"The losses this time were truly devastating. Thank goodness I had saved up some Points beforehand."
After respawning at home, Lofan carried his previous corpse into the secret chamber, deep in thought.
Each body required a specific identity, costing him 900 Points. Though he'd recover 400-500 Points upon death, the net loss still stung.
However, Lofan remained confident that his eventual gains would more than justify the investment, so he didn't dwell on it further.
As for impersonating Tartaglia, his intention wasn't to scapegoat the Harbinger. Rather, he aimed to divert attention toward the Fatui. If they chose to intervene, his Point rewards would be even greater.
Lofan wasn't concerned that revealing his skills might shift suspicion onto the Fatui. Clorinde would undoubtedly be present at today's events, and as a close aide to the Hydro Archon Furina, her position meant she likely possessed enough intelligence to suspect the Fatui. Even if this gambit failed to produce the desired effect, it wouldn't matter; it was merely an experiment.
Well, maybe there was a tiny part of him that wanted to tease his good buddy Tartaglia.
Lofan didn't know if Tartaglia would come to Fontaine, but he imagined the Fatui Harbinger arriving only to be immediately hauled before the Court of Justice and forced to stand trial. The look on his face would be priceless.
After carefully arranging the corpse, Lofan left the secret chamber.
"Now for the final step. The curtain is finally falling on my role as 'Grett.'"
"Let's see how many Points I can collect this time."
Lofan strode forward, gradually leaving the pool of light behind until his figure vanished completely into the darkness.
When the full extent of the events in Fontaine finally came to light, both nobles and commoners were stunned.
The people of Fontaine felt as if long-held psychological constraints had been shattered, while the nobles sensed an imminent crisis looming.
Just as the nobles were preparing to label Navia and her group as terrorists and launch a brutal crackdown on the Fleuve Cendre Faction, Clorinde stepped forward.
Firstly, Clorinde proved that Navia and her group had been ambushed on their return to Fontaine. The attackers, she revealed, were private soldiers belonging to the very nobles who had perished. Clorinde herself had witnessed the incident and could testify to its veracity.
Secondly, Clorinde presented the evidence Navia had entrusted to her. After thorough examination, the evidence was confirmed to be genuine, revealing crimes heinous enough to warrant multiple executions for each of the implicated nobles.
Most damningly, Navia and her group had discovered severely injured children enduring inhuman torture within several noble estates. This revelation only deepened Clorinde's murderous intent toward the nobles.
Clorinde had initially planned to lead the Court of Justice in a thorough investigation of all nobles. However, she encountered unimaginable resistance, some of it even originating from the most esteemed and influential members of the nobility.
Once Clorinde had calmed down, she realized she had been too hasty and temporarily abandoned her plan to thoroughly investigate all the nobles.
After hearing Clorinde's explanation and seeing the evidence she publicly released, public opinion overwhelmingly shifted in favor of the Fleuve Cendre Faction, leading to widespread condemnation of the nobles.
Realizing it was impossible to brand the Fleuve Cendre Faction as a terrorist organization in the short term, the nobles retreated into their shells, temporarily abandoning their ambitions.
Seizing this opportunity, the nobles who supported justice began maneuvering to reclaim their lost power. The tide of public opinion had stripped them of significant authority, leaving them seething with resentment. While plotting their revenge against the Fleuve Cendre Faction, they inwardly cursed Marquis Relf to hell and back.
Marquis Relf's own position was precarious. Though not publicly scapegoated, he faced growing discontent, making every step forward increasingly difficult.
Soon after, Clorinde approached Marquis Relf, demanding he rescind the decree to purge the Fleuve Cendre Faction. Predictably, he refused.
The fundamental reason Marquis Relf hadn't been discarded as a scapegoat was that he had initiated the decree to purge Fleuve Cendre. This meant that if the situation escalated, the blame would ultimately fall on him.
However, if he rescinded the decree, any subsequent actions against Fleuve Cendre by other nobles would become their sole responsibility, rendering him utterly useless.
Marquis Relf was on the brink of madness, trapped in a seemingly inescapable predicament. His only choice was between an early downfall or being pushed forward later to shoulder all the blame and be forever disgraced.
The former option might seem preferable, but Marquis Relf refused to relinquish any chance of survival. He certainly wouldn't resign himself to his fate just yet.
Clorinde cast a cold glance at Marquis Relf before departing.
She couldn't believe he remained so stubbornly delusional. Her only recourse was to pressure him through other channels.
Marquis Relf immediately discerned Clorinde's intentions and scoffed at her audacity.
No matter whom she rallied, as long as those in power perceived Fleuve Cendre as a threat, countless individuals would emerge to thwart any attempts to pressure him.
Thinking of this, Marquis Relf's hatred for the person who had driven him to this desperate situation burned like a raging fire.
Yet, at this moment, Marquis Relf desperately wished Lofan would appear before him. Lofan was now his only hope for turning the tide.
"Tsk, tsk, Monsieur Relf, you seem to be in quite the foul mood."
The voice behind him startled Marquis Relf, but since Lofan had pulled this trick before, he quickly regained his composure.
Who do you think put me in this foul mood?!
Marquis Relf spun around, itching to unleash a torrent of abuse upon Lofan. But he restrained himself and instead demanded, "Spill it! What other tricks do you have up your sleeve? Otherwise, those damned commoners will become completely uncontrollable."
"Isn't Monsieur Relf asking for too much? My forces were nearly exhausted in the previous operation. Now is the time for you, Marquis Relf, to exert your influence!"
"Stop pretending! Can't you see my predicament?"
"I no longer have the capacity to mobilize significant forces!"
"If we don't find another way, we're both finished!"
"No, no, Monsieur Relf." Lofan chuckled, observing Marquis Relf's increasingly frantic state. He was now certain the man had no hidden trump cards left.
"Only you will be finished."