Moving Out

He knocked on the door, and after about half a minute, Melissa opened it, her face brightening when she saw him.

"Soul!" she said, her voice welcoming. "I wasn't expecting you this early. What brings you here?"

Soul looked past Melissa and saw Ruby at the kitchen table. She was about to take a bite from her sandwich, but when she saw Soul, she paused and gave him a cheerful wave, her mouth too full to speak.

"I was just passing by," he said in his usual calm manner. "Thought I'd check in."

"You're always welcome," Melissa replied, stepping aside to let him in. "Ruby's been asking about you. Come in, relax for a bit."

"Thanks."

Soul stepped inside, hanging his coat on the peg by the door. The familiar smell of fresh bread and coffee filled the air.

Melissa entered the kitchen, bringing more food to the table. "Have you heard about the murder in the market?"

The kitchen was warm and cozy, with soft yellow walls and a tiled floor. The table was set with a checkered tablecloth and a vase of sunflowers in the center. Pots and pans hung neatly on hooks above the stove, and a window above the sink provided a view of the backyard.

"Hmm." Soul nodded to her question. "It was bad."

"Are the rumors true? The Topple is… free?"

"Yes. He is."

Ruby, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. "Soul, do you think it's connected? My curse lifted and –"

"It is not," Soul interrupted her. "The High-Priestess is dead. A demonic ritual was performed in her palace. The curses are being lifted off because of that."

Melissa stopped pouring tea, her hand shaking slightly. "Wait, what?" she asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "The High-Priestess... dead?"

Ruby's fork fell from her hand, clattering on her plate. "A demonic ritual? And... and that's why the curses are lifting?" she stammered, struggling to process the information.

"Yes," he said, "Gum'n is in a weird state right now."

"Weird is an understatement. Excuse my language, but," Melissa replied, her expression growing tense, "we are fucked. With the High-Priestess dead, the demons from the demon realm can teleport here. She was our only line of defense…"

"These kinds of rituals can only be performed by a high demon… like the last Demon Queen, Lilith, right?" Ruby asked, her voice quivering with fear. "Recently, Take's artefect was also stolen… Does that mean she... she's back? Whoever stole that thing – resurrected her?"

"I guess so," Soul replied. "She's back…"

Just as Soul finished speaking, a loud knock echoed from outside. Melissa's head jerked up, her expression shifting from tense to mildly annoyed.

"Who's that?" Ruby asked, looking toward the door.

"It's probably the landlord," Melissa replied, forcing a strained smile. "He's been a bit... persistent about the rent." She quickly excused herself, leaving the kitchen to answer the door.

Soul leaned back in his chair, but his curiosity got the better of him. He stood and moved to the window, peeking through the curtains to watch Melissa outside. She was speaking to the landlord, who had a devilish smirk on his face. Soul saw him put his hand on her shoulder as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Then the hand began to slide slowly down toward her waist. The landlord's behavior was casual, as if he had the right to touch her like that.

Melissa's body language spoke volumes; she was uncomfortable, leaning away slightly, but she didn't pull away entirely. The landlord's touch stayed as he spoke, and Melissa's forced smile grew tighter, her discomfort visible to anyone paying attention.

"Are you hungry, Soul?" Ruby asked. "You should eat something."

Soul didn't answer, his eyes fixed on the scene outside. The landlord's hand continued to rest on Melissa's waist, his demeanor smug. Melissa seemed to be holding back, her voice barely audible through the windowpane, but it was clear she wasn't pleased with the situation.

'The Topple wasn't enough, huh?' He sat down on his chair again.

Melissa entered the house, her steps quicker than usual. She joined Soul and Ruby at the kitchen table, the forced smile from earlier replaced by a worried expression. She took a deep breath, then sat down in a chair, her hands clasped tightly on the table as if to steady herself.

Soul didn't say anything, watching her from the corner of his eye. It was clear she was trying to regain her composure, her hands clasped tightly as she stared down at the checkered tablecloth.

"You're behind on rent, Melissa?" Soul asked, his tone neutral but his gaze steady.

"Yeah, by two months," Melissa admitted with a sigh. "But I'll handle it – somehow. I found a second job. I'll be working there at night."

"Oh? I didn't know that," Ruby said, sounding surprised. "Where is it?"

"I… uh – it's in the market," Melissa replied, hesitating just a bit too much. "In the market, doing some stuff." The way she said it made it clear she was lying, and she knew it.

"I should find a job too," Ruby said, trying to lighten the mood. "But who'd hire me? Maybe I should open a stall in the market, sell those necklaces and bracelets I made when I was – you know, cursed."

Melissa nodded, her expression relieved to change the topic. "That's not a bad idea. You made some beautiful pieces, Ruby. I'm sure people would buy them."

Soul remained quiet, letting the conversation shift, but his mind was elsewhere. Melissa's forced casualness about her second job troubled him. If she was lying, it meant there was something she didn't want to share. And given the landlord's behavior earlier, he had a feeling that whatever she wasn't saying could be trouble.

"If you need help, you can always come to me, Melissa," Soul said.

'I can't let anything happen to you, Melissa. You're important to Ruby.'

"Aw, thank you," Melissa replied, her tone softening. "But I'm – I'm good. I don't like owing money to people."

"Hmm." Soul grunted, his typical response when a conversation was nearing its end.

"Oh, I almost forgot," said Ruby. "Have you helped someone today?"

"Yeah. A student."

"What did you do?"

"He wouldn't want me to talk about it. But I did help him." Soul wasn't much for small talk, but even he knew the line between sharing and oversharing.

"That 'help quota' thing is so stupid." Melissa smiled. "I can't believe you have him help at least one person a day. That's like – stupid and cute at the same time."

"I know, right?" Ruby replied, chuckling. She tilted her head and lowered her voice to mimic Soul's typical monotone. "'Hmm. No. I'm so boring. So dull. I'm such an idiot,'" she said, emphasizing the words in a mockingly slow manner.

"I don't talk like that," Soul said, his voice as flat as ever.

Ruby raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Hmm. Hmm. Hmm," she said, mimicking the sound with comical accuracy. "How does it feel when the only answer I give is just grunting noises?"

Soul stared at her, his expression unchanged, but the corner of his lips twitched, almost like he was fighting back a smile. "Hmm..." he replied, matching her tone, but without the theatrics.

Ruby laughed, and even Melissa couldn't help but giggle at the exchange. It was rare to see Soul engage in this kind of playful banter, and Ruby knew just how to bring it out of him, even if it was just for a moment. It made the kitchen feel a little warmer.

"I gotta go." Said Soul. "See you both tomorrow."

"Stay a little longer." Insisted Ruby.

"No, I can't. I need to talk to Professor Yuu about you joining the Academy. Maybe you can get a room in the girls' dormitory today."

"Do you think I'll be accepted?"

"Of course," Soul replied with his typical calmness. He gathered his coat from the peg by the door and looked back at the table. "Stay safe, Ruby. Melissa."

Soul stepped out of the house, closing the door behind him with a soft click. As he walked down the pathway, a movement caught his attention – a shadow in the corner of his eye. He turned to his right and saw the landlord standing there, arms crossed.

The landlord was bald and had a white beard. His face was broad and pockmarked, giving him a perpetually scowling expression. His frame was large and round, his belly stretching the fabric of his ill-fitting shirt. The buttons struggled to hold the shirt together, and his pants hung low, revealing a greasy belt.

Soul noticed a faint sneer on the landlord's lips, as if he took pleasure in intimidating others. His stance was aggressive, legs spread wide and shoulders hunched, as if daring Soul to step forward.

"Are you her new customer?" He asked, laughing. "Can't believe she'd join to Golden Pussies instead of fucking me."

Soul kept his silence.

"We can share her, you know? I like when someone watches me. You her friend?"

'Don't kill him. Don't kill him. Don't kill him.'

Soul didn't give him the satisfaction of a response. Instead, he stormed back to the house, opening the door with more force than he intended. Soul wasn't particularly strong, but the door was so flimsy that its latches broke and the lock gave way.

Ruby and Melissa looked up in surprise as Soul burst back in. He didn't need to say a word – the broken door and his abrupt re-entry said enough. Melissa immediately sensed something was wrong and stood up, her worry evident.

Just as Ruby was about to open her mouth and speak, Soul stopped her. "Not now, Ruby."

He grabbed Melissa's hand and led her toward the nearest room, her bedroom. It was a sudden move, catching her off guard, but she didn't resist. Soul's grip was firm but not forceful.

As soon as they entered the room, Soul shut the door behind him, the sound echoing with finality.

"Golden Pussies?" He asked calmly. "You are going to work there?"

"Look… I have no choice. I'm Dierman-blessed, they'd hire me in a heartbeat."

"How much money do you owe the landlord?"

"A lot... a lot," she admitted, her shoulders slumping as if the weight of it all was pressing down on her.

"Okay – you won't work at a disgusting brothel, Melissa." He stepped back, giving her space. "You'll stay with me. In my room."

"You mean at the boys' dormitory? Are you out of your mind, Soul?"

"Maybe. I don't know." He scratched his head. "I just can't believe you'd even consider working in a place like that, Melissa. It's dangerous. It's –"

"I don't have any choice," she interjected, her voice breaking with frustration. "I'm not a fan of satisfying random men I don't know, Soul. But what else can I do? I can't afford to keep this place, and you saw what that creep of a landlord is like."

"You're a strong woman, Melissa. I know your type," Soul said, his voice steady and reassuring. "Too prideful to ask for help, even when you need it. If you wanted to, you could take out that idiot landlord in mere seconds. But you're not, because you know it wouldn't solve anything. You're not just strong – you have a sense of what's right, and that's rare."

Melissa's eyes softened at his words. It wasn't about whether she could defend herself; she was perfectly capable. But she chose not to resort to violence, even when pushed, because that wasn't who she was. Sometimes the hardest thing was finding the courage to ask for help, to acknowledge that even strong people needed others to stand with them.

Soul took a step back, giving her room to breathe. "You don't need me to fight your battles. I just want you to know that you don't have to do it alone. Whatever you decide, you've got support. And that's the way it should be."

Melissa nodded, her expression shifting from uncertainty to quiet resolve. Soul's words reminded her that courage wasn't just about standing alone – it was about knowing when to lean on others and still be true to yourself.

"How can you be so boring and create sentences like that, man..." Melissa teased, a small smile returning to her lips.

"It just came to me. Was it good?" Soul replied, attempting to lighten the mood. "Out of ten, what would you give it?"

"Solid seven."

"Seven? Hmm," he muttered, shutting his eyes as if in deep thought. "You're harsh."

Melissa laughed softly, a bit of the tension easing. "Thank you, Soul," she said. Without warning, she stepped forward and hugged him. It was a brief but genuine embrace, the kind that conveyed more than words ever could.

Soul hesitated for a moment but then wrapped his arms around her, his touch gentle. He wasn't one for physical contact, but this was different. This was about reassurance, about letting her know he was there for her.

The door creaked open, and Ruby stepped in, her eyes widening at the sight of Soul and Melissa hugging. She quickly turned around, her cheeks flushing red. "Oh, sorry! I – I didn't mean to interrupt anything!" she said, backing away.

Soul released Melissa, his expression neutral. "Ruby, it's not what you think," he said. "We're just talking."

Ruby peeked back in, still looking a bit flustered. "Oh, okay... I just, um, wanted to check if everything was all right," she said, her eyes going back and forth between them.

"It's fine," Melissa reassured her, giving Ruby a warm smile. "We're good. Come in."

Ruby entered, her embarrassment fading, though she still cast a curious glance at Soul. "So... what's going on?" she asked, her voice lighter now that she realized nothing inappropriate was happening.

"You guys are moving out." He replied.

"Moving… where?"

"You'll see."