"Why? Why would you do this, Father?!"
"Why did you kill Lynette?!"
Even as the shocking scene before him completely blanked his mind, Lyney made no move to raise his weapon against Arlecchino. Instead, he questioned her in a voice filled with despair.
In the next instant, Arlecchino severed the arm Lyney was clutching with a single strike of her blade. She then kicked Lynette's fallen body several dozen meters away before turning to Lyney and coldly declaring:
"Lyney, you've truly disappointed me."
"After living with Lynette day and night for so long, you still failed to realize she isn't your sister at all."
"What?!"
Lyney's mind short-circuited. He couldn't comprehend why Arlecchino would say such a thing.
That was clearly Lynette—her voice, her appearance, everything...
Suddenly, Lyney noticed something was off and froze.
"It seems you've finally realized it, Lyney."
"The bond you share with Lynette pleases me, but it has also become your weakness."
"Whenever Lynette is in danger, you completely lose your composure."
"Similarly, when it comes to Lynette, you instinctively make excuses for her instead of thinking critically."
"I believe you've long sensed something was amiss with Lynette, but your subconscious mind kept inventing excuses for her—such as, 'It's normal for her to act differently after such a harrowing experience.'"
Hearing Arlecchino's rebuke, Lyney finally snapped out of his daze.
"Father, I..."
Lyney glanced at the "Lynette" lying motionless in the distance, then at the slender arm he still clutched in his hand. His eyes flickered with conflicted emotions. Even if she was a fake, the resemblance was uncanny; for a moment, it had felt like the real Lynette had died right before him.
Arlecchino continued speaking calmly:
"I could have summoned her alone, but I brought you here too, precisely to make you understand."
"The more dangerous Lynette's situation becomes, the more you must remain calm."
"If you had kept your composure, you would have noticed from the moment she appeared that she wasn't your sister."
Arlecchino turned her gaze to the motionless "Lynette" on the ground.
"Even after all this, are you still going to keep up this act, Miss No. 6?"
"That wound is fatal, but you should still have enough breath left."
"Or are you still clinging to some faint hope?"
"Perhaps I should present some new evidence, then."
"Tell me, if you were the real Lynette, how could you have been captured unharmed by the enemy while under the protection of multiple Operatives?"
"Even if I were the one who attacked, Lynette's forces should have put up a decent fight," Arlecchino said coldly.
"Hehehehe!"
"Lynette" finally reacted to Arlecchino's words, letting out a delighted laugh.
"I underestimated her. Miss Knave is truly formidable."
"And utterly insane! She actually struck first, or I wouldn't have been caught off guard."
"Where's Lynette?!"
"No. 6!"
Lyney threw down the severed arm he was holding and roared at the fallen "Lynette."
"Lynette is dead, of course. Those so-called 'Operatives' were quite troublesome, leaving me no survivors to capture."
Hearing the girl's words, Lyney's emotions flared anew.
"No, that's not true! You're lying!"
"Lyney, calm down," Arlecchino said, frowning. Lyney's reaction, with Lynette's fate still unknown, was truly disappointing.
"You must believe in your sister."
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Lyney, you're so adorable."
"I think I'm starting to like you a little."
"Lynette" forced herself to sit up, her face now displaying emotions far more vivid than Lynette's usual reserve. Suddenly, she adopted a sorrowful expression, her eyes glistening with tears as she spoke in Lynette's voice:
"Brother, my body hurts so much."
"Brother, save me! I don't want to die!"
Lyney's fists clenched instantly, his body trembling uncontrollably as an overwhelming surge of rage flooded his heart.
Sensing that Lyney was on the verge of snapping, Arlecchino shook her head and stepped directly in front of him, blocking his view.
"Enough of this farce. It ends here."
"Miss No. 6, we'll bid you farewell for now. But don't worry, I'll be back for you soon enough."
"Oh, then I'll be waiting with bated breath!"
"Lyney's reaction this time was quite entertaining. I hope you'll provide even more amusement next time!"
"Hehehehe!"
Just as Arlecchino was about to strike, "Lynette" dissolved into a puddle of liquid right before her eyes, causing Arlecchino to frown deeply.
As Lyney watched the scene unfold, his mind immediately flashed back to the damp ground he'd seen when Neuvillette left earlier.
Judging by her attitude, Lynette should still be safe. If anything had truly happened to Lynette, the woman would have lied, claiming everything was fine, just to relish the despair on his face.
Regaining a measure of composure, Lyney shared his observations with Arlecchino.
"She doesn't want to leave her body behind. There must be some secret hidden within it. If the opportunity arises, I'll try to capture one of them for research."
Arlecchino recalled the masked figures. Perhaps they were all spare bodies for the impostor.
She was particularly intrigued by how the impostor could dissolve her body into water without using any external means.
"Let's regroup with Lynette now. She's likely being held captive somewhere."
Hearing they were going to search for Lynette, Lyney could barely contain his impatience. He rushed back to their previous location with Arlecchino, and the group set off together, following the direction Lynette had taken earlier...
At that moment, the livestream froze on the final, massive explosion. A burst of fire erupted, followed by static and scrambled signals.
"Magician Lyney and his assistant Lynette are actually Fatui agents!"
"The Fatui are so tragic!"
"What nonsense are you spouting? The Fatui are no better! Have you forgotten the crimes they've committed across the nations?!"
"Still... they're really tragic."
"Indeed!"
Even though the screen had gone blank, the crowd on the street showed no signs of dispersing, instead erupting into heated debate.
Due to the remote broadcast, they couldn't fully grasp the Fatui's despair on the ground. Yet even through the screen, they sensed the murderer's madness and cruelty.
The Maison Gardiennage officers listened to the crowd's discussion, their faces grim.
While an unprecedented tragedy unfolded before their eyes, some among the crowd grew increasingly excited as the debate continued, as if the events on the screen were merely a staged drama.
They desperately wanted to disperse the crowd, but even with the screen now showing nothing, they dared not make a move.
Among them were several newly recruited, hot-blooded young officers, burning with righteous fury at the murderer's brazenness. They secretly vowed to bring all the heinous villains to justice!
Just then, Navia finally felt a slight movement behind her. Maintaining her current pace, she asked, "What's the situation?"
"We've pinpointed the exact location," came the reply. "Someone, curious about Mr. Lyney's actions, had been observing from a distance. Their vigilance has proven invaluable."
Lofan spoke up.
"I'll lead the way from here."
Hearing this, Navia didn't release her grip on him. Instead, she said, "You're seriously injured. Let me carry you. Just tell us the location."
As soon as Navia finished speaking, the rain intensified.
Seeing this, Navia couldn't help but complain, "Why has it been raining every day lately? Fontaine may be the nation of water, but this level of rainfall is utterly abnormal. At this rate, the remaining land in Fontaine might be completely submerged."
Neuvillette: "..."
"I'm fine..." Lofan tried to say, but Navia immediately cut him off.
"Monsieur Henry, now is not the time to be stubborn. You still need to rescue Miss Vinani, right? If your body gives out now, how will you save her?"
Lofan finally relented and gave them the exact coordinates.
With a clear destination in mind, Neuvillette immediately picked up the pace.
Navia was slightly startled; even with her current strength, she struggled to keep up with Neuvillette.
Watching his retreating figure, Navia couldn't help but marvel inwardly at how well their Chief Justice concealed his true abilities.
Navia then turned to Lofan.
"Monsieur Henry, besides the location, did you gather any other information?"
Hearing Navia's question, Lofan immediately replied, "It seems Lyney and Lynette escaped danger with the help of The Knave."
"People on the street told me they saw it. Although there was a massive explosion at the end of the footage, I believe their skills should allow them to weather the storm."
Upon hearing Lofan's words, both Navia and Neuvillette visibly relaxed.
"As a Harbinger of the Fatui, The Knave's strength is beyond doubt."
"Knowing she's there gives us some peace of mind."
Neuvillette inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He was immensely grateful that Lyney and Lynette were safe. Now, it was time to settle the score!
"Hmm, the rain seems to be easing up suddenly."
Navia tilted her head, gazing curiously at the sky. The transition from torrential downpour to a gentle drizzle had been instantaneous, leaving her puzzled by this unnatural shift in weather.
Meanwhile, Lofan's gaze remained fixed on Neuvillette, his mind deep in thought.
Comparing memories across countless bodies, Lofan noticed a pattern: whenever a major case occurred or a Judgment was held, it always rained.
Coupled with recent anomalies, Lofan felt he was closing in on something significant.
Could this whole situation be connected to Neuvillette?
The possibility flashed through Lofan's mind.
If his deduction was correct, Neuvillette was likely the Hydro Dragon Sovereign in human form.
So Kokomi wasn't the Hydro Dragon Sovereign after all? Neuvillette was?
If true, Kokomi's entire persona would be the greatest deception of all!
Firstly, information about the Hydro Dragon Sovereign originated from Inazuma. Secondly, Kokomi's Constellation was named Dracaena Somnolenta—the Sleeping Dragon.
Thus, Lofan had always believed Kokomi was the human form of the Hydro Dragon Sovereign.
But now, Neuvillette undeniably fit the role better—unless Furina wasn't the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, which seemed unlikely.
Lofan quickly set aside this question for the moment, as it wasn't his primary concern.
His priority now was to follow the script and complete the remaining tasks...
Before long, the trio arrived near the secret stronghold. With minimal effort, they located the entrance and unhesitatingly charged inside.
Along the way, they noticed numerous signs of battle, confirming they were on the right track.
Before long, they encountered piles of corpses and mangled Clockwork Mekas lining the tunnel. Judging by their attire, the corpses were all Fatui soldiers.
The sight dampened their spirits, but they pressed onward without pausing.
However, they hadn't advanced far when Neuvillette suddenly halted.
Lofan and Navia halted as well, turning to Neuvillette for an explanation.
"What's wrong?"
"Something's off here," Neuvillette replied, frowning. He pointed to a clear break in the bloodstains on the floor and continued, "The bloodstains abruptly end here. Something must have been blocking this spot—or rather, this section of the tunnel."
"Blocking it?" Navia asked, her voice tinged with surprise. She glanced around, her expression turning serious.
"But there's no fork in the road here. If this passage is sealed off, it becomes a dead end."
"Could there be some kind of mechanism?"
"It doesn't seem like there's any obvious mechanism. Look at the ground—there's a very thin seam."
Lofan crouched down to examine it. "Even if a metal partition could extend from this seam, I doubt such a thin barrier could stop the Fatui soldiers from advancing."
"Besides, judging by the battle traces we saw earlier, the Fatui soldiers didn't linger here or turn back."
Hearing Lofan's analysis, the two fell silent again, lost in thought.
However, they quickly decided to ignore the potential dangers ahead and press on. They didn't have much time to waste.
"Let's move. Stay close to me so my power can protect you," Neuvillette said calmly, his words radiating absolute confidence.
The three closed the distance between them, slowed their pace, and cautiously scanned their surroundings as they passed the anomaly, continuing deeper into the secret stronghold.