Just as Neuvillette was searching for Clorinde's whereabouts, another piece of bad news reached him.
Two neighboring towns had completely lost contact. While the exact cause remained unknown, witnesses reported signs of Fatui activity nearby.
Then came the news of Lyney and Lynette's disappearance. Considering the Fatui's unusual behavior, Neuvillette's mood grew heavy.
Clearly, something had happened to Lyney and Lynette, driving Arlecchino to act so recklessly. Neuvillette had always understood the madness lurking beneath Arlecchino's surface. Her superficial cooperation and communication had merely been a façade all along.
Now that she had seized control of two entire towns, what was Arlecchino truly planning?
An ominous premonition gnawed at Neuvillette's mind, yet he couldn't personally investigate the towns.
If he left, those remaining would be virtually defenseless against No. 2's attacks.
Left with no other option, Neuvillette sent envoys to inquire about Arlecchino's intentions, though he knew the chances of receiving a reply were slim.
If Arlecchino had truly considered the consequences, she wouldn't have kept him in the dark, refusing to reveal a single word, and instead resorting to immediate action.
But could Lyney and Lynette truly hold such importance in her heart?
Neuvillette suspected that their disappearance alone might not be the sole cause of Arlecchino's fury.
The situation grew increasingly complex, and the weight on Neuvillette's shoulders grew heavier still.
If Furina were here, she could at least guard one flank.
Yet now, Furina was hiding in the Fortress of Meropide, refusing to leave her "imprisonment" over a few slices of cake.
Neuvillette increasingly felt like he'd been fooled. Furina had once claimed that observing humans would help him understand himself better—now he realized it was just an excuse for her to slack off!
Worse still, even now that he recognized the trap, he was already too deeply entangled to withdraw.
He had grown fond of Fontaine and could no longer stand by idly while its people faced danger.
How cunning, Furina!
Neuvillette gazed at the vast sea before him, extending his senses as far as possible through the water, hoping to find Clorinde's trail quickly.
The longer this dragged on, the more perilous Clorinde's situation became.
Moreover, he needed to resolve matters here swiftly and rush to the town seized by the Fatui to ensure the safety of its residents.
Meanwhile, Clorinde, who was being sought by Neuvillette and the Marechaussee Phantoms, huddled behind a massive boulder, soaked to the bone and gasping for breath.
I underestimated them.
She had suspected there might be a traitor within the Fatui and even deduced that personnel from other Domains might be infiltrated by mysterious forces. However, she had overlooked the high probability that the Court of Justice itself had been compromised.
As for how her movements were tracked, it was likely due to information leaked by a mole within the Court, followed by the presence of enemy agents aboard the Aquabus.
This also explained why the enemy's initial strike against the Aquabus seemed restrained compared to the full force they displayed during their subsequent confrontation with Clorinde.
What a dire situation. How many members does the Cult of No. 6 truly have?
Clorinde finally understood why, no matter how many Cult of No. 6 members she apprehended, another wave always emerged, as if their ranks were inexhaustible.
The recent emergence of No. 2 had fully confirmed her suspicions.
Amos, the leader of the Cult of No. 6, was undoubtedly a member of that mysterious organization. Moreover, the fact that No. 2 was dispatched suggests that Amos likely holds a numbered rank within their hierarchy.
The Cult's previous actions were highly anomalous. Given their infiltration of every level of Fontaine, orchestrating several terrorist incidents would have been trivial. Yet, to most people, the Cult of No. 6 remains merely a joke—a perpetually failing joke.
Was this a deliberate ploy to lower their guard? Or was there a more critical reason?
However, the majority of Cult members had already been sent to the Fortress of Meropide by the Court of Justice. Even if they planned something...
Wait a minute, what if the Fortress of Meropide itself is their true target?!
Clorinde suddenly realized a terrifying possibility: if the Fortress of Meropide was their true objective, then their plan must be well underway.
The reason for their ambush was simple: she wanted to return to Fontaine and inform Neuvillette of her suspicions. Since Neuvillette had previously visited the Fortress of Meropide, connecting these two pieces of information would likely alert him to the enemy's true scheme.
As her thoughts crystallized, Clorinde's mood grew increasingly grave.
I must inform Neuvillette immediately!
Just as she resolved to act, an overwhelming sense of danger surged through her. Without hesitation, she leaped away from behind the boulder.
In the instant she moved, the boulder she had been hiding behind suddenly sprouted sharp spines, transforming into a living hedgehog. Had she not been so alert, she would have been covered in new wounds.
In such a perilous situation, any injury would be disastrous.
Clorinde immediately sensed an astonishing heat emanating from the massive boulder and turned to flee without hesitation.
She hadn't run far when the boulder exploded completely, its molten, red-hot fragments chasing after her in her retreat.
With no other choice, Clorinde raised her sword and slashed at the projectiles, Electro Elemental Power coalescing in her hand.
However, the sheer force of the impact and the scorching heat of the molten rock made it difficult to endure. She was forced to transform her body into a bolt of Electro energy, dodging the attacks with desperate speed.
Clorinde couldn't comprehend how her opponent's strength had grown so dramatically in such a short time.
This was highly unusual. The mysterious organization had been entrenched in Fontaine for centuries, yet one of its key members had experienced such a rapid surge in power.
Ultimately, Clorinde didn't dwell on whether the organization had truly existed for centuries. Instead, she suspected they had made a new breakthrough in their technology.
After exhausting every ounce of her strength to block or evade the attacks, Clorinde immediately dove into the dense forest.
Seeing this, No. 2's expression remained utterly impassive as he calmly pursued Clorinde in the direction she had fled.
Clorinde glanced back and saw him following, a wave of anger washing over her. This scene had played out countless times before. It was clear he was toying with her, like a cat playing with a mouse. Though her current stamina was far too low to escape, he wasn't in a hurry to capture her immediately. Instead, he seemed intent on slowly eroding her will and spirit, dismantling her psychological defenses piece by piece.
I need to find a way to seize this opportunity and break free.
Clorinde continued to flee, her mind racing to identify any nearby locations she could exploit to her advantage.
-
In the towns where Lyney and Lynette had disappeared, Arlecchino not only sealed off both settlements but also arrested everyone on the investigation list in both towns. She then had them all gathered in the town square of one of the towns.
Arlecchino ordered a table to be brought forth, then turned an hourglass upside down and placed it on the table. Calmly, she addressed the bewildered crowd.
"When the sand in this hourglass runs out, I will execute everyone here."
After delivering this pronouncement, Arlecchino fell silent. She sat motionless in a chair, arms crossed over her chest, her eyes closed in repose.
After a moment of stunned silence, the crowd and the bound masses in the square gradually realized the gravity of Arlecchino's words. Bewilderment and fury erupted among them.
"Miss Knave, why are you doing this?!"
"You demon! As expected, there isn't a single decent person among the Fatui! I misjudged you before. After all the help you've given Fontaine, I thought you were different from the rest of the Fatui. But it turns out you're all birds of a feather!"
"Monsieur Neuvillette will never let you get away with this!"
The crowd seethed with anger, but the Fatui soldiers' menacing presence kept them from charging forward. They could only vent their fury in place.
Just then, a hotheaded youth charged forward, shouting over his shoulder:
"Brothers, follow me! We outnumber them!"
"She's just bluffing! They wouldn't dare lay a hand on us. The Fatui can't act so brazenly in Fontaine's territory!"
"We still have Lady Furina and Monsieur Neuvillette on our side!"
Hearing these rallying cries, the crowd's courage rekindled.
"That's right! She won't dare attack us!"
"Let's all charge! If you've got the guts, kill us all!"
"Charge! Rescue our people!"
As a few voices rallied the crowd, their fear of the Fatui vanished. Many rolled up their sleeves, ready for a fight. But then...
"Eliminate them," Arlecchino said calmly, her eyes burning with a frenzied fire. The chilling simplicity of her words sent a cold dread through everyone present.
"Yes, Lady Knave." The Debt Collector bowed to Arlecchino, then vanished from sight.
When he reappeared, he stood beside two newly fallen corpses—the instigators of the crowd's revolt. Blood gurgled from their wounds, quickly staining the ground a glaring crimson.
A moment of deathly silence was followed by panicked screams.
Just seconds ago, these men had assured everyone Arlecchino wouldn't dare strike. Now, their lifeless bodies lay before them, sending a brutal shock through the crowd.
Why would she do this?
Why show such utter contempt for Fontaine's Hydro Archon and Neuvillette?
The Fontaine citizens couldn't grasp these questions, but one thing was certain: Arlecchino meant business this time.
The timid had already seized the opportunity to slip away home, leaving the square noticeably less crowded.
Yet many remained, eager to witness the unfolding drama. Arlecchino hadn't immediately executed the captives, instead granting them ample time, as if waiting for someone to appear.
Could it be Monsieur Neuvillette? they wondered. Has he fallen out with him?!
The crowd was baffled. Compelled by curiosity, they stood at a distance, waiting in hushed silence, barely daring to breathe.
The Fatui soldiers had already cleared away the corpses, but the lingering stench of death hung heavy in the air, making the scene all the more unsettling.
As the sand in the hourglass dwindled, the crowd seemed to swell, yet the person Arlecchino was waiting for remained conspicuously absent.
Meanwhile, the bound captives continued their desperate struggles. Some pleaded with Arlecchino for mercy, others tried to buy their lives with money, while still others unleashed a torrent of curses upon the assembled Fatui soldiers, "politely" greeting their ancestors back eighteen generations.
None of it worked. Arlecchino remained in a meditative state, eyes closed in repose. The other Fatui soldiers stood rigidly at their posts, eyes fixed on their noses, minds focused inward, barely moving a muscle. Their exceptional discipline was evident.
Finally, as the last grains of sand trickled through the hourglass, every heart in the room clenched. The lives of over a hundred people hung in the balance.
Even those who relished a good spectacle had little appetite for a bloodbath. Silently, everyone prayed for the missing person to appear before it was too late.
But no miracle occurred. The sand in the hourglass ran out completely.
Many swallowed hard, their gazes snapping in unison toward Arlecchino.
At that moment, Arlecchino opened her eyes, a slight frown creasing her brow.
Does he truly not care about these people's lives?
Yet if he took no action this time, once word spread that even their lives couldn't be guaranteed, the organization might crumble entirely.
Given the Cult Leader of No. 6's cunning, he couldn't possibly have overlooked this. So why would he abandon these people?
Had Lyney and Lynette uncovered deeper intelligence, forcing him to sacrifice these pawns rather than face her?
Arlecchino's mind raced through countless hypotheses in an instant, but her expression quickly settled back into its usual calm. Her voice, devoid of emotion, commanded:
"Execute them all."
"As you command, Lady Knave."
A massacre unfolded before the crowd's eyes. Screams erupted in waves, and many vomited in terror.
Yet no one dared interfere with the Fatui soldiers. Those who had tried earlier were swiftly knocked unconscious and bound—likely to be executed themselves soon.
Now truly terrified, the crowd saw Arlecchino as a merciless demon. More and more people fled the scene.
But just as the executioners had nearly cleared the square, a resonant, magnetic voice cut through the chaos from the crowd.
"I imagine Miss Arlecchino has been waiting for me?"