房客(糙汉)何璐程曜坤

Chapter 411 135 - Back to the Aspakeony Academy (part 2)

Miriette's day started as always, she woke up, took a quick bath to wash away the sleepiness, and waited for her attendant to show up with breakfast and help her with her hair.

"...I wonder what my Zoemi is dreaming about..."

The dark-haired girl muttered to herself, with her head against the desk as she watched the outside world through the window of her dormitory room.

It has been so long since the last time she checked up on him.

The black-haired boy lying motionlessly in the large bed in the Banemor mansion, like a prince from a fairytale, waiting for the true-love kiss of a princess who would wake him up from his ancient slumber...

Putting aside the question of whether Miriette had tried – multiple times – to explore that solution or not, it was getting more and more difficult to permission to visit Zoemi.

Things were... bad.

The rumors about the black-haired boy being the mastermind behind the series of kidnappings of the children of the noble families, and his supposed involvement in the completely illegal Bellcpehora kingdom slave trade, certainly affected the general opinion of the boy.

Still, it wasn't as if his honor has been tarnished.

The rumors and gossip were circulating, but in the end, even the most eager accusers had a hard time going against the statement made by the king himself.

And the king did say that Zoemi Benevi Auequas was comatose.

That event caused a shift in the tone of the rumors, at first the most common was that the boy himself is behind all of the bad stuff happening, but after the statement made by the head of the kingdom, they all shifted into – all of what has been done, was done to heal the black-haired boy.

The new batch of rumors included a story about Zoemi originally gaining the enormous power that she showed during the tournament through stealing mana from other magicians. The boy was supposed to fall into a coma after the stolen mana has been used up and now his servants were kidnapping people left and right to both get more mana for their master and gain funds to cover up the costs of everything.

"Stupid Horeo. Because of some stupid succession, my Zoemi is being badmouthed when he can't even defend himself."

Miriette scoffed to herself, patting the head of the tiny air emperor that was constantly guarding her while being wrapped around her shoulders like a green shawl.

The summoned spell has gained a lot of mana and even some degree of free will, but the only outcome of that was that it would make itself visible and sometimes throw a sassy comment or two about the situation bothering her creator.

Yes, her. With how aware of herself the air emperor was, she thought of herself as a girl.

"If the rumors won't die down, then at least your family will break off the engagement to not involve themselves with the first prince."

As if wanting to confirm her presence, the tiny air emperor stuck out her opaque tongue and hissed in a soft voice.

"Why do you make it sound as if that was a good thing? Since I am engaged to Horeo I don't have to worry about troublesome marriage talks or interviews at all. Being a young unmarried girl is a little different from being a prize that almost all noble houses are eyeing out!"

Miriette scoffed, rubbing the air emperor's head to make her stop talking, and leaned back onto her chair.

"I only someone wouldn't be too scared to get attention from some creep, she could have the situation resolved already."

The dark-haired girl added, glaring towards the blue sky outside with accusation.

"...who are you talking to... or about...?"

"Hmph!"

The girl's air emperor raised her head and hissed in confusion, but was ignored as Miriette poted and scoffed proudly.

*knock* *knock* *knock*

"...still not my Zoemi..."

Although Miriette knew that the black-haired boy she longed for was lying unconscious in a mansion more than half a kingdom away from the Academy, each morning she hoped for him to show up in her room as if nothing happened.

...but that also could no longer happen...

After all, Zoemi – even while in a coma – was a high noble and as such could not legally be an attendant of anyone with a lower position.

Normally that wouldn't be all that much – after all the Espine family which Miriette was the only heiress, was very powerful and influential.

The problem was that Zoemi was a member of a Banemor family – and no matter what, until Miriette would mary Horeo and tie the Bellcephora and Espine families together, the Banemor family remained the closest related noble house to the royal family, making them in fact at least as important as Espines...

Or even more.

Banemor title being so important was also the reason why the queen was so desperately trying to not allow Zoemi to inherit it.

Even though he was the only member alive – or maybe because of that he was the only member alive – during the meetings and negotiations of the representatives of the noble families, that single person would have the same decisive power and privileges as an entire household.

Correctly used, that could make a massive impact.

"Good morning, Miriette."

But alas, it wasn't Zoemi knocking at the door – instead, the short brown-haired girl in a butler's uniform entered the room with a tray, bowing her head t the dark-melancholic dark-haired girl.

"...'sup Teo."

Miriette responded shortly, waving her hand without raising her head from atop the desk.

The attendant put the tray with food in front of her and that finally made the dark-haired girl straighten he back with a heavy sigh.

"You really should try to hold yourself back, even a little bit – cutting on sleep just to... entertain yourself can't be healthy."

"...hmph... say that again after you will stop wearing his clothes..."

Teo pointed out, but that only made Miriette scoff proudly as she pointed at the male shirt that her attendant was wearing.

"Hey – I miss him, okay? You were able to see him over a month ago – I was not!"

The brown-haired girl pouted, grabbing the brush from the desk's drawer and beginning the battle with her master's unruly hair.

"Teo... that was your own fault. You loudly called – what is that commoner whore doing here – while we showed up at the Banemor mansion. I almost died from shame! Burushi is my friend too you know?! How could you even call her that?!"

"..."

Miriette groaned in disbelief and scolded the stubborn earth magician who look away, clearly trying to dodge the subject.

"Teo – seriously!"

The dark-haired girl pouted and glared at the brown-haired girl reflecting in the small mirror on top of the desk.

"...what was she even doing there...? Hmph... no doubt doing something indecent with her stupid udders to the defenseless sir Zoemi..."

Teo grumbled angrily, but although her voice was trembling from fury, she was still very gentle with Miriette's hair.

"Burushi is a healer, Teo – she was there trying to heal Zoemi."

The dark-haired girl rolled her eyes and tried to explain patiently.

"She didn't do a good job then, did she?"

The brown-haired attendant scoffed and shrugged her shoulders indifferently.

That certainly didn't sit well with Miriette.

"We are friends, aren't we? Can you tell me why exactly you hate Burushi so much? Wha did she ever do to you?"

Miriette couldn't help herself this time and finally ended up asking the question that bothered her since the moment she learned about Teo's animosity towards the blond-haired girl with a healing attribute.

"..."

Teo stopped brushing Miriete's hair and lowered her head looking truly miserable for a moment.

"...there was this drawing..."

She muttered...

"...eh...? What drawing?"

The dark-haired girl gasped and turned around, reacting to a never heard before a piece of information.

"Nothing! Miriette, stop interrupting me – if I will not hurry up, you will be late for the first lecture!"

"Ah...! You're right...!"

But that action seemed to have a reverse effect as Teo straightened her back all proudly and scolded the dark-haired girl, who flinched and realized that she was indeed correct.

A few minutes later, the two of them left the dormitory room – Teo went to return the dirty dishes to the kitchen, while Miriette begin walking down the hallway of the female part o the dormitory, while going to the other building.