"Hahahahaha..."
Suddenly, Arlecchino clutched her forehead and burst into laughter laced with madness.
"A lunatic! I never thought the day would come when I, Arlecchino, would call someone else a lunatic."
After a moment of stunned silence, Arlecchino realized that Lofan hadn't committed suicide. He must possess some extraordinary ability.
No wonder Arlecchino had wanted to take action tonight after hearing about the nobles' scandalous deeds, but the first two estates had already been purged in blood, and the children rescued.
It seemed this was Lofan's doing.
Arlecchino was intensely curious about Lofan's true abilities. It appeared to be a method of transferring his will, though her initial guess wasn't entirely accurate.
Since Lofan's actions tonight were driven by a desire to save the children, he wouldn't intentionally harm an innocent child. Still, Arlecchino couldn't explain the corpse he had left behind.
"As I thought, we get along splendidly."
Though Lofan appeared perfectly normal, Arlecchino remained convinced he was utterly insane. She saw no reverence for life in his eyes.
By now, Arlecchino's interest in Lofan had reached its peak. After all, she was a complete madwoman herself, and it was said that madmen were drawn to each other. Lofan's actions tonight had certainly captured her attention.
"I eagerly await our next encounter."
In an instant, Arlecchino regained her composure, suppressing the madness within.
She cast one last glance at the child's cooling corpse on the floor before turning to leave.
As she turned, Arlecchino snapped her fingers. Fierce flames erupted from the body, incinerating it to ashes without spreading. The flames then vanished without a trace.
Some time later, Lofan, finally finished with his overtime shift, returned to his room.
Stepping inside, Lofan felt a strange sense of detachment, as if he had returned to a world he no longer knew. Everything seemed foreign, as if he had been away for ages.
Earlier, numbed to pain and utterly unfamiliar with Fontaine, Lofan had treated this world like a game where he could respawn at will. But tonight, after taking countless lives, the echoes of their dying screams still rang in his ears.
Though they deserved their fates, they had undeniably been living, breathing beings. The weight of their deaths struck Lofan's mind with brutal force, leaving him deeply shaken.
Previously, Lofan had refused to dwell on such thoughts, fearing they would hinder his actions.
But after everything was over, Lofan knew he had to confront the issues within himself. If he didn't, he might one day watch a living being perish before his eyes without feeling a flicker of emotion. By then, his humanity would be dangerously diminished.
As night fell, the Court of Justice was thrown into chaos by the massacre of countless nobles. Officers were recalled from their homes, and every attempt to prevent the perpetrator's next move ended in failure.
The number of nobles killed this time surpassed the total from the previous weeks. When the Court rescued hundreds of battered and bruised children from the nobles' estates, their faces turned grim.
Those unaware of the full extent of the situation were driven by righteous fury, while those in the know feared being implicated. Regardless, everyone understood that Fontaine was on the brink of upheaval.
As the people of Fontaine gradually awoke, they were greeted with news as shocking as the previous "Crimson Sea" incident. But unlike before, this time the public erupted in cheers.
Upon learning that the nobles had abused children, the citizens felt no sympathy for their deaths, only regret that justice had been so long delayed.
The fallout was severe. With the backing of many virtuous nobles, Neuvillette initiated a sweeping reform of the Court of Justice and the Marechaussee Phantom. With most potential opposition silenced forever, the purge of these law enforcement agencies reached unprecedented levels.
The Maison Gardiennage, sprawled listlessly at home, perked up at the news, then silently slumped back down.
Vacation is the best!
The nobles were shaken by the incident. After questioning the children, it appeared the Fatui were involved in the events of the previous night.
Many nobles confronted Arlecchino, but she merely regarded them with disdain, neither confirming nor denying her involvement.
To the other nobles, this reaction was tantamount to an admission that she had orchestrated yesterday's attack.
Moreover, there had been numerous past instances of Noble Estates being brutally purged, and all the evidence pointed to Arlecchino. However, her unique position made it impossible for them to act against her.
They never imagined Arlecchino would escalate matters so dramatically. Was Snezhnaya declaring war?
Such brazen behavior demanded Judgment!
But these nobles had clearly overestimated their influence. When their report denouncing Arlecchino was coldly dismissed without action, they realized they were utterly powerless against her.
In the end, they could only vent their resentment and fury on Marquis Relf and the Fleuve Cendre Faction. If their illicit child trafficking schemes had remained completely hidden, none of this would have come to light.
Marquis Relf was consumed by fury and anxiety. His situation had grown increasingly precarious, and he feared being framed for crimes he hadn't committed, leading to his untimely demise.
He couldn't help but feel relieved about his partnership with Lofan. If he could prove his worth this time, their past transgressions might be forgiven.
At the same time, he was grateful for his prudence. He had always been careful to leave no trace of his indulgences, which might be the only thing saving him now.
Clinging to this last sliver of hope, Marquis Relf submitted his revised report on the Fleuve Cendre Cleansing Decree.
The report was approved swiftly.
The revised decree stipulated that Fontaine officials would designate a habitable area for the residents of Fleuve Cendre. Clockwork Mekas would assist in clearing nearby monsters, and the area would be developed into a new town. Residents who lived there for five years without committing further crimes would regain their Fontaine citizenship.
This was both compensation and a compromise from the Fontaine authorities towards the residents of Fleuve Cendre.