Ch.153Unexpected Bedmate (2)

Arnold brought out the EEG equipment. It was to determine whether Zernya had sleepwalking disorder or not.

“It might be inconvenient, but please wear this today.”

“Yes, Professor.”

Zernya put on the examination equipment as skillfully as a medical graduate student. Seti returned around that time.

“Ah, daughter, you’re back. I’m planning to measure Zernya’s brain waves tonight.”

Seti let out a sigh.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, it’s not that. Why are you doing the examination at our house?”

“Because I’m busy during the day.”

“Tell her to stay overnight at the university hospital.”

“This place is a hospital, so there’s no need to go that far.”

Seti’s expression soured.

She didn’t like any of this. She disliked the examination being done at home, and she was annoyed that her father was taking more care of Zernya than her.

If Zernya had sleepwalking disorder, she might barge into her room or Eidel’s room tonight.

Conversely, if Zernya wasn’t sleepwalking, she would head straight to Eidel’s room and might be up to her tricks again.

The latter would be a real problem. Though she didn’t know what Zernya’s intentions were, it could potentially disrupt the peace of the Rheinland family.

She had to stop it.

Seti resolved to stay awake all night.

And due to the fatigue from exam preparation, she fell asleep faster than anyone else.

***

A week passed.

Zernya had nightmares on about 4 of those days. And each time, her sleepwalking symptoms manifested.

“This confirms it.”

Arnold reset the EEG scanner and muttered quietly.

“Zernya does have somnambulism. It’s not too serious. She just walks and mumbles. The walking episodes aren’t very long either.”

“I was mumbling?”

“Yes.”

Zernya became anxious.

She had heard that people often talk nonsense under sleep anesthesia. Perhaps sleepwalking patients were similar.

She was worried that she might have said something strange.

“You said you have nightmares often?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of nightmares?”

“Dreams where I’m being chased by monsters or avatars.”

“I see. That’s why she talks like that.”

Arnold turned on the hallway CCTV. The recorded footage showed Zernya. She was walking with flailing arms and legs. The sound of her mumbling began to be picked up.

Save me.

Help me.

I’m scared.

I’m sorry.

I’m sorry.

Eidel.

Repeating such words, Zernya headed toward Eidel’s bedroom. She did this on all four days when her symptoms appeared. There were no exceptions.

Eidel, Eidel, Eidel…

The final cry was particularly long and pitiful.

After entering Eidel’s room, it was the same every time. Eidel would offer his blanket, and she would sleep there. From then on, she slept just fine.

“Ugh.”

Seti groaned, grabbing the back of her neck.

“Isn’t the scanner broken?”

“That’s unlikely, Seti.”

“She did that without being aware?”

It was an unpleasant result.

Zernya’s behavior captured on camera subtly evoked a protective instinct. It was somewhat cute and lovable, like a frightened pretty girl whimpering. If even Seti felt this way, how would Eidel, being a man, feel?

“Wow.”

Sure enough, Eidel was watching the screen in a daze.

“Zernya, is this really you?”

“Ah, damn it. Stop watching. I said stop watching…!”

Don’t be fooled. Even that embarrassed appearance could be an act.

No, even if it’s an act, it’s still a problem.

Seti had a strong sense of being a Rheinland. Although her Adelbein blood was from a branch family, her Rheinland blood was direct. Therefore, while she couldn’t become the head of the Adelbein family, she could become the head of the Rheinland family.

That’s why she had been aiming for the position of family head.

Of course, she would accept defeat if she lost to Eidel. Her personal opinion was that her third brother was that impressive.

The situation would be different if the fox in front of her were to marry Eidel.

That would truly be the end. The moment Eidel became the family head, the entire Rheinland family would be devoured by the Adelbein.

Whether aware of Seti’s concerns or not, Arnold casually suggested to both Eidel and Zernya:

“Looking at the pattern, I don’t think medication or constellation therapy is necessary. And it seems the symptoms subside in Eidel’s room. I want to see the cause clearly. So, could you two sleep in the same room tonight?”

It was a shocking statement.

“What?”

“T-together? With Eidel?”

“Hmm.”

Seti jumped up as if about to faint, Zernya’s lips trembled, and Eidel sighed as if he had reached enlightenment.

“Don’t misunderstand. You’ll just sleep together, just sleep.”

“So, sleeping together in the dictionary sense.”

“Brother, do you really have to put it that way?”

“It’s all for medical purposes. Don’t think strange thoughts, and don’t even consider doing anything mischievous.”

Though he said that, Arnold secretly had expectations. If this opportunity narrowed the psychological distance between Eidel and Zernya, it would be perfect. The family head selection process would begin early next year.

Eidel’s talent was overwhelming. He had sufficient qualities as a family head. However, since he wasn’t a doctor, it would be difficult for him to receive the final selection from the council of elders. To definitely become the family head, he needed a wife who was a doctor.

And Zernya was a medical student and a direct descendant of the Adelbein family.

She had nightmares. Every time she dreamed, she sought out Eidel. Her footsteps instinctively headed toward where she felt peace.

It was a double blessing.

Arnold said:

“Sonia, I’d like you to monitor the two of them in real-time with cameras during their sleep. Also, both of you should wear EEG scanners tonight. I’ll decide which bedroom you’ll use.”

“Master, is all this really necessary?”

“It’s a matter of utmost importance. Sonia, you should also remember that there’s a high possibility that Zernya’s sleepwalking is caused by an external god.”

“Still, but… Sigh, I understand.”

Sonia gave Seti a concerned look.

Seti read that subtle signal and nodded.

***

In the room with CCTV installed.

Zernya and Eidel, lying on a large king-size bed, blankly stared at the ceiling.

The bed was so large that even with both of them lying side by side, there was enough space left for a child to fit. If they just slept straight, they could spend the night without any physical contact.

Of course, that was practically impossible.

At the very least, Zernya had a habit of tossing and turning, sleeping in a fetal position.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

A sound like a rice pounder was emanating from deep within her chest.

“…Is this right?”

“I-it’s just an examination. I, I don’t have any, any thoughts. Right?”

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

Her heart was not just leaping but spinning.

That was the situation.

The student council president and vice president of the prestigious Stellarium College sharing a bed. It’s not an experience anyone can have.

Moreover, one is a Rheinland, and the other is an Adelbein.

Either way, they’re from prestigious families. Verified bloodlines.

However, Zernya’s expression wasn’t good when she thought of the Adelbein family.

A good man and an evil woman cannot be together.

So this was just a trial version. If she wanted to spend every night like this, she would have to clean up her own family first.

Yes. Just today, only today is an exception.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

“…Huh?”

“I have some bad sleeping habits. Just in case, I’ll put this pillow between us. Is that okay?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.”

And so, a thick long cushion was placed between Eidel and Zernya.

Zernya sighed, unable to hide her disappointment.

“Sonia.”

“You called?”

“Turn off the lights.”

Sonia replied grumpily with a contorted face.

“Have you forgotten the name of the IoT in charge? It’s Larry. Asking Larry to turn off the lights would be faster than calling me.”

“Our kind Sonia, please turn them off for us. Wait, why are you coming here? Aah! Ack! Why! Why are you hitting me! What did I do wrong, ugh! Gack! Larry, turn off the lights!”

Click.

“…Young master, miss. Sleep well.”

Sonia left the room with a solemn voice. Eidel was slumped like a squid dried in the sun. Finding his appearance comical, Zernya couldn’t help but smile.

This helped ease some of the tension she had felt.

She had a feeling that she would sleep well tonight.

***

Sonia entered the control room. From here, she could not only see Eidel and Zernya’s brain waves in real-time but also vividly observe them sleeping.

She would have to track and observe the two of them for about six hours.

“Damn it.”

That was why Sonia was in a bad mood.

“Being an android isn’t easy either.”

Sonia grumbled as she put a cigarette in her mouth. Of course, it wasn’t a real cigarette, but a battery shaped like one. It gave a tingling, sour taste when licked.

Eventually, the two fell sound asleep. Detecting any abnormalities in Zernya was Sonia’s night duty today.

“I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

It was truly contemptible. She was simply uncomfortable with this situation.

At a glance, it was just a real-time video of two humans sleeping. But the fact that the protagonists on that bed were Eidel and a human woman made her feel like her internal mechanisms were rotting.

“Tsk.”

She spat out and turned off the electronic cigarette. Just then, the automatic door opened, and Seti entered. Seti was wearing pink pajamas.

“How’s it going?”

“No issues so far.”

Tsk, Seti clicked her tongue.

“This is ridiculous. Dad must see her as a perfect wife. They’ve only known each other for a year at most, how can he think he knows everything?”

“I wonder the same.”

“In terms of years, excluding me, Sonia, you’ve been around the longest, right?”

“Yes. If we calculate by absolute time, I have served Young Master Eidel the longest.”

“That’s right. I didn’t interact with my brother except when we fought, and their mother passed away almost right after giving birth to him. You’re the only one who could help.”

“Perhaps that’s why I feel emotions beyond that of a servant and master.”

Sonia replied solemnly.

“…At some point, the young master changed. I like the young master who became like that. Though I’m not pleased with how he became eccentric in other ways.”

“Yes. You’ve been through a lot. If you were human, I would have given my brother to you.”

Sonia lightly waved her hand in refusal.

“I’ll decline.”

She continued:

“For a robot that’s just scrap metal without its master, even being here is more than I deserve.”

She knew her position better than anyone else.

That’s why she was here like this late into the night.