Chapter 444 145 - Perserios territory - part 1- Settling in (part 4) "M-my lady... I... I cannot do that! You are the only heir of one of the most esteemed high noble families - not to mention that you are engaged to the first prince! There are rules, and protocols, in place that bans me from ever enlisting someone in your position...! Ah...!"
The man shook his head and declared while taking a pile of papers from one of the desk's drawers, but he flinched and the words got stuck in his mouth when he looked up and met the glare of the dark-haired girl.
"My good man... didn't I just tell you that I am a daughter of a fallen noble family who wants to enlist because she wants to save herself from selling her body for food? You are mistaking me for someone!"
The girl's voice lowered as she took a few steps toward the desk and the atmosphere in the room became a lot heavier all of a sudden.
"D-didn't you say that you wanted to help our kingdom...?"
*tap*
"One does not exclude the other and I can have more than one motive behind my actions! That should be obvious enough!"
The officer froze and raised his brows before asking in confusion, but then the girl slammed her hand on the desk and declared in a heated roar...
...it was worth saying that although she did try to hit the desk hard for the better effect, she wasn't using any enchantments at the moment and it turned out that she was only physically capable of producing a pitiful and utterly non-threatening sound effect - which she immediately compensated with her own loud voice...
"But... but...! Young lady Espine, you have to understand that..."
"My good man, although I am flattered that you compare me to the amazing, overwhelmingly intelligent, powerful, and breathtakingly beautiful lady Miriette Lisea Espine, I have already introduced myself as Mirienne Etwistrall. I won't lie, it's a bit similar."
The officer tried a bit more direct approach but the dark-haired girl scoffed and spoke over him without the slightest bit of hesitation.
"Ehem..."
Seeing that Zoemi was frozen in place, silently staring at the ridiculously confident girl, Devios elbowed him in the side and cleared his throat to force the black-haired boy into taking action.
Although Zoemi was stunned, he at least realized why he was brought there.
Without him around to hold her back, Miriette was an absolute nightmare to deal with, and the very thing she was trying to accomplish at the moment was the best proof of that.
The dark-haired girl was not silly enough to actually think that someone would be fooled by the story about the daughter of the fallen noble family.
What she was doing instead was blatantly flaunting her higher status and forcing the officer to accept the story regardless of his opinion.
Indeed.
When Miriette was alone, the things could only go her way peacefully, or they could go her way after she overpowered everything else.
With Zoemi around, she would at least allow the other side to properly explain why they believed Miriette's approach wasn't optimal...
"The person coughing at me from behind... Wait. Your. Turn."
Funnily enough, Miriette react to Devios's cough but instead of gracing the two boys with her attention, she merely waved her hand in their general direction with a scoff that could hardly be differentiated from a threat.
"Just sign my admission note. Even if I look similar and my name is similar it doesn't mean that anyone will come here to look for the incredible lady Miriette Lisea Espine - after all, everyone knows that she is staying home in the Espine territory as her engagement to the first prince is under a reevaluation."
Miriette took back her hand just to reach toward the officer in front of her and tap the single sheet of paper with her index finger.
"..."
For some reason, that gesture seemed to be
the stimulation that Zoemi needed to return to reality as the moment the dark-haired girl demanded the officer to comply he walked toward her with a serious expression.
Seeing that, Devios breathed out and motioned at the man behind the desk that everything would be alright.
But then...
"Miri..."
"Zoemi~! "
*chuu*
The black-haired boy called out the girl's name and she turned around immediately recognizing his voice - and as she was doing just the Zoemi leaned down and kissed her.
"...eeEEHEHEHE...?! You! Turn around! Neither of us is seeing anything!"
"YES, SIR!"
As that happened Devios's voice raised and fluctuated in panic-induced laughter before he shook his head and shouted at the officer while already blocking his own eye with one hand, and the man immediately straightened his back and turned around without a moment of hesitation.
As the two people of the Perserios family were doing their best to not see the fiancée of the first prince wrapping her arms and legs around the black-haired sage that was supposed to help them with the unceasingly increasing attacks from the barbarians from behind the border, the pair in question were sticking so close to each other as if they were attempting to melt together.
As Miriette was literally attempting to climb onto him Zoemi embraced her with firm gentleness.
His right hand caressed her neck and ended up combing through her hair that began curling around his fingers in the evidence of deep affection.
"Shtupid, why are you being shy now?"
His left hand traced her spine and ended up on her waist - or was supposed to, but the dark-haired girl pulled away just the slightest bit and murmured while play-biting his lip...
...and firmly grabbed his wrist and led his hand towards her butt.
"Zoemi...? Zoemi. This is not what I brought you here for! That's not how you were supposed to stop her! Weren't you supposed to be the perfect attendant?!"
Devios stepped inside the room and closed the door before calling out to the black-haired boy without uncovering his eye.
"I don't know what you are talking about. I was an attendant of the most amazing young lady Miriette Lisea Espine, this girl here is Mirienne Etwistrall. A bit similar, but otherwise completely unrelated."
Zoemi lifted Miriette up and looked up at her mischievous smile with the evilest smirk.
"WHAT?!"
Devios gasped in disbelief, spreading his fingers to take a peek at the outlandish black-haired boy and the dark-haired girl.
"Pffft...! OHOHOHOHOHOHO~! That's right, that's right. I'm Mirienne Etwistrall, there is nothing wrong with lord Banemor and me being in a relationship here... on the other hand, if I was the cherished heiress of the esteemed Espone and the fiancée of the first prince of the Bellcephora kingdom - then having me elope with another man such as lord Banemor right here would be a huge deal. It would certainly be terrible for the young heir of the Perserios family, as the one in charge of the place that enshrined the runaway lovers. Who knows, the crown might even order for that heir abdication...?"
"...!"
Miriette tilted her head to the side just enough to take a quick glance at the younger boy, and made one cheekiest expression at Devios exasperation.
"Nothing like that would happen if I report it straight away...!"
Devios shook his head and tried to play everything off, but it was too late - he knew just as well as Miriette did that in that game he was already on the losing side.