As public outrage gradually subsided, reporters eager for a sensational story began to emerge.
"I'm sure everyone has been following recent events closely."
"The three cases previously classified as suicides by the Maison Gardiennage have now been taken over by the Court of Justice."
"Recently, the Court of Justice has named Lyney, the renowned magician at the height of his fame, as a suspect in these three cases."
"But is Lyney truly the culprit? Let's hear what our expert has to say."
"Expert, thank you for joining us. Do you believe Lyney is the real killer in these three cases?"
"It's possible, but it's also possible he isn't."
"It seems our expert has a unique perspective. What about the family that died recently? Do you think their deaths were suicides?"
"Yes, they were."
To avoid incurring the wrath of the enraged nobles, anyone with even a modicum of social standing avoided discussing the recent incident. The daredevil journalists who dared to investigate soon received termination notices from their newspapers.
But these were mere footnotes.
At Hotel Debord, Marquis Relf and his associates had gathered once more. Unlike their previous meetings, however, despite everyone being present, no one dared to speak.
The reason wasn't merely Marquis Relf's grim expression. More importantly, the Viscount had been "suicided."
Everyone present knew perfectly well how the Viscount had died, and their gazes at Marquis Relf carried a hint of fear.
While they understood the Marquis's motives—some even felt secretly relieved that he had acted so swiftly—they could no longer view him with their former complacency.
After a long, tense silence, Marquis Relf cleared his throat, attempting to ease the oppressive atmosphere.
"I won't waste time explaining what happened."
"If you fail to cover your tracks properly, leaving loose ends for those with ulterior motives to exploit, you have no one to blame but yourself when things go south."
"The same goes for all of you," Marquis Relf declared. "If anything like this happens again, remember him as a cautionary tale!"
Hearing his words, the nobles nodded in agreement. At the same time, they were secretly reviewing their past actions, wondering who might know what, and preparing to eliminate anyone remotely connected to their indiscretions as a precaution.
Seeing that his warning had taken effect, Marquis Relf's expression finally softened slightly.
"Let's put the past behind us and focus on how to handle the Fleuve Cendre problem now."
"Those insects still dare to resist? It seems they need a bloody lesson."
The atmosphere in the room lightened as Marquis Relf spoke. It was clear he intended to take decisive action against the Fleuve Cendre Faction, eager to unleash all his pent-up frustration on the Fleuve Cendre Resistance.
However, several challenges remained. The most pressing was the narrow, single entrance to Fleuve Cendre, which prevented them from transporting heavy weapons into the area.
Furthermore, Fleuve Cendre was located beneath Fontaine. Any large-scale disturbance risked sparking another public outcry against the Court of Justice, similar to the recent mass complaints.
Although those present wielded considerable power and found the Court of Justice a convenient tool, they knew Fontaine wasn't entirely under their control. Too much unrest could lead to a reckoning for them all.
Recent events had undoubtedly displeased their superiors, and they would need to tread more carefully from now on.
The ideal strategy would have been to divide the factions within Fleuve Cendre and crush them one by one. However, these proud nobles refused to compromise with the "worms" who had lived in Fleuve Cendre for generations.
As they pondered how to deal with the unruly mob in Fleuve Cendre, a sudden knock echoed at the door.
"Open up! Delivery!" a youthful voice called from the hallway, causing the nobles to exchange puzzled glances.
Who ordered takeout?
Marquis Relf's face paled. He refused to believe anyone would be foolish enough to order takeout, and even if they had, his bodyguards would have intercepted them.
Yet here the delivery person stood, bold as brass, at the door. What had happened to the guards he had posted outside?
Moreover, the other nobles had brought their own retinues. Hotel Debord had been reserved entirely for their use, every room filled with their personnel. Why hadn't they noticed anything? Where were they now, and why hadn't they made a sound?
Could it be...?
A chill ran down Relf's spine as the thought struck him.
At that moment, a brilliant blue Hydro Blade shot through the door, effortlessly shattering the lock. The door swung open with a crash.
"My apologies, everyone!" a voice announced. "My order was about to expire, so I took the liberty of letting myself in. I trust no one objects?"
A figure wearing a jester's mask strode into the room, idly twirling the Hydro Blade he'd used to break the lock. A Hydro Vision hung from his waist. The mask concealed his face, but his voice betrayed an unnervingly youthful tone.
The intruder immediately set down whatever he was carrying, and a dark energy barrier swiftly enveloped the entire room.
"Who are you?!"
The nobles recoiled into the corners of the room, their panicked shouts and accusatory cries adding to the chaos. Even Marquis Relf lost his composure, his hand slipping into his coat.
The young intruder seemed utterly unfazed by the commotion.
"How could you forget to bring the sound-canceling device to the meeting? Thank goodness I delivered it on time, or our entire conversation would have been overheard!"
"Oh, and everyone, please be aware that the product is still in the experimental phase. If it absorbs too much sound, it could cause an energy imbalance."
"To put it simply, this machine could go boom and blow this entire place sky-high."
Hearing this, Marquis Relf felt his hand tremble in his pocket, while the other nobles were paralyzed with fear. Several nearly gasped aloud, but countless hands shot out to clamp their mouths shut.
This man is utterly insane!
That was the thought running through everyone's mind.
As the highest-ranking noble present, Marquis Relf regained his composure faster than the others. Since the intruder hadn't immediately started slaughtering people, his goal clearly wasn't bloodshed.
"Monsieur, may I ask what brings you here?"
The man turned his gaze to Marquis Relf and replied in a nonchalant tone, "Looks like you're the one in charge."
"Perfect. I'd like to discuss a potential partnership with you."