[Maria's POV]
I would say that my life is peaceful.
My biggest problems are supervising the younger servants and correcting their mistakes.
I will retire in less than 11 years and live off my saved money.
A head maid makes more than enough for retirement.
The master of the house is a nice person who treats us without disrespect and with proper modals.
As far as I understand, that is a novelty in this line of work, where the butler and maids are supposed to be similar to slaves.
His son is a respectable young man, innocent and hard-working. He is apparently in love with Miss Pendleton, the daughter of a doctor in the village.
But if I had to say something about my life that worries me...
That would be the young master.
Around half a year ago, Mr Joestar adopted a child out of nowhere.
There are no documents, no records, just one parent who passed away recently.
The parent was a poor criminal who abused his son and wife on multiple occasions if the small information we gathered is of any trust.
I'm beginning to doubt the information, as it didn't contain key aspects of the subject.
Perhaps it did, but he just wanted to forsake his identity when arriving at the mansion.
The information talked about a young boy of unknown age, handsome and smart, but disdainful of life.
But now he changed his name, his hair color and started seeing life a bit more positively.
If it was to finish here then I wouldn't be worried, leaving his past behind seemed to be a bit excessive, but having a weakness would prove to be fatal if someone wanted to use it as leverage.
But it doesn't finish here.
The young master is... weird.
For lack of a better word, he's weird.
He acts more mature than his peers, more uninterested, and more serious than other kids his age.
That is uncommon and sad, no child should be forced to mature so early in their life, but it's nothing that can't be solved with enough time.
The weird part came some months ago.
On a day as normal as any other, I have the idea to supervise him and his friend for a little bit.
It's not that I don't trust the young master, but a kid remains a kid, even if more mature than the others, that doesn't mean he's as wise as an old man.
That's what I said as an excuse, but simply put, I was worried for him.
As silently as possible, I look behind the mansion near the river, where they mostly spend their time.
I think that I am a hardly surprised person.
Any activity would be fine, whether something silly and fun or something serious and proper.
I've heard that some kids use magnifying glasses to focus the light of the sun and burn some small animals in the grass.
Even that would be acceptable, not fine, but less surprising than what I saw.
What I saw was the young master and his friend wrapped in some sort of yellow lightning, fighting each other, using that same lightning to inflict burn marks on each other.
Each time any of them landed a huge hit, they would stop and rest for a little, before continuing with the spar.
I couldn't react.
That was weird.
When his friend, named Jack, left I tried to approach and question him.
But I gave up.
It's not that I'm not worried, but even if I worry and get knowledge of it, I doubt that I would be of any help.
Or worse, I might discover things that I shouldn't.
If he wanted to tell me anything about it, then I would gladly listen, but for now, I'll ignore it.
That doesn't mean I'm not worried for him, but I know better than to burden him with my worries.
He was back in the house, walking through the halls of the mansion after leaving a plant in his room, and then he left and came back with little Jack.
I'm not an expert, but knowing the young master, there's no way that is a normal plant right?
I should announce this to my coworkers to be wary of the plant.
At least the young master has friends, right?
Like Miss Apolonia who came to the mansion recently, and Sir Jack, who stays often.
I just hope that my peaceful life remains unscathed.
And I hope that he can have a nice childhood.
Here he comes.
"Good morning, young master".
...
..
...
[Aroa's POV]
"Hello, how are you doing?"
"I'm fine, thanks for asking, if I may ask, where are you going now?"
It's unusual for Maria to ask me where I'm going, she normally just warns me of dangers outside.
"Jack and I are going to Apolonia's place, we have some business with her".
"I see, please don't burden her too much"
"Why would I?"
My relationship with Maria became one of light banter and teases.
It's comfortable, like having a friend in my house.
Sure she technically works for my father, but a win is a win.
"By the way, young master, Mr. Joestar told me to tell you that you should seek him in his office, around 8 pm"
"Sure"
After the small conversation, Jack and I went straight to Apolonia's mansion.
Well, not really.
It's not a far distance from the mansion, but it isn't close either.
She comes in some sort of carriage to school.
It's the middle of the Second Industrial Revolution now, so it's rather common to see this type of carriage.
It wasn't until 1885 that the first automobile was built, so there was no other way of comfortable movement.
Anyways, the distance between school and my house is traveled in around 10 minutes, while she arrives from her mansion to the school in 10 minutes too.
Let's say that's 30 minutes of walking.
If we were to go walk there and back it would be an hour of just walking.
Wait, wouldn't going unannounced be unpolite?
Well, she's probably expecting us, and even if she didn't she just has to look at Jack's future to see him entering her mansion.
Is her family there too? It would be a nice way to test if any contact with me diverts fate, or if I have to break an event.
There is a carriage man for the Joestars, so we should make use of that.
This would make it seem that I'm going to Apolonia's house for actual business rather than mystical stuff.
Now that I think about it, she did mention that her father had a stand too right?
So Jack, Apolonia and her father.
Well, stand users do attract each other.
...
..
...
Shortening the story a lot, we went to the carriage man, told him to go, and he did.
So now we're in front of the mansion.
It's rather similar to the Joestar's.
Some minor differences, but it's mostly the same.
Same pond, the same mansion, and the same gate.
There's a gatekeeper at the side of it, inside a cubicle.
"Good morning, what could be your business?"
"Good morning, we have come to see Miss Apolonia"
"I see..."
He checks his notebook.
"Yes, Sir Aroa and Sir Jack".
As expected, she knew we were to come here.
"Yes"
"Then, please have a nice day"
He let us pass and we circled the pond before stopping to its side.
Just as we were both going down, the main door opened.
There she stood.
Not only her.
But a man with blue eyes and black hair.
Around the same age as George.
Not only those two.
But a woman with blue hair and black eyes.
If I'm not wrong, those would be Joseph Billiard and Mary Aston.
I understand her father, she mentioned that he had a stand.
But her mother?
She didn't mention anything about her.
"Good mor-"
Before I could even begin, the air shifted.
Normally you wouldn't be able to sense it, but my special body made me more attuned to the astral and non-physical plane.
The man and the woman summoned their stand.
At the same time, I felt Jack summoning his Killshot.
I went into battle position, summoning my dawn at my right hand.
The air was silent for a little bit.
"That's enough proof, isn't it?"
Apolonia suddenly said.
It was a bit obvious that the whole thing was a test, but I had to look menacing anyway.
Can't have them thinking I'm weak or I can't repay my debt.
Wait, what do they know?
"Quite the welcome," Jack remarked
"I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less." I continued.
"Let's go inside for now, we shouldn't make a show in the open air" Mr Joseph remarked.
A bit thick-skinned for you to be saying that, but I'll follow your lead.
"True enough"
I unsummoned my dawn while Jack and I followed the family inside.
The father looked strict, tall, and broad, I feel that he might really say ¨Don't be sorry, be better¨.
The mother looked happy and cheerful and overall an average anime mom who's excited that her daughter brought her friends to play.
While Apolonia didn't have any expression, she was neutral.
They guided us into a room, the same kind that I received Apolonia in.
The three of them sat on one of the couches, while Jack and I sat on the opposite one.
No one said anything and there were no servants around, so the room was pretty much silent.
Actually, we didn't see any servants while we were getting guided.
Did they choose a path without servants? Or are there no servants working right now?
I don't th-
"Let me start since I was the one who caused this situation, technically speaking"
Apolonia suddenly said and walked to the side of the table in between the couches.
"Mom, Dad, these are Aroa and Jack, the ones who I have talked to you two about"
"Aroa, Jack, these are Mary and Joseph, the ones who I have told you about"
I interrupted her.
"Wait, You have talked to them about us?"
"Yes, about th-"
"My daughter claims that you have a way of changing our future, boy"
Holy shit is that actually Kratos.
"Dad, don't-"
"It's fine if you two don't have one, but a lead might be nice" The mom interrupted her.
"Uh, mom-"
"Aroa is the one intertwined with all that fate and gravity stuff, I'm just here for... bodyguard, maybe?"
"Yes I am, but I think we might need a little more specific information"
"And THAT's what I would be saying, of course, if you three would let me talk"
Apolonia said, a bit done with all of our antics.
We three looked at each other.
"Well, if you may".
I told her.
This is the start of another side quest, isn't it?