Baizhu's POV
"So, what do you want?" Wriothesley asked bluntly.
"What do I want?"
"Yes."
He looked at me as if I was the least trustworthy guy he had ever met.
Hmm...
This guy has a good judge of character.
"Well, for starters I want to go home, take a bath and rest for a bit. Dealing with Neuvillette is quite exhausting. Aside from that-"
"What do you want from me." He spelled it out.
Oh dear...
I did want something from him but maybe I should change my plans.
Wouldn't want a sharp guy like him to stumble onto Neuvillette's carefully crafted web of lies, now would we?
But still...
He is the first Neuvillette has allowed close after all these years. Would it be worth a try?
Would a relationship based on lies that could crumble at any moment be a good idea?
Maybe I should-
"Woah!"
I suddenly found myself getting dragged away from the couch by my collar.
"Neuvillette! Let go of me this instant!"
"Get rid of that snake-like smile of yours first. I can see you scheming from a mile away." He grumbled.
He pushed my bag into my hands along with my jacket and started pushing me out of the living room.
"Hey-"
"I should be good to go for swimming, right?" He asked suddenly.
"I was never against you swimming you know. It doesn't apply the same pressure-"
"Good to know. I called you a taxi. Goodbye now."
And with that I found myself tossed out of the house.
...
Well, this isn't entirely unexpected.
Neuvillette never did like when someone attempted to touch 'his people'.
I just wasn't aware Wriothesley was considered as such already.
I suppose this is his problem now.
However this little dance in his intricate web of lies plays out, even I cannot now.
Putting that aside, our little prince is still just as innocent and cute as ever.
He probably wouldn't deal well with heartbreak.
Let's see if Wriothesley dares.
Hmm...
Perhaps I should prepare a special blend of poison just in case.
-
Wriothesley's POV
What the hell was that about?
First, I'm having a staredown with that snake-like guy, and the next thing I knew, Neuvillette is throwing him out of the house.
"I apologize for that, Wriothesley. Baizhu didn't succeed in luring you into anything sketchy, did he?" Neuvillette asked, rubbing his temples tiredly.
"Scetchy? Like losing all my wealth kind of sketchy?"
"Getting roped into a clinical trial or another, kind of sketchy." Neuvillette corrected me.
Aha...
That is certainly... interesting...
"I don't think so...?"
At least I don't remember anything like that happening.
Neuvillette let out a tired sigh.
"That is most fortunate, don't misunderstand, he usually means well, but from time to time his scheming side comes out. It usually ends up with this or that guy getting roped into a sketchy clinical trial."
Before I could even think about an answer, Neuvillette added a few more words, this time spoken more softly.
"Not that I minded most. Baizhu's scheming has helped me get rid of unwanted suitors more than once." He mumbled.
...
Why do I feel like all this scheming was just to remove said unwanted suitors from Neuvillette's vicinity?
"Did any of those clinical trials actually happen?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Now that you mention it... Maybe just one?"
"What do you think about the guy who was involved in that?"
Neuvillette frowned slightly at the question.
"Stubborn, persistent, arrogant, dishonest... I really could have ignored all that, ignored him entirely to be precise, had he not kept sending bouquets of red roses to my office."
Oh?
"Not a fan of red roses?"
"They bring back some... unpleasant memories. My mother enjoyed them."
Ah.
No giving red roses to Neuvillette. Good to know.
And now I'm almost completely sure that all that so-called scheming was just to get rid of annoyances around Neuvillette.
Though I suppose there is no need to sell the guy out now.
But...
Does he see me as a suitor then? And an unwanted one at that?
A hint of annoyance couldn't help but rise within my chest.
"Ah, right. Wriothesley, do you have any plans for the day?" Neuvillette spoke up, interrupting my thoughts.
"Hmm? Oh. No, none at all."
I just wanted to relax a bit since after my talk with Nahida I got a call from work saying that they needed me in tomorrow.
Non-negotiable.
"Can you and Sigewinne swim?" He asked.
"Yes..."
But why?
Why can't he just spit out the whole thing?
Navia does this a lot too. Is this a lawyer thing? Talking in circles?
"I had some plans made with a child from the House of the Heart to go diving today. It is at an indoor pool and aside from the deep one for diving there are ones with more normal depths too. I thought you two might enjoy it." He offered.
Well, Sigewinne would certainly enjoy it. She has been bothering me to bring her swimming for ages now, we just couldn't quite fit it in anywhere in our plans.
I'm not all that against the idea either.
"As long as we aren't bothering."
A small, barely noticeable smile immediately made its way to his face.
"On the contrary, I think it would be best if you came. Your company alone would already be pleasant, but aside from that, I will also be able to introduce you to Freminet, the twins's younger sibling, before their stay here."
As right. The third child aside from the twins.
"Anything I should pay attention to?"
"As long as you don't try to over-socialize, it should be fine. Freminet is... a little shy."
A bit?
From that expression you're making I'm guessing he is more than just a little shy.
"I can do that, Sigewinne on the other hand most likely not so much."
Sigewinne is far too energetic for that.
In turn, I was rewarded with one of Neuvillette's very rare chuckles usually reserved for Sigewinne.
"I think Sigewinne will be just fine as she is. She is, after all, quite adorable." Neuvillette chuckled.
"How does that help?"
"Freminet is incredibly weak against anything that is small and adorable."
Huh?
"If anything, you should be afraid of your daughter getting snatched away for some hugs."
Huh?!
"Hmm... No, that probably wouldn't happen. Freminet is a little too polite for that. He is the kind of person who would ask for permission before kidnapping someone." He mused.
Huh?!?
Hey.
Hey!
Neuvillette wait just a moment!
Where the hell is this conversation going?!
What kind of person is this kid?!
What am I getting myself into?!