"Waaaah... As expected of Sylphie, she's such a little angel! She's way too kind!" March 7th was moved to tears by the scene. Her eyes turned slightly red as she reached out to rub Sylphie's heavy head, her voice tender yet firm. "Don't be afraid, and don't overthink things."
As she spoke, a faint light flickered in her palm, and a miniature version of the apartment quietly manifested. She lightly tapped Sylphie with it. "Go back to the apartment first. I'll be right behind you. Don't worry, I'll be fine. As for these guys... Hmph! I'm going to give these label-slapping bullies a little lesson so they know there's a price to pay for picking on people!"
Meanwhile, the space on the top floor of the apartment was quiet and elegant. Warm golden light washed over the minimalist yet grand hallway, making the exquisite decor feel even more inviting.
The moment March 7th's figure vanished, Su Mu raised his hand and signaled for Eris and Lilia to choose their own rooms. He also instructed them to go meet Misaki and the other two to get acquainted.
While his abilities allowed the top floor to expand infinitely—making it more than large enough for any number of residents—doing so would make the many rooms on the lower floors of the apartment seem like redundant, hollow decorations.
More importantly, a proper boundary needed to be maintained between the Administrator, the tenants, and the employees.
The top floor was the exclusive residence for him and his clones. While close tenants were welcome to visit occasionally for a chat, using it as a long-term residence would lack decorum. After all, he couldn't guarantee that every future tenant would be as intimate with him as these first few; even if they were, constant proximity wasn't always ideal.
Even the best things in the world and the finest delicacies lose their charm if faced and consumed every single day. Only by maintaining a sense of space and occasionally changing the scenery could beauty and pleasure be preserved for the long term, keeping one's heart and state of mind fresh.
As these thoughts drifted through his mind, Su Mu shifted his gaze to the corner and set these considerations aside—for now, it was time to check on Sylphie's condition.
Suddenly finding herself in a strange, warm space, Sylphie was a mess of flustered confusion. Her signature emerald-green hair looked somewhat dry and brittle as it trembled against her shoulders. Her reddish eyes were full of wary bewilderment as she stared at the gentle but unfamiliar faces surrounding her. She subconsciously shrank back, her spine quickly hitting the cold wall as she curled inward like a startled young animal.
From March 7th's report, Su Mu already knew that in this world, Sylphie was an orphan. Looking at her now, his heart sank.
The girl was extremely thin—practically skeletal. Her already petite frame looked even more fragile wrapped in tattered clothing. Judging by her youthful features, she should have been around the same age as Eris, yet her height and build lagged far behind. She was so thin a gust of wind could blow her away; she looked no older than a ten-year-old child.
This appearance was undoubtedly the result of chronic malnutrition, which corroborated her backstory as an orphan. Her coarse cloth dress had long since faded to a dull white from over-washing, with the fabric worn thin or torn in several places. Crude patches lined the edges, clearly showing it was a discarded item she had found. It was nowhere near enough to ward off the cold.
Su Mu mused to himself that it was hard to imagine how such a frail child had managed to survive on her own through such a displaced and wandering life. However, recalling Sylphie's setting from the original story, he had a few theories.
In the original, Sylphie's internal mana reserves far exceeded those of a normal person. Perhaps it was this hidden, massive pool of mana that had silently sustained her, allowing her to cling to life despite the lack of food and clothing, enduring those difficult years alone.
"Don't be afraid. We are companions of that pink-haired girl from just now."
Himeko stepped forward slowly, deliberately softening her footfalls. Her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, carrying a soul-soothing power that gradually dismantled Sylphie's tense defenses. She looked down at the girl huddled in the corner, her eyes full of pity. Her fingertips curled slightly, but she didn't move to touch her, fearing she might startle her again.
As her strained nerves relaxed slightly, Sylphie suddenly remembered something. Her pale lips moved, her voice so weak it was nearly inaudible, punctuated by rapid gasps. "...Quickly... help... danger..."
Before she could finish, the accumulated exhaustion of several days and the intense emotional upheaval finally crushed her weakened body. Her vision went black, and she fainted, falling straight forward.
"Such a poor child."
Himeko sighed softly and stepped forward quickly, catching Sylphie and holding her carefully. The weight in her arms was shockingly light—roughly half of Hu Tao's weight. Even through the coarse cloth dress, she could clearly feel the girl's protruding shoulder blades. To call her "skin and bones" was no exaggeration.
Evidently, even if Sylphie was born with abundant mana, magic could not replace food and nutrients. Being able to maintain basic bodily functions until now was likely her limit. Otherwise, after ten or so years, her mana should have been exhausted, changing her hair color. The fact that it was still emerald green meant the mana was being used solely to preserve her basic life force.
Himeko's arms tightened slightly around her, her movements becoming even more tender.
"Dear, I'll take her to the bathroom to wash up and change into clean clothes."
Himeko turned to Su Mu, her tone remains gentle, carrying the grace and consideration of a mature woman. That natural intimacy caused a hint of warmth to spread through the air.
This intimate way of addressing him was something Su Mu had specifically requested. Previously, everyone had referred to him as "Main Body," which felt too distant and required them to change their phrasing whenever outsiders were present. It was far more comfortable to use intimate terms directly.
Dear, Hubby, Darling, Husband—they could call him whatever they liked, depending on their current mood.
Su Mu privately felt that calling himself these names was a bit perverted, yet he inexplicably liked it. After all, it's perfectly normal for a man to be a bit perverted occasionally.
"Well then, Husband, I shall go to the kitchen to prepare some millet porridge."
Fu Hua spoke up as well, her gaze resting on Su Mu. Her voice was soft, her tone carrying a hint of ancient, refined warmth, yet her words hid an undeniable depth of affection. Her posture was upright and her temperament elegant. Even when saying something so intimate, she maintained a sense of dignified self-restraint—a contrast to Himeko's softness, yet each had its own charm.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. It's 'Dear' this and 'Husband' that... the Main Body really is a total pervert~"
Hu Tao leaned in with her arms crossed, a mischievous smirk dancing on her lips and her eyes full of playfulness. She rested her chin on one hand, her finger tapping her cheek as she pondered to herself. "So, what should I call you? According to Liyue tradition, 'Husband' wouldn't be out of place, but repeating what Fu Hua says is boring. Although we'll inevitably run into the same titles as more clones arrive, I should claim a special one while there's only a few of us. 'Hubby'? Too tacky. 'Darling'? Sounds okay. Or should I just call you 'Pervert'? Or use your name—'Mu-Mu'? Feels a bit too soft. Or maybe a unique nickname? Like—'The Perverted Great Demon King Who Loves Super Small Cups'? Hmm... that vibe sounds too much like something March 7th would come up with. Never mind, never mind."
After agonizing over it for a while, she looked at Su Mu and spoke. "I'll stick with 'Darling' then! Darling~ what do you think?"
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