The Iudex's day off

Chapter 13 - Just a name

 "Sigewinne... Are you girls perhaps-"

 "Collecting all the pillows up here? Yes, so help out a bit, Your Grace. The blankets are far too heavy."

 Alright. Neuvillette has every right to sigh.

 Is this what they wanted to do?

 Just as I was prepared to ask, Neuvillette walked past me, hands full of blankets. He dropped them on the floor and frowned.

 "Girls... At least do it a bit more... Hah... Go stand in the hallway."

 When the girls were gone he walked over to the bed and with a slight of his hand pushed it into a corner. Then he gathered all the pillows and blankets into the free open space.

 "See, that's better."

 He looked incredibly satisfied and I just couldn't figure out what the hell was going on.

 "Ah, Your Grace, I managed to free a room up from you on the first floor, though if you don't feel comfortable, I can always give you the keys to the house next door again."

 "There's no need for that. I have no reason to feel uncomfortable."

 Although... Are we not gonna address the whole matter of me getting choked half to death?

 Maybe it's better not to bring it up.

 Another thing I do need to bring up is...

 "Please just call me Wriothesely. If I have to constantly listen to this annoyingly formal way of address for the next week I might just go crazy."

 I exaggerated quite a bit expecting him to deny my request so I could still bargain it down later, but-

 "Alright, but in that case, I would also like you to simply call me Neuvillette in informal settings. Oh, and Lady FUrina randomly showing up does not count as a formal setting."

 Oh.

 Oh, wow.

 I wasn't expecting that.

 "We have an agreement then... Neuvillette."

 It felt different to call him by his name like this than the times I did so purely to tease. It didn't feel so much like a crime anymore by-

 Oh, god did it feel blasphemous!

 Wriothesely get ahold of yourself!

 Oh, archons!

 Whatever nonsense was going on in my head must have shown on my face as well as now Neuvillette was looking at me all confused.

 "Wriothesely? Is everything alright? If it makes you uncomfortable-"

 "No, no, it's completely fine. I- I just have to go to the toilet."

 I ran off without giving him a chance to open his mouth all the while hoping that dragons do not have the power to read minds.

 I rushed to the bathroom and splashed myself in the face with some cold water.

 Good god!

 I must be crazy!

 What the hell was that reaction?!

 I lifted my head and caught sight of myself in the mirror.

 Ah...

 Damn it...

 I'm totally screwed.

 At some point, my face had gone completely red and I was really hoping it was;t while I was still in the room.

 As this hit me I started to blush even fiercer.

 Neuvillette must have thought I was totally insane!

 Hell, I think I'm totally insane!

 Come on!

 It's just a name!

 Something must be seriously wrong with me!

 It's not like this was my first time addressing him as such either.

 And half the time he was just Neuvillette in my thoughts as well!

 Argh!

 I'm going crazy!

 Lady Furina, please come back!

 You can keep your tea!

 Otherwise, if this goes on like this for a week I might have a heart attack at some point.