"Teacher..."
"Is what he said... is it all true?"
Warm memories of her time with Lofan flooded Navia's mind, but now they only pierced her heart like shards of glass.
When she finally managed to ask the question, she felt as if she could barely breathe. The single sentence seemed to drain every last ounce of her strength.
Seeing Navia's anguish, Charlotte felt an overwhelming wave of pity and heartache. She couldn't understand why fate insisted on tormenting this poor soul, and her compassion quickly transformed into burning anger toward Lofan.
"Navia, I am your teacher. Do you truly doubt me?" Lofan remained unmoved, his voice calm and steady.
"A mere mask and some unsubstantiated accusations with no concrete evidence—is that all it takes to shake your faith in me?"
"I admit I've been secretly researching cloning technology, but my intention is to spread our ideals across the vast expanse of Teyvat. This world is too vast for one person to manage alone. But with many 'me's, it would be possible."
"Didn't you see everything I've done, Navia?" Lofan asked. "After all I've done to earn your trust, are you really going to believe these baseless speculations instead?"
"We have proof, of course!" Lyney interrupted, eager to prevent Navia from being further deceived by Lofan.
Lyney shifted sideways, blocking Lofan's gaze toward Navia, his eyes icy as he stared him down. "Monsieur Grett, would you mind removing your shirt so we can see the wound on your chest?"
Lofan remained motionless. Of course, there was no wound on his body; stripping off his shirt would prove nothing.
"You wouldn't dare, would you? Because there's no wound at all!" Lyney declared sharply, noticing Lofan's hesitation.
"I've fought alongside Miss Navia before and know her capabilities intimately."
"Think about it, Miss Navia. You've faced the masked man yourself. He might be slightly stronger than you, but could he really have launched a surprise attack from afar without you even noticing?"
"Besides, Miss Clorinde was also present that day. You know her capabilities better than we do, yet even she sensed nothing."
"There's only one possible explanation: the Hydro arrow that appeared that day was Monsieur Grett's own ability!"
"That entire incident was a carefully staged performance he orchestrated himself!"
"His motive? To create a plausible excuse for not participating in the upcoming operation against the nobles. Because at that very moment, his other identity was about to take center stage!"
Lyney's deduction sent another violent tremor through Navia. She hadn't realized that even her rescue had been meticulously planned from the start.
What could be more devastating than betrayal by someone you trusted and cherished most dearly?
A crushing darkness threatened to engulf Navia completely. Her legs buckled, and she nearly collapsed, but Lynette reacted swiftly, catching her just in time.
Lyney cast a concerned glance at Navia, but he wasn't finished speaking yet.
"Furthermore, Monsieur Grett, if you're telling the truth—that you were merely researching cloning technology—then please explain why your wounds have vanished without a trace."
"Even now, Monsieur Grett, do you still intend to deny the truth?"
"And what about the night of the Crimson Sea incident? Witnesses saw you returning home just before dawn. What were you doing out so late?"
"Oh, and there's one more thing I'd like to ask you, Monsieur Grett." Lyney paused, then resumed slowly. "Why is your mental state so remarkably clear? You show absolutely no signs of poisoning."
Clap! Clap!
Hearing this, Lofan could no longer contain himself. He rose from the ground, applauding and gazing at Lyney with genuine admiration. "Brilliant deduction. It almost makes me want to applaud you myself."
Lofan's tone was eerily calm, so utterly composed that it sent a chill down the spines of the three others. "I knew I hadn't misjudged you, Mr. Lyney. You've truly uncovered the truth."
Lofan's tone had completely transformed, sending uncontrollable shivers through Navia's body. The implications of his words filled the other three with dread.
Lyney suddenly grasped a terrifying possibility, one that chilled him to the bone. Even the mere thought of this deduction sent shivers down his spine.
"I'm so glad you made it to the final act. Only with you here can the performance truly reach its climax!"
Lofan spread his arms wide, a sinister smile curling at the corners of his lips. His entire demeanor turned icy and menacing.
"Originally, I had invited another actress, but alas, she made an early exit."
"What a shame! Such a pity!"
"But no matter. You arrived exactly as planned, a delightful surprise indeed!"
"Grett, it's too late for bluffing now!" Charlotte shouted through gritted teeth at Lofan. But Lyney's expression grew increasingly grim. Lofan's words had suddenly illuminated the unsettling coincidences he had overlooked.
For example, with Lofan's capabilities, how could he possibly have allowed several people to hear him return?
"And then there's this..."
"Mr. Lyney, you deduced the timing of my interactions with those nobles by tracing the information about Marquis Relf's disposal of the corpses, didn't you?"
"To obtain such intelligence, your own position must be quite extraordinary."
Lofan's tone grew increasingly buoyant, his voice sounding younger and younger. Navia kept her head bowed, obscuring her expression, but her body continued to tremble violently.
"The song was another clue I deliberately left behind, designed to sow doubt among you."
"And that laboratory... was I truly too busy to clean it up?"
With each word Lofan spoke, the trio's spirits sank further. In their eyes, he became increasingly terrifying and unfathomable.
"In truth, a careful examination would reveal that only one of the bodies had a heart positioned differently from the norm."
"Because... I ran out of time!"
Lofan's final remark sent a jolt through Lyney, his breathing quickening uncontrollably.
Charlotte and Lynette, however, were too preoccupied with their own growing dread to notice Lyney's distress.