Wriolette

Wriolette is the slash ship between Neuvillette and Wriothesley from the Genshin Impact fandom.

Canon
The first time Neuvillette and Wriothesley met was in court when Wriothesley was being tried for murder. The trial was notably very brief due to Wriothesley confessing immediately, and likely concluded within under an hour. Years later, Neuvillette and Wriothesley meet again, and Neuvillette works to earn Wriothesley the title of "Duke of Fortress of Meropide", which is described as Neuvillette “fighting hard for the title and reputation he (Wriothesley) has now.” The first time that Wriothesley publicly wears his vision the first to comment on it is Neuvillette who, according to Wriothesley, seemed almost happier than him at this achievement.

Chapter IV: Act III
In Act 3 of the Fontaine Archon quest ("To the Stars Shining in the Depths"), Neuvillette describes Wriothesley as "shrewd". He tells Paimon and the Traveler that he is the highest ranking manager of the underwater prison, and suggests that they avoid any confrontation with him.

When the Traveler and Paimon meet Wriothesley, he says he personally welcomes them only because they are acquaintances of Neuvillette. Wriothesley and Neuvillette have "personal dealings", according to Neuvillette, and a relationship of mutual respect and trust. Wriothesley also states during the lunch with him, Sigewinne, Traveler, and Paimon, that Neuvillette is easy to talk to and Wriothesley can talk about anything freely with him effortlessly. Wriothesley then says he is quite willing to talk and accommodate Neuvillette whenever and that the only reason he was treating Traveler and Paimon to dinner was because of Neuvillette.

Chapter IV: Act IV
In Act 4, Wriothesley states that nobody ever seems to think he has good intentions, to which Clorinde replies that it would probably work on Neuvillette, implying that Neuvillette would definitely think Wriothesley has good intentions. Later, as Wriothesley and Clorinde stop the primordial water for the time being, Wriothesley tells the Traveler to find Neuvillette. After some time, Neuvillette shows up and tells Wriothesley and Clorinde that he can take it from there. Wriothesley then closes his eyes, looks at the ground, smiles, then looks at Neuvillette and says, "Wow... So, what's your secret, huh? Let me guess... Ahh, who knows, maybe it's just your sense of responsibility." Neuvillette sighs. Wriothesley then turns and walks away smirking. After Neuvillette prevents the crisis and Wriothesley and Clorinde return, they comment that they made a bet between themselves as to the size of Neuvillette's entourage. Neuvillette even chimes into the light-hearted conversation, asking if the prize for the winner would be tea (Wriothesley had won the bet). At the end of the quest, Wriothesley seems disappointed that Neuvillette did not stay to have tea with him.

Diluvies Chapter
During Neuvillette's story quest, there is a file on his desk the player can read, which is titled "About Wriothesley". According to the file, Wriothesley was sent to trial for his crime and was tried by Neuvillette who, after Wriothesley's quick confession, remained silent for a long period of time.

In Neuvillette's story quest, Neuvillette confronts Domenico about the situation with the melusines. Trying to get a confession out of him, Domenico asked Neuvillettte if he is accusing and framing him for this crime even though they know it was him. Neuvillette appears very impatient and frustrated, Wriothesley quickly notices this and fills in, talking for him so Neuvillette does not lose his temper. Afterwards, Neuvillette is having doubts and is visibly upset. Wriothesley sees this and walks  up to him from his office desk and gives him praise, compliments, and reassurance. Saying Neuvillette transformed Fontaine and is the reason Fontaine is the way it is now, that he has always made the right judgements, how he is not the outsider like he was centuries prior, and how the people of Fontaine now view both the melusines and Neuvillette in an incredibly positive light.

Considering how Wriothesley likes the melusines and cares and protects them, especially Sigewinne, immensely (which can be gathered from both Wriothesley and Neuvillette's voicelines), this is reflective of how he feels for Neuvillette, and how he has done his job excellently with impartiality as Chief Justice for all these years. Wriothesely also cleared up and reassured him that Vautrin perhaps never hated Neuvillette but put up an act to make him look better as Chief Justice. Neuvillette was very touched by Wriothesley's words and he states it should be Wriothesley and Fontaine's people that deserve his respect and expressed his gratitude to him. Wriothesley then went on to say Neuvillette was being modest. As Neuvillette said he was gonna leave, Wriothesley then said, "And so soon too? Why not stay for a cup of tea?" As the Traveler and Neuvillette left, Wriothesley said, "Please, take care." At the end, while Neuvillette was walking and thinking about Fontaine's history, Wriothesley and Sigewinne are included in the scenes of his past shown, implying they are an important part of his history, too.

Character Voicelines
"Wriothesley is a trustworthy man. I fought hard for the title and reputation he now has. I expect you to think that I've simply been duped by his flattery and appearance of loyalty... But to that, I would quote the Inazuman proverb: "The words unspoken are the flower." Which means, some things are best left unsaid."

- Neuvillette's voiceline about Wriothesley "I was once summoned by Neuvillette to discuss some matters with him in his office. When I approached the Palais Mermonia, I saw him standing by the road, completely drenched in the rain. I held out an umbrella for him, and while he thanked me politely, his expression was a little... distressed, I guess. I can only assume that I had disturbed him in the middle of something."

- Wriothesley's voiceline about Neuvillette

Quest Dialogue
"I mentioned that I have had personal dealings with the administrator of the Fortress, Wriothesley... He's a very... shrewd fellow. He is the highest ranking manager of the underwater prison. Even though you are going there to investigate at my behest, it would behoove you to avoid any confrontation with him or any of his subordinates. The Duke rarely ever leaves the Fortress of Meropide, but that does not mean he is not privy to all that's happening inside and outside the fortress. He is "quiet," but not "unaware," so please bear that in mind."

- Neuvillette on Wriothesley [Archon Quest Chapter IV Act III: To The Stars Shining In The Depths] "Monsieur Neuvillette's character is unimpeachable. No matter the question, you can discuss it openly and freely with him. Talking with him feels quite effortless. In light of that, I am quite willing to go out of my way to show respect and accommodate him. In fact, right now I'm treating you two as guests invited by Monsieur Neuvillette, but unfortunately, I can only do so until the end of this meal. After this, you two will just be inmates here."

- Wriothesley on Neuvillette [Archon Quest Chapter IV Act III: To The Stars Shining In The Depths]

Neuvillette: There's no need to worry. Clorinde is protecting [Kiara] as we speak.

Sigewinne: Oh, that's great. But if the criminal's still... Is there anything you can do about this?

Wriothesley: Ah, Head Nurse, do you require me to personally deal with the criminal?

Neuvillette: [sternly] Wriothesley.

Wriothesley: Okay, I get it. I'll bring Domenico to you — that's your only demand, correct?

Neuvillette: Think of it as more of a humble request. I am here on my own accord, not to formally transfer a criminal for trial. I urge you to set aside any concerns. Thanks for the trouble. Consider me in your debt.

Paimon: Whoa... If Paimon were you, Your Grace, Paimon would take this chance to ask for something really important!

Wriothesley: Well, were I still a criminal, I'd probably ask for a lighter sentence — but I'm sure Monsieur Neuvillette would reject that. But enough jokes. I'll look for Domenico and bring him to you.

--Dilluvies Chapter, Act I: The Remains of the Past Day

Fanon
The ship began when Neuvillette and Wriothesley were leaked as the only two tall males in the Fontaine lineup. Although not much was known about them during that time, people thought they gave off enemies to lovers or old married couple vibes. The two also have contrasting designs, Wriothesley is messy, asymmetrical, and red, while Neuvillette is clean, symmetrical, and blue. Many fans also think they resembled Gepard and Sampo, a popular Honkai Star Rail ship. All of this made quite a few people ship them. Shippers also liked to joke about the two of them getting married in the Fontaine story. This led to fans creating fanart, fanfiction, and memes even though the two characters had not been released yet.

Once the Overture Teaser was released, along with the JP voice actors, the ship gained even more popularity. Especially since fans noticed Wriothesley’s JP voice actor is Daisuke Ono, while Neuvillette’s is Hiroshi Kamiya. Ono and Kamiya are close friends and are known for voicing popular slash pairings. A few examples are Erwin and Levi, and Shizuo Heiwajima and Izaya Orihara respectively.

Wriothesley and Neuvillette are both seen as father figures to Sigewinne, and this has been a popular interpretation of their characters ever since the Overture Teaser’s release where Wriothesley was shown at his desk with Sigewinne, avoiding taking one of her milkshakes. Both Wriothesley and Neuvillette’s voice lines about Sigewinne further support this headcanon, Neuvillette’s voice lines state that he is often worried about Sigewinne’s wellbeing, and Wriothesley states that she has picked up many habits from him and that she and her friends often decorate his gloves with stickers, which he is not particularly bothered by. In addition, Neuvillette is the caretaker of the melusines, was the one who led them to Fontaine, and has a very strong personal bond with them. Wriothesley is similar, working closely with many Melusines, having a similar bond with the ones he works with, and is often featured together with Sigewinne, even referring to her as “my dear Sigewinne”.

A lot of fanworks depict Wriothesley asking out/flirting with Neuvillette. Recently, there has also been a lot of fanart showing Wriothesley being protective of Neuvillette because of this tweet. In fanworks, their personalities are mostly portrayed as opposites, with Wriothesley being the teasing and playful one while Neuvillette is the serious and responsible one. This is mostly because of past leaks, which show Neuvillette with a serious expression and Wriothesley with a smug smile. Although the leaks were inevitable to change and now we can see in their marketing, both Wriothesley and Neuvillette have a serious expression. This made some people portray them that way instead.

The ship has become extremely popular in the fandom due to Wriothesley's perceived flirtations with Neuvillette and their strong bond, regarding each other as one of the few important people in their lives and also the bond that formed between them years after the Wriothesley trial.

In Neuvillette's story quest, Wriothesley seems more expressive when talking to Neuvillette than any other person. He smiles more, and always seems to be looking at him whenever Neuvillette is thinking or seems bothered, especially in their sweet moment when Wriothesley is reassuring, complimenting, and clearing Neuvillette's doubts. Also, in the archon quest...Wriothesley has more expression as well (like he closes his eyes and smiles) when he looks and teases Neuvillette when he shows up to take over holding back the primordial water. Finally, the Traveler and Paimon ask Wriothesley if everything at the fortress is alright, he says that Neuvillette took care of the worst of it (as he is saying this, he can be seen smiling.)

Currently, Wriolette is the most popular Fontaine ship on AO3. On the website, they have 1,300+ fanfics.

Fandom

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Trivia

 * In the 4.1 preview page, Wriothesley and Neuvillette have an animation where they are featured together in Neuvillette’s office at night, they seem to be dodging each other's gaze.
 * Neuvillette's least favorite dish is BBQ meat without sauce, Wriothesley's special dish is BBQ meat with a special sauce.
 * During the 4.1 cutscene, Wriothesley and Clorinde try to contain the primordial water in a tense scene, but as soon as Neuvillette arrives Wriothesley seems to calm down immediately, and even reverts to a somewhat sarcastic and playful demeanor despite the impending threat.
 * In Fontaine, there are two types of geese, the Darkwing Goose and Snow-winged Goose. Fans have pointed out that these two geese share a multitude of similarities between Wriothesley and Neuvillette, in both appearance and description, thus associating the birds with the ship. The Snow-winged goose is described as being beloved by Fontainians and is seen as a symbol of nobility, loyalty, and purity similar to Neuvillette, while also possessing the same blue and white color palette. Darkwinged geese on the other hand were once outcasts of the geese and were looked down upon by Fontainians, but eventually gained a better reputation as the times changed. Because of this, people who were once seen in low regard but proved themselves otherwise and gained a better reputation are called "dark-winged geese", and Wriothesley conveniently fits this description, having initially been criminal and an "outcast", and eventually gaining the title of "Duke". These geese also share the same red and black color palette as Wriothesley. These two types of geese are often found together as pairs throughout the Fontaine map.
 * Neuvillette and Wriothesley's JP voice actors acted in a BL audio play before as the two love interests. The play's title is the literal translation of Neuvillette's about Wriothesley voiceline -- the Inazuman (japanese) proverb "The words unspoken are the flowers."
 * Neuvillette represents law, Wriothesley represents order. Both law and order are needed together.
 * When Wriothesley and Neuvillette finish their NA combos, they both adjust their tie/neck accessories.
 * During Neuvillette's web event "Suddenly the Rain Stops", Wriothesley was present. He was one of the main interactable characters during Incident 3 of the event, which showed Wriothesley handing over a resignation letter to the melusine Aeife while Neuvillette was presiding over a trial.
 * In Wriothesley's web event "Cogs in the Machine", Wriothesley can be seen again with the option to send Neuvillette a resignation letter, with this added context it can be gathered that the stories of pair’s web events are connected, and that the resignation letters were a form of Wriothesley teasing Neuvillette and Aeife, and were not genuine. This indicates that Wriothesley and Neuvillette are close enough to be casual and joke around with each other, and that their relationship doesn’t strictly adhere to the usual professionalism that other characters typically display with the pair.
 * In Wriothesley's “About Neuvillette” voiceline, Wriothesley says he held out an umbrella for Neuvillette, which is a common trope within romance manga/k-dramas.
 * In Wriothesley’s voice line titled “More About Wriothesley: V” it reads "I've managed to get myself to a pretty comfortable place in life, but there's still some things I want that are outside my reach, like a peaceful and happy childhood, or the ability to trust other people." This voice line shows that Wriothesley has quite a hard time trusting people. Despite this fact, in canon Neuvillette is one of the very few people Wriothesley genuinely trusts, respects, and cares for.
 * Despite Neuvillette claiming that he abstains from personal relationships, especially with Fontainians in an attempt to remain impartial in court, Wriothesley is the only playable character Neuvillette has outwardly described himself as having a “personal relationship” with apart from the traveler.
 * The small gift box in Wriothesley's official birthday chibi art has a color palette that resembles Neuvillette's, suggesting that it was a gift from him to Wriothesley.
 * Henry Neville and Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, are two historical persons who may have acted as inspiration for Neuvillette and Wriothesley.
 * Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton is best remembered as a patron of William Shakespeare.
 * Henry Neville is the theorized real identity of Shakespeare. Neuvillette was referred as "Lord Neville" in the narzissenkreuz "A Story" note.
 * The Old French name "Neuville" is the origin of the Old French name Neville. "Neu" and "ville" are Old French terms that signify "new" and "town" or "settlement," respectively. The name changed over time and became Neville. It has been used as a surname as well as a given name.
 * It's quite coincidental that Henry Neville and Henry Wriothesley, who were rumored to be lovers and were imprisoned together—a prison is heavily related with Wriothesley.