The Iudex's day off

Chapter 106 - The mastermind

Wriothesley's POV

 Neuvillette returned by the time the girls finished celebrating.

 I found it weird that he flinched the first time we locked eyes, but I didn't comment on it as it never happened again.

 We dropped the children off at Lady Furina's place, which was unsurprisingly, the top floor of the Opera Epiclese.

 Just like her to want to live here of all places.

 And she owns the whole top floor as her private residence.

 Neuvillette had to go through about half an hour of scolding from the archon about leaving her with nothing to go off of other than the evidence left behind and bolting with the girls.

 After that, she too suffered from half an hour of warnings and explanations from Neuvillette about what she should and shouldn't do with the girls.

 However, neither the girls nor Claude cared a lot about this conversation. They were far too amazed by the fancy and over-decorated place that was the archon's home.

 Neuvillette then proceeded to make us all lunch, as in his words:

 "I will not trust Furina to cook for the girls even if you beat me to death."

 I later found out that this isn't because she cannot cook, but rather that her cooking is not too varied and Neuvillette spoils the girls far too much by cooking separate things for them to tend to their tastes.

 Not that Lady Furina seemed to mind his words all that much. After all, she too got a meal specially assembled to her preferences.

 Neuvillette wanted to stay longer and only go down to the fountain after it got dark to ensure that as few people were around as possible, but Lady Furina quickly pointed out that with the mess of a weather that had been today, no sane person would be outside even if it wasn't raining at the moment.

 "There was a 2-minute thunderstorm for Celestia's sake! Two damn minutes! Neuvillette, have some self-control, would you? Either that or stay pissed a bit longer!" She complained.

 And now here we were, alone at the Fountain of Lucine.

 "Are you sure this won't hurt you?" I asked again.

 "I've told you seven times in the past hour that it won't, Wrio. Shall I put it down in writing?"

 "No."

 I'm just worried, okay?

 "So, how does this work?"

 "I will have to ask you to stand back for a moment while I try sensing the power of hydro within the waters. I do not wish to... cause another scene."

 Cause another scene?

 "Neuvillette-"

 "Just stand back. Please, Wriothesley."

 "Alright."

 I took a few steps back but my eyes never left him.

 His cane materialized within his hand, slamming down with enough force for the noise created by the impact to echo even in an open space.

 Then the fountain began to glow.

 Brighter and brighter till suddenly, it went dark.

 The whole thing took merely a few seconds and just as I started thinking something might have gone wrong, Neuvillette's cane slipped out of his hands, clattering on the floor as he staggered.

 "Neuvillette!"

 I barely caught him as he fell backward.

 I expected him to stubbornly insist that he could stand by himself as always, but surprisingly, he made no attempt to do so. He just-

 "Pfft!"

 "Neuv?" 

 He was laughing?

 "Pfft! Hahahaha!"

 He was laughing so loudly that his whole body shook.

 What the hell?

 Something is wrong.

 Something is very wrong.

 "Neuvillette, what's wrong? Tell me-"

 "This is quite amusing." He chuckled.

 While he said it was amusing, he sounded anything but amused. His voice turned dark and his aura was frightening.

 "I expected the mastermind to be from Meropide but it appears I was mistaken."

 Huh?

 The mastermind wasn't from Meropide?

 Truth be told, I too expected that to be the case.

 But they were not?

 "The first time he entered Meropide was under my direct orders, Wriothesley. I made the initial connection he has with Meropide now. Isn't that funny?"

 What?

 "Let me tell you something even more laughable."

 He turned around, his lips twisting into a self-mocking scowl.

 "I personally introduced him to you, Wriothesley. I happily introduced him to you not too long ago."

 "What?"

 Just who-

 Suddenly, thunder roared loudly and it started pouring rain.

 Neuvillette didn't seem to notice though.

 "Would you do me a favor and accompany me to the Palais Mermonia, Wrio?"

 "Yeah... Sure."

 Something was very clearly very wrong.

 The identity of this mastermind hit him harder than I could have ever expected. 

 I couldn't think of anything I could do that would help him right now.

 I didn't know what he saw. Who he saw.

 So I just held out my hand to him.

 "Hold my hand?"

 Shock flickered past that pair of eyes that had turned so cold and distant.

 There was some hesitation but in the end, he still took my hand.

 At first, he just held it gently but his grip slowly tightened. He seemed to notice it too as he quickly let go.

 Or at least he tried to.

 I firmly held his hand in place.

 "I'm not letting go of you. Your hand is staying right where it is."

 He tried to pry his hand away a few more times but eventually gave up, letting me hold it.

 He teleported us to his office before walking over to one of the shelves.

 "I'm guessing you want to know who the mastermind is."

 "Of course."

 That self-mocking scowl once again returned to his lips as he pulled a box off the shelf.

 "Well then, allow me to introduce you to the one behind everything.

 He brought the box closer and now I could read the label on the cover.

 Personnel files: Marechaussee Phantom