Early that morning, Marquis Relf's right eyelid twitched violently.
Lofan's parting words from the previous day—instructing his men to prepare gifts—had left the marquis deeply uneasy. He couldn't fathom what that madman Lofan might do next.
Marquis Relf quickly reconsidered. While Lofan was undoubtedly insane, this incident seemed solely targeted at the Fleuve Cendre residents. Surely it wouldn't implicate him directly?
Then came the news: the sea near Fontaine had turned crimson with blood, and corpses were being dredged from the depths in an endless stream.
Hearing this, Marquis Relf vomited blood, his mind reeling in shock.
Could he possibly manage the public outrage this atrocity would unleash?
It was worth noting that Lofan had spent all his Points on Location, meaning the thirty Points' worth of bodies were all the frail, elderly, and disabled, maximizing the horror of the scene.
This was nothing short of a massacre!
Judging by the victims' clothing and where they were found, it was clear they were residents of Fleuve Cendre, their bodies carried into the sea by the river currents.
Suicide could be ruled out. The only plausible explanation for such a massive loss of life was the nobles currently in conflict with the Fleuve Cendre residents.
The Court of Justice, bound by protocol to record all its actions, escaped suspicion. All fingers pointed squarely at the nobles' private enforcers—the Marechaussee Phantom.
The Marechaussee Phantom wasn't Marquis Relf's personal weapon, so he inevitably faced scrutiny from his superiors.
With no other choice, Marquis Relf fully disclosed the details of his collaboration with Lofan. The directive from above was clear: he had to abandon what needed to be abandoned.
Realizing this, Marquis Relf understood immediately. His partnership with the perpetrator of the serial suicide case must remain hidden from the public at all costs; the repercussions of exposure would be catastrophic.
Because he still held value, his superiors weren't yet ready to dispose of him. But the explosive public outrage couldn't be quelled by sacrificing just one or two noble lives. He would have to sacrifice most of the nobles loyal to him.
Without hesitation—daring not to hesitate—Marquis Relf acted decisively, his eyes bloodshot as he ruthlessly severed his own wings.
Inwardly, he cursed Lofan's machinations countless times for this mess.
Before dawn, Gardemeks dragged nobles from their beds, some still in their nightclothes, and paraded them through Fontaine's central square.
After being interrogated with their mouths gagged and forced to sign sworn testimonies, each noble was publicly sentenced to death by hanging.
With a final twitch and a kick, countless Fontainians were liberated from endless exploitation that day.
Even after the execution of dozens of nobles, the public's anger remained unappeased. They stormed the Court of Justice, ready to take matters into their own hands.
Under normal circumstances, the Court of Justice would never back down. They'd arrest anyone who dared to cause trouble without hesitation. But this time, they simply locked their gates, cowered inside like turtles, and frantically broadcast explanations of their innocence through megaphones.
Those with connections suspected the Marechaussee Phantom was the true culprit. However, most ordinary citizens had never even heard of this shadowy organization and naturally assumed the Court of Justice was responsible.
The Maison Gardiennage, recently dismissed and replaced entirely by the Court of Justice, still seethed with resentment. They had diligently investigated the case, and all evidence pointed to the three previous deaths being suicides.
Yet when they risked angering the nobles by presenting their findings to the public, no one believed them. Instead, they were fired for their efforts. It was a bitter injustice.
The officers of the Maison Gardiennage had initially planned to appeal their dismissal. But upon hearing of today's events, they immediately abandoned the idea.
Ah, a vacation sounds wonderful!
This case? Let it rot!
"Clorinde, what's all that noise outside?"
Seeing Clorinde return with an unusually grim expression, Furina asked her with a hint of confusion, "What's wrong?"
Clorinde's heart sank when she saw Furina. She remembered the earlier incident and how recently she had finally managed to stabilize Furina's emotions. She couldn't possibly tell her the truth.
Instead, Clorinde told a small lie. "Lady Furina, some nobles hired workers but failed to pay them, causing the workers to riot."
Clorinde felt a pang of guilt, silently repeating to herself that this was to protect Lady Furina from being upset. Only then did her conscience ease slightly.
"How can nobles keep failing to pay their workers?" Furina exclaimed. "Business is all about integrity, but withholding wages is unacceptable!"
"How long have they been in arrears this time? Hurry and urge them to settle their debts immediately."
"Rest assured, Lady Furina," Clorinde replied. "They've already been punished and won't make the same mistake again."
As Clorinde spoke, her eyes turned slightly cold, but Furina didn't notice the subtle change.
"Really? That's good."
"But why is it still so noisy outside? Should I go out and calm things down? ...Never mind, I'd rather stay home!"
The thought of countless people crowding around her later made Furina's heart race with anxiety, and she immediately chickened out.
"That detestable culprit! Hasn't the Maison Gardiennage caught him yet?!"
"Um..."
Clorinde hesitated, unsure how to explain that the entire Maison Gardiennage had been temporarily suspended. After a moment, she finally replied, "The culprit hasn't committed any new crimes recently, so there are no fresh leads. Catching him will likely take more time."
"No new victims, then?"
"That's wonderful news!"
"Hmph, they must know they'd face dire consequences for provoking me, which is why they haven't dared to strike again!"
"What a cunning murderer! Even if you try to back down now, Furina herself will bring you to justice!"
Clorinde watched Furina, who seemed to have regained her composure, but worried about her mental state. If Furina were to truly confront that vicious killer, who knew how terrified she might become?
"Lady Furina, there's something I need to discuss with you."
"Although the nobles responsible have been punished, the harm inflicted on the workers still needs to be addressed. I'd like to leave for a while to handle this. I'll resolve the matter as quickly as possible and return to ensure your safety."
Furina's expression froze at Clorinde's words. Instinctively, she wanted to whine and plead for Clorinde to stay, resorting to childish antics. But remembering the urgency of Clorinde's mission, she forcibly suppressed her selfish impulse.
"Very well, Clorinde. You may go."
"But you must return swiftly!"
Furina crossed her arms tightly, a sudden wave of insecurity washing over her at the thought of Clorinde's departure.
"I'll return as soon as I can, Lady Furina."
Clorinde once again reminded the others to protect Furina before hurrying off.