Chapter 40: Change of plans

After having lunch we decided to hide where there was no one around. I sent my guards to distract and be decoys to buy us time to talk. 

"So what's the plan?" Peruere asked me with her arms crossed.

I contemplated for a while, sorting out our options. It seems like Crucabena is trying to control me. From how she orchestrated all of this, there are two options she can choose.

One is to get Clervie to isolate me and then kidnap me to get an upper hand against Dad.

Two is to get me to be reliant or enamored with Clervie, which is the most likely reason as she never made any move against me or get my guards to get taken out one by one.

With that in mind, I think I can get a favorable position in her schemes. 

"I'll go back for now and inform Dad about this. We might need his help and I don't want to do this with just us alone. It's too risky."

"What about your plans on Liyue?" Peruere asked.

"I'll delay it for now. There are plenty of opportunities to go there and this is more urgent than my sightseeing." 

With a nod, she sat down, her back against the wall and her arms covering her face. "What about Clervie?" She asked.

I could feel the disbelief and worry in her voice. Being betrayed is always the most painful thing to experience.

"Do you believe she would betray us?" I asked as I sat beside her.

"..."

I waited for her to speak her mind but I assumed she still couldn't find the right words to tell what she was feeling. That's understandable after all, she is still not the rational and cold Arlecchino. Right now, she is still just the young and naive Peruere.

We silently sat for a couple of minutes. With a sigh, I stood up and extended my hand to Peruere. "Let's ask her first. It's too early to jump to conclusions."

She looked at me, her eyes moist as her gaze landed on my extended hand. "Yeah, you're right. She might have her reasons."

She accepted my hand and pulled herself up. But the opposite happened.

Instead of getting her to stand up, I was pulled towards her and hit my nose on the wall.

Clutching my head as I yelped in pain, Peruere looked at me with blank eyes. Her gaze, judging as she stood up herself. "You should work out more."

***

It's late afternoon and I'm on my way home. I avoided Clervie for the rest of my stay there and opted to go home as fast as I could. This sudden move of Crucabena was very annoying to deal with.

"Go get Polochko, there's something important I have to tell him," I said to a guard as we arrived at the hotel.

I reached my room and I instantly wrote a letter addressing the current situation in the House of the Hearth. I was confident that I wouldn't be walking right into their trap, but it's best to be safe than sorry.

A knock on the door took my attention. As I granted permission to enter, Polochko greeted me with his usual kind smile. "Young master, is there something we need me for?"

Without beating around the bush, I said. "Cancel the plans to go to Liyue, we have a problem."

His expression shifted from his carefree one to a blank serious demeanor. "What's the problem, young master?"

"Crucabena is moving, we need to fix this as fast as we can."

He knelt in front of me with his head bowed. "Give me an order and I shall complete it."

Folding the paper and putting it inside an envelope with the mark of Dad's insignia, I handed it to Polochko. "How fast would it take to send a letter from here to Sneznaya?"

"Considering the current weather, it would take a month or two at most." He replied without wasting any second.

"What if you're the one to deliver this?" I asked.

His eyes widened, alarm flashing across his face. "Young master I can't leave you here!"

"Polochko, they won't hurt me. If Crucabena is still in her right mind, she'll know that killing me would not benefit her." I reasoned.

"But still, I was tasked to guard you and stay by your side! It is my duty and my mission to return you without harm! I can't possibly follow your order!"

You're being a pain in the ass Polochko. 

I took Polochko's hand and held the letter in between them. "Polochko, this is very urgent. Crucabena is trying to control me." I reasoned. "It's the more reason that we need Dad's help as fast as we can. We can't fight her alone, she's a harbinger and I'm not confident that I can win just by myself. Trust me just this once. I'll be fine."

"But still!" Polochko insisted. "We should just leave to Liyue! Leave the orphanage for now and let Lord Pantalone take care of things. You are much more important young master!"

"But I can't leave Peruere and Clervie behind! Who knows what Crucabena will do!" I retorted, my voice firm. "If she realized that were working together she might kill them!"

Stuck in this situation, I racked my brain for other alternatives. Polochko wouldn't leave me, and I can't leave Peruere and Clervie behind. There should be a solution, something to help us.

As I racked my brain, Polochko's eyes widened, as if he was enlightened. "What about the spy inside the orphanage? He's one of my colleagues, a retainer of Lord Pantalone. He's faster than me and should be able to get the letter faster than me!"

My eyes lit up like a lightbulb. Why didn't I think of that?!

"Polochko you're a genius!" 

***

Polochko did not waste a single moment. After our conversation, he instantly made his way to the orphanage to contact the spy. He wore black clothes with his spear in hand and left.

I had a lot of time to think of how to counterattack Crucabena. From what I remember Clervie's death will be one year from now. I don't know what date it was exactly but I can only assume it was not on winter so it should not take a year from now.

Peruere killed Crucabena a year after Clervie's death and had her vision when Clervie died. 

If I interfered now Peruere might not get her vision but it would also mean that their life might be in danger.

I aggressively scratched my head as I thought of my next action. "This is way too early than cannon, but I guess we'll have to kill Crucabena now."

I opened the window and looked up to the moon as I continued my train of thought. Clervie was the real problem. If she betrayed us it would be troublesome. I'm doing this for her but if she's the one who doesn't want this then it would be meaningless. 

But the way she acted wasn't normal. I could see in her actions that she didn't like what she was doing. Is she being coerced perhaps?

I felt conflicted. The sudden turn of events hits me like lightning. 

I leaned on the window and looked at Palais Mermonia, trying to make sense of Clervie's actions. "Clervie..."

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A/N: Author is boasting XD.

I am Harmony!

XD