房客(糙汉)何璐程曜坤

"Eeehhh...? You are right, but also, you don\'t have to be shy. Without you my plan is worthless, I want to keep you happy."

The red-haired girl wondered out loud prodding a cube of ham with a toothpick.

"Self-reflection? My lady, did you eat something weird?"

"Pfft...!"

Aku jokingly took a step back and gasped which caused Kierul to snort.

"You know what? Even though you aren\'t that whole Zoemi - since you smell similar to him, you might have a chance to get close to young lady Epsine... Normally she is a fortress, but that dead guy seems to be her weak point... If we play our cards right, she might end up supporting me in becoming the future head of the Helterose family."

Kierul went silent for a moment before suddenly her face brightened up with a cunning smile as she revealed her idea.

"As you wish, my lady. I will do my best!"

"Eager, aren\'t we~?"

The masked boy turned right around to face the dark-haired girl by the dessert table which made his master snicker once more in amusement.

-----

"...then if you are really interested in snatching the pissy prince you... eh...?"

Miriette was about to advise Ehmi on the tactic that would work on the first prince Horeo when she spotted the masked attendant sneaking out of the ballroom.

The greeting was done so he must have been sent a way to put all the presents in a safe place...

...and more importantly, he was alone.

This was a perfect opportunity for Miriette to make sure whether Aku was indeed her Zoemi or not.

"Excuse me for a moment."

"Eeehhh?! You can\'t just leave before revealing the most important part!"

That\'s why the dark-haired girl took a deep breath and walked away from the dessert table, giving her crimson-haired friend quite a shock.

"Miri, stop being a tease!"

Ehmi took a step forward and grabbed Miriette\'s wrist.

"Toilet."

The dark-haired girl rolled her eyes and groaned, glaring at the hand stopping her from following the black-haired boy.

"Oh! Then me too, we can talk more about..."

The crimson-haired girl gasped in realization and smiled, not letting go of her friend\'s wrist but instead taking the lead.

"Ehmi. Serious business."

"Eh...? Oohh... okay. I will cover for you."

That cheeriness was annoying but Miriette managed to control her expression and instead whispered, making her voice sound desperate – which brought exactly the effect she wanted, Ehmi\'s expression turned serious and she promised while stepping back and finally letting go of the dark-haired girl\'s wrist.

Miriette was so worried that she will lose the masked attendant trail that she ended up using her enchantments to get around the people faster.

She went through the door that she saw the boy taking and after passing it she found herself in a straight hallway.

"..."

She bit her lips wondering whether she should start opening the door and going alongside the opposite wall at random...

*creak*

"...!"

...but just as she was about to start, she noticed the second-to-last door was actually not properly closed!

With a heavily beating heart, the dark-haired girl approached the entrance and swung the door open while taking a step forward.

"AH!"

"...?!"

By doing so, she almost knocked the masked attendant over, not to mention her loud joyous cheer made him flinch and take a step back.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn\'t mean to startle you... you are a lot jumpier than before... Were you not expecting me? Why are you blocking my message spells? Did you discover some dangerous secret and don\'t want to put me at risk...?"

Miriette closed the door and leaned against it. Before she herself realized it, she was already complaining in a tearful voice reserved for the upset lover.

"???"

The masked boy didn\'t know what to say, like, he turned completely speechless – he could only tilt his head hoping that the gesture would convey how bewildered and confused he was.

"You are Zoemi. Aren\'t you? My Zoemi. Please, even if you are doing it for my good, my heart can\'t take losing you again...!"

"...?!"

Suddenly Miriette started moving again, she approached the masked boy and forced him to back off against the wall.

With no way of escape, Aku got leaned on while the young beauty was dampening his shirt with her tears while her long dark hair started lovingly coiling around him as if it wanted to lock him in a protective cocoon.

"Zoemi..."

Miriette sniffled a few times and cried, burrowing her face into the boy\'s chest.

"...young lady Espine... I am terribly sorry, but I don\'t know what you are talking about..."

"...!"

The masked attendant grabbed the noble lady\'s shoulders and pulled her away at the arms – and hair\'s - reach.

He felt her flinch and thanks to the law of Pisces, he saw her face which became only more adorable stained with heartfelt tears.

"I wish I was the person you are long for but... My name is Aku. Kuro Aku. Unfortunately, I do not know your Zoemi."

"...no...!"

Aku took a deep breath and said apologetically, although his heart felt like being sliced into pieces when he saw Miriette\'s chin tremble and her eyes fill up with even more tears.

"No... you are lying...!"

The dark-haired girl muttered and some of her hair turned normal, dropping down her face and dress instead of coiling around Aku\'s arms.

"I am sorry about your dead sweetheart, but I am not Zoemi. I\'m just Aku."

"!!!"

The masked boy lowered his head apologetically before straightening his back and declaring in a serious voice, causing Miriette\'s eyes to widen and tremble.

"You... you are teasing me again...! There\'s no way that Zoemi could die... he is my Zoemi...!"

"..."

The dark-haired girl shook her head and cried out in denial, making Aku feel especially bad.

"I\'m sorry."

The masked boy apologized for something he had no control over.

"...!"

Miriette\'s chin trembled uncontrollably and she lowered her head, biting her lips, only to raise her head again with a desperate light filling her eyes.

"Take off your mask...! It will be the definite proof!"

She declared staring up at the slightly taller boy.