By the next day, after having spent the night alone with his mother, Rou awoke to her having already got up and prepared a spread of fruit and berry preserves and pickled vegetables. A fairly standard meal of course. Not that their kind /didn't/ eat meat, but winter as it was, his family mostly just went with the easier route. Monsters did exist in this world and their meat was actually rather nutritious all said, but it was not at all a common practice. Fish was much more common, excepting they lived in the middle of nowhere with no access to such things.

As he sat there, idly eating and rather enjoying it as usual - something that amused Rou quite a lot given he wasn't terribly much for berries or preserved things in his past life - he suddenly came to realize his mother Shiela was staring at him.

"You okay?"

He asked her way, the woman nodding.

"Just happy you're enjoying eating." she said with a smile.

Of course he didn't fully believe her but didn't press the topic as she hadn't quite wanted to elaborate. Though he felt a bit like a pet dog at a park whose owner was watching it poop. A bit on show when it wasn't quite that necessary. Finally though as he finished, he got up and walked over to the little set of wooden steps they'd commissioned from the local woodworker so Rou could reach various things. In this case, a basin they kept dishes in and used for other purposes. One of which was him using the hand-held handle that was for non-bathroom spray cleaning to clean up his nails and hands and mouth and such.

A process he'd been introduced to over years of watching the third-party view of the boys life and his own experiences in recent times. And a nearby towel to mostly dry off and a wide-tooth comb to mostly align his fur back in the right manner. Though it wasn't for much as he was shortly picked up and taken by his mother for a bath. Rou mentally grumbled but what could he say? At this age it made sense for his host body.

It was days like this where Shiela was feeling a bit clingy that Rou felt a little like a stuffed animal. He was there to be hugged and loved and dressed up and changed and not that he minded it as he understood just how much he meant to the woman who previously thought she was barren for life, but…

A slight irony, his past life was fairly lonely. Mostly by his own choice. No misogny or miserly ways, just never really pursued any relationship and never had much post-schooldays socializing. Thus as he sat here naked with his mother in a bath, he didn't really feel much. Perhaps it was his host body just not caring, or him, Rou wasn't really sure. Shiela idly chatted at him and he responded with simple nods or grunting affirmations, letting himself be washed and combed out and oiled so his fur stayed nice and soft. Then washed again and dried out with a combination of towel and hand-held drying artifact - of which note, these were most definitely coined by someone who previously came from his world, not that he particularly cared as they were convenient - and eventually got another light layer of oil combed through his fur.

All for not much as once he was dry and clean and feeling like he might be allowed outside for the day, once again he was lifted, taken to bed and used like a hug pillow by his mother.

"..."

–

Around midday after he once again woke up from what felt like a sleeping spell, body unable to resist the allure of bed and hugs, he slipped out of his mothers arms quietly as she slept and walked over to pick up the magic tome he'd been handed regarding gravity magic. The antiquated and dilapidated thing got him a little dusty as he carefully sat it on the floor and he started to gently manipulate it to open and see inside. The memories inside himself certainly made him take his time, not wanting to damage it, and each page did certainly get his interest. But a major problem?

He couldn't read this world's language.

Rou promptly opened his screen and tapped on Contact:Affection. At least, he was in the process of it, but was interrupted with a huff and a yawn and a half cackle.

"Don't bother, what do you need?"

He paused and looked up, 'Were you watching, or waiting for that?'

"Not a chance, don't be conceited. What possible reason would I have to watch your day to day routines?"

'...because you don't have anything better to do? I'm fairly sure by this point you gods don't actually… do much on the day to day. Otherwise you wouldn't seem so happy to converse.'

"Lies! I am never happy to converse with you brat, I am simply being genial~" Rou could once again almost imagine her attempting to preen her image in front of him as if to insist she was superior.

–

These kinds of conversations weren't rare with Affection. Ever since he got her contact information, she'd become essentially an online chat friend. Couldn't see them. Couldn't touch them. But could still DM them and for those who were otherwise undisposed and jobless, they would usually respond in short order. Despite her wording, haughtiness and general demeanor, Rou was fairly sure she was actually a bit on the lonely side and incredibly happy to have the company. She'd never admit it though. And he, too, enjoyed his part in things.

His only regret was that he very much wanted to go back into her space and meet her 'in person' again for these chats and hangouts but she never obliged. Didn't quite say no so much as insisted it simply wasn't proper.

Then again, they both knew his reason was he thought furry things were cute, and he treated her a bit like a surly street cat that he saw on the way in and out of his house on most days. Slightly dirty, extra fluffy, awkward attitude and a bit disgruntled but occasionally lets you pet it and has an extra cute meow. He was on a mission to befriend the feral so to speak. Only this one could talk. And was a goddess. And could likely turn his life off with a thought. So a much more dangerous mission but one all the same.

'But that said, I meant to ask… if you know, or if you don't, if you could drag Aether over, why is it that I can read the Screen and the words on it, but not necessarily the words in this book? Does the screen automatically translate by default, or does it not need translation because it simply appears accordingly? Or is there something else going on?'

The question actually gave pause to Affection.

"I really don't know… that's… I hate to say it, but that's a good question. Damnit." She felt defeated, clearly. The idea of a 'good question' from him who usually just chatted about nothing left her feeling a bit stupid. She should know this!

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

"Aether, get over here."

"What?! Don't just pull me somewhere like that, since when are you so demanding? Wanting hugs ag–"

Though he couldn't see them, from the sudden scramble he heard mentally and what he assumed was Affection trying to murder Aether into silence to stop her from revealing her secrets, Rou doubled over in laughter while trying to stay as quiet as possible to avoid waking his sleeping mother.

"Great, now he's laughing at me! THIS IS YOUR FAULT, I AM BEING LAUGHED AT!" Affection screamed loudly at Aether, who was utterly confused. "He?" and then after a moment, "Oh, you have a communion channel open. To… oh, to him. Hello mortal."

'Hello.' She seemed far more normal by comparison. 'Does Affection like hugs from you too?'

Affection nearly died despite being an immortal high-dimensional being and before she could even respond, Aether chattily responded, "Oh yes, only when she's sure the others are busy. I used to think she had a crush on me but I came to realize she's just a bit needy. Thank you for being sweet with her Rou."

Before Rou could answer, the connection was forcibly killed, presumably by Affection, and he suddenly felt a bit sick as his status screen reflected a loss of the [Contact:Affection] perk he'd gained previously. Though he also saw it re-added shortly once again, this time with a note - added by Aether. And then, click, it was opened again in a new connection.

"Don't mind her, she's still young by our standards. We didn't plan for her to be associated with affection as you mortals insisted upon, but once she was kind of dubbed with that name, she was rather excited to try and live up for it. But all it did was just make her incredibly lonely as she got to watch everyone else find someone to love and have offspring with and stay with day to day while she just… got to watch."

'I understand, I didn't plan on holding it against her anyways. I'm just happy to have someone to talk to, it's quite boring at the moment with my life. Besides, like you said, she's just lonely. I'm sure if she got a good, hard lay and…'

Rou felt like he was hit in the head with a baseball bat. Just instant dizziness and then he woke up some unknown amount of time later. His confusion was immense only to see screens floating above him with a series of notifications.

Notice:

Title Gained - [Bastard!]

Title Lost - [Bastard!]

Title Gained - [Pervert!]

Title Lost - [Pervert!]

Title Gained - [Destined for reincarnation as a shit-eating beetle!]

Title Lost - [Destined for reincarnation as a shit-eating beetle!]

Status System locked by Aether.

Failed attempt to unlock by Affection.

Failed attempt to unlock by Affection.

Failed attempt to…

"I'll fucking kill you! Don't you ever talk about me that way again! Do I seem like a lonely teenage girl lusting after some cute neighbor boy to you?! I'll rip your malformed soul into pieces!" Affection's dismay and embarrassment was palpable as she screamed and fumed at Rou while Aether tried to calm her down.

"He is correct though dear." Aether chided, leaving Rou to hear a croak of what was likely Affection's soul escaping her body and trying to hide out of pure embarrassment.

–

Poor Rou was actually really sick at the moment as a result of it all. Apparently having titles and perks stripped from you was incredibly sickening. It felt like a piece of skin being ripped off suddenly, and he had actually wandered to the bathing room with great effort to throw up into a bucket. His mother quickly woke up and freaked out before he lied softly to calm her down. "A bug… flew in my mouth. It was gross…"

Shiela's concern turned into trying to hold back laughter while also feeling bad for her kid, hugging him and offering reassurances. Of course, it wasn't a bug at all.

–

Once again waking up later, this time alone, Rou didn't see anyone in the home with him. Though a glance out the nearby window showed his mother working outside in the garden and even his father having come back at some point, doing similar.

"Ah, you're awake."

Aether's voice rang in his ears.

'Yes?'

"I wanted to apologize for not being able to hold back Affection's fit earlier. While it is partially your fault, she is very much to blame. Also… an apology. What you went through, felt, during that was not intended. We knew that the loss of certain things in the Screen could cause a strange sensation but no one has ever gained and lost so much in succession and the… consequences escaped our notice. I feel absolutely terrible about all this. There are now safeties put in place both to limit how quickly one can remove things - that /cannot/ be overridden outside of myself and someone above me in status - as well as a soul disconnect method that will briefly cause someone to blank while the process happens to avoid the awkwardness of it."

Rou realized what she was talking about and briefly felt nauseous again before laying in bed and smiling up at the ceiling. 'It's okay. In my last life, I always enjoyed trying to befriend street cats as it was. Getting bit happened now and then, especially when one got overly friendly and enjoyed the attention, only to realize they were getting attention and spazzed out. I will… consider it being bitten.'

This time Aether was the one who got to laugh, snorting with giggles. "Well, yes, she does enjoy her… stomach being rubbed!" and then another peal of giggles.

'Though I did mean to ask you, before we all got distracted… why is it I can read the words on my Screen despite not knowing how to read this language yet? I asked Affection and she didn't know.'

"Oh. That is because those aren't words, those are concepts. It is… it's a bit hard to explain that in lay terms but in the same way us higher-dimensional beings are able to communicate without language, low-dimensional beings can also naturally comprehend things like that. So the system up here that controls the Screens and records Statuses and all that simply transmits information in high-dimensional concepts and thus everyone can naturally parse it."

'For someone who said she couldn't explain it easily, that was easily understood. Thank you, Aether, you're quite good at that.' Rou responded simply, understanding exactly what she meant much to his own surprise. 'Did you lace that explanation with high-dimensional communication too?'

"...you are a bit more observant than you should be. Don't let that get you into trouble dear."

Rou grinned at the compliment, and warning.

'As compensation for the system failing earlier… could I ask for something?'

"I don't see why not. What did you have in mind?"

'Could you set it up so I can receive information in high-dimensional concepts from whatever I read? That way even if I don't know the language, I can still understand it.'

"Mm… I mean, that's not the most difficult thing in the world. I could probably sort out a perk like that without much trouble. And I don't really think it's abusive either. Okay, sure. But I will warn you not to… use it on a large scale. Your soul isn't equipped to handle that kind of surge of high-dimensional energy. A little at a time isn't problematic and in fact can serve to temper, but if you were to walk into a library and just try to abuse it your poor soul would crack like an overripe melon. Sound good?"

Naturally Rou was nervous hearing that, but nodded, 'I would like to think I can measure myself, so sure, thank you very much.'

–

A few hours later…

Notice:

Perk Gained - [High-Dimensional Reading Glasses - Upon tapping your left temple, you can turn on the translation function. A pair of glasses will be worn, visible only to you, and you can adjust them as you see fit or use them accordingly.]

Perk Gained - [Contact:Aether - Call me anytime.]

Title Gained - [Affection's Betrothed - Don't mind this, just teasing the girl. She gained a similar title and is fuming. Consider it her punishment for 'biting' you. Though, if you ever find a way to bridge dimensions on a whim… arranged pairings between higher-dimensional beings isn't unheard of.]

Title Gained - [Feral Cat Tamer - Aids in getting along with soulless creatures when they are otherwise inclined against being friendly. Not a guarantee or promise, just… an urge.]

Title Gained - [System Tester - What it says on the tin. You can submit feedback directly about the system through a ticket system, if you'd rather not just chat me up directly.]

Status Gained [Sublimated Soul I - Just a bit of polishing done to your soul after the mishap with the system. Most adventurers in your world will have this status by the time of their first grading, so it's normal but strange for one your age to have it. Show or conceal as you like. Normally gained through absorbing monster cores and natural aether crystallizations. Just lie and say you accidentally absorbed something if you must.]