Parallel Memory

*****Somewhere in Daemonium domain*****

"Are you saying that Solomon failed despite all the resources we put in him?"

A dark figure sitting on the throne said in an angry voice. He was bigger than what a human should be and had a horn that indicates he is a demon.

"Yes, it's the truth confirmed by one of the survivors. Solomon had been killed by Shadow Genesis and their allies." 

The demon reported solemnly. 

"Why did Solomon attack by himself? He should have taken at least you with him."

"Lord, I have no idea. We had planned to attack Shadow Genesis and other guilds when Ostrimor comes back from his mission."

( Humph! He must have wanted to have all the achievement and honor of doing what the Lord wants. Unfortunately, he met his end. )

Demon Report thought to himself. 

He knew that Solomon was looking for the opportunity to take the reward by completing the Lord's assignment himself.

( With me and Ostrimor, Solomon wouldn't have been able to snatch all the achievements and with Solomon being human, the chance of him getting recognition was low.)

The Demon reporter and Ostrimor were the other two Rank-A of IvoryBow guild. They were both demons and they are just listed in the IvoryBow guildmember list to boost their reputation.

They were also with IvoryBow for the mission assigned by the Lord. They were to find the key and destroy the Shadow Genesis guild.

Unexpectedly Solomon decided to attack Shadow Genesis all by himself when both Ostrimor and Demon reporter was away.

( He must have thought he could have easily done the job. Well, I was also surprised to find he couldn't defeat that little guild. )

"Humph! I wasted so many of my slaves for him. I would personally go and retrieve the key but the king and their party are watching me. Xalvar, Go and investigate that guild again. We will attack once again when Demon King and his follower are engaged in war with other species."

"Yes!"

Xalvar knew that if Lord went to get the key, it would be an easy thing. But he was currently being watched by other high-ranked demons who don't agree with their objective.

This was the reason why Solomon was chosen for retrieving the key. A Devil Contractor who is expanding his guild is nothing new in this world. 

If he went and exterminated that guild, it would not have been odd to the demon king fractions.

"I don't want failure again. Go!"

Xalvar left the place after bowing his head to the Lord.

" Keke… Shadow Genesis! I wonder how my little friend is doing there. I will see you again, Zero! Hahahaha…"

*****

( See you again, my a**. )

Zero was cursing at top of his lungs. It is because of his new caretaker that his mother and father brought.

Zero's mother and father were busy with all the new work that was popping up due to their guilds' new fame. 

They have time to make food and cast a healing spell on Zero. But Zero's father and mother were a little overprotective. 

They felt Zero need someone to care him for 24hrs. They would always worry when they left Zero alone.

They decided to have someone to take care of him while they were away from home. Not anyone could do it, they needed someone they could trust.

The next day, they had already chosen someone who has their trust and gets along with Zero.

"Mr. Pervert, you seem to be recovering well."

"E-E-ELEO-NORE! What are you doing here?"

Zero gasped. He didn't want what he was thinking to be true. 

"What do you mean what I am doing here? I am obviously here to take care of you. You idiot."

Someone who is close to Zero. Someone who is trusted by Warren and Madison. 

Who else could perfectly fit those criteria other than Eleonore. To Zero's parents, Eleonore is a close friend of Zero.

I mean the kid who had spent the most time with Zero is Eleonore. Zero after 'that' incident didn't have any friends. Zero stopped hanging out with others and started to hole up in his room.

But Eleonore would always be there. Zero didn't make friends and stopped talking to others but Eleonore was not his friend in a sense.

Even if he shut off his door, when she comes, he could not do anything but let her in. I mean she was a bully, how would he have the power to do anything to her.

This made Zero's parents think that maybe Zero liked Eleonore as he only allowed Eleonore to be near him.

A misunderstanding that Zero would most like to deny.

Eleonore came there because it seems fun to take care of Zero. And also to find out more about Zero's change.

She finds it rare for him to change. The last time he felt this difference was after 'that' incident. He fell out with his group friends and suddenly became unfriendly.

Though it didn't matter because she was not his friend and he could not do anything to disobey her. She thought it was funny for the cheerful person to suddenly become so depressed.

"Eleonore, you can go home. I can explain it to my parents."

Zero didn't find staying with Eleonore to be a good idea. It was not that he was afraid of Eleonore beating him but it was like some kind of trauma to him.

Well, he did take a very good beating from her for the first time. Before that he didn't know what death felt like but that moment taught him about it.

It might be exaggerating things but since he was just 6 years old, who didn't even got hit in his hand, getting punches and kicks was definitely a scary experience for child Zero.

Due to Zero's parents being a little protective, they didn't hit him or did anything that violent in front of him. Eleonore beating him was definitely the first experience that he got.

"You don't want me in this room?"

Eleonore spoke as if warning Zero. 

( I know what you are thinking but I will not go. One of these days I will find out what prompted you to change. ), Eleonore thought.

"No-no, I just thought you are wasting your time being here." 

"You don't have to worry about me being busy. I am on a break anyway. I will make  sure that you are taken care of."

Eleonore emphasized.

"Angggg…. Ahem! I will be in your care then."

Zero could only politely accept. He was currently injured and could not do anything even if he wants to. 

And it was not like if he was healed he could stop Eleonore from doing what she wants. 

He was not strong enough to deal with Eleonore using violence. She would not listen to his words at all, so talking to her was also useless.

And complaining to my parents? She is always well-behaved in front of my parents and acts as if she is very close to me. 

Essentially the ones who could stop her (my parents) have specifically asked her to help me.

My parents thought that I get along with Eleonore and trust her. She was after all the daughter of Uncle Diego and someone they know from a very young age.

Eleonore stayed there, occasionally staring at Zero and becoming lost in thoughts. Zero also didn't have anything to say to her so he continued to ignore her presence.

He focused on looking through company reports and making corrections here and there. 

Eleonore has no knowledge of business or IT and would only glance at the laptop sometime. She thought Zero was just playing around with the laptop.

Time passed and Lunchtime was nearing. Eleonore decided to make some soup for Zero.

"I will make some soup for you." 

Eleonore said to Zero as she stood up.

"Chotto Matte Kudasai!"

Zero quickly responded to Eleonore's statement. Sweat trickled down as if he was in a life-threatening situation. 

"Make soup? Sister Eleonore, can't you just buy some food from the restaurant. You don't need to trouble yourself to make soup for me." 

Zero suggested. There was no way he would allow Eleonore to make food for him. 

One time, out of nowhere Eleonore decided to cook some food and gave it to Zero for trying. Zero was food poisoned for three days and he could not go out of his bed.

Young Zero thought it was Eleonore's new way to torment him. 

"Why order when you can just make it. Wait for me, I will quickly make you some delicious soup."

( Delicious, my foot.  Even poisoned food must taste better than your cooking. )

Zero tried to dissuade Eleonore but there was no way Zero could stop Eleonore who has made up her mind.

Zero could only stay in bed dreadful of the soup that Eleonore was making.

Five minutes into making the soup and Zero could already smell an incomprehensible scent coming from downstairs.

There was no way Eleonore could make something that is good for human consumption. Unfortunately for Zero, he could only wait for worse to happen.

"Soup is ready!"

Eleonore happily entered Zero room, delighted at her new invention. As amateur cook there was no way, she would taste the soup first.

Zero looked at the soup in horror. The soup was purple in color and seemed to scream like it was alive. A whole uncut carrot was also popping up from the soup.

( There is no way that soup is for human consumption. It is witchcraft. )

Eleonore kept the soup in front of Zero but Zero would not drink it at all. He just stood there looking at the soup in horror.

Eleonore thought his hand was injured (even though he was clearly using his hands earlier) and was not drinking the soup.

She never thought her cooking was bad and Zero was unwilling to drink it. 

She took the spoon and started to soup feed him. Zero could only open his mouth in horror.

" Ahh!"

Zero definitely thought Eleonore was taking revenge for his remark at the party. Zero never thought Eleonore herself didn't know she cooked something bad.

I mean the appearance of the soup itself tells that the soup is clearly poisoned. She would be an idiot to think it was consumable, which she was.

"Good! I will go and clean the kitchen."

Eleonore went back to the kitchen after making Zero drink the soup.

Zero survived, luckily. He was no longer the weak little boy who would be bedridden after drinking her soup. This was his new power!

Anyway, he could only take a rest after drinking that poison. Zero's parents were back early that day. 

"Thank you for taking care of Zero, Eleonore."

They thanked Eleonore for taking care of him. They asked her to stay for the dinner to which she refused. 

"See you again."

( See you again, my a**. )