房客(糙汉)何璐程曜坤

Chapter 470 154 - Perserios territory - part 4 - Countering the plan that was thirty years in the making (part 2)

　　"That is our biggest concern. With the updated information from the older generation freed from hexes, we now know that those types of spells have a limited range – although even that might be outdated considering the added effect of the cursed territory. We are all cleansed from the control now, but will it stay that way while being outnumbered? Next in order of being problematic, besides the number of enemies, is their quality."

　　"The acid attribute magician that you and miss Mirienne faced is only a part of that problem. She introduced herself as an experiment, didn't she? When did the Barbariacca nation begin doing research and experiences on magicians from our kingdom...? And how far they progressed with it if someone like her is considered a failure?"

　　He added, sighing even deeper and shaking his head.

　　"..."

　　Zoemi blinked and closed his mouth as soon as he realized that although Miriette must have reported what happened in the first outpost, she still decided to keep her identity hidden.

　　"...she was scary... Master, you were super lucky that you managed to punch her without getting melted like the boulder we threw at her!"

　　The first sentinel raised their head and sniffled while unintentionally being reminded about getting injured in the encounter, before furrowing their brows and glaring at their master grumpily.

　　"...if I wasn't hallucinating due to the pain or anything, that might not actually have been a coincidence nor luck..."

　　Zoemi made eye contact with them and then lowered his eyes, looking at his own hand, closing it into a fist and then opening it again.

　　"Alright, master. So you were super stupid instead. Don't do that again while we will not be right by your side all the time."

　　The second sentinel shrugged and rolled their eyes, making everyone else look at them funny.

　　"What? Am I wrong?"

　　They tilted their head innocently and asked, furrowing their brows under all the looks.

　　"I believe the family head and the young heir should be the ones to get you in on the rest of the detail, young lord. Still, as for you..."

　　Devios's cousin was the first one to break the awkward silence that followed the sentinel's correct statement, and he nodded at Zoemi before lowering his head and looking at both corpse puppet sentinels by his bedside.

　　"...where is the third one? He looked lost and confused before..."

　　"Ah...!"

　　"Umm... whoops...?"

　　The man asked, causing the two sentinels to flinch, and stood up at the same time while making embarrassing noises.

　　"Master, we will be right back!"

　　The first one called and pulled the second one with them, leaving the room. Their hurried footsteps went quiet soon enough, leaving Zoemi furrowing his brows while staring at the door that just closed.

　　"What do you mean the third one? I had only two sentinels with me. Is the third one just like you, Mrs, and the rest of the people who were brought back?"

　　The black-haired boy asked the older man before turning to the elderly woman and motioning at her with his chin.

　　"N-no...? Isn't he another sentinel that you made, just like the other two? They both were interacting with him as if it was normal."

　　The brown-haired woman and her son looked at each other and she ended up shaking her head, responding with hesitation.

　　Still, the worried Zoemi didn't have to wait too long for the answer to reveal itself.

　　A few minutes after Devios's cousin left the room to inform others about the black-haired boy regaining his consciousness, the two corpse puppet sentinels returned, bringing another corpse puppet with them.

　　"Master! We found him!"

　　"Yeah! He got lost after all!"

　　They both cheered out while holding onto the extremely anxious brown-haired young man's arm. If that was done by anyone else, this scene would look as if they were dragging him there, but because of the cheery aura and innocent fluffiness of their personalities, it seemed more as if they were just showing off their date to their parent.

　　"...h-hello..."

　　The brown-haired corpse puppet who definitely had a lot of the body's original look changed, lowered his head, and spoke up shyly.

　　"Huh... I don't have a connection with you as I do with normal sentinels... who might you...?"

　　For a brief second, Zoemi titled his head, staring into his face trying to figure out what was familiar about him and only a moment later did he glanced over to inspect the young man's shadow.

　　"What in the...?!"

　　And as he did and he recognized it, he coughed out as he almost choked on his own saliva due to the shock he experienced.

　　"Xeonith?! What in the world...?! HOW?!"

　　Zoemi gasped, speaking up the name of the deceased brown-haired capture target who tortured and almost killed Burushi before getting chased by the serial killer, and getting finally mutilated by fighting him and Zoemi, just to get finished off by the healer girl herself.

　　"...well..."

　　"Ah... wait... I had your unique shadow subdued within my mind, didn't I..."

　　The corpse puppet Xeonith mumbled and lowered his head, unable to escape from the grip of the friendly and cheerful sentinels, but then Zoemi breathed out in realization, waving his hand dismissively.

　　"We took him with us when we were escaping from your shadow, master!"

　　"Yeah! He is a nice person! Oh, and he said that he needs to talk with you!"

　　Both of the corpse puppet sentinels declared loudly while nuzzling against Xeonith's shoulders with excitement.

　　"We definitely need to have a talk about people in the world."

　　Zoemi sighed, rubbing his forehead in annoyance.

　　"Although you already seem to have a bit skewered perception of what is cool, and nice, and all of that – let me tell you this. He did horrible things to Burushi. He is not nice."

　　"..."

　　The black-haired boy said in a stern voice, pointing his index finger first at the second sentinel to whom he was mainly talking about, to then move onto the corpse puppet inhabited by Xeonith's unique shadow, who lowered his head looking miserable.

　　"I have no excuse for what happened back when I was alive..."

　　"Indeed. You do not."

　　Xeonith spoke up as the sentinels by his side flinched and slowly looked up at him in disbelief, to which Zoemi nodded, making a sour expression.

　　"No, he is not!"

　　The first sentinel suddenly frowned and pouted, looking back at the black-haired boy, as if they thought that Zoemi said something bad.

　　"Master...! Xeonii was also under the hex form Arisu! He told us everything when you were unconscious!"

　　The second sentinel glanced over at their comrade and then leaned forward and whispered to Zoemi in a conspicuous voice.

　　"You already gave him a nickname?! Nevermind... You. If my sentinels tell the truth then why did you say that you have no excuse just now...?"

　　The black-haired boy raised his brow and looked over at the apologetic-looking corpse puppet Xeonith.

　　"Because I should have been stronger and defended myself against the hex..."

　　The brown-haired young man answered in an ashamed voice.

　　"..."

　　Zoemi raised his brows and leaned back into his pillow because of the surprise.

　　Xeonith's words in themselves weren't some outstanding display of eloquence or anything.

　　It was just that the way he said them, was EXACTLY like Xeonith character from the game would have said it.

　　|Hold on... didn't we have a conversation like this already...?|

　　The black-haired boy blinked repeatedly, in realization while staring at the dispirited corpse puppet...