บท 10: Maid?
"Do you two know each other?" asked Larissa as she noticed Bethany and Luke staring at each other.
"Yes. I was the one who raised this smelly brat," said Bethany, looking at Luke with a frown.
"Me and dozens of other smelly brats," Luke said, emphasizing this point since she wasn't his mother. She was only the matron of the orphanage, and their relationship went no further than that.
"Oh, you must be Bethany Miller. The orphanage caretaker," said Larissa, nodding her head.
"You know me?" asked Bethany with surprise.
"Luke mentioned you. And I found you in the information there about the always-happy orphanage," replied Larissa as she settled back in her chair.
"The internet..." muttered Bethany with a barely visible grimace.
"Anyway, I came here to take Luke. He needs to go back to the orphanage," said Bethany in a forceful tone.
'Why do you take your job so seriously?" thought Luke in annoyance.
'I'm not going back. I've already found a better school. Even though I'm a minor I should be able to choose where I study, right?" asked Luke without backing down.
"You should take responsibility for your actions, Luke. You filled a giant classroom with shit. You need to clean it up and take the punishment. That way you won't get expelled," said Bethany.
"I would take responsibility for my actions if the school wouldn't turn a deaf ear to complaints about Brad and his friends. They can do what they want, and I don't see them taking responsibility for their actions," said Luke crossing his arms.
"Mrs. Miller. I don't think it's a good idea to send Luke against his will to a school he doesn't want to attend. It would be counterproductive," said Larissa.
"Yes, yes! If you make me come back when school starts, I'll make another prank on the same level. I'll repeat them as many times as it takes until I'm expelled," said Luke with a confident smile. He had Larissa on his side. The principal of an academic institution and a woman with a lot of money.
Bethany looked at Luke with a frown. Luke felt a shiver run through his entire body. Since when did Mrs. Miller have that aura?
"It's good excitement, Luke, but it would be better if we can talk it out and come to an agreement like civilized people," Larissa said with a slight smile as she looked at Bethany.
"You don't understand, Luke. You need to go back. I have legal custody of you, and I know what's best for you," Bethany said without backing down.
'Legal custody... That's playing dirty,' Luke thought with a grimace. He was still a minor, and he also didn't know perfectly how the laws worked on orphaned minors.
"You are indeed his legal guardian, but Luke is already fourteen. As an orphan he has a certain degree of autonomy especially in his education," Larissa said with a slight smile, not shuddering at the legality in this case. As the headmistress of an educational institution, she knew the laws very well.
'That's it, attack!' thought Luke with more relief. It was good to have a powerful ally from time to time.
"On the other hand. I looked up Luke's records from the orphanage and school and found nothing. That's odd. Do you have any knowledge of this, Mrs. Miller?" added Larissa.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Bethany replied.
"Luke's last name is quite peculiar and famous. He should know the famous writer and poet Edgar Allan Poe, right?" said Larissa, and Bethany nodded with a frown.
"Turns out Luke has the same last name. Look here, it says so," continued Larissa as she showed Bethany a document where Luke's name, date of birth, and time of birth were recorded. The parents' names and several other pieces of information.
'How did she get this?' wondered Bethany in surprise as she took the document, then looked at Luke, who smiled triumphantly at her.
Luke came prepared to Nevermore Academy, who would believe him if he said he was a descendant of Edgar Allan Poe? He couldn't just take his word for it, so he had previously managed to get a copy of his birth certificate.
The copy he had obtained for a different purpose. Since he planned to leave the orphanage, he needed a document to validate his identity. Since it is essential for several purposes. Above all, identification and access to medical services in case of emergency.
Although being an orphan who ran away from home once he goes to the hospital he should run away in no time before he gets caught, but at the very least he would be covered on some essentials.
"On this document, you can verify that you are a descendant of Edgar Allan Poe. Luke's parents attended this school, did you know that?" said Larissa, but Bethany did not respond.
"I find two things strange. First, there is no information on Luke even though there is a birth certificate. And second, this birth certificate is the original. And it was in your possession," Larissa said, looking at Bethany with narrowed eyes.
'Mm? The original?' thought Luke in confusion. He had thought he had stolen a copy.
And what did Larissa mean about there being no information about him?
"What's the problem with me possessing the original?" asked Bethany.
"The original birth certificate is always on file at the registrar's office. The orphanage should possess a copy. Not the original. You as his legal guardian seem to be trying to hide Luke's identity," replied Larissa.
'Ms. Bethany wants to hide my identity?' thought Luke in confusion.
"Tsch, damn normies and their stupid procedures," cursed Bethany in a low tone, but it was heard by Larissa and Luke, who had his eyes wide open.
Since when did Ms. Bethany curse like she was a teenager? More importantly, did, she say normies?
"If I remember correctly, you're Natasha, right?" asked Larissa with a nostalgic expression.
With an annoyed sigh, Bethany closed her eyes, and her body began to tremble slightly. Her wrinkles smoothed out, and the gray hair faded in a matter of seconds. Her bones creaked softly as she shrank a few inches.
Suddenly, the middle-aged woman became smaller and more delicate, transforming before Luke's shocked eyes. Larissa was not surprised.
When Bethany or rather Natasha opened her eyes, they were now a steely blue. Her black hair had turned red and reached her shoulders. Her complexion was slimmer than when she was transformed into Bethany.
'A shapeshifter!?' thought Luke dumbfounded, looking at the young woman in front of his eyes. The old woman had transformed into a beauty in her mid-thirties at most.
He never imagined that the caretaker of his orphanage was an outcast and a shapeshifter. Also, she seemed to know him, since she hid his details.
"Oh, it's Natasha's brat! Look how much she's grown. She was always glued to your mother," Edgar said, stroking his mustache.
'Why are they all brats to you?' thought Luke looking sideways at the ghost who was already pissing him off because he seemed to know everyone.
Then he looked back at the redhead named Natasha. A Marvel character popped into his head. The black widow. They even had the same name, and their appearance was similar.
"You hid Luke's data?" asked Larissa in a serious tone. Natasha nodded reluctantly.
"Why? Why didn't Sophie ever tell me she had a son, and what exactly happened to them? I thought you were dead too since you never showed up," said Larissa, asking several questions she had been holding back for a long time.
'My mother?" thought Luke, reacting to the name Sophie.
"The problems of the Poe Family should be solved by the Poe Family. If Mistress Sophie didn't tell you anything it's because she either didn't trust you or didn't want to put you in danger," replied Natasha without further explanation.
"You're from my family?" asked Luke. Maybe they were cousins or something.
'I'm the housekeeper for the Poe family,' replied Natasha, looking at Luke with a blank look on her face.
'So, she's some kind of family butler? Like Lurch from the Addams family,' Luke thought with a strange expression.
Lurch is the Addams family servant. Who usually communicates through simple inarticulate moans. He looks like some sort of slightly smaller Frankenstein.
"Now that you've come to Nevermore Academy, you're in danger. They must know your movements by now. Ugh... Why are you always so irresponsible, reckless, rebellious..." said Natasha, whining and scolding Luke.
'What kind of maid treats his master like that?' thought Luke.
"The safest option is to come to Nevermore Academy. For thirteen years I managed to stay safe, but sooner or later they would find me," said Luke after Natasha stopped complaining.
'Oh... He must be in contact with Lord Edgar's ghost by now,' thought Natasha, as she tried to guess if the ghost was in the room or not.
Edgar just told Luke that Natasha is trustworthy and there's no need to hide from him that she doesn't know anything about his situation. Besides, thanks to her he managed to stay hidden for thirteen years.
"Would they find you? Who?" asked Larissa.
"No one. Luke will be starting ninth grade at Nevermore Academy. I'll take care of getting all the proper paperwork to you. Now we need to find a safe place to stay in Jericho," said Natasha, placing her delicate hand on her chin.
"What about the orphanage?" asked Luke.
"I will leave it after I have all the necessary papers for you to attend Nevermore," replied Natasha.
"They will still have legal custody of me. I hope they won't cause any more problems," murmured Luke who wanted to come of age as soon as possible.
"Don't worry about that. I have your legal custody. If you want, you can call me mommy from now on," said Natasha with a smirk as she patted Luke's head.
"Don't bother," snorted Luke, pulling his hand away from Natasha, who was looking at him mockingly. He never thought a maid could be so annoying.
After that, Larissa offered Natasha an apartment near Jericho's main square. Natasha accepted. She didn't seem to have any money problems. The orphanage was falling apart for a reason.
Natasha had stolen funds for her long-term goals without any normies noticing. A very dangerous and unethical practice.
Luke had to stay overnight in a hotel for two days until Natasha had everything ready, and they could move into the apartment.
The apartment in addition to its good location was very quaint. It had two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a dining room. The dining room floor was polished wood, and the walls were painted in soft tones.
The kitchen was compact but functional. With granite countertops and modern appliances. Luke's room was an ideal size. He had missed having a room to himself.
It had only a single bed and a bedside table. It was empty, but he didn't mind.
'At last a room all to myself,' thought Luke, throwing himself into the comfortable bed.
The only downside would be having to live with the annoying and irritable maid, Natasha. It was strange to think that she was his orphanage nurturer for thirteen years, and he never noticed anything unusual about her. Especially, when she was protecting him from the Spellman Family.
Since coming to Jericho everything was easier. He thought he would have to get a job to be able to rent something, but that was not the case. The paperwork to get started in Nevermore was super easy. It was all in the hands of Larissa and Natasha.
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