ALL NOVEL Arc 1: The Meeting – Chapter 44
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.
Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.
The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.
"Speech"
Arc 1: The Meeting - Chapter 44
It's a new day, and someone the doorbell, waking the girls and me up. Only one person outside our little group could know how to use the damn doorbell.
I swear, if this is Saito. He better has a good reason for waking me up early in the morning after dealing with the girls' sexual needs and watching the rest of the Harry Potter movies. Then, sex again because the girls can recover quickly when they are still conscious.
Note to self: Make the girls faint at the end of sex to prevent them from recovering so fast.
Carefully get out of bed while gently pushing the girls off me, then put on my clothes with a snap of my fingers. Afterward, placing a few spells over the girls to prevent whoever was behind the front door from seeing them. Then, I opened the front door to see who was brave enough to come here.
Oh, fuck me sideways. Why the fuck are characters from Helluva Boss here?! And out of all of them, why the fuck is the avian demon family of three that just have too much family drama?! They are not part of the Eldritch pantheon!
Stolas is a Goetic Prince of Hell and a major support character in Helluva Boss. The father of Octavia and the husband of Stella. He is an anthropomorphic owl demon. He is tall and slender, with a white, heart-shaped facial disk and a small black beak resembling an owl. He has two pairs of almond-shaped red eyes, one set atop the other, with no visible irises or pupils. Stolas has gray-blue feathers, which gradients to dark gray-blue on his head, and a long, plume-like tail. He has a lighter gray-blue puff of fur on his chest. His limbs are long, thin, and black, and his feet are tipped with owl claws.
Stolas's attire consists of a deep red tunic with six linked golden buttons down the breast and beige breeches. He accessorized with a feathery tophat that features a regal gold crown encircling it, as well as a long burgundy cape, tattered at the hemline, with a plush ermine-look fur collar, and long black gloves with white feathered times at the elbows.
Stella is a tall, slim, white avian demon. She has long, hair-like feathers with gray tips and a large gray stripe on her head. She has a short pink beak and very long curved eyelashes. She has gray markings underneath her eyes, which themselves have red sclera with light pupils.
For attire, Stella wears a white dress with puffed sleeves and feather trimming, along with black accents. She is also wearing a crown and black gloves.
Octavia is an adolescent avian demon. She is lanky and unkempt, with a coat of gray feathers. Her eyes are pink with bright white pupils with light purple eyeshadow to go with her long eyelashes. Below each of her eyes is two tear-like streak eyelashes. Octavia bears traits from both of her parents. She has her father's white, mask-like face with her mother's eyes and shaggy hair feathers.
For clothing, Octavia wears a black feathery shawl around her shoulders over a glittery pink dress with light yellow stars on it, a black beanie hat with a pale yellow tiara design on it on her head, a pink choker around her neck, black leggings, and black heeled boots.
"Greetings, Lord Stolas. Lady Stella. Heiress Octavia." I greeted them calmly and announced their names just loud enough for the girls to wake up and know who was at our doorsteps. Bowing slightly, tipping my hat with the grace of a noble. Something I inherited from last night while in another break before resuming for the last movie. The legacy of Cadis Etrama Di Raizel from the series Noblesse. Just like with the legacy of Yukari Yakumo.
In hindsight, I can see why Perfect Timing picked this as my latest cheat to get. Although, I wonder why going for overkill just to gain the natural noble grace infused with my very being.
"Oh, good. We have one that knows its place and better manner than the ones we came across with." Stella sneered, causing Stolas on the side to sigh. "Tell me, human—wait, your scent isn't fully human. Hm." She narrows her eyes at me.
"I would say he is the one we are looking for, Stella." Stolas said tiredly. "You know, the one that many pantheons are going on about. Especially how our friends from the Eldritch pantheon are bragging about having a new member throughout the multiverse?"
They are doing what now?
I suppress the urge to raise an eyebrow.
"Quite." Stella replied. "Now, tell me-"
Whatever she was about to say was interrupted by a shriek of joy and surprise.
"Stella!" A shadowy humanoid figure rushed past me and slammed straight into Stella's stomach, causing the avian demon to let out a rough painful cough, but she didn't get pushed too far other than a few inches. "I'm soooo glad to see you!"
"I wish I could say the same, Yui." Stella scoffed, which would have made her look bad in my eyes with the tone she was using towards Yui if she wasn't also returning the hug. "So, what are these rumors I've heard about this new member in your side of the family that had caused lots of changes?"
"You mean Jin?" Yui pointed at me, causing the avian demon family to look at me with more interest now that Yui had confirmed the rumors' authenticity. "Yeah, he is part of my family. Which he is also taking care of as being pointed as our caretaker."
I don't like the way she phrases that crazy voices. Especially when she didn't say anything about WHO she was talking about, but family, as in the entire Eldritch pantheon. This does not make me feel good one bit. If anything, I just recall there should be more coming my way sooner or later.
"Why do you ask?" Yui tilts her head, not letting go of Stella. If anything, I can see her grip tighten, which brings a grim look to Stella's face.
"We're here in the hope of seeing if we could get the service of your caretaker to do something for us." Stolas answered, staring at me without blinking the entire time.
If it wasn't for the One Holy Spear protecting my mind. I feel like Stolas is trying to read my mind. Also, I'm curious which version this Stolas and his family are. Like, did Stolas reunite with his old and first friend Blitzo during a party that leads to a sexual encounter in the end? Which leads to the whole marriage between Stolas and Stella going downhill.
"Wait, what?" Yui frown, taking a step back. "Why do you need Jin's service? Don't you guys got a load of people to take care of everything you need?"
"I can say the same to you, Yui. Didn't you guys have many caretakers? Why not lend us this one?" Stella points out while staring at me with interest and greed.
"Dead. You should know how hard it is for one to survive in my family, let alone be announced as a true member." Yui argues back. "If anything, we both know why you're so prying in Jin."
"Oh?" Stella raises an eyebrow. "Do tell."
"You're hoping he would help you fix your marriage problems and help you guys connect more with your daughter!" Yui looks at Stella wide-eyed, daring the older female avian demon to lie to her face.
"Is this why we're here?" Octavia looks at her parents in disbelief.
I'm a caretaker, not a family counselor. Especially not a marriage counselor! Seriously, Stolas and Stella's marriage relationship is just a damn mess. Back me up here, crazy voices! Let alone these two have trouble with marriage, like other people, but what makes things worse is that they are literally demons!
Forget counseling! I won't be surprised if they somehow accidentally or intentionally killed any counselors that dared accept them as clients! Mostly from Stella, but Stolas isn't so innocent in killing others either. But, still. There is a reason why he could still rise to his position and take over his father's status as the head of the family.
Either way, crazy voices, being a counselor in any troubled relationship between two people isn't part of the job description as a caretaker!
"Not quite, my princess." Stolas sighed, closing his eyes in tiredness before opening them. "We're here in the hope that... Jin here would help us have a peaceful family vacation time to relax and get away from all the things that could cause us to become more stressed."
In other words, you and your wife are hoping I would somehow fix your marriage problem while serving you guys like a damn personal butler. Or am I overthinking it? What are your opinions, crazy voices?
"Nope, no way. Jin is too busy taking care of my daughters and me now." Yui quickly rejected Stolas before I could get a word in.
"Yeah, we found out about that before coming here." Stella rolled her eyes at Yui. "Which is why we're only here for a few days before returning home. Otherwise, we would have asked for your caretaker to come to my place to be our caretaker."
"And we've already got permission before you ask, Yui." Stolas continued before Yui could say anything. "Otherwise, we wouldn't be here to pay a visit."
"Fine..." Yui frown, crossing her arms over her chest. "How long are you guys going to be here anyway?"
"Around five to six days, maybe less, depending on if we're needed back home for something important that needs our presence." Stolas replied.
"Now, are you going to let us in, or are you going to keep us standing out here? I rather not stay outside with all these corpses." Stella frowned, tilting her head up as if she smelled something bad just now.
I narrow my eyes, then turn En back on and find myself speechless at all the dead bodies lying outside the house. Some of them I recognize in the Familiar of Zero, but none of the dead bodies belong to the essential characters, the good ones, I mean.
"Come on in, the place is a bit small, but there's plenty of room for everyone." Yui gave the avian demon family permission to enter the tiny house. "Jin, mind getting us some refreshment?"
I nod, then move to the kitchen area as the avian demons glance around the place in interest. No doubt, this should be the first time they are in a small building throughout their lifetime.
"Girls! Wake up; we got company!" Yui shouted to her daughters, shouts being heard from a distance before the sound of rushing footsteps coming closer.
"Oh, it's them." Takamine scowled, making Stella narrow her eyes. "Why are they here?"
"They are temporarily staying here with us to use Jin's services as a caretaker." Yui answered her daughter's question.
"Tell me, you're joking, mom." Takamine's right eyebrow starts twitching.
"I wish I could say it was, but this is out of my hands." Yui shrugged her shoulders, then turned to look at Stella. "By the way, whose idea was it to try your luck with Jin after finding out about his position as a caretaker?"
"It's mine." Stella said dryly.
Okay, what?