( a friend then. a good friend, even. a knot inside of him loosens and he lets out a small exhale of relief. and, with the conversation well underway, he pulls out a chair and takes a seat, folding his hands in his lap. )

We had the fortune of meeting earlier. He seemed pleased to see someone from home, though I daresay anyone would after a year away.

( and though sylvain does not seem like the type to need additional praise, neuvillette cannot help but add: )

He is a good man. Trustworthy, for all that he can be overly flattering at times. Has he been...well, all this time?

( has he already asked the very same to wriothesley and gotten an answer, yes, but corroborating between multiple viewpoints always paints a far clearer picture of the truth. and while he would never believe wriothesley to lie to him, he also knows how careful the man is letting slip only the information he wishes to and nothing else. )