Chapter 998 998: The Mothers
"Why is your hair so spiky? Do you put gel on it? Is it wax? Why is it not slimy?"
"Oh my, this house hasn't been this noisy since Lucy and Renna left for the Academy."
"True, Renna never stops yapping her mouth — Oh, woe is me for being her not-twin."
"You contribute to 90% of the noise pollution in this house, Lucifer."
"Well, perhaps we can argue that little Enel here is now contributing to 60% of the noise pollution, my dear Renna."
"He is a literal child, Lucifer — what is your excuse for even breathing so loudly?"
"My lips are too beautiful not to move."
After arriving inside Riley's now incredibly large apartment suite, the noise inside the house has not ceased for even a single millisecond — it was chaos, but not the kind of chaos one would really one to stop.
If anyone were to see all of them there, the people would just think that they were one big happy family having a reunion. And perhaps in a way, they are… if you minus the fact that all the mothers there were impregnated by a single man.
"Scarlet Mage… I haven't seen you for a very long time."
Katherine was also there, any traces of being childishly naive like when she first met Riley, now completely drowned by the maturity oozing out from her every move and cadence. But although she was biologically closing into her 50s now, none of it showed on her face; even now, as she, Katrina, and Liza were on the counter discussing things, she just seemed a little older than the two.
She looked older and more mature, but aside from her long silver hair somewhat making her older, she didn't even look like a day over 30. She did, however, still look the oldest in the house.
But it wasn't only her that matured, Karina, who used to only know how to play pranks on other people, was eerily quiet as she just stared at Renna and Lucy. Unlike her mother, Karina completely retained her youth, with the only thing different was her hair; bangs cover her forehead, elegantly dressed, almost professionally like how her mother used to be.
Renna was also looking at her from time to time, but the two had not really exchanged any words with each other. In fact, Karina had not really exchanged any words with anyone ever since Lucy and the others arrived…
…Lucy was about to change that.
"Enel…" Lucy stood up from the sofa and pulled Enel away from Arthas before just casually handing him back to Esme, who was just quietly watching the young ones interact with one another, "...Aunt Esme, I bring you back your little spawn."
"N… no fair!" Enel still seemed to want to stay in the living room with Lucy and the others, but Esme just smiled while dragging him away, "I… I still want to play with my new big brother!"
"You can later," Esme just shook her head; grabbing Enel by the neck as she went to the counter. But as soon as Liza saw that, she quickly rushed to get Enel from Esme.
"Esme, how many times do we have to tell you not to carry him like that?" Liza could really only sigh as she cradled the little Enel.
"Wow, boobies," Enel quickly clasped onto Liza's gigantic breasts and started snuggling it. It was weird, Esme was about 10 ft. tall, and yet Enel was the smallest of Riley's children at his age.
"It's fine," Esme let out a small sigh as she grabbed Enel from Liza's bosoms; the tone of her voice, although still containing a hint of monotony, now sounded more… human — like what one would hear during the last parts of a radio commercial, "He is already stronger than most species on this planet, Liza."
"I… don't think that's her point," Katrina let out a small chuckle as she looked at Enel hanging by his neck, "But why is he so cute? I swear, I miss Lucifer being this small."
"You really named your son Lucifer?" Katherine could not help but just join the conversation, tucking her silver hair behind her ear as she glanced at the situation in the living room, which seemed to be slowly turning serious.
"Please, let's not discuss that," Liza rolled her eyes, "She thought it would be funny and registered it as a joke, she didn't know she was already signing the legal papers."
"You… don't have to tell that every time," Katrina could really only cover her face in embarrassment.
"I very much think it is a cool name, Katrina," Esme put her thumbs up before turning to look at Katherine, "And I believe this is the first time we will be meeting? Or did you perhaps see me while I was still in my ghoulish state?"
"I… believe so," Katherine nodded her head as she focused on Esme, "I wanted my daughter as far away from the war as possible, the war with King. My name's Katherine, I'm—"
"Riley's first sexual partner," Esme shook Katherine's hand, "Perhaps we have you to thank for the pleasurable experience that Riley has given us."
"Okay…" Liza quickly got over the counter to cover Enel's ear; she did not seem to need to, however, as Enel fell asleep despite that chatter going on around the house, "...Let's not reveal things we would be regretting later on."
"Why would I regret it? And Miss Pepondosovich says a lot more vulgar things around my son," Esme let out a small sigh, "I have only wanted a child, and the only person I could think of who would be able to give me a good offspring was Riley — but he gave me more than that with his thick—"
"Stop, stop," Liza once again covered Enel's ears, while Katrina just laughed.
"It's sort of weird and bizarre at the same time, no?" Katrina then let out a hearty sigh as she looked at the three mothers in front of her, "We're just casually talking together like this, even though the father of our children is the same person. The only one missing is Megawoman herself."
"Silvie also has a child with Riley…?" Katherine's eyes turned wide.
"What? No — I meant the Megawoman... Aerith? Our Megawoman?" Katrina shook her head before glancing at Arthas.
"Oh, I see," Katherine let out a sigh of relief, "I heard Silvie's known as Megawoman now, so…"
"How are you so casual about all of this?" Liza then left the counter as she started preparing coffee, "I know that we've all somewhat become numb after 600 years, but you're still Riley's first romantic partner. And… Kat here sort of overshared that you were… well, madly in love with Riley."
"The 600 years have nothing to do with how casual I am," Katherine shook her head; her voice, slightly turning quiet, "I've always known Riley's world is bigger than mine, much bigger. It…
…it would have never been me, it was just my turn then."
"That's… the same exact thing I felt," Liza momentarily stopped preparing coffee as she glanced at Katherine.
"Not me," Katrina let out a small scoff, "To be reunited after 600 years, and with such coincidence too… I think Riley and I are just meant to be, you know?"
"Please," Liza shook her head, "Stop being delusional, we're concubines. Riley really only has eyes for Aerith."
"Hm…" Katherine just closed her eyes and breathed in as she heard Liza's words, "...That's Riley."
"Hm…" Both Katrina and Liza also took in a deep breath, with only Esme just seemingly unaffected as she placed Enel on top of the counter.
"Anyway…" Liza brought the coffee mugs to the counter, "...Are you and your daughter planning to live here? I can help with the papers. Her name's… Karina, right?"
"I… didn't really want to come here," Katherine shook her head, "But she and Arthas discovered that their father was here — I didn't really have a choice but to go with them, I'm not leaving Arthas alone with Karina; even after 600 years, I still see her as this… bumbling little—"
"What did you say!?"
"...Karina!?"
And before the mothers could all turn their heads toward the living room to try and see how their children were doing, both Renna and Lucy suddenly rushed out of their seats and stood between the kitchen and the living room, while Arthas seemed completely confused as he slowly made his way to Renna and Lucy's side.
As for Karina, she was still just peacefully sitting on the sofa; finally opening her mouth as she looked at Renna and Lucy.
"I said one of us is going to cause the end of this universe," Karina then let out a small but very deep sigh as she looked at Renna and Lucy before turning to glance at Enel, "I know it's not me, and I hope it's not Arthas — so it could really only be you three, and from our mothers...
…and I am betting it's Enel. He…
…is Nothing."