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 12

"Just to be clear—and I'm saying this because I don't know if I heard correctly—but did you say you've recently joined the Eldritch pantheon? Molly, was it?" I blink slowly, staring at the girl standing before me.

She has long dark brown hair styled in twin braids at the edge that rests neatly over her shoulders, their ends brushing against the soft fabric of her sweater. Her glasses, with a sleek rectangular frame, catch the faint light, reflecting her nervous demeanor. She's dressed in a black, off-shoulder sweater that subtly accentuates her curvy figure, paired with fitted blue jeans that hug her form. A simple black choker encircles her neck, adding a subtle edge to her otherwise casual style.

This is Molly—a human, unmistakably—and yet she's also a character from Crawling Dreams, just like Nyarla and Shu. Despite her humanity, her connection to that realm is clear, though how she ended up here is a question I'm still trying to piece together.

"Yes..." Molly mumbles, her voice tinged with a mix of embarrassment and melancholy. She looks down, fidgeting with her fingers. "After an incident... I'm now part of the Eldritch pantheon as..." She hesitates, her expression shifting into something that borders on self-conscious disbelief. "The Gamer."

I blink again, processing her words. "I see. And the Boss sent you here. To me. During the time I'm also taking care of Ruby and Weiss while they're navigating high school. Not to mention Octavia and Aqua here." My voice carries an edge of incredulity.

Molly nods hesitantly. "Um, yes. Oh! I was supposed to give you this as well."

With a small flourish, she pulls a small cardboard box out of thin air, her hand moving through the void as though it were the most natural thing in the world. She hands it to me with an apologetic smile, her posture stiff and uncertain.

I take the small box from Molly, my brow furrowing in curiosity as I open it. Nestled inside is a calligraphy brush and a folded note. The brush is simple yet elegant, its lacquered wooden handle glinting faintly in the dim light.

Setting the box aside, I pick up the note first. Its surface is smooth to the touch, and the single word is written on it in a flowing, elegant script: Ichimonji.

I blink, staring at the word for a moment. The name stirs something in my mind. To confirm my suspicion, I quickly activate Invasion, letting its effects ripple through my consciousness to refresh my memory.

The memories align, and I feel a twinge of doubt. Could it really be that Ichimonji?

My curiosity gets the better of me, and I set the note down. Reaching into the box, I pick up the calligraphy brush. The moment my fingers wrap around its handle, a torrent of knowledge floods into my mind.

Images, concepts, and abilities spiral through my thoughts, vivid and undeniable. My grip tightens instinctively as I sort through the deluge of information.

I let out a slow exhale. "Okay." I mutter, my voice tinged with disbelief. "It is exactly the one I was thinking of."

The realization sinks in—this is the very same Ichimonji from the Bleach series. A Zanpakutō of immense power, capable of altering reality with the ink it produces. Holding it now, I can feel its weight—not just physical, but metaphysical. The potential it carries is staggering, and I wonder why this was sent to me.

Even though technically, the Boundary Manipulation alone can pretty much do the same if I am creative enough.

I glance up at Molly, who is watching me carefully. Her posture is still awkward, but her expression is now tinged with curiosity.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" I ask, my tone measured but firm.

Molly shifts uneasily, adjusting her glasses. "Um… it's complicated." She says, her voice trailing off.

"Just make it less complicated, then." I said to Molly, keeping my tone even. Nearby, Ruby and Weiss happily indulged in snacks from the bar, their carefree chatter a stark contrast to the awkward situation unfolding in front of me. Meanwhile, I dealt with our group's newest and arguably most fragile addition.

"I have a quest... that... that..." Molly stammered, her words faltering as her face grew increasingly flushed. She looked visibly stressed, her embarrassment practically radiating off her in waves. Finally, she blurted out, "I need a hug from you...!"

By the time she finished, Molly looked like she might collapse on the spot. Her shoulders sagged as though the weight of the confession had drained her completely. Her expression shifted into something akin to despair as if her soul had been forcibly extracted from her body.

I raised an eyebrow at her, keeping my voice steady as I carefully asked. "When you say a hug, do you mean an actual hug, or the... uh, sexual kind of hug?"

Molly's reaction was instantaneous. "Wh-what?!" She yelped, stumbling back a step as her eyes widened in shock. Her fear was almost comical, but the situation itself was far too surreal for me to laugh.

"How new are you?" I asked after a moment, gauging her reaction. The way she recoiled was all the answer I needed, but I waited for her to speak.

"I-I just became The Gamer today!" Molly stammered out, clearly flustered. "And I used one of the starter items from the newbie starter pack they gave me for becoming part of the Eldritch pantheon!"

I blinked at her, stunned into silence for a moment. Then I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Oh, you're very new… and extremely weak to be here."

Molly looked even more uncomfortable under my scrutiny, but I couldn't hide my shock—or my dread. What was Boss thinking, dumping her on me like this? What kind of plan was brewing in that twisted mind of theirs?

"Right." I said finally, shaking my head. "I'll... uh, make a basic guide for you. Something simple to give you an idea of what to expect as part of the Eldritch pantheon. Or at least what I've learned from my own experiences."

Molly's expression softened slightly, though she still looked like she might faint at any moment.

"But don't take it as an actual true guide." I added quickly, meeting her gaze. "We have different identities, so what applies to me might not apply to you. Just use it as a reference, okay?"

Molly nodded hesitantly, her shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

On another note, I couldn't help but wonder if this was the Molly before or after she was eaten by monsters, only to be spit out and somehow come out alive in the end. Either way, the thought didn't exactly help me feel any better about her current state.

"So, just a hug is all you need, correct?" I asked out of caution.

Molly gave me a quick nod, avoiding eye contact.

"And what exactly do you get out of this anyway?" I pressed, narrowing my eyes slightly.

Molly shifted uncomfortably, her hands fidgeting as she answered. "Yes, a simple hug would do. A full minute, to be precise." Her voice was soft and hesitant, but it grew slightly firmer as she continued as if reciting from memory. "Afterward, I'd be rewarded with something called The Home's Welcoming Hug. It allows me to fully recover after every eight hours I spend with you. And I wouldn't have to use it right away." She added quickly, almost defensively. "Instead, I could turn it into an item—something I could stock up on for later."

Her explanation trailed off, and I noticed her slowly lowering her head as she spoke. By the time she finished, she was staring at her own chest, seemingly unable to lift her gaze.

I tilted my head, watching her curiously. It wasn't exactly uncommon for quests tied to the Eldritch pantheon to involve bizarre conditions, but this one felt... uniquely awkward.

"That's quite the reward for a hug." I muttered, crossing my arms as I considered the implications. "So basically, the system is encouraging you to use me as a portable healing station?"

Molly flinched slightly but didn't respond; her silence speaks volumes.

"Right." I sighed. "Let's just get this over with."

I wrapped my arms around Molly, and she trembled slightly against me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could feel the curious gazes of the others boring into us. Ruby and Weiss, in particular, exchanged knowing looks over their snacks, no doubt imagining all sorts of scenarios.

I sighed internally. They were probably betting on the likelihood of me ending up in bed with Molly later today. The joke's on them, though—I haven't even touched Aqua yet, and I'm certainly not about to break that streak with Molly.

...At least, as long as Lucky Pervert doesn't wake up and start flexing its chaotic influence.

The minute stretched on, feeling far longer than it should have. By the time the full sixty seconds ticked by, I finally released Molly, who was now sporting a face as red as a tomato.

She quickly looked away, avoiding my gaze as she clutched her sweater with trembling hands. Her chest rose and fell as if she were trying to calm a racing heart—not that she'd admit it out loud.

"Well, that's done." I said flatly, stepping back to put some distance between us. "Congratulations, Molly. You've officially completed your first quest as part of the Eldritch pantheon."

She mumbled something incoherent under her breath, still refusing to meet my eyes. Meanwhile, Ruby leaned over to Weiss and whispered something that earned her a sharp jab in the ribs.

I decided to ignore them for now. There were bigger concerns than their conversations—like making sure Lucky Pervert stayed dormant for the rest of the day.

Sadly, I had yet to figure out how to keep Lucky Pervert from rearing its chaotic head. Not for lack of trying, mind you—just no concrete solutions.

"Actually." Molly interjected, still flushed but trying to maintain her composure. "This isn't my first quest as part of the Eldritch pantheon." She gulped, glancing at me nervously. "Also... it seems to be a series of chain quests."

I tilted my head slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Chain quests, huh? Alright, what's next on your list?"

Molly fidgeted for a moment before replying, her voice small but clear. "W-We need to hold hands for an hour straight." She paused, her cheeks somehow growing even redder. "And if at any moment our hands aren't held together... the timer resets."

I blinked, processing her words. "An hour? Seriously?"

She nodded quickly, her braids bouncing slightly with the motion.

"Is there a deadline? Or a penalty for not completing the quest on time?" I asked, already reaching out to take her right hand with my left. The moment our hands connected, her entire body went stiff as a board.

"Th-There's no deadline or penalty." Molly stammered, clearly struggling to focus. "B-But... if I don't complete it, I won't gain access to the next quest in the chain."

"Well, that's inconvenient." I muttered, giving her hand a small squeeze. It felt awkward but necessary, and I could feel the tension radiating off her like a heatwave.

Her face was practically glowing at this point, her gaze fixed firmly on the floor, or at least I think she is trying to, but her large breasts are in the way. Meanwhile, I glanced over at Ruby and Weiss again. They were clearly eavesdropping, with Ruby looking like she was about to burst into giggles and Weiss rolling her eyes in silent exasperation.

"Alright, then." I sighed, settling in for what was bound to be a very long hour if anything interrupt us.