Chapter 1 - The missing melusine

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Wriothesley's POV

 "Sigewinne! Sigewinne, where are you?"

 I wandered through Sigewinne's usual sports only to find nothing.

 Just where in Teyvat could she have gone?

 Having searched through most of the fortress, I was going to go back to my office when I caught sight of a small figure.

 "Amandine!" I called out to the melusine, drawing her attention.

 "Ah, Duke Wriothesley. Is there anything I can help you with?"

 Amandine was Sigewinne's... assistant. If anyone, she would surely know where she went.

 "Have you seen Sigewinne?"

 My question was rewarded with an extremely confused look.

 "She is on leave, sir."

 "On leave? Did she perhaps forget to mention it to me?"

 But that isn't like her. No, in the first place, it isn't like Sigewinne to take a leave.

 "She may not have informed you, Duke, but I have."

 "Excuse me?"

 "Two days ago. Around eight in the evening."

 Huh?

 Now that I think about it, I might have some faint recollection of seeing Amandine...

 Sigh...

 That damn paperwork!

 I'm always so out of it when I'm busy with those.

 "How long will she be gone?" I asked eventually.

 "She should be returning tomorrow." Amandine answered.

 Well, that isn't too bad.

 My things can wait till tomorrow.

 Thanking Amandine, I went back to my office to finish some work I still have left.

 As for tomorrow...

 "She's not back."

 "It seems like she's not." Amandine said simply.

 She didn't seem too worried but I sure as hell was.

 "This isn't like her."

 "You shouldn't worry too much, Duke Wriothesley. Nothing can happen to a melusine while Monsieur Neuvillette is around."

 You seem to have an awful lot of confidence in the Chief Justice.

 Actually, all melusines do.

 A frustrating amount of confidence to be precise.

 Even Sigewinne acts like all would be fine even if the sky would fall as long as he was around.

 "Did Sigewinne send any indication that she would not be returning today?"

 "No sir."

 Then how are you not the least bit worried?

 Fine. I'll figure this out myself then.

 I wandered around the fortress thinking about what I should do about this.

 To say that I was worried would be an understatement.

 No matter how old Sigewinne really is, to me she's just a child. Now that child is suddenly missing and no one seems to know why.

 I grumbled annoyedly under my breath and just then-

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