Chapter 23: Family

Rin yawned and walked out of her room.

Beta was still sitting on the chair in the living room, Mintendo Switch in hand.

Rin frowned and said, “Miss Beta. Did you play that all night?”

Beta put the game console away and said, “Good morning, Miss Rin. And I have only been playing for a short while.”

Rin didn’t quite believe her. After all, Miss Beta was the one who not only bought the game console but set up the internet as well to use it.

Technically, it was supposed to be for Rin’s use when she decided to start streaming games, but Miss Beta was so interested in it that Rin let her use it.

Beta stood up and said, “Would you like some breakfast? Or would you prefer to wait until after Master arrives?”

Rin walked over to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. Sipping on it, she said, “It’s fine, Miss Beta. You can just cook for yourself if you’re hungry.”

“I am fine.”

Rin frowned. “But you didn’t eat anything last night. Are you sure, Miss Beta?”

Beta paused and said, “I will convince Master to have lunch with me later.”

“…But Mister John and I are having lunch?”

“Ah.” Beta frowned. “That is true… Well, worry not, Miss Rin. I am more than content as I am now.”

“But-“

“Well, *I’m* hungry. Would you mind making something for me, Miss Beta?”

A dry and somewhat sarcastic female voice.

Rin froze and then turned to the speaker. When she saw who it was, she blinked, her eyes wide in shock. “M-Mom…?”

Sakura smiled. “What, Sweetie? You look like you’ve seen a-“

“Mom!” Rin ran forward and gave her mother a tight hug.

Sakura sighed and patted her back. “There, there. It’s been tough, but you don’t need to worry now.”

“B-But… how?” Rin stepped back and said, “Didn’t…? I thought that…?”

Sakura shrugged. “Beats me. The doctor didn’t have a clue either… but I’ve got a clean bill of health now.”

“R-Really?”

“Really.”

Rin froze and then pinched herself. “Ouch!”

Sakura laughed. “It isn’t a dream, Sweetie.”

Rin rubbed her arm. “I… I guess it isn’t.”

Sakura frowned and said, “You don’t seem too happy to have me back, Sweetie…” She walked up to Rin and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “What, worried that Mommy’s going to steal Mister John away from you?”

Rin laughed and shook her head. “No. It’s not that. I’m just…” She smiled. “Happy. Everything’s going well. For once…” Her eyes started tearing up. “I’m just… glad.”

Sakura froze and then pulled Rin into a hug. “Oh, Sweetie… I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry, Mom.”

“No, I’m-“

“Ahem.”

The mother and daughter pair froze, turning as one to look at Beta.

The crimson-haired maid said, “As touching as this scene is… and as fortunate as it is that Miss Rin’s Mother has recovered, the work schedule has not changed.”

“Ah!” Rin jumped back from her mother and said, “That’s right! Mister John will be here soon! I have to get ready!” She glanced at the clock and then groaned. “Oh no… it’s already eight?”

“Wait, Miss Rin-” Beta called out to stop her, but Rin already dashed into the bathroom. A few seconds later, the shower started running. Of course, since the water hadn’t been used yet all day-

“C-C-Cold!”

Sakura sighed. “That girl… She’s so careless when she’s excited.”

Beta gave an immediate nod. “I have noticed… Ah. And you said you were hungry, Miss Rin’s Mother?”

“Please, it’s just Sakura.”

“Miss Sakura then.” Beta nodded and said, “I will prepare something for you. Please, sit there and wait.”

“Oh, no.” Sakura shook her head and said, “I was just joking. How could I let a polite guest like you cook when you took care of my sweet baby girl? Please, allow me.” She took a step towards the kitchen.

Beta took a step towards it as well and said, “I insist. Furthermore, you were discharged just yesterday, were you not? Master would be upset if I were to let a recovering woman overexert herself.”

Sakura took another step. “And *I* insist. Besides, a young woman like yourself is in the prime of her youth. I don’t want you to blemish your delicate hands on something like this.”

Beta stood at the edge of the living room, next to the kitchen.

Sakura stood across from her.

“…You will not back down?”

“Of course not.” Sakura rolled up her sleeves and said, “It’s been far too long since I’ve been able to cook. I don’t have any intention of waiting any longer.”

“The same is true for myself. Cooking… It has been an eternity since the last time I prepared a proper meal.”

Silence. Then…

“I suppose there’s only one way to handle this, isn’t there?”

Beta nodded. “Indeed.”

Sakura walked over to the cupboard in the kitchen and opened it before tossing an apron at Beta. “Let’s see your skills then, Miss Beta.”

—–AI|IA—–

John glanced in the rearview mirror of his car.

In the backseat, Alpha held her Mintendo Switch, furiously mashing the buttons.

[Waho! Waho! Weehee! It’s a me!]

The knockoff red plumber’s battle cries echoed in the car, followed by the sounds of a character getting launched into the air.

John shook his head and turned his attention back on the road. “Still practicing, huh, Alpha?”

“Obviously. I refuse to lose to such a fu-… such an uncouth opponent.” She responded while still pressing on the buttons of her game console.

“You know, I could give you some tips.”

“No.” Alpha shook her head. “I have my pride as the indomitable Chaos Maiden. To lose to such an ingrate… No, to accept a handout from Father would only demean my worth.”

John blinked.

To slip up and call him Father instead of Master…

John grinned and glanced back at the mirror, suddenly remembering an old meme. “…Are ya winning, Daughter?”

Alpha flinched, suddenly dropping her game console. Then-

[Game!]

“Ah.” John blinked. “…Sorry.”

Alpha slowly picked up the game console. “No. I do not mind. But it was… unexpected.” She looked up to meet John’s eyes and then looked away before softly saying, “You rarely call me that.”

“Well that’s because we were in that stuffy place and things would get messy. Not to mention how many other people would get upset if I acknowledged you and your sisters as my children…”

John was quiet, remembering the hubbub that broke out across the Three Realms the last time he let that slip during a meeting of the Eternal Emperors.

God, the number of idiots he had to beat up that wanted to challenge him in a duel to win the right to his daughter’s hand in marriage…

Alpha laughed, a pure and musical sound. “That is true… Mistress was rather upset about that since you were swamped with work for the years afterwards.”

“Don’t remind me… But anyway.” John slowly brought the car to a stop at a red light and then said, “I’m thinking of properly treating you and Beta as my daughters here. What do you think?”

It was something he always felt a bit guilty about not being able to do in the Three Realms. Out of habit, he had treated them like he did before, but since there wasn’t anything holding him back now, this was his chance to make up for lost time.

Alpha’s face was blank, but her eyes shimmered with a mix of emotions. After a while, she carefully said, “I… would be happy. And I believe Beta would be as well. But… Mistress will be rather upset with you.”

“Ah. Right…”

John never did manage to have a child with her before he left like he promised… Not for lack of trying, of course. But…

“W-Well… She’ll understand, right?”

“Perhaps. But Master should consider washing his neck and prepare a proper apology when Mistress arrives.”

The light turned green and John drove off. As he did, he said, “That’s fine. I’ve got time.” He paused. “I… have time, right?”

“Well. Mistress *did* inscribe a tracking formation on our clothes before we went into your Heavenly Realm. And since you were impotent-“

“I am NOT!”

“-She began studying the Dao of Karma to try and determine the source of the issue.”

John froze. “The Dao of… Did you say Karma?”

“That is correct.”

“As in… the bonds that connect people? The ties that exist across creation, through time and space, and even across lives?”

“That is the one.”

“…But she’s bad at it, right? Her comprehension of the Dao is low?”

“Initially… but I believe she reached the Essence stage shortly before she asked Beta and I to hide within your Heavenly Realm.”

A sudden realization.

“Oh. This is bad.”

He miscalculated.

John thought he was safe because that woman’s Dao was ‘Perfection.’ The fact that she was willing to switch over to the Dao of Karma and then reach that stage so quickly… Didn’t that mean she was only a few steps away from being able to cross over as well?!

He let out a nervous chuckle and then glanced into the rearview mirror. “Alpha, my adorable and perfect daughter. You wouldn’t leave your poor father out to dry, would you?”

“I would never. However, I believe our youngest sister would.”

John blinked. “Wait. Omega wasn’t with you two?”

“No, dearest Father. Your most adorable daughter wished to spend time with her dear mother, in case you had forgotten. As such, she refused to come with us. In fact, as you left both her and her mother behind, I do believe she would also be rather upset with you.”

John quietly parked the car outside of Rin’s house. Even so, he didn’t leave just yet.

“…How easy do you think I’ll get off if I say that I wanted to make sure the trip was safe first before going back to get them?”

Alpha paused. “It depends. How soon do you intend to return?”

“…A year?”

“I predict a 99% chance that Mistress will arm herself with every fertility enhancing herb, talisman, and sutra she can get her hands on and demand you redeem yourself by ambushing you the moment that she arrives.”

“…And that remaining 1%?”

“Mistress still arrives and demands that you redeem yourself, but because she actually conceived a child with you and the child was simply slow at developing due to the immense power that you two possess.”

John paused. “You know… I didn’t even think about that second scenario being a possibility.”

It would explain a lot…

Alpha gave John a blank look and then sighed. “To think that a man like you is my creator and father…”

“H-Hey! I’m not that bad.” He paused. “Am I?”

“Have you already forgotten how you and Mistress met?”

“Oh. Right.” John mumbled. “I am that bad… And if she’s studying Karma now…”

He was screwed… currently figuratively and in the proximate future, probably literally.

John sighed and opened the door. “It’s a good thing I stopped using her name in case it tempted Fate.”

Alpha got out as well and said, “And it is a good thing that your father-in-law is not around to hear you say that.”

John coughed. “I’ll just do as you said and prepare a proper apology and welcome party when she arrives. A-Anyway, let’s hurry and pick everyone up. We’ve got a lot to do to prep for the opening stream in a few days.” He shut his car door and then walked over to the front house… and then promptly tripped over his own feet as his shoelaces tangled together.

“…It seems Mistress is not that forgiving.”

John lied there on the ground and sighed. “Seems like it.”

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