Esper Harem in the Apocalypse

'Why did Rudy bring a classmate over for no reason? I don't understand. And why is Rebecca so interactive with her? I don't think she has ever talked like that with me. We mostly talk about other things and not normal conversations.

I think it's my fault for not opening up to her like a daughter. I don't think of her as a mother, but she is Rudy's mother.'

She bit her lips and mumbled, "I can't let a random classmate beat me like this."

Lucy crouched down behind the platform while hanging her hands up.

'At this rate, I will end up becoming a nonexistent family member of his household. Rudy rarely stays home, and Rebecca sleeps during the daytime. I am not getting enough chances to interact and bond with them. I have to do something before it's too late.'

Lucy closed her eyes and opened them soon after deciding something. She stood up and checked the cabinets as if she was looking for something.

"Oh, come on…" Lucy let out a frustrated sigh and muttered, "I wanted to make Rudy and Rebecca's favorite dessert, but we don't have the ingredients."

She shot a quick glance at Angelica and Rebecca and thought, "They are busy talking, and I don't think Rudy would return anytime soon. I can go to the store and buy ingredients."

Lucy turned off the stoves except one and hurriedly entered Rebecca's room. She opened Rebecca's closet and took a few notes from the drawer.

'This should be enough.'

Lucy rushed to the living room and then to the front door while saying, "I will be right back."

"Where are you going?" Rebecca asked.

"Just going to buy some stuff. I took the money from the drawer."

"Oh…kay. It's getting dark, so be careful out there."

After Lucy left, Rebecca glanced at the kitchen to look at the stoves.

"I wonder what happened…." she muttered.

"Maybe she just wanted us to talk more freely in her absence?" Angelica wondered.

"Why would she do that? We were talking freely, right?"

"But there are things she doesn't know."

"True, but why should she leave if she has no knowledge of certain things?"

"..."

"I think she just went to buy something for dinner."

"Maybe…"

"..."

"..."

There was an awkward silence between them.

"Umm…" Rebecca smiled awkwardly and asked, "How does it feel to be a ghost?"

"I don't really know. I don't know how it feels to be an alive human, so I have nothing to compare it to, but it's not different, I guess? Rudy always keeps me company, so I never feel lonely," she smiled.

"You seem to have taken a liking to him."

"Of course. He makes me happy and keeps me company."

"That's his specialty," Rebecca chuckled.

"If you don't mind, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. You don't have to ask me for permission. You can think of me as your sister."

"You know that Rudy has powers, and he can do anything. But he is soft when it comes to feelings, emotions, and relationships. He doesn't want to misuse his powers in those three things, and sometimes… he feels conflicted.

He loves you, but he doesn't want to be hated by you. He is keeping his distance from you to keep your relationship pure, but he is having a lot of trouble doing that. Since you already know everything, what are your thoughts on this topic?" Angelica asked curiously.

"Rudy and I… we both have decided to think about it and decide. Whatever we decide, that will be our final decision which will never change in the future, no matter what happens."

"I see. So he already discussed that with you."

After a few seconds, Angelica asked, "I wouldn't ask you to change your decision or to think of Rudy's feelings while making your choice. In fact, it would hurt Rudy if you were not honest with him."

"I know."

Angelica still had no idea that Rebecca wasn't Rudy's actual mother, so she was more nervous than Rudy was.

"I have to admit, though…" Angelica smiled slightly and muttered, "It would be kind of weird to have you in his harem, and I am sure the other girls would feel the same."

"..." Rebecca raised her brows after hearing that.

"Every girl would probably also be scared of you. Right now, they can mess with each other and tease them. But they can't do anything to you as you are Rudy's mother. Messing with you or angering you would mean angering Rudy, which they wouldn't want to do even in their deadliest nightmares."

Rebecca took a deep breath and asked, "I forgot, but how many members are in his harem again?"

"Uhm… Alice, Rias, Reina, Jane, Niti, Maria, Rize…" She counted on her fingers. "He is also trying to get Nyxia to join his harem. Then… Elise. And…"

Rebecca's gaze was sharpening with every name she heard.

"Then there is… Lilim, yes. And me. I don't know if he has more, though."

"...!" The last two names shocked Rebecca more than anything else she was revealed to.

"Lilim…? You mean the demon Lilim?" Rebecca asked to confirm.

"Yes. I am surprised he has told you that too. I guess I was worried for nothing," she sighed.

"Do you know if he has done anything with them?" Rebecca asked curiously, but not with a cheerful face or voice.

"He hasn't told you that?" Angelica wondered. "I guess it was awkward for him to mention that to you, but if you want to know, I can tell you."

"Please do. I want to know how he met each of his harem members and how far he has taken his relationship with them. I want full details of his relationship with you and Lilim."

"Wait, wait. Even I can't go too much into the details. We have done so many things that I can't state everything in one night. But I will tell you what's important and how we started."