The bodies on the ground bore gruesome wounds: some pierced by bullets, others mangled by bombs, and still others sliced into pieces by razor-sharp blades.
Such injuries could only have been inflicted by Gardemeks. And every few moments, another hidden corpse was discovered in the shadows.
When Navia saw the corpses, including those of children only a few years old, her heart was pierced with profound pain.
How many beautiful sights had they never seen? How many wonderful experiences had they been denied? Now, they were nothing more than cold bodies, a heavy weight pressing down on everyone present.
"Those damned Maison Gardiennage officers! Those wretched nobles! I'll make them pay with their lives!"
Finally, someone could no longer contain their rage, their face contorted with fierce fury.
The roar resonated with many in the crowd.
After all, many of the residents of Fleuve Cendre were originally criminals from the Fortress of Meropide.
Though Callas and the Spina di Rosula had helped them gradually change their ways, this moment reignited their old instincts.
Navia, however, seemed still reeling from the shock, unable to fully process the horror.
After a while, more than a dozen people, resolved to risk everything, approached her.
"President Navia, you are Monsieur Callas's daughter. He took us in and showed us kindness."
"We know you've been working tirelessly for Fleuve Cendre, and we know you're doing it for the good of everyone here."
"But we can't take it anymore! We can't stand this humiliation any longer!"
"These are unarmed civilians, some of them just children. How could they be so heartless?!"
"We've decided to leave the Spina di Rosula. That way, if anything happens to us, it won't implicate the organization."
"We're going to fight them! Even if we only kill one damned noble, it'll be worth it!"
"We hope President Navia won't try to stop us."
With that, they turned to leave one by one. As they left, their eyes betrayed a hint of disappointment in Navia.
Their loyalty to Navia stemmed entirely from her being Callas's daughter, but her current inaction had shattered their faith.
The crowd parted to let them through, their gazes shifting between the silent Navia and the resolute group. A complex mix of emotions flickered in their eyes.
In the end, three or four more people, moved by their fervor, joined the doomed band.
Each of them understood the odds: charging headfirst into Fontaine's power structure with their meager strength was like throwing an egg at a stone. Yet none wavered. Their eyes burned with righteous fury!
This fury could only be quenched by noble blood!
Just as they were about to leave, Navia's slightly hoarse voice suddenly rang out behind them.
"Wait."
The group paused at Navia's voice, but ultimately didn't turn around and continued walking.
"I said, wait!"
Navia raised her voice, finally forcing the group to turn around, ready to demand if she was still urging them to endure at this point.
But when they turned, they saw in Navia's eyes a fury and grief that matched their own. The words of protest died in their throats.
"With your meager numbers and lack of proper weapons, are you trying to throw your lives away?"
"Stay home and wait patiently. I'll handle the weapons. As for manpower, the Spina di Rosula isn't so weak that anyone can push us around!"
"There's no need to abandon the Spina di Rosula. I swear to you all, in the name of Navia, President of the Spina di Rosula..."
"This debt will be repaid in blood!!!"
Finally, Navia's pent-up rage and despair erupted. Melus, who had been silently observing everything, couldn't be sure if Navia's decision was right. But even if hell itself lay ahead, he would follow her without hesitation!
Navia hurried towards Grett's residence, accompanied by Melus and Silver. By the time they arrived, she had regained her composure and was already strategizing how the Spina di Rosula could win this war.
That's right, how to win!
Though the odds were impossibly slim, where there had been zero chance before, Grett had transformed that zero into one.
Beyond being a formidable fighter himself, Grett possessed the rare skill of modifying and upgrading weapons. If the Spina di Rosula intended to wage war against Fontaine's power structures, Grett was an indispensable asset Navia couldn't afford to lose.
Thus, Navia had come to recruit him.
Returning to the place she had visited just recently, the friendly atmosphere slightly eased Navia's mood.
After inquiring with others and learning that Grett had just returned from an outing and was now in his room, Navia rushed to his door.
She knocked softly, but received no response. After a moment, she knocked harder, but still no answer came.
Just then, Navia noticed the door wasn't fully closed. Apologizing under her breath, she entered Grett's room with Melus and Silver.
Navia searched the small room, but Grett was nowhere to be found.
Grett's formal attire, top hat, and cane were all in the room, clearly indicating he had returned at some point.
Just as Navia began to wonder why Grett wasn't in his room, she faintly heard a muffled metallic rumble.
A possibility occurred to Navia, prompting her to thoroughly inspect the room again, with Melus and Silver joining the search.
Before long, Silver discovered a toy guitar fixed to the floor.
When Navia gently twisted it, a section of the floor suddenly opened, revealing a sloping staircase leading downward.
At that moment, the faint metallic rumble grew clearer.
Driven by intense curiosity, the trio descended the staircase. As they ventured deeper, the sound grew louder.
Finally, they emerged into a vast underground chamber filled with colossal machines in operation, their faces frozen in awe.
After a long moment, Navia snapped out of her stupor, a chill running down her spine. She couldn't believe that during the past three years, while Grett had silently remained at home, he had secretly excavated this entire area. And during their last meeting, he hadn't mentioned a word about it.
Burning with curiosity about Grett's whereabouts, Navia was about to search for him when her eyes fell upon a striking red book resting atop one of the machines.
Navia couldn't help but take a few steps closer, finally making out the title on the book's cover:
Redology!