While Thomas was questioning Alex incessantly, You could see a head peeking from behind a curtain that separated the mummy from Alex. She was trying to hide it, but her interest in the topic could be seen by how hard she was trying to eavesdrop on them.
Emily had already woken up and was going towards Alex. But then she also noticed Leo. A strange kid that stuck next to Alex like glue. She was curious as to who he was and that curiosity led her to eavesdrop on the conversation.
After all, her boyfriend was supposed to be single before they met, not a single dad.
Seeing Emily who was hiding behind the curtain, Alex massaged his temples. He didn't know how he would explain the situation.
'Suddenly propping up a kid and calling him a long lost family member wouldn't work. I should think up a more plausible solution.' Alex thought. While glancing in the direction of Emily.
Emily noticed that, closed the curtain tightly and began tending to the Mummy who was sleeping next to Alex.
'As expected, the mummy is the deformed demon slayer, the great and valiant hero of the story. Or otherwise known as the villain magnet Edward Vulcan.' Emily was looking after her brother.
'Why did she block my vision? Shouldn't she at least say thank you for saving her? If she is playing it like this, I too would like to play the same game.' Emily didn't know that Alex noticed her. So, Alex quickly changed the topic of discussion.
—--Alex POV—-
"What are you going to do with the kid?" Asked Thomas.
"Technically, he is a cousin now."
"You are an orphan. From where did you get a cousin? It's not just me who will ask the question. You should prepare answers as soon as you can. If you really want to take him in. I could help you with it."
"Thanks, team leader."
"But what about Emily? Does she know about it?" Staring at the shadow on the curtain, the team leader asked.
"No. But you know Emily. She is a kind person. She wouldn't ask me to throw this kid into the streets. I believe in her." The team leader and I both knew that Emily could hear us. So, I deliberately nudged Emily psychologically into accepting him. After all, no one wants to disappoint someone who believes in them.
You could call it psychological manipulation or guilt-tripping. Either way, what I was doing was not right. But I mean no harm.
"Anyway, your house is trashed. There is nothing left unburnt. What are you going to do now?"
'Would he believe me if I said I don't know! Buying a human cost me a lot. So, even if I wanted to, I can't even rent a place. I am as broke as it gets, I only have little cash for food and I have to feed one more mouth.'
"Team leader. If I remember correctly, you are single, right? Can I stay at your place? Just until I get my pay. I won't cause any problems. You wouldn't even see me. I am broke now so I really need your help." Can this be called begging? If so, I was begging while acting cute.
"Hello…! Ah! Yes, I will come right now. Wait for me at the office." Suddenly, Team leader Thomas picked up his phone and began talking. Like I was air, he moved away with large strides as if he was escaping from a calamity. There was no question, he was avoiding me.
Leo looked at me in disappointment. It was as if he was saying 'For god's sake, you are thrice my age. Why don't you act your age?'
But what can I say? My soul was only twice his age. I was just an intelligent handsome eighteen-year-old soul trapped inside a twenty-eight-year-old uncle. Don't despise me for being pragmatic.
—------------------
It seems like the team leader was not heartless, He paid for my hospital bill before leaving. That was a plus in my books. I will not forget this team leader. When this world is burning and side characters like us are dying in mass. I will surely remember to pay back this favour by saving you from imminent death.
Then I met Emily.
Although she carefully avoided me all day. Finally, I saw her right in front of me. Like a deer caught in the headlight. She stood stunned in front of me. I remember seeing her for the first time. She stood exactly like this.
"Hello, Can I live with you?" Words slipped out of my mouth without any deliberation.
'Shamelessness overloaded, morph shameless-ranger.' Finally, I have fully embraced my shamelessness. I have reached a singularity of shamelessness. I can see the event horizon of shamelessness.
"Okay," Emily replied. Doesn't she get what I was asking for? This was the final step of dating. After that, you end your relationship or get married. Me and my stupid brain asking before thinking it through.
'Oh, Emily. You should be cautious when dealing with people. I feel bad conning her.'
"Huh!" I was pleasantly surprised for a moment but it didn't last long. It also came with the realisation that both our homes were burnt to a crisp in the fire. If so, what does it mean to live with her? My mind spun around to find an answer.
—-----------------------------
Alex POV
"Umm… Emily! Where is this?" I asked with a slight sense of apprehension standing before the European style villa.
We were standing in front of a villa. It was an odd villa giving off an odd feeling.
Something is certainly off about this place. But what could possibly go wrong? It is just a building.
"It's my home," Emily replied cheerfully.
Ok, that's good. It gives answers as to where we are.
I was expecting a dragon to jump out and bite my head once the door opened. Now that I know it was her home. I could slash that scenario off my mind.
"It's also where my family lives. I have yet to inform them about your amnesia. So, try to act normal." That might be a bit problematic, I thought while my eyes glanced at Leo.
Living with the family of my girlfriend. It is not considered normal with Outerwords standards, right?
Now I remember her asking to go to her parent's house once we have time. Is fate toying with me, one way or another we finally reached here?
'To leech off and live. What have I reduced myself to?'
In a way, I am at fault too. Why did I have to ask her to take me in? Am I a stray or a bum or both?
Besides that, I now have to live in the same house as her father. A person who is worse than a dragon as far as I am concerned. I should have avoided him at all costs.
"You could have told me that this was your family home before coming."
"You never asked. Besides, it was you who wanted to live with me. Now you get to enjoy a nice vacation on the outskirts of Nova city, Food and accommodation included. It's worth it, isn't it?" She joyously asked me for affirmation.
"Yeah! Only if I could not see your father."
"What! Did you get your memory back? How do you know about my father?"
'Oops, I was thinking aloud again! I didn't mean to say that.'
"No, I have yet to regain my memory. I was just perplexed by my situation. You don't get to live with your girlfriend and her family every day."
"Let me remind you again. My parents wanted to see you for a long time. But they still don't know about your amnesia. Don't spill the beans before you are comfortable. Or else, it might get difficult to walk out of here."
What does she mean by that? Did the real Alex have some problem with his legs? Or is it a threat?
While we were making a plan, we waited at the door. But Leo ran forward and pushed the door. And it was not locked!
The door opened.
I was just as panicked as Emily. This was the first time I was actually feeling nervous since I transmigrated. Even when I went to the black market to buy a living human. I was not this nervous.
And this was not because of the dragon-like 'Emily's father'. I am more inclined to say that I am not afraid of that guy at all. I was just wary of him.
What truly makes me nervous is another person that resides in this house.
Husband of Emily's older sister, Freya Vulcan. A seemingly normal office worker and at the same time a loving father. But unknown to all, he is one of the greatest S ranked superhumans alive with only one weakness, his family.
He is also my favourite character in the whole novel.
Ethan Carter.
He can be considered the only reason I stuck around with the novel as far as I did. His actions at times shone brighter than the MC in the novel. Which also fueled my curiosity about reading Outerworlds.
Ethan Carter was a man of a tragic past. He lost his family in a car accident. Then he found out the real truth behind the accident. It was a drug-smuggling operation gone wrong causing the car accident. And a large drug syndicate was behind it.
A seed of revenge was sowed the day he realized that. Unlike normal people who sought out law enforcement agencies to fight for him. Ethan was different.
For him, Any punishment that the law could give to those criminals was too lenient. So he took matters into his own hands.
With years of hard work he identified the core members of the drug syndicate and tracked them. He also collected insurmountable proof against each and every one of those higher-ups. While laying low away from peering eyes.
And finally, he was successful in dismantling the drug syndicate alone. Every one of the core members was caught by the law enforcement agencies.
That one mission of a lone man created waves across the nation in an unforgettable way. From rich businessmen to politicians to high ranking law enforcement officers to even demon cult members. A large number of people were uncovered by his investigation.
Core members were jailed. Some slimy bastards wiggled out through the loopholes in law while others got the least amount of jail time possible. Like that a month passed by. Everyone thought it was all over.
But, one spring night. Every core member who was related to the drug syndicate disappeared in an hour. From all across the world, even from high-security prisons and even their homes.
Those people disappeared in the span of an hour. Wherever they were, not one person was spared. And they were never seen again.
Now the Drug syndicate and the thugs that run it are normal workers at 'Chicken Syndicate'. One of the most popular fried chicken franchises in the whole country. While no one knows what happened or how it transformed into a legal business.
Ethan Carter now works as the general manager of Chicken Syndicate in the Nova City branch.
And the funniest thing about all that is Ethan's superpower. A superpower envied by many, An S grade superpower, Spatial manipulation. Unlike simple teleportation or space storage skills, spatial manipulation was in a whole different league of its own. And he had that power this whole time.
What that means is, If Ethan really wanted revenge. He could have done it in an hour after finding all the core members. But he still waited patiently for years to completely dismantle them and their organization. His job was thorough and reasonable. He never wanted to leave behind victims on the path that he walked.
And even funnier is the fact that no one knows about any of these. Only those who read the novel like me could know how great of a person he is.
Now I am going to meet him face to face. I have reason to be nervous.
—--------
The one to welcome us was Emily's mother. And she was curiously watching Leo who was with us.
Obviously, I couldn't say that I was pregnant with her daughter's child and gave birth a couple of days ago. And that baby grew to a ten-year-old child due to me being a vampire.
It was simply preposterous.
So I chose to be a reasonable person and remain silent. I may cause more damage than I want with my wayward mouth.
"Mom, that's Leo. Alex's cousin. Don't stare at him. You are making the kid nervous."
"Wink Wink, Thumbs up!"
'Nice save!' Unknowingly you saved your mother from me, Emily.
"I am the one who needs to be nervous when my daughter comes home with her boyfriend and a kid. What if the kid was yours? You never know. After the dungeons emerged, I saw even crazier things." Said Emily's mother half-jokingly.
Oh, fuck! Thank god that I didn't say anything. This would have caused a serious misunderstanding. Anyway, her mother seems to be a cool person that I can get along with. Even our thoughts are so similar.
"Mom, where is the dad? Did he go hunting again?"
"Who went hunting, my dear daughter. It has been so long that I thought you forgot about me." With heavy footsteps came a well built older man. On one hand, he had a hunting rifle and on the other, he carried a heavy bag.
"Thud."
With a thud. The heavy bag fell to the floor the moment he noticed me.
'Is this the end of me?' I thought.
He was authoritative and imposing with his every action. His eyes were drilling holes through my skin while I froze up.
I never held a girl's hand. Much less, to have a girlfriend. And now I am standing in front of the supposed girlfriend's father.
How should I respond in a situation like this?
Can I call a timeout?
This is way beyond age. I am barely eighteen mentally, for god's sake.
"Why are you standing there? Let's go in and talk." Emily's father welcomed us into the house.
Such a kind person. Like father, like daughter. I now know why Emily is so kind.
I was expecting a melodrama. But I was happy to know characters in a novel are more normal than I expected.
As expected, I shouldn't judge a book by its cover or should I say, I shouldn't judge a character in a book by the description of an author?
It's time to throw the source material out the window and evaluate everyone I see as real people rather than characters in a novel. It might be more efficient that way, compared to the error-prone information I gained through the novel. There were more nuances to real life than an author could capture through some lines of words.
—--------------