Hello I'm back, thy leg is healed but I don't have molars anymore.
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"Come, come—freshly baked macarons! If we're watching our calories, then let's have three each. Too many sweets really aren't good for you."
The steaming macarons were plated in sets of three. Navia handed the first plate to Furina, who had already been unable to resist sniffing the air during the baking. Then she turned her gaze to the unfamiliar man standing beside her.
Normally, Furina's guard was Clorinde. But perhaps considering her mood? Ever since the discussion two days ago about relocating Poisson's residents, it had been this stranger serving as her escort.
As she passed him the plate, Navia introduced herself, "Hello, I'm Navia."
Victor Wang replied, "Dust."
To his surprise, Navia's expression shifted slightly. For a moment, she didn't even seem to notice the plate being taken from her hands, instead scrutinizing Victor Wang carefully from head to toe. Her voice carried unmistakable astonishment. "Dust? That name… May I ask, are you the author of Sherlock Holmes?"
"That's me."
Navia parted her lips as if to say more, then stopped herself. In the end, she only said, "I've long admired you," though her entire demeanor had clearly grown preoccupied. Fortunately, she quickly adjusted her state. As she ate her macaron and enjoyed the black tea Melus had prepared, her casual conversation with Furina remained lively and relaxed.
"Mmm~ The texture and sweetness of these macarons are just right. They're even slightly better than those at the Hotel Debord. Your mastery of desserts is truly profound—entirely on par with mine!"
"Hehe, I'm just glad you like them, Lady Furina! And Mr. Dust, how do they taste?"
"Crisp and sweet. Very delicious."
"Looks like my baking skills are truly worthy of public recognition!"
Seeing that Navia still showed no sign of revealing the topic she was clearly holding back, Victor Wang couldn't help but ask directly, "It seemed like you had something you wanted to say to me earlier?"
Navia paused, then a glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes. "Oh, there were rumors that you had come to Fontaine. Because of a certain possibility, I sent people to look for you—but we couldn't find you. I only just realized that you've changed your appearance."
Not being found was only natural.
After arriving in Fontaine, Victor Wang had only moved about freely for three days. After that, he had mostly stayed within the Palais Mermonia alongside Furina. And later, he had removed his mask and cloak. How could ordinary people possibly have located him?
But why was Navia looking for him…? Victor Wang repeated, "A certain possibility?"
"When I read Sherlock Holmes, the cases felt so real. So, I wondered—could they have been adapted from real events? Could it be possible… that the author of this book is a genuine detective?"
With that, Victor Wang understood. He countered, "You have a difficult case you want someone to solve?"
"That's right. There's a case I'd like to entrust to you. It's almost like those 'impossible cases' Sherlock Holmes so often cracks. But I'm not sure whether you actually operate as a detective."
By this point, Melus, Silver, and even Furina had roughly grasped what Navia intended to do. The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy.
Victor Wang sighed inwardly. "Since I've eaten your macarons… What case is it? Go ahead."
Hope rose in Navia's eyes, but her expression became increasingly solemn. She began with a summary. "It concerns my father, Callas—now known throughout Fontaine's streets and alleys as 'Callas the Unfaithful.' Over three years ago, he was judged to be the murderer of his own friend. He refused a trial and ultimately died in the dueling arena."
Melus shook his head sorrowfully. "Miss Navia, allow me to explain to Mr. Dust…"
"No. At this point, there's no need for me to avoid this topic. I'll explain it myself."
Refusing Melus' kind offer, Navia elaborated in detail.
"This is how it happened—
Many years ago, something called 'Sinthe' began quietly circulating in Poisson. It looked like a kind of beverage. After drinking it, one would feel exhilarated and experience pleasant hallucinations.
But prolonged consumption of Sinthe brought many side effects—difficulty concentrating, emotional instability. And once one stopped drinking it, they would feel exhausted and anxious all day long. You could say the consequences were endless.
When Father discovered this, as the one governing Poisson, he naturally couldn't stand by. He immediately declared a total ban on Sinthe in Poisson.
That hardline stance drew the resentment of the dealers. But whether through threats or bribes, he never yielded. Not only that, he wanted to root out the one manufacturing Sinthe and solve the problem at its source.
However, the other party was far too cunning. The dealers were only responsible for selling; they knew almost nothing about the mastermind behind it.
So, Father decided to cast a long line to catch a big fish. He secretly contacted the dealers and eventually persuaded one named Jacques. Having witnessed many families ruined by Sinthe, Jacques felt guilty and agreed to act as Father's informant.
On the night of the incident, Father hosted a banquet at his estate in the countryside. He was supposed to meet Jacques there to exchange information.
But suddenly, two gunshots rang out in the courtyard. We rushed outside and saw Father holding a gun… and Jacques lying there, shot dead…"
After a pause, Navia continued.
"I don't believe a man like my father could be a murderer. I thought that if he had accepted a trial back then, an official investigation would surely have uncovered something and proven his innocence.
But strangely, he not only refused the trial and chose a duel—rumor has it that during the duel, he was gravely injured, enough to be declared defeated. Yet he refused to surrender and insisted on dying in the arena.
It's been three years. I still can't understand why…
A trial by combat is meant to defend one's honor with one's life. But for him, dying like that only meant losing the chance to restore his name…"
Furina let out a long sigh and added, "I witnessed that duel. The Champion Duelist Callas faced was Clorinde… They knew each other. At the very beginning of the duel, Callas asked Clorinde to look after Navia's safety. That duel was truly strange, and the case itself felt equally strange. But at the time, Callas chose not to defend himself at all—and all the evidence was against him…"
Melus looked meaningfully at Victor Wang. He, too, had crucial information to add. Yet on one side was distrust toward this man he had only met twice; on the other was an unknown risk that might endanger Navia's life. After weighing it carefully, he ultimately remained silent.
After a moment of silence, Victor Wang spoke. "I understand. I will investigate this case thoroughly. Though I must say—first, I'm unfamiliar with Fontaine. Second, I currently have duties to fulfill and can only investigate in my spare time. Third, earlier someone entrusted me with investigating Fontaine's twenty-year cold case, the 'Serial Disappearance of Young Women.' So, this may take some time."
"That's alright. I've investigated this case for three years without any progress. Entrusting it to you so abruptly… was simply like grasping at a thread of hope, expecting a miracle."
"No," Victor Wang replied firmly. "From your description alone, I can already determine that Callas was wrongfully accused. Capturing the true culprit is only a matter of time. This isn't a miracle."
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