”A complicated one. But maybe it was only me who was daydreaming. Since you don’t remember anything about me, that must mean I wasn’t important enough for you…” Zach responded with a gloomy face.
”Whoa! Are you trying to guilt trip the person who remembers nothing?”
”That was a joke.” Zach shrugged his shoulders with a sigh and said, “I was trying to dodge your question.”
”Well, that’s so not nice of you. You know I am a weak-hearted person, and I can’t watch someone in pain. So if you do me like that, it’s going to be… complicated. Hmm, I think I now understand what you meant by ‘we had a complicated relationship’,” she nodded.
”You did. All according to my plan…” he said while averting his gaze.
”Ehe~ You are funny and cute. I like you.”
”…”
’Even her personality has completely changed. It’s like she is a totally different person…’ Zach uttered inwardly.
”Well, let’s go out. I will introduce you to Victoria and Aria.”
”Wait… by Aria, you don’t mean that Aria, right?” she asked while backing off her steps from the door.
”Exactly that one.”
”She is… alive…?”
”Umm… yes? Why would she not?” he asked with a confused look on his face. But then he thought. ‘Oh. Is she referring to when she was exiled, and no one knew her whereabouts since?’
”I… don’t think I am ready to meet her yet…”
”You have already met her… I mean, Ninia has already met her, and you two were good friends,” Zach said calmly to reassure Selene that everything would be alright.
”Is… that so..?”
”Yes. But maybe… sometimes you fought with her…” he shortly added.
”Fought?! I fought with the Goddess of death and destruction?” She exclaimed loudly and asked, “How am I still alive?”
”Oh, no. I don’t mean the physical fight.” Zach shook his hands and said, “It’s more like a verbal fight such as shouting at each other, insulting each other, making fun of each other. Fights like that. Or I would never allow anyone to harm you against your wish.”
”What?! I insulted and made fun of the Goddess of death? Seriously, how am I still alive?”
”You are overthinking stuff. She is not as scary as everyone claims her to be.”
”Maybe you don’t know her well. She can literally annihilate any living being by just wishing for it.”
”Oh, I know her well. Both from the outside and the insides,” he said proudly.
”Uhh… was that a pun or something? Maybe my sense of humor failed to pick that up.”
”Long story short, she is my wife.”
”…”
”And I am her husband.”
”You have got to be kidding me. You are the husband of death and destruction? I am sure you are cursed by now.” Selene turned her back to Zach to avoid eye contact with him and said, “Please leave this room. I suddenly feel scared of you.”
”This is my room, for your information. And I am not leaving unless you come with me. You are my responsibility. You are the prophet of my religion, and it’s my duty to protect you at any cost,” he asserted solemnly and grabbed Selene’s hand.
”Wait. I… I want to ask you one last thing before we.. we leave.” She stared at Zach with a serious look on her face and asked, “What is your name? If you are the husband, then you must also possess unfathomable.”
”I believe I already said it a while ago. My name is Zach.”
”Zach…?”
”Yeah.”
”No, I mean. Only Zach? What’s your family name? What tribe or creed are you from?” she asked curiously.
”Oh, you were asking that. Then… well, Zach is not my real name. It’s my nickname.”
”Then what’s your real name?” she asked while tilting her head to the right.
”Zagreus. My name is Zagreus Astaroth,” he introduced himself once again with a straight face. “But no one calls me that except my father, and no one knows about it.”
”Zag… reus…?” Selene stumbled on her steps and grabbed her head. “Argh! What’s happening? Everything is… suddenly spinning, and there is a voice calling—”
Selene suddenly stopped and fell to the ground, but Zach caught her and carried her to the bed.
He placed her on the bed, but she suddenly opened her eyes in shock and tried to grab onto Zach.
”Hey, hey. What happened?” he asked while patting her.
”That’s what I want to ask. What happened? I was talking to you, and then you said something and…” She let go of Zach and asked, “Are you okay, my Lord?”
”Yes, I am— huh? What did you just call me…?” he asked with a frozen face.
”Oh, my bad.” She covered her mouth and said “Daddy” with a flushed face.
”Are you Ninia?”
”What else am I supposed to be?” she asked with a puzzled look on her face. “Are you sure you are alright?”
She asked with a concerned and judging look on her face.
”Maybe you should sleep. I will come to wake you up when dinner is ready.”
Zach hugged Ninia tightly, which surprised her, but she didn’t try to resist or feel uncomfortable.
’I didn’t realize it until now, but my entire religion will be hopeless with Ninia. No… that’s just an excuse. I don’t think I can survive without Ninia. But… she is not real. She is a fake identity created by the gods, and her real identity is Selene, who is supposedly a princess from the Elf realm.
Even though I know that. I don’t want to lose Ninia. After hearing my name, I don’t know what exactly happened to Selene, but let me be with Ninia for a little longer. I know it’s selfish and immature of me, but I don’t have the courage to let go of her just yet.’
”Umm… daddy…”
Zach looked into Ninia’s eyes and smiled gently at her, hiding the sadness behind his face.
”Let’s go out and help the girls,” he said.
”Okay.”
====
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