Suspended mid-air in an undignified pose by the golden stone pillars, Wriothesley scowled. The eight Geo constructs held his limbs securely, rendering him unable to leverage his strength. Even with the enhanced physique granted by his Vision, escape was futile.
"Well, Your Grace..." Luo Qing's lips curved into a sly smile as he approached.
Considering Wriothesley was technically one of Furina's subordinates, Luo Qing preferred not to escalate matters unless absolutely necessary.
"Care to enlighten me on how you guessed I'd come here?"
Wriothesley remained silent, his brows furrowing deeper. The humiliating position drained any desire to engage in conversation.
Noticing this, Luo Qing waved a hand.
The stone pillars dissolved into golden light, granting Wriothesley freedom.
"I have no intention of becoming your enemy, Duke Wriothesley. So, please, don't make things difficult for me."
Stretching his shoulders, Wriothesley scrutinized Luo Qing.
The ease with which Luo Qing had restrained him made it clear his power far surpassed Wriothesley's own. Yet the fact that he hadn't killed him suggested there was something Luo Qing wanted.
Or...
"Was it Orius?" Wriothesley asked calmly. "That guy came to me earlier, trying to exchange some intel for coupons. Claimed the person working next to him was a weirdo planning to sneak into the lower production zone."
"..." Luo Qing fell silent for a moment.
So, Orius wasn't entirely useless. No wonder we got along so well.
"Now it's my turn," Wriothesley said, his tone shifting. "Why are you here in the abandoned production zone at this hour?"
"Oh?" Luo Qing chuckled softly.
Still trying to interrogate me? Does he want to be pinned down by Geo pillars again?
"I'm not one for lengthy explanations." Luo Qing shook his head with a smile. "But it seems you know more than a little about what I'm after."
He took a step closer.
"So, Duke Wriothesley, I'll give you two choices. Work with me and tell me everything you know... or, I'll extract the information myself."
Wriothesley's frown deepened. He was alone with Luo Qing, and it was clear he was outmatched.
Stalling for time, he activated the icy energy within his mechanical gauntlets.
With a swift motion, he punched the walls, conjuring a solid ice barrier between them.
But just as the barrier formed, Wriothesley glimpsed something through the narrowing gap—Luo Qing's pupils narrowing into vertical slits, glowing faintly gold.
"What the..."
Before he could react, a sudden breeze brushed past him.
"Duke Wriothesley," came a voice from behind.
Spinning around, Wriothesley found Luo Qing standing just a few steps away, an amused smile on his face.
"It seems you've chosen the second option."
Without hesitation, Wriothesley swung his gauntlet in a powerful punch. He had intended to close the gap for a close-quarters attack, and now Luo Qing had walked right into his plan.
But the punch never landed. Luo Qing caught the gauntlet effortlessly, stopping the attack as if it were nothing.
"Not bad, Your Grace," Luo Qing said, his tone almost mocking.
"Now, listen. Put your fist down."
In an instant, Wriothesley's body froze. Against his will, his arm relaxed, lowering his gauntlet.
"What did you do to me?" Wriothesley demanded, his voice tight with frustration.
"Oh?" Luo Qing chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. "Seems like Neuvillette didn't tell you everything about my... other identity."
Wriothesley fell silent. He knew Luo Qing was the Fatui Harbinger known as the Trickster, but he was unaware of the specifics of his abilities.
"No matter," Luo Qing said with a shrug. "Now, Your Grace, tell me what's locked away in that head of yours."
---
Later: Fountain of Lucine, Palais Mermonia
Several days had passed since Luo Qing's imprisonment in Meropide Fortress, but Furina felt restless.
She flopped onto her large, plush bed, her boredom palpable. Everything seemed dull without Luo Qing's antics.
Admittedly, being around Luo Qing was oddly freeing. She didn't have to maintain the dignified image of a Hydro Archon or pretend to be some genius deity.
Apart from Luo Qing's occasional teasing—pinching her cheeks and scolding her—it was enjoyable.
Even his scolding is cathartic... better than keeping up appearances for everyone else.
But now, with Luo Qing spending nearly a week in the fortress, her life had reverted to its monotonous routine. The world felt unbearably dull without him.
Lounging on her bed, Furina idly kicked at a pillow embroidered with Luo Qing's name. Over time, she had added a crude caricature of his face to the design. Her feet landed squarely on the "face" with every kick.
Every so often, her gaze drifted to the window. Will that idiot sneak in and surprise me again... or scare me senseless?
But as the night wore on, Luo Qing didn't show.
"That guy..." Furina muttered, stretching and yawning.
"Said he was going to jail, and now he's really not coming back."
She frowned, flicking at her Void Terminal. "Not even a message. Playing the cold and aloof type, huh?"
Just as she was settling back under her blankets, the door creaked open.
"Luo Qing—!" She shot upright, excitement flashing in her eyes.
But it wasn't Luo Qing.
Neuvillette stood in the doorway, his expression as impassive as ever.
Furina's excitement quickly turned into awkwardness.
"Ahem... what are you doing here?" she asked, trying to sound composed.
"I've already arranged for the Traveler to investigate Tartaglia's disappearance in Meropide Fortress," Neuvillette said evenly. "They'll depart once the paperwork is finalized."
He paused, his sharp gaze catching the "Luo" she had nearly shouted. This wasn't the first time she had slipped.
"Oh," Furina said, sinking back under her covers. "Well, you handle that. I fully support you!"
Neuvillette remained silent, his thoughts unspoken.
You didn't listen when I told you to keep your distance from Luo Qing.
You even gave him your worn stockings.
Why didn't you just hand yourself over to him while you were at it?!