We cross beyond the water sculpture and the statues. To either side of the large trees, there are two arches leading into another grand chamber. If the previous area was a decorative garden of sorts, this would be the main hall of a home.

Not like a manor house, no central staircase to a landing or anything, like I saw in the Mullight estate, but rather more like what one would expect from a Romanesque villa. Less big columns, but certainly an equivalent amount of mosaic floor.

And a centrally positioned giant stone bath, with steaming water pouring from the heads of strange looking statues. Huh.

"Part of me has become rather conscious of how sweaty I am right now." Aria moans.

"It’s quite a bath isn't it? I want to strip and get in right now!" Rishya chuckles, getting the stinkeye from Aria.

"Mmm... whilst the boy would doubtlessly appreciate that, it is probably not the time... at least not right ~now~, fufufu..." Seria laughs with her, however.

"You two have become serious perverts, yes? It makes me envious..." Kaede says something absurd.

"Um... but bathing together is... um... nice... so I can... understand... eh wot! What am I saying! Uuuuu...." Kiku covers her face.

"I would say we're not here for messing around, but that would make me a hypocrite. So, I'll get it out the way: I would love a mixed bathing session." I sigh and grin awkwardly.

The girls all laugh.

"Aniki is straight with desires for sugar as usual. Much entertaining!" Kali giggles.

"Ahem. Priorities. Mine are darn straight!" I exclaim.

I get a straight to the point punch to the gut from Aria though. I cough and bend in a V shape.

"Ah... thank the gods it works again!" She exclaims. "Even though I can't disagree with the sentiment personally, I can't stand by and let that perverted expression exist in the world!"

"You're just jealous Kiku and I had a bath first, right, Arry?" Rishya laughs behind a hand.

"S-Shut up!" She growls.

"Fufufufu... this ~IS~ entertaining, but my memory is itching for me to enter this place. I feel there is something important here."

I finish coughing something up and look up to see Seria has wondered over past the bath; and has planted her hand on a metal portcullis.

"Boy, can your spirit speak to this one as well?" She queries.

'Aeris?' I realise she has been quiet.

'Eli-sama does like jumping around in water spirits with girl shapes? Very strange.' She suddenly thinks in my head.

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I cough again involuntarily. I shouldn't be teaching children these things (even spirit children). But wait, that’s probably hypocrisy as well? Urk... well... ahem!

'Aeris, can you speak with that gate?' I project in the sternest tone I can manage; as I grasp her hilt firmly. If one can think sternly? Is it even possible?

'Ah!? What? Yes! Yes... which what why? Oh... gate... yes...'

Apparently, I can. She was shocked out of her reverie for sure.

I feel that strange vibration in my hand again.

"Uh... hello!" She shouts.

There is a pause.

"HELLO!" She shouts louder, also making my hand numb from the buzzing sensation.

"Oh... Michael heard that strange buzz. Was that Aeris, Elijah-sama?" Rishya suddenly says.

"Uh, yes. She was shouting at the gate." I nod.

"Shouting, huh, mmmm..." Seria remarks, pondering something.

'No good, Eli-sama. It’s dead. Or deaf. Or pretty stupid. Or not metal maybe?'

"It’s no good. She says its dead, or deaf." I relay.

"Should I break it, then?" Aria wanders over.

"It pains me to break a place such as this when we were invited. Just a moment." Seria stares daggers at the portcullis. "Shouting..."

"That makes me wonder. Spirits can talk to each other and we are ignorant of this. That they may talk to us but half of humanity... more... simply has no idea. I was fortunate to talk to mine, really. We could learn a lot, if only we could communicate, I think." Rishya wonders out loud.

"Um... isn't that the case with all relationships?" Kiku says, glancing around shiftily.

I think Seria really is influencing Rishya recently. Their... uh... bonding session with me probably didn't help for sure, though. Kiku as well.

"Ah! Of course!" Seria suddenly says, having a eureka moment.

Then her eyes glow golden. Using her special sage goggles again? Haven't seen that in a while.

"Fufufufu... no wonder your spirit cannot speak to it." She nods. "This gate is a deception."

'Eh? It is? It looks like a metal friend!?' Aeris suddenly exclaims in my head. 'But wait... no... Seryamerya is right... is a memory? A ghost!' Aeris titters to herself.

"Now she says it’s a ghost." I relay again.

"Close enough I guess. Fufufu... I changed my mind, Aria. Can you tear it off its hinges?" Seria grins in a kind of scary way.

Aria squints at Seria suspiciously.

"Don't worry. It's honestly what this place wants now. Trust me."

"Hah... I don't like that expression either, Seria, but if I punch you like I did Elijah, it'll probably knock you out. Hah... well, doubtless I'll regret this..."

She holds her spear at her side, widens her legs in a brace and grabs at the bars with her left hand.

As she does... the gate shimmers into nothingness, and suddenly Aria glows a strange ethereal light for a second.

"Urk!" She looks sick for a second.

"I knew it..." she begins to groan.

Then something odd happens. For a brief moment, she is overlaid with a different image.

Still herself... but not. Longer haired, more glamourous, older. Very similar to what happened to Seria in the void, but considerably bustier... yikes!

It’s only an instant, but I certainly got an eye-full of fanservice.

"What the heck!?" She exclaims.

Seria nods and cackles as if this was the expected result, just as Aria resumes her loli form.

"Yes. We see several of the things we have learnt recently suddenly in practice. Your blessing has absorbed the light spirit. Reminded it of its true form, and then assimilated it." She taps her cheek.

"Um... I don't get it... it wasn't there?" Kiku looks confused.

"An illusion spell? I guess mirage things of normally come under light magic!" I exclaim, my inner genre savvy rearing its head.

"Mmm... I do not understand what 'ee-loo-shun' is. But I guess that is an otherworldly term for what happens when a spirit lies to itself. Or in this case, was hypnotised into thinking it was metal until Aria's powerful light spirit reminded it of its true form. A most peculiar technique, a trick revealed by the fact that it did not know how to communicate with a fellow metal spirit, mmm?" Seria explains. "In any case, we spend a long-time puzzling over doors, don't we? But I feel perhaps we are now close. Let us proceed."

She swishes her cape and twintails dramatically and walks through the now blank archway.

Aria still looks perturbed, so I pat her shoulder.

"I'm fine. It was just... ah... it was nothing." She shakes her head and grimaces.

I squint at her. But if she says so. She'll talk about in time, right? Let’s carry on.