"Teacher, you must still be alive, right..."
Navia gently stroked the silver-white guitar leaning against the corner, unable to conceal the sorrow in her eyes.
Despite searching for so long, they had found nothing.
Some had already accepted the reality that Monsieur Grett was gone forever, but most refused to believe it, insisting on seeing his body before they could acknowledge the truth.
Although they had achieved a resounding victory against the Court of Justice, their hearts were heavy, the indescribable grief far outweighing the joy of triumph.
"Miss Navia..."
Melus and Silver watched her with concern, about to offer comfort, but Navia interrupted them before they could speak.
"I'm fine."
"I'm perfectly alright."
As if trying to convince herself, she repeated the words, tears streaming down her cheeks and splashing onto the silver-white guitar.
"As Teacher's most outstanding student, it is my duty to carry on his will."
Seeing this, Melus sighed inwardly.
Having already lost her father, Navia now faced the prospect of losing her teacher as well. Melus could scarcely imagine the profound emotional turmoil she must be enduring.
He had initially hoped Lofan could gradually heal the wounds left by her father's death, but instead, Lofan had become a fresh scar on her heart.
Thinking this, Melus sighed inwardly once more.
Silver's mind, too, drifted back to his first encounter with Lofan, and an overwhelming wave of grief washed over him.
As the three of them were lost in their private worlds, a shout filled with unrestrained excitement and joy jolted them back to reality.
"Monsieur Grett is back!"
The news of Monsieur Grett's survival spread through the Fleuve Cendre District like wildfire.
"Teacher!"
When Navia arrived with Melus and Silver, she couldn't contain her overwhelming joy upon seeing the familiar figure before her. She rushed forward and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace.
Lofan steadied her, then gently stroked her long, golden hair.
"There was a minor incident," Lofan said. "I'm sorry for causing you all such worry."
"Teacher, we're just so relieved you're back!" Navia exclaimed, lifting her head, wiping away her tears, and flashing a dazzling smile that left everyone breathless.
Feeling his solid, tangible presence—no longer a figment of her imagination—Navia felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Though he was patting her head like a child, she couldn't bring herself to loosen her tight embrace, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
"Monsieur Grett!" Melus and Silver called out to Lofan, their faces beaming with excitement.
Soon, more residents of the Fleuve Cendre District arrived, drawn by the commotion. When they saw Lofan safe and sound, their faces lit up with unconcealed joy.
It took considerable effort for Lofan to calm the crowd and explain his disappearance. To escape the explosion's shockwave, he had been forced to jump into the Fleuve Cendre. Unable to reach the shore in time, he had been swept out to sea by the turbulent currents.
Hearing Lofan's explanation and seeing that he appeared largely unharmed, the residents marveled at his miraculous survival. Their belief in his extraordinary luck and divine protection only deepened.
After a long round of pleasantries, Lofan finally managed to slip away.
He then brushed off his junior students' various concerns and, ignoring Navia's pleas for rest, immediately returned to his secret workshop without pausing.
Navia sighed in exasperation. Unable to dissuade him, she could only urge him to take care and then left Lofan's home.
As midnight approached and everyone fell into a deep slumber, Lofan's door creaked open slightly. A figure slipped through the gap and, with only a few silent steps, darted across the tent-lined area, vanishing into the darkness.
Lofan weaved swiftly through the labyrinthine passages until he finally stopped in a secluded spot.
As the de facto leader of Fleuve Cendre, Lofan naturally knew which areas of the district were almost deserted.
His reason for sneaking out while everyone slept was simple: to fulfill his promise and prepare a grand gift for Marquis Relf!
Lofan's heart pounded with excitement as he contemplated his next move.
Despite all the trouble he'd caused before, it paled in comparison to the chaos he was about to unleash.
So many Points!
Without hesitation, Lofan stopped his heart. In seconds, his current body fell lifeless.
But in the next instant, an old man clad in tattered rags materialized near the fallen corpse.
"Let's get started!"
Controlling his new body, Lofan positioned himself strategically and conjured a shimmering azure Hydro Blade. With a swift strike, he severed the old man's neck, sending a geyser of blood cascading into the Fleuve Cendre as the body plunged headfirst into the river.
Moments later, another body materialized on the riverbank, repeating the grim ritual.
After two hours, to avoid raising suspicion, Lofan reluctantly retreated.
"I hope Monsieur Relf enjoys this little surprise."
Sigh... I'm such a good person. Monsieur Relf loves the dead of the Fleuve Cendre, and I've just provided him with a bounty. He'll be eternally grateful when he finds out!
There aren't many good people like me left in this world.
Before returning home, Lofan deliberately stomped loudly, waking several people before finally going back to sleep.
That night, buoyed by his replenished Points, Lofan slept soundly.
At dawn, after days of intermittent rain, the fishing boats rushed out to sea, eager to take advantage of the rare clear weather.
But something seemed off about the sea today. It was unusually red, almost unnaturally so.
At first, the fishermen assumed they were witnessing a rare and spectacular maritime phenomenon. But when their nets dragged up several corpses, they realized the true cause of the crimson tide and screamed in horror.
News of the incident quickly reached the Court of Justice. But before they could react, more and more residents of Fontaine awoke to the rumors swirling about the blood-red sea near the city.
As countless people rushed to the coast, the sight of the crimson sea ignited a public uproar.