The man standing before Charlotte appeared to be in his early forties. He wore a faded work uniform, washed pale from countless wearings, and his face was etched with the deep lines of hardship.
Yet this humble worker's face now burned with an irrepressible fury.
Charlotte observed him with a mixture of awe and concern. She had been preparing to collaborate with Fleuve Cendre, planning to expose the scandals of certain nobles. But she never imagined someone would be so brazen as to publicly accuse a noble—a reckless act that could cost him his life, regardless of success.
Unable to bear watching him throw himself into the fire, Charlotte decided to amplify his voice through an exclusive report. She hoped the nobles, fearing public backlash, would hesitate to retaliate against him. Beyond this, she couldn't think of any other way to help.
"Mr. Baker, is it true you possess crucial evidence against this noble?"
"Absolutely, Miss Charlotte! I've staked my very life on this claim. Isn't that proof enough? What could be more valuable than life itself?"
The man was visibly agitated, forcing Charlotte to pause the interview and calm him down before continuing.
"Mr. Baker, why didn't you entrust the evidence to the Maison Gardiennage?"
"What a joke! What good are those Maison Gardiennage officers? Didn't you see how many of them were arrested recently?" The man scoffed, his tone dismissive.
"If you ask me, the Maison Gardiennage in Fontaine has long been a plaything of the nobles. They can't solve a single cold case—all they do is squabble among themselves."
"They claim to investigate crimes, but more officers die during these investigations than there are victims! I don't even know what they're 'investigating' anymore!"
"Hand over the evidence to those incompetent fools? They'd probably fabricate false evidence for the nobles!"
Good heavens, Charlotte was stunned by the man's bluntness. He clearly didn't care who he offended.
By antagonizing the Viscount, he had already provoked the Court of Justice. Now, by insulting the Maison Gardiennage, he was practically daring fate to shorten his life!
This interview couldn't be published as is. Charlotte resolved to heavily edit it after she finished.
As if he had read her mind, the man's gaze suddenly sharpened, piercing Charlotte with its intensity.
"Miss Charlotte, I only agreed to this interview because I trusted you. You can't twist my words!"
Charlotte felt utterly helpless.
"Mr. Baker, do you realize that publishing this interview as is wouldn't help your current precarious situation at all? In fact, it would only make things worse for you."
"Of course I know. But my downfall would be more meaningful for Fontaine!"
Though his tone was less impassioned than before, the weight of his words left Charlotte deeply shaken.
"If I truly valued my life, I would have let all this evidence rot away in my belly."
"But... I, Joe L. Baker, have a dream!"
"I want to tear away the masks of those vile nobles and expose these parasites for what they truly are."
"I want my brothers and sisters in Fleuve Cendre to return to the land and see the blue sky again."
"I want the children of workers to no longer be workers, and the children of the poor to no longer be poor."
Charlotte stared blankly at the man before her, delivering his impassioned speech. Though his words were straightforward, the vividness of his vision struck her deeply.
Yes, she thought, aren't the desires of ordinary people so simple? Yet here in Fontaine, even these humble aspirations seem impossible to attain.
It was as if a vast chasm separated the rich from the poor, a gulf so wide that even the most desperate efforts could scarcely bridge it.
"I know I'm taking a dangerous path," the man continued, "but I can no longer tolerate this injustice going unpunished. Before embarking on this, I made sure my family was safe."
"No matter what happens to me, their well-being is all that matters!"
Charlotte watched in stunned silence as the man casually spoke of risking his life. For him, something existed that transcended the value of his own life—a dream worth sacrificing everything for. His unwavering dedication to his ideals filled her with profound respect.
Even now, Charlotte felt a pang of shame. She had hesitated about publishing the exclusive interview, knowing it would undoubtedly enrage the powerful figures who controlled Fontaine. But Baker's courage and fearlessness had inspired her.
Charlotte immediately ended the interview, reminding Baker to be careful, and hurried back to the Steam Bird newsroom to consult with Editor-in-Chief Euphrasie.
After securing Euphrasie's approval, Charlotte published her exclusive report on Baker, titled "I Have a Dream," and hastily left with her resignation letter in hand.
The article ignited the passions of the people of Fontaine once more. When they realized that Baker's dream closely mirrored their own aspirations, he became a symbol for countless ordinary citizens. Many began searching for him, determined to protect him from the nobles' dirty tricks.
Upon reading the report, the nobles were furious. They immediately dispatched the Court of Justice to surround the Steam Bird, intending to arrest Charlotte. They found only empty offices, but the newspaper was temporarily shut down.
The nobles immediately dispatched a Marechaussee Hunter to swiftly track down and eliminate the reckless man.
However, before the hunter had even left, news of the man's death spread like wildfire throughout Fontaine.
The nobles were dumbfounded. Wait, we hadn't even made our move yet!
The situation grew even more absurd. After a thorough investigation by the Maison Gardiennage, it was discovered that the site of the death had transformed into an impenetrable locked room. Unable to unlock it, they provisionally declared the deceased—Baker, a man found stabbed in the back—a suicide.
Now, the situation was spiraling out of control...