May this promise last a lifetime

Chapter 37 - Unpleasant to see you too

Neuvillette's POV

 I wasn't able to think about Wriothesley's matter for long.

 Not with the swarm of children jumping at me as soon as I stepped through the door.

 "Uncle Neuvillette!"

 "You're here!" 

 "Finally!"

 "We've been waiting here since morning!"

 "Well, for most of it. We were forced away for breakfast."

 And true to their words I could see blankets and cushions laid out on the floor, toys thrown around everywhere.

 "My apologies for being late. I ran into some trouble this morning." I smiled.

 "That's okay!"

 "You're always early!"

 "It's okay to be late now and then!"

 I was quickly dragged inside and shown tens of trinkets in mere minutes as if I hadn't just been here last week.

 They do know they showed those to me last time, right?

 But, while I wasn't going to point that out to them, it didn't mean someone else wasn't.

 "You brats. Give some space to the poor man, will you? You will crush him at this rate. Besides, you showed all that to him last week." Arlecchino scolded as she entered the room.

 "We have?"

 "Oh, right..."

 "Uhm... We'll just go find Freminet."

 And just like that, all of them escaped in an instant.

 If I didn't know better, I would think they were afraid of her.

 "Horrible morning to you, Mr. Neuvillette." She smiled

 "Unpleasant to see you too, Ms. Arlecchino." I smiled back.

 She frowned and waved her hand in dismissal.

 "Please, keep that smile for the children. It's only ever genuine for them anyway."

 "There are a few exceptions."

 "And I'm not one of them." She pointed out.

 Well, that's true.

 "I see you have company. The guy you have been screwing over for the past few years and his daughter if I'm not mistaken."

 "Does everyone know I've been sabotaging his work?"

 Seriously?

 Was I the only one out of the loop on the matter?

 "To be fair, you have been sabotaging a whole lot of people's work, this guy just seems extra pitiful. Plus, not everyone knows, I just did my research."

 "In the last five minutes?" I asked skeptically.

 "Well... Sedene did the research. I paid her for the outcome of it."

 ...

 I should call later to restrict the availability of that piece of information.

 My intentions were probably written on my face with a frown as Arlecchino raised an eyebrow in amusement.

 "I'm guessing that information won't be that easy to get from now on. Still, at least send a memo around will you? Something like: Don't touch these people or you die."