Chapter 64: Chapter Fifty-Nine – Tethered Demon

Opening my eyes I gazed at Eurycelia who’d wrapped herself around me in her sleep. Both of us were naked which confused me for only a moment before visions of our nighttime antics flooded my mind. 

My face heated at the memory of what we’d done. I’d enjoyed myself immensely and would certainly be willing to do it again, but that didn’t stop me from being embarrassed about it. I’d been eighteen for less than twenty-four hours and I was already an adult by all measurements. 

“Good morning, Euri,” I cooed, gently shaking Eurycelia to wake her up.

“Mmm… Bernie,” Eurycelia rubbed at her eyes a bit before her cheeks started to take on a pinkish hue. It was obvious that she was going through the same realization that I was. We’d climbed the stairs to adulthood together, and now neither of us knew what to say about it. 

“Wanna get dressed and have breakfast?” 

“Can’t we just stay here and cuddle a bit longer?” Eurycelia asked nuzzling her face against my shoulder. 

“We could, but I’m hungry, so we cannot.” 

Pouting Eurycelia rolled away from me and slipped out of bed, dressing herself in a pair of pajamas. I almost asked why she didn’t get dressed for the day, but then I realized we both probably needed to bathe first.

Food, bath, clothes, then I should probably check on Harriette and Karolina. Especially after how Karolina was acting last night. 

Sighing softly to myself I dressed myself in a nightgown and followed Eurycelia downstairs. To my surprise both Mommy Laura and Rysa were sitting in my kitchen, both enjoying a morning cup of coffee. 

“Don’t the heavens fall into disarray if you’re gone for too long?” 

“Normally that would be the case,” Mommy Laura laughed before glancing mischievously at Rysa. “But Rysa made sure that wouldn’t be a problem this time.” 

“How so?” 

“Don’t think about it too much Bernie,” Rysa replied warmly. “I assume you’re both hungry? Let me make you something.” 

“You can cook?” 

“How rude! I’ve practiced cooking extensively so that I can be a better mother. You and your girlfriend can have a seat and leave everything to Mommy Rysa, got it?” 

“I could help a little.” 

Rysa narrowed her eyes at me. “I said to leave everything to me, understand?” 

“Yes, Mommy Rysa.” 

Once Eurycelia and I were seated Mommy Laura grinned at us, “So, did the two of you have fun last night?” 

“M-Mom…” I stammered my face heating to the point I felt like it would boil away. 

“Aww you’re both so red, how cute,” Mommy Laura chuckled. “I wish I didn’t have to ruin it with serious talk.” 

“Serious talk?” 

“That new girl you brought home, there is something wrong with her.”

“Is she sick?” 

“Not exactly, she’s a tethered demon, molded to look like a dwarf. She was well shielded, I would’ve never known if I hadn’t stood in the same room as her physically.”

“Demons are the soldiers of gods, right? I remember Euri telling me about them the first time I visited the Council of Sorcery.” 

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“They’re the soldiers of gods who are up to no good. If we needed a mortal army we’d anoint an oracle to raise one for us. Very rarely should you trust a demon, and a tethered demon is a danger unlike anything you’ve faced.” 

“How so?” 

“She is like an oracle, her patron god can locate her easily, see and hear everything that goes on around her, and speak with her freely. Beyond that, however, they can also exert their divine power through her body as a conduit. If we did that with a normal oracle, they’d die.” 

“What if you did it with me?” 

“In the past it would’ve killed you, these days it’d probably just hurt. You’d be bedridden for a few days and remain sickly for a few months. Not something I’d want to have happen to my daughter. I’d only consider it if I believed it the only way to protect your life.” 

“So Karolina is stronger than she appears?” 

“I don’t know, I doubt it. It seems as if the god who made her wants her to be weak intentionally. If that’s true and we couple it with the fact that she showed up so close to Otrea’s caverns, we can assume our unknown deity is targeting either you or her.” 

“Then what do we do?” 

Mommy Laura grinned, “We break the tether.” 

“Is that something easy to do?” 

“Nope. I already tried prodding it with my magic as low-key as possible, whoever her master is they’re probably my equal. It would take a serious amount of effort from me to snap her tether and the attempt might kill her.” 

“Then…” 

“You instruct Otrea to create a new body for her, a homunculus just like Eskame. She’s already done it once, no reason to believe she can’t do it again. Then you just need to tear Karolina’s soul from her body and place it in the new one, easy peasy.” 

“That’s all it takes? She’ll be free then.” 

“For a moment. I’m sure her divine patron will attempt to reassert control over her, but Rysa and I will be there to stop them, and hopefully discover their identity. Once we know who it is that sent a demon to your doorstep we’ll kick their ass.”

“And Karolina… what happens to her once we’re done?” 

“You can offer her a job in your cafe, a place in your bed, or set her free into the world. It doesn’t really matter, once her tether is broken she will be free, and I’ll make sure her patron deity never gets close to her again.” 

“You’re really softhearted for a goddess of misfortune, Mom.” 

“Maybe,” Mommy Laura laughed. “I blame you, Baby Bernie, seeing you smile warms my ancient heart. If I believed  it wouldn’t affect you I might’ve vaporized her the moment I realized what she was. She’s an enemy soldier after all, letting her stay close to my precious daughter is hard.” 

“Breakfast is served!” Rysa chimed stepping out of the kitchen with two plates in hand. As she set them down on the table I couldn’t help but marvel at how ordinary they were. Lightly toasted bread, sunny side-up eggs, and sliced tomatoes. Nothing was burnt or covered in anything unnatural looking. 

“You really did practice?” I gasped stared wide-eyed at Rysa. 

“Seriously Bernie,” Rysa pouted. “You should have more faith in me than you do Laura.” 

“Ouch, I’m right here,” Mommy Laura chuckled. “But you kids enjoy your food, Rysa and I have to get going. I hope you had a fun birthday Bernie, enjoy your manga.”

“I will! Thank you, Mommy Laura, Mommy Rysa, I love you both!” 

Mommy Laura waved and then took Rysa’s hand leading her out of the manor, leaving me alone with a still-blushing Eurycelia and our food.