Masquerade of the guilt

Chapter 12

Wriothesley woke up quite early to start on the stacks of papers. It's always the same thing over and over again, not much of an issue, just takes forever. One thing stood out from the other papers, it was a note, and from Neuvillette.

Wriothesley smirked to himself, Neuvillette sent him a personal letter. Of course he would be up early to start his work too.

Wriothesley opened the letter and read it as his smirk slowly faded into a frown. Neuvillette cancelled their meeting. Of course he would. Wriothesley of course wasn't lucky enough to have a boyfriend, hell, a friendship with the Iudex after everything that happened with them.

A great start to the day.

Midway through a paper, a guard came in with a paper report then left instantly. Great, more work. Wriothesley opened the paper and scanned through it, his eyes widened and started from the beginning and read through it slowly.

"The inmate, childe, has been randomly disappearing for hours at a time and showing back up. We confronted him countless times but never had the proof he is escaping or not.

Your grace, check this matter out."

Wriothesley groaned, this was something that needed to be fixed first before paperwork. He left his office to take a walk around to find the ginger.

At first he thought that maybe he would be in the production zone. No. Pankration ring? Also a no.

Wriothesley started to panic, not showing it on his face. He did another look around the fortress of meropide, looking at the secret hideouts that he's not supposed to know about but does, his room, childe's gang. Yet childe isn't there. He's nowhere. All tracks disappeared of the ginger.

Wriothesley quickly made his way back to his office to call a meeting. His office ended up being cramped but if they go to the actual meeting room there's a chance a inmate could hear of the escape and make more problems than necessary.

"Your Grace, what's wrong?" Sigewinne asked while pushing through guards to the desk.

Wriothesley cleared his throat and stood up, the room went completely silent, all attention focused on him. "I was out a few days ago, when i came back i got few reports of the fatui harbinger, childe, has been randomly disappearing over the days. Today he hasn't been seen at all by anyone." He paused, gasp and whispers filled the room. "This means we need more guards stationed everywhere, and some trying to find how he might have escaped."

"Your grace, are you going to get help from the chief justice?"

The mention of Neuvillette made him flinch a little, "I will tell him, but not get his help. The fortress works on its own." And it would probably be better if he didn't know.

After the meeting, and getting everyone out of the office and to their new post, Wriothesley flopped down in his chair with a sigh. He grabbed a piece of paper to write to Neuvillette about the situation. Did he really have to cancel the meeting?

"You know, i can help you with paperwork." Sigewinne suddenly spoke up, still in the room.

Without a word Wriothesley moved a stack of papers to her while continuing to write the letter.

Once he was done with the letter he stood from his chair and looked down at Sigewinne, "I hate to put this work on you, but i have other important things that need to be done first." He said and walked around his desk.

Sigewinne looked at Wriothesley with a glare, she knows that it's important, but she also knows how much he doesn't want to do the paperwork. "I will do half." She responded and he left.