The Iudex's day off

Chapter 103 - Children should be children

Neuvillette's POV

 "I feel stupid for worrying about you when you went outside to fix the valve last time." Wriothesley grumbled, squeezing the water out of his clothes.

 "It makes me happy to know you worry about me, Wrio. Let me help you with that."

 I quickly drew the water from both his clothes and mine.

 "Well, isn't that a convenient little trick?"

 "I remember showing you this one before."

 "Huh? Really? When was that?"

 "Back when-"

 "Dad! I found him! They are here! They snuck in!"

 My words were interrupted by a shut followed by dozens of footsteps.

 Before I knew it I was reminded of another reason why I should not leave the girls in Merusea Village.

 "Dad!"

 They learned from Mamere.

 Within just seconds, I was jumped by at least five of them.

 I wasn't the only one either.

 "Papa!"

 Wrio was so stunned by that single call that he didn't even try to keep his balance when the girls jumped into his arms.

 I was just in time to keep him upright with a small strand of water at his back.

 Papa.

 I was not expecting that one.

 I was so surprised when I heard it yesterday.

 I thought they would keep calling him Uncle Wriothesley.

 I wonder who came up with that.

 Hmm...

 Trow, perhaps. This seems like something that would come from her.

 Whoever it was, this does make for quite an amusing situation.

 Pfft!

 "Pa-Papa? Girls. Girls, that's-"

 "We're calling you Papa!"

 "End of story!"

 "We accept no protests!"

 "But girls-"

 "No."

 "We can't hear you."

 "Papa is Papa."

 Oh dear.

 I suppose it was time for Wriothesley to discover their stubbornness.

 Seeing as how he wouldn't be able to convince them, he threw me a pleading look.

 I could only send him a helpless one in return.

 'I've been trying for centuries.' I mouthed at him.

 I was glad, however, that the girls accepted him so quickly. I was worried they wouldn't.

 Seeing them like this fills me with endless warmth.

 Wrio doesn't seem to mind his new title.

 Even though his face was still red and he was stuttering through his words, he was smiling.

 Though, that might not be as such for long seeing how the little ones climbed out of my arms to run over to him.

 I wonder how many of them he can handle.