Daily Life of A Caretaker

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 5: Break - Chapter 15

"Alright, I'm sure everyone must be dying to hear me perform." I grin at the group as we stand in the backyard of the high school, secluded from the rest of the campus. It's just us here—odd as that may be. Also, it's nighttime. Even odder.

"Question." Weiss raises her hand, waiting to be acknowledged.

I chuckle. "We're not in a classroom, nor is this a class… I think. But go ahead, ask away." I nod at her.

"Why are you playing the violin for us?" Weiss lowers her hand, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"Two reasons. One: I want to test something. Two: Aqua, you might be in pain from hearing this." I smile at everyone, letting the anticipation build.

"Wait, what?! Why would you play something to harm me?! A beloved goddess from the Heaven pantheon!" Aqua looks like she's about to bolt, her body tense as if ready to make a run for it. Unfortunately, she still hasn't figured out a proper traveling method within the high school, leaving her stuck here with the rest of us.

"Well, I can't exactly fuck you into submission to stop causing problems." My bluntness earns a few startled blushes from the group. "So instead, I'm going to use the power of dreadful music." I pause for a moment before glancing at Weiss. "Actually, I lied. There's a third reason. I want to test out this innate power I've gained through my heart, and playing the violin helps."

That statement earns me a round of confused looks.

Perfect.

Time to test the Heart of Eldritch.

The first note sliced through the night like a whisper of something wrong.

I noticed it immediately—the way the air grew heavy, how some around me struggled to breathe. Yet, I continued playing.

The violin looked ordinary, but the sound that poured from it wasn't. Each note stretched and twisted, warping unnaturally in the air as if it were never meant for human ears. Some tones came too sharp, like metal scraping against stone. Others sank too deep, rumbling beneath the earth as if waking something below.

The trees trembled. The grass around me darkened. The wind—once gentle—had ceased entirely.

Aqua's body shook as she fought to run, but she couldn't. Her body refused to obey, just like everyone else trapped in the sound. They were forced to listen.

Then the sky cracked.

Not thunder. Not lightning. A crack—wide and deep, stretching across the night sky as if something had torn through reality itself. The stars flickered, then vanished, one by one.

The music grew louder, wilder, and chaotic—playing in layers that shouldn't exist, like a dozen violins speaking in different voices at once. This wasn't a song.

It was a call.

And something was answering.

The ground shook violently. My hands bled as the strings bit into my fingers, but I didn't stop. Couldn't stop. My face was blank, my body frozen, my arms moving as if they no longer belonged to me. The sound escalated, cutting deeper into the fabric of the world, filling every inch of existence with its presence.

Then—

Silence.

The wind was gone. The night was empty. The world held its breath.

And in the sky, where the stars had been, something opened its eyes.

"...Right. I did not expect that to happen." I muttered, my voice cutting through the stillness as I regained control of my arms, my body finally my own again.

I avoid looking at the sky. I don't need to. I refuse to. The weight of their gazes is enough—I can feel them pressing down on me. Oh, I've done something crazy. Or stupid. Probably both. And so much more.

"I feel dizzy." Ruby mutters, blinking rapidly. "Why do I suddenly know what the taste of an exploding claymore is? And why do I know how the color rainbow's sound makes?"

Octavia, on the other hand, isn't even standing anymore. She's kneeling, pressing herself against the ground like she's trying to stop the world from falling apart. "How the fuck did you call the Court of Azathoth?!" She demands, her voice sharp with disbelief.

I shift uncomfortably. "Uh, well… my heart is kinda pure eldritch in a way? And technically, I know Azathoth. And so do you, actually. You even met her." I avoid making eye contact with Octavia, suddenly very interested in the state of my bloodied fingers.

I really wonder if Octavia knows I had sex with Yui. And her daughters. Back when she visited that time in the world of Familiar of Zero with her parents. While they were asleep nearby. Our first meeting, no less.

Yeah. Probably best to keep that thought buried.

Something drops from the sky. A single object fell with eerie weightlessness before landing near my feet.

The gazes vanish. Just like that. Gone.

I stare at the object—a glass bottle with a curled-up piece of paper inside.

Cautiously, I pick it up and pull at the cork. It doesn't budge at first. I try again. And again. And again.

…Okay, this is getting annoying.

With a sigh, I use Boundary Manipulation to create a tiny gap inside the bottle, just enough for the paper to slip free. It falls into my hand, perfectly intact.

Unfolding it, I read the message.

Hi, Jin!

Nice of you to call me, but I'm busy right now, and I'm not allowed to come visit you currently.

-Signed, Yui.

I blink.

"Huh."

I watch as the paper twists in on itself, folding and shifting in ways that defy logic.

Then, impossibly, it transforms—the crisp texture of parchment melting away into something greasy, sizzling.

A strip of bacon.

Before I can even react, it's gone—snatched up by something unseen. Not just invisible in the ordinary sense. No, I try peering through the River of Time, searching for whatever ate it.

Nothing.

Not a shadow, not a ripple, not even a whisper of its existence.

Yeah. That's definitely not ominous at all.

"You guys are oka—nevermind. You guys are not okay."

I take a moment to look around. The aftermath is… well, a mess.

Ruby and Weiss are the only ones still standing—somewhat. They're blinking rapidly; pupils dilated like they just stared directly into an eldritch truth their minds weren't ready for.

Molly? Completely out cold. She fainted on her feet, tears silently streaming down her cheeks. Whatever she saw—whatever she understood—it was too much.

Then there's Aqua.

Somehow—somehow—she's half-buried in the ground. Upside down. Her legs stick out awkwardly, twitching slightly as if her body is still trying to process what just happened.

Sora and Shiro are unconscious, curled up on the ground, holding onto each other like it's the only thing keeping them tethered to reality.

And Octavia? Still kneeling. Still not moving. Her expression is unreadable, her breathing slow and controlled, but I can tell—she's not getting up anytime soon.

Yeah. This is fine. Totally fine.

I'm sure everyone will be fine. Probably.

Nothing a little Boundary Manipulation can't fix.

I snap my fingers, intending to reset everyone back to normal.

…Nothing happens.

Molly is still unconscious. Aqua is still half-buried, legs twitching in the air. Sora and Shiro? Still out cold, clutching each other. Octavia? Not moving. Weiss and Ruby? Yeah, they're still blinking like they just got hit with a sensory overload.

"Well, this isn't good." I tilt my head, absentmindedly scratching the top of my head.

I wait.

A few minutes pass.

Still waiting.

…Ghost usually has something to say by now.

But—nothing.

Just silence.

Okay. That's actually concerning.

I frown, then take the violin—the cause of all this—and casually toss it into my shadow. Not sending it back to wherever I pulled it from with Boundary Manipulation. Nope.

And no, I'm not blaming the Heart of Eldritch for this mess, crazy voices.

Not yet, at least.

I still don't fully understand how it works. The only thing I do know is that I somehow used the violin as a medium—a conduit—for something beyond my comprehension.

And clearly, that something answered. As in, somehow, I gain a method to call Yui? How does that work? It just does, but it's quite bizarre. Would it just be Yui only, or could I call the others as well?

Now, I just have to deal with the aftermath. Somehow.

I snap my fingers, opening a large gap beneath everyone.

Gravity does the rest.

We fall through, dropping straight into our assigned bedroom at the high school.

With another snap of my fingers, I create a second gap, pulling out three extra beds—one for Aqua, one for Molly, and one for Sora and Shiro to share unless they wake up and tell me otherwise.

Then, I move everyone into place: Ruby and Weiss go on the larger bed we share together. Octaiva, still somehow kneeling, gets placed on the other bed in the bedroom. Aqua and Molly got their respective beds, looking like they've been through an existential crisis, which is true in a way. I place both Sora and Shiro onto their bed.

Overall, it has been a long day for everyone.

"Hm... note to self: Heart of Eldritch makes me do things on impulse..." I mutter under my breath.

Yeah, I should be worrying.

A lot.

Now that I finally realize the Heart of Eldritch is starting to show its influence, I should be questioning just how much control I actually have over myself, unlike how I know what other cheats and godlike items could do.

But for now?

I let that thought drift away as I lay down beside Ruby and Weiss, both still blinking like their brains are trying to reboot.

I pull them into my arms.

Well, it looks like I finally have a new goal in mind—something to work on in the background while taking care of these girls… and Sora.

I need to figure out what else the Heart of Eldritch can do. Because now? It feels different. Like it's finally settled—finished doing whatever the hell it was supposed to upon merging with me. And honestly? I seriously hope I don't develop an eldritch ego. That would be a problem.

A thought pops into my head.

Wait… I know I have to take care of Molly now, but… does that really include Sora and Shiro, too? Man, I really hope Boss can send me a message or something to clarify that. I mean, sure—if I do have to take care of them, I could use their intelligence to help me with a lot of things. But still… it'd be nice to know for sure.

Then, my thoughts drift to my newly acquired godlike item: Ichimonji.

Back then, when I took others besides Nyarla, I'd get a choice—a set of godlike items to pick from. But this time? With Molly? I wasn't even given a choice. And I have a guess, this is all I'm getting for taking care of her.

Not that I'd say no or anything, but let's be real… I already have cheats that let me bend reality around me. Plus, I've got other godlike items that can do the same, just in different ways. So honestly?

Ugh. Forget it.

I just need to stop overthinking. Im not one of those genius types who can just whip up perfect plans on the spot.

I pause.

My gaze shifts to Sora and Shiro in bed.

Crazy voices...I think I have my answer, especially when I recall Molly's quest to recruit or kill these two.

It looks like I am taking care of them, too.

Author Note: Greetings to my old and new readers! Just letting you know I might not be able to post in the same schedule in the following week as I am moving. Again. But it shouldn't take me long before I can repost new chapters as scheduled. Sadly, this time, I don't have a stock of chapters for me to post all in one go, like last time. That being said, I should be posting again before the end of this month is over.

Thanks for reading! You guys have a nice day!