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Voices could be heard inside the Supreme Judge’s office.
—No.
—But you haven’t even let me finish explaining!
—There’s no need. The answer will remain the same.
Furina puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms in front of Neuvillette’s desk. She had been trying for several minutes to convince him of something that, from her perspective, was perfectly reasonable. From Neuvillette’s perspective, however, it was probably one of the most absurd proposals he had heard in a long time.
—Come on, Neuvillette. It’ll only be for a little while.
—No.
—We can walk around the city.
—I already told you no.
—People will have fun.
—Precisely. That is one of the reasons I refuse.
Furina narrowed her eyes.
—Then... are you embarrassed?
Neuvillette slowly raised his gaze.
—It’s not a matter of embarrass—
—Then do it!
—You didn’t even let me finish. Besides, that doesn’t constitute an argument.
Furina placed a hand over her chest, theatrically offended.
—You’re the Iudex of Fontaine! You’re supposed to be willing to try new things!
—Being the Iudex of Fontaine does not mean I have to accept every proposal presented to me.
—But this one is special!
Neuvillette sighed and returned to his documents.
—Lady Furina, if you’re quite finished making a spectacle at my desk, I have work to do.
Furina smiled. She had heard that answer far too many times.
—Then I’ll just have to make you change your mind.
—I don’t think—
—Look! —Furina pulled something out from behind her back.
Neuvillette froze. What he saw was an elegant collar made of dark leather, decorated with a small blue dragon hanging from the front. A matching leash extended from it, which Furina held with an expression of absolute pride. There were several seconds of complete silence as Neuvillette thought of a response, and finally he answered:
—No.
—I haven’t even said anything yet!
—There’s no need. I can see your intentions in your eyes, and I have no intention of accepting this.
—Really?! But look how pretty it is!
—Lady Furina.
—It even has a little blue dragon. I made it myself.
—Furina.
—And it matches your clothes perfectly.
—...No.
Furina let out a sigh.
—You’re so boring.
—I’m beginning to understand why some people prefer not to answer your questions immediately.
—Hey! Hmph! —She puffed out her cheeks and left the room with her arms crossed.
Neuvillette returned to what he was doing, convinced that the matter was over. Unfortunately, he did not know that this had only just begun. A few minutes later, Furina appeared in front of him again.
—And now what?
Neuvillette looked up at her. Furina was still holding the collar and leash.
—I’ve been thinking.
—Oh no...
—Neuvillette!
—My apologies. Please, continue.
—I understand why you don’t want to wear it, because it looks too strange...
—Correct. That is precisely the issue.
—Then we can call it something else.
Neuvillette blinked.
—What?
Furina smiled proudly.
—A walking accessory!!
Neuvillette remained silent.
—That... changes absolutely nothing.
—Of course it does! It sounds much more elegant now, and it suits you much better.
—It’s still a collar with a leash.
—But now it’s an elegant collar with an even more elegant leash.
Neuvillette closed his eyes for a few seconds.
—Why are you so determined to do this?
Furina’s expression changed slightly. For the first time, she stopped smiling in that exaggerated way.
—Because... I want to spend time with you.
Neuvillette opened his eyes slightly but remained silent, waiting for her to elaborate. Furina held his gaze for a few seconds before continuing.
—And also because I want you to get out of your office for a while. You’re always here, surrounded by documents, reports, and matters that need to be resolved. You’re the Iudex of Fontaine, yes, but that doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to governing from behind your desk or neglect yourself.
Neuvillette did not answer.
—I’m always telling you that you should interact more with people, talk to them, walk around the city, see what they do in their everyday lives... not just worry about them from a position above them. You need to open your heart to them a little more.
Furina lowered her gaze slightly.
—Humans don’t just need a ruler who solves their problems. They also need someone who can share a moment with them. They need someone who can connect with them and understand them in a more personal way. And you... well, you need to learn how to do that a little more. —After saying that, Furina regained her energetic and theatrical tone and added: —That’s why I always tell you that you should follow my example!!!
Neuvillette still did not respond. He simply watched her in silence. This was not the first time Furina had told him this. For a long time, she had tried, one way or another, to push him toward spending more time with the people of Fontaine. Sometimes through formal invitations, other times simply by dragging him into situations he never would have sought out on his own. She knew better than anyone that he would never willingly get involved in anything trivial, but there was something different in the way Furina was looking at him now, something Neuvillette could not quite understand.
Neuvillette sighed. Now that she had brought the subject up, rejecting her would make him sound like a stubborn man who refused to leave his comfort zone. He took a brief breath and said:
—I understand your good intentions and all, but... why the collar?
—Oh! If I’m being honest, it’s to keep you from backing out, just in case.
—I suppose I cannot escape my fate. —Neuvillette gave his office one last look before leaving the room with Furina.
...
A few minutes later, they were already walking through the streets of Fontaine, and Neuvillette was wearing the collar around his neck. The small blue dragon rested against his chest, while the leash extended all the way to Furina’s hand. As they walked, Neuvillette could not help but think about everything again. He had witnessed many strange things during his long existence, after becoming part of human society. He had seen human fashions and trends appear and disappear, customs that at first had seemed incomprehensible to him, and behaviors he had only come to understand after observing them for years. But this... this was different.
Furina had talked about socializing with humans, leaving his office, walking around Fontaine, and interacting with its inhabitants, and somehow, she had concluded that the best way to accomplish that was to put a collar around his neck and hold him with a leash.
Neuvillette frowned slightly in confusion at that reasoning, but he also considered that Furina was a goddess, and as he had heard in some of the many voices during the hearings he had participated in at court, “Trying to understand the will of a god rather than giving you peace and fulfillment might give you a headache.” Neuvillette simply assumed that this was one of her eccentricities, and unfortunately, this new eccentricity of hers had made him its target.
But... now that he thought about it carefully, this did not even seem to be a particularly common human custom. He had seen dogs being walked on leashes countless times. He had also seen some children playing with them and owners calmly walking alongside their pets, but he had never seen an adult walking around Fontaine like this, much less an ordinary person, let alone an Iudex before him. And he had definitely never seen Furina holding a leash attached to another person’s neck as if it were a perfectly normal social activity.
He glanced sideways at Furina. She walked with a satisfied smile, completely unaware—or pretending to be unaware—of the number of looks they were receiving.
—Furina.
—Yes?
—There is something I don’t understand about this.
—What?
Neuvillette discreetly pointed toward the leash.
—Since when is wearing a leash a way of socializing with humans?
Furina blinked.
—What?
—You insisted that this would help me interact with the people of Fontaine, but it doesn’t seem to be a particularly widespread or common custom among them.
Furina fell silent, then looked at the leash, and afterward at Neuvillette.
—Well... I never said it was a human custom in the first place.
Neuvillette stared at her.
—Then your initial argument loses its meaning.
—Not necessarily!
—No? And why not?
Furina smiled.
—It’s a way to get you to come outside with me.
Neuvillette remained silent.
—That is different.
—It’s much more honest —she admitted.
Neuvillette looked at her for a few seconds. There was something about that answer that, inexplicably, made it harder to reject than all of her previous arguments.
—You could have simply said that from the beginning.
—And would you have agreed?
—Probably.
—Then I was right to change my strategy.
Neuvillette let out a sigh.
Furina laughed.
—Besides, you don’t seem that uncomfortable.
Neuvillette lowered his gaze toward the collar. The small blue dragon rested peacefully against his chest.
—I never said that I was.
Furina glanced at him, and their eyes met for a few seconds.
—Then maybe it isn’t such a bad idea after all.
Neuvillette did not answer, but he did not immediately look away either. Furina walked proudly beside him, holding the leash in one hand while trying to contain the smile threatening to escape her at any moment. From time to time, her fingers tightened slightly around the leash, just to make sure Neuvillette was still beside her and had not decided to run away. Neuvillette noticed, but said nothing.
There was something strangely intimate about that feeling. The gentle tension of the leash between them, Furina’s closeness as she walked beside him, and that small display of trust that came with allowing her to guide him through the streets of Fontaine. He only had to follow her. It was not unpleasant, although he preferred not to think about it too much.
The people who saw them pass simply stared. Then the whispers began.
—Is that...?
—The Iudex?
—Why is he wearing a collar?
—Wait... is that thing around his neck attached to a leash?
—And Furina is holding it?
Neuvillette could hear absolutely every one of those whispers, and so could Furina... and she was making a monumental effort not to laugh. Neuvillette heard that too.
—Don’t laugh —Neuvillette murmured.
—I’m not laughing!
—You’re laughing!
—I am not!
—Furina.
—All right, all right!
Furina took a deep breath, covered her mouth, and they continued walking for a few more meters.
Then a child passing by pointed at Neuvillette.
—Mom! Look! That man has a leash!
Neuvillette closed his eyes, trying to ignore the fact that he had definitely heard that.
Furina began trembling with laughter.
—No.
—What? —she continued trembling.
—Don’t you dare.
Furina tried to hold herself back and failed.
—HAHAHAHAHA!
Neuvillette continued walking as if nothing had happened.
—I’m glad you find this so amusing —he said with a hint of sarcasm.
—I’m sorry! I’m sorry! It’s just... your face!
—My expression has not changed.
—Exactly! —She noticed that while he continued maintaining his usual calm expression, his ears had turned noticeably red.
Furina continued laughing as they walked. However, after a few minutes, they reached an area where several Melusines were carrying out their duties. One of them looked up, and her eyes immediately widened when she recognized Neuvillette.
—Monsieur Neuvillette!
The Melusine came running over, and two others behind her began approaching as well.
—He’s out for a walk!
—Is he with Furina?
—What is that he’s wearing?
One of the Melusines looked at the collar curiously, prompting Furina to crouch down slightly so she could meet her at eye level.
—It’s a special accessory.
Neuvillette glanced at her.
—There’s no need to lie to them.
—I’m not lying! Technically, it is an accessory.
The Melusine looked at the small blue dragon and examined it.
—It’s a dragon!
—Exactly —Furina said proudly—. I chose it because I thought it would look good on him.
Neuvillette observed the small ornament.
—I must admit the design is quite elaborate.
Furina smiled.
—See? You like it!
—I did not say that.
The Melusines began laughing.
—Monsieur Neuvillette looks like a dragon!
—That makes considerably more sense than what they were saying earlier —Neuvillette replied gently.
Furina covered her mouth to contain her laughter.
—And is Lady Furina walking him?
Neuvillette looked at Furina. She still had that smile on her face.
—Yes —she answered.
—And does he obey?
—Of course he does!
The Melusines looked at one another and said:
—Wow! Monsieur Neuvillette is very obedient!
—This is taking a completely different turn from what I expected —Neuvillette said.
Furina wiped away a tear of laughter.
—Well, at least you’re socializing.
The Melusines began walking alongside them, asking questions about their walk and happily commenting on how strange it was to see the Iudex outside his office. Although at first Neuvillette answered somewhat stiffly, little by little he began talking with them.
He asked them about their work, listened to their stories, and even stopped when one of them wanted to show him something she had found during her duties. Furina watched the scene from a few steps behind, her smile becoming calmer. Perhaps that was precisely the goal. She did not need Neuvillette to become someone completely different. She simply wanted him to discover that he could be part of Fontaine’s everyday life, not merely protect it from his position as Iudex. After a few minutes, the Melusines said goodbye and continued with their work. Neuvillette resumed walking alongside Furina.
Neuvillette looked back for a moment and said:
—I must admit, that was pleasant.
—Hehe, this is only the beginning.
Furina took hold of the leash with both hands again, and they continued walking. They did not have to wait long before encountering more people. A group of merchants was talking in front of one of the establishments when they recognized the Iudex. An older woman was the first to approach.
—Monsieur Neuvillette, what a surprise to see you here.
Neuvillette gave them a small nod in greeting.
—Good afternoon. I hope my presence here does not put a damper on the atmosphere.
—Don’t worry. The weather has been rather harsh these past few days.
—Have you had any difficulties because of the weather? —Neuvillette had not paid much attention to it before, but he realized that the sun was now at its highest point.
—A little. The weather has been quite sunny lately. I’ve had to carry my parasol with me all day.
Neuvillette listened attentively as she explained the situation. He asked questions, wanted to know the details, and finally said goodbye to her calmly. Furina remained silently at his side. Then a young man carrying several boxes approached.
—Monsieur Neuvillette! I didn’t know you ever left the Court of Fontaine.
Neuvillette looked at him and replied:
—Well, I didn’t know my routine had become so famous.
The young man burst out laughing.
—Well, it’s just that we normally only see you when there’s an important trial.
—I understand.
—You should come outside more often.
Neuvillette remained silent for a moment, then looked at Furina. She was smiling, merely watching the situation for now.
—What a coincidence. It seems you’re not the only one who thinks that —he finally said.
Furina raised both hands triumphantly.
—Exactly!
Little by little, more people began approaching. Some simply greeted him, others commented on the small blue dragon on his collar. One little girl even asked if she could touch it, and Neuvillette bent down so she could get a better look. But it was not long before their attention began shifting toward the leash. A man nearby followed the small strip of leather descending from the collar to Furina’s hand.
—Excuse me, Lady Furina...
Neuvillette looked at him.
—Yes?
The man discreetly pointed toward Neuvillette.
—Did he really agree to go out like that?
—After a great deal of effort —Furina replied.
—I’m beginning to suspect I didn’t have much of a choice —Neuvillette murmured.
Furina looked at him with a softer smile.
—If you think about it, you can really leave whenever you want.
Neuvillette lowered his gaze toward the leash, then looked at her. Furina gently tugged on it.
—Well, we’ve already come this far, so we might as well see this through to the end.
Neuvillette followed her.
The conversation ended up lasting much longer than he had anticipated. He spoke with merchants, workers, students, and some citizens who had simply become curious after seeing him walking through the city. At first, his answers were brief and formal, but as time passed, he began to relax. He even smiled a couple of times.
Furina watched him with a satisfied expression. She had only managed to get him out of his office, and everything else had happened on its own. When they finally left that area behind, Neuvillette commented:
—Now I understand what you meant.
—About what?
—About interacting with the people of Fontaine.
—And? —Furina waited for a more detailed answer.
Neuvillette looked at the streets stretching out before them.
—It’s... different to hear them in a professional setting than it is to talk to them like this.
—Hehehe, see? It’s not so bad.
Neuvillette nodded slowly.
—Yes.
Furina smiled.
—If you’ve come to that conclusion, then this was worth it.
Neuvillette lowered his gaze toward the small blue dragon.
—But I still consider this accessory unnecessary.
—But it looks so good on you!
—That is highly debatable.
—No, it isn’t.
Before Neuvillette could answer, they heard a familiar voice.
—Monsieur Neuvillette? Lady Furina?
Both of them stopped. Across the street stood Navia, staring at them with an expression of absolute surprise. Her gaze went from Furina to Neuvillette, then slowly lowered toward the collar, and finally followed the leash all the way to Furina’s hand, in that exact order. Navia blinked twice.
—...
Neuvillette remained motionless, waiting for a comment. Furina started the conversation.
—Hello, Miss Navia.
Navia slowly pointed at the collar.
—Why does the Supreme Judge have a collar with a leash?
Furina placed a hand over her chest.
—It’s a walking accessory.
Navia raised an eyebrow.
—That doesn’t answer my question, if I’m being honest.
—It’s a long story.
—Well, I have time —she said, opening her parasol.
Neuvillette sighed and commented:
—There’s no need to explain it.
—Of course there is! —Furina replied—. Besides, I want to hear how you tell it.
Navia crossed her arms.
—Now I’m even more curious.
Neuvillette looked at Furina again and said:
—Lady Furina convinced me to go for a walk around Fontaine.
—Yes, I understand that.
—And she also considered it appropriate that I wear this.
—I’ve never seen a fashion like that before. —Navia pointed at the small blue dragon.
—And this decoration?
Furina lifted the leash slightly.
—That was my idea.
Navia looked at Neuvillette for a few seconds.
—I must admit that... it actually suits you quite well. It’s very adorable.
Neuvillette closed his eyes.
—I would prefer that you not encourage this, especially in front of her.
Furina burst out laughing.
—Navia, tell him he should wear it more often!
—Me? I don’t know if I should get involved in this...
—Please!
Navia looked at the collar again.
—Well... at least the decoration is pretty.
—Thank you —Neuvillette said politely.
Furina smiled widely.
—See? You even have the approval of the head of Spina di Rosula.
—I don’t need approval —Neuvillette said, looking away.
Navia began laughing.
—Oh, well. Now I understand why everyone was gathered around here.
Neuvillette sighed, but this time there was a slight smile on his face.
—I suppose... my reputation has suffered considerable damage today.
—I don’t think it’s that serious —Navia said—. Although tomorrow, all of Fontaine will probably be talking about this.
—I don’t think that makes me feel any more comfortable —Neuvillette said, crossing his arms.
Furina smiled.
—That means you’ll have to go out more often.
—Why?
—So they’ll have something new to talk about.
Neuvillette looked at her resignedly.
—That logic is exactly why I shouldn’t listen to you.
Furina gently tugged on the leash.
—Come on, come on. I still want to show you the rest of the city.
Neuvillette clenched his hand and brought it near his mouth, pretending to cough.
—Ahem, ahem... Don’t you have something to say about this? —he said, glancing at Furina.
—Huh? Oh! S-sorry. I wouldn’t want to get in the middle of that. It seems to be something between the two of you —Navia said, raising her hands.
Furina smiled triumphantly and began walking.
—Come on, Neuvillette!
Neuvillette remained still for a second, then sighed and followed her.
Maybe it wasn’t so terrible. He had spoken with the Melusines, whom he had somewhat neglected due to the demands of his work. He had talked with merchants, workers, and citizens whom he normally only saw from the other side of the palace. He had even ended up running into Navia in the middle of all of it.
Maybe Furina was right. This place was also somewhere he could walk through and belong to, somewhere he could listen and learn from the same level as its inhabitants. The leash tightened slightly when Furina walked a few steps ahead.
—Furina.
—Yes?
—Wait, please.
She stopped and turned toward him. For a moment, Neuvillette looked at the distance between them. Then he walked over until he was once again by her side. Furina smiled and, almost without thinking, gently took hold of the leash again.
—Better?
Neuvillette nodded. They continued walking. Furina’s hand remained wrapped around the leash, and from time to time she gave it a gentle tug to indicate the way or simply to make sure he stayed beside her. Neuvillette realized that he no longer paid attention to the looks of the others, nor to the murmurs of people recognizing them. His attention was focused solely on Furina: her voice, her laughter, the carefree way she walked beside him. And although he could never have explained exactly why, there was something comforting about feeling that collar around his neck and the leash stretching from it to Furina’s hand. It was a strangely warm sensation. He could simply walk beside her and let Furina guide him, trusting that she would take him somewhere where, even if only for a few hours, he could forget everything weighing on his shoulders.
Furina gently tugged on the leash again.
—Come on, Neuvillette.
He looked at her, and she smiled. He continued walking beside her. There was a part of him that was beginning to find a certain comfort in that small piece of leather around his neck, in the gentle tension of the leash between them, and above all, in knowing that Furina was the one holding it. The idea felt strangely intimate to him. What he found comforting was not really the collar, nor even the leash. It was the trust involved in allowing Furina to guide him without constantly wondering where they were going. The certainty that if she gently pulled on the leash, it was not to force him to follow her, but because she wanted him to remain at her side. Neuvillette could pull away whenever he wanted, take off the collar, and free himself from the leash. And yet, he did not want to. He could simply be Neuvillette, and Furina seemed to be one of the few people around whom he could allow himself to do so.
She walked beside him with that smile that seemed to illuminate even the grayest streets of Fontaine. He did not know how many times he had become disconnected from reality simply by looking at her face, but every time their eyes met, Neuvillette felt a strange warmth settle in his chest.
Furina gently tugged on the leash again.
This time, Neuvillette did not need her to guide him. He was the one who closed the distance between them.
—Shall we?
Neuvillette looked at her for a few seconds.
—Yes.
And they continued walking together. Maybe it wasn’t so terrible. Maybe there was even something pleasant about feeling the collar around his neck, the leash held in Furina’s hand, and that gentle feeling of being guided by someone he trusted. Maybe he liked the way Furina gently tugged on the leash to bring him closer to her. Maybe he liked knowing that, among all the people in Fontaine, she was the one who always walked beside him. Deep down, he liked it far more than he was willing to admit.
...
Though he would never admit it out loud.