Mr. & Mrs Meropide

Chapter Fifty-Six: Through the Window

There was a knock on Clorinde's door. She opened it to see Vire standing there. "I came to pick up my daughter," he said, glancing past Clorinde toward the sound of his daughter's voice singing along to the music Clorinde had put on.

"Come in," Clorinde said, noting his worn expression. "Everything alright?" she asked, thinking back to their last encounter.

"Life goes on. I'll probably leave the nation soon," he replied with a shrug.

"Sumeru is beautiful," Clorinde offered, sharing her travel advice.

"I haven't decided yet," he replied, though his heart was set on Mondstadt.

"Plenty of time to decide," Clorinde said, unaware of the real reason behind his plans to leave.

Vire picked up his daughter, offering a sincere, "Thank you for taking good care of her. I wish you and the Duke the best." He stepped out the door and walked away briskly, and Clorinde couldn't help but feel his words sounded more like a farewell than a casual "see you later." She brushed off the thought and went back inside to get ready for her coffee date with Wriothesley. They had reserved a quiet, private table on the café's second floor, away from the crowds.

Clorinde arrived first, and a few minutes later, the Duke joined her. But their conversation felt stilted, with Wriothesley taking unusually long to respond.

"What's going on with you?" Clorinde asked him directly.

He leaned back with a heavy sigh. "I know something, and I need to act fast. But if I tell anyone, I risk burdening them." He looked at her, uncertainty in his eyes.

"If you can't speak directly, try paraphrasing or being vague," she suggested, still wanting to help him through his dilemma.

"I know of a murder that's about to happen—of two criminals. I understand the motive, but on a legal and personal level, I can't agree with it. It's going to hurt someone close to me," he explained.

"It sounds simple enough—all issues should be resolved in court. Within the fortress, you can ensure they face justice," she replied, her voice steady and free from personal bias.

"Can I share everything with you now?" he asked, hoping to finally relieve himself of the weight.

"Go for it," she nodded.

"Vire killed—I don't know how many—child traffickers and saved every child he could. But he missed two."

"So we inform Chevreuse," Clorinde replied matter-of-factly.

"It's Maria's parents," the Duke replied, sharing the burden he had been holding. Clorinde's eyes widened.

"That has to be a mistake," she replied, disbelief etched in her voice.

"It gets worse," the Duke said, leaning back. "Vire intends to kill them, and he thinks Maria not knowing will protect her the most."

"If you had sent me a notice sooner, I would have knocked Vire out when he came to pick up his kid earlier," she said, frustrated by the fortress's distance from her home.

Two people sat down in the booth behind them.

"Time is slipping away—that's the real problem. He's making his plan, and ours needs to be better and faster," the Duke said, leaning in.

"Let's go to the fortress. We need to discuss this where no one can overhear us," Clorinde said, putting her empty coffee cup down and reaching for her wallet.

"Put your wallet down—and I agree, let's go to the fortress. I'm glad to have your help with this," the Duke said, grabbing his coat. Clorinde gave a brief smile and put her wallet away.