Alex, Lucina, and Alice reached the abandoned crossroads on the outskirts of Forks. Getting out of the Impala, Alex first looked around: he had to make sure that at such a late hour no car would pass by and no night wanderer would decide to get some fresh air. Only when he was certain the crossroads was empty did Alex nod and light a cigarette.

That nod became a signal for GIR, MIMI, and Stitch. The trio jumped out of the car, grabbing his backpack with paint for the trap and a metal box for the ritual. Lucina and Alice followed after them, stopping beside Alex and curiously watching the “demolition trio” draw complex lines of a demonic trap on the asphalt.

Alice could barely contain her impatience—she wanted to see the ritual itself as soon as possible. Alex, on the other hand, calmly leaned against the Impala, blowing smoke into the night sky, and patiently waited until the work was finished.

“You know, Alex…” Lucina suddenly spoke, gazing at him thoughtfully.

“What is it, my love?” he turned his head toward her.

“I just thought… This whole situation looks like a scene from some ridiculous comedy. A demon summoning a demon. It even sounds stupid.”

Alice couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing:

“Ha-ha-ha! She’s right! This really is like something from a movie!”

Alex smiled faintly and raised a finger.

“That’s true. But there’s one detail you’ve overlooked.”

“Then enlighten me, my Demon King,” Lucina said with exaggerated seriousness, though her eyes sparkled with amusement and interest.

“So-called demons here are nothing more than human souls that were tortured in hell for centuries until they turned black. Yes, they have certain abilities, but it doesn’t change their essence. They were humans. They can be killed if you burn their remains, just like any ghost. The first demons were created by this universe’s Lucifer. Do you understand now what I mean?” Alex said calmly, explaining the true nature of demons in this world.

“Hm… You’re right,” Lucina nodded. “Even that self-proclaimed King of Hell, Crowley, was once a human who sold his soul.”

“And what exactly did he sell it for?” Alice asked with interest.

Alex’s lips curled into a faint smirk, and he replied in a dead tone:

“Crowley sold his soul for a couple of extra inches in his pants.”

Alice had already opened her mouth to make a joke but froze—the expression on Alex’s face was completely serious, while Lucina simply nodded. Alice couldn’t believe anyone would actually make such a ridiculous deal.

Alex shook his head and continued:

“Crowley in life was nothing more than a tailor and a drunkard, abandoned by his mother—one of the most powerful witches of the past. He drank without end, and at some point made a deal with a crossroads demon. But he never lived to see the end of the contract—he got drunk and drowned in a drainage ditch. After death, he became a demon and clawed his way up step by step until he sat on Hell’s throne.”

The story didn’t particularly impress Alice, but Alex knew the truth: behind Crowley’s charming diplomat mask hid a ruthless and dangerous enemy. He was the only demon who took the Winchester brothers seriously.

“Looks like they’re done,” Lucina said, gently nudging Alex toward the center of the crossroads. “Go ahead and summon the demon, and then let’s go home. I want a warm bed.”

Alex nodded and walked to the middle of the crossroads. He pulled the metal box from his backpack, quickly dug a small hole with his hands, and buried it. Everything was ready.

GIR, MIMI, and Stitch hid behind the car, ready for a sudden attack. Lucina and Alice sat down on the Impala’s hood, watching his back.

Alex stood up, lit another cigarette, and after taking a drag, exhaled smoke. When the haze cleared, a man was standing right in front of him.

He looked flawless: a sharp gray suit, light brown hair neatly combed back, golden-rimmed glasses. On his face—a slight, faintly mocking smile.

Alex immediately understood who stood before him. He quickly took out his phone and photographed the man’s face to find out which vessel the demon had taken.

“Let me guess,” Alex said, raising an eyebrow and bringing his cigarette to his lips. “A crossroads demon. And whose body did you borrow?”

“Ah, how pleasant to deal with clever clients,” the man drawled. “My name is Albert. This vessel belongs to an attorney.”

“More precisely, Albert Percival,” Alex continued calmly, as if reading from a sheet. “A successful lawyer, thirty-six years old. No children, life entirely devoted to his career. For the past four years he’s been getting true monsters off in court: mass murderers, arsonists, robbers… Excellent job — acquitting trash.”

The demon’s smile widened.

“How rude. Didn’t your mother teach you that digging into other people’s secrets is dangerous? That such things can end badly?”

Alex slowly exhaled smoke and pointed downward with a finger.

“You might want to watch your step before making threats.”

Albert glanced down and smirked. “And what’s there? Did you prepare a surprise for me? You shouldn’t have bothered — if we make a deal, your soul will be my gift.”

But the moment Albert looked down, his smile froze. Beneath his feet the demonic trap was clearly visible — from which there was no escape. Alex stood already outside its border, calmly watching the demon whose overconfidence was visibly melting.

Albert slowly raised his eyes and noticed Alex casually leaning against the car familiar to all demons. For a moment a worrying thought flickered through his mind: had he fallen into the hands of the Winchester brothers? His eyes darted left and right as if Sam and Dean should leap from the bushes and train guns on him. But as time passed and the hunters did not appear, Albert felt relief. Just a guy and a couple of girls pretending to be hunters. And a few strange creatures that looked more like ridiculous toys.

Watching the demon’s expression change, Alex smirked inwardly. He didn’t need to guess Albert’s thoughts — everything was obvious.

“You can stop looking around. The Winchesters aren’t here. And believe me, we don’t need them,” Alex said in an even tone.

“Ah, so you decided to play hunter, boy?” Red showed in Albert’s sclera, and a predatory grin spread across his face. “When I get out of here, I’ll gut you. And these girls with you, too.”

“Yes, yes. You all say the same thing. But right now you’re trapped. So we have a deal,” Alex exhaled a ribbon of smoke and narrowed his eyes. “The price of your freedom is answers to my questions — and if you don’t answer, your rotten black soul will become the prize. Want to get out of here? Tell me where Crowley is. And don’t you dare lie.”

“I have no idea who you mean,” Albert spread his hands, wearing an innocent smile.

“First strike,” Alex replied calmly, flicking his cigarette butt in his direction. “I’ll ask again: where is Crowley?”

“Ahahaha! You think if you play Winchester I’ll lay all my cards out? Wake up, kid. You’re a long way from a real hunter. What will you do if I don’t answer? Banish me? I’ll just come back — and I’ll slaughter everyone you care about,” the demon kept smirking.

“Second strike,” Alex didn’t raise his voice. “Last time I ask. Where is Crowley? And where is he keeping Amara?”

Albert’s smile faltered. Hearing the name Amara, he momentarily lost his composure. All demons knew Crowley had sheltered the girl who contained Darkness itself. And though Crowley’s plans were secret, no one doubted he would try to use her power to seize the world and challenge even God.

Giving up Crowley’s location would mean signing his own death warrant. The King of Hell never killed traitors quickly: he broke them slowly and painfully. Crowley wouldn’t kill him — he would torture him for a very, very long time, just as he had with Meg and other demons who dared betray the King of Hell. And Albert clearly didn’t want to join the ranks of those traitors.

“I already told you: I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Albert rasped, beginning to pace nervously in circles inside the trap.

“Well then,” Alex exhaled smoke and tilted his head slightly. “Third strike. You’re out. GIR, MIMI, Stitch — he’s yours. Make him talk. But don’t kill him. I don’t feel like bothering with resurrecting some crossroads demon.”

The demon froze when three small creatures stepped out from behind the Impala, dragging a sack of salt and a jug of holy water. One green, with a goofy little face, more like a toy. The second pink, with the same plushy look. And the third — a grotesque mutant with sharp teeth, his eyes blazing with manic fire.

“And what the hell is this circus?” Albert burst out laughing. “You seriously think these plush freaks can make me talk?!”

Lucina and Alice exchanged glances and shook their heads. Those watching the live feed also sighed in sympathy: the demon had just signed his death sentence. Even Alex gave him a faintly pitying look — and mentally noted that Albert’s end would be a very sorry one.

GIR, MIMI, and Stitch glanced at each other and nodded in unison. Dropping the salt sack and the jug, they stepped forward. Stitch bared his teeth, gleaming sharply, and in a single leap latched onto Albert’s face. The headbutt to his nose landed with a dull crack. The demon’s glasses shattered, blood gushed from his broken nose.

Disoriented, Albert toppled onto his back, not understanding what was happening. At that moment GIR and MIMI rushed in, armed with heavy iron clubs. Stitch bounced aside, and just as the demon lifted his head, a club smashed into his face. The sound of bones cracking rang out. Another blow — and Albert’s legs snapped like twigs.

And the worst part was, he could feel the pain. Real, searing pain — something he hadn’t expected.

GIR, MIMI, and Stitch eagerly kept pounding on Albert, completely forgetting Alex’s request to keep the demon alive. But for this trio, their master’s words meant little: the insult of being called plush toys was taken seriously. And they were anything but toys.

Screams of agony echoed across the night crossroads, and Alex cast a silence spell to avoid drawing unwanted attention. Such howls at midnight could easily attract the wrong kind of audience.

When the iron clubs had already done their work, GIR, MIMI, and Stitch decided it wasn’t enough, and continued “punishing” the demon. With a grim look, GIR dragged over the twenty-kilogram salt sack. For a moment Alex and Lucina thought he was going to force-feed the demon with it. But reality turned out far sillier: GIR simply started bludgeoning Albert with the sack like it was a giant club.

The scene looked so absurd that Alex nearly choked on his laughter. The little green creature, barely a meter tall, easily held the sack in both paws, swung it around, and slammed it down on the demon’s body, which writhed desperately, trying to crawl away.

Stitch, seeing this, decided not to be outdone. He darted to the Impala, grabbed the ten-liter jug of holy water, and, returning, smashed it down onto the demon with all his strength.

MIMI, with nothing else at hand, used her taser. But instead of discharging it, she preferred to bash Albert on the crown with the handle. The result was a strange yet perfectly synchronized rhythm: a hit with the salt sack, then with the holy water jug, and finishing with the taser handle to the head.

Alex shook his head and turned away, not wanting to watch the comical yet brutal beating. Lucina sighed wearily, lit a cigarette, and sat down on the Impala’s hood. Alice, on the other hand, cheered GIR, MIMI, and Stitch on with delight, like a proud mother watching her “children’s” achievements.

Those watching the livestream just shook their heads. They already knew how the summoning ritual would end: not with an interrogation, but with a plain brawl.

Samantha, who was in the hospital, slipped out of the ward so no one would see her staring at her phone screen. Her interest in the ritual was huge — she wanted to see how Alex would summon the demon and how he’d handle the conversation. But the outcome made her revise her views on Alex’s methods. The memories he’d given her hadn’t included such… details.

She messaged the family chat she’d recently joined, asking, “Is this even normal?” The replies came almost instantly and were unanimous: “Yes.” Many added that this happened regularly, especially with those who stubbornly kept silent. Reading that, Samantha decided to accept what was happening — besides, the mind-calming spell was still acting, preventing her from succumbing to shock.

Meanwhile, at that same deserted crossroads, the beating of the demon named Albert continued. Alex calmly finished another cigarette and thought about when to stop his “helpers” once he’d stubbed it out. Let Albert suffer a bit — such types liked to keep their mouths shut, and pain often loosened tongues.

Tossing the butt away, Alex gave a short whistle. GIR and Stitch immediately stopped, dropping their “instruments,” but Albert didn’t get a chance to exhale: MIMI silently planted the taser-handle square on his head, making him groan in pain.

Alex crouched beside him, looked at the demon and smiled:

“Alright, my boy Albert, ready to talk? Or shall we continue? My little helpers can toy with you for weeks, and believe me, each day will bring you new sensations. Ones you didn’t even feel in Hell when they tortured you before you became a demon.”

“A-ha… ckh— go to hell,” Albert rasped, spitting blood. “If I blab, Crowley won’t forgive me. He’ll torment me forever. Better death than betrayal.”

Alex leaned in, his voice calm, almost tender:

“Ah, my boy Albert… Crowley isn’t here. You should fear me. I’m worse and more inventive than he is. And if you don’t talk, my little ones will pickle you for as long as I need. And they can be very… creative.”

“Just kill me… I still won’t say anything,” Albert spat, sending a spatter of bloody saliva toward Alex.

The blood-mixed spit hit the “Infinity” emblem and hung in the air, never touching Alex. He only smiled in response to the gesture. Alex knew one truth well: everyone talks sooner or later. No matter how strong a being’s shell seems, it’s enough to find the right approach.

“Believe me, Albert. You’ll talk. Alright, pack this bastard into a bag and let’s go home. Let him marinate in the basement for a while,” Alex said, rising from his crouch with the same calm smile.

GIR, MIMI and Stitch nodded in unison, fully backing the idea. Before Albert could realize what was happening, the heavy jug of water slammed into his face with full force. His head snapped back, the back of his skull hit the asphalt — and the crossroads demon went out cold. Within a second he was bound and stuffed into a tight bag, then shoved into the Impala’s trunk. The trio worked smoothly and quickly — by now they’d become real pros at abductions.

Alex took out his phone, glanced at the time — one in the morning. He sighed unhappily: morning meant school again. Sitting in the car with Lucina and Alice, he drove home. Ten minutes later the Impala was parked by the garage. Alex stepped out first and made sure the street was empty and the nosy neighbors, including the Swan family, were asleep. Giving him a nod, GIR, MIMI and Stitch hauled the bag with Albert inside and carried him into the house.

From the basement came a dull thud — as if something heavy had fallen to the floor — followed by the sharp hissing sound of sprayed paint. Alex preferred not to get into the details and entrusted the “guest” to his loyal helpers. Together with Lucina and Alice, he went up to the second floor and almost immediately fell asleep, squeezed between them. Even if Alice wasn’t asleep, it didn’t stop her from cuddling up to Alex while he rested.

The morning began with a strange sensation: someone was tugging at his face in different directions. Alex opened his eyes and saw three pairs of mischievous eyes shining with joy. Anya, Nyaruko, and Jinx — his little princesses. The girls giggled in unison but didn’t stop stretching his cheeks.

Alex laughed and hugged his daughters tightly. A whole month had passed since their last meeting — they had gone on a “vacation” with the Creator, whom the girls affectionately called “the best grandpa in the multiverse.”

“My little princesses, you’re back! Did you visit the moms first?” Alex asked, kissing each one on the cheek in turn.

“No, Daddy, first to you!” Anya giggled as he rubbed his cheek against hers.

“And how was the vacation with Grandpa? Did you like it? See lots of new things?” Alex asked with a gentle smile.

“Yes! We went to hundreds of places! It was so, so fun! And we even brought souvenirs!” Jinx exclaimed excitedly, bouncing on his lap.

“That’s wonderful. You’ll tell me everything later. But for now — let’s go downstairs, I’ll introduce you to the new mom. The other one will arrive soon too,” Alex said, hugging his daughters again.

“We already met her!” Nyaruko piped up, nodding energetically. “She’s awesome and smells like strawberries! And she’s a vampire — not like Mommy Alcina, a real one. And Mommy Alice shines so beautifully in the sun!”

Alex laughed.

“Ha-ha-ha! I’m glad you liked Alice. Well then, let’s go have breakfast.”

The three little princesses clung to their father like fluffy koalas. As they went downstairs, Alex could hear the living room getting noisier but paid it no mind — all his attention was on his daughters. Reaching the first floor, Alex simply ignored the noisy trio, joined by an unknown plus-one, whom he didn’t notice due to the joy of having his three little princesses back.

Downstairs he saw Alice: she was having breakfast with a gentle smile, but the moment she saw the girls, she rushed over and hugged Anya tightly. Anya laughed brightly. Lucina, still calm, sat with a cup of coffee, observing everything. She simply moved Nyaruko onto her lap, while Alex seated Jinx with him.

“Well then, my princesses, tell me. Where did Grandpa take you?” Alex asked.

“First — to a huge amusement park!” Anya exclaimed joyfully, raising her hands as if to show its size.

“How big was the park?” Lucina asked with a slight smile.

“Enormous! A whole planet! There was so much there, and we had so much fun!” Jinx said, her pink eyes sparkling with joy.

Anya, Nyaruko, and Jinx began talking over each other, describing the amusement park the size of an entire planet. They eagerly shared which rides they went on, what they saw, and even which souvenir shops they visited.

When Alex heard that the Creator had received a mug labeled “Best Grandpa in the Whole Multiverse,” he couldn’t help but smile. He was sure his father had been thrilled to get such a gift from his granddaughters. Moreover, Alex had little doubt that the Creator had intentionally spoiled the girls by arranging an entire journey to such amazing places.

“Where else did Grandpa take you?” Alice asked, gently rubbing Anya’s cheeks.

“After the amusement park, Grandpa took us to the races!” Anya exclaimed.

“The races?” Lucina raised an eyebrow, surprised. “Isn’t that the place where adults bet on horses? Seems like a strange place to take children.”

“No, Mommy! These were different races!” Jinx immediately objected, bouncing on Alex’s lap. “There were horse-girls! They tried so hard and entertained the audience. It was so much fun!”

“Wait… darling, you probably mean centaurs?” Lucina asked cautiously.

“No, Mommy!” Nyaruko pouted, offended. “Not centaurs, horse-girls! You’re just silly for not understanding.”

Alice and Lucina exchanged puzzled glances. They clearly couldn’t understand what the little princesses were talking about and simultaneously looked at Alex, as if expecting him to explain.

Alex tilted his head thoughtfully, sifting through memories of different worlds. And, of course, he recalled one in particular: a world where actual horse-girls lived, attending a special academy and participating in races. All of them were based on real racehorses that had once gained fame in competitions.

“Alex?” Lucina said with a slight squint, discreetly nudging him under the table. “Don’t you want to explain what they mean?”

“Oh, right…” Alex scratched the back of his head and smiled. “Well, it’s a pretty unusual but very peaceful world. There’s a school where pony-girls go. Their studies are mostly related to sports — specifically racing. You could say it’s a really fun and friendly place where a family can spend time together, watch the races, and admire their cute outfits.”

“Hm…” Alice murmured thoughtfully. “Sounds interesting. Especially what kind of outfits they wear for these races.”

“We have photos!” Anya exclaimed excitedly. “And we even made friends with one cheerful pony-girl! She never won, but she was always kind and full of life!”

“Really?” Lucina smiled gently. “And what’s her name?”

“Her name is Haru Urara!” Anya answered enthusiastically. “She’s so sweet! She showed us the school, the training grounds, let us touch her ears… And we even exchanged numbers so we wouldn’t lose touch!”

Anya beamed as if she had just returned there herself. Jinx and Nyaruko immediately nodded, confirming every word she said.

Nyaruko and Jinx nodded and almost simultaneously pulled their phones from their pockets to show the pictures they had taken. Alex, Lucina, and Alice started looking through the photos taken by the three little princesses. Most of the pictures were selfies with a short pink-haired pony-girl, her face lit up with such a bright, joyful smile that it seemed it never left her face.

Alex even paused for a second, wondering if he should train Haru Urara so that the pony-girl could finally win a race. But seeing the enthusiastic excitement of his little princesses, he realized: Anya, Nyaruko, and Jinx would definitely help Urara become faster and eventually achieve victory.

The girls kept showing their photos until one caught Alex’s eye: a picture of the three of them sitting atop a pony-girl crawling on all fours, her face twisted in irritation. Anya, Nyaruko, and Jinx were grinning from ear to ear, clearly delighted. Alex immediately recognized their “horse”—it was Gold Ship, the same unlucky girl who was always plagued by ridiculous mishaps.

“Where else did Grandpa take you?” Alex asked, sipping his coffee.

“Grandpa took us to another interesting planet,” Jinx said excitedly. “There were a bunch of strange guys in masks running around. They kept shouting nonsense like, ‘I’ll pull out your insides to see your inner world!’ or ‘Want to know the color of my heart? Then show me yours!’ And then they’d laugh loudly and run in all directions.”

“Did you by any chance end up on a planet where everyone’s got problems with their head?” Lucina raised an eyebrow as she listened.

“No,” Alex interjected. “The old man decided to take our daughters to Pandora. There’s a vault from an ancient civilization there with tons of treasures. And all those psychos… they’re just psychos. But Pandora often attracts adventurers trying to find the vault.”

“That’s right, Daddy!” Jinx nodded. “And we also made friends with a fun girl. She likes blowing things up and shouts really loud!”

Alex sighed wearily and added grimly, “Let me guess… She looks like a cute girl in a pink apron with a white bunny, messy blonde hair with pink ribbons in her braids, and a psycho mask on the side of her head. She’s got a little varkid with an aristocratic name and a minefield around her house.”

“You got it, Daddy!” Jinx confirmed joyfully. “Her name is Tina. She’s really cool!”

“And what exactly did you get up to with your new friend?” Alex squinted at the three little troublemakers.

“Nothing much,” Nyaruko mumbled uncertainly, looking away. “We just drank tea and talked about girly stuff.”

Alex smirked crookedly. “I’d believe you, little princess. But don’t forget who first brought the phrase ‘drinking tea in someone’s company’ into our family. Now, spill what you actually did.”

“Nothing too special,” Jinx jumped in. “We caught a weird guy and tied him by the leg to a rocket. Launched him into space, because he said he wanted to be an astronaut.”

Alex buried his face in his hands.

“Let me guess, my little princess…” he muttered. “It was some random psycho you met. He babbled about wanting to fly. And you, Anya, Nyaruko, and Tina decided to ‘make his dream come true.’ Built a rocket, tied him up, and launched him into the sky. Am I right?”

“Almost,” Nyaruko giggled. “The rocket didn’t go far and exploded. He fell right into a Bullymong’s nest and screamed that he never wanted to fly again.”

Alex groaned heavily and rubbed his nose wearily, just imagining the whole nightmare. Lucina exhaled in resignation, shaking her head once again at how clearly their daughters had inherited Alex’s character. Alice, on the other hand, listened with genuine interest, thoroughly amused by the antics of Anya, Nyaruko, Jinx, and their new friend Tina.

To be continued…

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep