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[ Of Justice and Contracts ]

[ At the question, Neuvillette lifts an eyebrow and cants his head slightly to the side in mild confusion; that came out of nowhere, what does this have to do with the Oratrice's sentience and supposed capacity for speech? ]

The majority of legal proceedings are public and anyone can attend, but there are some instances where trials are held behind closed doors—cases involving confidential information, for example, but it's also sometimes done to protect the integrity of sex crime victims and child victims.

[ Or to maintain the safety of court personel and witnesses when a case involves organized crime... Neuvillette could explain at length about all the potential reasons to exclude the public, but opts to keep his explanation brief so Zhongli can tell him where he's going with this question. ]

Perhaps this is not a feasible proposition—

[ And it is a very long shot. Bending the definition of a trial to the very limits of its definition, especially in a country with such sharp and defined rules as Fontaine. ]

But is it possible to put "it" on trial for the same crime as Master Tartaglia was found guilty of and see what verdict the Oratrice decides?

I know the request is rather unconventional— having no defendant present, a private trial, and with very little evidence to make our case. Do you think the Oratrice would place judgement on such a trial?

[ Uncrossing his arms, Neuvillette considers this for several moments. Now that's an interesting proposition, one he hadn't considered; technically speaking, it is allowed under the law. A trial can be held in absentia in certain circumstances, and this is a nation where a tree can be sued for blocking the sun so "it" can certainly be tried in court as well. And as the case would involve confidential information pertaining to the Fortress of Meropide, there is grounds for excluding access to the public. ]

I would only consider that a legitimate trial in the loosest interpretation of the law. In ordinary circumstances, the Oratrice would simply issue a blank ticket with no verdict written on it.

[ It has happened a few times over the past centuries—cases so flimsy they never should have made it to the courtroom to begin with. Neuvillette would declare that no verdict can be rendered at this time, and the Oratrice would concur with the blank slip of paper. ]

But these are no ordinary circumstances. A trial may be our only way of getting something resembling an answer out of it, since it's either unable to or refuses to communicate through other means.

Edited 2024-01-09 21:05 (UTC)

[ That poor tree. What did it ever do (besides block out the sun, of course. And be unfortunate enough to be on land next to those who were shameless in their application of the law)? ]

In that case, there is little to lose, is there not? A blank verdict keeps us at the status quo while any answer might bring us closer to the mystery behind the Oratrice.

[ There are many other variables to consider such as prosecutor, defendant, and even if Neuvillete would be allowed to preside as judge over such a trial considering he is participating now in this investigation. In addition, any other person they bring in risks exposing what they have found and casting further doubt upon the Oratrice. Unfortunately, as an foreigner, Zhongli can offer little help in these regards which just means more work for their Chief Justice.

However, there is at least one thing he can offer his assistance and expertise with. ]

For "it" to go on trial, you will need an accuser to bring them to court, yes? If it convenient to do so, then I shall offer myself to fill that role and prepare any documentation as necessary.

[ For how different could the forms in Fontaine compared to Liyue? And Zhongli was no stranger to bureaucratic paperwork. ]

[ Neuvillette nods. In his capacity as the highest judge, he can't exactly say he likes the idea of allowing such a bogus trial to take place because it goes against the principle of the law, but the Oratrice is forcing him to resort to unconvential methods in his pursuit of an explanation to one of the many mysteries surrounding the Harbinger. ]

Excellent. I will handle everything else, then, and act as the prosecutor at the trial; the Iudex has always been expected to recuse themselves as judge for cases they're personally investigating.

[ A rule he will unerringly follow, even for what he could barely consider a trial. He's not entirely sure who should take the judge's seat in his stead, but he'll figure something out in the next couple of days as he makes preparations for the trial. ]

[ If Monsieur Neuvillette says that it will be done, then Zhongli has no doubt that the rest of the logistical details will fall into place by his careful hand. A small step — one that might not lead them anywhere. But a step taken is still one step further from the dead ends they had encountered previously.

Zhongli inclines his head in both appreciation and understanding: ]

Then with all our combined efforts—

[ His own. The Chief Justice's. The Traveler's. The rest of Fontaine. And yes, probably even Childe was up to something even if it was only to prove his own innocence. ]

I hope that a resolution that benefits all may come decidedly and swiftly.

[ Zhongli turns to the fountain waters one more time, admiring the sheen that they take under both the moonlight and the lingering elemental powers of someone very adapt at manipulating hydro. ]

Shall we continue any future preparations tomorrow?

[ Zhongli has to be well rested for his brand new job starting tomorrow, after all. ]

Yes. The hour is late and I believe we've accomplished all we can today; again, thank you for your assistance.

[ Truly, they've made a surprising amount of progress in the span of a single evening. Even if all they have is Childe's conversation with the Traveler and a theory based on what they've discussed, coming here was well worth it. Despite his personal dislike for the man, Neuvillette will admit that Zhongli has been very helpful in several ways and he's grateful for that.

The fountain of Lucine shimmers like liquid sapphires, the lingering Hydro pulsating outward like waves from a stone plopping into a pond; each time one such pulse intertwines with a golden mote of residual Geo, they coalesce into a Crystallize shard. One such shard seems to glow brighter than the others, as though beckoning for Zhongli to touch it. And the second he does, a memory from a long time ago washes over him like a tidal wave:

Who it belongs to is not immediately obvious as it's experienced in first person view, but it takes place on a summer day, the sky mottled with light cirrus clouds with the blue coming through here and there; their shadows marble the blue-pink grasslands that Watatsumi Island is known for. In the distance, Sangonomiya Shrine can be sighted, nestled in what looks like massive pink seashells.

The owner of the memory appears to be a young child, judging by their height in relation to the dark-haired woman they're trailing behind like a duck following its mother. Said woman is in her early thirties; she is dressed in clothes that were commonly worn by peasants in Inazuma around 600 to 700 years ago, and there is nothing remarkable about her appearance. If Zhongli is paying attention, he may notice that the hands and bare feet that occasionally come into view are covered in blue scales. The person who experienced this memory is not human.

A marketplace at the outskirts of Bourou Village comes into view, crowded by people noisily bargaining for fresh fish and squawking chickens. The woman stops to speak with another woman. A friend, perhaps. Their conversation blurs into white noise. A scaly hand tugs at the woman's sleeve; she turns and says "Mommy is talking, dear. Please be patient," before resuming her conversation.

The child quickly gets bored of listening and glances around for something to entertain themselves with. They spot a large puddle from last night's rain and walk over to it; that's when the reflection in the water reveals the child's identity. Neuvillette appears to be around six years old, with shoulder-length white hair and clothes too large for his small frame. Hand-me-downs from an older sibling or a cousin, maybe. With a splash, he drops down to his knees in the middle of the puddle and bends down to drink from it like a dog would.

In the background, the women's conversation can be heard more clearly:

"Your... child is drinking from a puddle. Again."

"I know. I've given up on trying to get him to stop; it's like trying to teach a cat to whistle. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with him."

"Return him to the youkai? Sooner or later they're going to come for their child, you know. And they're going to be furious at you for taking him, Sumire-san."

"For the last time, he came from my womb. I did not steal someone's youkai child." ]

[ Being able to draw memories from stone is not an ability that Zhongli ever had. He often wondered — as Azhdaha spoke so vividly of what he had seen— what such an ability would feel like. It was true that working with Monsieur Neuvillette meant that Zhongli experienced a taste of what that might be. But this.

This is something unintentional. Something deeply impersonal.

And while Zhongli does not feel guilty for having seen it, he does know that it was something that he should not have seen.

It also invites more questions than answers. Zhongli knows that Neuvillette is a long-lived species. Of what though — he is not exactly sure but nor does he consider himself an expert on all life in Teyvat. What he is an expert on, however, is history. And this is the story of a boy that is distinctly not mortal being born to a mortal woman. This is the story of a boy being purposefully born into obscurity in a nation far away before finding his way to Fontaine. This is the beginning of a legend. Such things are usually labeled miracles. They are products of fate.

And Zhongli knows first hand how cruel and unkind both things can be.

The quickly disintegrating crystal is shoved discreetly into his pocket, not because Zhongli believes he can hold onto such a memory, but because for some nagging reason he thinks it is best that Neuvillette does not know that he saw it. Despite their cooperation, there is something lurking underneath the surface of their interactions. Something that first Zhongli dismissed as disdain for a foreigner meddling in Fontaine affairs (of which Fontaine was both known for and very understandable considering the nature of the current political circumstances). But the longer that the two of them stayed together, the more Zhongli was convinced that it was something even more than that.

Zhongli clears his throat discreetly into his hand, turning to head back to the aquabus so that he might return to his hotel for the night. ]

Thank you again, Monsieur Neuvillette. I shall keep an ear out for your summons and let you know if I find out anything else that might be useful.

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