Just as she said that, we arrive on a huge gate, she moves back and open the giant gate, it has a painting that looks like a phoenix pouring down an antique vase full of orange water into a hot pond. The inside we're a room with lots of open shelves with towels and baskets inside. Long chairs similar to the one I find at Rana's diner.

Beyond that is a transparent glass door that shows a huge bath that could be mistaken for a swimming pool if you don't see the shallow decorated floor below the transparent orange water.

(Can you still call this a bathroom?)

The floors are sparkling like marble, the phoenix statue spits out the orange water inside, the side of the bath has a shower section with the weird stick with a huge head filled with holes and the small chairs along with some bottle of those soap and shampoo similar to the one Nicole always give to me but with different names.

(This is just too luxurious for me. Have I been taking bath and showers here when I was a kid? How did I not remember this?)

"Do you wish to be helped during your bath?"

"Huh?"

"If so, I will immediately call some of the maids so we can assist you just like Mistress Sarah before you."

"Oh! No no no no, it's okay. I can take a bath myself."

"I see..."

She looks at my broken right arm silently after she said that. I look inside the room again and asks:

"Say, where is the toilet I can use?"

"Oh, it's on the corner right of the room. Just beside the mirror."

"Okay, thanks!"

"No need to."

(Finally!!!)

I enter and decide to remove my shirt with one arm. I realize It's impossible with the bindings on my right hand.

The maid comes closer saying:

"Let me help you remove the sash first."

"Ah, okay. Thank you."

She opens the pin and sash in my right arm, taking the salve and before long slowly putting my hand down with the cast and reply saying:

"No need, since you're disabled momentarily. I really suggest you have a maid accompany you, Master Sova."

"I, I guess I got no choice. Thank you."

As she helps me remove my shirt. She suddenly stops midway and the shirt blocks my view as my arms are still high up.

"Hmm, very intriguing," I hear the maid ponder as she still won't move.

"U-uh, Ms Huimei? I can't see like this."

"Oh, I'm sorry master Sova."

She continues and manage to remove my shirt and put it in the casket of one of the many open shelves... I look at the bath again. Further in the corner, there is a plank bed with blankets and towels near the huge bath and in another corner I could see a small bar with drinks and food in there...

"Yea, this is too much."

"Master Sova?"

"Yes?"

She looks at my body which makes me feel uncomfortable as I try to cover myself. When she looks to the side whispering very slowly saying:

"(Heh, it's not fair to have such a fair maiden skin for a guy)."

She looks at me again as she takes a long transparent soft bag from her apron pocket and wrap it around my cast saying:

"This is so that the water don't get inside."

"I-I see, thanks. This is a first for me, so I never really know what to do."

"Well it's the same for me too. Usually we just have to cast magic and we're all back to normal."

"Really? Then why don't you? I mean I'm pretty sure there must be Magicians here."

"Magicians? I think you're confusing the job roles but I guess I'll let it slide."

"Um what?"

"Answering your question. We don't have any."

"I'm sorry what!?"

(Okay, that's just weird. No magicians at the palace? Then what about the Maid that fix Sis Yuwei's glass?)

She looks at me silently and let a breath out saying:

"Master Sova, Zerians can use magic, yes that's an undeniable fact. But another fact is that we don't use the same magic everyone does. Like how the magic in the Spirit King's Church differs from Libera's Church or from the Grand Luminous Frontier Magicians and many more. Do you understand?"

"O-oh?"

(I still don't understand. And all of that is new. Like Luminous Frontier? Where's that?)

"So let me rephrase my answer. All of the "Magicians" were all eaten by the former mistress when they try to subdue her. In fact, they were the first to be eaten too."

"O-oh... Sorry to hear that."

"No need, what matters is now. So for the Maids, we at least have one maid to help with Mistress Yuwei or Mistress Fei and recently Mistress Sarah would ask around more than five maids to accompany her and use them to help her with the hospitality this house can offer."

"Wow, she really is enjoying every bit she has."

"That I can agree. But if I have to be honest, I think the Maids are quite happy to be of used other than maintenance and culinary duty for once. For you, I suggest one Maid so that she can help you tour this palace. And since one of your arms is broken, I'm sure she will be a huge help in many ways."

"I guess you're right. Please do call one, I hope she can help me out... Wait it won't be you?"

"Well, like I said. I'm afraid I might suddenly need to rest in the middle of the journey. Which will be troubling, so calling the one who is still fully healed would be the best if she would follow you all day long.

"I see, I'm sorry and thank you."

"No need..."

She finish wrapping my whole arm with the bag and suddenly takes out another small transparent bag and remove my headband before placing it on my head as she tucks all my hair inside. She bows before raising her head she continues saying:

"Master Sova, let me remind you once more to please do becareful to not get any water inside the bags okay?"

"Oh okay..."

As Curiosity tempt me I asks:

"Say can I know why?"

She raise her head answering:

"To be honest I have no idea."

Silence surround us for a moment when she continue answering:

"Don't look surprised. I already told you that this is also a first for me. Our doctor said that just make sure water doesn't get inside. You Owlians have a weird methods of healing, unlike us who just need to cast some spell and be done with it."

"I-I see, if the doctor orders so."

"If only we can heal like the Mistress. Oh, I suggest you don't clean your head for a while just like me. Or should I say just wipe your body for safety.

"I-I see."

"If worse come to worst, and you get the inside wet, I suggest you just remove it and reapply your salves again."

"Okay, thank you for letting me know."

She stares at me again before asking:

"... May I say give an honest suggestion to you?"

"Huh? Of course, and try to be less polite, its really making me nervous."

"Why don't you look in the mirror when you say that again Master Sova. I don't think I'm even being so polite. And when you do cover your body, I hope you don't cover your chest like that. People will really mistake you for a shy girl, even with a chest as flat as a chopping board."

"Huh? But Nanny told me that I have a wider shoulder now. Don't I look more like a guy!?"

She suddenly smirks as her eyes becomes more sharp saying:

"If it makes your slim figure more noticeable then sure."

"Urfgh!"

I look down as I stop covering myself and remove my hands as I follow her suggestion.

"Pfuuh. Sorry."

She quickly looks to the side as she spews something. Finally smiling for once before her face suddenly got scarier.

"Uh is there anything wrong?"

She bows down again and says:

"Oh, its nothing. (It's just sad that you're born a guy). Excuse me then," before leaving and closing the door.

When I try to pull my pants down with one hand. I stop and decide to just look outside first. Opening the door a little, I look left and right and saw no one...

"How do they disappear so fast?"

And close the door again. I decided to walk and open the glass door to see the inside of the bath more clearly. Looking to the right, it's the mirror Ms Huimei said. Looking around, there is one on each corner of the room. I decided to walk closer to take a good look at myself.

Seeing the reflection of the half-naked me. I examine myself, thinking:

(Hmm, been a while since I did my daily reflection on things. For some reason, I always forget to do it if I'm not in my own bathroom... I think its more than a year ago. I stop doing this when Sis Rubeca brings me to train.

Let's see, hearing the maid saying that... I wonder about all the thing I did to make myself look more manly?)

I close my eyes and recall my attempts... I hold my flat stomach saying:

"All the plan started in the same year. I ask Nicole for help and he just told me to try reading the books he shared on how to become manly.

The first thing the book said is putting some big muscles, like biceps and abs. So I decided to ask Aunt and Nicole for help. Since Aunt is the very definition I strive to be, and Nicole actually has abs and even those V line which is said to be even better to become a manly man.

Which he hesitantly show me when I told him to prove it if it does make me manly. He told me to take responsibility which I just said yes. And it is actually pretty manly now that I think about it."

I look up as I open my eyes saying:

"Luckily they helped me out by giving a list of their workout routine and told me to help her with some manual labour. So, I tried getting one by helping Aunt's friend in the grocery shop while also earning some money and doing some workout at home every night with May as she cheers me on and helps me..."

I suddenly felt the pain in my head.

My body hurts so much and I had to endure days of muscle spasm and pains. Especially during stretching and those crunches...Yet I endured, and after two years. I didn't get any abs, but instead a smooth flat stomach and my waist become slimmer in the process.

I look down and slam my hand to the mirror saying:

"Now that I think about it. How is that even possible!?"

I ask aunt why I didn't get any huge muscles like her. But Aunt and Nicole told me that I'm pretty built already and her muscles are not something you can get naturally while Nicole for some reason blushes and turns his cheeks away every time I ask!

I hold my smooth jaw and face saying:

"Next is getting some beard and moustache while also thinning my hair... I ask Nicole and Aunt for help which they did again.

Aunt helps me cut it shorter and Nicole helps me with the design. We tried combing it, but it just doesn't fit me since I always wear my headband. So I tried letting my hair grow and be like those long-haired warriors I read in those Martial World scrolls May's friend provided me during study.

My hair grew long and becomes pretty smooth, thanks to Nicole's and May's help. But, my beard and moustache never even start to grow so I just abandon the beard idea.

I kneel and sit down as I look at my legs.

(Now, that I think about it, it's still smooth as it give a little shine and I could barely see the hair growing).

I stand up again, trying to move my right hand yet its still no avail. I close my eyes again remembering:

"Back then I thought my hair was enough to prove I am manly, so I tried acting manly with May's friends. But... But..."

But when I arrive and before I could say anything. Their eyes suddenly sparkle and all of them drag me away and strip me forcefully to make me wear lots of dresses and costumes they got from who knows where. And they all smiled happily and started squealing and-

"Brrraaaahhh!!! I don't want to remember it! Now that I read more, it turns out the Martial Artists in this continent strive to be a beautiful or just scary looking and hungry for power!"

(Say... I wonder what Yosova said about being a Illegal Martial Artist is about? Or when Moriz say how a Traditional Martial Artist fight?"

I open my eyes and slam my palm on the mirror again and before long my knees suddenly give in.

"Wait a moment, now that I remember about it. May's friends don't actually care about us being Owlians huh? And they send me some sorry gifts afterwards. I feel like I miss the opportunity to make any new friends now... I just feel bad all over."

I close my eyes again and continue remembering.

(So I decided to just cut it and let it grow without care and before long, I ended up with this bed hair which actually goes well with my headband. Come to think of it, just like May said.)

"I almost have no friends, well she did say her friends are my friends I think. And not only that, since I'm a guy I need some male friend too. And I have no male friends at all, except for Nicole!

Come to think of it again, I keep following May around back then so all I ever met was always girls... I wonder if a lot of their feminine habits stick to me somewhere...

You know what, I think I should stop. This will just make my day worse the more I remember my attempts."

I hold the wall beside me and tried standing as my knees feel weak for some reason. Dragging my feet as I move to the locker where my shirt and armband were, I tried removing my pants with one hand, untying the knot and pull it down as I place it in the casket. I look at my headband and suddenly I feel my head burn again.

"Ow, ow, ow..."

I look at the insignia behind my name again.

"Aunt's voice didn't ring in my head anymore, but I can still remember my mother appearing... I wonder if she moved on with that dream?"

(Maybe I should trust the spirit a little more).

I place it back witg my clothes and walk to the toilet first...

*************************************

*Slide*

*tap* *tap* *tap*

"Finally done."

My footsteps resound loudly alongside the calming sound of the pouring water. With a small towel and a small wooden bucket in my hand, I walk closer to the bath and place my toe to test the water which is actually pretty warm.

"Wow, warm water. This is so nice~"

I can't help but smile and lay down as I plunge my left arm deep inside to feel more of the warmth.

"I could finally have some warm water since forever. Ah~"

I start to think back where I heard that only nobles get to bath in warm waters everyday and we actually have to pay for the expensive bathhouse or actually cook it ourselves.

"Sis Fei and Sis Yuwei get to bath like this everyday? I'm quite jealous- Wait a second, didn't May keep visiting them? Does that mean she's been taking baths here? Ah! So this is where she goes whenever she says no when I tried to come with her. Now that's even more unfair!"

I quickly go to the place with the stick and sit on the small chair as I try to figure out how to actually use the stick...

"This actually quite fun."

I grab the stick when I realize its actually made out of steel. I swing it around and it still does nothing. I put it on my side and continue to look at the faucet connecting with the stick and tried turning the switch to the right and it still does nothing.

"Weird, usually we just need to turn it left and right..."

When I try pushing it up and hope it doesn't break. I suddenly hear a large surge of water and ice cold water started raining down on me.

Caught surprised I run away and slip, falling down on my knees.

*psssssh*

The sound of surging water fills the room as the stick goes out of control and moves by itself.

"It's fine, just handle the cold water and you can bask yourself in that warm bath."

I grab the stick and close it.

"This is nothing compared to the training Sis did to me..."

I aim the stick at the bucket I take and open it again. Waiting for it to fill, I look at my arms and realize the tan marks is still there when I battle with Aoi. Even the cuts I suffer is there but almost invisible if you're not focused. I close the water as the bucket is almost full and dip the towel inside.

I tried to grab the soap but then it suddenly falls back down. Surprised, I tried grabbing it but instead of falling, the soap bottle moves to the right. I look at what's going on and realize there is a stream of water behind and a small bucket just beside the soap. Then, it suddenly hit me.

"Hmm, I just realize that since the place I travel is always so big. Every time I walk with someone, I would always learn something new. For once I'm actually grateful about the long roads."