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A time passed after flood incident in fontaine, oratrice no. longer works, furina is no. longer archon, and fontainians didn’t melt when touch primordial water. It took a while too adjust to this change.
While it has a sacrifice for both of navia bodyguard, melus and silver ,time would still go on. So even thought she still feels sad after that, she continue to lives.
As continuing her routine, she just notice she rarely in contact with some of her friends.
Especially... monsieur neuvillette, didnt he just save her from falling to the primordial water?
Have she ever thank him directly or even make something in gratitude?
Well she usually made macaroons for spina di rosula member or even her friends at table troupe... but as she remembers, monsieur not really fonds of sweet.
“Hm... maybe i will try to make something that’s not require a sweet tooth to eat it”.
As she prepare something to cook. Usually he have melus and silver around to help her..ah how she missed them, she have a soft smiles.
Another day another job. That’s her daily as spina di rosula leader.
As she have another groceries for extra baking, she passed by neuvillette shadows.
“Monsieur?”
He seems didn’t hear her.
She searching for his figure but seems he lost in crowd of people.
“ Is it just my imagination..” the blond girl finally made her wayback home
A bell ringed indicating the food is ready, navia took out her food from oven, and put them to the box.
The after wrap some of the food she put it to the box and get ready to deliver it at monsieur neuvilette place.
“Well i hope he’s home tho”
But right after she arrived ,seems his residence is empty..
After a few knock there is no answer..
“Monsieur?” she asked
Waiting for 10 minutes feels he might haven’t came back yet so she’s going to his office. On way to palais she met clorinde
“Oh clorinde? It’s unusual to see you still at office?”
“I have something to be taken care of, now i’m going to deliver the document to meropide”
She knows even thought her friend is a diligent worker ,there is something she cannot hide of, like, how the duelist is so close to duke.
“Ah.. okay take care ! oh by the way have you seen monsieur neuvillette?”
“oh ludex? I met him after getting some document seems he already back home”
“Really? He didn’t answer his door “
“Oh, then he might went of to some place first..maybe you can come again tomorrow?”
Just like that the violet haired duelist waved bye and going through other way, delivering the document.
Navia hummed, maybe it’s best to come again later.
The way to poisson is a bit faraway, especially when it’s almost sunset, she need to go through grass field and passed the forest. Before going back to her headquarters
It’s windy and she held her hat so it’s not flying.
She’s not notice that there’s bandit and wolfhound near her.
They started to chase her
“Ugh i dont bring my weapon today but i still have my umbrella, dont mess with me!”
She trying so hard to protect her basket that contain some of the food.
Navia block and toss some of their attack, and she notice the rain is pouring.
Not recover yet from the shock of being attacked by bandits and wolfhounds in the afternoon, suddenly there was a creature that swooped down from the sky that attacked them all and made them scatter
"Huh??"
The white dragon with a blue mane looked angry and made them run around from attacking Navia. They began to attack them but they blocked it easily, until one of the bandit shoot down some arrow andi t hit their hand.
They howled in pain, navia looks worry, so she started to attack them until the bandit and woldhound move away
“ Dont hurt them!!” as she started to throw some attack with her umbrella.
The dragon recover from the attack and throw some of water cannon from his mouth.
They all run away
“You are in a good luck today miss!” as some bandit said.
She sighed in relief.
Navia went check at the creature who suddenly save her, the arrow still intact in his arm.
She forgot about her basket, it still intact but some of the food is spilled out.
“Hey..are you okay?” she come near the dragon.
She took some of her cloth and put it on the arrow.
“Do you want me to remove it?” she said to them.
The dragon looks so in pain, he just blinked a few times. Maybe it gave her permission
“Alright, please stay still”
she pressed the scar then pulled the arrow slowly, the dragon groaned, "Sorry I'll pull it out soon" then she pulled with both hands and finally the arrow was successfully pulled out. Fresh blood flowed from the wound where the arrow removed. Navia immediately pressed the cloth that was soaked in blood to where the blood come out.
“Hold still, please”
As she trying to stop the bleeding, the dragon suddenly shine bright, and turned into... a person
A man with white hair, and blue horns, groaned in pain, the wound still there, and his clothes was a mess.
“Monsieur neuvillete?” her eyes widen.
“Miss.. Navia.. i dont mean to show myself like this...”
“Don’t speak first we have to treat you” she tighten her cloth on his wound.
“it’s too far away from the city..” his voice weaken
“Then lets go to the hut, it’s nearer there.
Then navia help him stand and bring her to the nearest hut that was still her teritory
“I’m afraid someone will see me like this..”
“Dont worry monsieur, we’re save here” she said.
Right after she help him move to the hut. She turned on the fireplace, and heat the water, there is still medical aid on the box, neuvillete looks so weak because of the bleeding. She might need some food and drink to make his condition stable.
“Monsieur, may i remove ... your sleeves please?” she hesitate to asked him , but he pulled out his judge coat and pulled down his shirt down, to reveal his arm that being wounded from the arrow.
Her cheek flushed, didn’t mean stare at his body, she began to clean his wound with hot towel.
“monsieur, lift your face” he did, and she wipe his bruised face.
“If you feel the bandage were too strong you can tell me"
She continue doing the work and there is some slience between them. She started wrapping bandages around his arms, and also placing band aid on his scratched and bruised face, his face looked better than before. But still look pale because he loss some blood.
“Here, some water , you need to hydrate yourself” she gave him glass.
“Thank you, navia” he drink it quickly, the taste may not be so fresh for him but still acceptable to drink.
She prepare some food with remaining ingredients in box.
“Navia.. you..you don’t fear me?”
She stirred up the pan and adding some spices
“Why should i? I might be shocked but knowing you hurt yourself i cannot let you alone like that” navia replies.
She prepare bowl of soup for two of them. After that she sat beside him.
“Monsieur, why did you save me?”
“... i just feel obliged too”
“But you were on your dragon form, someone might have seen you transform! You cannot trust me that much either”
Neuvillette still in silence.
“Back on that day..where you also save me before falling at the primordial water, you also save me.”
He started to look at his fingers. Bruised and a bit tainted with cuts and blisters.
“ I am not that special monsieur, i’m... just a normal human, who happens to be a leader of spina di rosula, not benefit to you at all”
“Navia, stop looking low at yourself.” His voice is fierce
“Ah... sorry about that.”
She gave him the soup.
“Here, you have to eat, you’ve been working hard all day”
He sipped the soup juices, and began to eat ravenously
“It’s good.”
“Glad it suits your taste” she smiles.
She take a look at the basket that originally wanted to be gave for neuvillette.
“I.. want to thank you for..saving me that day, i was going to drop this by your residence after work, but you weren’t there, so i went back home, unfortunately i was attacked and.. the food is ruined”
She made some of savory cookies but some is already broken and tainted with dirt.
“You... don’t have to bother yourself for me..” he took one cookies and eat it
“NO.. MONSIEUR! IT’S DIRTY, I’LL MAKE NEW ONE” she take the basket away.
“But it still taste good.” He continue to eat the cookies.
“No.. you are in process of healing also please.” the blond haired feels glad that iudex like her cookies but... eating it in the ruined shape? Absolutely No.
They finished both of their food, neuvillete now using a new pair of shirt because his clothes is tainted with blood, fortunately there’s a spare of clothes in hut so navia dont need to avert her eyes because of his shirtless form..
“So.. are you that hydro dragon that people are singing about?”
“...yes”
“and i might be the one who witness your original form ?”
“there is some in past but.. yea you are the only one in this era, not even traveller has saw my dragon form.”
“Are you..keeping all this secret by yourself for years..”
“... it’s not that important.. beside i can maintain my human form for a long time, it’s just... after i gain my power back.. i need to transform every 2 week. And i need to hide from other people”
She clenched her fists.
“You dont need to worry Navia. I manage to dot his on my own.”
“how i cannot worry about that...”
She carress his arm.
“You wound yourself because of me...”
“you might get killed if i dont save you”
“Monsieur dont look at me as damsel in distress please, i am capable of protecting my self!”
She dont understand why this man.. is so determined to save her No. matter what happens, what’s so special?
“I.. worry about you.”
Her eyes widen.
“you almost drown, you are sulking after that duel, and you lose your father, you companion, but still manage to keep that smile, how i cannot worry? How i dont know what you hide behind that smiles? Navia please, dont ever forbid me to save you again.”
Neuvillette blurt out his feeling , making navia a bit shocked at his confession.
“what am i to you monsieur.”
“..You are.. “
He gulped before finish his word
“Important to me”
Her heartbeat racing so fast, did he realize his word?
“i.. i dont know how to respond to that”
“You dont need to respond.. i just.. wanted you to be a bit more appreciate yourself. I am bad at word but.. you already tried your best.”
..it’s been so long since she heard a compliment..
Unknown to this feeling, she just letting it flow, taking his palms to her hand. And intertwined the fingers.
“Am i... allowed.. to be happy monsieur? After all... i did make people lost their life because of me..”
“you are, navia, you are.”
He let his arm to caress her head. Soothing her
“and i’ll be glad to contribute to some of your future happiness, demoiselle”
He called her demoiselle...
“What a flatterer..” she leaned to his shoulder slowly fell asleep without any burden.
“You must be tired.” He put her head on his shoulder to steady her figure and he leaned to the pilow, feeling sleepy suddenly.
The night come and then both of them asleep in the hut.
Morning came and she jolted to welcomed neuvillete sleepy face welcoming her, her cheeks is burning knowing he sleep on his shoulder all night.
At least today is weekend so No. work.
“mmmorninng monsieur” she stutters
“Morning, Navia” he rub his eyes.
“ iif.. you feel fine then you can go home... you feel a lot better... after sleeping..”
“mmm sure, thanks for taking care of me navia”
She nods sheepishly.
Navia cleaned the hut and notice neuvillette is staring at her back.
“What’s with that gaze monsieur, i’m working here”
“why you are so red? we didn’t do anything last night”
“IT’S BECAUSE I.. STAY A NIGHT WITH A MAN!! I dont think normally people did that!!” she shouted, finally letting go of her frustations.
“Ah... but you only taking care of me so nothing to be worry?”
“uh.. monsieur you are so ...” she sighed.
After all night warming his coat she gave it to neuvillete “Your clothes”
She even help him to use his coat.
“If you need help uh... you can just call ..spina di rosula”
“alright..”
“I’m gonna leave first so...”
“Wait, i’m leaving also”
Then both of the go out from the hut, luckily No. one see them..
“Take care monsieur..”
She turned herself to go back to poisson.
“Navia.”
“Yes?”
“i would like your cookies again... at least now the uncracked one”
There’s a thump inside her guts.
“Then.. i willl send it to you this evening”
“No. need to rush anyway see you later, Navia.”
Then monsieur turned himself towards the city.
What an unexpected side of iudex that she saw ... lately.
..
What to do with this new feelings that she felt?