The Iudex's day off

Chapter 6 - Little schemes

Neuvillette's POV

 I could hear Duke Wriothesely approach us before the girls stopped him and led him towards the back door.

 That was fortunate as well, otherwise, another problem may have arisen.

 "Are you listening to me, Neuvillette?"

 "Always, Lady Furina."

 "Then what did I just say?"

 "You said that another series of disappearances seems to have started around Fontaine."

 She let out a grunt, no doubt annoyed that I answered her correctly.

 "The gardes have also found these going around secretly on the market."

 She pulled out two small bottles and I couldn't help but frown.

 "Primordial Seawater."

 "Yes. One of them is diluted to the point where it isn't fatal but the other isn't. Countless people in Fontaine could be walking around with an untraceable weapon of mass destruction and we can't even be sure."

 I could see her shoulders drooping and I couldn't help but reach over to pet her head.

 "You- You- You- Neuvillette! Stop that this instant!" She shouted as she ducked away, but her mood was certainly a bit better.

 I retracted my hand and instead turned to examine the bottles.

 "This will most definitely pose a problem."

 "You think?" She asked sarcastically. 

 "Yes, I do."

 She groaned as she fell back onto the couch.

 "The first thing we have to do is figure out where the water is coming from. It cannot be from the fortress nor the cave the Traveler found as I've sealed both of them and no one has touched the seals even once since then."

 Well, that's not completely true.

 Duke Wriothesely went and punched the seal in the fortress once.

 Now that I think about it, we should discuss that at a later date.

 "Arg! This is hell! Neuvillette, when will the girls get better?"

 "As I've said before, this condition lasts at most a week."

 "You said that a week ago!" She caused.

 "Yes, I did. And the ones who got sick a week ago are now back on their feet and at work."

 "So... When did the last one to get sick get sick?"

 "Three days ago." I said simply.

 And she once again exploded.

 Predictable.

 "So another four days?! I can't take this Neuvillette! Fontain's justice system will collapse without you! Please, can I give you just half of the paperwork? A third? Maybe a fourth? Any of it? Please?! I'm gonna die before I finish it!" She whined.

 Once again I couldn't help but sigh.

 "Only half."

 I still could not take all of it as I had to pay attention to the girls, but taking half would surely-

 My thoughts were interrupted as Furina looked at me as if she had been blessed.

 "Oh, Neuvillette! My dearest Chief Justice! You are the best in all of Fontaine!"