Wriothesely's POV
Thanks to Neuvillette's newfound interest in my jacket collar, I was forced to sit on the floor by the two women so they could still see him.
Ugh...
Why is it that I suffer because you're both short?
Luckily I was sensible enough not to say this out loud.
After some further discussion, we also reached the most likely conclusion to our current issue.
"So Neuvillette kept his emotions sealed away for 400 years, but when the girls meddled with his safe full of Primordial Seawater he freaked out so much the seal most likely broke.
This could have also been the cause of his draconic features emerging at that time.
From that point onward we all noticed that he seemed more open with his emotions, but all three of us blamed it on the events transpiring around them like the girls being around and the whole becoming a father thing.
His emotions had been rather positive throughout all of this so the weather didn't change either, causing all of us to be completely oblivious to the problem.
Today, however, not only did he get royally pissed off, but also quite distressed from what I could see hence the current situation." Lady Furina concluded.
"His current form could be some sort of self-defense mechanism against... well... speaking to the Duke about certain matters which may in turn agitate his emotions further." Sigewinne added.
This was a perfectly sound explanation, I just wanted to be sure of one thing.
"So him drinking Primordial Seawater really wouldn't have influenced this situation?"
There was a short silence followed by Lady Furina's violent outburst.
"He did what?! Again?! How many times do I have to tell him to cease with that nonsense?!?"
Excuse me?
"Again?"
"What exactly do you mean by again, Lady Furina?" Sigewinne frowned.
"Well first of all that idiot wasn't even sure if he was immune to it so the best idea he could come up with is to just go for it and try. After that, every once in a while when I showed up in his office with a bottle, he would drink it so, and I quote "I wouldn't fool around with it". As if I would ever do something like that."
Silence fell in the room.
The reason for it was...
Neither of us dared to say a word when faced with Sigewinne's endless fury.
She looked at the small dragon sleeping on my jacket as if she was going to rip him to pieces right that instant.
"Your Grace, could you perhaps-"
"No."
I can't give him to you.
"You didn't even let me finish."
I didn't need to. Your intentions are written on your face.
"I was just going to kindly explain to him the consequences of being reckless and endangering his own life." She smiled kindly.
I couldn't help but shuffle backward.
I don't think Neuvillette would like that explanation.
Even though he damn well deserved it.
"So, not the effect of the water?" I asked, trying to divert some attention from the peacefully sleeping dragon.
"It should not be. I've seen him drink it quite a few times in large quantities. If that didn't trigger such a thing, I doubt the measly amount in your tea would have." Lady furina brushed off my worries.
That's good then.
But...
"Now what?"
We can't just sit around hoping he turns back to normal.
"Now, you're going to go and get some rest while Sigewinne and I try to find a solution to our problem."
"I beg your pardon?"
You want me to just... sit around.
"For once follow the example of our dear Chief Justice." Lady Furina pointed towards the little dragon with a laugh.
So in other words she wants me to go and sleep.
"I'm not ti-"
"You're only human, Duke Wriothesely. After everything that happened today, there is no way your mind and body aren't burdened. Now go and get some sleep, we'll be right here in case something happens."
Wait-
"You're planning on staying in my office?"
"Well, we will have to go gather some research materials first, but all in all, yes. Is there a problem?"
"No... None at all."
Of course, there is a problem!
I don't want you in my office!
But I couldn't really say that to Fontaine's archon now, could I?
Fine.
Whatever.
What can they possibly do?
Before I left I was going to take off my jacket to leave Neuvillette with the two, but-
"Just take him with you." Lady Furina interrupted.
"Will that be alright?"
"I don't see why not."
Well for one, Sigewinne obviously doesn't agree with you.
Lady Furina on the other hand had 'I don't want to deal with him' written all over her face.
I held back a sigh as I descended the stairs.
The last thing I heard before leaving my office was:
"Let's go loot Neuvillette's library!"
Oh, archons!
I feel like Neuvillette isn't the only one who is gonna receive a scolding once this is over.
I did my best to hide the sleeping dragon as I walked back to my office.
The fact that I got an unusual amount of looks, most likely because of Neuvillette's arrival in Meropide, did not help at all.
But I made it back eventually.
I took off my jacket as gently as I could and placed it on the couch in the living room.
I turned around to lock the door. It took only around ten seconds, but by the time I turned back, Neuvillette was nowhere to be found.
You can't be serious!
"Neuvillette? Neuvillette where did you go?!"
Does shouting like this even help?
I frantically searched through the place but found nothing. I was just on the verge of running back to my office to call Lady Furina when I heard a soft sound.
Thump.
It was followed by a high-pitched growl-like sound.
With this much noise, it wasn't hard to trace the origin.
And sure enough...
I walked into the bedroom to find Neuvillette in a rather... amusing predicament.
He was squirming around stuck in a blanket next to the bed.
"Pfft! How the Iudex has fallen."
Quite literally too if we go by the sound and the current situation.
After a few more sounds that sounded increasingly more like cries for help, I took pity on the little one and freed him from his blanket prison.
In return, I found myself with a dragon curled around my arm.
...
"Hey, Neuvillette. You might not, but I still have to get ready for bed."
So get off. No matter how cute you are right now, I'm not bringing you into the shower with me.
Prying the little one off, however, seemed to be a difficult thing.
No matter what I tried, he just wouldn't budge.
Sigh...
"Neuvillette, come now. Can't you find a different thing to curl around?"
He looked up at me with those innocent blue eyes and...
Curled himself around my neck instead.
...
This is not what I meant.
Sigh...
"Neuvillette-"
Wait.
Can't I use this chance to...
"How about a nickname, little one?"
He lifted his head, looking at me questioningly.
"Neuvilette... Neuvi?"
No reaction.
"No? What about Neuv?"
"Kyu!"
I blinked.
What was that?
That-
That was seriously cute!
"Neuv?"
"Kyu!"
Oh, my heart!
Gods, please let Neuvillette stay like this for a bit longer!
This is simply too precious to give up!
If I didn't fear for my life I might have made a recording of this.
"Say, would you mind if I hugged you for just a bit?"
From how you're clinging to my neck I'm guessing you wouldn't.
Well, now that is.
The real question is: Should I risk my life like this?
...
Hmm...
To hell with it!
Maybe he won't even remember!
I climbed up onto the bed and settled against the headboard.
While it took a while, after some struggles, I managed to coax little Neuvillette down from around my neck.
He curled up on the bed next to me just within arm's reach.
It seems he didn't quite like the idea of a hug, but...
It was surprising when he allowed me to stroke him, even if it was just for a bit. I had somewhat expected to be rewarded a bite for my attempt.
Hmm...
"You're really cute now, but I guess you would be quite a bit scarier if you were bigger."
A dragon isn't a dragon for nothing after all.
But...
"I guess you would be beautiful either way." I mumbled.
I stroked along the shining blue scales as I watched him close his eyes and relax, his breathing becoming relaxed.
...
Wriothesely too fell asleep soon after, his hand still on the small dragon.
He did forget one thing though.
One really important thing.
It wasn't just him either.
Both Furina and Sigewinne had watched without commenting as he had folded Neuvillette's clothes and put them in his desk drawer just to be sure no one would see them.
But...
This also meant...
Should Neuvillette turn back to his human form...
He would be...
He would be very...
...
Well, I suppose that discussion can be postponed a while longer.
A little while longer that is.