Eldritch

 

Now that Chiaki was successfully dropped off, I head back home.
Or rather, I teleport, because there's absolutely no reason to walk.

 

"Hello! I'm back!" (I)

"Mum!" (K)

 

And I find myself in a tight embrace.

 

"Hi, Kuri." (I)

 

Next, mum manages to arrive as well.

 

"Hello, mum. I brought some food!" (I)

 

With this, I manifest an array of tasty-looking vegetables, fruits, and corns, fresh from Soraja's "garden of plenty".
If you don't concentrate on how the food just now came to be here, they're looking fresh and, more importantly, edible.
I'm actually glad that I could take advantage of this boon.
The best thing about this is that Soraja's blessings are mostly about crops I'm familiar with.
I mean, I think I can consider this as the rent for offering her this place to stay.
Seems totally like a reasonable exchange to me.
With this, our stocks should be somewhat refilled again and also secured for the close future.
Although, this only accounts for basic stuff and not special luxury goods like seasoning, sauces, or even meat.
Well, I could make meat.
It would even be one you could eat without concern for the animals.
But the other concerns still outweigh my willingness to take that step.

Anyways, mum has again all she needs to prepare family dinner.
Naturally, I help and soon we sit down together.

 

"So, how was your day, dear?" (S)

 

Okay, no way around this.
Here it comes.

 

"Let's see... I installed Chiaki's dying patron goddess in my personal dream world as a co-deity to the god I already have, cosplayed together with Chiaki as mystical shrine priestesses, was tour guide for an expedition of fanatic paladins, founded a religion of prosperity, and apparently left Chiaki with an eldritch item that allows her to manifest everywhere in any form she wishes to." (I)

"So... the usual?" (S)

"The usual." (I)

 

Why do I feel like mum resigned herself here?
Usually, she would at least say something like that I should be careful with my antics.

Wait, I don't think that's all there is to it.
She's not just ignoring my issues.
Rather, mum looks... uneasy.
It's more like she doesn't know how to approach the subject.

 

"Ehm, mum, is something the matter?" (I)

"Uh, well, Iori, I got a call while you were away." (S)

 

A call?

 

"What about it?" (I)

 

While uneasy, she doesn't look distraught.
Also, she's not the type to beat around the bush with really terrible news.
So it shouldn't be anything too tragic.

 

"It was your dad. He's coming tomorrow." (S)

 

I almost choke on my food at this.
Not that I couldn't just rearrange everything in my throat at will.

Whatever!
There are more pressing matters than my eldritch survivability!

 

"D-dad's coming? I thought he'd still have to work till close before the sports day?" (I)

"They were able to wrap up the last job a bit faster than expected, and so your dad is coming earlier. He just boarded the plane." (S)

 

She raises her hand a bit at this and her tone is like one of those forced "Yeahs" that you see in TV.
I can fully relate to her on this, feeling a little bit of anticipative distress at this thought.
I love Dad, I know how much he's working for our sake, and it's always fun when he's there.
However, now with my transformation and everything, I don't want him to look differently at me.
He just can't see me as a monster.
I, I don't know how I would take this.

 

"We need to talk about what we're going to say." (S)

"Shouldn't we just come clear to him? You said yourself that I'm terrible at keeping all the supernatural stuff under wraps." (I)

"Sigh, this is true. But I'm not sure if I can just be honest. It might disturb him." (S)

 

If that isn't the pinnacle of understatements.
I mean, she kinda has a point.
I'm totally afraid that he might completely freak out at seeing me in any other form.
Mum even had to get a mental stability blessing from Zika to keep it together, which I may ask her about again.
Also, I'm not completely naive, I know what mums and dads do together.
This could be getting complicated by the issue that she got turned into some kind of half-demon.
By me that is.
Which is a huge thing to sort out.

 

"But you're always saying that I wouldn't even be able to hide anything for long. If dad is with us, I don't think there's a way he won't notice that something's anything off." (I)

"Yes, I think you're right." (S)

 

We proceed with the meal.
To get away from the heavier topics, such as about whether or not our family will continue, I decide to ask something more innocuous.

 

"Did dad say anything else?" (I)

"Well, he thought it was unfortunate that you couldn't talk with him, but he was thrilled to hear that you were voluntarily out with Chiaki. You know, he was always a bit concerned about your condition." (S)

 

Not too wrong, I guess.
According to Zika, it was a small miracle that I survived for so long.

Eventually, dinner comes to an end.
Me and Kuri help do the dishes.

 

"Is something wrong, Mum?" (K)

"Well, my dad is coming back. Can you see how that might be an issue?" (I)

"Is it? Then I'll help you!" (K)

 

Instantly a wave of dread washes over me.

 

"Kuri, you are aware that I'm worried because my dad is important to me, right? You don't intend to do anything against him, right?" (I)

 

Just why does she have to look guiltily in the other direction now?
This superdemon on a personal vendetta can just be bad news.

 

"Alright, if this is settled now we should get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be... busy." (I)

 

Back in my bed I naturally don't sleep.
Not just because of my general condition that makes it physically impossible to dream without causing unknowable effects, but also because there's no way I could do so after today's events.
There's just too much that can go wrong.

 

Instead, I decide to distract myself by doing a general surview of my dream world.
In particular, I pay attention not to manifest myself.
Only checking on the world, nothing beyond that.

The first thing I want to know is how our new religion is going to be accepted.
So I track down this group of knights with my powers.
It leads me straight back to the castle with the... village.
Okay, that concerns me.
The "village" expanded vastly.
Seriously, it could be called a small town at this point.
They even started using stone for some buildings in the center.
Apparently, they mine it from the very ground.
I didn't even know this was possible!

The heck!?
Just what is wrong with time in this world?!

Though, even if there are quite many more people now, I'd say the general situation looks fine.
No one seems to be starving, there's no evident persecution, and it doesn't seem like there are people hunting down everyone who's unhappy, in order to get rid of them and prevent Oroi's reckoning, as Soraja proclaimed.
In my eyes, this means I guess that things are fine.

Speaking of Soraja, I want to check on her, so I turn my attention to her new temple hill, and let my general gaze flicker above it.
However, the moment I spot a certain furball, who seems to have been growing quite a bit, the very same turns their focus back to me.
Oh shit, she can see me!

While being scolded by a little fox-dog something might be an unprecedented experience, I have no real intention to stick around and listen to Soraja's tirade.
So I quickly pull back and am back in my room.
The morning of the next day already dawns.
Maybe today is going to be less stressful.

.

.

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"Right about time!" (?)