An unfamiliar scene lays out before him.

Beneath the shade of a great tree, a young Sirius cries hugging his bloodied knee.

Tears drip from his red cheeks and seep into the open wound. His cries echo in the empty landscape until interrupted by a sluggish figure.

"Hush now, my little star."

The motherly shape takes hold and squeezes him tightly. The blank canvas bursts into a dance of warm pigments and hues.

Muffled whines dissolve into tired sniffling. The palm of the figure brushes through the boy's short umber hair. Stroking him gently, she shushes the boy, assuring him that "Everything thing will be alright."

Somehow her words make the pain fade away.

The woman brings him in closer so that nothing, not even the smallest particle, can come between them.

The loving embrace from his mother stops time in its entirety. Besides the two of them, nothing else exists in this realm. This quiet, painted world of dreams.

Is this real? Is this a memory?

It doesn't matter. Nothing does.

A final tear streams down and falls into the soft grass below.

~~~

Sunlight pokes through the velvet curtains and sweeps over the boy's eyelids. The boy rustles under the thick sheets before being torn away from his slumber.

A distant dream in the back of his mind, Sirius' eyes greet his brightly lit bedroom. Something similar to a bird chirps outside the window. The comfort of the blankets and pillows hinder his ability to get out of bed.

Not even half-awake he throws off the covers and rolls to the edge of the bed. The boy is on the brink of being considered naked. He didn't dare sleep on the fancy bed with those blood-stained garbs.

He walks over and fully shuts the curtains, dimming the room in its entirety. Not that it matters much, since his eyes are still ninety percent closed.

Stumbling to where he left his clothes the night before, a folded pile of pajamas sits in front of the door.

Too tired to even be grateful, he slips on the comfy pants and long-sleeved robe. Tying the strap around his waist, he uses his elbow to open to door.

His drowsy brain can't comprehend the labyrinth that is this mansion's hallways. His slippers drag across the carpet until he miraculously finds the main stairwell.

Wilphrey had told him last night that morning would be served in the main kitchen. With that in his subconscious mind, he stumbles down the steps into the foyer. A dastardly yawn makes his eyes water as he wanders toward what he hopes to be the kitchen.

A small archway in the wall expands into a kitchen the size of a home. The left is brimming with pots, pans, spices, stoves, and other kitchenware. A slim man with an apron tends to steam-risen pan.

Towards the center of the room is a white-marbled island with ten or so high-top chairs. Two of the seats are inhabited by a human and a lunim.

Korlin wears the same pajamas as Sirius. The boy eagerly chats with the blindfolded man.

Seeing him from the back, the lord doesn't appear to have any wings. Is it only a female trait? No, there were males with wings in the city.

Brushing it off, Sirius creeps inside the warm, sweet-scented room.

"Ah, welcome," the slim cook greets the boy. "Take a seat, the food will be ready shortly." The man is blurry to Sirius, he's too tired to thank him so he simply nods.

"Good morning, did you sleep well?" The wingless man, clothed with a much fancier robe, grins cheerfully.

"I think so..." Sirius mumbles, taking a seat one away from Korlin. His eyes heavy, he rests his head atop the cool counter.

Korlin pats him on the shoulder.

"There, there..." Strangely, it soothes Sirius almost back into slumber. "Anyways, as I was saying," Korlin turns to the man with the tiny-top hat. Does he sleep with that thing on? "You got your own little harem going here, don't you?"

The lord starts choking on the water he's drinking.

"H-Harem? Me?"

"Yes you, I mean come on you got Pholy, Aureole, Hyacinth, Wilphrey... and that butler there but he doesn't count."

"And Wilphrey does?"

"He's an honorary member of the harem. As long as he teaches me magic..."

"Unfortunately for you, I harbor no romantic feelings for anyone under this roof. Besides, everyone except Wilphrey and Cilas here is all around your age. I'm not that kind of man."

"You hardly look much older yourself."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

A distant sound of footsteps grows closer. Taking his head off the table, Sirius finds a girl walking around the corner.

Aureole, her hair down and messy, rubs her half-shut eyes as she shuffles her feet in. Her irises have returned to their gradient blue.

"Good morning," Sirius manages to say, yawning in the process.

The girl shuffles over and sits right beside him.

"Good..."

She doesn't finish the response. She falls asleep with her head in her hands.

"You can't even get out morning?" he jests.

"Shushy shush..."

Korlin abruptly breaks into a chuckle.

"I guess you two aren't morning people, huh?"

"Nuh-uh," Sirius' head once again rests on the table.

Aureole's hand raises into the air before limply falling right back down.

"The lumalins are closely connected to the moon and the night, they lose energy during the day." The lord's wisdom bestows upon them. "It's only natural they hate mornings."

"Lumalins?" Sirius mutters to himself.

"It's another term for lunims..." Aureole mumbles back.

"Well, what about you?" Korlin questions the man. "You seem well awake."

"I'm used to pulling all-nighters and staying up the entire day."

"Ooo, they're still called all-nighters here, huh?"

"Oh, aha," the man stutters a little. "I heard it from a human a long time ago, I liked how it sounded."

Something about this guy, apart from his sketchy appearance, just feels off. Looking at his face gives a sense of false innocence.

"Ah, makes sense, makes sense. What's the longest you've ever stayed up?"

"Hmm, it was about... I want to say five days."

"Fi-Five days?! That's crazy! May I ask why?"

"Let's just say I used to make a lot of dumb decisions," he plasters a smile. A twitch in his half-covered cheeks portray lingering regret.

"Aww, come on... gimme more than that!"

The conversation trails off, and Sirius watches the two with a faint grin.

Somehow noticing this, Aureole asks, "What's got you so cheery?"

"Oh, I ha- I haven't really had a morning like this before. Waking up, eating breakfast with a bunch of people. Besides from hotels, I guess..."

"Ho...tels?"

"Ah, nothing."

Regardless, it's true. For the past few years, every morning was the same. Wake up and make breakfast, usually toast, by himself. Mornings were quiet, and he liked that. But they were lonely.

But sitting here with these three, and a cook, fills him with nostalgic warmth. It reminds him of a hotel breakfast, he has always liked those.

No hotels seemed like a strange concept. On his first day, he surely entered something similar to a love hotel. Then again, the man in there didn't recognize what an "inn" was. He concludes that they are simply named something different.

Things in this world have similarities in naming conventions to Earth, but there also exists some blatant oddities. Names like "night-rise" aren't common at all where he comes from. It's like entering a different country with no knowledge of their culture or language.

Timekeeper had given him that gummy to speak and understand the language, but the slang and way of speaking wasn't obtained. How did that gummy even work? It's too early to contemplate otherworldly mechanics.

There are still empty seats.

"Where are the others?" Sirius asks the drowsy girl. Sirius himself is starting to become more awake.

"Hyacinth doesn't usually join us for breakfast. Wilphrey probably has some errands. But, Pholy should be up by now..."

"Oh!" Korlin chimes in per usual. "I'll go look for her!"

"Um... okay?" It's too early for her to comprehend Korlin's nonsense.

The energetic boy jumps off his seat and prances over towards the doorway. He barely turns the corner, only for his feet to hit something on the floor.

Thud

"Ow..." The groggy cry of a short girl lying in the middle of the hallway.

"I'm not even going to ask."

"I sleepy."

Pholy takes a seat considerably far from Korlin, right beside Aureole. Both of their bed-headed hair tangles together as their heads lie next to one another.

Clinking ceramic plates pass themselves in front of everyone one by one. Gilded egg whites absorb a bright yellow ball of yolk in their centers. Uncut meats the shape of small steaks steam and soak in bubbling juices. Shining fruits add color to the painting that is this marvelous plate. Herbs of green are sprinkled over the luscious foods.

"Thank you."

-This is breakfast?!

It truly looks like a royal supper fit for a king. After everyone gets their initial plate, the butler sets down glasses of citrus juice. These are followed by more smaller plates, each with their own delicacies or dipping sauces.

An entire feast is presented before the boy. It's so much more, and so much different from any breakfast he's ever had. Is this a normal breakfast for this land? Or is this just because we're in a mansion, surrounded by royalty?

It's a tad bit... overwhelming.

"Is this alright...?"

Korlin is already stuffing his face, the lord and Pholy have begun as well.

"What was that?"

Aureole moves sluggishly into an upright position. Water forms at the base of her eyelashes due to the rising steam.

"I can eat this, right?" He doesn't know why he's so confused. It's just food...

"Um, yes?" She is even more confused. "Are you alright? Did you get sick? It was cold last night-"

"No, I'm fine, it's just-" He stares at his foreign food-stuffed plate. "Never mind..."

"S-"

"So," the lord speaks out. "After breakfast, Pholy, would you mind taking our new friends here to get new clothes?"

"Pardon?"

Pholy looks flabbergasted at the suggestion.

"Would you mind-"

"No, no... I heard you."

"So..."

"No."

"Hmm, I expect the garden to be shining when I return then." Brushing off the tired girl, he directs his attention to the cook. "In that case, Cilas, would you mind fitting them?"

"Of course, my lord."

The cook, butler, whatever he is, bows in obedience. He looks like the type of man to do anything he is told; his posture reflects his dignified persona. A strong mustache is nestled underneath his nostrils, without it, the gentleman would likely appear an infant.

"You think this guy knows magic?" Korlin flails himself across the gaped seat to whisper in his companion's ear.

"Probably, I mean look at his mustache."

"You're right... that is some mean facial hair right there. It must be magic."

"Has to be."

⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗

"Unfortunately for both of us, my mustache is not magical."

Korlin collapses to the ground, hand over his heart. A dramatic display too overexaggerated to take seriously.

"Betrayal..."

The boy's knees give out and his body lay limp in the center of a comically large closet.

"Apologies, I seem to have given your friend some heartache."

"No, no, that's quite alright. He'll get over it."

"No, I won't!" the dead man yet lives.

"Thank you for taking us here," Sirius shoots the confirmed-to-be butler an appealing expression.

The "here" in question is a massive, studio-apartment-sized closet, stocked full of clothing of all varieties. Three over-sized mirrors are posted around the room to show all angles of yourself. Everything has a nice, wooden scent like a log cabin.

No royal garbs occupy the closet, those are likely kept elsewhere and for good reason. This room looks like it hasn't been used in decades. Though, Cilas mentions Pholy and Hyacinth use this room occasionally. Everyone has their own closets, so this place must act something like a clothing store.

"As it is my lord's wish, I will take you anywhere."

"That's some next-level dedication. Is he really that great?"

"It is not for me to decide whether he is great or not. I am to be loyal to my bitter end."

"Huh... well I appreciate it nonetheless."

Sirius bows calmly, giving the man a modest look on his face. In contrast, the boy sprawled out on the floor raises his voice in a completely immodest fashion.

"You can still teach me magic though... right?"

"Apologies, I am unfit to produce blessings of any kind."

"...Unfit? You mean... some people can't use magic?"

"Correct. If I may ask, you two are Witch Spawn, no?"

Sirius, housing a faint sense of dread, speaks out.

"That's right."

"Do blessings not apply in your land of origin?" The man begins shifting through racks of hanging clothes. "I am informed that your deaths thrusted you into this land. You seem to lack basic knowledge and etiquette. Is your homeland truly that foreign?"

"Ignoring that blatant diss, I suppose so. Things like blessings, wonics, and wailians didn't exist there. The whole concept of Witch Spawns wasn't around either."

"So, it was an entirely different culture? Fascinating..."

"If you don't mind me asking... are there a lot of humans, or Witch Spawn? I haven't seen many just walking around."

Now that they're talking about it, Cilas quite perfectly matches the image of an aged human. So does Wilphrey. But based on all they've said, they couldn't possibly be humans. There must be some distinct difference he's missing.

Pulling out a ridiculous set of polka-dotted pants, the butler holds it in front of his vision, using Sirius as a model.

"From my knowledge, most Witch Spawn brought to this world are either enslaved or sent away to special villages." The concerned faces of the two boys lead Cilas to a smooth follow-up. "Of course, the country of Lunalir takes no part in these engagements. Wi- ... or, humans, are free to roam this land as they please, though most businesses don't tend to serve them. Though, due to constant discrimination, the majority of humans end up migrating north to safe havens."

"Safe havens? Is it really that bad?"

"Lots of people tend to be superstitious around here, it leads them to drastic actions."

"An example being...?" Korlin, now sitting crisscrossed, is more curious than concerned.

Cilas ponders a moment. His aged wrinkles depress further.

"...While rare, hoards of the foolish will sometimes march into the homes of humans, driving them out through threats or violence. These people have it in their minds that humans are here to bring death to all. Devoid of even the thought that these beings are capable of thought or emotion."

"How about you?"

Sirius wants to know how to approach this person. How to appease him.

"I have no qualms with your kind. I do not agree with that mentality... but I understand it."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"..."

"The fear of death... so imbedded in our blood, can drive us mad. The fear of losing someone so important to you... losing your reason to live. Death is cruel, it fuels ambition along with our irrationality. If someone or something were to threaten your existence with the face of death, would you too not cower?"

"..."

"..."

"But those are just misconceptions, humans don't take lives from others or even are related to the witch."

"How can you be so sure? You arrived here mere days ago."

"That's true but..."

"Besides, even if it is false, people love excuses. If given the chance, would you too not also readily blame someone for your distress? People desire to be informed, to believe in something. If something justifies your belief, would you too not strive for it?"

The closet's sound is nothing more than awkward silence.

Sirius admits to himself that he hadn't thought of it that way. Such a cultural difference subconsciously made him detach himself from attempting to understand the inhabitants of this world.

He has always liked to believe that he has a decent understanding of other people. Being able to read people from their movements and expressions was a tiny ounce of pride. Since stepping foot on this planet, he can't help but feel like this skill has been lost.

Or maybe he never had it to begin with. Perhaps it was just another lie he told to himself.

"Man, I'm just trying to get new clothes..." Korlin does a backwards somersault into a straightened stand. "It's too early for Sirius to be hearing philosophical teachings."

"I think you're just bored."

"Perhaps."

Taking a look at his companion, Sirius notices details his tired mind couldn't previously.

"...Were your eyes always so baggy?"

"Huh-? Oh... I think so." Korlin laughs awkwardly, folding a big grin on his face.

"Did you sleep last night?"

"Of course I did," a faint hoarse noise ripples through his words. "I mean, did you feel those beds?!"

"...Mhm."

An uncomfortable tension holds the room. Cilas clears his weathered throat.

"If you would, shall we begin our search?"

⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗

In new, slightly dusty, clothes the two boys begin their advance towards the front yard.

Sirius had picked the closest clothing items he could to what he's used to. Many of the choices were a little... exotic.

A vintage monotone shirt with sleeves stretching down to his elbows and long strings resembling shoelaces hang down from the front. When pulled, the strings tighten the collar and chest part of the loose cotton-like shirt. It differs from what he's used to, but he can definitely get used to it, it's also very comfortable.

Over the shirt is a soft jacket-esche item, darkly colored and hooded. Something about the simplistic design compliments Sirius' features very well. Or so Korlin says.

Cilas mentioned taking his previous clothing to be washed, apparently, the backyard is home to water tanks and many drying racks. An old-fashioned way of living in this huge mansion seems backward in Sirius' mind. But then again, no modern technology appears to exist in this world. The boy had always wondered how life like that would be. Now that it's in front of him, it doesn't register right.

His legs don loose attire reaching down to his newly equipped shoes. A surprisingly comfortable pair of bleakly colored, leathery footwear. The shape resembles sneakers, but the design and feel are completely foreign.

Korlin on the other hand, got a little more unique with his fashion choices.

Apart from his shoes, everything else is molded into a stereotypical adventure style.

Raggy gray pants stopping at his ankles. An overly long fitted shirt is tied around the waist by a belt wrapped into a knot. An unhooded cloak hugs his neck and shoulders, draping down to his lower back. The only thing missing is a sword at his hip, but other than that, he looks like he could go fight some goblins.

"Are you really going to stick with that outfit? Not judging or anything, just wondering."

He is indeed silently judging him.

"What? I look epic, don't I?"

"Epic...?"

"Like I'm an adventurer, right? Off to slay the demon king!" He poses on a nearby rock, a blinding gleam of pride in his eyes. "Or something..."

"Is that another one of your fantasies?"

"Call them what you will..."

"I feel like you need a bow and a quiver on your back. Or maybe a shield and headband to really sell the whole swordsman vibe."

"I agree with the headband, but I'd rather be a mage than a swordsman. Casting spells and whatnot."

"Then you should have dressed like one. Get a long robe like a wizard."

"I'm not an old wise man so I couldn't pull it off... yet. Besides, I think I look quite dapper, don't you?" He does a little twirl and falls flat on his back.

"The floor looks lovely on you, come on." Suppressing a chuckle he continues through the lavish garden.

Perfectly maintained flowerbeds and fruit trees decorate the vast yard. Cloudless blue expands above, spreading its warmth upon the land. Among Alzir's notes was the idea that Lunalir's temperature is low compared to most. Being on the southern end of the planet, Lunalir's temperature sits at a reliable warm with cool a breeze. It's almost perfect.

it just so happened to be boiling hot when he first arrived.

Floral scents fill the air, if one was allergic, it would almost be fatal.

Speaking of which...

Korlin sneezes violently, snot shooting out his nostrils. He groans and tumbles onto Sirius' back.

"Sirius... I can't take it..."

"Are you allergic? You didn't sneeze when we came through here before."

"That's because I was distracted."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"When I'm distracted my allergies don't act up."

"What kind of logic is that? You're just defying nature at that point."

"Sirius-" his cry interrupted with another howling sneeze. "Distract me or I'll die..."

The boy wraps his arms over Sirius and falls limp, Sirius has to drag him along the stone.

"You're literally the easiest person in the world to distract, just think about magic or something."

"Is there allergy-stopping magic? I'd like some of that." Rogue snot plants itself onto Sirius' new clothes.

-I can't even wear clean clothes...

Sirius sets Korlin on the edge of a flowerbed and cracks his own back.

"I'll help in a minute just hang in there," he says wiping off the mucus from his jacket with a nearby rock.

Korlin proceeds to fall backward into the mulch, staining his new attire. Sniffles escape the fallen warrior.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

A familiar voice rings out and reverberates through the garden. The voice of a short, fiery girl.

"I just mulched that bed! Get out of there!" Pholy rushes up, steam rising from her head.

Upon hearing her voice, Korlin basically teleports from the bed to a kneeled position beside Sirius. The boy deepens his voice to sound older.

"I apologize, my highness."

"Wh- What..." Pholy is at a loss for words. "What's with the getup?"

"Don't question it," Sirius replies.

"Kindel give me strength..." she sighs. "Why are you two out here?"

"For house training miss!" Korlin prostrates himself with a humble salute.

"House training..." she sounds like she could cry. Transparent smoke rises from her head. "Look," she rubs her eyes in disdain. "I'm just the gardener, alright? I don't do household chores and all that. If you want to know about those ask Cinth or Cilas."

"Cilas directed us to you..."

"Rrrr, okay, I'm going to keep it straight with you two. I'm here to water plants and get paid. I don't want to waste my time babysitting and teaching you how to fold laundry."

"Come on, taking care of some plants can't take that long. Besides, you live here, don't you? What else do you have to do?"

"I have a life outside of this..."

"Oh reallllly? Like what?"

"Aeu- uh," she's unraveling at the seams. Steam plumes from her ears as her eyes look for nonexistent salvation. "Spending money..."

"I knew it!"

"Shut up!"

"Didn't anyone ever teach you not to waste money all the time? Who would have thought you were a spoiled florist tsundere loli..."

"WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!"

It's as if a fuse lit and is slowly burning to her last grasp of sanity. Her golden hair rises along with the steam, the ends lit with pink flames.

"This is not safe for the plants! Why are you a gardener if you can light yourself on fire?!"

"I LIKE PLANTS!"

....

...

The flaming girl sizzles out, her body engulfed in pink embers. Her breath heavy, she brushes off her smoke-stained clothes.

Korlin dons a wonder-struck look on his face. A flame other than hers blazes in his eyes.

"You're so cool..."

"In any case," she sighs and swallows hard. "You both should go inside and consult Cinth. Though, I doubt she'll be thrilled to see you. She can teach you some of the basics."

"Question!" Korlin raises his hand as if in a classroom.

"..."

Her fed-up expression needs no words.

"Can you teach us to read and write?"

...

Her mouth gapes open and her eyebrows contort inwards like she's just heard the saddest thing imaginable.

"Y-you can't read? Or write...? Seriously?"

With the utmost confidence, the boy responds with his chest held high.

"Seriously."

"Kindel give me strength..." She rubs her eyes in both frustration and disbelief. "You're both Witch Spawn, yes? I guess that checks out..." she groans. "Alright, if I have time I can help teach you some things, but no promises."

Korlin gets down on his knee in a knightly position and gracefully grabs her slender hand.

"Thank you, your majesty."

His charade leads him to a backhanded slap to the cheek.

"Leave."

Holding his cheek, with an overly joyous look on his face, the boy shuffles in the direction of the manor. His allergies completely ceased to protrude him, replaced with nothing but tranquility and enlightenment.

"Pardon us," Sirius politely bows. He can't help but feel bad for her, but even he finds enjoyment in their banter.

He rushes after the bliss-ridden boy, leaving the fiery florist by herself.

A faint grin creeps onto her gentle face.

⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗

It takes the pair approximately half an hour to find which door the purple-haired girl resides behind.

Slowly pushing open the door, a room almost an exact replica of his own sprawls out before him. Apart from a notable number of books, some differently placed plants, and rearranged furniture, the fancy room remains the same.

The girl herself sits at her paper-cluttered desk reading an ancient-looking tome.

"What is it?"

The girl asks bleakly, her voice softspoken and eyes fixated on the text. Apart from her question, it's impossible to tell if she noticed someone enter.

"What are you reading?" The amber-eyed boy replies, not wanting to straight-up tell her to come teach us how to do our new jobs.

"Does it matter?"

Her glacial response sets the mood for the rest of the conversation to follow.

"I suppose not..."

An awkward rift is torn between them, only silence filling the void. She has no desire to commute with the boy.

-How am I supposed to talk to her??

"Uh," stumbling on his own words, thinking of how to best portray himself, he ends up on words of gratitude. "Thank you, for earlier."

"..."

"Without you, I would probably be out in the streets with nowhere to stay. So, thank you."

"Rawlin wouldn't let you leave even if you wanted to. He was just testing you."

Her ominous words strike Sirius in an unnerving fashion. Wouldn't let me leave?

"What do you mean?"

"He's been searching for Witch Spawns for months now, even if you ran away, he'd track you down and bring you right back."

"..."

"In other words... you're trapped here now." She closes her hefty book and sets it down on the desk. "Whether you like it or not. That's just the kind of man he is."

Dread tickles the back of his mind, threatening to take over at any moment. Trapped? Why does he want us here? What's he going to do to us? Thoughts such as these well up and almost spill out into words.

He suppresses the urge to voice these concerns.

"I see..." he taps nervously on the doorframe. "Do you perchance know why-"

"I don't. If you want to know you'll have to ask him yourself." She sighs like this conversation is tiresome and gets out of her seat. "Alright, let's get started."

-So, she does know why I'm here...

She walks past Sirius who politely opens the door for her. Wavy, shoulder-length, violet hair lightly bounces as she steps, almost in a childish way. In contrast, her expression is dull and lifeless.

Without a word, he begins following the cold girl.

A boy with adventure-ready clothing runs up from behind and leaps onto Sirius' shoulders. Sirius stumbles around on the verge of falling flat on his face. Barely able to stand, Sirius adjusts himself upright with the boy on his traps.

-I thought my neck was going to snap...

"Sorry about that, you alright?"

"Y-yeah."

Korlin pats Sirius on the cheeks and points forward.

"Onwards!"

"What am I, a horse?"

Their journey ends at the biggest linen closet he's ever seen. It's like a pantry for cleaning supplies and tools.

"Here is your equipment, try not to break it."

Her voice reminds him of a depressed tour guide he had a couple of years ago on a school trip.

"Right..."

Without a second to lose, she starts walking off to the next location.

She stops at one of many bathrooms.

"In here, clean everything if it needs to be."

"Does anyone even use this bathroom?" Korlin asks.

"No."

She begins towards their next stop.

In the main foyer, she motions them toward the staircases railing.

"Once in a while, dust it. Along with other shelves and tables."

"..."

She takes them to a few more spots and briefly describes what to do.

Mirrors? Wipe them down. Crumbs on the floor? Sweep them up. Trash getting full? Take it outside.

The whole experience is oddly underwhelming. Hyacinth herself is completely deadpan and without motivation. The simple explanation of basic chores left both boys with dragging boredom.

"Question," Korlin proposes.

"..."

"What do you do around here? Are you a maid?"

"Never in your dreams."

"Then...?"

"I run errands occasionally."

"..."

"..."

"That's all?"

"Basically."

Korlin gives Sirius an exaggerated grimace. His face screaming the question: seriously?

The final destination on the five-star tour is in front of a door with a massive lock on the handle. A foreboding and ominous air exhausts out the door, something important must be locked inside.

"And here is Rawlin's room. You can clean the lock or something."

"Can we go in? I want to see if he has a wardrobe of blindfolds."

"Not a chance. Entry is forbidden to everyone except himself."

"Aw come on... who even is this guy??" he basks in annoyance.

"Who knows..."

She begins her advance someplace else.

"So..." Sirius changes the subject. "How did you end up here? How'd you meet the lord?"

"That's none of your concern."

"...Ah."

Disappointment is a word that comes to mind. But surprise is not, he expected such an answer.

"So now what?" Korlin tries to liven things up.

"We're done. That was all. You can go clean if you want, not that you really need to."

"Do I get paid if I do?"

"Why would I know?"

"How often do you get paid?"

"Once a week."

"How often do you run these... errands?"

"Once every two months or so."

"...Huh." The boy looks unsatisfied with her answers. "What's your relationship with Pholy?"

"Husband. Are you done talking yet?"

Sirius pats his sulking companion on the back. She isn't nearly as entertaining to him as Pholy is. Her deadpan voice and expressions completely contrast Korlin's upbeat and childlike personality.

Awkward silence practically echoes through the halls. The two continue following the girl for no particular reason.

"Oh right," Sirius begins, shattering the cumbersome vibe. "Would you be willing to teach us reading and writing?"

"Absolutely not."

"You like reading books, right?" His question grabs her attention. "Do you have a dictionary or any easy-to-read ones? Anything would be helpful."

She continues walking down the hall, lightly bouncing. After pondering a moment, she gives her response.

"Follow me."

A smile filled with gratitude exerts itself from Sirius, not that she sees it.

Entering her room, Korlin immediately does a somersault for no particular reason. Sirius can't help but feel a little embarrassed. Hyacinth responds to his stunt with only a brief dumbfounded stare.

Shaking off Korlin's shenanigans, she approaches her massive wall of books. Each and every one is neatly organized on the shelves which do not house a single speck of dust.

Hyacinth scans through the shelves before landing on a thick green book.

As if an echo of before, the book is just outside of her reach. She hops up and down trying to grab its spine. Her quiet frustration is amusing to watch.

Sirius decides for a redo, hoping for a better response than last time.

He walks up and she once again halts her bunny hops. He once again notices how she isn't that much shorter than he is. Sirius gets on the tips of his toes and just barely gets his fingertips on the book. He slides it out of its space on the shelf.

She looks embarrassed with a slight hint of irritation. Nothing like the revulsion of her last response.

-Progress!

A shallow amount of pride swells up in Sirius, but it quickly fades.

"Right... thanks. You can use that. Have Wilphrey help you out, he's good at teaching."

"Oh, yeah," he doesn't know what he was expecting her to say, but it wasn't that. "Thank you."

"Mm," she turns and falls down into her chair again. She picks up the book from earlier and searches for the page she left on.

Without a word, she leaves the boys with the singular option of leaving the room.

It's time for studying.

Thud

The thick book slams onto the desk and sweeps dust out from under it. Korlin sneezes.

"Are you allergic to dust?"

"I'm allergic to dictionaries."

"Ah, of course. My bad."

Sirius opens the weathered book; its pages are cold. Immediately, the learning curve is apparent and daunting. Symbols and characters are inked on the page in a downward slope from left to right. Even the direction of reading is different, but it is more than readable.

The characters themselves repeat multiple times throughout the front page, presumably, it is a letter system. That gives him a vague sense of relief as the thought of learning a certain number of characters is much more manageable than if it were along the lines of kanji or hieroglyphs.

Still, as he is now, this is all gibberish. Complete and utter nonsense.

"Damn," Korlin whispers in awe and intimation. "I've always wanted to learn a new language."

"Why didn't you?"

"Too much work."

"..."

"Also lack of need and motivation. But this looks so awesome!"

"It does..."

"That's it," he breathes out slowly. "I'm going to give this everything I've got. I'm going to learn this like nobody has ever learned before... Will you join me?" He is deepening and trying to make his voice cool.

"S-sure... though I won't have as much motivation as you."

Korlin is smoldering, majestically looking out the window. "..."

"...Do you want to start?"

"...As you wish."

"Right..."

Korlin smiles stupidly at the page, an inkclaw ready in his hand. Blinking repeatedly, he stares into the unknown void that is the book.

"I don't get."

"We need a reference of some sort..."

"I doubt they have Witch Spawn translations in this world."

"You're probably right..."

The two continue making baseless assumptions on foreign letters. Connecting words with similar lengths to those on the pages. None of them are correct.

"Auegghhhhh," Korlin moans. "We're getting nowhere!"

"I just realized something..."

"Did you crack it?!" His waning mood rises instantaneously.

"Uh, no... the opposite actually."

"Pardon?" It drops just as fast.

"You're speaking the language you did on Earth, right?"

"Yes...?"

"...And the Timekeeper gave us those gummies that let us speak and understand this language..."

"Yes..." It takes a second to kick in. "Oh my god... we're not actually speaking an Earth language right now, are we?"

"Mm."

"Now that you mention it... your mouth doesn't fit with the words you're saying."

Sirius looks at the boy's mouth as he speaks the words. It's true. The way his lips move does not match with the words he is saying.

"You're right..."

"So, this is pointless to try and understand..." He takes in a nice long breath and lets it all out. "I give up."

"What happened to learning like nobody has ever learned before??"

"This is beyond my abilities. A shut-in like me has no chance of learning a new language. I was a fool to believe after years of neglecting education I would be able to learn."

-That's a bit dramatic...

knock knock

"Pardon me."

The door to Korlin's room opens, revealing an aged gentleman with snow-white hair thrown in a perfect bun.

"Wilphrey!" Korlin's fallen spirit ascends to the heavens at the sight of the man. "Can you teach me magic, please?"

"I heard you were learning something far more important, no? I've come to assist in your education."

Korlin walks over and collapses on his bed, sulking.

"You heard from someone?" Sirius asks.

"Yes, Miss Hyacinth informed me. She requested I aid you."

-Hyacinth did?

Sirius releases a pleasing smile. Something about her helping makes him feel fuzzy.

"Well, thank you. I look forward to your help."

"Me too," Korlin mentions, his face stuffed in the bedsheets.

Wilphrey smiles warmly, wrinkles forming at his eyes. "But first, lord Rawlin would like to see you in his study."

"The lord? That's right, he wanted to see us..."

"What do you think it's about?" The boy is a mixture of excitement and curiosity.

Sirius shrugs his shoulders.

⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗

Wilphrey guides the pair to a dual set of doors.

"I shall await your return. Please, do exercise your manners."

"We will," Sirius reassures the stoic man.

"Why do I feel like he was talking directly to me?" Korlin whispers in Sirius' ear.

Ignoring the question with a painfully obvious answer, Sirius pulls open the doors to the study.

It's marvelous. Bookshelves reach and make contact with the sprawling high ceiling. The scent of paper swarms the nostrils, you can almost taste it. The room's size is triple that of any other on the second floor.

"This is a study, right?"

"Uh-huh..."

"You could raise sixteen children in this place."

"???"

The columns of books are the result of three similar layers stacked onto one another. Each layer has its own rolling ladder that glides along the shelves on wooden wheels.

Behind the dangling chandelier, a figure emerges by sliding along the wall, one-handedly holding onto the ladder. How he does it while blindfolded is beyond reason.

"Ah, welcome friends!"

The lord shoves a text in his teeth and drops down from his second-story ladder, using the friction of the wall to smooth his descent.

"Show off," Korlin is undoubtedly impressed.

"I take it you both are accustomed by now?"

"I wouldn't say accustomed, but I think we've gotten the gist of life here."

As the words spill off his tongue, Sirius realizes how different this all is from his old life. Living in a grand mansion such as this is a complete turnover from his mundane days in those cramped homes. Not to say his parent's homes were small, but the people in those houses made them suffocating. Here, there is an overwhelming amount of space to breathe and get away, almost too much.

"That's wonderful," Rawlin sets down his bitten book and readjusts his tiny top hat. "Apologies for yesterday, I may have come across as rather hostile. I needed simply see where your hearts lie. I wish you think of me in goodwill."

"It's alright, I thank you again for letting us in your home." Sirius feels the need to bow, and so he does.

"Someone is quite the gentleman..." the lord pauses like he is analyzing Sirius. "Interesting."

"..."

"Anyhow, I would like to discuss a matter with you both, please follow me."

The lord leads them through the jungle of books. Most of the spines look ancient and weathered.

"Do you read all of these?" Korlin asks, climbing up a shelf.

"Huh? Ah, no, most of these books came with the place. I can't even read half of them."

"Really?"

"Unfortunately, I am only capable of speaking two tongues. I don't have the time to learn any more."

"Then why even have so many books? Couldn't you just sell them for more money?"

"This study contains accumulated knowledge from as far as Blasphem to Kaarangdi. Detailing accounts from within Raenar's Domain and Esflowna's Tomb. In the country of Lunalir, this collection of books is second only to that of the royal castle."

"Oh..."

"The wisdom within these walls holds the answers to many of the secrets I wish to uncover. These scrolls will surely assist in making my goal become reality." The lord's face radiates with determination.

"..."

"Which leads me to you both." His tone hastily swaps to one of business. Rawlin grabs a seat and starts shuffling through a desk.

"To us?"

"I have been looking for humans such as yourself for some time now."

"Why?"

"...Have either of you heard about the Witch of Death?"

A sullen air thickens in the room. As if simply speaking her name is a bad omen.

"...Briefly. Though, I believe both of us have met her."

"I thought so... and do either of you know what she does to this land?"

Sirius nudges Korlin.

"Oh, right..." Korlin clears his throat. "Wilphrey mentioned she is one of the three witches. That she kills people without hesitation, and she uses the lives of those she kills to create Witch Spawns."

"...Indeed," he seems troubled. "Fields shrivel up overnight, newborn children aren't living as long, the health of the elderly is withering... All of these factors derive from the Witch."

"..."

"Our planet is dying. Night after night more death ravages the world. The Witch of Death is seen as the villain of it all."

"Is that really true? When we met her, she was really sweet."

"..." Behind the blindfold is a face one can only compare to reminiscence. "Regardless of its accuracy, the fact remains the Witch is a threat to the wellbeing of people across not just Lunalir but the entire world."

"..."

"So, with Aureole a candidate for the throne, if her party were to bring down the Witch of Death..."

"She would win no matter what," Sirius figures it out.

"Exactly. I plan to track down the witch and put an end to her tyrannical rule over life. I only pray she doesn't take mine beforehand."

"So, what do you want from us?" Sirius questions.

"Most people fear the witch so much they can't even think to make a move. World leaders throughout Mirgaia and even the nobles of Lunalir, who once spoke of and got elected from talks of tracking her down, refuse to pursue the witch. As a result, the world stands stagnant. Slowly, we all wait for our inevitable demise."

"..."

"But with a Witch Spawn, one closely related to her, they wouldn't back down from fear of their creator. Surely, you wish to find her, no?"

"...Why would we-?"

"Isn't there something you want to get back? Something she took from you?"

"What..." The problem he's been subconsciously ignoring reenters his mind. "Our memories..."

The lord nods.

"Are you saying if we find her..."

"You can keep your memories."

"..."

Korlin is quiet. Whenever memories are brought up, he withdraws from the conversation.

"What do you say? Will you join me on this witch hunt? To put an end to the needless death that plagues this planet? With the witch gone, surely even the prejudice against your kind will dwindle away."

"..."

"You could live without being discriminated against and be a part of the party that took down the wretched witch. You could live like a noble, wealthy, and surely Aureole would take further interest in you."

"..."

"So? What of you? Will you keep your memories, or have them waste away until you are nothing more than a shell?"

"...I..."

"Don't you want to keep your memories?"

"...I... don't know..."

"..."

"..."

"I see... I realize this may be a bit much to dump on you all at once. I don't wish to pressure you into a decision. You may take your time and make your choice. I will continue my research on my own."

"Right..."

Sirius is conflicted. More so than he's ever felt before.

-Do I want to keep my memories?

The question bangs around in his mind. He doesn't know.

Everything the lord said seems too good to be true. It leaves him in a state of pondering.

"Until you make your decision, have Wilphrey teach you the local language."

"Right..."

"But just know... there is no going back to your old world. This is where your life lies now. You will not return, so if you wish to know anything of that place, you will need to keep your memories. Do not think stagnation will have no consequence in this matter."

"Mm..."

Sirius heads to the exit, Korlin follows behind without a word. The lord eyes them until the two disappear behind the door.

-I don't know what to do...