"Did the Duke summon me?"
The two guards escorted the young woman to the entrance and left her to ascend alone.
"Indeed, I have matters to discuss with you."
The moment Wriothesley saw the young woman appear, he gestured sharply, and dozens of heavily armed Gardemeks swarmed to surround her.
Wriothesley had anticipated resistance, but the woman merely stood calmly in place, a faint smile playing on her lips as she maintained her gaze on him.
"The Duke's welcome ceremony is a bit excessive, don't you think?"
"Enough! I won't waste my time with you," Wriothesley interrupted with a wave of his hand. "You may have infiltrated my inner circle, but at least you can't control the Gardemeks, who operate strictly according to their programming, right?"
"Miss Emily, I advise you not to make any sudden moves."
"If you underestimate these Gardemeks and mistake them for the ordinary models you're used to, don't say I didn't warn you."
"Their weapons have been significantly upgraded recently. Move carelessly, and you risk serious injury."
As he spoke, Wriothesley slowly rose from his seat, tightening his grip on his gauntlets. His sharp gaze remained fixed on Emily's every move, intending to exert maximum psychological pressure.
"Heh, Duke, there's really no need for such a grand display. It's just a conversation, isn't it? You could have just told me directly."
"If I can help you, Duke, I'll certainly do my best."
"You're too dangerous. I wouldn't dare handle you so casually."
Wriothesley stood before the girl, outwardly projecting an air of complete control, but inwardly wary of her.
"Now, Miss Emily, please explain the murder that occurred today."
"Didn't I already give the guards at the scene a full account?"
"Didn't the guards report the situation to you, Duke?"
Observing the girl's unnervingly calm expression, Wriothesley felt a flicker of annoyance.
"Miss Emily, you know that's not the answer I'm looking for."
"And I advise you to think carefully before you speak. I can't guarantee I'll remain this composed when we speak again."
As he spoke, an icy, bone-chilling aura emanated from Wriothesley. A faint cyan barrier shimmered around the girl, completely blocking the frigid energy.
"From what the Duke is implying, it seems he suspects me of being involved in this matter?"
Wriothesley chuckled, irritated by the girl's feigned ignorance. His pent-up frustration finally erupted, and he raised his fist to strike her. But just then, a commotion erupted from below, and a guard soon appeared in the stairwell.
"So, you're one of her people too."
Seeing this, Wriothesley's anger intensified.
Recognizing that the girl wouldn't be easy to handle, he decided to eliminate this newcomer first, throwing a punch directly at him.
The guard's face drained of color as he saw the fist hurtling toward him. He stammered desperately, "Your Grace, I'm not! I came here with an urgent matter to report!"
Wriothesley's fist stopped a mere three inches from the guard's face. The cold wind rushing past and the sheer terror of the moment left the guard trembling violently, nearly wetting himself.
"I'm not a traitor!" the guard pleaded. "Your Grace, please believe me!"
"Didn't I tell you earlier to wait outside no matter what happens?"
Wriothesley remained frozen mid-punch, his gaze fixed on the girl as he demanded an explanation.
"But Duke, this matter is of utmost importance!"
"You told me yourself that if anything happened to the door below, I should notify you immediately, no matter the time!"
"Now someone has opened that place, and we don't know who it is!"
"Since you declared it a Forbidden Zone where no one else is allowed to enter, I didn't dare investigate myself."
Upon hearing this, Wriothesley's pupils constricted sharply. He fixed the girl with a terrifying gaze, his aura surging once more.
"I believe I warned you before, Miss Emily."
"There are certain things you should never touch!"
"It seems you completely disregarded my well-intentioned warning."
Miss Emily chuckled softly.
"Duke, this isn't fair. I'm completely innocent."
"Besides, do you have any proof that I'm responsible for this?"
"It seems you still don't understand me, Miss Emily."
After hearing the girl's words, Wriothesley smirked mockingly as he approached her.
"In the Fortress of Meropide, my word is the law!"
"Therefore, I need no evidence against you."
"Confess everything honestly now, and it won't be too late. Otherwise, I can't guarantee you'll leave this place standing today."
Hearing Wriothesley's threat, the girl merely smiled at him.
"Duke, you're quite the tyrant," she remarked.
"But this domineering style suits you perfectly."
"Still, aren't you worried about the situation in the Forbidden Zone?"
"Or are you completely confident in its defenses?"
Wriothesley paused, momentarily caught in hesitation.
He had initially believed the Forbidden Zone's fortifications would be difficult to breach without heavy weaponry. But the girl's words now sparked a flicker of doubt.
In the end, Wriothesley decided to investigate the situation himself. Of course, he had no intention of letting the girl go.
"Come with me quietly now. No tricks."
"Otherwise, the Gardemek's weapons will riddle you with holes in an instant."
"With so many people on your side, Duke, and only myself alone, I certainly wouldn't do anything that could be misinterpreted."
Wriothesley felt deeply annoyed by the girl's words.
Despite his apparent advantage in numbers, the initiative had remained firmly in her hands since the incident in the Forbidden Zone.
He should have acted sooner. This woman was proving far too troublesome.
Even if it meant facing significant repercussions, it would have been better than this utterly passive situation.
Wriothesley waved his hand, and two Gardemek immediately stepped forward to seize the girl. She offered no resistance whatsoever, even allowing the Gardemek to confiscate her Anemo Vision.
Seeing her Vision gone, Wriothesley felt a slight sense of relief, though a lingering doubt remained. Capturing her had been far too easy.
Given the urgency of the situation in the Forbidden Zone, Wriothesley didn't dwell on it. He immediately led the Gardemek toward the Forbidden Zone beneath the Duke's Office.
As Wriothesley stepped out of the Elevator, his gaze fell upon the intact door before him, and a sudden wave of intense unease washed over him.
The next moment, Wriothesley's unease was confirmed.
Nearly a hundred Gardemeks suddenly materialized on the previously empty floor. With synchronized movements, they deactivated their camouflage projections, while others shed their invisibility.
These capabilities were part of the recent weapon and equipment upgrades Wriothesley had mentioned earlier.
As they materialized before him, their various weapons locked on to Wriothesley.
"Miss Emily, please have some tea!"
Hearing the commotion, Wriothesley turned to see the guard from before, his face radiating obsequious politeness as he poured black tea into a cup and presented it to Miss Emily.
The Gardemeks flanking her stood respectfully at her sides, like two loyal bodyguards. Somehow, the Anemo Vision had returned to her.
Sensing Wriothesley's gaze, Miss Emily smiled at him and asked, "Duke, would you like a cup of black tea? I remember you enjoy tea very much, and you haven't been able to enjoy it properly lately."
"I never expected you'd extend your reach to the Gardemeks. It seems I underestimated you after all!"
Even Wriothesley felt a chill run down his spine at the sight before him.
Gardemeks do not experience recovery of past memories; they act solely according to their programmed directives. Their betrayal meant that a traitor had infiltrated the core leadership responsible for this area.
These were individuals who had silently dedicated decades of their lives to Fontaine. Wriothesley truly didn't know whom he could suspect.
Compared to this revelation, even the confirmation that the guard was a traitor was not enough to stir any emotion in him.
"So, from the very beginning, I walked right into your carefully laid trap."
At last, Wriothesley understood why the young woman had maintained her composure and detachment throughout.
"Well, what else could I do? You were being so overbearing, Duke."
"Actually, I still believe in resolving issues through peaceful dialogue."
"You call this peaceful resolution? Planting spies around me and even adding salt to my black tea?"
Wriothesley didn't believe a single word the girl said.
Especially since she had robbed him of his leisurely tea time—a transgression that could never be forgiven!
"Very well," Wriothesley suddenly chuckled, flexing his arms. "At least this way I don't have to worry about collateral damage. Everyone here is my enemy!"
"Purge initiated!"
Wriothesley had no intention of wasting any more words on the girl. Even though countless weapons were locked onto him, he attacked without hesitation.
He slammed his fist into the ground, summoning a towering wall of ice that intercepted the converging attacks.
Seizing the momentary opening, Wriothesley charged toward the nearest Gardemek and began tearing it apart with his bare hands.
This dire situation only fueled Wriothesley's battle spirit, unleashing a combat prowess far surpassing his usual ferocity.
However, even with his enhanced strength, Wriothesley struggled to withstand the relentless waves of Gardemeks, who were equipped with updated weaponry and reinforced by a continuous stream of reinforcements.
That's right, the Gardemek were still being transported here in waves via the Elevators.
Seeing this, Wriothesley dared not dwell on it further, instead focusing all his energy on the current battle.
Even a moment's thought about anything unrelated to the fight would drastically impair his combat readiness.
Although the Gardemek were numerous and their weapons posed a threat, Wriothesley's strength far surpassed theirs. He soon descended into a killing frenzy.
Even now, the girl showed no inclination to join the fray. After observing for a while, she casually departed.
Wriothesley wanted to stop her, but he was immediately surrounded by wave after wave of Gardemek, leaving him no choice but to deal with the immediate threat and watch helplessly as she slipped away.
The girl soon returned to her dormitory, but Furina was nowhere to be seen.
After standing motionless for a moment, the girl immediately left the room and navigated the labyrinthine network of pipes.
She hadn't gone far when she heard a considerable commotion ahead, prompting her to quicken her pace.
"You murderer! Why do you dare to act but not admit your crime?!"
"What wrong did my elder brother commit to deserve such a cruel death at your hands?"
"If you treat executions as mere amusement, then execute me too!"
"No, that's not true! I'm not the murderer!"
Compared to the barrage of accusations and condemnations, Furina's defense sounded pale and feeble.
Yet even this didn't deter her accuser, who continued to press relentlessly.
"Why are you still here?"
"Did you come to destroy the evidence you left behind?"
"Does being an Archon give you the right to do whatever you please?"
"Does it mean you can so easily disregard the lives of ordinary people?"
"Or do you believe the punishments meted out by the Fortress of Meropide are insufficient to atone for our sins?"
"Then strike me down! Like my brother, I too have committed an unforgivable crime. Kill me as well!"
Faced with this relentless questioning, Furina instinctively retreated a step, then forced herself to stay as she felt the strange gazes of the crowd closing in.
"I've already told you, this matter has nothing to do with me. I'm here only to confirm the latest investigation results with the guards."
"You're jumping to conclusions when the investigation hasn't even concluded. Can't you wait for the full truth to come to light?"
"What's the point of further investigation? We've already seen the crime scene photos. That level of Hydro Element attack—only the Fatui Harbinger or you could pull it off."
"With such obvious evidence right in front of you, how can you, as an Archon, refuse to acknowledge it?!"
Hearing this, the onlookers nodded in agreement. Their thoughts were nearly unanimous: within the Fortress of Meropide, the only individuals capable of causing such widespread destruction were Tartaglia and Furina, the Hydro Archon.
Having harbored ill will toward Furina from the start, they completely dismissed her explanations.
As the gazes around her grew increasingly cold, Furina felt a crushing weight in her chest.
"You must believe me! I am the Hydro Archon Focalors. If those deaths were related to me, I would never shirk responsibility..."
Just then, Furina suddenly felt someone grasp her hand. Startled at first, she quickly recognized the familiar touch and gripped back. Turning her head, she saw the young woman, Emily, offering her a reassuring smile.
"Emily!"
Furina nearly threw herself into the girl's arms and burst into tears, but with so many people around, she hastily suppressed the impulse.
Emily nodded to Furina, then stepped forward, positioning herself between Furina and the crowd.
"Everyone, please calm down. As Lady Furina said, the final investigation results haven't been released yet. Everything still needs to be verified."
"Though the evidence currently points against Lady Furina, as someone who has been by her side day and night these past months, I firmly believe she would never commit such acts."
"Please, for my sake, for the sake of the Mutual Aid Network, return home and await further news."
"We must trust that the Duke will ultimately deliver justice."
Hearing the young woman's words, many immediately began to waver, considering retreating.
The Mutual Aid Network had an excellent reputation within the Fortress of Meropide, having assisted countless individuals. Moreover, the young woman serving as President was so perfect that her words carried considerable weight.
"Miss Emily, having spent so much time with the Hydro Archon, you've already betrayed us, haven't you?"
"Let me guess—did the Hydro Archon promise to take you with her when she leaves the Fortress of Meropide?"
Upon hearing the man's words, the expression on Furina's face instantly froze.
"See? Just as I suspected!"
Noticing Furina's reaction, the man immediately erupted into mocking laughter.
"So, everyone, don't be fooled by her honeyed words! She's no longer the President of the Mutual Aid Network we once knew!"
"Having accepted the Hydro Archon's promise, she's already chosen to betray us and side with the Hydro Archon!"
"No, that's not true! You don't understand how much Emily has sacrificed for this place!"
Hearing the man's words, Furina immediately grew agitated, vehemently protesting.
"Emily isn't the kind of person you're describing!"
"Look at them! They're already covering for each other! They're completely in cahoots!"
"You—!"
Furina, furious, was about to retort further when the girl stopped her.
"Lady Furina, it's alright. Leave it to me."
Seeing the girl's calm smile, Furina realized she hadn't been shaken by the man's earlier words and nodded slightly, regaining her composure.
"Monsieur, please explain yourself. Why would over a dozen people gather in that secluded corner at this hour? I hardly imagine they were throwing a party, were they?"
The girl swiftly turned the tables, firing questions back at the man.
"You should know that since the Fortress of Meropide was established, only cleaners occasionally sweep that area. So, do you know what they were planning to do there?"
Faced with the girl's pointed inquiry, the man fell silent, unable to answer.
Just then, Charlotte came running from afar. She looked slightly surprised to see Furina and the young woman, then quickly picked up her pace and hurried over.
"Lady Furina, Miss Emily, I heard Monsieur Tartaglia has regained consciousness."
"As a powerful Hydro Element user, Monsieur Tartaglia might have noticed some new clues. Would you like to come with me?"