This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [393] [50 PS]
Duke's Office
Stacks of chaotic intelligence files littered the desk. Wriothesley propped his head on one hand, deep in thought.
The disappearance of the Fatui Harbinger Tartaglia the previous night was troubling enough. But now, a second issue had walked through the gates—a Sumeru envoy.
Worse yet, this so-called Sumeru envoy was also a Fatui Harbinger.
What is this, some kind of team-building retreat for Harbingers in Meropide Fortress?
Tartaglia's charges were tenuous at best, and imprisoning him had already been a risky move. Now the man had vanished, right under his nose. If word of this reached the Fatui, Fontaine could expect a hefty price to pay.
Finding Tartaglia and presenting him as a resolved matter to Fontaine's court was the top priority.
Wriothesley's musings were interrupted by the creak of the door. A petite girl with long, bunny-like ears stepped inside, carrying two lunchboxes.
"Time to eat, Duke! Skipping meals will wreck your health~," the girl chirped as she plopped into a seat beside him.
"Thank you, Head Nurse Sigewinne, but with all these headaches piling up, how could I have any appetite?" Wriothesley chuckled softly, nonetheless pulling one of the lunchboxes toward himself. Inside was a generous portion of roasted meat, its aroma wafting through the room.
"Hmm, looks like I'm benefitting from the head nurse's good fortune today," he said lightly.
"A balanced diet is key to a healthy body," Sigewinne replied with a sweet smile, placing a milkshake beside his plate. "Make sure to finish this too~."
"..."
As Wriothesley hesitated, Sigewinne began her own lunch. Between bites, she said, "I met that new friend of yours today. He seems like an interesting person. It looks like Meropide Fortress is about to get a bit livelier."
"..."
At the mention of Luo Qing, Wriothesley's appetite disappeared.
"Head Nurse, you seem to have taken quite a liking to him. What about him left such an impression?"
"He's charming and knows how to make a girl laugh," Sigewinne replied with a playful grin. "He's good at guessing what people are thinking too."
She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Oh, and he seemed fascinated by my ears. He kept trying to find ways to touch them."
"..."
Wriothesley took a deep breath, his voice steady. "While I appreciate your enthusiasm for making friends, Head Nurse, I'd advise caution. After all, he—"
"—is a Fatui Harbinger," Sigewinne finished with a nod. "And a dangerous one at that, as per Monsieur Neuvillette's orders for you to keep a close watch."
Her expression softened into a teasing smile. "But Monsieur Neuvillette also said that he's on very good terms with Lady Furina, didn't he? Anyone who can befriend someone as adorable as Lady Furina can't be all bad."
"..."
"If that's the head nurse's judgment, who am I to argue?" Wriothesley responded with a faint smile. Yet, Neuvillette's earlier warnings echoed in his mind:
Though Luo Qing appears laid-back and sociable, the power he conceals is equally unpredictable.
He may be here under the guise of a Sumeru envoy, but the strong presence of Her Majesty the Tsaritsa lingers on him.
Lady Furina's testimony alone has led to his incarceration, but his true purpose here remains unclear.
Were it not for Lady Furina's persistent pleas, I would never have allowed him to be sent to Meropide Fortress as a criminal. Keep an eye on him; we cannot afford any incidents.
Sumeru envoy, Fatui Harbinger, the Tsaritsa's aura...
Any one of those identities was enough to cause a headache, but Luo Qing managed to combine all three.
On top of that, if Neuvillette's words were accurate, Luo Qing had likely whispered sweet nothings to Furina, who had then pestered Neuvillette into allowing this farce of an imprisonment.
Trouble doesn't come uninvited, Wriothesley thought bitterly.
First Tartaglia disappears. Now Luo Qing, a "VIP inmate," is dropped into the fortress. Was this the prelude to chaos?
"I need to check on Lurvig and the others," Wriothesley said abruptly, standing up.
"Eh?" Sigewinne blinked, confused. "Why the sudden—"
"I'll just take a look around. Don't wait up for me," he replied with a polite smile, walking toward a wall panel. Pressing a hidden switch, a staircase emerged from the floor, spiraling down into the depths below.
---
The rest of the day passed in a blur as Luo Qing acclimated to Meropide Fortress's operations.
Prisoners were required to work only half a day in the morning to meet a set quota and earn essential ration coupons. Afternoons were surprisingly flexible—work or leisure, the choice was theirs.
Compared to Snezhnaya's infamous six-day work schedule with 9-to-9 hours, Meropide Fortress felt like a charity.
If word of this place ever reached the laborers in Snezhnaya, they'd think it was paradise.
Afternoon leisure time could also be used to work more, earning additional coupons. Entertainment facilities were sparse, so prisoners often resorted to chatting or flexing their boxing skills. Those without hobbies tended to opt for extra work to stockpile coupons, which could be exchanged for necessities or even a day off.
The humane system left Luo Qing, a staunch advocate of Snezhnayan austerity, a little teary-eyed.
Of course, with Sergei as his loyal subordinate, Luo Qing didn't need to lift a finger. The burly man had already earned a hefty stockpile of coupons through boxing matches and hard labor. Even if Luo Qing did nothing for a month, he'd be just fine.
After exploring the residential areas and chatting with Sigewinne, Luo Qing began his night with a familiar routine—scouting.
Meropide Fortress was vast, with a significant depth difference between its levels. Reaching the abandoned lower work zones required several elevator rides.
Unless Luo Qing decided to punch through the floors separating each level—a loud and destructive option—he had no choice but to rely on the fortress's brass-and-steel elevators. Unfortunately, their clunky operation made them ill-suited for stealth.
Looks like I'll need to work in the lower levels to gather intel.