Lyney shuddered, cold sweat erupting across his skin. He desperately wanted to refute Lofan's words, but the more he considered them, the more he reluctantly agreed.
Charlotte and Lynette were equally stunned by the reality Lofan had laid bare.
After taking a steadying breath, Lofan continued, "You said earlier that only someone like me could devise such a mad scheme. You've underestimated those nobles."
"For them, nothing matters more than their grip on power."
"Anyone who dares challenge their authority will be torn to shreds by any means necessary."
"They cannot tolerate any force within their realm that operates entirely beyond their control."
"The Spina di Rosula poses no significant military threat to them, and Monsieur Callas has cultivated a positive image among the people. That's why the nobles haven't yet found an opportune moment to strike."
"But the Fleuve Cendre is different. They've already amassed the power to shake the Archons' rule, and they'll never allow them to continue existing."
"That's why my death became inevitable after we won the battle against the Clockwork Meka a few hours ago."
"Only through my sacrifice can tens of thousands of people survive!"
Lofan's words stunned everyone. The three standing before him froze, as did Navia, who had retreated to a distant corner, determined not to hear another word from him, yet couldn't resist leaning closer to listen.
This was the truth: a man who had meticulously scripted his own future death from the very beginning, casting them as unwitting players in this grand and tragic drama.
When they finally snapped out of their shock, an overwhelming wave of grief washed over them.
"No..."
"Liar..."
"This can't be true..."
Navia staggered backward, her face ashen, unable to accept this crueler reality. If she did, her heart would be consumed by unbearable guilt and sorrow.
"I'm sorry, Navia."
"What does that even mean? I won't accept it!" Navia twisted her head away in anguish, refusing to face Lofan.
Lofan sighed softly and turned to Charlotte. "There's no doubt that I'm the perpetrator of the serial suicide case. I hope you'll report that truthfully, Miss Charlotte."
Charlotte bit her lip, finally understanding why he had sent Navia to contact her earlier. "This report alone could shatter the current Fleuve Cendre."
"But it doesn't matter. The seed has been planted. The endless darkness of life in Fleuve Cendre is already a thing of the past. That's enough."
A satisfied smile spread across Lofan's face as he said this, followed by another violent coughing fit.
Charlotte's heart trembled. What exactly had he uncovered? To shoulder all the blame, even sacrificing his own life, just to bring the people of Fleuve Cendre back into the sunlight—what a noble and admirable figure!
"Navia."
After catching his breath, Lofan turned his gaze back to Navia.
"Fontaine still faces many challenges, but there's no longer any need for drastic measures to change things."
"If you believe Fleuve Cendre still serves a purpose, then let it retreat into the shadows, spreading our ideals to others who share our vision."
"The rest is up to you. I've taught you everything I can."
"You're the most exceptional student I've ever had. I trust you'll surpass me."
Lofan gazed at Navia with gentle serenity, his eyes lacking their usual spark. His vision was blurring rapidly, and his body was deteriorating further, leaving him little time.
"What do you mean?"
A wave of indescribable terror surged through Navia. She rushed to Lofan's side, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at him.
"You can handle this yourself! Fleuve Cendre was your creation, not mine!"
"And what about those who died? How will you answer to their families... to their comrades?"
"You slaughtered so many innocent people for your own selfish ends! Is this the outcome you truly desired?"
Scalding tears streamed down Navia's cheeks, betraying the coldness of her words. She couldn't forgive Lofan for sacrificing so many innocent lives for his schemes. It was a barrier her heart could never overcome.
The sight brought a helpless smile to Lofan's face. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by another violent fit of coughing. He raised a hand to his mouth to stifle the cough, but blood seeped between his fingers.
Panic flashed across Navia's face. She lunged forward to ask about his condition, then remembered his unforgivable actions and froze. Biting her lip, she forced out the words: "You need treatment."
"There's no chance," Lofan replied. "My body's vitality is completely depleted from overusing Elemental Power. Recovery is virtually impossible."
"Even if there were a way, it couldn't be found in time. There's no point in wasting effort."
Navia's heart clenched again at Lofan's words.
Overuse of Elemental Power?
Navia couldn't help but recall the war against the Clockwork Mekas, when Lofan's amplification field had blanketed most of the battlefield, lasting until the very end.
So that's when it happened.
During that battle, their forces had been on the verge of collapse. If Lofan's guitar music hadn't resonated across the battlefield, inspiring everyone to fight with unprecedented ferocity, even victory would have come at a staggering cost in lives.
Yet now, there were only a few hundred casualties...
In a way, Lofan's actions had saved far more lives than were tragically lost. But life wasn't a simple equation of pluses and minuses, nor did grand justifications permit one person to take another's life.
"Monsieur Grett," Lyney said, addressing Lofan. "What exactly happened to the deceased? The consciousness transfer was a hoax, wasn't it?"
"When you think about it, some of the victims' actions defied all logic," Lyney continued. "I can't imagine you, Monsieur Grett, manipulating them into such behavior. Besides, their actions served no purpose whatsoever."
Lyney's words stunned everyone into silence.
"Fake? Wait a minute, Mr. Lyney, why would you say that?" Navia's heart pounded in her chest. The only reason she had managed to maintain any semblance of composure was because she knew that even if Lofan's current body died, he could be resurrected in a new one—something Lyney himself had told her. But now, Lyney was contradicting his own previous conclusion!
"Sigh, how am I supposed to say something like this in front of my own student?" Lofan sighed softly. Lyney's face immediately twisted with remorse. He had been so desperate to uncover the truth, sensing a potential connection to the mystery he had been investigating for so long, that he had momentarily forgotten Navia's feelings.
"I'm sorry, I..." Lyney opened his mouth to apologize to Navia, but no words came out.
Navia nearly fainted. The realization that Lofan was about to leave her forever flooded her with unbearable sorrow, shattering her inner defenses in an instant. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.
Navia, no longer caring about right or wrong, stepped forward, trembling, and carefully embraced Lofan's blood-caked body. Her voice broke with sobs as she whispered, "You're still lying to me, aren't you? You won't die, will you?"
Lofan gently stroked Navia's head with his clean hand, just as he always had.
Warm memories flooded Navia's mind, and her tears flowed even more uncontrollably.
The scene before them left Lyney and Lynette in stunned silence, while Charlotte felt an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. In Navia, she saw a reflection of herself.
None of them had anticipated that uncovering the truth would lead to such unbearable consequences.
Moreover, they had personally dismantled Navia's trust in Lofan, piece by piece. Even if they hadn't intervened, Lofan would still have played out the same scene with Navia. Yet a wave of guilt surged from the depths of Charlotte's heart.
She had wronged another good person... again.
"Don't be sad, Navia," Lofan whispered. "I'm not leaving this world. My soul will follow the guidance of the flowing water and return to our Homeland."
"The others are the same. They all willingly shed their mortal forms because we remembered our past lives."
"For us, death is simply the removal of shackles."
"The body is merely a vessel."
Lofan's calm declaration stunned everyone into silence.
"Monsieur Grett..." Charlotte gazed at him anxiously, her last flicker of hope threatening to be extinguished like a candle in the wind.
"You must remember Lofan..."
"Of course I do. He gave his life trying to dissuade me from my original plan, and he brought a sliver of light to Fleuve Cendre."
"But that light was too dim. It wasn't enough to ignite the flames in people's hearts."
"I have my own convictions. Soon, I'll see him again. Then I'll apologize for betraying his kindness."
As Lofan finished speaking, the light in his eyes dimmed further, and the rise and fall of his chest became barely perceptible.
Navia panicked.
"No, this can't be happening!"
Although she hadn't fully grasped the implications of Lofan's words, one thing was clear: her teacher hadn't murdered innocent people.
She had completely misjudged him!
"Teacher, you can't die! I'll take you to a doctor. Miss Aletta's medical skills are extraordinary; she can definitely save you!"
Navia frantically tried to lift Lofan, but the slightest movement triggered a violent coughing fit. A fresh torrent of blood gushed from his mouth, freezing her in place. She dared not move him again.
Seeing that Lofan no longer even had the strength to cough, tears streamed down Navia's face.
"No, Teacher! Please, don't die!"
"I've already lost my father," Navia cried, "I can't lose you too!"
At that moment, she recalled the final sword strike she had directed at Lofan—the very strike that had triggered his explosive surge of Fire Elemental Power.
If she hadn't swung that sword, would her teacher have had a chance to recover?
The thought sent an overwhelming wave of grief and remorse crashing through Navia's heart.
She gently rested her head against Lofan's chest and wept uncontrollably.
Charlotte, too, was devastated. She had clung to the hope that Lofan was still alive somewhere in the world, giving her a chance to make amends. But now...
Charlotte looked utterly lost and shattered. Lyney, observing her state, sighed inwardly. When he had given her that last glimmer of hope, he had already foreseen this outcome, though he hadn't expected it to arrive so swiftly.
"Monsieur Grett..." Charlotte asked Lofan, clinging to the last thread of hope, "Will I ever see him again...?"
Seeing Charlotte's devastated state and hearing Navia's sobs, Lofan couldn't bring himself to harden his heart.
"There will be another chance," he said.
In an instant, a glimmer of hope returned to both Charlotte's and Navia's eyes.
"Thank you," Charlotte said to Lofan, her heart overflowing with gratitude regardless of whether his words held any truth.
Lofan sighed inwardly. He had intended to treat this whole ordeal as a mere game, but he had become deeply entangled in it after all.
Originally, his plan hadn't included any twists. The only variable in the script was whether someone would stop him from detonating the bomb at the end.
He wasn't sure when he had abandoned his initial intentions.
Perhaps it was the first time Navia called him "Teacher."
Lofan took a deep breath, wanting to look at Navia, but all he saw was darkness.
He was blind.
With all his might, Lofan strained his eyes, focusing on the direction he remembered Navia being, desperately trying to conceal his condition from her.
"Navia..."
"Fleuve Cendre has retreated into the shadows, its combat strength severely diminished, and it will face even more complex challenges."
"If you wish to preserve the Spark, your past excellence alone is not enough. You must mature further."
"That's why I embedded the final lesson I wanted to impart into that game."
"First, pay closer attention to detail. This will reveal countless overlooked opportunities and rewards."
"Second, trust your comrades. They will pave a smoother, more expansive path for you."
"Third, never let your guard down. Your allies can't always catch your mistakes. One misstep could lead to irreversible disaster."
"Finally, strike when the moment is right. Once you've weighed the gains and losses, hesitate no longer. Seize every opportunity for a decisive victory."
"Of course, even when you're doing the right thing, sacrifices may be inevitable. I know these choices are agonizing, but such decisiveness is essential for a leader. All I could do was give you a taste of that heart-wrenching torment beforehand."
"Though what came before was a lie, the feelings in your heart were real. I hope you'll never forget that."
"This... is the last lesson I'll ever teach you!"
With those words, Lofan's head lolled to the side, his life force extinguished.
"Teacher!" "Monsieur Grett!"
Agonized cries erupted from Lofan's tent, but the Kuroda Box outside completely absorbed the sound.
The intensity of the cries caused the box's energy fluctuations to surge, quickly draining its power.