Lumine chased after Tartaglia with her sword for over a dozen pipelines before finally meeting him at the designated location and giving him a proper beating to vent some of her frustration.
Although he got beaten up again, Tartaglia was actually quite happy. After all, fighting strong opponents was a great way to hone his skills—especially when said opponent had no intent to kill him.
Lumine, as a traveler who had journeyed through many worlds across the stars, was highly skilled in combat.
So, let's say it again: Tartaglia definitely does NOT have a masochistic tendency.
"Yo, comrade! It's a brand-new day! Keep up the good work!"
The next day, Tartaglia showed up at the worksite, lively as ever, right on time.
He had single-handedly turned what was supposed to be a work simulation into a training simulation.
Lumine held her head, already resigned to reality.
According to their latest investigation, there were many strange rumors circulating within the Fortress of Meropide.
For a place as vast as Meropide, it was strange how little people actually knew about it.
Their plan now was to gather intel—learning about these rumors while also uncovering the truth behind the Fortress itself.
Three days of work, nonstop!
Today marked Tartaglia's third day of dedicated labor.
It was also Lumine's second day of diligent work.
And Paimon's second day of cheering them on while also sleeping in.
Come on, did you really expect Wriothesley to exploit child labor here?
Besides, with Paimon's size and combat ability, there was no way she could keep up with normal workers at the parts factory.
So, Wriothesley promptly tossed her into the infirmary to help the head nurse by handing over supplies when patients arrived.
It was such a simple task that Paimon had no excuse not to manage it.
That said, the head nurse did end up saying some things that left Paimon utterly shocked.
For example, in the comment sections of Fontaine's historical gossip forums, the Duke Wriothesley's "divine posterior" was officially ranked as number one.
The reason?
A certain Fontaine citizen, who went by the alias "Pure White Lily," had read the author's descriptions of the Hydro Archon's physique in the gossip records.
She strongly believed that Neuvillette's body was the most perfect of all!
Pure White Lily: "Bah! Fontaine's gossip records? How could they possibly capture the exquisite grace of Lord Neuvillette's physique? Even when covered by his coat, it remains the most marvelous body in all of Teyvat!"
As a result, she was immediately reported by fans and die-hard solo stans of both figures, and subsequently sent to Meropide.
The reason?
Slandering the Chief Justice with obscene remarks and spreading inappropriate rumors.
No one knew how Pure White Lily was faring in the Fortress.
However, based on Themis' observations of Neuvillette over the past few days, he had started covering himself up even more tightly.
Meanwhile, Pure White Lily kept demanding that Palais Mermonia investigate the author of Fontaine's gossip records and have them imprisoned under the same charges.
Fontainians: "Who dares touch our spiritual sustenance?! This is our emotional lifeline!"
"Do you know how comforting it is to read Fontaine's gossip records after a long, exhausting day?!"
"Traitor! We won't forget your name, Pure White Lily!"
Thanks to the dedicated efforts of Pure Fountain Narcissus, the head of Themis' solo stans, and Rainbow Rose, the leader of Furina's solo stans—
Fontaine's gossip records, though still retaining their name, had officially been reclassified as romance novels.
Pure Fountain Narcissus & Rainbow Rose: "Unlike Pure White Lily, we are rational and law-abiding solo stans!"
To be honest, Palais Mermonia had little interest in investigating this matter.
After all, the records had been serialized for 500 years now, and their author was highly likely to be their superior himself.
Shutting it down? Forget it.
What, were they tired of being civil servants?
Or had they suddenly stopped fearing that one particular person, who had nearly thrown both the judges and the entire audience into the Fortress of Meropide all by himself?
(Players who later did a quest in the Fortress of Meropide and learned the full story: "Fontainians… you guys are seriously weird.")
-
While Tartaglia and Lumine were still working—happily yet exasperated—inside the Fortress of Meropide, another Fatui Harbinger had returned to Fontaine.
Arlecchino, the Knave, had come back to her homeland—now thoroughly marinated in shipping culture.
Her first priority was checking on her children.
After that, she went to confirm Fontaine's latest status with Lyney.
The Hydro Archon and the Regent's relationship remained solid.
Arlecchino nodded—same as always. Good.
The golden-haired Traveler and her floating companion had arrived in Fontaine and established friendly relations.
Not bad.
The Regent, Themis, saw through their plan to investigate the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, but did not pursue the matter.
That was a relief.
Arlecchino didn't even want to imagine a scenario where Fontaine suddenly declared hostility against Snezhnaya the next day, with the entire nation acting as surveillance cameras.
(Don't ask. Just know that the Fontainians had an inexplicable level of confidence in Themis.)
Next, the case of the missing girls had been solved, and for the first time in 500 years, the Oratrice had pronounced the death penalty.
Oh.
Committing a crime that serious—if it wasn't a death sentence, that would have been the strange part.
Finally, Tartaglia had been arrested for engaging in a street brawl and sent to the Fortress of Meropide, where he was currently working diligently.
Arlecchino took a deep breath, barely holding it together.
"Does he feel no shame at all?!"
A Fatui Harbinger—arrested in Fontaine.
And not only that—he was happily working, taking his labor more seriously than his actual assignments.
What was the message here?
That Snezhnaya's missions were less important than refining machine parts?
That he was better suited to be a factory worker than a Harbinger?!
Her years of training kept her from losing composure, but the tight furrow of her brows made it clear—she was not in a good mood.
Lyney, Lynette, and Freminet exchanged cautious glances before silently backing off.
They didn't breathe easy until their Father returned to her usual demeanor and dismissed them to rest.
"The Fontaine prophecy crisis… Hah, still no leads."
Arlecchino felt nothing but frustration.
In Fontaine, no one seemed to truly care about the impending prophecy crisis.
Ironically, the one most concerned about it was her—a Fontainian who had been living in Snezhnaya.
Doubts about the Hydro Archon, the prophecy, and the Original Sin…
A tangled mess of mysteries lay before her, an intricate knot with no clear way to unravel it.
She knew one thing for certain—Furina and Themis held all the answers.
No one knew exactly when it started, but the Hydro Archon and the Regent were always together.
No one even knew where the Regent had come from.
All they knew was that after Furina ascended as the Hydro Archon, Themis had suddenly appeared by her side—and had stayed there ever since.
"No… I need to test them."
Arlecchino made up her mind.
"Tonight. Before it's too late!"
She had confidence in her own abilities.
She believed she could uncover something from Themis and Furina.
As the night deepened, Palais Mermonia remained alight—filled with work.
Outside the window, Furina spotted an adorable cat.
Arlecchino sat on a bench nearby, watching as Furina took Themis by the hand and led her outside.
The two most powerful figures in Fontaine… ended up chasing a stray cat down half a street.
Seeing them crouch down, their backs facing her—
Arlecchino knew this was the perfect opportunity.
She couldn't not take it.
So, she lunged.
Furina: !?
Themis: ?
-
The next morning.
Yawning and stretching, Tartaglia prepared to continue his investigations before work started.
But within the Fortress of Meropide, he caught a glimpse of someone familiar.
After confirming it wasn't his exhaustion playing tricks on him, he completely forgot to lower his hand mid-yawn, utterly stunned.
That black-and-white short hair.
Those red, cross-marked eyes.
The moment she looked his way, Tartaglia waved enthusiastically.
"Yo! What a coincidence, Arlecchino—you got in trouble too?!"
Arlecchino, looking rather displeased, turned her head away.
Previously: "Does he feel no shame at all?"
Now: "Are you kidding me? If a Harbinger does something, there must be a deeper meaning!"
She understood now.
She finally understood.
The Regent, Themis, was the true Hydro Archon.
The entire nation of Fontaine had been deceived.
Furina? Hah. Just the Archon's beloved.