When Lofan opened his eyes again, he found himself locked in an iron cage.
The air reeked of putrid decay, and blood-stained torture instruments hung on the walls.
The place was shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the faint sound of ragged breathing.
Lofan raised a finger and ignited a small flame. The sight that greeted him chilled his gaze.
Three iron cages held seven or eight children around the age of ten, their bodies covered in blood and their lives hanging by a thread.
Before the children could notice him, Lofan extinguished the flame. He manipulated the Hydro Element to heal their wounds before finally allowing his new "merchandise" body to die.
The next moment, Lofan was reborn elsewhere in the estate, this time as a servant.
Azure light shimmered across his body, and two Hydro Blades materialized in his hands.
The Death God had come to collect souls!
Without hesitation, Lofan slaughtered everything in his path, sparing only the other servants and the children. Not even the robotic dogs were spared. He devised a special death for these morally bankrupt beasts, injecting water into their bodies until they exploded like fireworks.
After cleansing the estate in blood, Lofan decisively raised a Hydro Blade and slit his own throat. The next instant, he reappeared in another estate.
He repeated the process, using the same methods to cleanse this new estate in blood.
Whenever his stamina waned or he sustained injuries, Lofan simply transferred his consciousness to a fresh body, then coldly plunged the Hydro Blades into the terror-stricken faces before him.
By the end, Lofan felt numb. Previously, he had only ended his own life; this was the first time he had taken the lives of others.
Perhaps he had grown accustomed to it, but Lofan felt no discomfort.
Now that death no longer posed a threat, he seemed to be gradually losing his sense of humanity.
Lofan wasn't sure if realizing this was a good thing or not, but he knew that every extra day these people remained in this world made him increasingly uneasy.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Lofan's eyes suddenly lit up as he found himself in a place completely different from before.
Though still confined to an iron cage, the air now carried a pleasant scent, and the room was bright and well-lit.
Lofan observed the other children around him. While they appeared listless, there were no signs of abuse on their bodies. Judging by the leftover food on the floor, their meals were also remarkably good—far better than what ordinary families ate daily.
What is this?
The scene before him made Lofan hesitate. He didn't know how to deal with the nobles residing in this estate.
He remembered that the noble living here was Viscount Leonard, someone he knew personally—one of Marquis Relf's loyal followers.
In a way, Viscount Leonard had done a good thing. As orphans, these children would have faced unimaginable hardships, their very survival uncertain. He had provided them with a better life, or so it seemed.
Yet, this act clearly violated their will. Otherwise, they wouldn't be locked in iron cages, their spirits crushed.
Perhaps Viscount Leonard was marginally better than the other nobles, but he had still crossed an unforgivable line.
After a moment's hesitation, Lofan understood. Just as he was about to proceed, he froze.
The room was brightly lit. If he committed suicide here, the children might imitate him.
Lofan resolved to smash the lamp when the children weren't looking.
But just as he was about to act, the door suddenly burst open. Lofan immediately stopped what he was doing.
He had expected someone from the Noble Estate, but instead, he saw an unexpected figure.
The Knave, Arlecchino!
The crisp clack of heels against the floor echoed in the ears of Lofan and the children, gradually drawing them back to consciousness and capturing their attention.
When the children saw the unfamiliar figure appear, their eyes widened with primal terror. To them, their end had arrived.
Yet Arlecchino merely raised a hand, snapped her fingers, and with a surge of Pyro energy, the locks on each iron cage shattered. The cage doors creaked open slightly.
"You're free. Run for your lives."
With those words, Arlecchino turned to leave.
But then she noticed a fair-skinned boy of about twelve, staring directly at her without a trace of fear in his eyes. Her steps faltered.
"Intriguing," she murmured.
A smile suddenly blossomed on Arlecchino's previously impassive face, but this only intensified the children's terror. They huddled deeper into the corners of their cages.
This only made Lofan, who stood calmly at the edge of his cage, observing Arlecchino with unwavering attention, seem all the more remarkable.
"It seems we share a similar temperament. Why not join the House of the Hearth? Here, you'll never be betrayed, and betrayal will never be tolerated."
Lofan couldn't believe that Arlecchino would invite him to join the Fatui so soon after their first meeting.
Unfortunately for her, if Lofan wanted a Fatui identity, all he needed was a new body. He had no interest in her offer.
"Boring," Lofan said.
He pushed open the iron gate and strode past Arlecchino under the watchful eyes of the children, then exited the room.
Arlecchino had never encountered such an unusual child before. Even though Lofan had rejected her offer, she wasn't ready to give up on recruiting him.
Turning around, she followed Lofan, curious about his intentions.
As soon as the two had left the room, the children exchanged glances, then stared at the broken lock. In a frenzy, they scrambled out of their cage and fled the Noble Estate.
Lofan's reason for leaving the room was simple: he wanted to assess the survival status of the estate's inhabitants.
Viscount Leonard was undoubtedly dead, along with everyone closely associated with him.
To Lofan's surprise, Arlecchino hadn't eliminated as many people as he expected, prompting him to wonder if he had been too extreme in his own actions.
"So you just wanted to confirm your enemies were dead," came Arlecchino's voice from behind him.
Lofan responded wearily, "Has anyone ever told you that you're like a tag-along?"
Lofan's words visibly stunned Arlecchino. It felt as if she had just been insulted by a brat.
"I said no."
"I'm in a hurry anyway, so I won't keep you company."
With that, Lofan casually picked up a metal tool from the ground and swiftly sliced it across his neck. In moments, a child's corpse lay lifeless on the floor.
Arlecchino was utterly dumbfounded.