Denu was beside her, worried.
"You were shaking." His forehead veins were visible.
"I had a bad dream." Her voice was barely audible.
"Dreams aren't true." His voice was soft, almost comforting.
To Light's Mansion.
Mio walked like a small kid, Akarum, still taped, hung in mid-air.
She stopped and turned toward him.
"So!" Her gaze was suspicious.
"Why is your nickname Mysterious One?" she asked.
She stood there for a while, waiting for an answer, but he wasn't able to make a sound because he was taped.
She removed the tape.
His breath was ragged.
"Wait. Wait."
He stabilized after a moment.
"I don't know. She just randomly gave me that," he answered.
"That's not an answer." She turned left.
"Kashi couldn't show affection to anyone except me." Her hands were interlocked behind her.
What the fuck is her mind?
Akarum felt both annoyed and confused.
"You are forgiven for now." She took a knife that was hidden in her chest and slashed the rope.
Akarum fell down.
"Aah. You shouldn't do something like this for just a nickname." He straightened himself.
Mio didn't answer.
They moved inside the mansion.
A bunker flew from there. A Lightlinger on top of it was using his Divine Scar's green outline.
Mio and Akarum's attention was pulled to it.
"It's Cloud House," Mio said.
Kashime arrived at the courtyard.
"What were you guys doing outside?" Kashime asked.
"We were playing a game." Mio smiled, her innocent purple eyes tried to convince her.
Akarum looked at Mio.
"A little game, yeah, yeah," he said sarcastically.
Mio rushed to Kashime, grabbing her hand.
Kashime didn't mind it.
"Where is even that brat?" Irritation leaked through her expressions.
"Whom are you calling brat?" Akarum took a few steps forward.
"Of course, Denu," Kashime said.
WHAT? She called the Ruler a brat. He stood there confused and shocked.
"Is something wrong?" Kashime met his gaze.
"Of course not. I was just asking." He was fatigued.
"I am bored." Kashime's shoulders fell.
"What if we clean the mansion?" Mio's face almost touched Kashime's.
"That's a bad idea." Akarum disputed the claim.
"Your ass can't work." Kashime teased; her expressions dripped pity for Akarum.
"Fine." He muttered under his breath.
They all moved inside. Mio walked like she had just got a big goal.
Kashime beside her stayed calm.
Akarum reluctantly followed their lead.
"No one is working today," Mio shouted.
She giggled in excitement.
Maids who were upstairs cleaning pots and floors
stopped.
Akarum held a piece of cloth.
Kashime held a bucket of water.
"Let's go." Mio's voice bounced in the mansion as she held the wiper.
Maids sat on the stairs, watching them, entertained.
Kashime spilled water all over the floor.
"You all will slip like this," Akarum said.
"Are you afraid?" Kashime raised an eyebrow.
Mio rushed in, immediately clearing the water.
"Woooo." She made childlike sounds while doing that.
Kashime threw water on Akarum while he was wiping the floor behind Mio.
"Hey!!" He stood up.
Maids headed out of there to look for any other work left.
Mio and Kashime giggled at his irritation.
"That's unfair."
Akarum threw the piece of cloth on Mio's face.
"Take that."
Mio's anger showed on her face as she deliberately removed the piece of cloth.
"You weirdo." She threw the wiper in his direction.
He dodged, but his foot slipped on the watery floor and he fell, landing on his hips.
"Don't mess with me," Mio declared.
Suddenly,
water hit Mio's red frock.
Kashime was giggling far away from her after throwing the water.
"You should be on my side," Mio protested.
Hours passed. The sounds of them shouting didn't fade; instead, they kept increasing endlessly.
Akarum fell on the ground, gasping, his lungs begging for air. Kashime lay beside him, her chest rising and falling. Mio had probably passed out.
He rose his hand and looked at his palm.
"It was fun." A beautiful smile appeared on his face.
But the floor was still grimy.
Denu had arrived at the gates of Light's Mansion, holding Belly in his arms.
She curled in his embrace sleeping quietly.
Denu stepped inside the mansion.
"What is happening here?" Disbelief flickered across his face as he saw the state of the floor.
"Who's she?" Kashime tilted her head, her eyes narrowing at Belly.
"What a mess!" He moved upstairs, opening his room door.
His eyes blinked rapidly. He laid Belly on the bed, firmly.
Belly felt the loss of his presence, even unconsciously. She shifted slightly, making herself comfortable on the bed.
He closed the door behind him, after glancing at her sleeping form.
Then he returned to the trio.
"Where are all the maids?" His hands rested on his waist.
Akarum stayed silent, pretending to be asleep.
Kashime stood up.
"You don't get to question us. Where have you been in the first place?" She pointed a finger at him.
"Fine." He raised his hands in surrender.
"Go bathe." He lowered his hands, putting them in his pockets.
"Is that Akarum Tatsuo?" He looked at Akarum, who was trying hard to pretend he was asleep.
"What could I say? I don't know what I am supposed to say," Akarum muttered.
"Right." Kashime nodded, glancing at Akarum.
"They'll catch a cold. Wake them up, and you, Kashi, come with me." Denu moved downstairs.
Kashime kicked Akarum's stomach to wake him up. Not hard.
"Go inside if you want to sleep," she said.
"You don't have to kick me," Akarum protested.
Then..
She pinched Mio's chin. She was quietly snoring.
Mio opened her eyes, rubbing them at the sudden pinch.
"What happened?" Her voice was childish, almost like a toddler's.
"Go inside if you want to sleep." Kashime whispered.
Mio grabbed Akarum's collar, dragging him with her.
"Let's go." Her tone didn't change.
"What!? Kashime, save me!!" He kicked his legs, struggling to free himself as Mio dragged him upstairs.
Kashi went outside to Denu.
"So, what's the matter?" Kashime asked quietly.
He turned toward her.
"Akarum needs to be adopted now. You already know the reason."
"Yeah, but who will adopt him?" Kashime looked at him with puzzled expression.
"You," he said.
Kashime went silent, not moving.
She put a finger in her ear to confirm if she had heard right.
"I'm not married, and there's actually just a three-year gap between his age and mine," she protested.
"Why me?"
"Because you are trustworthy in this. I shouldn't have to explain why? Should I?" He folded his arms over his chest.
"I am not literally asking you to babysit him. Just paperwork, so he won't get kicked from Above." He tried to normalize the topic.
"His mother was a pre-predecessor. So, we should at least not let him die," he added.
"I am not doing that." She swung her head to the left.
"Kashi, it's just paperwork. I'm not asking you to become his mother," he added.
"Still, I am not ready," she persisted.
"Couldn't you do a small thing for your little friend?" He swung in the opposite direction from Kashime.
"That's not a small thing, you weirdo," she complained.
"But it's just paperwork," he insisted, trying to convince her.
"Fine," she said irritably.
"But I don't want any attention from anyone because of that." She folded her arms angrily, not looking at him.
"Then you should head to the village now." As soon as Kashime agreed, his friendly tone was replaced by calm and composure.