"You're insane!"
"That place is crawling with eyes now! How dare you ask me to move now?!"
"If I make a move, I'm finished! Do you understand?!" Marquis Relf hissed through gritted teeth after hearing Lofan's demand.
Lofan remained unfazed by the outburst. If Marquis Relf could be toppled so easily, it would be a profound disappointment.
"Monsieur Relf, call me a madman—I won't be offended," Lofan declared. "Because I am a madman! But don't insult my intelligence! Just pin the blame on your lackeys, those dogs. Surely you don't need me to teach you how to pass the buck?"
Sensing Lofan's increasingly hostile gaze, Marquis Relf's nerves tightened. He discreetly patted the life-saving device concealed in his coat, finding a sliver of reassurance. Lofan observed this entire exchange without comment.
"My men are barely breathing!" Marquis Relf blurted out again. He didn't care about their lives, but without sycophants eager to curry favor, he would have to soil his own hands with unpleasant tasks—something he preferred to avoid, as others would eagerly handle such tasks for him.
If he were left alone, many things would become inconvenient. The most immediate example was the shipment of goods he used to pay off his obligations—he couldn't risk dirtying his own hands with such a task, which would tarnish his reputation.
"If we don't eliminate those insects quickly, the next person gasping for breath might very well be Monsieur Relf himself."
Lofan's words struck a nerve with Marquis Relf, directly addressing his deepest fears.
Initially, the Marquis had dismissed the Fleuve Cendre cleansing operation. But repeated setbacks had fueled his growing anxiety about what cruel twist of fate tomorrow might bring.
"How much worse can things possibly get?" Lofan's seductive words shattered Marquis Relf's last shred of hesitation. Seeing the Marquis visibly wavering, Lofan knew he had achieved his goal.
"Then I shall await Monsieur Relf's next move."
Seeing that Lofan was about to leave, Marquis Relf finally couldn't help but ask, "How did you even get in here earlier... Holy shit!"
Under Marquis Relf's utterly shocked gaze, Lofan sprinted toward the open window and leaped out without hesitation. Moments later, the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground echoed from below.
"Damn it, that fucking lunatic!"
Marquis Relf rushed to the window and saw the lifeless figure lying in a pool of blood below. He couldn't suppress his curse any longer, a chill running down his spine.
Marquis Relf never imagined that the person he had been conversing with for so long wasn't the real Lofan at all, but a Fleuve Cendre resident controlled by him.
Now that he thought about it, the man hadn't possessed a Hydro Vision. If not for this incident, Marquis Relf would never have noticed this crucial detail.
The thought sent a chill of fear through Marquis Relf. If his opponent was capable of such feats, were the limitations he had been told earlier even real?
Suddenly, Marquis Relf felt like he was playing with fire and about to get burned.
Meanwhile, the moment Lofan's body died at Marquis Relf's mansion, he instantly regenerated in his own room.
Skillfully hoisting the identical corpse from the floor onto his back, Lofan carried it to a secret chamber hidden deep within his secret workshop. After changing into a three-piece gentleman's suit, he grabbed the silver-white guitar leaning against the corner and pushed open the door.
A group of figures had been waiting patiently outside for quite some time.
Unsurprised by their presence, Lofan smiled and declared, "Comrades, it's time for our grand entrance."
In the countryside behind Fontaine, Navia and her group repeatedly thanked the citizens as they left the city, urging them to return home.
Fueled by their fear of the monsters lurking in the outskirts and their belief that the nobles wouldn't dare attack the people of Fleuve Cendre under these circumstances, the crowd finally dispersed.
However, one figure ignored the warnings and lingered far behind the group, eventually following them all the way to the burial site Navia had prepared for the fallen of Fleuve Cendre.
Navia had long noticed the persistent presence. Now that they had stopped, she could no longer restrain herself.
"How long are you going to keep following us, Clorinde?"
"I apologize if I'm intruding," Clorinde replied guiltily. "I can stay further back."
She retreated, intending to maintain a greater distance while still ensuring the group's safety.
Navia pressed her lips into a thin line, unable to contain her frustration. "What exactly do you mean by this, Clorinde?"
"I simply thought you might be in danger, so I've been keeping an eye on you," Clorinde explained.
She hesitated before turning to face Navia directly. "This was Monsieur Callas's dying wish. He entrusted me with your care, and I cannot betray his trust."
"You! Why did you bring up my father?!"
"Do you think the pain you've already caused me isn't deep enough? Are you trying to tear open my wounds all over again?!"
Seeing Clorinde, Navia couldn't help but remember her father's death, her emotions spiraling out of control.
During Callas's Judgment, Clorinde had served as the Champion Duelist, personally killing Navia's father in the arena.
While Clorinde, as the Champion Duelist, was duty-bound to ensure the perpetrator faced justice without showing leniency, that didn't mean Navia could calmly face the woman who had taken her father's life.
"No, that's not what I meant," Clorinde replied.
"I apologize. I didn't consider your feelings."
Seeing the sorrow and pain on Navia's face, Clorinde felt even more remorseful.
"I'll stay farther back, out of sight as much as possible."
"But please believe me, your situation is extremely dangerous. If anything happens, I can intervene immediately."
"Miss Clorinde, allow me to clarify something," Melus stepped forward, his expression grave.
"Our affairs have nothing to do with you, and we can handle any danger ourselves."
"The greatest help you can give us is to leave," Navia said.
Clorinde felt a sharp pang in her heart. Deep down, she believed Callas was innocent, and the guilt of killing an innocent man weighed heavily on her conscience.
"Clorinde, thank you for your kindness, but please return. Don't interfere with our plans."
Seeing the unwavering resolve in Navia's eyes, Clorinde finally nodded reluctantly.