Finally got this chapter done. I had a rough idea on what to do next, but let's just say: I've had to re-write this more than once. Hopefully you all enjoy the final product.

Starting Over

Chapter Three: "Interests and Teaching"

It had been one week since Stellaris had gained consciousness. The hellspawn worked with Opera everyday to regain strength, and what little remnants of her illness was left had finally passed. After three days, Stellaris was able to move about more freely, and with more ease. She suffered from bouts of exhaustion, but both her father and security devil assured her that this would iron out with time and perseverance.

"That was excellent, My Lady," Opera said as Stellaris flopped back in a chair they provided, her breathing heavy and ragged, and her face drenched in sweat. "In your strength exercises, you lasted between 3 and 7 seconds longer than at the beginning of the week. Your mobility has improved drastically, and your coordination is now on par with an average middle-schooler's," they added, their cat ears twitching.

Stellaris puffed out a cough before saying. "Oh really? That great, huh?" She said, trying to determine if Opera was being facetious or not.

Opera nodded at her. "Indeed. If we keep this momentum going, you'll be at the same level as an average adult by the end of the month."

Stellaris pouted at that. "'Average,' right...just what a 13 Crown's daughter should be," she muttered, staring at the floor.

Opera turned towards her, taking her sullen expression in before their ears lowered. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Ma'am," Opera said, moving towards her. "This is a lot of progress in such a short amount of time."

Stellaris looked up, staring into Opera's red eyes for a moment before sighing. "I know," she said. "I just...wish it made me less of an outsider," she admitted, her discomfort peering through.

Again, the lady of the house looked away as Opera asked: "An outsider? What in the Netherworld makes you believe that?"

"I don't believe it, I know it," she said, her voice raising slightly. "Demons are gonna look at me to inherit my father's position, and I was deprived of an education when I was human. My demon one has barely started and Father wants me to start teaching for the next school year. Two months from now. What a lovely facade I'll make," she added, grumbling her last sentence as she slumped forward, nesting her head in her hands.

The conversation had come up the day before. Up until that point, Stellaris had spent her free time reading up on what she would later learn were the subjects Babyls either had no instructors for, or simply didn't teach anymore. Stellaris found many of them intriguing, but her favorite was Sigilography. It was an overlooked subject, which examined the various forms of seals, the symbols within them, their uses, how to wield them, how to break them, and the history behind them.

At dinner that night, Sullivan had revealed his plan on getting her a career in the Netherworld. "Once you recover, I'm going to hire you on as a teacher! Not only does it give you a job, but it will help you integrate into demon society. Oh, you'll look so cute in your teacher's uniform! I can't wait for spring!"

Stellaris let out a dramatic sigh at the memory. "How the hell am I supposed to interact with other teachers if I'm more clueless than their students?" She asked aloud, not expecting an answer. "What the hell can you even talk to people about at work?" She asked, her head tilting back.

Opera's ears twitched uptight at the lady's question. "I wouldn't say that. You're quite intelligent, in fact. But if you're nervous, there are some guidelines on what shouldn't be done at work. The rest you'll have to learn as you go," they said before leaning forward. "If you're truly concerned about it, we can increase your therapy sessions and extend your classes," Opera said. "With enough discipline, I'm sure you'll become the instructor you wish to be."

Their lady paused for a moment before a small smile came to her lips. "I'd like that. Thanks, Opera," she said, her tone betrayed by the sullen look in her eyes.

The morning dragged into afternoon. Opera gave her additional exercises, then moved on to her classwork. The lady struggled, but she was fully invested. A positive sign, Opera noted. Despite her struggles and fears, she always hunkered down to get what she wanted. Perhaps because she was never given the option before, judging by her previous statements. Stellaris said very little about her life as a human being, but what few things she did say were quite revealing.

Opera's ears flattened just thinking about it, but smiled in but a few moments after. They looked over their shoulder at Stellaris. She had sprawled herself out on the couch, starting yet another volume in sigilography. In the days prior, she had finished reading the fundamentals of casting seals, two instruction books, as well as three volumes of its history. She read up on everything in quick succession, and was always eager to learn more on subjects in relation to what she was reading. Once she was finished with this volume, she intended to read up on herbalism, curses, and wartime history. Stellaris's excitement was genuinely heartwarming. A true rebirth.

Another hour passed, Opera bringing their lady some tea before turning towards the clock before letting out a small groan. Stellaris, who was a third of the way through her current book, jumped slightly.

"Are you okay, Opera?" Stellaris asked, her dual colored eyes widened slightly.

Opera closed their eyes and nodded. "Yes, My Lady. Lord Sullivan, however, won't be," they said.

"Huh?"

Opera turned towards her. "Lord Sullivan insisted on doing some shopping for you, and he also swore he'd be home by 3:00 PM. He has an appointment with Professor Balam and Professor Kalego, and they shouldn't be kept away for long."

Stellaris blinked and turned towards the clock. It was 2:35.

The hellspawn bit her lip. "I mean, he still has time...so long as he doesn't gush over me the instant he gets back," she said.

Opera's ears twitched, their cool expression turning into a scowl. "I should go get him. At this rate, they'll be waiting hours for him," they said.

Stellaris blinked. "Okay," she said, burying her head a little into her book. "But question: what should I do if they show up before you and Father return?"

Opera's mood calmed at seeing their mistress so nervous. "Just let them in. Give them something to drink, and if they have any questions, answer with honesty but also within reason. If they ask you something personal and you're not comfortable with , politely refuse to answer," Opera said to her.

"Do they know about me?" Stellaris asked.

Opera nodded. "Of course. The Chairdemon had to explain his absence from the school. You are his daughter, home recuperating after a fight with a severe illness. And if all goes as hoped, you'll be teaching at Babyls at the start of the next school year," they informed her.

Stellaris rested the book in her lap and looked up at Opera. "And how will I know it's them?"

Their cat ears went up at this question, a smile coming to Operator lips as their tail started wagging. They snapped their fingers, and old, worn and black book appeared before them. They turned the pages a few times before removing a picture from it.

"This is an old photo, so they don't look quite the same. But you should recognize them on sight," they said before handing her the photo. "The mean-looking one is Kalego," they added.

Stellaris took the photo. It showed three teenagers. In the center was a younger Opera, with one arm around an angry student's shoulder, and holding up a peace sign. They had shorter black hair, and wearing a modified uniform with a pink shirt and black pants. It was still impossible to tell what their gender was, and Stellaris suspected that it always would be.

Kalego, the "mean-looking one," looked like he was forced to be in the photo. Dark narrow eyes were glaring at Opera, and his expression resembled a growling dog. He had pale skin, and a full head of black hair cut short, two horns on either side of his head. His uniform was also quite androgynous, resembling robes and was violet in color.

Balam was the shortest one of them all, with long white hair, with large, kind eyes, and a mask over his face. His uniform was also modified, a mixture of blue fabric and what appeared to be green fur. He stood in front of Opera and Kalego, gloved fingers pressing together, and clearly smiling behind his mask.

"Professor Balam got into an accident before we met. It left some of his fangs more exposed than they should be, and they often scared people away once they see them," Opera explained.

Stellaris looked back at them. Their smile was gone, but their tail was still wagging. "So, I should offer him something cold with a straw," she said, more to gauge how Professor Balam felt about his scars than anything.

Opera nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."

With this, Opera grabbed their hellphone and left, leaving Stellaris with her books and her nerves. She didn't feel ready to interact with other demons. Hell, she was pretty sure she wouldn't feel ready talking to other people. She thought for sure that she would say something to ruin her professional relationship with these men before it even started.

Stellaris shook her head vigorously before moving towards the bath. It wasn't a guarantee, and Opera wasn't slow. Besides, even if they were late, that didn't mean she should just assume the worst. She had to try her best to get along with these men.

She quickly washed off the smell of her day and got dressed. She wore gray pants, with wedged black boots over them. With it, she put on a white turtleneck sweater, and a silver necklace her father gave her. It was an amulet, with a thick chain holding onto the charm of a raven skull. She brushed her hair and pulled the hair dangling in front of her ears into a braid, allowing the rest of her locks to flow freely.

Once she was done, she returned to the living room and began gathering the high school books Opera had been using to educate her, as well as the notebooks Stellaris used to keep track. The last thing she needed was for them to think something was up.

A little while later, and she was gather her sigilography books into a pile as a loud banging came from the door. Looking at the clock, Stellaris let out a heavy sigh. "Okay...you can do this," she said to herself.

She left the room and began moving across the main hall before another round of banging could be heard.

"I'm coming!" She called from inside, picking up her pace into a brisk walk.

The knocking ceased, and Stellaris slid the door open to greet the professors properly. Opera seemed to have undersold how much their former classmates changed, which caught Stellaris off guard.

Professor Kalego looked definitively male now, even with his teachers uniform similar to his school uniform. He was clearly more toned, and his head of hair had been cut off, making him look more mature. A good thing, she felt, considering his face was still the same as in that photo.

Professor Balam was way more different. He went from being the shortest of the three to being the tallest. To call him ripped would be an understatement, and he clearly couldn't fit any of the teaching uniforms. His hair was much longer and more wild, but his eyes were just as large and kind as in the photo.

She blinked at them before saying: "Professors Kalego and Balam, I presume?" She stated more than asked.

"Why yes," Balam said, his voice echoing within his mask, making him sound almost robotic.

She gave them a light bow. "Mephesto Stellaris," she said before standing straight. "Won't you please come in?"

And, that's all i got for this chapter. Chapter 4 is already in the works. i hope you guys are enjoying this. Please tell me what you enjoyed in a review and I'll see you in the next chapter.