THANK YOU! Elise-san, Sanae-san! Thank you for your reviews! I really appreciate them! I love you!~

Anise brought pizza from downstairs (what's with her newfound fondness of pizza, I have no idea) because as she said, they haven't had breakfast yet and she's starving. Florian was still there, interviewing the poltergeist victim.

"How's it?"

"Hm... Well, I'm not sure myself, to be honest. Apparently it's the first time it ever happen, and he seem to be convinced that Luke knows something about it."

The others glanced at me with narrowed eyes.

"Don't mind him. Florian said he can survive another poltergeist incident. He can wait until you're done interogating Luke."

Apparently they left Florian downstairs due to his calming aura, and because the poor innkeeper really needed some major calming influence. I'd prefer if he's here though, because Natalia really needed to be calmed down too.

"So, what did I miss?" Anise asked as she took a slice of pizza. It had the same smell with the pizza she bought me yesterday. Speaking of which, the pizza which she bought me yesterday, I wonder where it ended up. It's not in the room. Did the replica put it away somewhere?

"Nothing. Luke hasn't answered anything."

Natalia sounded exhasperated.

Well, that's because I don't know how to answer her. She asked me the reason why I had to run off, and there's no way I could say it's because I keep on seeing someone who's supposed to be dead already!

She turned towards me, and I tried to resist the urge to look away.

"Luke. I'm still waiting."

And I'm still thinking. I really don't know what to say.

"... good luck."

Yes, thank you for your support, now shut up.

"I think it's pointless to ask him. He's too stubborn to tell what his personal problem is," Tear said before she took a bite of her pizza. Natalia stared at her for a moment before sighing in resignation.

"So what're you suggesting?"

"I suggest you go to Jade with him and get it over with."

"I agree with Tear."

Guy quipped. I saw the replica nodding too. Maybe unconsciously. He knew there's no way the others could see him.

"My business in Sheridan can wait. We can bring you with the Albiore."

Natalia glared at me again.

"I really can't say."

"And why is that?"

"I can't say."

I couldn't say she'll think of me insane. She'd just deny it. She'd just be more concerned.

She sighed again, louder this time.

"Fine. We're going after Noelle finishes her maintenance. When do you think it'll be, Guy?"

"Maybe after lunch. Although... It's late already, so I don't think I'm eating again. Not after all these pizzas."

"Still, Noelle needs her food. We should get something for her."

"And for Jade too. And some dessert for me on the way."

At the last words, said by Anise, all turned their eyes to her. The young girl blinked as she chewed on her pizza before shrugging and putting her left hand on her hip.

"... what? I want to go too. I'm curious."

"No."

The answer was unanimous. Even I said it.

"You're the current unofficial head of Daath. So, you're not supposed to be leaving the city," Natalia said. Unofficial because Anise hadn't been appointed Fon Master yet, with her mastery of Daathic Artes to be deemed still lacking. Anise frowned as she chewed.

"You're both in the same position and here you are. Guy too. You're like, supposed to be in Grand Chokmah walking Peony's rappigs or something."

Guy laughed sheepishly. Apparently he found it amusing himself that Peony showed his affection and trust (there's been rumors saying that he trusted Guy the most amongs Malkuthian nobles) by giving him the honor of being 'The Emperor's Rappigs Walker'.

"He also assigned me to work with Jade on tech-development, which was why I left for Sheridan, and we are heading to Grand Chokmah, you know?"

"Right. Darn."

She chewed louder and hummed after she swallowed.

"Fine. I'll deal with the innkeeper's ghost problem. Happy?"

"I'll help."

Tear volunteered. "Florian could use a break too."

"Yeah... I suppose boys his age should spend his days playing more."

I don't know about that. Even if he's technically still five years old, he's seventeen physically. He should study more, in my opinion. Replicas shouldn't be discriminized just because of their real age. I don't get these people sometimes.

Maybe it's me who's weird though.

I'm thinking differently because I have grudge against them, maybe.

Even though I'm not sure I really hate replicas. It's just that sometimes I feel bothered, because the way people see them is different than my way.

Well, whatever. Tear seems like she shares my view of replicas anyway. I don't know much of Florian, but if the she could suggest that he needs a break, he must have worked hard.

"Anyway, I expect report. And not through messages. I want you guys to come here after you deal with his problem, capisce?"

Okay, this is getting on my nerves too. They all are talking as if I'm not here!

"I'm right here."

"For once! Don't you dare run away again, Luke. I don't want to deal with destructed cities in her attempt to find you, or knock some sense into that thick skull of yours," Anise said as she pointed at Natalia with her thumb. Natalia seemed scandalized.

I can't anwer.

I don't dare to lie. I don't know what I'd do. It'd all depend on the situation.

I glanced at the replica. Noticing me, he tried to smile encouragingly, as if to say he's fine and happy with the development. But I'm not sure. To be surrounded by people he knows... is it good? Would he freak out again? He said he was just taken off guard with Anise, but...

If possible I don't want him to be near these people.

Jade might be an exception, because I really need him, but for the others...

They left me alone after that. Because I'm still feverish and all, and they need to prepare for stuffs. Anise asked me questions about the ghost, but I couldn't exactly say the truth, so I answered that ghosts don't exist and that the innkeeper must be drunk this morning when he saw what he thought he saw.

She stared at me, as if studying me, before shrugging and said that that's what she thought too.

A bit weird, but I thought that maybe she's suspicious of something there.

"I'm worried about you."

"Eh? Why? That's surprising."

"Because, if you freak out again it'd be very annoying."

The replica smiled.

"I won't. I told you. I was just surprised, that's all," he said without hesitation, without any hint of not being completely serious. But then, his expression changed, seemingly pained.

"I'll be fine. And... and you will too. Jade will help. He'll be able to make me disappear again. I'm sure of it. If not... I'll keep my promise, and go away myself."

I glanced at him before deciding to just sleep some more before the others come to pick me up later. Somehow I doubt his words.

But it's nothing new.

The dreck likes to say things he doesn't mean after all.

He was under me.

"I'll go... if that's what you want... if you're bothered. I... I won't like it. But I'll do it."

A pair of green eyes looked up at me, and he was smiling a painful looking smile. It could be because my hand was on his neck though, squeezing hard it's surprising that he could still breathe.

"Because really, Luke. I'm really... really happy now that you're 'Luke' again. I'm not lying. Please..."

As if I could believe him.

As if I could believe him with those tear drops rolling down from his eyes.

"So, how was it? Did Luke tell you what's wrong?"

Florian asked as he ate his pizza. He seemed really happy when Anise gave him his share, and he devoured his slice in an instant before asking for more. Luckily (or sadly as Natalia would put it), Luke didn't have the appetite and nearly threw up just by the smell of it, so his share went to Florian.

Only Natalia would mind, and Tear had appeased her by suggesting of using the cathedral's kitchen to make some porridge, which would surely be easier to consume for Luke.

So it's all good.

Anyway...

"Nothing. He's too stubborn to spit it."

"That's too bad."

"Yeah, too bad, so sad. Boo hoo."

Florian smiled knowingly.

"How about the ghost problem?"

Anise sighed.

"That's the thing. He knows. But he won't say anything too."

"Eh? He does?"

Guy asked her, bewildred. He didn't think that Luke really knows. He's a bad liar, and he did say that he didn't know about the ghost problem.

"Yep. He didn't give me straight answer. And he's not actually lying, but he's hiding the truth too."

"But he said he didn't know."

"Correction, he said ghosts don't exist. It could only mean that he'd never seen Sword Dancer. And second, he said that this morning the innkeeper had to be drunk. That's the clue."

Guy blinked and tried to wonder what Anise meant. True, Sword Dancer was a ghost they vanguished back in the day, and replica-Luke got a sword out of it. For Luke to say ghosts don't exist, it must mean that he didn't know about it. But for the second sentence...

"For goodness sake, Guy, it's simple. I asked if he knows anything about the ghost the innkeeper saw. I didn't mention he saw it this morning."

Oh right...

Now Guy understood.

"So he knows about it. Now that I thought about it, he looked away when he answered... So he's lying then."

"As expected of someone who'd dealt with him for eight-ish years to notice that. Yep. He definitely lied."

"Right..."

Guy said before taking a bite of his pizza.

As he ate, he wondered when he'd ever told Anise that he went to become Luke's servant at age six, when Luke was just two. Somewhere inside, a voice told him that she's mistaken, the only person she knew Guy had been with for eight years was Luke's replica, but it couldn't be.

Anise couldn't be that cruel.