Ever since the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale underwent its abnormal transformation, Neuvillette had ordered the complete lockdown of the Opera Epicles, forbidding anyone from approaching.
However, yesterday, as if it had all been premeditated, riots broke out simultaneously across multiple locations in Fontaine shortly after Neuvillette left the Palais Mermonia.
The Fontaine Security Forces, the Gardes, and other official organizations were overwhelmed, struggling to contain the chaos.
Taking advantage of the situation, a large group of individuals, armed with modified autonomous meka, stormed the Opera Epicles with the intent of sabotaging the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale…
Su Yuan had been pondering—why did such a perfectly timed series of events unfold?
Someone had to be orchestrating everything from the shadows.
But who? And what was their ultimate goal?
By the time the group arrived at the Opera Epicles, they found the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale trembling violently, surrounded by swirling energies of black, crimson, and blue, creating an aura of extreme instability—on the verge of an imminent explosion…
Everyone could clearly sense it—this was the power of the Eerie!
And there, kneeling before the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, was Focalors.
Her crimson, twisted face contorted with an expression that was impossible to define…
Was it fury?
Or sorrow?
Or regret?
Or anguish?
It was difficult to imagine how a single face could convey so many emotions at once…
"Hahaha… so you've all arrived…"
Focalors burst into laughter upon seeing the approaching group.
"For some reason, those two people from yesterday… actually failed to carry out their execution…"
"So thanks to you all, tomorrow… tomorrow, everything will come to an end…"
"Miss Focalors, please stop this!" Navia took a step forward, her voice resolute.
"What you're doing now doesn't count as breaking the prophecy or saving the people of Fontaine!"
"Saving them?"
"Why would I save them?"
"I never intended to save them in the first place!"
Focalors spoke coldly, her voice filled with rage.
"The only thing I want is to break the prophecy! The only one I want to save… is myself!"
"So, Fontaine's so-called God of Justice is nothing more than a selfish and self-serving person, huh?"
A sudden voice echoed from behind the group.
They turned to see a tall figure with black-and-white hair, piercing dark eyes marked by crimson crosses, and an aura of overwhelming authority.
Arlecchino, the Fourth of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers, 'The Knave,' had arrived.
"Arlecchino of the Fatui? Why are you here?"
Neuvillette narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp and unwavering.
"Lord Neuvillette, please don't look at me with such suspicion—like you're interrogating a criminal."
Arlecchino spoke calmly, her tone unwavering.
"I came to help you."
"After all, Fontaine is my homeland, and there are still many children in the House of the Hearth. I can't allow Fontaine to be destroyed."
"Focalors is not the selfish person you claim she is. She's merely been… controlled by an eerie force."
Furina turned to look at Arlecchino.
So this is the oppressive aura of a Fatui Harbinger…
Her presence was overwhelming, terrifying—just meeting her gaze felt like it would haunt her dreams.
But even so, Furina gathered her courage and spoke up.
Arlecchino ignored Furina and instead turned her gaze toward Focalors, who knelt beside the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, speaking slowly:
"Fate grants no favors. Only those who fight against it with everything they have are worthy of facing it head-on."
"And I… just so happen to be one of those who will fight with everything I have and stand against fate."
As she spoke, a crimson-red and fiery-hued scythe materialized in her hands.
Without hesitation, she lunged straight at Focalors!
Everyone was stunned—what was going on with Arlecchino?
She just went straight into battle without a single word of negotiation?!
But no matter how strong Arlecchino was, how could she possibly be a match for the Eerie?
"No… I don't think they're in any real danger," Chevreuse spoke slowly.
"You all know that I have a strange intuition—I can sense people's malice."
"But right now, from both Focalors and Arlecchino… I barely sense any at all."
Arlecchino's crimson scythe burned with Pyro energy as she swung it toward Focalors!
However, with just a casual lift of her hand, Focalors unleashed a sinister power of crimson and black, spreading outward to corrode the Pyro energy and block the attack…
"Is this what you call giving it your all? How pathetic—it's nothing more than a mere tickle."
Focalors sneered coldly.
"And you? I can tell you lack the intent to kill. If you had truly gone all out, I'd already be nothing but ashes."
Arlecchino spoke calmly before swiftly retreating back to the group.
Focalors made no effort to stop her.
Everyone present looked on in confusion. Arlecchino then spoke:
"I was right. This power—it's exactly the same as Dottore's."
"Dottore? That's the second-ranked member of the Fatui Harbingers, the one they call 'The Doctor,' right…?"
Su Yuan muttered, deep in thought.
Then, a shocking realization hit him—
Could it be that the one researching the Eerie and attempting to control it… was Dottore all along?
"Dottore started acting strangely some time ago," Arlecchino continued.
"Though, to be fair, he's always been a mad researcher—so acting strange isn't exactly new for him."
"But despite agreeing in our meetings that I would be fully in charge of Fontaine's affairs, he went back on his word and interfered anyway. That's something he's never done before."
"The malfunction of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, the riots and rebellions—all of it, according to my investigations with the House of the Hearth, is inextricably linked to him."
"'The Doctor,' Dottore, is in Fontaine? And yet I received no intelligence on this at all?"
Neuvillette frowned slightly.
Hiding his identity to enter Fontaine… He must be up to something unspeakable.
"I've actually known for a long time—the prophecy of Fontaine is inevitable. It will come to pass… And Lady Furina is not the true Hydro Archon."
Arlecchino spoke as she turned to Furina with a faint smile.
"So, Lady Furina, you false Hydro Archon—would you kindly just die?"
"Furina! Danger!" Neuvillette sensed something was wrong, but it was already too late!
In an instant, Arlecchino swung her scythe—decapitating Furina in one swift motion!
Blood sprayed through the air, and Su Yuan and the others froze in shock.
But the very next moment—Arlecchino's face twisted.
An overwhelming, horrifying, Eerie force surged from her body—chilling everyone to the core…
So from the very beginning, Arlecchino had already been under the control of the Eerie force!
But because she had claimed she was here to help, and even fought against the Eerie-corrupted "Focalors," everyone had lowered their guard, believing she was truly unaffected…
"Arlecchino!!!"
Neuvillette roared, an overwhelming surge of Hydro energy erupting from his body as he glared fiercely at "Arlecchino."
No one had ever seen him with such sorrow, fury, or sheer ruthlessness in his expression before…
But what shocked everyone even more was that, from the roof of the Opera Epiclese, the sound of drip… drip… began to echo—one after another.
Outside…
It was raining.
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