To celebrate the story reaching 50k reads (52k now, but it was 50k 11 hours ago when I started writing) I present you with a...
Drumroll please...
Mass Release!
Five chapters at one!
But seriously, thank you for all the love you've been showing this story! I've been having the time of my life reading your comments.
...
Sigh...
Even those with the 🦶
I think...
Maybe...
At this point, I'm not sure if I'm amused or disturbed.
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Wriothesely's POV
While I wanted to get back a Neuvillette for the two days of silence, I knew better than to do it now.
Especially when Neuvillette just straight-up told me to control myself.
"Your Grace, this conversation will not be all fun and games. Please, whatever you hold against me right now, hold it in just a bit longer."
As such, we all quite peacefully ended up in a room inside the Opera Eclipse.
Well, this is a place I haven't been to in a while.
Sure, I have been to a trial here and there, but I'm pretty sure I haven't been here for at least a year.
"Well, if it isn't Duke Wriothesely himself. You're a difficult man to meet, Your Grace."
"And you're a difficult person to deal with, Miss Arlecchino." I retorted.
We both flashed each other a polite smile as we sat down.
Even as we sat around the round table, I couldn't understand the reason for the request Neuvillette had made a few minutes ago.
"Your Grace, would you mind taking a seat between Lady Furina and the Knave?"
For a split second, I had hoped that he had made the request to sit across from me but...
With the way he was looking at the harbinger, he obviously had me sit here so that Lady Furina wouldn't have to.
It was very subtle really.
I strongly doubt the harbinger would have noticed even if she were to just stare straight at him, but a subtle hint of warning was flashing in the dragon's eyes as if to say:
Do something I don't like and you'll drop dead in an instant.
"Why is it that you've made such a sudden request for tea, Miss Arlecchino?" Neuvillette asked.
He was now fully back in his role as Iudex.
No...
To be honest...
There was a slight hint of dragon seeping through his tone.
A warning.
One that was hard to catch.
I was about to cast a questioning look at Lady Furina in hopes of getting an explanation for the usually neutral dragon's could mood, but-
She's acting weird as well.
Since I've been seeing more of her lately, especially of her interactions with Neuvillette, I did realize that Lady Furina acting as archon and Lady Furina just in general are two very different people, but...
Now she looked...
She looked worried. Frightened even.
Why?
Did something happen during their last meeting?
Something so grave that it could cause Neuvillette's tone to slip?
"I heard of your little crisis inside the Fortress of Meropide and I've come to express my willingness to help."
"There is no need. The Chief Justice and Duke Wriothesely are perfectly-"
"To put it bluntly, Miss Furina, I'm aware that the Primordial Sea is somewhere within Meropide's walls." She interrupted her.
Lady Furina's eyes widened and she struggled to come up with a response.
That's when Neuvillette stepped in.
"That was out of line, Miss Arlecchino."
"Whatever do you mean, Monsieur Neuvillette?"
He means your tone was utterly disrespectful and you even interrupted an archon.
"I interrupting Fontaine's archon wasn't enough, your mocking and insulting tone would be more than sufficient for me to charge you."
Oh wow.
A clear threat.
I wasn't expecting that.
It looked like after the Knave had dropped all intentions of having a peaceful conversation, Neuvillette had deemed it enough and went on the offensive.
"Is that a threat, Chief Justice?"
"That depends solely on your next course of action. I, for one, do not wish to give Duke Wriothesely another... harbinger to deal with."
The way he said 'harbinger' sounded a whole damn lot like he was saying 'useless burden'.
Pfft!
This is a side of Neuvillette's I haven't seen before.
It's incredibly entertaining.
"Neuvillette, that is quite enough." Lady Furina finally spoke up.
"Lady Furina-"
"Enough, I said."
Something flashed past Neuvillette's eyes, but in the end, he remained silent.
Oh?
Usually, the dragon would not relent when their thoughts clashed. At the very least he would attempt to convince the archon, so to see this...
Could it be that Lady Furina held more authority over him than I thought?
Or was this just him giving her face in front of the Knave?
It was then that I started hearing a set of voices inside my head.
It was also at this moment that I realized that I had been thinking too much.
"Neuvillette! What the hell is wrong with you."
"I'm frustrated. She is frustrating me further."
"Then suck it up and deal with it! Do you think I want to be here?! She just threw out such a bomb and you go and threaten her?!"
I don't know why I was hearing their secret little argument, but they really should concentrate on the matter at hand instead.
Eventually, it was the Kanve that spoke up, interrupting them without knowing.
"While you seem to be speaking in my best interests, Monsieur Neuvillette, I cannot allow this matter to be glossed over. After all, I too wish to stop the coming disaster."
"Your help is not needed, Miss Arlecchino." The dragon said bluntly.
Pfft!
It was great to see someone else suffering from this.
"Oh? Did Lady Furina perhaps come up with a plan or emergency measure since the last time we spoke?"
That question...
I would like an answer to that one too, actually.
"Well, it's only natural to have a plan. I've told you before that I had one and I still have one now."
"Would you mind sharing some details this time, Miss Furina?" She pushed.
And this time, while I wanted an answer, for some reason she really annoyed me.
Just leave her alone, will you?
If she said she has one then she has one.
If not, there is always Neuvillette.
"I- I still cannot share any details!"
"Oh, what a pity."
"Yes, yes... Quite so."
I had never seen Lady Furina so discouraged in my life.
Hmm...
This is annoying.
I feel annoyed.
Having the usually smiling and annoyingly teasing archon look borderline depressed bothered me extremely.
I can kind of see why Neuvillette would be so frustrated now.
"Do you perhaps have a plan B then, Lady Furina?"
As soon as that question dropped, I saw two very different reactions.
On one side, Lady Furina's eyes lit up as if she had found saving grace.
On the other...
Gods-!
Neuvillette was looking at the archon with a glare that bordered feral.
It looked like if Lady Furine dared to say another word she would drop dead right then and there.
The weight of his own glare seemed to hit Neuvillette as he took a deep breath.
"There is no plan B as of yet, Miss Arlecchino." He said calmly.
That sounded like an offer from Neuvillette.
A way out of a conversation the dragon clearly wasn't willing to have for the archon.
But...
This time it was the archon that sent a glare at the dragon.
"Oh? None at all?"
"Neuvillette was-" Lady Furina tried.
"No none."
"I see, what a pity."
"Neuvillette-"
"A pity indeed." He interrupted the archon once more.
Just when I thought that Lady Furina was going to snap at him, I spotted a small movement under that table.
Neuvillette's hand had sneaked over to hold Lady Furina's and that seemed to be enough to calm the archon down.
"I see... Then, while I would love to continue this wonderful conversation, it might be better for me to go." The Knave spoke up.
How tactful.
How suspiciously tactful.
Actually...
"I'll see you out." I offered.
Just to make sure you actually leave.
She bid farewell to Neuvillette and Lady Furina and we both walked out of there rather peacefully.
It was when I closed the door that-
"The Chief Justice seems to dislike plan B." She sounded rather amused.
"There is no such thing as a plan B, Miss Arlecchino. It will be better for you to take it as such."
If Neuvillette shows such an intense reaction to it, I highly doubt he will let Lady Furina go through with it even if it causes Fontaine to disappear from the map.
She was clearly about to say something in retort, but whatever it was, a soft sound interrupted her.
Huh?
Rain?
I looked outside.
We both did.
It was raining.
No.
It wasn't just raining. It was pouring down like never before.
Just seconds after I made this observation the door opened and Neuvillette walked out and away.
The door had quickly closed behind him, but even so, I was able to get a glance at Lady Furina who was standing next to the table.
Something wasn't right.
She wasn't alright.
What did the two of them talk about to put them in this state?
I say them, as Neuvillette, while calm on the outside, if the rain was one indicator, he was anything but that.
For a second alarms went off in my mind.
My gaze shot to the harbinger who was looking at the now closed door somewhat shocked.
Sensing my gaze, she turned around and our eyes met.
"You worry too much, Duke Wriothesely. Even I know better than to enter that room after... whatever that was."
That's good then.
Now leave.