Ch 21 : Battleandsalvationare twodifferent things
Seeing Su Yuan's panicked expression, Wriothesley asked with some confusion, "Hey… Su Yuan, isn't this a bit much? It's just a Chevreuse who's been taken over by the Eerie. Do you really think I can't handle her?"
"Besides, the man standing next to me is none other than the Chief Justice of Fontaine, the pinnacle of Teyvat's beings, the Hydro Dragon Sovereign. Other than Lady Furina, who else in all of Fontaine could possibly be stronger than him?" Wriothesley gestured toward Neuvillette.
Neuvillette: …
The ice was melting at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Watching Chevreuse, whose body was engulfed in pitch-black flames, Su Yuan felt an overwhelming sense of urgency.
"The Eerie! It cannot be reasoned with using common logic! This is not a matter of combat strength!"
"Didn't we agree that you would trust me?"
"Then listen to me—RUN!"
Su Yuan's face was flushed red with emotion as he shouted hysterically.
He grabbed Neuvillette and Wriothesley by the hands, attempting to pull them upstairs…
Both Neuvillette and Wriothesley were momentarily stunned.
Seeing Su Yuan so agitated and serious, they didn't resist and allowed him to drag them up to the second floor.
Once they reached the second floor, Neuvillette spoke up, "I'm sorry, Su Yuan. I said I would trust you… but just now, I still hesitated."
"It's fine, Neuvillette. I didn't take it to heart…" Su Yuan replied as he naturally walked toward the bookshelf, focusing on the second row where Teyvat's Comprehensive Tea Review was located.
He pressed down on it. "We need to leave this place first, put some distance between us and the Eerie-controlled Chevreuse, and then make a plan…"
As he spoke, the sound of gears and machinery echoed through the room.
The bookshelf slowly moved aside, revealing a deep and shadowy passageway.
"Hmm?" Wriothesley was visibly surprised by the sight.
"Su Yuan, is your intel really this impressive? You even knew about this?"
"There's a hidden passage here. In all of Meropide, the number of people who know about this can be counted on one hand… And you even knew how to activate the switch?"
"Did Sigewinne tell you? No way… She doesn't seem like the type. Without my permission, she wouldn't reveal something like this…"
Huh?
Su Yuan froze for a moment.
What just happened?
He had no prior knowledge of this passage, yet he instinctively found the right book, triggered the switch, and opened the hidden passage…
"Forget it, I don't know what's going on either. Let's just get out of here first!"
Su Yuan thought of the soon-to-be-freed "Chevreuse" downstairs.
He knew they couldn't waste any more time, so he took the lead and stepped into the passage, with Neuvillette and Wriothesley following closely behind.
As they entered, the lights inside the passage flickered on, and the bookshelf slowly returned to its original position.
A few seconds later, "Chevreuse" arrived on the second floor.
She scanned the area, but there was no one in sight…
"Oh? Ran away, did they…"
"Chevreuse" tilted her head, crimson liquid oozing from her eyes and mouth…
"No matter… My specialty is tracking down fugitives, after all…"
"Where do you all think you can run?"
"Heh… Heh… Hahaha…"
...
"There's no sound of pursuit behind us. Looks like 'Chevreuse' didn't notice this passage…" Wriothesley glanced back thoughtfully.
"But is it really okay for us to just run like this? Won't Chevreuse, under the control of the Eerie, go on a rampage elsewhere?"
"She shouldn't… Chevreuse has been controlled by the Eerie for a while now. If she intended to start a massacre, she would have done it already," Neuvillette said calmly.
"The same was true for me earlier. I was only focused on tormenting Su Yuan—I never had the intention of indiscriminately killing others."
"That's right," Su Yuan added.
"It seems like the Eerie deliberately tries to conceal itself. We still don't know their exact motives, but they clearly aren't mindless killing machines…"
"Su Yuan, while I trust your judgment unconditionally, I still have some doubts," Neuvillette spoke up.
"Even though I am not in my 'complete dragon form' right now, my affinity and control over hydro elemental power are unmatched. I do not believe that the Eerie-controlled Captain Chevreuse would be my equal in battle."
"Yeah, yeah, Su Yuan, I'm curious too. Do you really not trust Neuvillette's and my abilities?" Wriothesley added.
"Even if we really can't win, at the very least, we can protect ourselves, right?"
"Sigh…" Su Yuan let out a small sigh before explaining.
"The Eerie… it's an entirely new power system, something that can't be understood using common sense."
"In the worldview of my original world, entities like the Eerie are often associated with rules, concepts—things that are more abstract and elusive. Haven't you noticed? The Eerie actually follows rules very strictly. If we want to defeat them, we probably need to find some specific rule to exploit rather than just blindly fighting them head-on."
"Besides, the Eerie is controlling Chevreuse's body. There's no guarantee we wouldn't end up hurting her in the process."
"In any case, my main point is still the same—every extra day I survive, I'll gain more intel. I believe that eventually, I'll find information on how to defeat the Eerie."
"Hmm… Su Yuan, what you're saying makes sense." Neuvillette nodded in agreement.
As they spoke, they reached the end of the passage.
Wriothesley stepped in front of Su Yuan and said, "There's a manhole cover above us. Su Yuan, you're not suited for heavy lifting, so leave it to me!"
"Once we get out, we'll be behind the infirmary. Let's check on Sigewinne first—I'm worried that Chevreuse might have done something to her."
With that, Wriothesley climbed up and pushed open the manhole cover.
However, when the three of them arrived at the infirmary, Sigewinne was nowhere to be found.
"That's strange… At this hour, Sigewinne should be here for her shift at the infirmary." Wriothesley frowned, a growing sense of unease creeping into his heart.
Just then, a nurse walked in from outside and exclaimed in surprise, "Huh! Lord Duke! Lord Neuvillette! What are you both doing here?"
"Have you seen Head Nurse Sigewinne?" Wriothesley asked urgently.
"Oh! Head Nurse Sigewinne? Yes, I saw her!" the nurse replied.
"Just now—about half a minute ago—Captain Chevreuse suddenly came here and took Head Nurse Sigewinne away. It seemed like something urgent…"
"Did they mention where they were going? Which direction did they head in?" Wriothesley stepped forward abruptly, his expression turning serious, startling the nurse.
The nurse, her hands trembling, pointed in a direction.
"I think… I think they went that way…"
"Neuvillette, let's go!" Wriothesley didn't hesitate for a second and immediately took off running.
"Follow me! That direction leads to the Combat Arena! It's currently closed, so there shouldn't be anyone inside!"
"Su Yuan! I know you told us not to fight 'Chevreuse,' but I can't just ignore Sigewinne's safety!"
"Su Yuan, Wriothesley is right," Neuvillette said as he turned to Su Yuan.
"Perhaps you should stay here at the infirmary and rest. Wriothesley and I will handle this."
"No, I'm coming too!" Su Yuan replied firmly.
"I'll find a safe spot to observe from a distance. I won't get in your way or hold you back!"
Seeing the determination in Su Yuan's eyes, Neuvillette nodded.
"Alright, but you can't move quickly right now. Should I carry you in my arms, or on my back?"
Hearing this, Su Yuan was momentarily stunned.
He imagined himself—a grown man—being carried in a princess hold by Neuvillette… and immediately felt a little weird about it.
"Uh… Neuvillette, just carry me on your back…" Su Yuan said.
"Alright." Neuvillette turned his back to Su Yuan and crouched down.
Su Yuan lightly leaped up, landing on Neuvillette's broad and sturdy back.
Then, without hesitation, Neuvillette took off, sprinting at high speed to catch up with Wriothesley.
Su Yuan glanced at the engraving on the palm of his left hand.
It had repeatedly warned him not to fight the Eerie, but… if it were him in their place, he wouldn't just stand by and do nothing while Sigewinne's safety was at risk.
Their goal wasn't to fight the Eerie—it was to save Sigewinne!
Since a fight was unavoidable, then so be it.
Su Yuan was no coward!
At worst… he'd just start over again!
Ch 22 :Deadly Arena
When Su Yuan and his two companions arrived at the entrance of the Fist Arena, they found that the lock on the door had already been opened.
"Tch..." Without any hesitation, Wriothesley kicked the door open.
The scene that greeted them was unsettling—on the arena stage, "Chevreuse" stood with a strange, eerie smile, gazing at the three of them.
"Running away? Why aren't you running anymore? Why did you obediently come back to me?"
"Chevreuse" chuckled darkly, an expression of sheer delight on her face.
"Sigewinne!" Wriothesley shouted loudly.
He had spotted her behind "Chevreuse", on the other side of the arena stage—her eyes were blindfolded, her mouth was gagged, and her body was tightly bound with numerous ropes.
Bloodstains covered her body, and she lay motionless on the ground…
"Originally, I was so eager to devour Sigewinne… After all, a humanoid Melusine is quite rare…"
"But in order to lure you little fish onto my hook, I decided to suppress my appetite for now…"
"Su Yuan! Stay back and go to the spectator stands!" Wriothesley shouted.
"Neuvillette, check on Sigewinne!"
"I'll deal with 'Chevreuse'!"
With those words, Wriothesley leaped onto the arena stage, his eyes burning with fury as he locked onto "Chevreuse" with an unyielding glare.
His gauntlets began to hum with energy, emitting waves of icy air…
Su Yuan immediately ran to the spectator stands, picking a prime spot to enjoy the upcoming battle.
Neuvillette gave a small nod before swiftly circling around the arena, making his way toward Sigewinne.
"I haven't finished speaking yet! How dare you act on your own!"
"Chevreuse" roared furiously, baring her bloodstained maw.
She then raised her gunlance in Neuvillette's direction, preparing to fire a shot!
"Don't get distracted while boxing! Keep your eyes on your opponent!" Wriothesley warned.
He swiftly adjusted his breathing, rhythm, and footwork before darting forward.
Powerful Cryo energy surged into his gauntlets, and in an instant, he unleashed six consecutive strikes of his Swift Frost Barrage!
Thanks to Wriothesley's interference, Chevreuse's shot went off course, missing its mark and failing to hinder Neuvillette's movement.
What incredible speed!
Su Yuan was utterly stunned—his eyes could barely keep up with Wriothesley's fists, only catching glimpses of their afterimages.
So this is his true power?
"If Wriothesley had this kind of attack speed in the original game, that would be way too broken!"
However, unlike Su Yuan's amazement, Wriothesley himself was even more shocked.
Despite his overwhelming speed, not a single punch landed.
'Chevreuse' had dodged every strike effortlessly!
This has never happened before…
"Tch… If a flurry of quick strikes doesn't work, then let's see how you handle this!"
In the next moment, Wriothesley tossed his right gauntlet into the air.
Then, with a smooth, elegant spin, he clenched his right fist—slipping it perfectly back into the falling gauntlet!
Instantly, the gauntlet transformed, its internal mechanisms shifting into high gear—activating at full power!
A tremendous surge of Cryo energy began condensing within it…
As Wriothesley drove his right fist forward with full force, he unleashed a devastating, frost-laden straight punch!
In an instant, a barrage of ice spikes erupted forward, relentlessly striking everything in their path and inflicting widespread, continuous Cryo damage!
Su Yuan was completely dumbfounded.
This must be Wriothesley's Elemental Burst from the original game…
Wasn't it called "Darkgold Wolfbite"?
Seeing it in real life was far more spectacular than in the game…
This is insane!
Su Yuan could even see cracks forming across the arena floor.
That attack might have just killed "Chevreuse" outright…
"Wriothesley, calm down! You're losing control—you're going too far!" Neuvillette warned.
"Chevreuse's body can't withstand that kind of attack!"
The arena stage was now engulfed in a thick haze of ice mist, frost, dust, and water vapor, making it hard to see Chevreuse's condition…
"Tch..." Wriothesley gritted his teeth, staring at the aftermath of his attack.
Did I overdo it…?
But in the next instant—something changed.
"Wriothesley… If this is the extent of your strength, then just go die."
A chilling voice echoed from within the icy mist and dust.
Slowly, Chevreuse's figure emerged…
Wriothesley's entire body tensed.
He froze in place.
For the first time in a long while… he felt fear.
A long time ago, when Wriothesley escaped from his foster home, he wandered the streets, homeless, drenched in rain, starving…
Facing the abuse and beatings of several grown men, he had felt an overwhelming fear—one that made his entire body tremble, robbing him of sleep night after night…
But as he grew older and his strength increased, fear seemed to drift further and further away from him…
Yet now, standing before the eerie, transformed "Chevreuse", that fear had returned.
A primal, instinctual terror—one that gripped him from the depths of his very being.
This was the most fundamental fear of all living things…
No matter who you are, what status you hold, what abilities you possess, or what kind of mindset you maintain…
As long as you still have emotions and desires, this kind of fear is inescapable.
"Wriothesley! Danger!"
At this moment, Neuvillette was only a few steps away from Sigewinne, but even he felt an overwhelming sense of crisis—a fear so intense it sent shivers down his spine.
There was no time to hesitate.
In an instant, Neuvillette transformed into a dragon-shaped stream of water, surging toward Wriothesley and 'Chevreuse'!
As the ice mist and dust gradually cleared, Chevreuse's figure became fully visible…
Her body was engulfed in jet-black flames.
There were no traces of ice around her, no signs that Wriothesley's attack had affected her in the slightest.
That black fire had effortlessly nullified his full-powered assault.
Slowly, Chevreuse raised her gunlance, aiming it directly at Wriothesley's forehead.
"Wriothesley! What are you doing, snap out of it! Dodge!"
Su Yuan shouted frantically from the spectator stands, but he could do nothing.
Wriothesley stood there, his eyes dull and unfocused, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Drool dripped from the corner of his mouth.
He was completely paralyzed.
With a bang, a shot rang out—a bullet wreathed in black energy tore through the air, speeding straight for Wriothesley!
But thankfully, Neuvillette made it in time!
With a swift lunge, he tackled Wriothesley to the ground—but the bullet struck his shoulder!
His elegant, noble attire was instantly torn apart, and blood and torn flesh splattered across the arena.
"Hah… As expected of an ancient elemental dragon." Chevreuse chuckled darkly.
"That body of yours is far tougher than those frail mortals."
"Wriothesley! Wake up!" Neuvillette called his name, trying to shake him out of it.
But Wriothesley's lifeless eyes remained unchanged—there was no sign of him regaining consciousness.
"Hehehe… You won't be able to wake him up. He's already trapped in deep fear… completely unable to escape."
"Chevreuse" let out a sinister chuckle.
"And next… it's your turn, Neuvillette."
"But you are, after all, of the dragon race. This method might not work on you…"
"No matter. I'll just kill you—one bullet at a time!"
"Su Yuan! I'll do my best to hold off Chevreuse! Take Sigewinne and get out of here!" Neuvillette shouted.
Hearing this, Su Yuan immediately got up and rushed toward Sigewinne's location.
—
Neuvillette unleashed a barrage of Hydro attacks, manipulating water spheres, water pillars, and water bullets in an attempt to injure Chevreuse—but all his efforts were in vain.
The ominous black flames surrounding Chevreuse provided her with a flawless, 360-degree defense, blocking every single attack with ease.
On the other hand, Neuvillette, despite using water shields and water walls to defend himself, found them utterly useless against the black-tinged bullets fired from Chevreuse's gunlance.
His body was already riddled with bullet wounds, and his exquisite attire was thoroughly soaked in blood.
Yet, he fought on… refusing to fall.
—
Meanwhile, Su Yuan finally reached Sigewinne's side.
Without hesitation, he pulled out a small knife from his pocket and sliced through the ropes that bound Sigewinne's body, as well as the cloth covering her eyes and mouth…
Sigewinne was still alive, though there was a visible wound on the back of her head, stained with blood—she had most likely been knocked unconscious by a heavy blow.
Su Yuan looked at Sigewinne, then turned his gaze toward Wriothesley, collapsed on the ground, and finally at Neuvillette, struggling to hold on.
The sheer brutality of the scene left him speechless.
Was this why the message on his left palm had warned him—never to fight against the Eerie?
Were the Eerie really this powerful…?
Right now, Su Yuan saw no hope.
This was the only way left.
Next time, he had to find a way to escape with Sigewinne—no matter what, he could never fight the Eerie head-on again.
With trembling hands, Su Yuan slowly raised the small knife, pressing it against his own neck—ready to end his life and restart from a checkpoint.
—
At the same time, Neuvillette had reached his limit.
His body collapsed to its knees, completely exhausted.
He stared in disbelief at Su Yuan's actions.
In his memory, Su Yuan was never someone who would give up like this…
—
High above the battlefield, Chevreuse pointed her gunlance at Neuvillette's head, a sinister grin spreading across her blood-stained lips.
"Hahaha! Neuvillette, do you see this?"
She threw her head back and let out a chilling, cruel laugh.
"This is the Su Yuan you put your faith in!"
"So fragile! So weak! So utterly pathetic!"
Ch 23 : We Melusinesare not delicate flowers grownin a greenhouse
"Farewell, Neuvillette…"
"Your fleshand heart… I imagine they'll be quite chewy to eat."
As Chevreuse spoke, she tightened her grip on the trigger, ready to fire.
At the same time, Su Yuan pressed his blade against his own carotid artery, prepared to end his life and restart from a checkpoint.
But in the next moment, something unexpected happened.
Chevreuse's hand, which held the gun, suddenly started trembling uncontrollably.
The dark flames that had been burning around her vanished without a trace.
"W-What… what have I done…?"
Gasping for air, Chevreuse stared at the scene before her in disbelief.
"Neuvillette… Wriothesley… Are you two okay…? What… what exactly happened…?"
"Was all of this… really my doing…?"
Su Yuan's blade had already cut into his neck, with blood beginning to seep out.
But the moment he saw this scene, he stopped himself just in time.
What was going on?
Had Chevreuse… returned to normal?
Still kneeling on the ground, Neuvillette struggled to lift his head.
He looked at Chevreuse, forcing a weak smile.
"Chevreuse… welcome back."
And with that, his strength finally gave out, and with a heavy thud, Neuvillette collapsed to the ground.
"Chevreuse! Hurry and call for help at the infirmary! Saving them is the priority!" Su Yuan shouted at her.
"Don't go!"
A voice suddenly rang out—it was Sigewinne.
She slowly opened her eyes and, with Su Yuan's support, struggled to her feet.
"We can't let the people outside know that something this serious happened. Leave the rest to me."
"But, Head Nurse Sigewinne, you're injured too…" Su Yuan said with concern.
"It's fine. We Melusines have stronger constitutions than ordinary humans."
Sigewinne reassured him, "I'm still a little dizzy, but it's nothing serious anymore."
After that, Sigewinne and Su Yuan stepped onto the fighting stage, approaching Neuvillette and Wriothesley to check on their conditions.
Wriothesley had no visible external injuries, but he was in a strange state, completely unresponsive.
Neuvillette, on the other hand, was severely wounded, but his vital signs remained stable—he had simply passed out from exhaustion.
"I'll go back to the infirmary alone and bring emergency medical supplies. You all stay here and wait for me."
With that, Sigewinne left the boxing arena on her own.
After she was gone, Chevreuse turned to Su Yuan—her usual composure completely shattered.
Her voice trembled as she spoke:
"Su Yuan… Was I… controlled by the Eerie? Did I cause all of this…? Even Lord Neuvillette and the Duke…"
Su Yuan nodded.
He then gently reassured her, "Chevreuse, none of this was your fault. It was all because of the Eerie."
"Can you recall anything? What exactly caused you to transform?"
"If we can find the cause, we can prevent this from happening again."
"I… I don't know…"
Chevreuse's voice was barely a whisper, her body still trembling as she struggled to process everything.
"It's okay. Don't force yourself to think about it now. Just take a moment to breathe and calm down."
Seeing Chevreuse like this, Su Yuan felt a deep pang of sorrow.
It was clear that this entire incident had shaken her badly.
...
Neuvillette slowly opened his eyes.
He found himself lying on a hospital bed, his body wrapped in bandages and gauze.
As he looked around, he saw Su Yuan and Chevreuse sitting nearby.
Sigewinne was there too—her head wrapped in gauze, but in a neat bow shape, decorated with cute stickers.
Neuvillette glanced down at the bandages covering his own body.
Sure enough, some of them also had stickers on them.
As for Wriothesley, he lay unconscious on the bed beside him, still unresponsive.
"Lord Neuvillette, you're awake!"
Sigewinne exclaimed cheerfully, clearly relieved to see him regain consciousness.
"Neuvillette, you're awake! That's such a relief."
Su Yuan and Chevreuse moved closer, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
"How is Wriothesley doing now?" Neuvillette asked.
"His Grace seems to have fallen into a state of panic disorder," Sigewinne explained.
"But I've already given him a special treatment, and he's gradually improving. He might wake up on his own soon."
"Don't worry, Lord Neuvillette," she added with a confident smile.
"You know how good my medical skills are, don't you?"
Neuvillette nodded and continued, "What time is it now?"
"It's already past ten," Chevreuse replied, glancing at her watch.
"What? It's already ten?"
Neuvillette frowned slightly.
"That means I've already missed work at Palais Mermonia... I didn't request leave either. If Lady Furina finds out, she's definitely going to say something about it."
"Originally, I came here with Chevreuse early in the morning, hoping to return quickly so as not to delay my duties."
"After all, there are still many documents to review, and I also need to preside over the court proceedings today…"
"Relax, Lord Neuvillette!" Sigewinne chuckled, looking quite pleased with herself.
"I already informed Palais Mermonia for you, knowing you'd be worried about this."
"So just focus on resting and recovering today—forget about work for now and consider it a well-deserved break!"
"Ah!"
Wriothesley suddenly let out a loud scream and bolted upright from the bed, clutching his chest and gasping for air.
"Sigh, Your Grace, you've finally woken up. Do you feel any better?"
Sigewinne walked over and handed him a towel.
Wriothesley glanced at Sigewinne, a wave of relief washing over his face.
"Sigewinne, you're alright… That's such a relief."
Taking the towel, he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, still shaken.
"I think… I had a nightmare. A terrifying one…"
Suddenly, he shuddered and looked around.
"Wait! Where's Chevreuse?!"
His eyes landed on Chevreuse, who gave him an awkward smile and waved.
"Uh… Hi, Your Grace… About earlier… I'm really sorry."
"Phew…"
Wriothesley let out a long sigh, finally relaxing.
"So you're back to normal… That's a relief."
But as soon as he saw Sigewinne standing there, he quickly covered his mouth.
"Your Grace," Sigewinne said, her gaze sweeping across everyone in the room, her tone serious.
"Now that you're awake, it's time you all told me exactly what happened."
"I enjoy observing human expressions. You can learn a lot from them."
She pouted slightly, though her attempt at seriousness only made her look even more adorable.
"And it's obvious to me—you're all hiding something from me."
"Come on, confess now, and I'll be lenient! But if you resist, the punishment will be severe!"
Su Yuan thought to himself,
"No wonder Sigewinne was so calm when she woke up at the arena… She must have already suspected something all along."
"Uh…"
Wriothesley hesitated, unsure whether he should speak.
He turned to look at Neuvillette—only to see him wrapped head to toe in bandages and gauze, decorated with cute stickers.
"Pfft—"
Wriothesley couldn't hold back his laughter.
"Neuvillette, I've never seen you like this before… I never imagined such a sight!"
"Honestly, I thought I was the only one who'd end up with cute stickers on my gauntlets and the back of my clothes… but you—you're covered in them!"
"That serious and dignified face of yours, paired with all these adorable stickers… it's quite the look—hahaha!"
Neuvillette: …
"Neuvillette, I think we should just tell Head Nurse Sigewinne the truth."
Su Yuan spoke up.
"Keeping it a secret isn't a long-term solution, and besides, we need her help with treatment."
"That's right, Monsieur Neuvillette," Sigewinne added, "I understand that whatever this is must be dangerous, but Melusines aren't some weak and timid race!"
"We're not fragile flowers in a greenhouse. You don't need to always protect us so carefully."
"There are so many of my fellow Melusines fighting criminals in the Shadow Court of Fontaine…"
"So why shouldn't I join you and do my part to help?"
"Sigh…"
Neuvillette let out a soft sigh, then nodded.
"Su Yuan, I'll have to trouble you to explain everything again."
Ch 24 :DeathPenalty! ExecuteImmediately!
Time: 10:30 AM
Location: Fontaine's Opera Epiclese
Furina sat in her exclusive seat, watching as the trial reached its final stage, about to conclude.
She let out a soft sigh…
Although this trial was complex enough, dramatic enough, and filled with unexpected twists and turns, without Neuvillette presiding over it, she couldn't help but feel that something was missing…
"Sigh…" Furina murmured, "Neuvillette has been acting strangely since yesterday…"
"Putting aside why he went from accusing Su Yuan of being a pervert to framing him as an assassin, this sudden combat exercise without informing anyone is just not something Neuvillette would do…"
"Neuvillette has always cared about justice, the integrity of the legal process, and the people of Fontaine more than anyone else…"
"He has organized training exercises before, but he always ensured every layer of approval was secured and personally oversaw every detail with extreme caution, fearing that the slightest mistake could lead to unnecessary casualties…"
"I was planning to question him about all of this today! But now, without any prior notice, he suddenly takes a leave of absence and doesn't come to Palais Mermonia?"
"In all these hundreds of years, I've never seen Neuvillette take an unannounced leave like this… Even when he had something urgent, he would always apply for leave days in advance…"
"Could something have happened to him? No, that shouldn't be possible… Who in all of Fontaine could possibly do anything to him?"
"And then there's Captain Chevreuse too! Yesterday, she suddenly rallied forces to fight Neuvillette—it nearly gave me a heart attack!"
"But when I called for reinforcements, she went and sealed off the entire floor, refusing to let us go up…"
"And when I insisted on seeing what was happening, she actually knocked me out and sent me back to my room?"
Thinking about it, Furina felt a slight surge of irritation.
However, her frustration wasn't just because Chevreuse had knocked her out—it was because she was certain that Neuvillette and Chevreuse were hiding something from her!
"And then there's Su Yuan, that so-called 'pervert'…"
"Neuvillette said he had already been sent to Meropide for proper 'reformation,' but when I asked to visit him, just to have a word, Neuvillette refused…"
"Huh?" A sudden thought struck Furina.
"Since Neuvillette isn't here today, once I finish my duties during the day, why don't I sneak over to Meropide and take a look myself?"
"To be honest, as the Hydro Archon of the Nation of Justice, it's been quite some time since I last visited Meropide to check on the inmates and understand the conditions of the people…"
That thought lifted her spirits slightly.
"Yes! That's it! It's decided!"
"I wonder what Meropide looks like now under Duke Wriothesley 's management?"
"The evidence presentation and debate session now comes to an end."
The judge, a man named Aesilink, spoke from his seat and then turned toward the plaintiff's side.
"Ms. Ashiman, do you have any final statements or additional information to present?"
"No, we have nothing more to add," Ashiman replied.
Aesilink then turned to the defendant.
"Mr. Erin, what about you?"
"No, I have nothing further," Erin answered.
"Very well. In accordance with Fontaine's laws and procedures, all case materials will now be submitted to the 'Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale' for the final verdict."
With that, Aesilink nodded toward the staff below, who then placed a sealed envelope containing all the case details into the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale—an apparatus shaped like the scales of justice, symbolizing fairness and impartiality.
As the mechanism activated, a mysterious energy began to radiate from it…
"Wait a minute— isn't the energy of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale always water-blue? Why does it look like there's some red and black mixed in today?"
One spectator in the audience suddenly noticed something unusual and turned to his companion.
"What red and black? I don't see anything," his companion replied.
"You must be seeing things! Look again."
The spectator rubbed his eyes and looked back up, only to find that the red and black energy he had seen was no longer there.
"Maybe I'm just too tired and imagined it..." he murmured.
A moment later, the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale finished its process, and the verdict was revealed.
"According to the result given by the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, Mr. Erin…"
Aesilink spoke slowly.
"Guilty!"
"Yes! Well done!"
"Scumbag! Deceiving someone's feelings! Serves him right!"
"Scumbags should all just die!"
As soon as Aesilink announced the judgment from the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, the audience erupted into applause and cheers.
At the defendant's stand, Erin had a constipated and dissatisfied look on his face, but he had no choice but to admit that he had lost the trial…
"Erin… Go reflect properly in the Fortress of Meropide… When you get out, don't come looking for me again… I never want to see you for the rest of my life…" Ashiman spoke slowly from the plaintiff's stand.
"And don't ever deceive another girl again…"
"As per the ruling of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, we will uphold the guilty verdict…"
Aesilink read on, glancing at the results displayed by the machine.
"The final sentencing decision given by the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale is…"
The next second, Aesilink's face showed a deeply puzzled expression.
He could recognize every word on the verdict, yet he couldn't comprehend why these words had appeared here…
"Death penalty… to be carried out immediately…"
As soon as Aesilink spoke those words, the opera house fell into chaos.
No one had expected such a result!
"Wait… I mean, I just said that scumbags should die, but that was just venting! I didn't actually mean he should be executed…"
"But… the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale has never made a mistake in hundreds of years…"
"Could it be… that Erin has committed sins far more severe than just toying with people's feelings?"
"Otherwise, how could we explain why the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale would deliver such a verdict?"
"I don't accept this! This isn't fair! I only deceived them emotionally and financially, I didn't do anything truly heinous! Why am I sentenced to death?!"
Erin, at the defendant's stand, became extremely agitated.
"Aesilink, although I despise Erin, I do know him well enough to say that he has never committed any truly unforgivable crimes. He really doesn't deserve to die…"
Ashiman from the plaintiff's stand also pleaded on his behalf.
Aesilink furrowed his brows tightly, feeling just as bewildered…
Indeed, in his judgment, while Erin's philandering ways were reprehensible, they were certainly not worthy of the death penalty.
Even Furina, sitting in her private seat, was stunned.
What was going on? Why was he suddenly sentenced to death?
Sure, their relationship drama had been entertaining, full of dramatic twists and turns, but no matter how one looked at it, Erin—despite being a scumbag—surely didn't deserve to be executed, right?
"Honorable Lady Furina, today's trial was originally supposed to be presided over by Lord Neuvillette. However, he had urgent matters to attend to, so I stepped in to take his place…"
Aesilink looked up at Furina on the high platform and spoke respectfully:
"Lady Furina, you've seen everyone's reaction—none of us believe that Erin deserves the death penalty…"
"As the creator of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, we have a question for you…"
"Though the Oratrice has never made an erroneous judgment in hundreds of years, is there a possibility that it could malfunction?"
Faced with Aesilink's question, Furina suddenly panicked…
How was she supposed to answer that?
She was just a false Hydro Archon—she had no clue how the Oratrice actually worked!
Furina instinctively wanted to call for Neuvillette to bail her out, but he wasn't here at all…
There was no other choice—she had to bluff her way through this.
"Ahem…" Furina cleared her throat lightly, forcing herself to stay composed.
"My dear people of Fontaine, the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale is one of my supreme creations. Naturally, it is impossible for it to malfunction."
In her mind, she thought: I absolutely cannot admit that the Oratrice could have a fault. Otherwise, they'll expect me to fix it—but I don't understand how it works at all! So I have no choice but to insist that there's no issue…
"There must be some hidden truth behind this case," she declared.
"Therefore, I hereby announce that today's trial will be temporarily adjourned. Once Chief Judge Neuvillette returns, we shall reexamine this case in full!"
The audience erupted into applause, praising Furina's decision.
"Lady Hydro Archon is wise!" Erin was so overwhelmed with emotion that tears streamed down his face.
"I deeply recognize my mistakes—I truly don't want to die…"
Just moments ago, Erin had been indignant about being found guilty.
But the moment he heard he was sentenced to death, he immediately backed down and admitted defeat…
Furina let out a small sigh of relief—she had managed to get through this for now.
From here on, all she had to do was wait for Neuvillette to return and leave the matter in his hands…
She had to trust in Neuvillette's wisdom.
After all, her most important duty was to play the role of the Hydro Archon convincingly.
Ch 25 : Conditions for Chevreuse's Eerie
"Oh, so that's how it is..." After listening to Su Yuan's explanation, Sigewinne nodded in understanding.
"Back then, Captain Chevreuse came to the infirmary and told me that the Duke and Neuvillette were fighting in the Boxing Arena. She asked me to go check on them quickly to prevent any accidents from happening..."
"Although, based on my observations of Captain Chevreuse's expression at the time, there was a high probability that she was lying, I still went along..."
Sigewinne pouted slightly, looking at Neuvillette and Wriothesley with a bit of anger.
"Better safe than sorry. Since I could tell you were hiding something from me, I actually thought you two had a private conflict..."
"I'm sorry, my dearest Nurse Sigewinne! It's all my fault for making you worry!" Wriothesley immediately apologized.
"My apologies, Sigewinne. This was my mistake as well," Neuvillette said.
"I shouldn't have kept the truth from you."
"It's fine, it's all in the past now..." Sigewinne smiled bitterly, though her expression carried a trace of disappointment.
"But from now on, I can't just casually make food for others anymore... I don't want to trigger my Eerie conditions, cause trouble for you all, or put you in danger..."
"It's okay, Nurse Sigewinne. Doesn't Su Yuan really enjoy your cooking?" Wriothesley grinned, winking at Su Yuan as he gave him a knowing look.
"From now on, you can just make food for Su Yuan!"
"As long as he eats everything, there won't be any Eerie transformation at all... Su Yuan, you're definitely going to finish every last bite without wasting anything, right?"
Su Yuan: ?
What? Me?
Do I have to eat it...?
Am I really the one who has to eat Sigewinne's cooking...?
Eh… Is this for real?
But in the next moment, Su Yuan saw Sigewinne looking at him with her big, watery eyes, full of anticipation…
Damn it! A true man could never refuse such an adorable Sigewinne!
Although Sigewinne's cooking tasted a bit strange, its nutritional value was undeniably top-tier!
There's a saying—thirty percent depends on training, seventy percent depends on eating.
This was also an investment in his future strength!
"Alright, Nurse Sigewinne! From now on, I'll be in your care for my meals!" Su Yuan forced a bright smile onto his face and raised a thumbs-up—though it was unclear whether he was praising Sigewinne or his own courage…
"Thank you, Su Yuan!" Sigewinne beamed, her smile full of joy.
"Alright, let's get back to the main topic," Neuvillette spoke up.
"In this battle against the Eerie power, I gathered a lot of important information..."
"The bullets from Chevreuse's musket were infused with an Eerie aura. No matter what method I tried, I couldn't block them…"
"In the face of Eerie power, elemental energy seems to be naturally countered, rendered almost meaningless…"
"When dealing with attacks from Eerie forces, you either have to dodge them quickly or use some kind of physical object to block them. Otherwise, you'll have no choice but to take them head-on with your body…"
"After being hit by an Eerie attack, I felt a chaotic force rampaging inside me. It was preventing my wounds from healing and disrupting the flow of elemental energy within my body. That's why the longer I fought, the worse my condition became—I simply couldn't hold on for long…"
"Hah…" Wriothesley let out a bitter chuckle.
"Neuvillette, at least you were able to last a few rounds against the Eerie force, but me? I got taken out instantly…"
"Sigh… Now I finally understand why Su Yuan kept emphasizing that we shouldn't fight against the Eerie. There's simply no chance of winning…" Wriothesley let out a long sigh.
"There must be a way to defeat the Eerie—we just haven't found it yet," Su Yuan said.
"The most urgent task right now is to identify the conditions that trigger Chevreuse's eerie transformation so we can prevent it in advance." Su Yuan turned to Chevreuse.
"Chevreuse, do you have any leads?"
Chevreuse nodded and replied, "I suspect it has something to do with my father."
"That aligns with my own suspicions," Neuvillette said.
"Donatello was the most influential figure in your life."
"I'm surprised that you still remember my father's name, Lord Neuvillette," Chevreuse smiled.
"I remember every name, every case, and every verdict from every trial I have presided over," Neuvillette said calmly.
"Donatello was a kind and outstanding enforcer. Back then, in order to push forward the investigation of that major case, he deliberately leaked confidential information to the press."
"Although the final outcome was good—with media coverage and public pressure accelerating the resolution of the case—Donatello's actions were, without a doubt, a violation of Fontaine's laws."
"Chevreuse, do you resent me?" Neuvillette lifted his gaze to look at her.
"Why would I?" Chevreuse responded.
"If you had failed to make a fair judgment according to the law, that's when I would have resented you."
"Alright, I think we're getting a little off track. Let me continue."
"After we held that press conference yesterday, I returned to the Special Patrol headquarters to wrap up some work, then I went home…"
"Then I discovered that my father seemed to be ill. My mother was taking care of him, and after that… I lost my memory. I don't remember anything until just now when I woke up."
"So based on this, Chevreuse, does your eerie transformation have something to do with your father's health condition?" Wriothesley mused.
"Aren't you worried? Shouldn't you go back and check on him?"
"It should be fine," Chevreuse replied.
"Since I've reverted back from my eerie state, that means my father's condition must have improved somewhat…"
"I just don't know what exactly is wrong with him. As far as I remember, he's always been in good health. Ever since he was released from Meropide, he's been taking me winter swimming—just last year, we went together!"
"Haha! Looks like it's my time to shine!" Sigewinne grinned and turned to Wriothesley.
"Your Grace, I'd like to take a day off to go with Captain Chevreuse and check on her father. Would that be alright?"
"Of course! Leave approved!" Wriothesley responded immediately.
"Great, then we shouldn't waste any time," Sigewinne said, turning to Chevreuse.
"Captain Chevreuse, let's pack up and head out right away!"
"Mm." Chevreuse nodded.
Neuvillette turned to Wriothesley and spoke in a measured tone, "Wriothesley, is taking leave in Meropide always this simple and casual?"
"Well, what did you expect? You think everyone follows that whole Meropide procedure like you do?"
"First, you have to write a formal request in the correct format. If the format is wrong, you can't even submit it. Once it's confirmed to be correct, it gets passed to a superior…"
"Then that superior submits it to their superior, and it goes up the chain, layer by layer, for approval. And even then, there's no guarantee it'll be approved. If you're lucky enough for it to go through, you still need to get an official stamp before your leave is considered valid."
"And even if you do get your leave approved, that doesn't mean you can completely relax. If something urgent happens, they can call you back at any moment."
Neuvillette: …
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