Oil, Water, and Something Else [5]

"What took the two of you so long?" Neuvillette spoke with a heavy tone. It was evident that he was upset at how long Furina and Isaac disappeared.

"Forgive me, Monsieur Neuvillette. It's just that me and Lady Furina got a little too carried away in our conversation." Wearing a feeble look, Isaac wryly smiled as he quickly apologized. "I hope it wasn't much of an inconvenience for you?"

"No, It does not." Neuvillette shook his head with a solemn expression before looking at Furina beside Isaac. "Still, what did the two of you talk about for your conversation to last that long?"

After saying this, Neuvillette's eyes darted at Furina as if trying to convey a message to her.

As for Furina, she noticed his gaze and immediately knew what he meant by those words.

Looking back at Isaac and Neuvillette, she pondered for a moment before speaking. With her usual confident tone, she uttered, "It's nothing much. Me and Isaac just discussed some matters regarding our film."

"Is that all?" Neuvillette inquired, intending to find out more from her words.

"Indeed. There is nothing else."

Neuvillette stayed silent for a moment as if interrogating her inside his mind, his eyes sharp and narrowed at the two's expressions.

Isaac and Furina, on the other hand, remained calm on the surface. Neuvillette might have an exceptional talent in discerning human emotions, but he was currently facing two master actors.

Hiding their true intentions was as easy as breathing, if Isaac were to put it into words.

After a while, however, Isaac finally broke the silence with his similarly usual confident tone.

"Erm, Monsieur Neuvillette? Are you alright? You've been awfully silent for... awhile now."

Although a few seconds had only passed, it was as if an eternity had passed by in Isaac and Neuvillette's perception. To them, such little details were always needed and as such forced them to adjust their perception.

As for Furina, she only saw the two of them look at each other for a few seconds and that was it.

Awakened by Isaac's voice, Neuvillette lingered for a few more moments before shaking his head.

"Forgive me for that incessant stare. That was rude of me."

"No worries. It happens to the best of us." Isaac shrugged his shoulders.

He then looked around for a bit with his deep amber eyes and noticed something peculiar. A confused expression soon appeared on his face.

"By the way... Where's Navia?" He asked, genuinely concerned about his new business partner.

Neuvillette shook his head as if he too was confused about the situation. He quickly followed up to Isaac's question.

"Miss Navia has left not too long ago. We talked a bit about the discovery of the painting, however, she soon abruptly left."

"She merely said that there was still a lot of business she had to attend and gave her apologies to you, Isaac."

After Neuvillette's explanation ended, Isaac fell into contemplation for a few moments.

Looking at Neuvillette, he had a guess as to why she immediately left.

'...she still doesn't like him, huh? Well, that figures.'

Isaac couldn't blame her. Knowing about her father's past, as well as the true revelations of the events behind his death, he had somewhat understood Navia's reluctance and enmity regarding Neuvillette.

Releasing a soft sigh, he subtly shook his head with regret and uttered in the next moment,

"Really? That's a shame... She and I did pretty well for our first partnership."

"I think I'll visit her once this is over."

After he said this, however, an elbow suddenly rammed to his arm. It didn't hurt him too much, but it still stung. 'Ow... What the?'

Turning his head, he looked at Furina and saw her pouting expression as if telling him no.

Accompanied by a silvery voice that she usually never does— as if copying Isaac's demeanor— she spoke.

"Ah, but Isaac, do we not have other pressing matters? Remember?"

If there was one thing Isaac was good at, it was sensing the meaning between lines. Instantly, he knew what she meant.

"Y-Yeah? Yeah! You're right. It's... It's that thing, right?"

Isaac doesn't know what he's talking about.

"Yes, it's that thing." Furina, on the other hand, smiled cheerfully upon hearing his response.

"I see..."

Seeing her happy face, Isaac's mental fortitude collapsed and gave in to Furina's desires.

'Ah... those contribution points... the reward...' Remembering the rewards for retrieving the painting, Isaac grimaced with regret.

Turning his head back to Neuvillette, he conjured a wry smile and said with a hesitant tone.

"Well, I guess I won't be able to meet up and discuss with Navia about my... contribution... for discovering the painting. A pity."

'Notice the lines!' He internally begged Neuvillette to notice his intentions.

Neuvillette, on the other hand, stared at him for a moment before shaking his head.

"You needn't worry. Navia had already said that you will receive a portion of the rewards for the discovery of the painting."

Upon hearing this, Isaac's mood became brighter. Nothing sounded better than getting more money, after all.

Even if he had become a crime lord with multiple assets under him and is making more Mora than an average person, he still couldn't help but be filled with joy when his pockets got an extra few more.

Was this greed? Of course it was.

Was he ashamed of it? Hell no.

Isaac might be a lot of things but he wouldn't shy away from greed.

Smiling cheerfully, he nodded at Neuvillette's words.

"How considerate of her. Oh— and you too, of course."

Furina, who was beside him, on the other hand, scowled as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Is money the only thing up there in that thick skull of yours?"

He blinked.

"Yes."

She rolled her eyes.

"Oh really? Then I take it that you have no room for me up there— your dear God and employer?"

He then replied quickly.

"Well... It's not like that..."

Hearing this, she smiled sharply at him.

"Hmph. It better be."

Watching the two of them banter, Neuvillette took a moment to observe them in silence, as if trying to learn from their interaction.

Then, without the two noticing, the impartial supreme judge of Fontaine raised his hand and looked at it with his sharp eyes.

For a moment, it was as if the Iudex was pondering something grander than his work— something more personal, it seems.

A few moments later, however, he snapped out of the illusion he had conjured up in his elusive mind. With a shake of his head, he looked at Furina and Isaac before opening his mouth and speaking.

"If there's nothing more, then may I suggest we return?"

It was evident that the Iudex wishes to return to his... beloved... office, from what Isaac sees.

Neuvillette then continued, "Since you have accomplished your goal here, there should be no more hold ups, right? Lady Furina?"

"Indeed." She replied with a satisfied expression. "Not only had we found my beloved portrait, but I also convinced my dear assistant to do another task for me."

'How come I have no idea about it, though.'

Isaac thought with worry as he felt an ominous feeling from Furina's words. But in the end, he remained composed outside.

Sensing Isaac's confusion, Furina then looked back to him and flashed a cunning smirk as if she was planning something devious.

Isaac had seen a lot of people's expressions, and very few have showed him that kind of smile. Perhaps the only close to doing it was Lyney, but even then, it wasn't intentional.

This one... This one was pure deviousness.

'...this can't be good.'

Isaac's danger senses were going off.

Trying to placate his mood, he nodded his head. He then looked at Neuvillette and shortly added after Furina's words.

"I mean, what can I even do when it's my lady's request?"

He continued with a wry smile, half-joking.

"For her, I'd even go to the stars and the abyss."

Neuvillette nodded his head.

"I must admit that your loyalty is a trait that should be admired by many." Neuvillette said with the same impartial voice of his.

Furina, on the other hand, smiled brightly after hearing Isaac's words. With a cheerful voice and a hidden scheme mixed in, she spoke while looking at Neuvillette.

"Finally starting to see my assistant's wondrous traits, are we? Well, I'll just let you know now that he's occupied for the time being— so no laying any hand on him!"

Neuvillette shook his head. Although it never appeared, Isaac could have sworn that the impartial chief justice displayed a sort of hidden scowl.

"There is no need. You can keep him to yourself. I have no plans of hiring anyone... for the foreseeable future."

Somewhat satisfied with the Iudex's answer, Furina nodded her head. Shortly after, she intertwined her arm with Isaac and dragged him with her.

"If there's nothing more, then me and my assistant will be going now! We still have a lot to do, after all!"

She then looked up at Isaac, her eyes brimming with excitement of what she was planning.

"Let's go, my dear... assistant."

Isaac, who was being dragged away, had enough strength to break away from her but decided to just let her do her thing.

Looking back at Neuvillette, Isaac conjured a wry smile, showing that he too shared the Iudex's problem.

Isaac then raised his hand and waved at him while running with Furina to the hills.

"Sorry for this abruptness, Monsieur Neuvillette. It was nice meeting you!"

With those words, Isaac turned his attention back to Furina and ran with her. To the Iudex, their destination was unknown, and, for the time being, he did not want to know.

Seeing the two leave, Neuvillette became silent for a few moments before releasing a deep sigh. Holding his cane, he depended on it for a moment.

"Lady Furina... I hope your judgement is right. Otherwise..."

He shook his head.

The Chief Justice ought to have more faith in the God of Justice, but the latter was making it difficult for the former.

Turning his head, he looked back to the painting resting below the massive tree situated in the middle of the lake.

"..."

Neuvillette lingered for a few moments as he stared at it, observing the painting which had disappeared under their noses not too long ago with interest.

"...hm?"

Just then, Neuvillette noticed something at the bottom of the painting. Curious, he got closer and observed it closer.

"That is..."

Situated near the edge of the painting, a dark stain was present. It blended well with the oil painting, and, with the mix of water from the rain, it produced a unique blemish.

Oil, Water, and Something Else produced such a stain.

From its hue, Neuvillette initially suspected it to be something akin to blood, but he needed more information to verify his suspicion.

The stain had already dried, but Neuvillette sensed that it had been put there not too long ago.

Curious, the Iudex extended his hand to observe it further.

With his elusive power related to water, the impartial chief justice was able to resonate with the stain pretty fast. In fact, it did not even pose any difficulty for him to determine what it truly was.

It was indeed blood.

And indeed, it was from a human.

However, what Neuvillette sensed more left him perturbed. With his affiliation with water, he was able to notice the lingering influences on the blood.

"Such vile contempt..." He mumbled to himself while analyzing the blood.

Hidden in the blood was an endless amount of fear and hatred. It was as if the person the blood came from had suffered an inhumane amounts torture.

What surprised Neuvillette more, however, was that he could still trace the blood's origins back.

...and the source was still inside the Court of Fontaine.

Gazing up at the painting before looking back at the dried blood at the edge of it, Neuvillette lingered for a few moments before his eyes narrowed. He then mumbled a few words to himself.

"An invitation, is it?"

He doesn't even need to guess who was inviting him.

"Clown..." He added as he stared off at the direction of the Court of Fontaine.

A moment of silence soon enveloped the chief justice for a few moments as he deeply contemplated the matter.

As for the person who had invited him, he was currently being dragged away against his will.

It was almost comical.

Such is the perverseness of fate.