"Hey, you okay?"
"...I'm fine!"
"You seem pretty worn out."
"Get lost!"
"Aaaaahh!"
Kiana jolted upright from her half-dream state.
Wait, what's with that sudden temper flare? Is it even possible to get upset inside the consciousness domain?
She sat stunned for three seconds before flopping back onto the soft bed, squinting and unconsciously smacking her lips.
"(??`) Mmmngh...mmm..."
Who cares about her? It's not like Sirin being off-kilter is anything new, Kiana thought groggily as she reached out beside herself, only feeling empty air and the soft bedding beneath her hand.
"Zeke~ Zeke? Where'd you go?"
Instantly wide awake, Kiana called out.
"He went to Sin's room, sip—" Bronya replied in her usual cold yet childlike voice while taking a drink from her cup.
The bittersweet aroma indicated to Kiana that it was coffee.
Lifting her head, she saw exactly who she expected: a delicate loli clad in a blue-collared trench coat and short hot pants, sitting expressionlessly by the window with her slender legs crossed in black stockings.
Kiana lay back down, spreading her limbs lazily, and asked languidly, "Why're you here so early today... Did that little brat wake up?"
"She did."
"Is there some issue?"
"It seems she got agitated. Without knowing the full details, Bronya couldn't calm her down, hence seeking Zeke."
Bronya explained her reason for coming, expressionless.
Kiana blinked as if pondering something.
Then Bronya's lips curled up slightly.
"Did you have fun last night?"
"Don't be so vulgar! It was completely innocent—we just slept together."
"Oh. Looks like your allure isn't that strong after all; Zeke must already be bored with you."
"Huh? You looking for a fight?" Kiana sat up, narrowing her eyes.
She could tolerate being called dumb, scatterbrained, lazy, or thoughtless—since those criticisms were often true—but questioning her appeal to Zeke was absolutely unacceptable!
The corners of Bronya's mouth twitched, and her faint smile flickered briefly.
Kiana had spent two whole days alone with Zeke. If Bronya didn't tease her now, this fool would start getting too full of herself—the more favored one becomes, the more important it is to keep them grounded, lest their arrogance spirals out of control. This was a fundamental principle for maintaining stability within a harem.
Bronya casually lifted her coffee mug and took another sip.
Kiana glared at Bronya, disgruntled.
But truth be told, during this exchange, her overconfident exuberance gradually dissipated without her realizing it.
Kiana swiftly threw off her blanket, flung open the wardrobe with a swish, tossed clothes out one by one, and picked a snug outfit similar to the White Training Uniform—convenient for movement. Right in front of Bronya, she changed into it.
Slam!
Kiana closed the wardrobe door.
She turned around, grabbed Bronya's hand, and without any explanation, dragged her out of the room.
As the bedroom door shut, through a narrow gap, Bronya caught a glimpse of the chaos inside.
The bedspread crumpled on the floor, garments scattered everywhere, the wardrobe door hanging precariously, a full-length mirror swaying as if about to topple over. Her spilled coffee left a conspicuous stain on the bed, and even on the ceiling lamp dangled a pair of wobbly bear-patterned panties.
With a loud bang, the door slammed shut.
A series of crashes echoed from within!
Bronya, eyes wide like dead fish, listened to the sounds of furniture breaking and objects shattering inside, allowing Kiana to pull her further away.
'Well, it has been a while since Zeke last gave me a beating. Maybe recalling those memories will help wash away this fool's arrogance?'
Lost in these thoughts, Bronya was led farther and farther by Kiana.
Zeke pushed open the door and entered Sin's private room.
He found her huddled in a corner, biting down on her arm as if swallowing her own blood.
In front of Sin, standing several steps away to either side, were Seele in her white skirted uniform and Fu Hua clad in azure sleeves—both guarding over her.
Noticing Zeke's arrival, Seele and Fu Hua simultaneously turned around.
"Big Bro Zeke! I'm sorry... Seele didn't know what else to do." Seele's eyes initially brightened but then lowered guiltily, unable to hide her remorse and concern.
"Zeke, you're here. Apologies for not being able to help," Fu Hua greeted him with a gentle smile, a hint of regret also visible beneath her gaze, as if relieved from a burden.
"Mm-hmm."
Zeke nodded, focusing his attention on Sin as he approached the two girls.
Then, gently patting Seele's head, he said, "It's not your fault. Both of you, please step out; I'll talk to her alone."
"But Big Bro Zeke..."
"Trust me."
"All right!"
If I can't trust Big Bro Zeke, who else could I rely on? Seele thought innocently and firmly nodded.
Fu Hua sighed softly, understanding that this was a matter of emotional turmoil. Even possessing the Knowledge Authority couldn't truly resolve it. For heartache requires its specific remedy, perhaps all Sin needed was indeed just Zeke.
With a nod towards Zeke, Fu Hua turned and left the room alongside Seele.
Left alone with Sin in the room, Zeke watched her sucking her own blood, huddled in a corner as if lost in her inner world.
He closed his eyes, mentally shaking his head.
Both Kiana and Sin—why were all the girls around him such troubled children? Not only did he need to care for their daily needs but also constantly monitor their mental states.
Bronya seemed somewhat better... until remembering she was once a scout who, at a young age, skillfully used pantyhose as murder weapons, drove recklessly, administered drugs, and even tried dragging her closest little sister into her schemes... At this thought, Zeke genuinely shook his head.
Realizing then, all three of his companions had serious issues?!
"Zeke..."
While Zeke was preoccupied, Sin embraced him tightly, her voice wavering with anguish.
He looked down, gently stroking her hair.
"What's on your mind?"
"I think I had a nightmare, Zeke."
"If you mean attacking me and consuming much of my blood, that wasn't a dream."
"...I'm sorry, Sin didn't mean it."
Sin clung harder to Zeke, even standing on tiptoe with her snow-white bare feet, like a remorseful child seeking forgiveness.
Zeke continued caressing her hair, smiled softly, and asked:
"So, biting your wrist was to compare the sensation with memories of tearing and feeding, confirming whether you actually did it?"
"Mm-hmm..."
"Silly girl! I forgive you."
"Really?"
In response to Zeke's casual absolution, Sin lifted her head from his abdomen. Her once-dim heterochromatic eyes suddenly lit up as if bathed in sunlight.
"Sigh—"
Zeke let out a resigned breath, cradled the girl's head with both hands, leaned down, and kissed her forehead gently.
It was a light peck; considering their height difference, it seemed more akin to a brother affectionately kissing his little sister. Yet, a charming blush appeared on Sin's face.
"Zeke, again, again!"
The girl stood on tiptoe, bouncing lightly with her arms raised even after Zeke straightened up, eagerly pleading for more intimate gestures in her childlike voice.
From the look of it, the psychological distress had vanished. Even if some remnants lingered, at least her mood had improved significantly.
Zeke smiled faintly before feigning sternness, abruptly looping his elbow around her neck and vigorously ruffling her hair.
"Aaagh!"
"You ran off to do experiments, huh? Not afraid of death, are we?"
"Zeke... I'm dizzy..."
"Hmph!"
He continued tousling her hair until Sin shook her head dizzily, her eyes swirling like a mosquito coil pattern. Only then did Zeke release her, still disgruntled, and flicked her forehead—the very spot he'd just kissed moments ago.
"Snap!"
"Ow!"
"If you're still sleepy, go back to bed. Otherwise, get dressed—we're going out for breakfast."
"Oh..." Sin pressed her hand against her forehead and nodded weakly.
She opened the wardrobe, took out a red Gothic Lolita dress, and neatly placed it on the bed. Then, she removed her nightgown, folded it meticulously, and put it back in the wardrobe before gently changing into the dress right in front of Zeke.
"Tap! Tap!"
Sin hooked her legs backward to slip into fairytale-inspired red rounded-toe shoes. She lightly tapped them on the floor twice to ensure they fit snugly.
Zeke observed her snow-white arms with a subtle nod.
The bite marks Sin had inflicted herself, along with any traces of seeping crimson blood, were now completely gone.
'Her healing ability has reached cellular memory level. Even when bleeding, the blood cells absorb surrounding moisture and proteins, following the tissue memory to flow back into the wound for complete repair. It seems she's already quite close to my capabilities.'
Acknowledging Mobius's successful experiment, Zeke's gaze softened momentarily towards Sin before becoming peculiar again.
A delicate thought suddenly crossed his mind—does this mean even that... well, he dared not ponder further, lest it vanish from existence.