Had it not been for that moment of avoidance just now, he could have appeared by her side sooner, sparing her this moment of hesitation and unease.
This apology born from "delay" reached its peak when he finally walked up to her and saw the aggrieved expression she showed due to his sudden appearance.
So, he crouched down, meeting those blue eyes that were shimmering with tears of surprise and grievance at eye level, and said, "It seems my 'departure' has caused you some small trouble," and "I'm sorry I'm late."
These were not polite words, but a sincere apology. He had promised to protect her, yet at the most critical moment, he was "late" for a moment due to external interference, leaving her to face that unease alone.
Watching her snap out of her shock, thank him with shimmering eyes, and then turn around to apologize for "wasting" his time, Neuvillette became even more certain that his choice to stay was correct.
However, that word "waste" gently pierced Neuvillette's heart.
Why would she so naturally think that the time he spent on her was a "waste"?
This was not simple politeness or humility. Deep within those blue eyes misted with moisture, Neuvillette captured it.
She seemed to think that her own affairs, her very existence, were not worth an entity like him investing so much time and attention.
Was it because of her likely lonely experience as a "special individual" in Liyue that made her accustomed to hiding her own needs?
Or perhaps, during that "misfortune" she might have encountered, she had been instilled with ideas like "you are a trouble" or "you are not worth it," to the point where she viewed others' kindness as a favor that needed to be repaid?
She seemed to see his two weeks of guardianship as a "trouble" she had caused him, rather than a "protection" he had proactively provided based on responsibility and will.
This thought made Neuvillette feel a sense of heaviness.
In his long life and duties as the iudex, he had seen all kinds of creatures and understood that a sensitive mind accustomed to self-deprecation often stemmed from a past of not being cherished or even being harmed.
The "possible criminal chain" mentioned by Ningguang flashed through his mind.
If Lovia really had been forced to leave her home and drifted here, then in her original living environment, had she always been in a state of being ignored, instrumentalized, or even needing to constantly prove she was "valuable" to avoid being abandoned?
That's why she worked so hard at writing, trying to establish herself in Liyue. That's why, after receiving his promise, she was so eager to handle everything, fearing even a moment's delay. That's why, upon seeing him appear, her first reaction was guilt for "wasting" his time.
No, that's not right.
Neuvillette quickly dismissed this speculation.
He could clearly perceive that Lovia's life force carried a youthfulness that had not been settled by long years.
Her age, on the scale of a Melusine's life, was by no means large; she might even be very young.
Such a short life journey seemed insufficient for her to form this kind of self-negation through a complex post-natal environment.
Perhaps she simply hadn't learned to calmly accept unconditional kindness and protection.
This speculation made the determination in Neuvillette's heart to protect her become more concrete and firm.
He not only wanted to take her back to a safe Fontaine but also wanted her to gradually understand in an environment that could truly accept her.
To understand that her existence itself was worth attention and protection. Her needs deserved to be seen. The time she occupied was never a "waste" for someone who truly cared about her.
Neuvillette looked at her small figure and thought to himself that perhaps, in the days to come, he needed to more clearly convey a message to her.
That is: her feelings are important, her existence has weight, and the time and energy he is willing to spend on her is his cherishing of her, not a "waste."
Lovia's "apology" precisely confirmed the scars that might exist in her heart and allowed him to see more clearly the direction he needed to work toward in the future.
This little one, who was always accustomed to hiding herself and was even overly cautious, needed more than just a distant promise; she needed a tangible, firm support.
He felt relieved as he watched Lovia strive to straighten her small body and say, "I'm ready."
His Little Melusine was even braver than he had imagined.
And when Neuvillette's gaze fell once more on the cloak that isolated her from the outside world, he asked that question.
It was not a demand, but an inquiry filled with expectation, a beautiful vision of whether she could truly lower her guard and embrace a new life in Fontaine in the future.
Whatever her answer might be, he would respect it.
For the way to protect her was not only to ensure her safety but also to respect every choice she made, whether fast or slow.
"There is no need to be afraid."
He repeated.
Like the most reliable harbor, waiting for the drifting boat to slowly return home.
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