Chapter 972: An UnexpecteD Development That EscalateD Quickly

"That's... Darkday."

"Darkday...? The major supervillain you keep telling me about?"

"Yes."

"...You're joking, right?"

There was a silence after Liza said those words—no. The only one who was hearing silence was Katrina, who was now holding her breath and maybe even stopping her heart from beating as she looked at Riley from head to toe.

Maybe if she just pretended to not exist like this, Riley would just leave her alone, like a bear.

"...Kat?"

But alas, pretending to be dead won't actually achieve anything and might just add fuel to the already raging fire that was surrounding her and only her. Katrina started looking around, and seeing as no one was moving at all, the only thing she could really do was smile.

"Kat, he's the father of my baby. The one I told you about."

"What!? You're pregnant with Riley's child!?" Katrina screamed with her mouth closed; she was trying her best to whisper, but her panic and frustration were bursting out from her lungs, "Are you crazy!? You—"

Katrina immediately stopped talking as she noticed Liza holding her belly. Katrina then turned to look at Riley, who only had his head tilted to the side, and blinked a couple of times as he looked at her.

Katrina's thoughts then started fumbling; almost shutting down as she realized what she was doing. Riley Ross, the evil incarnate, Darkday, the devil himself was right in front of her and she just kept on spouting everything that came out of her mouth.

Did she have a death wish? If she said the wrong thing here, then every one of them inside the restaurant would probably die.

Stupid, she thought — how could she even be so confident in front of Riley?

"I... I was joking. Of course, I was joking," Katrina then forced out an awkward laugh as she looked back and forth between Liza and Riley, "You... you're not gonna kill me, right? Haha! Kidding, I'm kidding... please don't kill me."

"Kat...?" Liza raised an eyebrow before turning to look at Riley and the others, "Sorry, she's... not really this quirky most of the time."

"It is understandable, Miss Liza," Riley raised his hand and shook his head, "For her to be able to meet someone from 600 years ago as soon as she was out of the Reserves is probably quite an experience for her."

"Y... yes. That's totally it!" Katrina pointed at Riley as she continued to laugh, "I should... I should probably find another job? I mean, you guys already seem like you don't need any help."

"Kat, I already told them you were joining us," Liza whispered loudly, "And what are you even going to do out there? Just accept this job first, and then when everything has calmed down, do whatever you want — the world's still adjusting again, we all should too. And plus, where else can you get your own apartment as a benefit for your first job?"

"I'll... have my own apartment?" Katrina's eyes started to widen as soon as she heard Liza's words.

"Yup," Liza nodded, "Meals are all free too, and all cooked by Zero himself."

"Free meals cooked by..." Katrina could not help but take in a very long and deep breath as she looked at Riley. She really only heard tales of it before, but Riley's cooking, from Hannah and the other's testimonials, was good enough to make the entire multiverse forgive him of all his heinous crimes...

...and she would get to taste them for free all the time?

"Kat..." Liza sighed as she grabbed Katrina's hand, "...Trust me, you will never find a job like this anywhere else."

Free apartment, free food, plus a salary versus the fact that she would literally be working with Riley Ross, the most heinous and evil criminal the entire multiverse has ever known. In the grand scheme of things the past 600 years, what Riley had done held almost no significance at all now that she was thinking about it. This... wasn't even a choice.

"...When do I start?"

***

Katrina Collins' Day 1 of working in Riley's restaurant — there wasn't really much work to do. Almost everyone was still shaken by the fact that time was moving for them again; the government and those who were able to are still figuring out the next proper step, especially now that they also found out that people could get pregnant again.

And it did not help that those who were making love the past month did not practice safe sex at all. Why would they when no one could get pregnant at all? And so... a lot of people are pregnant, a lot. At the same time. All the species and all the races.

Katrina was just watching the news the entire day, while also nervously peeking at Riley from time to time. If there was anything that could be considered eventful on her first day...

...it was Riley's food. It's no wonder she had a crush on him back then.

Katrina Collins' Day 2 of working in Riley's restaurant — Detective Dorothy visited the restaurant along with Jake and his wife; apparently celebrating Jake's wife's pregnancy. Suffice it to say, the three were shocked as Liza also said she was pregnant.

Katrina still found it slightly awkward, but she joined them in the celebration. As for Riley, he just continued to play the piano as he always did — even back when she first saw Riley, there was a sense of mystery around him that Katrina could not just explain...

...if she was the one to meet him instead of Liza, would she have also been the one to get pregnant by his child?

Katrina Collins' Day 3 of working in Riley's restaurant — Katrina got drunk during the celebration since she drank for two because Liza couldn't... and she accidentally kissed Riley when she started remembering her feelings for him back in Mega Academy, making things completely awkward between her and Liza.

Of course, since she was drunk, Liza did not really make a big deal out of it.

Katrina Collins' Day 4 of working in Riley's restaurant — Not good.

"How could you do this to me, Kat!? I trusted you!"

"Wait, no... Liz!"

Katrina found herself not able to chase and follow Liza as she rushed out of the room in anger; her screams of frustration, echoed throughout the entire building as she left. Katrina could not really chase her for the fact that she was completely naked on Riley's bed.

"What... what have I done...?" Katrina could really only cover her face in shame. This isn't her fault — her crush suddenly returning after 600 years, and then cooking and taking care of her? After she was stuck in the Reserves? How... how could she even resist the urge?

"You seem very upset, Miss Katrina."

"Upset...?" Katrina subtly turned to look at Riley, who was already getting dressed, "I... I just betrayed my variant, Riley. Why... why did you have to come back?"

"Perhaps you should not be blaming me, Miss Katrina," Riley let out a small sigh as he shook his head, "Once you are done regretting your choices, I need you to follow me."

"I'm... not really regretting—Oh my god, I'm such a slut," Katrina once again covered her face as she realized what she was saying, "How... how do we even mend this situation!?"

"I do not see why this issue involves me, Miss Katrina."

"What do you—"

And before Katrina could even finish her words, Liza suddenly returned and barged into the room and started screaming,

"I am carrying your baby, Zero!" She bellowed as she pointed at him and Katrina, "How could you even fuck someone else while we're living in the same roof!? And my variant!?"

"I could argue that I did not make love with someone else, Miss Liza," Riley shook his head, "You and Katrina are the same person. And it does not matter — I hold no feelings of love for the both of you."

"You...Argh!" Liza was about to walk out again, but instead just dropped to the floor in frustration, "This... is so fucking weird. This situation is so fucking weird. Why do you even have to make this so complicated, Kat? I know Zero and I are just... friends with benefits, but really? The same guy? And you told me you didn't like him!"

"I'll... leave," Katrina closed her eyes and whispered, "I'm... really sorry. I didn't really—"

"No. What? Why would you leave?" Liza groaned in frustration, "I just...we just need to get our minds in this and—fuck, I don't know."

"Then while you are contemplating this situation, Miss Liza," Riley then gestured to Katrina, "Miss Katrina, please follow me...

...I have something to show you."

***

"Where... are we going, Riley?"

"Yes, where are we going?"

"I did not expect you to come, Miss Liza."

"Of course, I'm coming with—I can't leave the two of you alone. Who knows what you two are up to."

"...You think we are going to do something in this creepy dungeon beneath the building?"

And as Katrina said, Riley, Liza, and her were currently beneath the restaurant — with Riley having some sort of secret entrance on the floor below the main stage; accessible through playing some sort of melody through the piano.

"And... what is this place? You had this down here all along?" Liza asked as Riley led them through a dark corridor, "Wait... you're not like... into BDSM stuff, right? Are you one of those people who like to have... to have sex with variants? Because I am telling you now, I am going to leave."

"No, Miss Liza," Riley shook his head as they reached the end of the corridor. And there, a large steel door was waiting for them. Riley just casually opened the door, causing a loud noise to erupt and echo through the dungeon.

"What the..." Both Liza and Katrina covered their eyes as a bright light drowned their vision. But as soon as they were able to recover their sigh, what welcomed them...

...were several people inside glass cages, all neatly lined up.

"The Guesthouse..." Katrina took in a long and very deep breath as she looked around, "Why...

...why are you showing me—us this, Riley?"