The Iudex's day off

Chapter 5 - The storm an archon brings

 Neuvillette's POV

 Sigh...

 Sigh!

 I should have known she would come again.

 It just slipped my mind that Duke Wriothesely being here would change the situation.

 "What brings you here, Lady Furina?" I asked, stepping in front of the Duke.

 What I have to do now is draw her attention away from him and try to have him out of here as fast as possible.

 "Ah, I'm definitely not letting you do that! What is he doing here?!"

 And there goes my plan.

 If I don't tell her the truth she will make a fuss when she inevitably finds out, but if I do tell her...

 "He came here to check up on Sigewinne last evening."

 "And you let him stay the night?" She huffed.

 "I most definitely did not, Lady Furina. He stayed in the house next door."

 "But why is he here now?"

 "He was helping the girls prepare-"

 And that's where I went wrong.

 I realized it the second the words slipped past my lips but it was too late.

 Furina exploded.

 "What?! You actually left him alone with the melusines?! Neuvillette! You don't even let me stay alone with them for more than a few minutes! Is he more trustworthy than an archon?!"

 From what I have seen this morning I would indeed rather trust him with the girls than you, Lady Furina, but I can't tell you that now can I?

 "Lady Furina." I started gently.

 "What?!"

 "Where are we?"

 "Your house?"

 "And where am I?"

 "You're in right here! In your house! What are you getting at?!"

 Phew...

 Someone, please help me stay calm right now.

 Grabbing Furina by her collar in front of Duke Wriothesely would be incredibly inappropriate.

 "Yes indeed, Lady Furina. I'm right here, in my house. Exactly where both the girls and Duke Wriothesely are located. I did not, and will not leave him alone with them even if the sky collapses." I reassured her.

 "Hmph!" She scoffed, but she did manage to calm down.

 Now that that's done...

 "I'll go get you some snacks and tea, Lady Furina."

 She waved her hand a few times, refusing to even look at me, but that was a good thing at the moment.

 While she wasn't paying attention I quite literally dragged the still-stunned Duke out of the room and into the kitchen.

 It was only then that his soul seemed to return.

 "That- I- What?"

 Or maybe not.

 "I once again have to apologize, Your Grace. I did not take into consideration that this could happen."

 I should have known.

 She has been coming by on a daily basis. I should have realized-

 "No, no, no. Please Monsieur Neuvillette. This is your home and I should have gone to work ages ago anyway."