Mr. Zhongli, we can't slack off anymore!

Abel stood there, her petite body trembling slightly.

Her jewel-like eyes, much larger than human eyes, were wide open, filled with complex emotions.

Her hands were clenched into small fists, her knuckles white from the force. Her tour guide hat was slightly askew.

According to the regulations governing cruise ships, guides are prohibited from participating in passenger discussions, expressing personal political or legal opinions, and must maintain professionalism while on duty.

Every Melusin had to memorize these rules repeatedly before starting work. But at this moment, Abel had clearly forgotten them.

The passengers' comments about Lady Navelette using the judiciary for political purges made her lose all restraint and rationality.

She spoke without hesitation, drawing everyone's attention, including the traveler who was pretending to be asleep, to her petite yet ramrod straight figure.

A deathly silence fell over the carriage. Only the rhythmic creaking of the patrol boat against the tracks and the rippling of the water reminded everyone of the passage of time.

The ladies exchanged surprised glances, half-covering their mouths with their fans. The gentlemen frowned, clearly displeased that the guide had interrupted their discussion.

The traveler reluctantly opened his eyes.

The break time has officially come to an end.

Forced storylines, indeed, are ubiquitous.

She sat up straight, knowing that what was about to happen was probably the truly important part of "this chapter".

The golden sunlight was still warm, and the sea breeze was still refreshing, but the air inside the carriage had completely changed.

Abel took a deep breath and, under the watchful eyes of everyone, spoke again. Her voice was still trembling slightly, but it was clearer than before, each word resounding:

"Lady Vilette is definitely not the kind of person you describe."

The air froze for a few seconds.

The gentleman who had first criticized the verdict frowned and tapped the floor with the tip of his cane: "How rude! The guide on the cruise ship dared to interrupt the guests' conversation. This is a matter of basic professional ethics."

The gentleman with gold-rimmed glasses pushed up his glasses: "The service quality on this tour is really declining. I remember years ago, the guides were well-trained and would never make this kind of mistake."

A lady sitting a little further away unfolded a lace folding fan, covering half her face, and leaned towards her companion: "It... I mean, this tour guide, always reminds tourists of precautions at the very end, things that should have been clearly stated when the boat departs."

Someone next to her chimed in, "I heard that a child was injured on the boat last month because of this."

"My God!" another gentleman exclaimed. "Such an accident has actually happened? This is terrifying! Doesn't the rail patrol boat company conduct safety inspections?"

"After such an accident, why is it still allowed to serve as a tour guide?" The middle-aged man in the black top hat spoke slowly and deliberately. "Isn't there an effective complaint channel? Or is it that... certain special groups always enjoy special 'care'?"

He deliberately emphasized the phrase "special group," the implication of which is self-evident.

The condescending and prejudiced words made Abel lower her head further and further down, almost burying it in her uniform.

Her petite body trembled even more noticeably. She could feel the malicious gazes coming from all directions, and the shame and grievances almost swallowed her up.

She tried her best to endure it.

A fierce internal struggle was raging within him. On one hand, there was the urge to defend Lord Vilette; on the other, there was the risk of violating the patrol ship's work rules, facing severe punishment, and even losing this hard-won job.

This job... is more than just a job.

Melusin's ability to find a foothold in Fontaine and obtain these job opportunities was the result of the long efforts and overcoming of countless prejudices by Lord Navelette and many of Melusin's predecessors.

Every seemingly ordinary job is of extraordinary significance to Meiluxin, carrying trust and expectations.

In this sense, this job is more important than life itself.

We mustn't act impulsively... We mustn't cause trouble for Lady Vilette, and we mustn't bring shame upon the Melushin tribe...

But...that's what they said about Lord Vilette...

Finally, a stronger sense of emotion overcame her fear and hesitation. In her heart, Lord Villette's integrity, justice, and the efforts he had made for it surpassed everything else.

She took a deep, trembling breath, mustered all her strength, and abruptly raised her head, opening her mouth to utter the words that had been accumulating in her heart:

"That……"

The traveler who had been leaning against the window, seemingly oblivious to everything, suddenly stood up and positioned herself between Abel and the group of passengers, blocking their aggressive gazes.

She faced the well-dressed passengers with a flawless smile on her face.

“Villet?” the traveler asked. “We haven’t seen each other in a long time. He’s an old friend of mine.”

These words instantly silenced all the condescending voices. The expressions on the passengers' faces froze, quickly shifting from dissatisfaction, accusation, and superiority to surprise, suspicion, and scrutiny.

The traveler seemed oblivious to their dramatic changes in expression and continued in his calm tone, "Ladies and gentlemen, it seems to me that Fontaine is still under the control of my old friend, Villette?"

"Isn't it inappropriate to discuss the Supreme Judge's judicial decisions and personal character so openly in such a public setting?"

She paused for a moment, letting the lingering effect of the words "not quite appropriate" ferment in the silence.

Then, the traveler's gaze lingered for a moment on the well-tailored suits, gorgeous dresses, and exquisite accessories of several passengers.

"Especially judging from your attire and demeanor, you must all be prominent figures in Fontaine's high society." The traveler's smile deepened. "If your discussions just now were inadvertently recorded by someone with ulterior motives..."

As she spoke, she casually pulled a small voice recorder from her right pocket and twirled it deftly with her fingertips.

"And then it accidentally got out..." the traveler added slowly, "It probably won't have much of a positive impact on your peaceful and comfortable lives, will it? After all, in your previous deductions, my old friend Mr. Navelette is a very vengeful and vengeful man."

The gentlemen and ladies who were just talking so eloquently suddenly turned pale, then red, then white – a truly fascinating sight.

Someone moved their lips, but didn't dare utter a single syllable.

Seeing that his words had worked, the traveler's smile deepened slightly.

"In my opinion, you are all kind, intelligent, and respectable people." Her tone became "gentle": "How about this, when you disembark, please leave a 'good review' for this hardworking guide, Ms. Melousin. She will surely be very grateful for your 'kindness'."

"That way, she'll definitely be happy to clarify publicly that the 'recording' I just mentioned is completely fabricated. After all, none of us want some unintentional gossip to become a nuisance, right?"

"Hehe, after thinking about it carefully, I think there's some truth to what I'm saying."

After saying that, she looked away from everyone and sat back down in her seat.

"Phew..." She let out a slightly exaggerated sigh of relief. "It's nice to meet you all. However, I am indeed a bit sleepy, so please make yourselves at home. Of course, it would be even better if you could speak a little... softer."

After she finished speaking, she fell silent, her breathing quickly becoming even, as if she had fallen into a light sleep.

For a long time, no one spoke in the carriage.

Even Abel, behind the information desk, was completely stunned. She stared blankly at the traveler who had once blocked her way, now sitting back with his eyes closed, then looked bewilderedly at the silent passengers, her mind a complete blank. She had forgotten all of the narration.

The sunlight still warmly filled the carriage, and the patrol boat continued to sail smoothly along its predetermined track toward its destination.