Ch 16:Newintel
Su Yuan suddenly opened his eyes—it was that familiar yet strange sensation again…
Feeling the stinging pain in the palm of his left hand, he knew he had died once more.
Su Yuan tried to lift his left hand but found that he had no strength at all.
With no other choice, he turned his palm upward and strained his head to the left, barely making out the words carved into his palm.
"What's going on…? Why is the handwriting so messy this time?" Su Yuan was confused.
The newly appeared writing was so sloppy that he had to put in a great effort just to decipher it.
【You've died again. This is probably the fourth time today, right…?】
【The food Sigewinne prepared for you might taste a little strange…】
【But you must try your best to eat it!】
【Whatever you do, do NOT spit it out!】
Food? Now that it was mentioned, Su Yuan did feel incredibly hungry—his stomach was already growling…
Since crossing over to this world, it had been more than ten hours, and he hadn't eaten anything at all.
Wait, no… if he counted it, he did eat a bug on Furina's bed…
As for the strange taste?
He vaguely remembered that Melusines perceived the world quite differently from humans, so it made sense that their food would taste a bit odd.
But right now, he was starving—probably desperate enough to eat anything!
Who cares if it tastes good or bad? As long as it's edible!
...
"Su Yuan, I'm coming in."
Not long after, a soft knock sounded at the door.
The door then opened, and Sigewinne walked in, carrying a small tray to Su Yuan's bedside.
"Oh! You're awake, Su Yuan! Perfect timing—it's dinner time."
"You need to eat properly to replenish your energy and recover quickly."
"The Duke specifically asked me to take good care of you, so I personally prepared a highly nutritious meal for you."
"Thank you, Head Nurse Sigewinne," Su Yuan replied, trying to sit up, only to realize that he couldn't.
"It's okay, Su Yuan. Don't push yourself. You're still in recovery—it's normal to feel weak." Sigewinne adjusted the bed's backrest, allowing Su Yuan to sit up.
"No worries, I'll feed you."
"Ahh—open up! This is my special milkshake. Even the Duke praised it! Try it first to soothe your throat."
As she spoke, Sigewinne brought the straw to Su Yuan's lips.
Remembering the message carved into his palm, this time, Su Yuan only took a small sip…
As expected… the taste was definitely a little strange.
How should he describe it?
The milkshake had a distinct earthy taste, reminiscent of the Loess Plateau—like dried plants ground into fine powder and mixed into muddy water.
But at the same time, there was indeed a milky flavor.
However, the milk seemed excessively dry, as if cheese had been left to sun-dry on a desert plateau for twenty-one days straight…
Perhaps because he had mentally prepared himself, Su Yuan actually didn't find it that difficult to drink.
Then, under Sigewinne's expectant and delighted gaze, Su Yuan finished the entire milkshake in one go.
Sigewinne's eyes sparkled with excitement, looking absolutely thrilled.
"Wow, Su Yuan, you actually drank all of my special milkshake! That's amazing! This will really help with your recovery!"
Seeing Sigewinne's joyful expression, Su Yuan also felt genuinely happy.
As expected, happiness was contagious.
"Alright, alright! Now let's move on to dinner!"
Sigewinne cheered as she happily opened a cute bento box decorated with heart patterns.
However, what was inside completely caught Su Yuan off guard…
At first glance, there were several large meat steaks, fried eggs, rice, and various vegetables…
However, the large steak… was purple.
The fried egg… was green.
The rice… was blue.
And the vegetables… were black.
Su Yuan instinctively swallowed nervously, feeling a little tense.
The milkshake earlier had looked decent but tasted questionable…
So maybe this meal, which looked strange, would actually taste decent?
As it turned out, Su Yuan's guess was correct.
The oddly colored meal wasn't particularly delicious, but at least it wasn't awful…
At the very least, it was much better than some school cafeteria food.
After finishing his meal, Sigewinne performed a routine check-up on Su Yuan and confirmed that everything was fine.
"Su Yuan, that's it for tonight. Get some good rest, and I'll see you tomorrow morning!"
"Alright, Head Nurse Sigewinne. See you tomorrow!"
"Su Yuan, you seem to really enjoy my nutritious meal set. Should I make it for you again tomorrow?"
Just as she was about to leave, Sigewinne suddenly asked.
Su Yuan instantly broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly refused, "No, no, there's no need to give me special treatment… I'll just eat whatever the others in Meropide Fortress are having at the designated cafeteria!"
"Alright then, since you insist, I won't prepare one for you tomorrow."
After Sigewinne left, Su Yuan finally let out a sigh of relief.
"So, Su Yuan, how was Head Nurse Sigewinne's cooking?"
Not long after, Wriothesley appeared at the hospital room door.
"I'm really curious—did you really find her milkshake praiseworthy?" Su Yuan asked.
"Haha~~ Who says something has to taste good to be worthy of praise?" Wriothesley chuckled.
"Besides, I was complimenting its nutritional value, not its flavor."
"I've been thinking… I might have figured out the conditions for Sigewinne's Eerie transformation."
"Oh? Let's hear it," Wriothesley said curiously.
"It's simple—if you eat the food Sigewinne prepares, you must not throw it up."
"Got it. In that case, I'll just avoid eating it altogether," Wriothesley nodded.
"I'll keep that in mind. For now, just focus on getting some rest tonight."
With that, Wriothesley bid Su Yuan farewell.
To be fair, Sigewinne's cooking wasn't completely inedible—it was just… unique in taste.
Su Yuan couldn't help but think of a certain shut-in from Inazuma.
Now her cooking was truly apocalyptic…
How was she doing now? Had she been affected by the Eerie?
And what about Furina? How was her situation?
Had Neuvillette and Chevreuse managed to resolve the situation outside?
How could the Eerie be defeated?
What was their true nature?
Thoughts swirled endlessly in Su Yuan's mind, and before he knew it, he drifted off into sleep…
...
Feeling the sharp sting in his right palm, Su Yuan slowly opened his eyes...
He tried moving his body. Whether it was thanks to getting enough rest or if Sigewinne's "nutritional meal" had actually worked, he wasn't sure—but either way, he felt much better.
With relative ease, he lifted his right hand and looked at the words engraved in his palm...
[First of all, congratulations on surviving the second night.]
[Currently available information]
【1. During the daytime, Furina is the real, normal Furina.】
【2. Neuvillette can be trusted at all times—day or night—but only when the weather is clear.】
【3. After sunset, do not appear in Furina's sight. If you are accidentally discovered, make sure to return to her bed before she does. Once you are there, no matter what happens, do not leave the bed until sunrise.】
[4. Your number of regressions is not unlimited, but it refreshes daily.]
This new piece of information shocked Su Yuan!
Thinking back to the writing on his left palm from before—how the words became more and more unreadable—could that have been related to this limitation?
How many times could he regress per day?
Yesterday, he had regressed four times.
Although the writing had become nearly illegible, he still managed to return.
This meant that his daily number of regressions was at least four…
But was there a fifth?
Su Yuan didn't want to gamble on that.
He couldn't afford to gamble on that.
"…Tch. So there's a limit after all. Looks like I can't abuse this ability," he muttered before continuing to read.
[5. If Sigewinne carefully prepares food for you, make sure to eat everything. Do not waste her kindness.]
Su Yuan immediately realized—this was the true condition for Sigewinne's Eerie transformation.
Fortunately, he had followed the left palm's warning yesterday and finished the entire "nutritional meal" she prepared for him.
This confirmed information was slightly different from his initial guess.
The key wasn't just not throwing up—he had to eat everything.
He needed to tell Wriothesley and the others as soon as possible.
[6. If you see Chevreuse carrying a gunlance with the barrel facing downward, be cautious—she is no longer Chevreuse.]
[7. After surviving the third night, new information will be unlocked.]
Su Yuan stared at the sixth message.
This is critical information.
He couldn't just sit around—he had to inform Wriothesley and the others immediately.
He tried to get out of bed and found that, while his body still ached, he could at least stand and walk slowly.
Grabbing a nearby broomstick to use as a makeshift cane, he steadied himself and stepped out of the hospital room, making his way toward Wriothesley's office…
Ch 17 : Neuvillette!Duck!
"Hmm? Su Yuan, what brings you here?"
Wriothesley was reading a newspaper when he noticed Su Yuan standing at the doorway of his office with a puzzled expression.
"It's only a little pastfive, not even six o'clock yet. Do you always wake up this early?"
He also noticed the broom in Su Yuan's hand and teased, "Are you here to help me clean up as a way to repay my kindness? I appreciate the gesture, but I'd rather you focus on recovering first."
"Su Yuan, you're already able to get out of bed and walk? Looks like you're recovering well!"
From beneath Wriothesley's desk, Sigewinne poked her head out and chimed in, "Since Meropide Fortress is underwater, there's no direct sunlight. A lot of newcomers struggle with their biological clocks getting out of sync. Looks like you're experiencing that too..."
"Alright, alright. Since you're already up, how about joining me for a cup of warm morning tea?" Wriothesley gestured toward the steaming teacup on his desk.
"A good day starts with a good first cup of tea."
"I'll pass, but thanks for the offer, Your Grace. I'm not here for tea," Su Yuan shook his head.
"Suit yourself." Wriothesley shrugged and reached for his teacup, but just then, Sigewinne made a swift move—she subtly slid his teacup aside and placed a cup of her homemade milkshake in its place.
However, Wriothesley caught the entire maneuver in the corner of his eye.
Feigning nonchalance, he pretended to reach for the milkshake, but just as his fingers neared the cup handle, he deftly adjusted his hand's position and smoothly picked up his original cup of tea instead, taking a light sip.
In just a few short seconds, Sigewinne's expression shifted from joy and anticipation to disappointment and sadness, growing increasingly strange…
"Your Grace, even Su Yuan couldn't stop praising this milkshake. Why won't you drink it…?"
Su Yuan immediately felt a sense of impending doom—he hadn't even had the chance to explain yet!
The key to preventing Sigewinne's aberration wasn't just "don't spit it out," but rather "eat it all"!
At that moment, Su Yuan didn't know where he got the strength from—he dropped the broom without hesitation and quickly strode up to Wriothesley's desk.
"Su Yuan, looks like you really are recovering well. You're even walking this fast—"
Before Wriothesley could finish his sentence, Su Yuan grabbed the milkshake from the table and forcibly shoved it toward his mouth.
"Wriothesley! Drink it! Dammit, why won't you drink it?!"
Su Yuan exclaimed, both anxious and frantic, because he could already see strange changes happening to Sigewinne…
Seeing Su Yuan's serious and tense expression, Wriothesley realized that something serious was probably about to happen again.
He stopped resisting and allowed Su Yuan to feed him, gulping down the entire milkshake…
"Phew…" Wriothesley finally finished the drink and let out a long sigh.
"Whether it's tea or anything else, I like to savor it slowly. Chugging something all at once like this… I'm really not used to it."
"So, Su Yuan, what exactly is going on? What just happened?"
Wriothesley asked, glancing at Sigewinne, who was sitting there with her eyes closed, completely still—almost as if she had fallen asleep.
"Didn't you notice that Sigewinne's expression looked a little strange just now?" Su Yuan said.
"I did, but this kind of thing has happened many times before. If I don't eat or drink what she prepares, she tends to get a little moody…"
Wriothesley mused, then suddenly had a look of realization.
"Wait, could it be…"
"Huh…? What just happened? I feel like I blacked out for a moment…"
Sigewinne rubbed her eyes as she slowly woke up.
"Head Nurse Sigewinne, you're probably overworking yourself. You should take a proper rest,"
Wriothesley said with a gentle smile.
He reached out and lightly patted her head.
"You've been taking care of others all this time, but you need to take care of yourself too."
"Mm." Sigewinne nodded, then noticed the empty milkshake cup on the table.
Suddenly, her face lit up with excitement.
"Duke, you drank all of the milkshake I made?"
"Of course." Wriothesley smiled and nodded.
"Alright then, Duke, I'll be heading back now!"
Sigewinne then turned to Su Yuan.
"Su Yuan, it's good that you can get out of bed and move around, but later, you still need to return to your ward so I can do a check-up on you."
"Alright, Head Nurse Sigewinne." Su Yuan nodded.
With that, Sigewinne happily hopped out of Wriothesley's office, clearly in an excellent mood.
"Phew… that was really too close…" Su Yuan finally let out a sigh of relief.
"So, Su Yuan, what exactly was that all about?"
"My guess from yesterday wasn't entirely accurate…" Su Yuan slowly explained.
"If the key was just 'not spitting it out,' then simply refusing to eat should have been enough to avoid any problems."
"But now I'm certain—the condition to prevent Sigewinne from becoming Eerie is that everything she prepares must be eaten completely."
"I see… No wonder you were so determined to make me drink that milkshake…"
Wriothesley spread his hands with a chuckle, then teased, "You looked pretty bold back there. This is the first time I've ever been forced into something like that."
"And then, there's another new piece of information—it's about Chevreuse…" Su Yuan continued.
"If we see Chevreuse carrying her rifle, but with the barrel pointing downward, then that likely means she has already been controlled by the Eerie…"
Wriothesley nodded.
"That's an important piece of intel. When they arrive later today, we'll discuss it with them."
Just then, a knock came from outside the door.
"Your Grace, Lord Neuvillette and Captain Chevreuse have arrived. They wish to see you."
"Oh? Why are they here so early as well? Is everyone suddenly giving up on sleeping in?"
Wriothesley remarked with a puzzled expression.
Then, he instructed the person outside, "Let them in. Tell them Su Yuan and I are waiting in my office."
"You see, Neuvillette really is an old-fashioned man. He follows every procedure to the letter! With the relationship we have, he could just come right in, yet he still insists on formal notifications and appointments. Sometimes, I find him a bit dull."
Wriothesley chuckled helplessly as he spoke to Su Yuan.
"Su Yuan, Wriothesley, we're here."
Not long after, two knocks sounded on the door, followed by Neuvillette's voice.
The door then opened, and Neuvillette stepped in first, with Chevreuse following behind.
Upon entering the office, Neuvillette walked toward Wriothesley and Su Yuan, while Chevreuse turned around to close the door…
In that instant, Su Yuan keenly noticed that the rifle on Chevreuse's back—its barrel was pointing downward…
In the next moment, Chevreuse's body did not turn around.
Instead, only her head and hands twisted 180 degrees.
Crimson liquid seeped from her eye sockets and the corners of her mouth as she raised her rifle in an eerie posture, aiming directly at the back of Neuvillette's head with a chilling smile…
"Neuvillette! Watch out! Duck!" Su Yuan shouted!
But at the same time, with a resounding bang, the rifle had already fired!
A bullet shrouded in pitch-black aura shot toward the back of Neuvillette's head at terrifying speed!
Ch 18 : Jet-blackflames
Facing the pitch-black bullet speeding toward him, Neuvillette turned his head to look.
With just a wave of his hand, a wall of water formed behind him.
However, to everyone's surprise, this seemingly impenetrable water wall did nothing to stop the bullet!
Neuvillette showed a slightly surprised expression and tilted his head just in time—the bullet grazed past his cheek, whizzing by before striking the wall behind him.
The impact shattered the surface, producing a loud crash as thick black smoke billowed out.
A thin scratch appeared on Neuvillette's cheek, and a few drops of blood seeped out...
"So this is that eerie power?" Neuvillette spoke slowly.
"Indeed… unknown, powerful, unfathomable…"
"Hahaha… What a pity! I almost blew your head off, Neuvillette!"
Chevreuse opened her mouth and laughed maniacally, her sharp fangs making her look terrifying.
"Let me handle this!" Wriothesley declared, rolling forward swiftly.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small container of unknown substance, and threw it toward Chevreuse!
Chevreuse had no idea what it was, so she chose to shoot it down!
The container shattered instantly, releasing a mysterious liquid that scattered like a blooming flower, engulfing the space in front of Chevreuse.
Wriothesley's gauntlet transformed in an instant, operating at full power.
A surge of intense Cryo energy burst forth, reacting with the liquid and freezing it solid!
"Not enough!" Wriothesley understood that because the container had detonated too far away, it hadn't completely frozen Chevreuse.
However, the frozen wall of ice in front of her was enough to block her vision and movement!
Without hesitation, Wriothesley swiftly dashed forward, closing the distance between him and Chevreuse in an instant.
He pulled out another container and shattered it with a powerful punch!
In Chevreuse's shocked gaze, the liquid inside burst forth, enveloping her entire body.
In the blink of an eye, it solidified into ice—Chevreuse was now frozen into an ice sculpture!
"Wriothesley, I thought you only knew how to throw punches," Neuvillette remarked calmly as he observed the scene.
Wriothesley chuckled and waved a hand dismissively.
"There's a lot you don't know about me, no need to be so surprised."
"I've been practicing this move for a long time—pretty cool, right?"
Neuvillette: …
"Your Grace! Your Grace!"
Just then, urgent knocking sounded from outside the door.
"We heard what sounded like gunfire coming from your office, but the door isn't locked—why can't we open it?"
Since Chevreuse had been frozen right at the doorway, the ice had sealed the office shut, making it impossible to open.
"Oh… so that's what you're worried about?" Wriothesley called out to the people outside.
"Relax, it's nothing serious. Captain Chevreuse was just giving me a lesson on gunplay."
"But… Your Grace, firing a gun indoors carries the risk of ricochets. Wouldn't it be safer to practice in a more open space?" The person outside still sounded concerned.
"Relax, relax! Do you guys really think you know more about guns than Captain Chevreuse? Alright, alright, go back to your own duties, no need to worry about us!" Wriothesley said.
Only then did the people outside gradually leave.
"Your subordinates care about you a lot," Neuvillette nodded.
"That means you've treated them well. Since Sigewinne is under your care, I can rest assured."
"Now then, Su Yuan, what exactly is going on with Chevreuse?" Neuvillette turned to look at Su Yuan and asked.
Su Yuan then proceeded to share the new intelligence he had gathered today with Neuvillette.
"Of course, excluding the restriction on my own rollback count."
After listening, Neuvillette nodded thoughtfully.
"When Chevreuse came to see me early this morning, the barrel of the gun on her back was pointed downward. That suggests she was already under the influence of the eerie force at that time."
"But her behavior was completely normal—I didn't notice any difference at all… Perhaps it's because I don't interact with her often and don't know her well enough to spot any changes."
"As Su Yuan mentioned, the eerie ones are adept at disguise. They don't easily reveal themselves in front of ordinary people," Wriothesley added.
"Even though Chevreuse had already been controlled, she only exposed her true nature after stepping into this room."
"Su Yuan, based on your intel, we now understand the conditions for Sigewinne's transformation. That's good—we can take precautions. But the information on Chevreuse is still unclear, just like Furina's. We need to investigate further," Neuvillette said.
"Speaking of which, how is Furina now?" Su Yuan asked.
"When she woke up yesterday, she said she wanted to see you, but I refused. You were still seriously injured at the time and needed to recover. I couldn't let Furina see you in that state, or else the truth would have been exposed…" Neuvillette mused.
"After that, last night, she stayed in her suite the whole time—she didn't go anywhere, and nothing unusual happened."
Su Yuan nodded and continued asking, "Exposed? Exposed what?"
Neuvillette continued, "After returning with Chevreuse, I held a press conference and falsely claimed that yesterday's incident was a training exercise. To ensure the utmost realism, we didn't notify any departments in advance. But if Furina were to see you severely injured, that lie would fall apart instantly."
"To be honest, lying doesn't sit well with me—it goes against the sense of justice I hold dear… But in order to deal with the eerie forces and minimize the impact, there was no other choice," Neuvillette said with a hint of helplessness.
"Su Yuan, once you've recovered a bit more, I'll arrange a meeting between you and Furina," Neuvillette looked at Su Yuan.
"I can tell she's worried about you."
Su Yuan immediately felt a warm sensation in his heart and thought to himself, Furina is worried about me… That means she does care about me… I'm so happy…
I just wonder… after we clear up the misunderstandings and have a deeper conversation, will I finally be able to get rid of the title 'Mr. Pervert'…?
But suddenly, Su Yuan felt that something was off…
Feeling warmth in his heart was one thing, but why was his whole body getting warm?
More than that, the air around him was growing hotter as well…
Su Yuan glanced at Neuvillette and Wriothesley, only to find that both of them were staring at the door with serious expressions.
Following their gaze, Su Yuan turned his head—only to see that Chevreuse was now engulfed in flames…
However, these flames were not the fiery red of ordinary blazes. Instead, they were pitch-black—dark enough to swallow all light and hope…
The ice encasing Chevreuse was melting at a visibly rapid pace.
"Tch… Pyro Vision wielders are always such a pain to freeze solid," Wriothesley clicked his tongue in frustration, clearly displeased.
"Looks like we'll need to have the Fontaine Institute refine and improve this solution again…"
"Su Yuan, step back and head upstairs. Leave this to us," Neuvillette glanced at Su Yuan and ordered.
(Author's Note: I just realized while writing this that Wriothesley's office actually has two levels, and the main office area is technically on the upper floor in-game… I'm too lazy to go back and change the earlier parts, so let's just roll with this minor adjustment. It doesn't affect the story or readability—thanks for understanding! o(﹏)o)
"You really thought these pathetic little ice blocks could keep me frozen, Wriothesley…?"
Chevreuse let out an eerie laugh, her mouth dripping with fresh red liquid as she made disturbing, unsettling noises…
The black flames surged higher and hotter.
In an instant, the ice had been completely incinerated.
Chevreuse brought her gun to her lips and ran her long, barbed tongue along the barrel, licking it slowly…
Her hollow, blood-red eyes widened as she stared at Wriothesley and Neuvillette.
"Wriothesley… your strong, scar-covered body must have such an interesting taste…"
"And Neuvillette… I wonder what the heart of an Hydro Dragon Sovereign really tastes like…!"
Ch 19: Cruel reality
Hearing Chevreuse's menacing words, Su Yuan was now completely certain of one thing.
When a person is controlled by the eerie forces, they have no recollection of what happens during that time…
But the eerie entityretains the host's memories!
He wasn't sure if they had access to all memories, but at the very least, they retained a portion.
Chevreuse had only learned about Neuvillette's true identity as an Hydro Dragon Sovereign yesterday.
Yet now, the eerie-controlled Chevreuse also knew this information…
Thankfully, Su Yuan had been cautious yesterday and hadn't revealed his ability to rewind time.
Otherwise, if the eerie entity inherited that knowledge, they wouldn't simply kill him so easily…
"Su Yuan, what are you standing around for? Do as Neuvillette said—get upstairs!" Wriothesley urged.
"Once the fight starts, we won't be able to guarantee your safety…"
Su Yuan was indeed eager to witness Neuvillette and Wriothesley—two of Fontaine's strongest fighters—in action, to see their elegant combat prowess firsthand.
He also wanted to observe what other abilities an eerie-possessed Chevreuse might have…
But he knew full well that, in his current injured state, staying here would only make him a burden.
Su Yuan made up his mind—once he had recovered, he had to learn some self-defense and combat skills.
He couldn't always rely on others to protect him.
"Alright, I'm heading up!" Su Yuan said as he slowly made his way upstairs.
"Neuvillette, Wriothesley—be careful!"
"Heh… Don't worry, Su Yuan! Don't underestimate us!" Wriothesley chuckled.
"Wriothesley, be serious," Neuvillette reminded him.
"This isn't some childish scuffle—it's a battle against the eerie forces. Besides, Captain Chevreuse herself is quite formidable."
"Oh! Su Yuan, before you go!" Wriothesley suddenly remembered something.
"When you get upstairs, you should see a bookshelf."
"On the second row, there's a book called Teyvat's Comprehensive Tea Review. Push it inward, and you'll find a hidden passage behind the shelf."
"Follow the passage, and you'll come out near the infirmary. Find Sigewinne and wait at the office entrance with her."
"Because in a moment… I might get carried away. Chevreuse… she's probably going to take some damage."
"Got it. I understand." Su Yuan nodded and disappeared up the stairs, heading to the second floor.
Upon arriving, he glanced around.
This seemed to be more of a storage room—filled with all sorts of random items.
Mechanical parts, stacks of newspapers and books, drinks and snacks, crates of tea leaves… even some plush toys.
Meanwhile, the sounds of battle and tremors echoed from downstairs.
Su Yuan didn't linger.
He walked over to the bookshelf and focused on the second row.
"Teyvat's Comprehensive Tea Review"… Author: Alice?
"Klee's mother… Lady Alice, the elder of the Hexenzirkel?"
"In all of Teyvat, there's probably no one else with that name…"
Su Yuan was curious about what this book contained, but he had to complete Wriothesley's task first.
With that in mind, he raised his hand and pushed the book inward with some force.
Immediately, the sound of mechanical gears turning echoed through the room as the bookshelf slowly shifted aside, revealing a deep, hidden passage.
Su Yuan stepped into the passage, and as he did, the bookshelf automatically returned to its original position, while dim lights flickered on within the passageway.
As he walked deeper into the tunnel, he suddenly recalled the warning that had appeared in his left palm yesterday—telling him not to engage in direct combat with the eerie forces, as he stood no chance of winning.
"Hmm… Right now, I have no combat ability, so of course I wouldn't be able to fight an eerie entity…"
"But Neuvillette and Wriothesley are on a completely different level from me. With just one eerie-possessed Chevreuse, they should be able to handle it, right?"
"The power level of an eerie entity after possession is probably related to the original strength of its host…"
"Even though Neuvillette was terrifyingly strong after being possessed, Chevreuse was completely powerless against him…"
"But even without possession, Chevreuse isn't a match for Neuvillette at all…"
"That's right. I shouldn't be worrying about Neuvillette and Wriothesley—I should be worrying about Chevreuse instead!"
After staggering through the passage for quite a while, Su Yuan finally reached the end.
A ladder appeared before him, leading upward.
He climbed up the ladder and found a circular hatch at the top.
He tried pushing it open with his hand, but it wouldn't budge.
It seemed… he was still too weak.
Taking a deep breath, Su Yuan gathered all his strength and finally managed to push open the hatch, successfully climbing out.
The place he emerged from seemed to be a hidden passage disguised as a sewer access point, located in a corner behind the infirmary.
Not far ahead, he could see the entrance to the infirmary itself.
After carefully restoring the hatch to its original position, Su Yuan made his way into the infirmary.
"Hmm? Su Yuan? Didn't I tell you to rest in your hospital room? Why did you come looking for me?" Sigewinne greeted him with a cheerful smile.
It was clear that Wriothesley had finished the milkshake she prepared, keeping her in a good mood.
"Uh… It's not really about me…" Su Yuan hesitated for a moment, trying to come up with an excuse.
"Wriothesley and Chevreuse seem to be having a sparring match, and just in case anything happens, he asked me to come find you so we could wait outside his office together."
"Ahhh, the Duke is being reckless again!" Sigewinne pouted, furrowing her brows as if slightly annoyed.
"If they want to fight, they should go to the Boxing Ring for that! How could they be fighting inside the office!?"
"The name 'office' literally means it's for office work, not for fighting!"
"Haha… I don't know why they're doing this either…" Su Yuan scratched his head awkwardly, forcing a smile.
With that, Sigewinne picked up her medical kit, and together, they headed to the entrance of Wriothesley's office.
"Wait a second, Head Nurse Sigewinne…" Su Yuan raised a hand to stop her.
"Wriothesley specifically told me not to barge in and interrupt them until they're done."
He pressed his ear against the door, listening carefully.
Strangely, there didn't seem to be any sounds of battle or tremors coming from inside…
It looked like the fight was already over.
Su Yuan was about to knock on the door to confirm, but before he could, Sigewinne ignored his attempt to stop her and stepped forward.
"Head Nurse Sigewinne, what are you—"
"Su Yuan, please step aside," Sigewinne interrupted.
"I smell blood… and a lot of it!"
"Honestly! The Duke is being completely reckless! Doesn't he know how hard I work every day? And now he's creating even more trouble for me!" Sigewinne spoke with a hint of anger as she reached for the door, ready to push it open.
Hearing her words, Su Yuan took a couple of deep breaths, trying to catch the scent she was talking about—
She was right.
The thick, metallic stench of blood was overwhelming, strong enough that even he could smell it now.
Had Neuvillette and Wriothesley gone too far?
Did they really beat Chevreuse that badly?
But in the next moment, as Sigewinne pushed open the office door—
What they saw was a horrifying, unthinkable sight.
"Chevreuse" stood in the center of the blood-soaked room, her body covered in gore.
One hand clutched a still faintly beating heart.
The other hand held a strong, muscular arm, scarred from past battles—an arm that she was gleefully biting into.
And on the ground—
Neuvillette and Wriothesley lay motionless in a pool of blood.
Neuvillette's chest had a gaping, hollow wound, still oozing fresh crimson.
His clothes were completely soaked, riddled with bullet holes—his entire body looking as if he had been shot multiple times.
Wriothesley's body, though lacking the gunshot wounds that riddled Neuvillette, was in no better condition.
His entire left arm—was gone.
Su Yuan's mind went completely blank.
This was… impossible.
Neuvillette and Wriothesley…
They actually lost?
And—
They were eaten by "Chevreuse"?
With a loud clang, Sigewinne's medical kit slipped from her trembling hands, the contents spilling across the floor—medicines, bandages, and surgical tools scattering everywhere.
She collapsed to her knees, wrapping her arms around herself, her entire body shaking as tears poured down her cheeks.
"Chevreuse… Neuvillette… Wriothesley… you… you're joking with me, right…?" Sigewinne's voice trembled as she spoke.
Slowly, she lifted her head to look at "Chevreuse"—
And "Chevreuse" tilted her head, those blood-red, hollow eyes locking onto Sigewinne's.
"Head Nurse Sigewinne… you're a rare, humanoid Melusine…"
"I wonder…"
"What would you taste like?"
Then, she turned—her eerie gaze settling on Su Yuan.
"And you, Su Yuan…"
"As an outsider from another world…"
"I wonder—how different would you taste from the creatures of Teyvat?"
Ch 20 : Do notfightthe Eerie!Run!
Su Yuan suddenly snapped his eyes open...
It happened again… That same feeling…
Feeling the sharp pain in the palm of his left hand, he raised it and looked at the text appearing on it:
【That's right, you've diedagain. This is the first time today…】
【Chevreuse has also been taken over by the Eerie!】
【Do not fight the Eerie! Do not fight the Eerie! Do not fight the Eerie!】
【The Eerie… cannot be understood with common sense!】
【Not just you—even someone as powerful as Neuvillette and Wriothesley must not fight the Eerie!】
【Run!】
...
"You see, Neuvillette is such an old-fashioned guy. He follows the rules to the letter! With the relationship we have, he could have just come straight over, but no—he insists on going through the proper channels, scheduling an appointment first. Sometimes, I really find him a bit dull." Wriothesley sighed helplessly and said to Su Yuan.
"Su Yuan? Su Yuan?" Wriothesley's voice sounded beside him as he leaned in closer.
"What are you looking at?"
Su Yuan instinctively wanted to pull his hand back, but it was too late—Wriothesley had already seen his left palm.
"Huh? There's nothing there. What are you staring at so intently?"
Wriothesley frowned slightly, looking confused.
Then, as if realizing something, he suddenly brightened up.
"Oh… I get it! You're reading your own palm, aren't you?"
"That's a thing from Liyue, right? I've read about it in newspapers and books… Something about life lines, career lines, love lines, and all that."
"Let me guess—you want to know when your injury will heal? Or maybe whether you'll be successful in the future? Or perhaps… when you'll find someone special?" Wriothesley teased.
"Haha…" Su Yuan gave an awkward laugh.
So… these engraved messages on his palm—only he could see them?
That made sense.
When he was unconscious, Sigewinne had given him a full medical examination, and she hadn't mentioned anything about it.
Su Yuan recalled the message on his left palm—Chevreuse had already been taken over by the Eerie?
"Wriothesley, how long until Neuvillette and Chevreuse arrive?" Su Yuan asked.
"About five to eight minutes," Wriothesley replied.
"Wriothesley, Chevreuse has already been taken over by the Eerie…" Su Yuan said slowly.
"Hmm?" Wriothesley gave him a puzzled look.
"They haven't even arrived at my office yet. You haven't even seen them—how could you possibly know that Chevreuse has been taken over by the Eerie?"
"Trust me, my intel is never wrong…" Su Yuan said seriously.
Seeing the determined look on Su Yuan's face, Wriothesley nodded. "Alright, I understand."
Not long after, a knock sounded at the door…
"Su Yuan, Wriothesley, we're here." Neuvillette's voice came from outside the door.
Then, the door opened, and Neuvillette and "Chevreuse" appeared at the entrance, one after the other.
After entering the office, Neuvillette walked toward Wriothesley and Su Yuan, while "Chevreuse" turned around and closed the door.
"It's now!" Su Yuan shouted!
Immediately, Wriothesley pulled out a small canister from his pocket, tossing it toward "Chevreuse's" direction.
Then, in a swift motion, he stepped forward and punched the canister, shattering it instantly!
The liquid inside dispersed into the air, enveloping "Chevreuse" completely!
Immediately, as the intense Cryo energy radiated from Wriothesley's gauntlets, "Chevreuse" was frozen into an ice sculpture in an instant!
"Heh… Neuvillette, Su Yuan, wasn't that move cool? I practiced it for a long time!" Wriothesley winked, striking a pose that he thought was incredibly stylish, looking at Su Yuan and Neuvillette.
Neuvillette: …
"Wriothesley, Su Yuan, what is the meaning of this?" Neuvillette asked slowly.
"Why did you attack Chevreuse the moment we met?"
"Could it be that Chevreuse has already been taken over by the Eerie?"
"That's right." Su Yuan nodded, pointing at the frozen "Chevreuse" as he spoke.
"Neuvillette, look at the gunlance on Chevreuse's back—the barrel is pointing downward…"
"This is one of the new rules I learned this morning. If Chevreuse is carrying her gunlance with the barrel pointing downward, then she is no longer herself…"
"There's also another rule—whenever Sigewinne prepares food with care, you must finish all of it. Otherwise, she will also be taken over by the Eerie…"
"Understood, Su Yuan," Neuvillette nodded.
"So now, we need to figure out a way to restore Chevreuse to normal, right?"
Su Yuan wanted to say: Shouldn't we all just run for our lives first?
After all, the warning in his left palm clearly stated—Do not fight the Eerie, not even Neuvillette or Wriothesley should!
But then, he turned to look at the frozen "Chevreuse" at the door and thought… It doesn't really seem like there's a problem right now…
Noticing Su Yuan's expression, Wriothesley confidently reassured him, "Su Yuan, don't worry. That canister didn't contain ordinary water. I had Fontaine's Academy of Sciences specially develop a unique solution. Not only does it create a stronger freeze when activated, but it also minimizes harm to the frozen individual."
"Even if Chevreuse has gained strength after being taken over by the Eerie, she won't be able to break free that easily."
Su Yuan nodded.
Since Wriothesley was so confident, there was no need to rush to escape just yet.
After all, the warning had said not to fight the Eerie, but Wriothesley had taken the initiative and restrained "Chevreuse" before a fight could even begin.
That hardly counted as a battle.
"Alright, then let me share my thoughts next," Su Yuan said.
"From what we know so far, Eerie transformation happens under specific conditions."
"For example, in your case, Neuvillette—if it isn't sunny, you risk being controlled by the Eerie. But once the weather clears, you return to normal…"
"And the same applies to Sigewinne. Wriothesley, I'm sure you just experienced this firsthand…"
"If you don't drink the milkshake Sigewinne prepares for you, she starts acting strangely and risks being taken over. But the moment you finished it, she returned to normal."
"So if we want to temporarily lift Eerie control, the key is to identify the conditions that trigger the transformation!"
"And I suspect that these conditions are closely tied to a person's experiences and personality."
"What do you two know about Chevreuse? Maybe we can find some clues from that…" Su Yuan looked at Neuvillette and Wriothesley as he spoke.
"Mr. Donatello, that is, Chevreuse's father… Years ago, I personally judged him and sentenced him to exile in Meropide." Neuvillette spoke slowly.
Wriothesley shook his head and said, "I have no impression of this man at all. At that time, I hadn't arrived in Meropide yet, let alone become its warden…"
"Mr. Donatello was an excellent enforcer, but at the same time, he was a righteous sinner… Chevreuse was deeply influenced by him from a young age."
"A… righteous sinner?" Su Yuan asked, puzzled.
But before he could process Neuvillette's words, he suddenly felt the air around him growing hotter—an unsettling, eerie heat that sent shivers down his spine.
He turned toward the doorway and saw that black flames had ignited around Chevreuse, consuming the ice encasing her, melting it bit by bit…
"Tch… A Pyro Vision, huh? That's going to be troublesome…" Wriothesley frowned slightly.
"But why is the fire black? Is this the power of the Eerie?"
Wriothesley bounced lightly on his feet, rolling his wrists and stretching his arms, looking eager to fight.
"Alright then, let's see just how powerful the Eerie really is!"
"It seems we have no choice but to fight Chevreuse," Neuvillette nodded, acknowledging Wriothesley's decision.
"NO!" Su Yuan suddenly shouted.
He couldn't forget the warning carved into his palm.
[ Do not fight the Eerie! Not even Neuvillette or Wriothesley can win! ]
"DO NOT FIGHT THE EERIE! RUN!"
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