By this time, a considerable crowd had gathered at the Pankration Ring, drawn by the spectacle. Among them were newly freed individuals who had completed their sentences, as well as prisoners still serving their terms.
Regardless of their personal feelings toward Furina, the Hydro Archon, all had unanimously spent their Credit Coupons to skip work and witness the event.
Even the Supervisors had come, as the Clockwork Meka Factory in the Fortress of Meropide had suspended production for the morning due to the prisoners' mass absence.
The reason for this massive turnout? Everyone wanted to witness Furina's true power firsthand.
Of course, Wriothesley had already deployed personnel to maintain order. To enhance the viewing experience for all of Fontaine, he had even granted Charlotte special permission to enter the Fortress of Meropide and serve as the host for the duel.
Charlotte stood excitedly on the platform, gazing at the bustling crowd. Immediately seizing the opportunity to showcase her talent, she captivated the audience's attention.
"Thank you for your patience, everyone!"
"I believe we all share the same anticipation, don't we?"
"That's right—today, we witness the battle the world has been waiting for!"
"This is the battle between our beloved Hydro Archon, Lady Furina, and Tartaglia, the Harbinger of the Fatui from Snezhnaya! We've gathered here not only for the unprecedented opportunity to witness Lady Furina's power firsthand but also to commend Tartaglia's courage as a mortal daring to challenge an Archon!"
"I'm sure you're all as eager as I am, so let's get straight to the main event!"
"Now, please welcome Tartaglia to the stage!"
As Charlotte's words rang out, a group of Fatui soldiers in prison garb marched into formation, forming two neat lines as they trotted forward.
When they reached their designated positions, they halted abruptly, pivoting inward with ramrod-straight posture.
"What's with the getup?" Tartaglia asked, scratching his head in confusion as he strode through the corridor formed by the soldiers.
"Lord Childe," one of the soldiers replied, his body remaining motionless as he explained, "With so many watching the live broadcast today—including viewers from other nations—we must make a grand entrance worthy of your status. We wouldn't want to embarrass you, Lord Childe!"
"Wearing prison uniforms doesn't exactly scream 'grand entrance,' does it?" Tartaglia quipped, his expression skeptical.
Tartaglia sighed, then continued, "Fine, do as you please. Just cheer me on during the fight later."
"Don't worry, Lord Childe, we're already prepared!"
The Fatui soldier from earlier straightened his expression and immediately pulled up his uniform. Following his lead, the nearest Fatui soldiers lifted their tunics as well, then the next, and so on. On their stomachs, each had a word written in colorful ink. When combined, they read:
Lord Childe, peerless under heaven! Foul Legacy's might surpasses even the Archons!
Tartaglia froze instantly, his slightly gaunt body trembling slightly from his time in the tower.
"Lord Childe, we're ready too!"
Hearing the commotion behind him, Tartaglia's face jolted with alarm. He whirled around, desperate to stop them.
"Stop! Stop! I get it, I understand your feelings!"
"But even so, the opponent is still an Archon. We need to keep a low profile. There's no need for you to show your... 'display' to anyone else!"
"And you lot! Hurry up and put your clothes back on! Haven't you noticed the audience has been laughing non-stop since you started?"
"Does Lord Childe want to hear the joke they're laughing at too?"
"Don't worry, leave it to me! I'll go ask them what that joke was about!"
"Get back here!"
Seeing the Fatui soldier actually about to approach the audience, Tartaglia immediately called him back.
"I don't want to hear any jokes!"
Tartaglia gazed at his subordinates with a complex expression, feeling utterly exhausted.
On the bright side, he thought, they're probably not spies sent by the other Fatui Harbingers. After all, no sane person would hire these idiots as subordinates.
"Ha ha ha! It seems Monsieur Tartaglia has prepared a warm-up act for us spectators! Quite innovative!"
"This performance will undoubtedly help shift the public's rigid perception of the Fatui. Monsieur Tartaglia is clearly a writer with immense potential!"
After Charlotte's explanation, the audience erupted in realization.
"So it was a performance! No wonder those Fatui soldiers looked so... dim-witted."
"That's what they call 'fitting in with the locals,' right? Monsieur Tartaglia has adapted to life in the Fortress of Meropide remarkably quickly!"
"Monsieur Tartaglia, that performance was great, but we're not satisfied yet! Give us another show!"
-
Hearing the raucous cheers of the audience, Tartaglia no longer knew what expression to wear.
Just destroy it already! Hurry up!
Once he obtained the Hydro Archon's Gnosis and thoroughly humiliated Arlecchino, that woman, he vowed never to return to Fontaine again.
Moreover, he hadn't been feeling quite himself these past few days. It was as if he'd been plagued by nightmares, constantly hearing someone calling his name.
"Alright, if there are no further performances, Monsieur Tartaglia, please proceed to the arena promptly. Let's not keep the audience waiting any longer."
Hearing Charlotte's words, Tartaglia gave his subordinates one last stern warning before departing.
"Stay put here quietly. No need to cheer me on or anything else—just watch the battle calmly!"
"Yes, Lord Childe!"
With his subordinates' reassurance, Tartaglia let out a slight sigh of relief and strode toward the battlefield.
"Monsieur Tartaglia has been competing in the Pankration Ring several times recently, maintaining a perfect win streak!"
"While Monsieur Tartaglia is undoubtedly formidable, I wonder how long his strength will last against Lady Furina, our Hydro Archon of Fontaine?"
"Now, let's welcome Lady Furina with thunderous applause and cheers!"
The cheers within the Fortress of Meropide weren't particularly loud, but across Fontaine, citizens watching the live broadcast erupted in wave after wave of jubilant roars. They had been eagerly awaiting this moment for so long.
Yet, to everyone's surprise, the figure who finally strode onto the Pankration Ring wasn't the Hydro Archon Furina, but an incomparably beautiful young woman.
This girl's appearance was utterly captivating, as if all the world's most alluring features had been concentrated into a single person. Even women who saw her for the first time couldn't help but stare in awe.
Before long, as the crowd regained their senses, the atmosphere grew chaotic. Many questioned the girl's presence.
"Who is she? Where's Lady Furina?"
"Why hasn't Lady Furina appeared yet? I haven't seen her for ages! If she doesn't show up soon, I'll die of longing!"
"She's so stunning! I'd give anything to marry a woman like that!"
"Get me every detail about this woman within a day!"
-
To the crowd's chatter, the young woman responded with a faint smile.
"Good morning, everyone."
"Allow me to briefly introduce myself. My name is Emily, and I serve as Lady Furina's temporary guard."
"I regret to inform you that after learning Monsieur Tartaglia lasted only a very short time against Monsieur Neuvillette, Lady Furina has lost interest in today's battle."
"Therefore, Lady Furina will not be making an appearance today."
As Emily finished speaking, the crowd erupted into murmurs once more. A flicker of disappointment appeared in many eyes, as they had once again missed the chance to witness the Hydro Archon Furina in action.
However, Furina was the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, and the vast majority dared not voice any complaints or objections. In the end, they could only vent their frustration on Tartaglia.
"By 'very short,' she means 0.36 seconds."
"0.36 seconds? I thought they said he lasted half a second last time?"
"They've updated the record. Someone was running a betting pool and timed it precisely."
"At that rate, I could do just as well!"
"Does this mean even I could become a Fatui Harbinger?"
"Not just that! If he'd lasted a little longer, he might not have been the Last-Ranked Harbinger!"
-
As Tartaglia listened to the surrounding criticism, his lips twitched, his inner frustration boiling.
If only Neuvillette had shown some honor and let me transform before the fight, I wouldn't have ended up with this humiliating chapter in my history!
"Everyone, please calm down," the girl said again in a soft voice, quickly drawing everyone's attention.
"Although Lady Furina has lost her desire to fight Monsieur Tartaglia, she remembers her promise to duel him. Therefore, she has decided to give Monsieur Tartaglia one last chance."
"As Lady Furina's temporary guard, I will take her place in the upcoming match."
"If Monsieur Tartaglia can defeat me, Lady Furina will grant him another opportunity to challenge her."
"Does Monsieur Tartaglia agree to this proposal?"
Sensing the girl's gaze, Tartaglia turned to her and asked directly, "Are you any good?"
"Since you claim to be the Hydro Archon's guard, you must be among the strongest, right?"
"I suppose I have some confidence in my abilities," the girl replied modestly.
Upon hearing the girl's reply, Tartaglia laughed.
"Excellent! I accept your proposal!"
"For me, all that matters is a strong opponent to fight!"
"After defeating you, my strength will improve once more. Then, I'll challenge the Hydro Archon Focalors herself!"
The girl simply nodded calmly in response to Tartaglia's words.
Meanwhile, the audience snapped out of their daze, their anticipation rekindled.
Though they wouldn't witness Lady Furina's personal intervention, a spectacular battle would still be a treat.
Besides, if Lady Furina were too powerful, the fight would be pointless—like Neuvillette, Tartaglia wouldn't last a second against her.
"This is truly dramatic!"
Charlotte finally spoke up again, resuming her role as host.
"Just as the audience was lamenting the absence of Lady Furina's intervention, Miss Emily has stepped forward to take her place in the battle against Monsieur Tartaglia!"
"Everyone, look forward to the battle ahead! From what I know, Miss Emily's strength ranks among the very best in the Fortress of Meropide. This fight promises to be absolutely thrilling—don't miss it!"