"That's a fair point — it seems I was wrong to bme you." Hearing the woman's words, and recalling that she had once saved his life, Rulu let go of his grievance about the pain he had suffered and his resentment toward her dissolved entirely.

  "Are you satisfied now? Nothing left to say?" The green-haired woman looked at Rulu's face with a teasing smile.

  Rulu let out a somewhat disgruntled "hmph" and said: "Don't be so smug. I still have a question — what exactly did you just do to me? Can you not only give me that strange Spiritual-power, but also repair the Spiritual-power damage it causes?"

  The woman tilted her head. "You've already figured it out — why bother asking me?"

  Rulu thought for a moment and said: "So the reason you came looking for me was to help clear away the Spiritual-power damage?"

  "More or less. And I also really need somewhere to stay right now. This house of yours is quite suitable."

  "Did you come alone?"

  "I'm always alone. Can we stop talking about this for now? Is there any chance I can have a proper bath first, before we continue?"

  Rulu considered it. Since the woman had already found her way here, and since she had once saved his life and given him a strange power, there was really nothing to hide from her. "Then follow me," he said, and led her to the bedroom, through the secret passage in the wardrobe, and down into the basement.

  "Wow, this house is really something — it even has such a rge basement. So safe and comfortable. How many rooms are there? Can I stay here too?" The green-haired woman followed Rulu into the secret basement and looked around with wide, curious eyes, her expression full of pleasant surprise.

  "We can talk about all that ter. Go have your bath first." Rulu led the green-haired woman to the bathroom door. She immediately slid open the gss door, stepped inside, peeled off her outer garments, turned on the shower, and began washing herself.

  "Is the water temperature all right?" Rulu called into the bathroom.

  "It's fine — very comfortable. By the way, I don't have any change of clothes. Could you get something ready for me?" A nguid voice drifted out from the bathroom.

  "I can't find anything suitable for you right now. Would wearing mine be all right?" Rulu said. Since Nana was asleep, he didn't want to wake her, so his own clothes were the only option.

  "That's fine. Also, I'm hungry — could you get some food ready too?"

  "You really know how to put people to work. All right — when you're done, come straight to my room. The door will be open. Don't go to the wrong one."

  "Got it."

  Rulu fetched a clean white set of sleepwear and a pair of slippers and left them outside the bathroom door, then retrieved some bread and other ready-to-eat snacks from the storage cabinet and returned to his bedroom.

  A short while ter, the green-haired woman finished her bath. Wearing the slippers and Rulu's white sleepwear, she came to his bedroom, toweling her damp hair as she walked. Rulu stepped out into the corridor to check, satisfied himself that Nana had not been disturbed, and quickly returned to the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

  "Oh, so much food!" The moment the woman entered the bedroom and spotted the pile of snacks on the bed, her eyes lit up. She tossed the towel aside, threw herself onto the bed, and reached for the snacks.

  "Hey — what are you doing? You're still soaking wet, your hair isn't even dry — don't get my bed all damp!" Rulu excimed in arm, rushed over, pulled the green-haired woman off the bed, and pressed her down onto the stool beside it.

  The green-haired woman paid Rulu absolutely no mind. She sat on the stool, picked up a snack, and began wolfing down the food.

  Rulu stood to one side, watching the girl eat as though she hadn't seen food in days, and couldn't help remarking: "You look so cute, but I really can't compliment your table manners."

  The woman shot him a sideways gnce and said with mild irritation: "I'm starving — and was that a compliment or an insult?"

  "Look, your hair is still soaking wet," Rulu said. "At least let it dry before you eat, or you'll get sick."

  "Don't worry, I don't get sick that easily. If it bothers you so much, just dry it for me."

  "What a troublesome woman." Rulu shook his head with a helpless sigh. He sat down beside her, found a towel, and began working through the woman's long hair — which fell all the way to her waist — before taking out a hair dryer and blowing it dry.

  "By the way, I still don't know your name," Rulu said as he dried her hair.

  "C.C. Just call me that," the green-haired woman said.

  Rulu frowned. "C.C.? Is that actually a name? How do you write it?"

  "I don't know how to write it either. Just say it the way I did."

  "Uh… all right then. Well, let me introduce myself in turn — my name is…"

  Before Rulu could finish, the green-haired woman cut him off: "No need. I already know your name. Prince Rulu Caesar of the Sanctuary…"

  Rulu went rigid with shock. He shot to his feet, staring at the woman called C.C. with a look of undisguised arm. "You… how do you know about me? Who exactly are you?"

  C.C. turned to look at Rulu, and when she saw the panic on his face, she found it quite puzzling. "Why are you so wound up? When I gave you that Spiritual-power, I saw fragments of your past memories. That's how I know."

  "Oh, I see. That's all right then…" Rulu rexed slightly. He sat back down and, while idly combing through C.C.'s long hair, said in a low voice:

  "Let me be clear with you upfront, C.C. — the fact that I am a prince of the Sanctuary is a secret. It cannot be known by anyone, least of all anyone from the Sanctuary. If you breathe a word of it, I will not let it go lightly."

  C.C. gave a soft ugh. "How frightening. But don't worry — I'm not in the habit of spreading other people's secrets around. Besides, I'm being hunted by the Sanctuary myself. You could say we're in the same boat. I have no reason to sell you out."

  "Good. And one more thing — I abandoned that family name long ago. Just use my given name."

  "Rulu, then? Just Rulu?"

  "That's right."

  A silence followed. C.C. continued working through the snacks Rulu had brought her, while Rulu continued blow-drying her hair. By the time C.C. had finished everything, Rulu had dried every st strand of her damp hair completely.