The celebration was simple, consisting of tables set up outdoors, laden with food and fruit provided by the Court of Justice earlier that day.
Yet this simplicity couldn't dampen the collective enthusiasm. Even many of the wounded, drawn by the vibrant atmosphere, forced themselves to join the festivities despite their injuries.
Navia, who disliked alcohol, seized this rare opportunity to indulge. She asked Silver to pour a specially prepared non-alcoholic beverage into her glass, and with the others, she drained it in one gulp.
It was getting late, but the group's enthusiasm showed no signs of waning.
After all, the day's events had been nothing short of exhilarating.
First, they had finally escaped the filthy underground river. Though that place held countless memories, most undoubtedly preferred living under the sunlight.
Then came the news that they could regain their Fontaine citizenship. Many possessed the means to thrive in the Upper District, but without citizenship, they had been barred from even setting foot there.
This revelation also rekindled the hopes of those convicted due to momentary lapses in judgment or through betrayal. After countless failed attempts to regain their citizenship, many had succumbed to despair. Now, however, they had rediscovered their hope for a better life.
Finally, there was the recent battle. Despite its grand scale, it had ultimately amounted to little.
With the nobles unable to mobilize their armies, their earlier assault had likely been their final desperate attempt. For now, the group could look forward to a period of relative peace and stability.
Although the area officially allocated to them by Fontaine was completely empty, requiring them to rebuild everything from scratch, every single person was brimming with motivation!
"Don't count on those construction crews," someone declared loudly, slamming their fist on the table after downing several drinks. "I wouldn't trust them to do a decent job. Let's just do it ourselves!"
"I used to be a construction worker. Anyone else here have similar experience?"
"Me!" "Me!" Several voices immediately responded.
"I was a designer. I can plan the town's layout."
"I used to work at the Fontaine Research Institute. Can I build a lab on the town's outskirts?"
"Even if I regain my Fontaine citizenship, I don't want to go back. At least here, blowing up a lab won't send me to Fontaine for Judgment."
"Hahaha, don't worry about that! If you blow up a lab here, I'll just kick your ass with my size 43 boots!"
The room erupted in laughter.
"Alright, everyone voice your requests now. We'll summarize them tonight, and we can start construction tomorrow!"
"Wait a minute, hasn't everyone forgotten that we need to design a residence for Monsieur Grett first?"
"Don't worry about me," Lofan replied with a dismissive wave and a smile. "I'm perfectly content living in the same type of house as everyone else. I'm not skilled in urban planning, so I'll leave that to you professionals."
Lofan's willingness to forgo special treatment deeply touched countless hearts. Although no one voiced it directly, everyone secretly resolved that they would never actually build him a standard house like theirs.
The crowd then swarmed around Navia, eager for her expert suggestions.
As the lively discussion continued, someone suddenly collapsed face-first onto the ground. At first, no one paid much attention, assuming the man was simply drunk. Mocking laughter erupted.
"Look at this weakling! He's already drunk after just a few cups!"
"So, you think you're so tough?"
"Are you kidding? I'm super tough, alright!"
"Then why don't we head to my tent and drink properly? It's quite spacious."
"Let's go! You think I'm scared of you?!"
As more and more people collapsed, a wave of unease rippled through the crowd.
"This is strange," someone muttered, "I feel so dizzy and heavy-headed. My alcohol tolerance isn't usually this low."
"Something's wrong with the food!" another exclaimed.
"Damn it! Were those Melusine from the Court of Justice who escorted us earlier also working for the nobles?!"
"Where are the food inspectors? How could you miss something like this?!"
The moment word spread that the food was contaminated, chaos erupted.
Earlier, while they had remained stationary and conversed, the discomfort had been manageable. But now that they were moving around, the effects of the poison became increasingly apparent, and many faces grew pale.
Navia felt no ill effects, having only eaten the food on the table and avoided the wine and prepared water.
"The wine and water are poisoned!"
The warning came too late. One by one, people succumbed, collapsing to the floor. Even Melus and Silver clutched their heads and slumped to the ground.
"Melus! Silver!"
"Miss Navia... we've been tricked."
"Y-you must take Monsieur Grett and run! As long as he's safe, I believe he can save us all!"
"Teacher!"
Hearing Melus and Silver's warning, Navia finally turned her attention to Lofan. She found him slumped weakly against his chair, gripping the armrests to keep himself from falling.
"Teacher, how are you feeling?"
After a worried glance at Melus and Silver, Navia hesitated before rushing to Lofan's side, her voice filled with concern.
"I'm... fine," he managed to say through gritted teeth, as if every word cost him tremendous effort. It was clear he was anything but fine.
"Hurry! Everyone, stimulate your throats and vomit it all out!"
Someone, seizing a brilliant idea, shouted with all their remaining strength. But their voice, weakened by exhaustion, carried only a short distance.
Hearing this, many relayed the method to others. Soon, the sounds of retching rose and fell, filling the air with a pungent, acrid odor.
While the idea was sound, the drug's slow-acting nature meant its effects had already penetrated deep into their bodies by the time they realized something was wrong. As a result, the effort yielded minimal results.
Watching those around her collapse one by one, Navia's face twisted with fury and anxiety. She knew that at any moment, the hidden enemies could swarm in and finish off those who were now utterly defenseless.
Her only solace came from discovering that the drug merely induced paralysis, not toxicity.