1906

It has been eight years since Lucia was born. Lucia eventually found out that she was born in the autumn of 1898. Which was something of a shock to her. Though back to Lucia's family, Lucia has an older brother named Robert who is a year older than Lucia. Though, it is not unusual for Lucia to be mistaken as the oldest child. As she acts more like an adult than a child which has caused fewer problems than Lucia thought it would. As they seem to approve of her mature attitude

Two years after Lucia was born, she gained a little sister named Abby who has become her parents' favorite, though they would never admit it to anyone as they do genuinely love their first two children, so it is just Lucia's guess that it is due to them being able to spoil Abby in ways they were unable to spoil Robert and Lucia. Though for different reasons, as they had to be relatively strict when it came to raising Robert as he was being prepared to take over the Family business. Which came with numerous expectations as to how he should be raised. Along with expectations on how Robert should behave. Which has led to him maturing quickly.

While Lucia always acted older than most girls her age acted or children her age in general. As by the time she was five or six she was acting like a mini-adult. Which put off her parents a bit, but they didn’t love Lucia any less. Despite her strange behavior. Instead, they proclaimed her a prodigy and paraded her around her relatives to show off her manners and social skills. To the amazement of her family. Who similarly decided to choose the good aspects of her behavior and forget about the strangeness that it is. Though this has also led to some unfortunate consequences, one being the fact that as time went on Robert acted more like a little brother towards Lucia following her around on some of her antics. Something that surprised her parents, but they soon accepted as well.

Meanwhile, Lucia has actively been doing her first one, since Lucia has reasonably judged that she is enjoying this lifetime’s childhood more than her first. She thinks this because she was an only child her first life and instead of playing with her friends, she spent her time studying all day and night. But now she didn’t have to worry about school as much as she did for two reasons. The first is that she won’t go to school for a couple more years and the second is that no matter how hard the school might be for the average student, it shouldn’t be that much of a problem for her. Though Lucia never thought to consider how people might react to her extreme above-average intelligence. Which is something that has caused something similar to a rollercoaster of emotions for her parents.

During her everyday life, Lucia had spent wandering the mansion, playing with her siblings, and reading most of the books in the family's small library, which shocked the Belladras couple and led them to buy more books for their daughters' monstrous appetite for reading everything from scientific texts, horror to mystery and everything in between. To which had led them to expand the number of books they own from around 500 books to around 2000 books in the short span of around 5 years. Since yes, Lucia couldn’t stand pretending to not be able to read when she was 3 and gave up. Though she lucked out, her parents chose not to look into why she was able to read at such a young age and instead used books to keep her occupied so that they didn’t have to worry about what other people thought of their 4-year daughter being able to read texts that are aimed at adults.

Lucia’s other hobbies included reading newspapers and following the news, trying to write a psychological thesis which was promptly told off by her parents as being too young for institutions to even look at her papers and do anything but write it off as childish nonsense, which in this case was true. But it still annoyed Lucia to no end that her young body and the perception that it created prevented her from being able to properly do many of the things that she loved to do.

When it came to her other goals, Lucia decided that she would start her own companies and have someone run them for her since she would be busy doing her own thing. But that wouldn’t be something that she would have to worry about for a while and lastly, for her goal of continuing her passion of her past life, she decided that she would start a private investigators office. The only thing that she needed would be a trusty sidekick to help her out and what Lucia doesn’t know yet is that she is about to meet that exact person very soon.

Though speaking of the Belladras family, just thinking about it brings back an interesting flashback to her first birthday. As it was then that she found out that the Belladras family is a wealthy business family that has been well-known in the New England Aristocracy. Along with their pride in their lineage, which they can trace back to English Nobility.

The Belladras ancestor that settled came to the New World in the late 17th century was a son of some wealthy English Earl and decided to go to the New World for business opportunities. Something that they lacked in the old world, due to being a third born son. He was successful in his endeavors and then after, his descendants were able to expand his influence and business to a lot of areas in the New England area and politics. As of now the Business that Karl owned was quite varied with him owning a large bank chain, having a large stake in Boston's port but besides that it seemed that the Belladras fortune came through manufacturing and shipping, in which Karl owned numerous factories and a powerful shipping company. Along with several large drydocks that are used to build large civilian and military ships. Though he had only inherited them several years after his graduation from Harvard, as his father wanted to enter politics and decided to give the business to his son earlier than he normally would have.

Though at this time Lucia only thought that her family was wealthy but not much more than that. One thing that surprised her since she would assume that they would visit as soon as they heard that the baby was born. But she reasoned that there was a good reason why since her parents should be on good terms with the rest of their families. Since the maids looked like there were a lot of people being invited to her first birthday party and on a quick glance she saw the last name of Belladras, quite a few of them. Though she didn’t see too many of them since she was whisked away when a maid noticed her.

Speaking of her first birthday party that was in around a month and it seemed to be when they would be introduced to the rest of her family. Lucia had heard her father talk about it being a family tradition. It also seemed that it would double as a social gathering in the form of a hottie tooty social gathering of the New England Elite. As Lucia could only guess what important people would be there. While the servants of the mansion worked like mad men and women to make sure everything was ready in time.

One month went by quite slowly since Lucia was bored to death, since there was nothing to do since she was only a baby. Though she did what she could and that resulted in her being called a genius by her parents and the personal maids that took care of her when her mother was busy or away.

On the day of the party Lucia was dressed up in a fancy, silk baby dress (or whatever fancy attire one year-old baby's wears?) and brought to one of the larger rooms of the mansion where the party had just started. Lucia sat in one of the front areas that were away from the crowd so that it wasn’t too loud.

There Lucia's father was to introduce his relatives to his daughter.

There are so many people around, there must be at least two hundred people here tonight and they are probably the wealthy elite of Boston and the greater New England area.

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The first person who came to us was a middle-aged man that looked somewhat like an older version of Karl, which led to Lucia correctly guessing that he was her grandfather. As he approached, he first had his eyes on Lucia, but as he got closer to us his eyes went up to Karl.

“It’s good to see you again, I really wanted to come earlier but I was so busy with work that this is the earliest I could come,” Lucia’s grandfather said apologetically.

“No, I know how busy you are so I am just happy that you could come today” Karly warmly replied.

“Thanks for being so understanding, Karl.” Karl’s grandfather replied before turning his attention to me. “Now is this my adorable granddaughter,” He said even as if to say out loud that he was Lucia's grandfather.

During this exchange, Lucia was mainly focused on her grandfather, but something in the discussion caught her eye.

Wait, why isn’t my father the owner of the business now? But grandfather said that he was busy working. So where does he work and why would he pass his business down if he could still work? At least I found out why he didn’t visit sooner but this just created more questions that I want answered.

Though Lucia’s mind was filled with questions, they were soon answered as one of the people in the crowd came over after he saw that Lucia’s grandfather was finished talking, to not interrupt.

“Hello Governor Stanford, it’s good to see you again . . .” Stanford and the man then walked away after Standard finished giving goodbye to Karl. Meanwhile, Lucia received another surprise about the world and her family.

Wait, I am the Granddaughter of the Governor. I don’t even want to imagine what other important positions my family occupies. Though I guess I will keep being surprised by my family's power in the New England political arena.

After that more and more of Lucia’s relatives greeted her and after that was done. Lucia was brought back to the room to not only allow her to rest but to also allow her parents to properly enjoy the party and keep up their networks.

March, xx, 1906

It was around 7 in the morning when a maid woke Lucia first trying to call her name and when that failed removing her blankets.

“Why am I being woken up sir early?” Lucia asked tiredly. The maid replied, “This is an important visitor today and Mr. Karl wants you to be present.”

“Ok,” Lucia said, yawning as she got out of bed. She then prepared to get dressed in a simple skirt and dress shirt which had become something like her new style. Though she still couldn’t entirely believe how much skirts had grown on her.

When she finished getting ready, she went to the dining room where she was the first of her siblings to get there, which wasn’t surprising since it somehow took her brother longer to get ready than she did. Lucia had a hard time wrapping her head around it. But she took this time to inquire who was coming to her parents who were already at the table, waiting for their children before starting to eat.

“Excuse me Father but I am wondering who is coming so early in the morning?” Lucia asked, with her father quickly responding “Charles Bradson is coming over as will his son, and I would like you to get along with him, ok Lucia? So, try to express a bit more emotion in your speech since it sometimes feels like you are always disinterested, and while we know that isn’t the case. Thomas and Charles don’t know.”

Oh, so he wants to set us up as a future couple, the only thing that could be more obvious is if had just straight up said that we were engaged. Though besides that I don’t quite get what he means about me being emotionless, I display a lot of emotions, well a lot more than I used to. But I get he didn’t know what I was like before, so I can’t blame him for saying that. However, he should know that a scientific person such as myself has no time for love. As all my time shall be devoted to the investigation of the unknown.”

After a moment of thought Lucia responded politely but at the same time trying to show more emotions “Sure thing Father.” That elicited a small chuckle out of Lucia’s father who nodded with a warm smile.

Lucia and her parents then proceeded to talk for several minutes about if or when she will be able to go to school in the future while waiting for her siblings to arrive in the dining room. They did so several minutes later with Robert coming in next and Abby coming in several minutes later. Karl then continued to repeat what he had told Lucia, though he left out the part that implied that he wanted Lucia to get together with Charle’s son who is named Thomas. Despite the two of them being too young to even start dating or consider getting married, Karl seemed to have been planning for the long term. Though he is still unaware that he has little chance of Lucia getting married to anyone. Though if anyone has a chance of doing so it's Thomas.

Soon after they finished eating, they went to the sitting room where they welcomed guests and while they waited for the two Bradsons, they talked for a bit and then finally they heard the door open as a butler led Charles and Thomas into the room. Both of them were wearing nice suits. They then sat on the couch opposite to the other couch where Veronica and the 3 siblings were sitting. Karl was in the meanwhile sitting in a fine leather chair.

The butler then left the room after they sat down, and Karl greeted them.

“Thank you for coming, Charles, it's good to see you again and thank you for agreeing with what we talked about. I don’t think that anyone could match the somewhat eccentric interests my daughter has.”

“Well, I don’t think there are any children her age that have read as much as you say she had. But yes, I do also agree with what you said that I do think that our two children will make good friends and have a lot in common.” Charles said, slightly chuckling.

So, they were planning to try and hook us up together. Wait what are they suggesting that they will have problems with me finding a man to marry? But putting my father's marriage scheming aside, I wonder why they think that we will get along so well. Well, I suppose he can be my partner and employee since he seems to be smart enough to make a good second in command. That sounds like a better idea than marrying him.

Karl then replied, “Anyways how about we have my children show Thomas around the mansion while we continue our discussion.” Charles then responded, “That sounds wonderful, so Thomas behave yourself.”

Karl then nodded to Lucia, and she got up and looked at Thomas and said, “Is there anything that you want to look at in particular.”

Thomas then said politely “Yes, can you show me to the library that you have? I heard that you have mystery novels as well as scientific journals. I heard that you are also interested in them?” Lucia's eyes then filled with emotion as she looked like she was a hunter that found her prey and said barely containing her excitement “Yes you are correct, I would be happy to show you my favorites that I have.”

Thomas then looked rather excited and in the same polite way, though it was impossible to hide that he was excited to see what he would be shown. “ Of course lead the way.” The two then nearly rushed out the door but managed to walk out of sight before briskly walking out of the door towards the library. In her excitement, Lucia completely forgot her siblings who were looking like they had just been abandoned and they had their mouths open as they processed what happened. But those looks were completely replaced with envy and they rushed out of the room to reclaim their sisters' attention from Thomas.

The 3 parents meanwhile were chuckling, with Charles saying, “I think they are going to get along just fine.” Karl then responded, “Yes I do agree they will, those two will get along just fine.” To which Charles just nodded.

They then started to talk about other matters. Meanwhile, Lucia and Thomas spent the day talking about various books and scientific journals and talking about their takes on them. Robert and Abby meanwhile, were watching from a distance with envy and petty anger as they were unable to muster the courage to directly confront the person who was stealing their sister's attention.

The day ended with Thomas and Lucia promising to meet again to talk about their interests again and her silent siblings' silent cries as they realized that they would be able to keep their sister to themselves anymore. Though the person who should be feeling the most emotions is Thomas as he has just caught the interest of Lucia and not in any way that he wants to be.

In what way did he catch Lucia’s interest, well let's just say that he got himself signed up as Lucia’s first employee and business partner. Along with the fact that he has unknowingly become Lucia's partner in fighting unspeakable creatures and cults. Though Thomas wouldn’t know that for a long time to come.