Unwilling to wait for a more opportune moment, the nobles launched a night raid on the group departing Fleuve Cendre.
Their motives were twofold: burning hatred for those who had humiliated them so thoroughly, and a desire to catch their enemies off guard. After all, few would expect an attack on their very first day. Ironically, this plan had been Lofan's idea from the start.
A relentless barrage of Clockwork Mekas descended upon the encampment from all directions, unleashing a fierce assault. But thanks to Lofan's warning, the residents were well-prepared and immediately launched a fierce counterattack.
Lofan had also invited Clorinde to join them. Originally, he had intended to invite Furina, but his recent actions had been too drastic. To protect Furina's emotional stability, Clorinde still hadn't dared to reveal recent events to her. This time, Clorinde arrived alone.
Lofan's reason for inviting Clorinde was simple: he anticipated the nobles would launch a surprise attack that night.
After Clorinde's intervention in the previous incident, Lofan had curiously asked Navia about her. He learned that Navia's father, Callas, had died in a duel against Clorinde. Knowing this, Lofan was certain she would come when he revealed his reason.
Navia harbored some reservations about Clorinde's presence, but considering the safety of others and the fact that Lofan had personally invited her, she abandoned the idea of sending Clorinde back.
As predicted, the nobles launched their attack that night, fueling Clorinde's fury. Even with their drastically curtailed privileges, they remained unrepentant and still capable of mobilizing such a formidable armed force.
Clorinde struggled to comprehend the extent of the nobles' past atrocities, fueled by their unchecked power. Channeling her rage into her sword, she unleashed a dazzling purple light that surged across the battlefield. Wherever it struck, Clockwork Mekas erupted in violent explosions, creating a spectacular and deadly spectacle.
Seeing Clorinde's dazzling display, Navia refused to be outdone. Wielding her claymore with equal ferocity, she swept aside entire ranks of Clockwork Mekas that dared to approach.
Though the Fleuve Cendre residents appeared to be holding their own, the overall situation remained dire. The Clockwork Mekas still outmatched them in combat. At this critical moment, Lofan stepped forward.
The sound of his guitar, amplified by elemental power, reverberated across the battlefield.
Everyone who heard the music felt a surge of strength, instantly shifting the momentum of the battle.
This was merely an experimental tactic by the nobles. Lofan had told Marquis Relf earlier that success would be ideal, but failure wouldn't matter. "Just watch my performance," he'd assured the marquis.
He intended to present Marquis Relf with a spectacular fireworks display!
Now, only one final move remained. To be honest, Lofan wasn't certain his opponents would follow the script and play their parts in his carefully orchestrated performance.
Memories flashed through his mind of Lyney, the seemingly shrewd magician he'd encountered earlier. Lyney had seemed to suspect something, and Charlotte had been present as well.
"I hope you don't disappoint me," Lofan muttered.
Still recovering from his "severe injuries," Lofan remained behind the lines, focusing on support rather than direct combat.
Scanning the battlefield, a faint smile played on his lips.
"For the sake of my Points, you'd better hurry up and make your entrance."
"There's something wrong with that man, Grett," Charlotte said, her expression grave.
Lyney and Lynette shared her serious demeanor.
Ever since Lyney shared the results of his investigation into Lofan with Charlotte, coupled with subsequent findings, Charlotte had also grown suspicious. However, the fact that Lofan was Navia's teacher made her hesitant.
"I think we've fallen into a cognitive trap," Lyney said with a sigh. "I initially theorized that a mysterious organization was behind the serial suicide case. But what if that entire organization is just serving one person? I only realized this after hearing the news that the serial suicide culprit had resurfaced."
"Considering Grett's three years of seclusion, if he had been meticulously planning everything all along, he could have easily manipulated us all like puppets, even acting alone. If we approach it from this angle, many of the mysteries plaguing us begin to unravel."
"For example, why did Grett suddenly become a central figure in Fleuve Cendre after such a long period of obscurity? Or how could the piece he performed be such a convenient coincidence? And why have we almost never seen him appear alongside the serial suicide culprit?"
Charlotte fell silent after hearing Lyney's words.
Over the past few days, Lyney and Lynette had shared numerous clues uncovered by the Fatui. For instance, someone had apparently jumped to their death at Marquis Relf's estate, but the body had been secretly disposed of. There was also the fact that the serial suicide case perpetrator seemed to be collaborating with the nobles.
Moreover, through inquiries among the residents of Fleuve Cendre, they had uncovered a crucial piece of information:
Lofan had left his residence in the early hours of the day the Crimson Sea incident occurred. Several people had seen him returning later that morning.
No one knew what he had done during his absence.
However, this alone wasn't enough to implicate Lofan, a man trusted and revered by countless Fleuve Cendre residents, as the mastermind behind everything.
What puzzled Charlotte most was Lofan's potential motive. If he truly was the culprit, what could he possibly gain from such an elaborate scheme that had claimed so many innocent lives? Surely, he wasn't trying to overthrow the Archon's rule?
"Never try to apply logical reasoning to a madman's actions," Lyney warned, as if sensing her thoughts. "Analyzing the outcome, the most direct beneficiary of everything that has happened is Grett, the current leader of the Fleuve Cendre Faction, the Fleuve Cendre."
"His injury was suspiciously well-timed," Charlotte mused. "All the circumstances have cast an almost irremovable shadow of suspicion over him."
After a moment of contemplation, Charlotte nodded, though a troubled expression soon resurfaced on her face.
"But with only this circumstantial evidence, we can't convince Miss Navia to trust us."
"Without Miss Navia's trust, we can't persuade the other Fleuve Cendre residents. We can't change anything."
"Therefore, we need decisive proof!"
"Let's investigate Grett's house while he's away from Fleuve Cendre," Lyney suggested.
"The sudden change in policy has kept Grett busy organizing the evacuation. If he's truly guilty, he wouldn't have had time to completely cover his tracks."
After a moment's hesitation, Charlotte agreed. The timing was indeed perfect.
Though such an intrusion felt impolite, she resolved to apologize to Lofan in person if the investigation revealed a misunderstanding.
With their plan settled, the trio swiftly made their way to Grett's doorstep.