Tartaglia felt like he had been lost in an endless dream.
He dreamed of his master and of a massive whale.
The feeling that something was calling to him grew stronger, so intense that Tartaglia was certain it wasn't a delusion.
Waking from the dream, Tartaglia opened his eyes to find his Hydro Elemental Power restless, teetering on the brink of spiraling out of control.
"Monsieur Tartaglia, you're awake?"
Sigewinne leaned close to Tartaglia, her expression grave.
"Monsieur Tartaglia," she began in a deeply serious tone, "while you were unconscious, I conducted a preliminary examination of your body and discovered a critical issue."
"The Delusion has corrupted your body far too severely. As the head nurse, I strongly urge you to refrain from using its power in the future."
"If you continue this path, your body will inevitably collapse one day."
"Moreover, the Delusion appears to be eroding your mental fortitude as well. I believe you've experienced this firsthand, Monsieur Tartaglia?"
"Thank you for your concern, Miss Sigewinne, but this power is something I cannot yet relinquish," Tartaglia replied, struggling to suppress his surging Hydro Elemental Power.
"However, I will heed your advice and minimize my use of the Delusion's power for the time being."
In truth, Tartaglia didn't need the reminder. The backlash from three consecutive failed transformations had already made him acutely aware of the immense strain on his body.
If it wasn't absolutely necessary, he'd better not use too much power for the time being.
Because of his penchant for challenging strong opponents, Tartaglia was often injured and had plenty of experience in recovering quickly.
"Very well, Monsieur Tartaglia, please continue resting in bed for a while. I'll prescribe some medication to help you recover faster."
Hearing Tartaglia's words, Sigewinne didn't press the matter further. She hadn't expected her persuasion to be effective anyway.
Though she lacked detailed knowledge, Sigewinne had heard some stories about the Fatui Harbingers.
"Wait a moment, Miss Sigewinne," Tartaglia called out, stopping her. "What about my subordinates?"
"They're also resting in bed, still unconscious. It seems they haven't woken up yet."
"I wonder who struck them so severely."
Hearing Sigewinne's puzzlement, Tartaglia scratched his head awkwardly.
"Their bodies... should be fine, right?"
"They're not seriously injured. The attacker avoided vital areas, merely knocking them unconscious."
"Strange. Wasn't today supposed to be your battle against Lady Furina, the Hydro Archon? How did they end up collapsed too?" Sigewinne asked, her curiosity piqued as she glanced at Tartaglia.
"You didn't ask them to block Lady Furina's movements, did you?"
"Um... it's a complicated story, Miss Sigewinne probably wouldn't want to hear it."
"I very much do want to hear it!"
"No, you don't!" Tartaglia refused without hesitation.
"Then I'll just watch the recording."
"Wait, don't!" Tartaglia called out frantically as Sigewinne turned to leave. "Miss Sigewinne, please don't watch it! You'll regret it!"
"You're just worried about me seeing you lose so badly, aren't you?"
"Don't worry, as head nurse, I've received professional training. No matter what I see, I usually won't laugh unless I really can't help it."
Tartaglia sighed in exasperation. He couldn't imagine how that scene would look through a Melusine's eyes, and after a moment's thought, he decided it would be better to just explain it himself.
Tartaglia briefly recounted the events that had transpired. To his utter surprise, Sigewinne's face showed neither fear nor disgust; instead, she grew even more excited!
"A battle between Monsieur Tartaglia and Miss Emily!"
"It seems I absolutely must watch this recording!"
Although Wriothesley hadn't told her anything directly, Sigewinne's keen observation skills had revealed his unusual focus on the young woman recently. Combined with the series of incidents surrounding Wriothesley, even someone as oblivious as Sigewinne could sense some entanglement between him and the girl.
A recording of the girl's fight with Tartaglia offered a perfect opportunity to learn more about her.
Tartaglia shook his head in exasperation. He had only offered his well-intentioned advice because Sigewinne had taken such good care of them. If she refused to listen, there was nothing more he could do.
"If there's nothing else, Monsieur Tartaglia, please get some rest."
With those words, Sigewinne hurried off to find the recording and watch it immediately.
Lying in his hospital bed, Tartaglia stared at the ceiling, his mind replaying the details of the recent battle.
That opponent was truly formidable.
Moreover, despite possessing such immense power, their martial arts repertoire was astonishingly diverse and eclectic. During the fight, they employed several distinct styles that clearly didn't belong to a single system.
They even dabbled in formation arts. How did they train? Even if they had been training since birth, mastering so many disciplines seems impossible.
It seems my time in the Fortress of Meropide won't be dull after all.
Wait, shouldn't I be planning my escape right now?
My purpose in coming to Fontaine was to seize the Hydro Archon's Gnosis. How can I let myself stagnate here?
I'll give myself a week. In the final week of my vacation, I'll break out, then execute my plan to steal the Hydro Archon's Gnosis.
Hold on... maybe five days would be enough. Five days should be sufficient.
No, three days. This is all-or-nothing. Either I succeed with a single strike, or I fail completely. Regardless of the outcome, I'll leave Fontaine immediately and never return...
-
Soon after finalizing his flawless plan to seize the Gnosis, Tartaglia began pondering the mysterious summons he had heard during his unconsciousness.
He removed his Vision and examined it closely.
Despite not intending to use it, the Vision flickered with a dark, enigmatic light.
The summons had clearly exerted a profound influence on him. He needed to understand its source.
As he considered this, Tartaglia suddenly heard footsteps approaching from afar and swiftly concealed the Vision in his palm.
"Monsieur Tartaglia, how are you feeling? You haven't sustained any serious injuries, have you?"
To Tartaglia's surprise, the young woman he had fought earlier stood before him.
She wasn't alone; Charlotte, Furina, and a few curious onlookers were also present. However, Tartaglia paid them no mind.
After their battle, Tartaglia had developed an intense fascination with the young woman, even temporarily setting aside his challenge to Furina.
In fact, the reason Tartaglia's escape had been repeatedly delayed was precisely because of this girl.
He wanted to fight the young woman again!
"Don't worry, Miss Emily. These are just minor injuries—nothing to me. I'm used to it."
"To be honest, this is much better than when I used to spar with my master."
"She could beat me half to death with just one hand."
Tartaglia chuckled, even managing to crack a joke.
But his past memories weren't exactly pleasant. With such a vast difference in skill, he had never been able to truly enjoy the thrill of battle.
"Speaking of which, Miss Emily, are you interested in joining the Fatui?"
"We offer standard 9-to-5 workdays, weekends off, quintuple pay on holidays, and a month of paid vacation each year."
"Plus, with your skills, you'd immediately become a Harbinger. You'd have complete freedom of action, and the Northland Bank would cover all your operational expenses."
Hearing Tartaglia's offer, Furina immediately stepped forward to block Emily.
"Monsieur Tartaglia, you're being far too brazen, trying to poach my people right in front of an Archon!"
Not only Furina, but everyone else's expressions turned peculiar upon hearing Tartaglia's offer.
Furina pulled Emily closer and continued, "Emily would never join your Fatui as a Harbinger."
The girl smiled and turned to Tartaglia. "I'm sorry, Monsieur Tartaglia. I find Fontaine quite lovely and interesting. I have no intention of defecting to another nation."
"Alright, then forget I said anything," Tartaglia conceded, realizing his blatant attempt to recruit her was inappropriate. "Next time, we'll have a rematch. I won't lose this time!"
The girl nodded lightly, then shifted her gaze to Charlotte.
Seizing her chance to finally speak, Charlotte stepped forward and asked, "Monsieur Tartaglia, you remember me, right? I was the Host who presided over your duel with Miss Emily. My name is Charlotte. I need your assistance with something. Would you be willing to help?"
"Please, speak freely, Miss Charlotte," Tartaglia replied.
Charlotte immediately began explaining the recent homicide case to Tartaglia.
Hearing about these events that had transpired while he was unconscious left Tartaglia stunned.
These Fontainians are truly pure and honest folk!
"We need Monsieur Tartaglia to examine the crime scene and analyze the combat traces left behind to determine the murderer's precise strength."
"Hmph, is it truly necessary to waste time on such a pointless endeavor?"
"The answer is obvious! The murderer is clearly the Hydro Archon Furina! No matter how many tricks you employ, you can't change the fact that you killed those people!"
Tartaglia was even more bewildered after hearing the man's words from the crowd not far behind Charlotte.
Wait, are you Fontainians all a bit crazy? How can mortals speak to an Archon like that?!
It's just a dozen lives. Even if it was the Hydro Archon's doing, who are you, a mere mortal, to jump up and accuse her? And why is everyone else just watching like it's entertainment, as if they're eagerly anticipating the next act?!
Moreover, when facing such accusations, Furina, the Hydro Archon, showed not a trace of anger. Is she even truly the Hydro Archon?!
Tartaglia shook his head, feeling he truly understood Fontaine less and less. It was all too abstract.
The only thing Tartaglia was certain of was that after he finished his business and left Fontaine, he would never return.
Finally, Tartaglia agreed to Charlotte's request. Charlotte immediately thanked him profusely, her joy evident.
"Wonderful! Then we'll visit you again when you're feeling better, Monsieur Tartaglia!"
"We won't disturb your rest any longer."
"Nonsense! I'm almost fully recovered. Let's go now."
As Tartaglia spoke, he flipped himself off the bed and stood firmly on the ground.
Charlotte wanted to urge him not to push himself too hard, but Tartaglia strode directly toward the infirmary door.
In the end, the group followed Tartaglia back to the crime scene.
When Tartaglia saw the dent in the wall, an excited grin spread across his face.
"Impressive! I never expected someone with such immense power to exist within the Fortress of Meropide."
"This level of destructive force far exceeds what ordinary humans could achieve. Even I would need to rely on the power of my Delusion to replicate such a feat."
"And considering the assailant held back against a crowd of ordinary people, their true strength likely approaches or even surpasses the threshold of an Archon."
"It's confirmed! The murderer is none other than the Hydro Archon Furina!"
"If anyone else possessed such overwhelming power, we would have heard rumors of them long ago. The only logical conclusion is that the Hydro Archon Furina committed these acts!"
After hearing Tartaglia's explanation, the man renewed his accusations against Furina, this time pushing even Tartaglia's patience to its limit.
"Hey, Mr," Tartaglia snapped, "I hardly think this has anything to do with the Hydro Archon."
"The Archons possess immeasurable power. If the Hydro Archon had acted, this entire place would have been utterly destroyed!"
"Enough! You're not even from Fontaine. Stop meddling in our affairs and get out of the way!"
The man's words sent Tartaglia's anger meter soaring. Just moments ago, he had been asked to help investigate the scene, and now he was being told to leave.
What does he take me for? Some yellow-haired errand boy to be summoned and dismissed at will?
"Wait, I remember now!" a woman in the crowd suddenly exclaimed. "Before the duel started, I saw Lady Furina heading toward the crime scene!"
This testimony immediately turned the tide against Furina, making her situation even more precarious.
"Lady Furina," the Overseer, who had been guarding the crime scene, approached, his expression grave. "Is what this woman says true?"
Furina opened her mouth, but ultimately couldn't find the words to speak.