The Iudex's day off

Side Story 7 - A failed surprise

Happy Birthday, Neuvillette!

It's Neuvillette's birthday but Wriothesley came out as the biggest winner in the end.

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Neuvillette's POV

 Why is everyone acting so suspiciously today?

 Wriothesley actually got out of bed before me and was gonna already by the time I woke up.

 The only thing I found was a note left on the table that he had something urgent to handle and he would come pick me up from Palais Mermonia in the evening.

 What was worrying was that he even didn't drink his morning tea.

 What could have been that urgent?

 Sigh...

 I really should stop sleeping so deeply.

 I've started to sleep more and more deeply lately. With Wriothesley here it feels like home. It feels safe.

 But it won't be good if I sleep through something.

 What a dilemma.

 After getting myself ready for work, I went to look for Sigewinne.

 When I asked her about Wrio, she just said she didn't know where he went.

 The guards I met on the way out said the same.

 He wasn't in his office and I couldn't sense him within Meropide.

 Did something cause him to go to the surface?

 I met Amalie on the way out.

 She giggled softly after hearing about my current problem. She told me that Wrio had gone to solve some problems regarding gardemeks and wouldn't be back for a while.

 All throughout this, her giggles didn't stop.

 I wonder why?

 The next person I met was, surprisingly enough, Claude.

 He was coming out of the Opera Epiclese with a stack of boxes in hand.

 I had yet to call out to him when he noticed me and ran off without another word like a frightened rabbit.

 ?

 Have I done something to frighten the poor child?

 I would have gone after him had he not disappeared out of sight already.

 And if this wasn't enough...

 I met some of the girls on my way to Palais Mermonia. There were surprisingly few of them. Have some taken a day off on their own? Usually, they ask me to handle it.

 As for the few that I met...

 They were all incredibly elusive.

 They were acting as if they were trying to hide that they were hiding something.

 They were quite awful at it too.

 I asked if something was wrong, but I couldn't find it in myself to push any further when they all adorably shushed me and said it was a secret.

 I truly should be stricter with the girls. What if they are up to no good?

 But still, the only thing that I could do was nod and pat them on the head.

 Next time.

 I will try next time.

 I got to my office to find an extra large pile of work to go through.