May this promise last a lifetime

Chapter 40 - Seriously screwed

Wriothesley's POV

 I'm having a very difficult time not staring at the moment.

 Someone, please help me!

 "Mister, is keeping your hair in a braid not heavy?" Sigewinne asked.

 Right.

 Neuvillette's hair was pulled together into a single braid and Sigewinne was right, it did look heavy especially now that it was wet. 

 But at the same time...

 He was so pretty I didn't dare to look.

 "It can get quite heavy. That's why I usually let it run over my shoulder so it takes a bit of the weight away."

 As he explained, I could see him lifting his brain over his shoulder from the corner of my eye but I didn't dare look at him directly.

 That is until I heard Sigewinne and Freminet's next exchange.

 "Huh? Do you get into a lot of fights as well, mister? You're back is worse off than Dad's." Sigewinne asked innocently.

 "He did when he was young but not anymore. Or at least not often. Uncle Baizhu tends to scold him quite severely if he does. Sometimes he makes him drink some very bitter medicine." Freminet explained.

 This made me turn my head to look at Neuvillette and-

 Son of a-

 My urge to invent a time machine just to go back in time and kill that useless piece of trash of a mother of his once again rose in me.

 Whip marks.

 There were whip marks on his back.

 The kids might not but I recognized them for sure.

 They were clearly very old and most of them had mostly faded with how much time had passed but they were still clearly visible.

 It wasn't just those either, even just from this angle, I could still see a few smaller scars scattered across his body.

 "Is that why you made it your job to argue with people, mister? Because you couldn't win a physical fight?"

 Sigewinne's question earned her a small chuckle.

 "I suppose that's one way of looking at it. I've come to believe that violence doesn't solve every problem. Though... It is certainly useful in some situations." Neuvillette chuckled.

 I was not expecting that last part from someone like him.

 Someone who can pretty much choose who to send to prison and who to set free with just a few words.

 Sigewinne frowned slightly at his words and threw me a glance before leaning over to whisper something into Neuvillette's ear.

 Whatever it was that she told him, it caused Neuvillette to throw me an amused look before whispering something in return.

 What are they up to again?

 Whatever it was they were up to, it didn't last long as their attention was quickly pulled away by the small mechanical penguin Freminet pulled out from his bag.

 This time I shifted slightly closer as well to take a look, still trying very hard not to just stare at Neuvillette.

 "So, if I did everything right, he should be able to swim underwater and follow the device I have built into my watch." Freminet explained.