Duchess of Crime | Genshin Impact

5. trust ♥

It's been two days since the incident, and Louis and Gracie are nowhere to be found.

Suspicion roots in my gut, like vines weaving around a lattice fence. Besides paying credit coupons to skip a day's work, it's not easy to disappear in the fortress. As I finish a day's worth of work, I get to leave a little richer.

Tonight, I'll be heading into the pipelines to search for clues. Will I find anything? Probably not, but it's worth a try.

Slowly, I take a detour back to my dormitory, trying to block out the whispering amongst the other inmates. The way I manhandled Louis spread like wildfire, although, Wriotheslesy hasn't called me out on it yet.

Speaking of the devil, I spot him in the distance. Next to him is a man of the same height and build. They stand in front of the Duke's office, briefly shaking hands. The newcomer wears the same spare clothing as me, whilst his arms are wrapped in bandages up to his neck.

I eye him as he saunters off from Wriothesley, his fluffy, ginger hair blowing with his stride. I stop gawking and walk towards the elevator, pressing the button to go up. Time seems to go slower whilst I wait, the distant dinging getting closer. At last, the doors open and I step inside, making room for the stranger who appears next to me.

Swallowing, I realise it's the newcomer. We travel in silence but I can't help but notice his chiselled jaw, his whole body tensing up at my glance. Staring at the ground, my cheeks heat up at having an attractive man in the same proximity as me.

With one last ding, he dashes out as soon as the doors open. Going the opposite way, I steal one last look before heading towards my dormitory, making note of each pipeline entrance I spot along the way.

♥

Scribbling the last part of my plan out, I hastily fold my own map into my pocket. I've narrowed down each minor pipeline as insignificant whilst the pipe I need is the one furthest away from my room,

Glancing at the clock above my desk, it's past midnight. From my nightly strolls, I've already determined that the number of guards on patrol dramatically decreases to less than half after 12.

Any normal inmate would be sleeping right now, and I can't help but feel as giddy as a child in a toy store at my pending adventure.

Taking a deep breath, I leave my room and duck down the metallic steps. Stealthily, I narrowly avoid the glimpse of the first patrol officer, who swings his torch around at the sound of a creaky, metal plank.

After dodging the last few guards, I lightly run up the second set of steps to the entrance I need.

The corridor is damp and the smell of rotting foliage penetrates my nasal passage. Digging out the torch I bought on the sly, it flickers as I point it around. Treading carefully, my boots squelch in disgust through piles of slime.

The brick wall groans from the underwater pressure, the unique pipe system running along the walls bursting with water and leaking. Most of the lights have gone out, save for the dim, emergency lighting that the patrol team use.

As my heartbeat intensifies, I see a glimmer of light. I instantly turn my torch off, standing as still as possible in the near pitch-black. I can almost hear the sound of my blood rushing in my head, praying to whatever god there may be down here that I'm not spotted.

In front of me, a guard strolls across the crossroad, walking straight past me with her torch and not even bothering to shine it at my position. Where does it end? Thinking I've hit the jackpot, I wait until the coast is clear again and sneak up, peering to the left-flicking my torch down the end the guard just came from.