The break between you and Neuvillette had been quiet, cold—like a storm that never thundered, but left the air heavy. He hadn’t looked you in the eye that day. All it took was a few careless words from Furina, twisted and rushed, and his trust faltered. He had thought he was protecting himself... but he had only hurt you.

Days passed. Neuvillette buried himself in work, but your absence echoed louder than any courtroom argument. Still, pride kept him silent—until a member of the Gardes told him the truth. That Furina had misunderstood everything. That the words she repeated had no foundation. That you had been innocent all along.

A shift came over him like a tidal wave crashing through still waters.

Without waiting, Neuvillette left his post. For once, he abandoned protocol, robes flowing behind him as he crossed the rain-soaked city in search of you. He didn't care about appearances, only about making it to you before it was too late.

When he found you, it was as if the world paused. He stood there, soaked from the storm, breathing heavily—not from the run, but from the weight of his regret.

—"You didn't deserve that," he murmured, voice low and strained. His usual calm shattered into something far more human—raw, remorseful. "I should have known better. I should have trusted you."