Ch31 : Lady Furina, please letme explain!
Furina was just about to pull the door open to see what was behind it when she suddenly heard a familiar voice…
"Lady Furina! Long time no see! What a coincidence to run into you here!"
Hearing this voice, Furina immediately turned her head, her face lighting up with joy and surprise.
Excitedly, she spoke, "Neuvillette! Why is it you? What are you doing here?"
Su Yuan let out a temporary sigh of relief.
As expected of you, Neuvillette! Successfully diverting Furina's attention!
But soon, Furina noticed that something was off.
Why was Neuvillette covered in wounds, wrapped in bandages from head to toe…?
"Wait! Neuvillette! Why are you so badly injured? You're covered in bandages!" Furina quickly walked to Neuvillette's bedside, her voice filled with concern.
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "What on earth happened…?"
"No wonder the people at Meropide Fortress didn't want me to come in, let alone enter this room! So this was the reason!"
Furina's emotions surged—worry, anger, and heartache all mixed together.
She had always believed Neuvillette to be invincible, someone who could handle anything.
The thought of him being so gravely injured had never crossed her mind.
"In this entire fortress, there's only one person who could have done this to you!"
"That Wriothesley—what an ungrateful, heartless bastard! His title, his rank, his position—weren't they all things you helped him secure?! And yet, this is how he repays you?!"
"Does he really think that just because Meropide Fortress has autonomy, it can override Fontaine's laws?"
"I will make him answer for this! I will fight for your justice, in the name of the God of Justice herself!"
Seeing Furina so worked up and genuinely worried for him, Neuvillette felt a warmth in his heart.
Furina was usually timid and avoided conflict, but when it came to him, she could be fearless…
"Lady Furina, you're misunderstanding the situation," Neuvillette finally spoke up.
If he didn't clear things up now, Furina really might go confront Wriothesley.
"This has nothing to do with Duke Wriothesley. I… I simply tripped and fell… Yes… just a little fall…" Neuvillette said, somewhat awkwardly.
"A little fall?" Furina fixed her deep blue eyes on him.
"You're this badly injured from a fall? What, were you taking a stroll on an airship deck and fell off the airship?"
"Uh… yes. That's exactly what happened, Lady Furina. How did you know?"
Hiding behind the door, Su Yuan listened to their conversation, barely holding back his laughter.
But he had to suppress it—because if he laughed, he'd be exposed immediately…
Su Yuan felt that while Neuvillette wasn't great at lying, he certainly had a thick skin…
During Furina and Neuvillette's conversation, he had been searching for a chance to slip away.
However, Furina had been too emotionally agitated, gesturing wildly as she spoke.
Who knew if she might suddenly turn around? Su Yuan didn't dare take the risk…
But now, Furina had calmed down a little.
This was the perfect opportunity!
Peeking out from behind the door, Su Yuan carefully extended half his head and one hand, pointing at himself and then at the doorway—signaling that he wanted to sneak out.
Neuvillette noticed Su Yuan's gesture and immediately understood.
With a slight nod, he silently approved.
But as luck would have it, at that exact moment, Furina happened to be saying—
"Neuvillette, you're telling me you fell from an airship? Do you think I can't tell that you're lying? Do you think I'm stupid?"
And just as she said that, Neuvillette nodded.
Furina's eyes widened in shock, utterly unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"Wahhh! (﹏) Neuvillette, how could you say that about me? I was just worried about you! Not only did you lie to me, but now you're even calling me stupid…"
Her expression was pitiful and full of grievance, tears welling up in her eyes.
"You were never like this before… Wahhh…"
Furina wanted to vent her frustration by pounding Neuvillette's chest with her little fists, but upon seeing him wrapped in bandages and gauze, she hesitated, worried about his injuries…
"And besides! When you were talking to me just now, your eyes weren't even on me—they kept looking at that door behind you!" Furina's face flushed red, though it was unclear whether from sadness or anger.
"I want to see for myself what exactly is behind that door! What's so interesting about it?!"
Su Yuan instantly felt doomed.
Neuvillette, what are you doing?! Could you be any more obvious?!
Hearing Furina's approaching footsteps, Su Yuan had no idea how to handle the situation…
The moment Furina pushed open the door, he would be exposed to her gaze, and everything would be over!
Su Yuan silently chanted in his mind: "Neuvillette, this is an emergency! There's no other choice—hurry up and knock Furina out!"
And in fact, Neuvillette was thinking the same thing.
He even attempted to do just that.
However, when he channeled his Hydro abilities and directed them toward Furina, the moment the water elements got close to her, they all instantly dispersed on their own…
Neuvillette was momentarily stunned.
Could it be that water itself refuses to harm the Hydro Archon?
Or… is it because the Seven Archon possess the authority of the ancient dragons?
But that brief hesitation cost him dearly.
By the time Neuvillette thought about getting out of bed and physically stopping Furina, it was already too late…
"Let me see for myself—just what exactly is hiding behind this door!"
Furina had already placed her hand on the doorknob and was slowly pulling it open…
At this critical moment, Su Yuan suddenly recalled the exact wording of the rule:
【After sunset, do not appear in Furina's line of sight…】
Line of sight…
As long as Furina couldn't see him, it wouldn't count as breaking the rule!
So, Su Yuan made a bold decision!
In that instant, he covered Furina's eyes with his right hand and pulled her into his embrace with his left…
He wanted to emphasize—this was absolutely notan attempt to take advantage of her or do anything improper.
It was simply a desperate measure!
If he only covered her eyes without holding her in place, she could just step back and immediately see him.
That would defeat the whole purpose!
"Ahhh!" Furina screamed in shock, struggling as she called for help.
"What's happening?! Why was someone hiding behind the door?! Why did they suddenly hug me and cover my eyes?!"
"Neuvillette, help me!"
"Furina, please calm down! Listen to me! Let me explain!"
"I don't want to listen! I don't want to listen! Neuvillette, save me!"
Feeling Furina's slender body squirming desperately in his arms, her delicate hands flailing and smacking his head and face in a panic, Su Yuan suddenly felt… something was off.
His state of mindwas not quite right…
After all, in his original world, Su Yuan had been single since birth for over twenty years.
This was the first time he had been in such close contact with a girl…
Huh? What? You're saying the time on Furina's bed didn't count?
That didn't count at all!
"Lady Furina, it's me—Su Yuan! Please calm down and listen to my explanation!" Su Yuan shouted.
"What? You're Su Yuan? That pervert?!"
Furina froze for a moment, processing the information.
Then, the struggle intensified—even more violently than before!
"Waaah… Neuvillette, what are you doing?!"
"Help!"
"There's a pervert!"
Ch 32 : Confessionor Execution
"Neuvillette? Neuvillette! What exactly are you doing? Why aren't you coming to save me...?"
Gradually, Furina lost the strength to struggle and instead began to sob...
Feeling her trembling in his arms, Su Yuan couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
His right palm could already feel the hot tears rolling down Furina's cheeks...
His first somewhat intimate contact with a girl, and he had ended up making her cry—this was hardly the behavior of a gentleman...
"Lady Furina, please listen to Su Yuan. There's a reason behind all this…" Neuvillette spoke again, trying to persuade her.
He had already tried several times before, but Furina simply refused to listen.
"Even you, Neuvillette... You're siding with him..." Furina murmured in disappointment.
"Lady Furina, if you promise to keep your eyes closed and not open them, I'll let go..." Su Yuan said with a heavy heart.
Putting himself in her shoes, being blindfolded and held in the arms of an unfamiliar man while a long-trusted companion refused to help—just how hopeless must that feel?
"Su Yuan! Neuvillette! Are you both alright?"
Wriothesley hurriedly arrived at the hospital room, only to be met with this bizarre scene...
"Su Yuan… Did I come at a bad time?"
...
"Alright, this should do it, Lady Furina!"
Sigewinne carefully wrapped a soft bandage around Furina's eyes, securing it gently with cloth and gauze.
She even decorated the front with some cute and pretty stickers and tied a little bow at the back.
"Alright, Neuvillette, I did everything as you asked. Now, can you finally explain to me what's going on?" Furina asked.
"No rush. There's still one more person who hasn't arrived yet," Neuvillette replied.
"We'll explain everything together once she's here."
"Sorry, I'm late!" Before long, Chevreuse arrived.
Neuvillette nodded, then turned to Su Yuan and asked, "Would you like to explain, or should I?"
"I'll do it," Su Yuan said.
"After all, I want to clear up the misunderstanding myself... I can't let Lady Furina keep thinking I'm some kind of pervert, can I?"
And so, Su Yuan began telling his story—from the moment he had crossed into Teyvat and found himself in Furina's bed.
The others chimed in whenever necessary, adding their perspectives and filling in any missing details, ensuring Furina understood the full picture.
After some time, Furina finally grasped the truth of everything…
"Su Yuan, I'm sorry, I wrongly accused you..." Furina stood up, wanting to bow deeply to Su Yuan in a sincere apology.
However, since her eyes were still blindfolded, and her sense of direction was less than reliable, she ended up bowing...
To a packet of tea leaves belonging to Wriothesley.
"It's fine, it's fine... I never took it to heart. As long as the misunderstanding is cleared up, that's all that matters." Su Yuan smiled, though inwardly, he let out a huge sigh of relief.
Finally, the misunderstanding was resolved, and he would no longer be called "Mr. Pervert."
"Neuvillette… why didn't you tell me all of this sooner? Do you really see me as that fragile?"
"Lady Furina, it's me, Sigewinne. Neuvillette is in the other direction," Sigewinne gently reminded her, taking Furina's hand and leading her toward Neuvillette.
"But in my opinion, Lady Furina is not fragile at all!"
"Furina, I'm sorry. It was all my fault..." Neuvillette took hold of Furina's hand, speaking with sincerity.
"I'm not blaming you, Neuvillette. I just feel sorry for you…" Furina murmured.
Even with the bandages covering her eyes, tears had already started to seep through.
"We all feel sadness, grief, and injustice sometimes, and it's okay to cry…"
"Maybe we can't always act on our emotions freely, but when the night is deep and quiet, at least we can release those feelings."
"And yet, you… for the people of Fontaine, for all of Teyvat, you've had to suppress your own pain."
"If you could share your troubles and sorrows with me, wouldn't that ease your heart just a little?"
"I am willing… to always be the one you confide in."
"Mm, I understand now, Fufu."
"Eh!" Furina exclaimed in utter shock.
"Neuvillette, what did you just call me?"
"Fufu," Neuvillette replied with a smile.
"I learned it from Su Yuan. I think it's a very affectionate nickname."
"From now on, in private, I'll try my best to call you that. What do you think?"
"Then what should I call you? Neuvy? Lette? Neu? Vivi? Lailai? Tete?"
As she spoke, Furina, her eyes brimming with joyful tears, threw her arms around Neuvillette and hugged him tightly.
"Neuvillette, I know you've always treated me well, but you've always called me 'Lady Furina'—it made me feel like there was always this unreachable distance between us…"
"But now, for the first time, I feel like that distance has finally closed."
"I'm really, truly so happy…"
Watching this touching scene, everyone's eyes turned slightly misty.
"Heh… Well, I'd say Neuvillette has finally blossomed, in his own way," Wriothesley chuckled, commenting with amusement.
"Getting him to learn something like this… not an easy feat at all."
"I'm different! I absolutely adore my dear Head Nurse Sigewinne!"
Su Yuan chuckled as well.
Only he knew that the reason Neuvillette had always maintained a certain distance from Furina was probably due to the matter of the Sovereign of Water's authority…
But Furina was never truly the Hydro Archon in the strictest sense—Focalors, the one within the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, was the real one.
He wondered… Now that he had traveled to this world, would he have the chance to save Focalors and change her fate?
...
Somewhere in the Court of Fontaine, Erin returned home.
To be honest, he had been utterly terrified at the Opera Epiclese's courtroom that morning…
He wasn't exactly a good person—he had deceived many women, both emotionally and financially…
He had always known that walking along the riverbank, he would eventually get his shoes wet.
Erin had long expected that one day, his crimes would be exposed and he would be dragged before the court.
But at most, he thought he would be sent to Meropide for a period of forced labor—he never imagined he would be sentenced to death…
"Looks like the 'Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale' created by Lady Furina isn't all that impressive after all…"
"I didn't even commit any truly heinous, unforgivable crimes, yet they sentenced me to death…"
"I just hope that Lord Neuvillette returns tomorrow to re-evaluate my case and clear my name…"
Suddenly, Erin noticed a figure standing in his home…
He switched on the light and looked over, only to see a woman with long, light blue hair.
She was barefoot, wearing a flowing blue dress…
"Huh? A woman in my house? Is this supposed to be a romantic encounter?"
Erin chuckled to himself, then stepped forward.
"Hey, beauty? Who are you, and what are you doing in my house?"
The woman slowly turned to face him, and Erin was instantly startled.
"L-Lady Furina…?"
His voice trembled as he spoke.
"Lady Furina, why are you here in my house? Is this a new outfit of yours? It looks wonderful! I don't think I've ever seen you wear something like this before…"
"You're Erin, correct?" The figure spoke.
"Yes, that's me, Lady Furina! We met earlier today at the Opera Epiclese's courtroom…"
Although Erin responded as usual, something about this Furina felt… off.
"Did you come here because there's been a turn of events in my case?
Or… is it true that the 'Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale' has malfunctioned?"
His voice carried unease—he wasn't sure what was happening.
"No…"
"I made myself very clear in the courtroom today."
"Erin… Death penalty. Effective immediately."
In the next moment, as Erin's eyes widened in absolute terror, the figure's expression twisted into something horrifying.
Dark, blood-red liquid began oozing from her entire body…
"If the people of Fontaine refuse to carry out my judgment… then I shall personally enforce the execution myself."
Ch 33 : A newday,new rules, newchallenges
"Neuvillette, are you and Furina heading back to the Palais Mermonia now?" Wriothesley asked.
"Yes," Neuvillette nodded.
"I've almost fully recovered, and there are tasks at the Palais Mermonia waiting for me tomorrow. After all, I've already taken a day off today."
"Duke, I was wrong to blame you before. Thank you for everything you've done—for Neuvillette, for Su Yuan, for Fontaine, and for fighting against the Eerie," Furina said as she bowed deeply to Wriothesley.
"From now on, you can just call me by my name. There's no need to add 'Lady' to it."
"Of course, Furina," Wriothesley replied.
"But the same goes for you—stop calling me 'Duke' and just use my name."
"Alright, Wriwi," Furina said with a cheerful smile.
"Haha... You're calling me 'Wriwi'? Won't that get confusing with Neuvillette's 'Vivi'?" Wriothesley laughed heartily.
"Once we get through today, let's see what other new intel we can gather from Su Yuan!" Chevreuse added.
"Alright then, tomorrow I'll bring Sigewinne and Su Yuan over to the Palais Mermonia to find you two," Wriothesley said.
"It's been a while since I've visited. I might as well take a walk up there and clear my mind."
"Yes, I'd like to meet Su Yuan in person and have a proper conversation with him," Furina nodded, recalling all that Su Yuan had done for everyone.
"Because of me, he couldn't stay to say goodbye today. I imagine he must be feeling a little regretful."
"Alright then, it's settled. See you all tomorrow."
...
Su Yuan lay on the bed, reflecting on everything that had happened over the past two days.
What a thrilling journey it had been...
Although he had only experienced two days from his own perspective, he knew that the engravings on his left palm indicated he had actually been through far more than he could imagine.
"Maybe... not remembering everything is actually a blessing," Su Yuan murmured softly.
"Remembering too much, shouldering too much, and carrying too many burdens... it's a kind of wear and tear, too."
As these thoughts drifted through his mind, he slowly slipped into slumber.
After all, every day of his life was exhausting yet fulfilling, perilous yet exhilarating...
A while later, Sigewinne and Wriothesley appeared at the doorway.
"Shh... Duke, Su Yuan is already asleep," Sigewinne whispered.
"Alright then, let's not disturb him," Wriothesley replied with a faint smile as he gazed at Su Yuan's sleeping figure.
"Good night, Su Yuan. Sweet dreams."
...
The next morning, Su Yuan slowly opened his eyes.
For some reason, he had slept exceptionally well and peacefully last night...
Was it because his body had fully recovered? Or because he had resolved the misunderstanding with Furina?
Sitting up in bed, Su Yuan moved his hands and feet, realizing that he seemed to have completely healed. His body felt better than ever…
Was this the power of the Ancient Dragon's blood?
Neuvillette, thank you.
Feeling a sharp pain in his right palm, Su Yuan glanced at the markings there:
【First of all, congratulations on surviving your third night.】
【Currently available information】
【Rules 1-6 reread ch 16…】
【7. The Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale has lost its original function. No matter the severity of the crime, all verdicts result in the death penalty… The execution will always take place on the same day… If the execution is not carried out that day, something unexpected might happen.】
"The Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale?" Su Yuan was shocked.
Wasn't that the machine Focalors used to sentence her to death, destroy the Hydro Archon's throne, return the Ancient Dragon's authority to Neuvillette, and save the people of Fontaine?
Su Yuan knew very well that Focalors was inside the Oratrice.
If the Oratrice was malfunctioning, that meant something was wrong with Focalors too...
Had Focalors also been affected by the Eerie?
No matter the severity of the crime, all verdicts result in the death penalty…
And what did it mean that the execution musttake place on the same day?
If no one carried out the execution… would Focalors come out and do it herself?
Moreover, how could the execution alwaystake place on the same day, while also stating that if it didn'thappen, something unexpected would occur?
Wasn't that contradictory?
And this "unexpected event"… what exactly did it refer to?
Would it be something good? Or something bad?
Su Yuan suddenly felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information—his brain was struggling to process everything…
Maybe it would be best to wait until he regrouped with the others and discuss it together.
With that in mind, Su Yuan continued reading.
【8. There is one day every week when Wriothesley must not drink tea.】
Su Yuan stared at the eighth rule, thinking—this must be the condition related to Wriothesley's transformation into an Eerie.
One day each week… that meant it wasn't the day before or yesterday.
So that left five possible days...
But how could they determine which day it was?
Of course, the safest approach would be for Wriothesley to avoid drinking tea on all five of those days, ensuring he wouldn't become Eerie.
However, for someone as addicted to tea as Wriothesley, forbidding him from drinking tea for five days a week would probably be more torturous than death itself…
Hmm… he'd have to discuss this with Wriothesley later.
For now, he should move on to the next rule.
【9. This information is uncertain. Whether you believe it or not is up to you: You yourself may also have the possibility of being controlled by the Eerie.】
Uncertain information? This was the first time Su Yuan had encountered something like this… and whether to believe it was up to him?
As for the claim that he might be under the control of the Eerie…
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could I be controlled by the Eerie?!" Su Yuan exclaimed indignantly, refusing to accept it.
"I'm someone who came from beyond this world, the one who is supposed to save Teyvat!"
"If even I could be controlled by the Eerie, then what's the point of all this?!"
Su Yuan continued reading, and to his surprise, the final piece of information for today… wasn't the usual formulaic closing statement.
【10. After surviving the fourth night, important information will be unlocked.】
"Important information?" Su Yuan muttered to himself.
"This is the first time I've seen something like this…"
"Could it be about the true nature of the Eerie? Or perhaps a way to defeat it?" Su Yuan couldn't help but look forward to tomorrow's intel.
"Su Yuan, are you awake?" Just then, Sigewinne's voice came from outside the door.
"I just woke up, Head Nurse Sigewinne," Su Yuan responded.
"Alright, I'm coming in!" With that, Sigewinne pushed open the door and entered.
"Su Yuan, you must've slept well last night—you're only just getting up now." Sigewinne smiled.
"Yeah, I haven't slept this soundly in a long time," Su Yuan sighed in relief.
"Come on, let me give you a full check-up first. Then, after breakfast, we'll head to Palais Mermonia together!"
"We're holding today's strategy meeting to combat the Eerie there. Plus, Lady Furina wants to see you in person and have a proper conversation with you."
Su Yuan was so touched he almost wanted to cry—Fufu wanted to see him and talk to him…
That meant she cared about him…
After a thorough check-up, Sigewinne beamed.
"Su Yuan, congratulations! Your body has fully recovered—you're free to leave the hospital!"
"Thank you, Head Nurse Sigewinne. I really appreciate all your care these past few days."
"Aww, no need to be so formal! We're all in this together, fighting against the Eerie!"
"Oh, right… Head Nurse Sigewinne, did Wriothesley drink tea this morning?"
Su Yuan suddenly realized this was an important question, and he asked with some concern.
"Of course! The Duke drinks tea every morning—it's a routine he never breaks, no matter what."
"And… did he show any unusual signs?"
"Not that I noticed…"
"Phew…" Su Yuan let out a sigh of relief.
That meant there were still four days left to rule out…
Ch 34 : Wriothesley,prove that you areWriothesley!
"Oh! My heavens! How could such a terrible thing exist in this world!"
On the way to Fontaine, Wriothesley couldn't help but look up to the sky and sigh.
"The condition for my corruption… how is it related to drinking tea?"
"If you don't let me drink tea, isn't that the same as taking my life?"
"But Neuvillette has made such great sacrifices for Fontaine, for fighting against the Eerie. If I just have to refrain from drinking tea for one day a week, it doesn't seem like such a big deal… I suppose I can accept it."
"Your Grace, based on what Su Yuan just described, I don't think it's just one day—it's four days," Sigewinne said slowly.
"Since you drank tea the day before yesterday, yesterday, and today, and nothing unusual happened, we can rule out those three days…"
"But starting from tomorrow, for the next four days, if you drink tea, there will be a one in four chance that you'll be corrupted by the Eerie," Sigewinne mused.
"The safest approach is to avoid drinking tea on those four days every week from now on."
"That's right." Su Yuan nodded. "That's what I was thinking too."
Wriothesley instantly had a look of utter despair on his face…
"It's okay, Your Grace. From now on, your morning drink will change from hot tea to the milkshakes I prepare for you!"
Sigewinne smiled at Wriothesley, offering her "comfort" in a considerate manner.
Now, she finally had a legitimate reason to make him drink her milkshakes openly and justifiably.
"You will finish it all, won't you?"
Meanwhile, ever since meeting Wriothesley in the morning, Su Yuan had been carefully observing him from every possible angle, trying to detect any differences.
However, he found that Wriothesley seemed exactly the same as before…
But then he recalled how Chevreuse had been controlled by the Eerie before, and even Neuvillette hadn't noticed anything unusual.
Considering that Su Yuan hadn't spent that much time with Wriothesley, what if he was also overlooking something?
Hmm… It would be best to have Neuvillette take a closer look at Wriothesley.
If even Neuvillette confirmed that nothing was wrong, then it should truly be fine.
When Su Yuan and his group arrived at Neuvillette's office, they found that Furina and Chevreuse were already there—and their expressions were grave.
Seeing them enter, Furina greeted them, "Wriothesley, Sigewinne, good morning!"
Then, she turned specifically to Su Yuan and gave him a sweet smile. "Good morning, Su Yuan."
Looking at Furina's radiant smile, Su Yuan felt his heart melt.
What a great way to start the day—this was the beginning of a good mood!
"Su Yuan," Neuvillette looked at him and spoke, "There were some incidents in Fontaine Court and the Opera Epiclese yesterday. Fu… Fu… and Chevreuse and I have been discussing the situation."
"However, your intelligence takes priority. Tell us first—what new information and rules have been revealed today?"
Was Fontaine really so dependent on Neuvillette?
Could it not function without him?
He had only taken a single day off, and now there were already accidents?
And judging by their serious expressions, these incidents seemed quite severe…
Also, Neuvillette still seemed a little awkward when saying "Fufu" so casually—he was clearly still getting used to it.
Though Su Yuan had many questions in his mind, he didn't hesitate.
He began recounting everything—the abnormalities in the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, as well as the conditions for Wriothesley's potential Eerie transformation—informing everyone present.
Of course, when it came to the possibility of himself being controlled by the Eerie, Su Yuan chose not to speak of it…
First, he firmly believed that he would never be controlled.
Second, he feared that if he mentioned it, he might lose the trust of the others…
Besides, he had the ultimate trump card—his ability to reset time.
Even if something unexpected did happen, he should be able to handle it.
"Speaking of which, Neuvillette, Wriothesley already drank tea this morning. Do you notice anything unusual about him?" Su Yuan asked directly.
"Hey… Su Yuan, I've seen you eyeing me up and down all morning, and you still haven't let go of your doubts?" Wriothesley couldn't help but speak up.
"You're really being too cautious…"
"Better safe than sorry," Su Yuan explained.
"After all, we still haven't pinpointed exactly which day triggers your Eerie transformation… and the Eerie are good at disguising themselves, aren't they?"
"I don't think there's anything wrong with Wriothesley," Neuvillette said.
"The reason I failed to recognize Chevreuse before was because I wasn't familiar enough with her. But Wriothesley—he doesn't seem any different from before."
"If Wriothesley had already been taken over by the Eerie, then with only us in this room, he would have already revealed his true nature by now."
"Su Yuan, even Neuvillette has said so. You should be able to relax now, right?" Wriothesley sighed helplessly, waving his hand.
"Mm." Su Yuan nodded.
Since Neuvillette had confirmed it, there shouldn't be much of a problem.
"Su Yuan, back to what you just mentioned—has the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale really lost its original function?" Neuvillette frowned slightly, deep in thought.
"The Oratrice not only delivers judicial verdicts but also serves as a mechanism to collect Indemnitium and supply energy to the city of Fontaine."
"If it has lost its function, the loss of judicial rulings is a minor issue—we can still conduct trials ourselves. However, without its energy supply, Fontaine could face an energy crisis. That would be a serious problem..."
"Moreover, yesterday, the Oratrice made a judgment unlike any before. This aligns with what you just told us."
"Su Yuan, let me explain the rest," Chevreuse took over the conversation.
"This morning, the Special Security Patrol received a report—someone named Erin was brutally murdered in their own home..."
"Because the method was extremely brutal and the scene was excessively gruesome, I won't go into the details…"
"This Erin—while not exactly a heinous criminal—had deceived many women, both emotionally and financially."
"Yesterday, he stood trial at the Opera Epiclese as the defendant."
"The evidence was clear, and the witnesses were sufficient. Erin rightfully lost the case…"
"But… the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale issued a verdict of 'Death penalty. Immediate execution.'"
"At the time, no one could understand why the Oratrice would make such a ruling. Fortunately, Lady Furina was present and declared a recess, postponing the case until Lord Neuvillette returned to preside over the retrial…"
"However, Erin didn't live to see Lord Neuvillette return—he was found dead in his home last night."
"Now, some extreme groups—especially Erin's friends and family—are pointing fingers at Lady Furina and the Fontaine government, accusing us of refusing to acknowledge the Oratrice's malfunction and instead silencing him to destroy evidence."
"How can they say that?!" Upon hearing this, Su Yuan immediately felt a surge of anger.
"That's completely unreasonable—they're just spouting nonsense!"
"Oh…" Wriothesley spoke up.
"Isn't it obvious? The Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale has been corrupted and controlled by the Eerie."
"Hmm?" But soon, Wriothesley sensed something was off.
He looked at Furina and Su Yuan with a puzzled expression.
"Furina, Su Yuan… isn't the Oratrice just a machine?"
"Can a machine be controlled by the Eerie?"
"I don't get it either. Even if the Oratrice was corrupted by the Eerie, it's still just a machine…" Sigewinne pouted, her face full of confusion.
"Then who exactly killed Erin…?"
"Furina, the Oratrice was your creation. Can you inspect it and find out what's going on?" Wriothesley asked.
Faced with Wriothesley's question, Furina suddenly felt a bit flustered.
She genuinely had no idea about the Oratrice's exact mechanisms or what was happening with it now…
"Enough, Wriothesley. I already asked Fu—" Neuvillette paused for a moment before correcting himself.
"I already asked Furina… She said she doesn't understand the situation either."
Among everyone present, only Su Yuan had an idea of what was really going on.
The one being controlled by the Eerie wasn't the Oratrice itself—but the Focalors inside it…
With this, Teyvat's timeline had already begun to shift, heading toward an unpredictable future…
No, to be precise, ever since the Eerie descended upon this world, everything had inevitably undergone some degree of change…
"Sigh… What should we do with an Eerie-corrupted machine? Can we just blow it up?" Wriothesley sighed, took out his tea kettle, and gulped down a few mouthfuls.
This scene was caught right in Su Yuan's sight…
"Everyone, be careful! Stay away from Wriothesley!" Su Yuan suddenly shouted.
Wriothesley was so startled by the sudden outburst that he choked on his tea…
He looked at Su Yuan in utter confusion, only to see Su Yuan staring at him with a serious expression.
"Wriothesley, prove that you are Wriothesley!"
Ch 35 : A misunderstanding
Although the people in the room had no idea what was happening, they trusted Su Yuan's serious and determined expression.
They immediately became alert and kept their guard up against Wriothesley.
"Hey! Su Yuan, what do you mean by this?" Wriothesley was completely confused.
"Even Neuvillette said I was fine, so why are you still doubting me?"
"And besides, I am Wriothesley!How am I supposed to prove that I'm myself?"
"Wriothesley… no… Eerie! Stop pretending!" Su Yuan spoke nervously.
"I don't know why you haven't revealed your true form yet, but I've already seen through you!"
Wriothesley: ?
"Do you remember yesterday morning? When I gave you the milkshake that Sigewinne prepared?"
"I remember very clearly that you told me, no matter whether you were drinking tea or anything else, you liked to savor every sip..."
"But just now, when you were drinking tea, you kept gulping it down nonstop, taking in large mouthfuls without a single pause. How do you explain that?"
"That's true." Hearing Su Yuan's explanation, Neuvillette nodded in agreement.
"Although I couldn't detect any abnormalities, the real Wriothesley drinks tea the way I savor water—slowly, enjoying every taste. He wouldn't just swallow it down in one go like that."
"So that's how it is... I actually got tricked by an eerie version of the Duke..." Sigewinne said in disbelief.
"Lady Furina, hide behind me first. When you get the chance, escape as quickly as possible..." Chevreuse said.
"Even if we might not be able to defeat the Eerie, we must fight to protect your safety!"
"Hahaha! Su Yuan, you really are an incredibly meticulous person!" Wriothesley suddenly burst into laughter.
"You even managed to notice that!"
"Hahaha! Su Yuan! Take this!" As he spoke, Wriothesley dashed toward Su Yuan at full speed!
Neuvillette immediately stepped in front of Su Yuan and raised a wall of water to block the attack!
"Neuvillette, don't!" Su Yuan shouted in alarm.
"Elemental power can't stop the Eerie's force!"
However, in the next moment, the water and ice elements combined perfectly, neither too much nor too little, forming a flawless ice wall.
"Well? Neuvillette, is this enough to prove that I'm really me?" Wriothesley flexed his wrist and asked.
"Yes, it's enough." Neuvillette nodded and then turned to Su Yuan.
"Su Yuan, this time, you misunderstood. He truly is Wriothesley—he hasn't been controlled by the Eerie."
Neuvillette pointed at the ice wall in front of them and explained, "If there's too much cryo energy, the ice wall would be too fragile and easily shattered. If there's too little, the ice wall wouldn't form properly at all."
"To be able to coordinate with me so well and use just the right amount of power to freeze an ice wall—only Wriothesley could have done that."
Hearing Neuvillette speak with such certainty, everyone let out a sigh of relief...
"Then, Lord Duke, why did you act so out of character when drinking tea just now?" Chevreuse asked.
"Sigh... isn't it all because of the Eerie?" Wriothesley sighed helplessly.
"For the next four days, I won't be able to drink a single drop of tea..."
"So today, why would I care about elegance or savoring the taste? Of course, I had to drink as much as I could while I still had the chance! That was the most important thing..."
Su Yuan hadn't expected such a simple reason—he really had misunderstood Wriothesley...
"Wriothesley, I'm sorry! I misjudged you!" Su Yuan immediately bowed and apologized.
"It's fine, it's fine. Being cautious isn't a bad thing!" Wriothesley said casually, not minding at all.
"Lord Neuvillette!" Suddenly, a voice called from outside the door.
"The Oratrice has automatically generated new content!"
"Automatically generated new content?" Neuvillette muttered in confusion.
He had been dealing with the Oratrice for hundreds of years.
It had always required case information and materials to be submitted first before responding with a judgment.
But ever since the Oratrice malfunctioned yesterday, it had been temporarily sealed off and was no longer in use...
For it to generate new content on its own—this was a first in all these centuries.
"Let's go. We'll head to the Opera Epiclese and see for ourselves." Neuvillette said.
Su Yuan and his group followed Neuvillette to the Opéra Epiclese.
Gazing at the enormous Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale before him, Wriothesley couldn't help but sigh, "It's been a long time since I've been here. The last time, I was sitting in the defendant's seat..."
A Melusine from the Gardes de L'Ombre standing nearby handed a special sheet of paper to Neuvillette and said, "Lord Neuvillette, this is the newly generated content that the Oratrice produced on its own..."
Everyone leaned in to look. The paper contained the following words:
[Judgment… cannot be stopped…]
[The death penalty… must be carried out…]
[If there is no subject for judgment…]
[A random person… will be selected for execution…]
[Deadline… 6 PM tonight…]
"What does this mean? Even if we don't conduct a trial here or use the Oratrice, it will still carry out an execution?" Wriothesley asked.
"Could this be what the rule hints referred to as 'something unexpected'?" Chevreuse mused.
"And what does this 'random selection' mean? If we don't give it someone to judge, will it just randomly choose a person to kill?" Furina asked worriedly.
"Do you all remember the exact words I told you before?" Su Yuan furrowed his brows and spoke.
'The death penalty will definitely be carried out on the same day…'
'If the execution does not happen that day, something unexpected may occur…'
"At first, I thought that as long as we didn't hold a trial here and didn't give the Oratrice a chance to render a judgment, no one would be sentenced to death that day, and therefore, there would be no opportunity to carry out an execution…"
"But now, it seems that no matter what, the Oratrice will execute someone today."
"In that case, if we want to prevent the execution from happening today and witness that 'unexpected event,' it means we have to protect the person sentenced to death…"
"But… we still don't know how the Oratrice actually kills people," Sigewinne said, puzzled.
"I know," Su Yuan said slowly.
"Have you ever considered the possibility that someone has been hiding inside the Oratrice all along?"
As soon as Su Yuan said this, everyone was first stunned, then quickly came to a realization.
"So that's how it is…" Neuvillette nodded.
"I've long felt that the Oratrice was too intelligent."
"No matter how complex a case was, as long as we fed the data and evidence into it, it could always deliver the most accurate verdict in an incredibly short amount of time…"
"Thinking about it now, if someone really has been hiding inside, they could have simply been listening to my trials and repeating my judgments as their own."
Su Yuan thought to himself, As expected of Neuvillette—he immediately figured it out.
That's exactly what Focalors was doing.
"So if that's the case, then the one being controlled by the Eerie isn't the Oratrice itself, but the person inside it?" Furina said in shock.
"Furina, why do you sound even more surprised than I am? Are you really the creator of the Oratrice?" Wriothesley asked, looking at her suspiciously.
Su Yuan wanted to tell everyone the whole truth, but he felt that the time wasn't right yet…
The current state of Focalors, why she was controlled by the Eerie—everything was still unknown.
"Su Yuan, please file a lawsuit against me for intentional harm," Neuvillette suddenly said.
"We can't just let the Oratrice randomly select someone. That would make it harder for us to gather information and protect the chosen person."
"If someone has to be sentenced to death, let me be the bait to draw that person out."
"No! I've already caused trouble and inconvenience for both Lord Neuvillette and the Duke—I should be the bait instead!" Chevreuse quickly interjected.
"Let me do it," Furina stepped forward as well.
"I may not be strong or particularly smart, but I want to contribute in whatever way I can."
"I think I should do it," Wriothesley added, unsurprisingly.
"I've already been in the defendant's seat once before. I feel kind of nostalgic. Wouldn't mind revisiting it."
"I don't really have a reason, but since everyone else is stepping forward, I should too!" Sigewinne volunteered with determination.
Seeing this scene, Su Yuan couldn't help but smile wryly.
What kind of ridiculous situation is this…?
One after another, they were competing to be sentenced to death, to be the bait…
This was an unknown Eerie they were dealing with!
Were they really not afraid of some unexpected accident taking their lives?
Honestly, I'm still the best choice for this.
With his ability to rewind time, he wasn't afraid of dying at all…
Worst case scenario, he'd just reset and try again!
"You guys can stop fighting over it," Su Yuan said with a grin.
"I'll do it!"
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