Seeing this, Furina instinctively cried out, "Lora!"
Lora looked at her and smiled. Then, under everyone's shocked gazes, she slowly said, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lora, and I am today's defendant. Of course, many of you may find that name unfamiliar, but I have another one."
"I am Egeria, the former Hydro Archon... creator of the Oceanids, and mother of Fontaine."
On both sides of the courtroom, Idyia and Rhodeia knelt before her. They placed their hands over their chests and gazed at her with incomparable devotion. Even the defendant's seat seemed to become a divine throne at that moment.
The two Oceanids looked upon Lora, worshiping the god they once followed.
"O Mistress of All Waters, merciful Egeria, may your radiance forever illuminate the path of Pure Water."
Lumine's expression remained calm, as if she had expected this. Everyone else, however, was utterly stunned.
"Miss Lora is... the former Hydro Archon, Egeria?" Navia stared at the scene in disbelief.
"This has to be a joke, right?" Lyney said in shock. He looked toward Arlecchino beside him, but even she was no less stunned.
Paimon covered her mouth, unable to believe that the person who had traveled with them for so long was actually Fontaine's former Hydro Archon.
This was even more shocking than watching Rex Lapis die right in front of her.
Furina immediately tried to run toward the defendant's seat, but Zhongyue stopped her.
"Don't disturb her."
The audience could barely contain their emotions, but even now, no one dared cry out.
Neuvillette looked at Lora and said slowly, "Ms. Egeria, the Traveler accuses you, as a god, of inaction in the face of Fontaine's prophesied destruction, and of concealing the truth. Do you admit this?"
Lora nodded.
"I admit it. I did conceal the truth from the people of Fontaine. Therefore, at the plaintiff's request, I will reveal everything here."
Her words were meant for the audience below, Furina included.
"Where should I begin..."
Lora's gaze turned distant. She looked down at the Fontainians below and said softly, "This began a very, very long time ago."
"It was an age far in the past. The Oceanids envied humans and longed to become human. As the Mother Goddess of Pure Water, I granted my followers' wish. I stole the power of the Primordial Sea and used Pure Water to create life, transforming them into Fontainians.
"Because I stole the power of the Primordial Sea and created humans without permission, I bore the original sin under Celestia's laws. And because of that, from the moment Fontainians were born, they too carried that sin. The source of it all was me."
The entire hall fell deathly silent.
No one spoke. No one knew what to say.
They had not originally been human.
They had originally been Oceanids transformed into humans.
It was beyond belief.
Lora continued, "And because of that, the blood flowing through Fontainian veins contains Water from the Primordial Sea. That is why, upon touching Water from the Primordial Sea, Fontainians dissolve and return to being Oceanids."
"So that's why we dissolve..." Navia lowered her head and murmured.
Lora had told the Fontainians the whole truth.
Furina looked up at her.
She finally understood why she always felt so safe and at ease whenever Lora stroked her hair.
It was the warmth of a mother caring for her child.
Neuvillette looked at Lora. After a long silence, he finally said, "In that case, let the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale deliver the final judgment."
However, when he attempted to operate the Oratrice, he discovered that it did not respond at all.
Lora looked at the glowing machine, sighed, and said, "Judge me. This is the price the Hydro Archon must pay."
The instant those words left her mouth, the entire Oratrice erupted with even brighter light.
A verdict appeared before Neuvillette.
But when he saw what was written on it, even he could not help being shocked.
Lora looked at the stunned Chief Justice and said, "Announce it, Chief Justice Neuvillette."
"According to the verdict given by the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, the Hydro Archon is guilty. Sentence: execution."
Neuvillette looked at Lora and read out the judgment.
The moment the sentence was spoken, the courtroom could no longer remain calm. Whispers spread through the hall at once.
"No... why is this happening?"
Furina could not believe what she was seeing. She struggled to break free from Zhongyue's restraint.
Seeing this, Zhongyue could only sigh and let her go.
Furina rushed to the defendant's seat. Looking at Lora, she asked in disbelief, "Why execution?"
Lora looked at her, smiled, and beckoned.
"Come sit. Don't stand there."
Furina walked over, still staring at her.
"I have so much I want to say to you."
"Be good. All of this was destined. Nothing will happen to me."
Lora stroked Furina's hair and pulled her down to sit beside her. She gazed at Furina like a loving mother about to depart, trying to engrave her child's face deep into her memory.
The entire courtroom suddenly began to shake violently.
Before everyone's eyes, an enormous spatial fissure tore open. A flash of lightning shot out from within, carrying a purple figure.
It was the Raiden Shogun, holding her naginata.
Immediately afterward, the fissure rapidly expanded, and the star-devouring whale charged out from within.
At the sight, the audience scattered in panic.
Another flash of lightning struck the whale, and cracks quickly spread across its body as it let out a mournful cry.
Ei flew out behind it, holding Musou Isshin. Together with the Shogun, she blocked the creature from the front and back.
Venti and Makoto walked out of the fissure with Tartaglia.
"This thing really is absurdly hard to kill," Venti sighed. "We've been fighting it all this time, and it's still hanging on."
"Hanging on?" Zhongyue looked the whale up and down, staring at the countless lightning-inflicted cuts covering its body. "That thing's practically dead already."
The whale twisted its body and charged downward, returning to the Primordial Sea.
The Shogun and Ei quickly followed after it.
Chaya stood up and pulled Zhongyue toward the fissure.