Chapter 4: New Friends

"Ahhhhhh....such a nice thing to take a hot bath" Rel said as he sighed in relief. The three boys were currently sitting in the large basin, having stripped off all their clothes and gotten into the tub naked to take a bath. Rel had filled it up with pure water using his magic, and Pyr was using his fire magic to create heat and warm it up, putting it at a nice enjoyable temperature.

"Yeah" Arc said, not saying what was really on his mind. Apparently, for commoners, they didn't get to use a basin very often. It was expensive, and most of them were fine with bathing in the river. Apparently it was common for large groups of children, boys and girls, to bathe together in rivers at the same time. Afterwards, they would all lay about or play in the sun until they were completely dry before putting clothes back on, unless the clothes were still being washed and dried as well, in which case they would wait until they were done.

Although there was magic, there wasn't some spell that could just magic someone clean. Attempts were made at some point, but...they caused great pain and injury to the people they were used on, and as for objects, they were often completely deteriorated by the process.

Sounds like an issue regarding scale...no, perhaps its an issue of targeting? Getting only the dirt and smell, without the materials its made of? Either way, it seems the only way to clean oneself or their clothes is by hand.

"So, are you going to the academy to learn in general, or something specific?"

Rel looked at Arc when he said that, but blushed a little for some reason.

"Sorry, was it personal?"

"Ah no, nothing...its nothing" Rel said. "Actually, I am looking to become a Magic Inventor. My family runs a Magic Item Store. We also create our own magic items. But even if I learned a lot from my father, I want to learn more about material...and...relationships to spirits....err, I mean. Spirit Arts".

"Spirit Arts?" Arc mentioned questioningly.

"Ah, its where you summon and use the power of Spirits using your Spirit Circuits. Its different from normal magic. Typically, Spirit Arts dont let you use complex spells and magic, but it doesn't take as much mana, or magic power, from yourself. Depending on the spirit you ki...form a relationship with, you can do some powerful attacks though".

"You know, you have been acting really weird".

"And you keep staring at me" Arc added.

"Sorry...it seemed personally so I didn't want to mention it but..." Rel said, suddenly grabbing Arc's arm. "Your body is really beautifully made for an artificial lifeform".

At those words, both Arc and Pyr were shocked.

"You could tell?"

"Ah. Its not the first time iv seen a homunculus, but this level of detail is insane" Rel said, letting his curiosity take hold. "The skin is perfect and smooth, addictive to touch really. Which is actually what gave it away for me. Its so flawless and amazing in feeling, its pleasant".

"Ah, that is true..." Pyr mentioned, somewhat teesingly.

"You also have a perfectly symetrical face, and all of your expressions and emotion ranges are perfect...even..."

Suddenly, Rel grabbed Arc's leg and held it up, causing him to fall backwards into the basin.

But as Rel started messing with his foot the moment Arc got out of the water, he was quick to break into laughter.

"Even the sensitive areas are well made and accute. Capable of a complete range of human emotions, fully capable of feeling, with senses likely much more acute then a normal human's, and a good deal of physical resistance and strength as well".

He then eyed something of Arc's that really made his face turn red.

"Even that is high quality and functional, indicating being capable of complete and total masquerading as a human. Completely flawless. Most homunculus will get exposed once you get their clothes off, and especially if you put them in water. But you dont...you even sweat for some reason. Thats an insane degree of complexity and care".

As Rel said that, suddenly his face turned beat red.

"W-why did..."

Pyr narrowed his eyes as Arc fixed himself. "What are you not telling us?"

"Erm...well...lets just finish the bath and get dressed..."

"Tell us now" Pyr mentioned, giving off a firey and intimidating aura.

"Well, it was just you two, but now all three of us...are getting sort of harassed but not quite harassed by this really strange spirit".

"Harassed? Spirit...wait, can you see Spirits?"

"Ah yeah, but this one is weird. Most spirits are in small forms, but this one is capable of taking a larger form...and ever since she showed up, she has been really playful and a bit embarrassing with you both...including kissing the both of you on the lips".

Arc did not seem especially happy or thrilled.

"What type of spirit is this?"

"Not sure...its definently weird. It appears to be a black haired woman, with black eyes...she might be someone you know...oh, she has three dimples in a triangle under her right eye".

The moment he said those words, Arc and Pyr both froze for a moment, thinking of one person. However, this person was not from this life, but their previous life. Arc's wife, and Pyr's mother. A woman who died a little over a year ago to cancer. A woman whose name, like their own, was erased from their heads.

Yes, that was the only person they could think of. She was a passionate, loving woman, who was so full of life, the fact that cancer took her seemed incredibly unfair. It had taken them months to recover from her death, and that was only because she herself had made sure to talk with both of them and make it easier on them.

However...

She was absolutely not the type to sexually harass people...

"Ah, you seem to know her...maybe?"

"Sort of...someone we knew a long time ago, one of the few things we do remember...but, we also remember she died...and she certainly didn't have the personality you mentioned".

"Ah, well...personalities of spirits dont exactly match their counterparts. They have more pure energy, more emotion to them. So its not odd if sometimes love turns to lust, though...I haven't seen her cross any serious lines yet...ahhh, I am really sorry for not telling you sooner. It was just...I thought it might be better if you didn't know what was being done".

"I see...well, on a subject change, since I dont feel like having this conversation while bathing...so you can see spirits?"

"Ah, yes. That is actually why I knew you two would be okay. Spirits are not typically good at getting good or detailed information from people. Personalities and their own opinions, among other things, make it hard, and they themselves speak rather vaguely. However, there were a lot of spirits around you, not her though, she appeared later, who were saying really nice things about you...also one said you were 'a fake and not a fake'".

"Ah...so that is what made you realize I was a homunculus" Arc said, not mentioning Pyr.

They only said I was? Does that mean whatever Pyr is or how he was made makes him more genuine? Given what they said...wait, could it be he is a clone? Or would this be called a doppleganger?

Although they still didn't fully understand the journals about themselves, or the details in it, if that Bloodline Data refered to DNA, then it might mean Pyr was a clone made from Royal Bloodline DNA they recovered. Meanwhile, he was just a homonculus. It would explain why his physical abilities and senses were obviously superior to Pyr's.

Either way, it was something to keep in mind.

"Yeah, that was it" Rel mentioned, answering the question and bringing Arc back to reality. "Ah, are you feeling..."

Ah...looking back at them, they are both so cute...im just now realizing im bathing with two really grreat boys... Arc thought, coming over and hugging them.

"Ahh...it honestly feels good to not have to hide that right now...though, please dont tell anyone".

"Erm, Arc...why are you hugging me too?" Pyr asked.

"Ah...he is totally infatuated with us right now" Rel realized.

"I am just hugging my two close adorable friends!"

"Ahh, dont put your hand there! its cold for some reason! Why is it...Rel!"

"Its the spirit! It looks like for some reason she is bonded with him! It seems he isn't used to it though, so sometimes the feelings of the spirit imprint and make him feel like that as well".

Yes. In fact, this was not the first time this happened. When hiding under the bed, and when he first woke up, similar feelings had sparked for a moment. Which is why, as a few seconds passed, Arc realized what he had done, and let them both go, his face going bright red.

"Ah...sorry..."

"Its fine...but, I think should finishing washing each other and get out of the bath".

With that said, the trio decided to do just that, washing each other's bodies head to toe before rinsing off, and getting out.

After that, they followed Rel's lead in what to do next. It seemed strange, but after they were done, they opened the window and dumped the dirty water out. After that, the custom was to wash their clothes next with soap and water. Now depending on preference or habit, one might put on a shirt to sleep in, or if they had specific sleepwear which was expensive, they might wear that. However, often this was actually held off till after the next chore at least, since it still involved dirt and cleaning.

The next step was filling it with some clean water again, and this time washing their clothes by hand using scrubbing brushes and soap. Because occasionally this could splash dirty water, although small, on oneself, this was done naked as its easier to wipe it off of skin rather then cloth, which it would soak into, and just add to the laundry.

Once the clothes were cleaned, they would hand them up to dry, and if applicable, put on sleep clothes or sleepwear. However, some people prefered to sleep in the nude. This was especially prevalant during the hot months in the summer, or even the spring and fall. Additionally, lower class families that could not afford to buy the extra clothes to sleep in would do that anyways, to allow themselves to put more energy and time into their jobs rather then laundry. Even middle class families might only do that during the winter when its colder, to save money, time, and energy during the rest of the year when its busier. But often, if one was cold, buying a new blanket or two was cheaper and easier then clothes that had to be tailored and designed to fit a human.

And this fact was amplified further for children, who grew a lot. Often only adults would have something to sleep in for the middle class families, unless it was a wealthy middle class family. After all, repeatedly buying new sleeping clothes for children when, as it was in the comfort of their own homes or bed, and who were always growing, was an unneccessary expense. In fact, regardless of gender, children were often had to share the same bed so they could huddle together for extra warmth, unless it the weather was so warm or hot that it was not necessary.

Of course, Arc and Pyr had not known this when they had grabbed only a single set of clothes. Although some were for formal events or holidays, or other culturally significant things, some of the dresses or gowns they had seen was sleepwear. Unfortunately, they had only brought the clothes they were wearing, so the only warmth they had was the blanket provided with each bed in the traincar, and the warmth of the train itself, which was heated.

And Rel didn't come from a rich family. While they did deal in magic tools, it was only started in his father's generation, so they were not that big. Naturally, Rel only had two sets of spare clothes for himself, but he had nothing that was meant for sleeping in. As a middle class child, he was expected to be fine with just blankets and sleep in the nude.

"So thats why there was one larger bed that could fold out compared to the others" Arc mentioned. "Rather, is that situation bad for the economy of a kingdom?"

"No, actually, its pretty good. They might not be able to afford too many spare clothes for children, but thats because they are always growing and everything needs to be handwashed. Also, keep in mind, I used water magic to fill the tub with pure clean water. The water the train supplies in the containers is good, but mine is slightly better and easier to wash with. And because we also have someone with fire magic, we could use hot water. Imagine using less pure, cold water. And now imagine doubling the load of laundry we just did for every day. And then remember, that was just the laundry of children, not adults".

Suddenly, Arc realized what Rel was saying. That said...

"I see. They are lower class, so they cant afford to spend that time energy there instead of working".

"Or resting their minds and bodies. Thats the other thing. Its not like they dont have free time. Thats an indicator of how well the economy is doing. Its common sense that it would be a waste to do that when all you need them to do is huddle up and use a blanket. And this lets them spend money on a lavish meal sometimes, or saving up to send the child to school rather then making them work in the fields or the workshop with them. Even just letting them have time to play. Mental health is important too".

"Ah, that is reasonable".

So it wasn't like they had no money to spare. However, compared to the cost of buying a blanket, and when it gets worn out to buy a new one, compared to the costs of constantly wearing out clothes and getting new ones that fit, lower class went with the more reasonable option that let them also get other luxuries. Even middle class did that. It could basically be said to be part of their culture.

Perhaps they were just too used to their previous world, but at the very least, it seemed nudity wasn't as major of an issue or things like this didn't cause any worries. Though, in fairness, it was very sensible and very logical, and apparently it didn't cause any major issues. Even gender lines seemed pretty vague and not that strong. Additionally, from what it sounded like, swimsuits did not exist in this world, so everyone swam in the nude.

Well, considering that actually makes sense for a fantasy world based on the culture of kings and queens and nobility, it should be expected. Rather, its insanely stupid, unrealistic, and foolish that you always see that on TV and in books.

That said, Arc did notice he and Pyr seemed to be adjusting rather quick and fast. Originally, Arc thought maybe it was just adreniline and desperation from trying to protect Pyr, but he felt like his original life, or at least his original morales and levels of acceptance, might be different. After all, it was hard for him to believe that he, who had lived peacefully on earth for thirty eight years, had married peacefully, and enjoyed having and raising a son, would be able to be so okay with violence all of a sudden. He hadn't killed anyone yet, but because of all this...he had to wonder how much it would impact him.

And Pyr had been handling things great, even better then himself maybe, this whole time. Their relationship didn't seem much if at all like father and son, but two close friends. And while Pyr's core personality did appear the same, there was a bit of a difference. He felt more calm and composed then normal, more aware and analytical.

He wondered though, if the pressence of his wife's spirit had something to do with it.

Either way, although Arc and Pyr did feel a bit embarrassed about getting into a bed with a stranger naked, he wasn't really a stranger but their new friend, who even knew some of their secrets. And as they also didn't want to stand out or appear odd right now, they decided to follow his lead on what was normal.

Meanwhile, in a cargo car on the same train, a woman with platinum silver hair looked in shock at the unconscious bodies of the four thugs that were captured. She had used her authority to take them away and get answers, not wanting to get those lovely boys mixed up in the mess of the underworld.

No. Children should not get involved in the Underworld if it can be helped.

She thought this to herself, half hopeful and half regretful, as she snapped her fingers. A moment later, two small cloaked figures appeared by her side. They wore black masks that hid their face, and cloaks with hoods that hid the rest of their head and their bodies. Their clothing was also all black, appearing as simple cloth similar to a karate gi, and black shoes that didn't seem to make a sound when they stepped.

Unlike the three boys, it was too late for her to keep these two out of the underworld, despite all three of their best efforts. It was now the only place they could reside. Not a hell underworld though, but the criminal and dark underworld of society.

"Era. Ara" she said calmly. The two took off their masks, revealing a boy and girl who looked identical.

"Yes, Madam Headmaster. Or, should we refer to you as Marquess?"

"The distinction is important".

"Its fine, these people are not conscious. However, they were surprisingly resiliant for street thugs to my interrogation, refusing to say a single word about their employer. Their level of skill and ability does not match their ability to keep their mouth shut".

"But that would mean such low ranking thugs...."

"...met a high ranked employer or member of scoiety directly..."

"Yes. They also refused to say what their objective was, however...after checking out who was occupying each other room, only three people's backgrounds I could not confirm. Three boys, a little younger then yourselves".

"...is this a mission for me to charm them to make them spill their secrets?" Ara asked.

"Only if you want to. No. I want you to learn more about them, while also dealing with those that threaten them".

"I thought you said they are unknown?"

"Yes, but I saw their potential...the potential influence and impact of their actions in the future. Those three are quite legendary...you two alone have such great potential, that I have no choice but to let you follow that line of work, especially considering circumstances right now. But those three...their potential is even greater. Their actions may one day be the key to saving thousands, maybe even millions...or more..."

At these words, the twins eyed widened, expressing emotion for the first time. However, when they realized this, they quickly corrected themselves. Elina Sera smiled wryly.

"Its okay, its just us three. You dont need to be worried about acting professional and formal".

Hearing those words, the two let out a sigh at the same time and stood up, stretching a bit.

"Sorry Elina".

"Sorry Elina".

The two said at the same time. Era then looked over at the thugs.

"Thats an awefully big risk...but if they were able to keep such low ranking thugs silent, then that shows a pursuasive ability...perhaps even magical coersion was used?"

"Ah, I think so. Ara?"

"These guys look vulgar" she mentioned, showing her disdain. The twins had a totally different atmosphere then before. They were still in sync a bit, but compared to when they were being full professionals, they seemed a lot more expresive and individual now.

"So those three...will they be joining the Academy?"

"Ah yes, I saw that clearly enough to be a fact. There is no doubt they will become students...however, I saw multiple signs that their potential can be cut short at various instances. Their lives will apparently be in constant danger".

"So you want us to act the role of helpful seniors? We are only second years ourselves. That would normally be taken by fifth years or sixth years at least....maybe seventh years, but those guys are usually way too focused on final exams and their final grades".

"Yes well, its that important. So can I count on you?"

"We are going to need a lot of fuel to keep it up" Era mentioned.

"Yeah, a lot of really good food, favorable to our tastes and pallets".

"Alright, I understand. I will make you some of your favorite meals from my cooking in addition to the usual pay".

"Thank you!"

"Sounds great. You can count on us!"

Being like that, the next moment they seemed to disappear into the shadows. Even Elina could no longer trace them.

"Such scary skills. We get some scary skilled children these days" she remarked. "Now, I guess I should deal with this trash".

And so while thinking of the future, the train continued forward towards its destination.