The Iudex's day off

Chapter 32 - A Small Problem

Wriothesely's POV

 "So you're saying he just went poof?" Furina asked mockingly.

 "That's exactly what I'm saying."

 "Duke Wriothesely. I'm not sure what you think of me, but I am not an idiot. People don't just go poof-"

 "But I'm telling you that that's exactly what happened!" 

 "And I'm telling you that it is not possible!"

 "Lady Furina-"

 "Could you both just shut up?!" Sigewinne shouted suddenly.

 If looks could kill, both of us would have fallen dead in an instant.

 Sigewinne glared at us from the couch, in her lap our current predicament.

 Curled up in Sigewinne's lap was a small sleeping creature.

 Oh...

 To hell with it!

 It was a goddamn dragon!

 One likely to be Neuvillette no less!

 "I'm telling you, this should be impossible. Neuvillette himself told me that he is incapable of transforming into... this form." Furina gestured to the small sleeping dragon.

 "Have you ever considered that he lied to you?"

 "Neuvillette doesn't lie."

 "Yes, he does." Both Sigewinne and I stated bluntly.

 "Well... He doesn't lie to me."

 This little claim of hers was rewarded with a simple raise of an eyebrow and a doubtful look.

 "Fine, fine. He wouldn't lie about something this important."

 And to that, we had nothing to say.

 Indeed, while it can't be said that Neuvillette doesn't lie, all of them were white lies and involved nothing serious.

 Things like tricking the girls into thinking he was asleep or playing along with Lady Furina's whims.

 "What the hell did you two talk about anyway?"

 "How does that come into this?"

 "Well, something caused him to go poof, as you put it. knowing what he could have been thinking might help figure out what caused this to happen."

 Fair enough.

 Under their watchful eyes, I took a small crystal ball from a hidden corner of the ceiling.

 "Look as long as you'd like."

 I was about to toss the sphere to them when I was met with Lady Furina's shocked eyes.

 "What's that?"

 She asked, pointing at the ball.

 "A recording device."

 I was left confused by her question. After all, Neuvillette said-

 "Neuvillette you lying little- Ugh!"

 Her gaze was burning with fury as she turned to the small creature in Sigewinne's lap.

 "You told me I couldn't have another because it took too long to make and yet you gave him one?!"

 Had it not been for Sigewinne sending her warning glares, she might have shaken the little dragon a few times in frustration.

 "And you!"