"Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing."

Euripides

The little boy was a new existence for him. He didn’t have a younger brother in his last life. The memories of his older brother made him wince.

The child peeked behind him before creeping into the room and closing the door. There was a guilty look on the small boy’s face as the door swung close with a creek.

Nathair smiled. Their parents had probably warned this child to leave him alone.

“Big brother, are you feeling better?” The child tiptoed over before climbing on his bed.

Nathair shifted over to give him more space. This was Oran. “Much better.” He said with a hoarse voice.

Oran’s eyes widened. He jumped off the bed before running out of the room.

He watched his brother’s retreating figure. Had he done something wrong? It was one interaction, and he already gave himself away?

A moment later, the boy was back. He held a cup carefully in both his hands. “Here.” He thrust it out.

The water he’d been so careful to carry sloshed over the edge. His face crumpled.

Nathair took the cup and patted the boy on the head. He was thankful for the care.

Oran reached up with both hands and held his head. Were all children this adorable?

He took a sip, and it eased the dryness in his throat. He hadn’t realized how thirsty he was.

The boy moved back to the door and closed it before making his way back to the bed.

He finished drinking, placing the cup on the table beside his bed. Oran had not been quiet the second time. He was sure that his parents realized what the child was doing and left him to his antics.

The child fidgeted. Oran shuffled on the bed. It was clear he didn’t know what to do now that they were together.

Nathair wasn’t sure how to interact with this child either. In the memories he watched, he and Oran weren’t close or distant. He just viewed his brother as a responsibility he’d been given. He took a moment to study his younger brother.

Oran looked more like their mother. He had inherited her facial features but had a gentle air to him. His hair was a halfway mix between both their parents. His skin was pale and didn’t have the rugged quality that their parents had. All in all, he looked like an adorable child.

The door to his room creaked open. He looked over to see his sister. He now had confirmation that his parents were aiding and abetting his siblings. His sister was not tall enough to open his door.

Aneira toddled in. She moved behind the door and made a production of pushing it closed. She toddled her way over. “Big Bot’er Nat’air, you okay?”

His little sister was adorable. He didn’t know if it was a blessing or a curse that his sister took after Argus. Only time would tell how those features softened as she grew into a woman.

She had her hands on the edge of the bed, looking up into his face.

Leaning over, he picked her up and placed her on the bed.

Two pairs of identical purple eyes turned his way. “I feel fine.” Thankfully his voice sounded normal this time.

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“Yay!” Aneira said, throwing her hands in the air.

Oran sat, nodding his head. His expression was serious. It was comical when paired with his baby face.

He pinched Aneira’s cheek. She huffed at him but let him have his way.

Was this how his siblings looked at him when he was younger? There had been an age gap between them.

Aneira started babbling. He didn’t understand some of it. It took a moment to realize that she was telling him what had happened in the days that he was sick.

Oran looked annoyed that his sister was stealing his thunder. Did his little brother have middle child syndrome? He didn’t cut her off. He waited patiently for her to finish.

It wasn’t long before he felt sleepy again. He drifted off to his sister's voice.

He woke up to light streaming through his window.

How long had he slept this time? He would prefer it if he only slept through the night.

Getting out of bed, he moved around his room. Opening the cupboard and checking under the bed, he noticed something. His room had no personality. It was like no one lived here.

There should be toys or something. Why was that?

He opened the door, looking up and down the corridor. He had no sense of time. Were his parents up already?

He followed the corridor, stepping into the living room/dining room area. There was a plate on the table covered by a net. Attached to the top was a note.

The language was unfamiliar to him. It had weird connected characters. His brain supplied the information that this was Faurian. The common language of this continent. To his shock, he realized that he could read what was on the note.

Hadn't he lost all of his younger self’s memories? How then was he able to read the words on the paper?

Nathair took it up and read. “Eat your food. Your father is doing chores on the farm. I have brought your siblings with me into town. I hope you are feeling better.’ The note was written by his mother.

SENA had a language translation function, but it could not activate without him asking. That meant that he retained the ability to read. Then what about spoken language?

SENA what language is everyone speaking?

Everyone that Nathair has encountered has been speaking the common tongue, Faurian.

SENA is the translation function activated?

No Nathair.

This entire time he thought he was hearing and speaking English.

SENA, record the words I am saying. “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.” Replay the words.

Yes, Nathair. “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.”

It was his voice and the words he spoke. SENA, what language is that in?

Nathair is speaking English.

Was it dependent on who he was talking to? SENA, record the next four conversations that I have. Remind me when I am alone to review them.

Yes, Nathair.

He stroked the paper. This world was odd.

Where had his parents learned to read and write? It was not a common skill in the village. Everyone had a basic understanding of numbers, but more than that wasn’t necessary for their lives.

There was also the question of the paper. Producing paper on a large scale was something that took a long time in his world.

Only the wealthy had free access to it. Even then, having paper would be considered a luxury item. For his mother to write him a casual note on it. His family either had to be better off than he thought. Or the production of paper was easy in this world.

Was this the influence of magic?

Innovation through science and innovation through magic. What results would either yield?

He felt it since yesterday, but it was even sharper today, his thirst for knowledge.

The reason he studied time theory in his last life was due to it being uncharted territory. He practically pioneered the research. To this world, magic might be commonplace, but to him it was…

His mind drifted as he ate his breakfast and tidied up after himself.

Moving on autopilot, he wandered through the house. There was something wrong here. The house was worn and lived in, but other than clothes there were no other personal effects.

No toys or trinkets. Nothing.

Was it a cultural thing?

SENA, show me a memory containing personal effects and their storage.

Yes, Nathair.

His mind was flooded with a scene. Sophia was taking Nathair’s toys and storing them in a storage ring.

He frowned.

SENA, show me a memory from when I visited a friend's house.

The image was clear. The house was smaller and messier. Children’s toys were piled into a corner of the room. His friend's mother stored her knitting under the chair by the fire. His friend's father had a pipe and a board game set up on the table.

He looked around the living room again.

It wasn’t cultural.

Rubbing his temple, he tried to piece together what was happening.

Looking out the window, he saw Argus moving about the chickens. It would not be wise to go and ask.

Retreating to his room, he was determined to watch as many memories as possible.

The availability of paper. Knowing how to read and write. The lack of mementos and personal effects around the house. His family's ability to have magic gems.

Nathair wondered if he was reading too much into the situation?