Phoebe called out, "…Spotty!"
However, Spotty did not stop its footsteps and instead ran away rapidly.
Lucian crouched down and instructed Rabby and Beni, "You two follow after it and take a look. Phoebe and I will go check the place where Spotty came from."
Phoebe also agreed, "Mm…"
"Normally, the Echoes wouldn't panic like this. There must be something that scared them."
"Rabby, Beni, please take good care of Spotty."
Rabby and Beni both nodded and chased in the direction Spotty had gone.
Lucian took out his terminal and called over Zani and Rover, who had discovered something.
After waiting for a moment, the group reconvened.
"Have you found anything?" Lucian asked.
Rover took out a red petal.
It was clearly a petal from the Red Spider Lily.
Lucian slapped Phrolova's rounded backside, sending a ripple through it.
"Look at what you've done!"
Phrolova: "???"
Phoebe hurriedly said, "There's no time for this now. Let's hurry over and take a look."
"I have a very uneasy feeling…"
The group nodded slightly and quickly ran toward the direction from which Spotty had come.
After about a moment, they heard a man's voice.
The group hid behind the ruins and looked toward the source of the voice.
Zani's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. "It's Gilberto!"
They saw the white-haired man Gilberto muttering to himself:
"Very good… everything has been prepared thoroughly."
"Next, as long as I get the Empress's approval…"
Lucian's brows furrowed slightly. "…Empress?"
They saw Gilberto spread his hands open and look toward the horizon with utmost piety:
"Oh, omnipotent Sentinel."
"May you stir the waves, may you descend the decree to the Empress, let the Sea of clouds cover Ragunna, and wash away the filth left by those hedonists in the city of sin."
Phoebe was somewhat puzzled and whispered, "He's… praying?"
"Although the Fisalia Family all appear very pious."
"But what is this Empress he mentioned?"
Zani asked in confusion, "Doesn't Priestess Phoebe know either?"
Logically speaking, as a priestess, Phoebe should know more about these myths and legends than ordinary people like them.
Phoebe shook her head slightly. "This prayer sounds strange… At least it's not from the Order's holy scriptures."
Gilberto continued, "God hidden beneath the abyss, Lord of Tides and Riddles."
"May you soon be liberated."
"May all lies dissolve like sea ice under Your might."
"May You—grant me strength, so that I may repel Your enemies."
Phoebe furrowed her delicate brows, utterly baffled. Everything Gilberto was saying was completely unheard of to her.
"King of Waves and… Secrets?"
At that moment, Gilberto seemed to sense something and quickly turned his head. "Hm?"
"Who's there!?"
Zani clenched her fist and stood up. "Ah… what a hassle. Looks like we'll have to fight him after all."
The group emerged from behind the ruins.
Gilberto scanned the group, then revealed a sinister smile.
But soon, his gaze sharpened, locking onto the woman on Lucian's shoulder.
"…This is?"
Isn't this Lady Phrolova?
Why is she with them!?
Looking at her like this, it seems like she's been captured?
One must know, the Red Spider Lily in his possession was still Lady Phrolova's thing.
"Lady Phrolova! How could you…?"
His inner shock and doubt made him blurt it out instinctively.
Phrolova: "…"
Phrolova kept her beautiful eyes closed and said nothing.
Lucian chuckled and looked at Phrolova. "It seems the Fisalia Family and Fractsidus do indeed have a collaboration?"
Phrolova remained silent throughout.
Only she herself knew what she was thinking.
Seeing that Phrolova didn't speak, Gilberto assumed his plan was still flawless.
Thus, he said, "You're that Lucian? And Rover…"
"Heh, I've heard of you two."
"Since you could come to this place, that means you've discovered quite a few things…"
"Though compared to the truth beneath the waves, they're just insignificant details."
"Out of goodwill, I must remind you."
"Reckless curiosity won't bring you closer to the truth—it will only bring you closer to—"
"—destruction!"
With that, Gilberto waved his hand grandly, and the two Echoes beside him glowed with a red light as they attacked them.
Lucian chuckled. "It seems you still haven't grasped the current situation…"
Zani was very confident in her own strength and didn't panic. Instead, she was curious about this ability of Gilberto's:
"The Echoes have turned into Tacet Discords? Could it be because of those petals?"
Phoebe was somewhat annoyed, her expression one Phoebe had never shown before. "What have you done to these Echoes!"
Gilberto smiled sinisterly. "This is a necessary sacrifice, for our one true god."
The two controlled Tacet Discords, Blade-Wielding Aristocrats, raised the water blades that had condensed in their hands and lunged at them.
Lucian, holding Phrolova, shifted his body slightly and dodged the attacks from the two Tacet Discords.
In the next second, Lucian's wrist turned, and Yamato appeared silently in his hand.
In the blink of an eye, with a swing of his hand and fall of the blade, the two Tacet Discords were struck down.
Phrolova, held in his arms, watched Lucian make his move with her own eyes and closed her beautiful eyes, unwilling to look further.
In her heart, she raised Lucian's danger level a bit higher.
Although there were only two Tacet Discords, even an ordinary Resonator couldn't achieve such effortless one-shot kills.
Zani raised an eyebrow. This was the first time she had seen Lucian act with her own eyes. Though it was only two Tacet Discords, she hadn't expected him to resolve it so easily.
If it had been her, it would have taken some effort.
After all, the Blade-Wielding Aristocrat was, at minimum, a Havoc-class Echo, and its danger level was not to be underestimated.
Gilberto retreated in terror. "No… this is impossible!"
Zani sneered coldly. "How pathetic. It seems you've been treated as a pawn that can be discarded at any time."
"Fractsidus might not care about you, and Fisalia hasn't stepped in either."
"But for Fractsidus and Fisalia, that's nothing new."
Zani realized that Gilberto was just a small fry, seeing as Phrolova had her eyes closed and said nothing.
Phrolova clearly didn't care about Gilberto's life or death at all.
As for the Fisalia Family…
Given their reputation, it wasn't surprising for Zani to say that.
Moreover, she was now an employee of the Montelli Family, so having a prejudice against Fisalia was hardly unexpected.
Gilberto looked at Phrolova in Lucian's arms and gnashed his teeth. "Lady! Say something!"
Seeing Phrolova remain utterly silent, Lucian chuckled lightly and lowered his hand to caress Phrolova's tender cheek.
"What a pity. You probably don't even know yet, do you? She's already defected and become one of us."
Phrolova: "?"
Who said that? How come I don't know?
Lucian continued, "And that ' Lord of Tides and Riddles ' you just mentioned…"
"It doesn't sound nearly as good as the Yellow and Black King who presides over good fortune…"