房客(糙汉)何璐程曜坤

The dark-haired girl waved her hand dismissively and grabbed some of the platinum hair in two fingers and pulled it up for the black-haired boy to see.

"I actually used it a few times before – but each time I just pulled off the platinum hairs so that you wouldn't notice anything. But I guess this is too much to get rid of, it would ruin my hairstyle."

Miriette smirked and let the hair fall onto her forehead – which made Zoemi raise his brow in realization.

The rest of Miriette's hair, the majority that was so green it looked black, was continuing to move around in response to her mood – but the platinum stripe was completely still and... normal...

"Say... your hair moves according to your mood because of the wind attribute, right? But once it turns platinum it stops..."

"It does...? If you say so. I haven't been paying attention to it, it was at most three or four hair strands that I pulled out immediately, so I can't really compare. Is something the matter? You like them lively?"

The dark-haired girl smiled smugly and asked, winking playfully at the black-haired boy.

"I mean... didn't you always want to have long straight hair...? Why not use this chance to make them all platinum and meek and start growing them out?"

"...!"

Zoemi asked curiously, and honestly, he looked rather interested, if not ta say excited, for the idea – which caused Miriette to straighten her back and stare at him wide-eyed, momentarily speechless.

"I guess that is true... but... You know, I was asking talking about my hair because I was trying to lighten the mood and all – but to think that you would be so happy about the idea. And not for yourself, but for me. Do you remember everything that I told you? I'm pretty sure that I stopped complaining about the forced limit on the length of my hair once I turned twelve."

Miriette blushed and touched her dark hair, now all fluffy from the pleasant affection she was experiencing.

"You did, but before that, you were sulking about it at least once a week. If I didn't remember that, I would be negligent as an attendant."

Zoemi snickered in response, poking fun at the prideful girl.

"You... you really are okay with me being like that? A mere copy of someone else? I was created by the second princess – it was said that lady Espine cannot have more children after the complication during childbirth, but the truth is that it is lord Espine that cannot have children at all. Like I said. I wasn't even born – merely created and inserted into this world by the second princess."

Miriette breathed out, making a rather pitiful expression, before revealing what was truly weighing down on her shoulders.

"And I am a separate personality that developed after the artificial soul of the original Zoemi – who is a to, mind you – was reincarnated into a different world. Between the two of us, I am pretty sure that my circumstances are more messed up."

Zoemi wasn't bothered by the new information at the slightest – after all, considering that Miriette turned out to be a copy of a being that could be considered a god, or rather a being that was close to the godhood, everything else was only a small addition.

"Hold on... but if you are like that, does that mean that you remember when presence possessed Ehmi and was walking around as the young version?"

"...?!"

All of a sudden, Zoemi furrowed his brows, making Miriette flinch.

"Eh...? wait... that's what you are bothered about? Don't scare me like that!"

The dark-haired girl scoffed and relaxed the tense muscles, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Not only did I know about her, but she also came to talk to me from time to time. She didn't want to be nowhere near Cherro, but she wanted to keep an eye on you, mainly because something about this timeline is different than all the others."

Miriette breathed out and added, waving her hand dismissively.

"The difference is that the original personality, the original Zoemi has awakened and is separated from my mind although still living within my head. He does not affect my decision making though."

"And you still love me...?! Ah...!"

The black-haired boy announced casually, but Miriette gasped, showing a rather strong reaction.

She literally gasped in utter disbelief and ended up holding her hands to her mouth to stop herself from saying anything else.

"I..."

"(DAD! Sorry to interrupt your rest but we are in BIG TROUBLE! The Ghosts are fighting amongst themselves! Can I hide Elsby somewhere around you?! Please! They will kill her!"

Just Zoemi was about to respond with a serious expression, one of his remaining sentinels called out to him in a hasty and borderline panicky voice, crying for help.

"I'm not happy about it, but bring her to the mansion."

"...?"

The black-haired boy gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, but ended up approving the sentinel's request – to which Miriette furrowed her brows and tilted her head, not understanding how Zoemi's words related to her rather a clear question...

"Sorry for the confusion. My feelings didn't change in the slightest. That is not even a question. What is one, though – is what is happening amongst the rank of the Ghosts of Bellcephora? One of my sentinels just contacted me and said that he will be bringing one of them here because otherwise she will be murdered."

Zoemi gritted his teeth and tried to drag himself off the bed but only manage to roll himself onto his stomach.

"...eh...?"

Miriette's reaction to that was exactly as one could expect.

Confusion and worry.

"(Dad! I got her into the living room! Tell grandpa Benevirau to not freak out, please!)"

Meanwhile, the particular sentinel did not waste any time and his next message was not about confirming things, but rather announcing the completion of the task.

"...she's already in the mansion..."

"!!!"

The black-haired boy added, and Miriette's eyes only got wider.