Genshin Impact: Fontaine's Regent, driving players crazy.

With the blessings of the Archon, her beloved, Themis descended from the podium.

The Maison Gardiennage had sealed off the Opera Epiclese. Thankfully, due to Themis, both Neuvillette and Furina were still inside. The theatergoers, obedient for once, hadn't caused too much commotion.

"What did you discuss with Furina just now?" Neuvillette asked, his eyes brimming with curiosity as he noticed the cheerfulness in Themis's lighter step.

"Nothing much, just girl talk," Themis replied.

She didn't plan on sharing what had just transpired with Neuvillette; there was no need. Can you really expect a dragon, one who only fancies Melusines, to understand? she thought. Even if she did tell him, he'd probably only respond with a perfunctory, "May you both be happy."

"More important than my conversation with Furina is the current case," Themis said.

"You're right, I apologize for being presumptuous," Neuvillette replied.

"Have you discovered any clues yet, Neuvillette?" Themis inquired.

"Unfortunately, the man inside the magic box has perished," Neuvillette began. He pointed to the empty space where the corpse had been taken to recount the incident to Themis. "The deceased was one Cowell, one of the assistant performers of the Lyney Magic Troupe."

Themis, known for her sharp observation skills, might potentially uncover evidence that both the police and Neuvillette himself had missed.

In any case, "when in doubt, consult Themis"—this was something Neuvillette had learned from his five centuries of work in Fontaine as a universal rule.

"The fireworks on stage ignited the ropes above the water tank, which was the direct cause of its fall.

"As for why it was Cowell in the box instead of the audience member selected earlier, that remains a mystery for now.

"However, after conducting a thorough search, the security team confirmed that the girl seemed to have vanished into thin air—she's nowhere to be found."

At this point, Neuvillette couldn't help but feel a twinge of discomfort. "This situation... suggests it might not be a simple stage accident..."

"Neuvillette, don't rush to conclusions. I understand your concerns."

Themis's composed demeanor infected Neuvillette, allowing him to steady his nerves.

If Themis says so, he reassured himself, then this matter likely isn't as insoluble as I initially thought.

"If my hunch is correct, this case shares some peculiarities with the serial disappearance of young women."

Themis's voice wasn't particularly quiet, nor did she make any effort to conceal her words, resulting in quite a few people overhearing her remark.

A stunned audience member blurted out, "Serial disappearance of y-young women?!"

Paimon chimed in, "Serial disappearances... I remember Charlotte mentioning that incident!"

Lumine added, "To think they could commit such a crime under everyone's eyes..."

Paimon and Lumine wore expressions of disbelief, completely unable to fathom how a murderer could commit such a heinous crime under the watchful gaze of the gods.

"That must be why you're here, then. Neuvillette, I'll take care of this matter."

"Very well. But Themis, if this truly is the serial disappearance case, you must understand—it's not going to be simple."

"I know what you're worried about. You're concerned that I might come back with nothing to show for my efforts."

Neuvillette nodded; that was indeed his concern. If there were any clues or information about the killer, it wouldn't have dragged on for so many years.

"No matter, entrust this to me. This time, we'll definitely succeed." Themis spoke with unwavering confidence. After all, she had a sneak peek from the live broadcast room.

If even that couldn't resolve the case, she'd have to share Furina's fate.

"Oh my, who would've thought a twenty-year-old cold case like this would unfold right before our eyes?" Paimon stood among the crowd, her head swaying thoughtfully. "Who can say? Just when we thought we'd finally experience a live theatrical performance, along comes something like this."

Lynette's mood was genuinely sour.

Lyney stood to the side, silent and uncharacteristically quiet, his stoic demeanor raising concerns.

It was in this tense atmosphere that Themis arrived.

The sound of her approaching footsteps were immediately noticed.

"Ah, it's Themis." Paimon fluttered over to Themis. "Themis, what brings you here? Did you find a new clue?"

"A new clue..." Themis stroked her chin, mulling over the phrase. Not a bad way to put it.

Her gaze swept over the anxious Lyney and Lynette before locking onto Lumine.

Caught under this sudden stare, Lumine held her breath, afraid to make a sound.

"Traveler, there are some words I'd like to share with you. Could I ask you to step aside for a moment?"

"Yes, of course," Lumine replied, nodding stiffly. In the face of Themis's overpowering presence, she dared not utter a word about her reluctance.

"Um, Lady Themis, I'd like to come along with Lumine. Is that okay?" Paimon perched on Lumine's shoulder, her eyes full of anticipation.

"Of course. It's not anything critical, so little Paimon is welcome to join us."

Relieved by Themis's affirmative response, Paimon joyfully circled through the air.

Following closely at Lumine's side, they were led by Themis to a secretive location beneath an underground tunnel.

"Themis, do you have some clues that it's not appropriate for Lyney to hear?" Lumine boldly voiced her suspicion. Surely this couldn't be the work of the evil god, using Lumine as a mere pawn, could it?

"How should I put it? I can assure you with certainty that this matter has nothing to do with the Lyney siblings."

"Is that so? That's a relief. Lyney and Lynette have been on edge lately. With even Themis confirming their innocence, they should be able to relax now."

However, Themis's next words left young Paimon utterly dumbfounded.

"Although Lyney is not involved in the girls' disappearance, he is connected to another case. In terms of criminal severity, it is by no means less serious than the girls' kidnapping."

"Huh—?!"

Both Lumine and Paimon were taken aback.

What's going on? A crime as serious as the girls' disappearance? What did Lyney do?

Lumine felt her heartstrings had been tugged playfully. Oh, poor me, I even reassured Lyney and his sister, believing them to be innocent and pure.

"The current issue is the girls' disappearance. As for Lyney's case, it may be as insignificant as it is significant."

With a wave of her hand, a perfectly square screen materialized before Lumine and Paimon.

It displayed a series of Lyney's suspicious activities in the underground passage, complete with sudden conflicts and scuffles.

"This... this is...?" Paimon's eyes widened, shocked by this object that surpassed both her and the traveler's understanding.

"Oh? What's with that astonished look? Haven't you seen something like this before when you were at Romaritime Harbor?" asked Themis, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

Paimon huffed, "Well, yes and no! I thought it was just the power of the Hydro Archon Furina at work!"

"Ah, so that's how it was. That explains a lot," Themis nodded understandingly. "But make no mistake, this is no divine intervention. It's merely a modest invention from our Academy."

With a grin, Themis tucked away the screen. Indeed, such a device would be quite advanced for the locals here. Still, it made for an excellent piece of evidence.

The Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale was, after all, one of Fontaine's most prized treasures—both within and without its walls. As you'd expect, one wouldn't simply leave such a priceless artifact unguarded, especially after Alice nearly succeeded in demolishing it.

It's just remarkable that something from back then is still functional now.

Regardless of anything else, the quality of this device truly deserves praise.

"As a suspect, Lyney is guilty under Fontaine law until proven innocent. If he wishes to clear his name, he may have to duel with his appointed champion to demonstrate his innocence."

"If he wants to escape suspicion, tell him that Lady Furina will not pursue either him or the person behind the divine offense. Her sole requirement is for him to directly provide an alibi to prove his innocence."

"Uh, divine offense? What exactly did Lyney do to commit such a grave sin?" Lumine was puzzled.

"Well, is that all? No need for anything else?"

"What? You want to take on more work?"

"But of course not! I'm just a passionate traveler, not a jack-of-all-trades!"

Hands on her hips, Lumine declared her stance firmly.

"Alright then, dear kind and enthusiastic Traveler, always ready to help—would you be willing to assist with one more task?"

Themis eyed Lumine craftily, while Lumine shivered with unease.

Paimon scratched her head, "Didn't I say this was just about passing a message? Why do you have another favor to ask?"

"Well, even if I hadn't mentioned it, you'd both still be helping with the investigation anyway. So let's get things clear from the start."

"Besides, Ms. Lumine can handle Lyney's case thanks to your effort, Paimon."

"And now, our dear traveler from faraway, you'll join me in service. No sharing this time, remember? One task each—no extras, as promised."

C-can she really twist the situation like this?

Paimon's eyes widened in disbelief. She shuffled her feet, feeling cheated yet unable to pin down where exactly Lumine had gone wrong. Resigned, she nodded and asked, "Okay, so what kind of help do you need from me and the Traveler?"

Lumine's gaze turned pleading. Oh, Paimon, don't fall for this trick!

"Well," Themis continued, "I need you two to put on a show for me.

"Of course, I realize you're just wanderers caught in this mess, so you're free to decline if you wish."

Paimon shook her head at this point, "No way, I've already said too much to back out now."

Lumine chimed in, "No matter if we're doing this to end the mystery of the missing girls or to give peace to the innocent lady on stage—we must see this through."

"Exactly!" Paimon chimed in. "We're such virtuous souls; we simply must help, no matter what!"

"Ooh, you two are so eager. While I'm deeply moved by your words, I'm afraid mere verbal praise is clearly insufficient."

Meeting their expectant gazes, Themis proposed an enticing reward:

"How about this? Let's award you both the accumulated bounty from all the missing girls cases over the past twenty years, what do you say? It's a tidy five million mora."

"F-five million?!" Paimon cried out. Her small treasury held barely fifteen thousand mora she'd meticulously saved up, yet here five million mora were within reach, tempting even Lumine to momentarily set aside her principles.

Crossing her arms, Lumine glanced at Paimon. Their eyes met, and they understood each other's thoughts instantly.

"We can't possibly turn down this favor now!"

"You're right, let's handle this! It's just acting, after all, and you and Lumine are quite gifted at it!"

Today, the Traveler and Paimon would be unwaveringly loyal to Fontaine!

As Lumine looked at Themis, she no longer felt any fear. Instead, she found the face remarkably amiable.

If before they had wanted to make amends for the poor girl, now it was a blatant case of mora-clouded judgment.

"However, I believe it's best to clarify things from the start. The girl is actually still alive."

"Oh, she's still alive?! From the scene back there, I thought she was definitely dead."

"There's nothing we could do about it. After all, her safety had to be protected. For now, we just have to let the killer think they've succeeded."

Seeing Themis's troubled expression, Paimon anxiously reassured her that everything would be alright, and that this matter should be left to her and Lumine.

After giving the Traveler and Paimon a brief outline of the upcoming scenes, Themis made sure they understood what was expected of them and what lines they should deliver during the performance.

Watching the two confidently take on the responsibility, Themis smiled, expressing her full faith in them.

After all, they are great heroes who have saved several countries, after all!

Being praised by Themis, the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, with the same face—it's not just Paimon who swelled with pride; even Lumine couldn't help but feel herself puffing up in satisfaction.