie, he could also afford a large number of Gardemeks...
:: Navia: It's still really hard for me to imagine, though. After all, Uncle Marcel has been around since I was just a child...
:: Navia: Also, wouldn't this mean he has been spending a whole lot of Mora and energy to fight his own Sinthe business?
;(If the options haven't been depleted yet)
:: Maybe it was someone else...
:;(Return to option selection)
;(After choosing all the options)
: Navia: Ugh, who could it be...?
: I think...
;Which of the three suspects was most likely to have committed the crime?
;(Select "Information Regarding Florent" or "Information Regarding Thierry")
:: (If we just consider the incident with the Gardemeks... only one person really fits the bill.)
;(Select "Information Regarding Marcel")
: Navia: You know, if you think everything through, Uncle Marcel is indeed the most suspicious of them all...
: Paimon: Could we be missing other suspects? Melus didn't know about the people turning into water thing when he narrowed it down to these three, did he?
: Navia: Melus has always been very reliable, and his judgment of others' trustworthiness has been fair and well-considered. When he laid out his case for the three, the rationale he gave me made a lot of sense as well.
: Navia: The suspect is knowledgeable about the Spina's internal affairs, has the means to dispatch meka to assassinate us, and possesses significant intellect and foresight...
: Navia: Even if I don't want to believe it, I'm starting to see how things could all tie back to Uncle Marcel.
: He is someone who's very close to you, after all.
: Paimon: Well, we still have another trump card on top of all the theorizing and speculating!
: The Sinthe production base!
: Navia: Yes... Melus did say that charging straight in there would be extremely risky, but we don't have any other options right now...
: Navia: We'd need far more solid proof before we can hope to go charging in on our enemy.
: Thierry: Navia, here you are... *panting*... I've been looking for you.
: Paimon: Huh? Aren't you the guy from the Gardes? Did something happen?
: Thierry: Yeah, news came from Erinnyes just after you left! We've got another trial on our hands!
: Navia: Wasn't that place built specifically for holding trials? What's so newsworthy about this one?
: Thierry: I know, I know, but they said the person they're putting on trial is a Fatui Harbinger called Tartaglia!
: Wait, Childe!?
: Navia: What? Is that someone you know?
: Paimon: Yeah, we know him, maybe even a little too well...
: Thierry: Well, he's been accused of being the true culprit behind the serial disappearances case. It's absurd, don't you think?
: Navia: Wait, how? None of our investigations have had anything to do with him.
: Thierry: That's what I thought was strange about it... So I came to tell you the news right away.
: Thierry: If the charge against him stands, then it'll be next to impossible to get the Gardes to support any of our planned investigations.
: Navia: Right, because they'll think they've already found the culprit...
: Thierry: Yeah, and it'll be a lot harder then to clear Mr. Callas' name.
: Navia: I understand. Well, partner, what do you think we should do? We still haven't found any conclusive evidence...
: Paimon: Uh... Erm...
: Let's split up.
: Navia: Hmm, split up? What do you mean?
: You can go to Erinnyes, while I'll go investigate "that place."
: I'm confident in my combat abilities.
: Navia: Hahaha, just as expected of my partner!
: Navia: Since this is a trial about the serial disappearances case, the culprit's attention will be focused on Erinnyes, leaving his home base wide open...
: Navia: You're right, this is our best opportunity. Alright then, let's do this. I'll stall them at the opera house and charge Marcel as the true culprit.
: Navia: I won't have any chance of making that charge stick though, unless we find more evidence. It'll be up to you to make it back in time and hand the decisive evidence to me.
: Leave it to me.
: Paimon: We'll help you just like you helped us in Lyney's trial!
: Melus: Demoiselle, please allow us to accompany you.
: Silver: I'm ready.
: Navia: Melus, Silver... when did you two get here!?
: Melus: We heard that you'll be leaving Poisson and figured that you might require our assistance.
: Melus: It's our hope that your confidence will be bolstered with the two of us by your side.
: Navia: Hahaha, thank you so much. Then, let's make haste for Erinnyes! Paimon, , I'll see you at the opera house!
: Paimon: See you then!
:;("Suspect Analysis" added to the Case Record)
:;(The player is teleported near the coast northeast of the Court of Fontaine)
==Soundtracks==
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es:Una verdad perdida tras la lluvia
ja:雨に流される真相
vi:Sự Thật Trôi Theo Màn Mưa