Chapter 26: Life Among Settlers
Oswin was resting- laying down under a tree. It wasn't large enough to offer much shade, barely covering part of his body. The heat still pressed down on him, relentless and suffocating.
"How the fuck is it so hot without the sun?!" he shouted, frustration boiling over.
His voice echoed into the strange, sunless sky, but no answer came. The world remained as it was—bright, suffocating, and unnatural.
His new, skinless arms twitched involuntarily. Every slight breeze felt like sandpaper dragging against raw flesh. He could ignore pain, but the discomfort was unbearable. His body still wasn't used to them. Would it ever be?
He tilted his head back against the soft grass, glaring at the sky. It was bright, but no sun hung above. No clear source of light. Just an endless, glowing expanse.
Was this place even real?
"Wait… I can do that," Oswin muttered to himself. "But I'd need an instrument to amplify the effects."
He hesitated, reconsidering.
"No, no—I don't. It would amplify the effects, doing it without any instrument is better."
With that decision made, he softly hummed—a rhythmic, flowing tone, like the gentle movement of a stream. The air shifted in response. A small ball of water formed above his face, hovering for just a moment before his hymn ended. Then, it fell, splashing onto his face.
That was when the spirit's influence took hold.
Tiny droplets of water began forming across his unclothed body, clinging to his exposed flesh. In this suffocating heat, the moisture was a relief rather than an annoyance. The coolness seeped into his skin, offering a much-needed reprieve.
The heat was still there, but now… it was a little more bearable.
"Wait… then could I also sing to get some skin on my new arms?" Oswin muttered, the thought suddenly striking him.
Singing to remove the extra arms wasn't an option—not now at least. That much was clear. But adding skin? That might be possible.
"I don't have any instruments to amplify the effects, though…" he sighed. "I'll look into it after reaching the settlement."
With that, he pushed himself up, using his raw, skinless arms for support. The sensation still
uncomfortable, but not as unbearable as before. As he shifted his weight, his gaze fell to his palms… and he froze.
There was skin. New, fresh skin forming over his hands.
"So… Caro didn't lie about this," he murmured.
"My control over these arms has gotten better as well. A little more practice, and I'll be able to move them like my regular ones," Oswin muttered, flexing his fingers. With a deep breath, he stood up, feeling the cool water droplets still clinging to his skin. The heat was still unbearable, but at least now it wasn't suffocating. The motions were still slightly awkward, but at least he wasn't stumbling every few steps anymore.
"Alright… let's get going again."
***
Aria examined the hut she was supposed to live in.
Arthur had gossiped about its previous owner—another subject who had died after a horrific experiment. The thought unsettled her. How many had lived and died in this strange place?
The structure itself was simple. Wooden walls, reinforced with mud from the outside. Inside, it was furnished with sturdy wooden furniture—a table, a chair, and a mattress made of the same rough plant fibers as the clothes she wore. It wasn't comfortable, but it was better than nothing.
She had finished practicing hymns for the day. The one she had learned today was meant to sharpen memory. Arthur had explained its effects after Ignis was done discussing with the leader of the settlers. She hadn't understood the language while singing, but she could feel the results nonetheless—her mind felt sharper, clearer.
But instead of relief, it only made her more melancholic. The more vividly she remembered, the harder it was to forget the life she had lost.
Aria's thoughts drifted to more practical concerns as she lay on the rough mattress.
She had to work to live in this settlement. That much was clear. If she didn't contribute, she would be cast out, forced to fend for herself. The only exception was illness or injury—if she were too sick to work, the other settlers would take care of her. But as long as she was capable, she had no choice. She had to pull her weight.
There were a variety of tasks to choose from. Farming was one option. A river flowed near the settlement, and though rain was rare—occurring maybe once in a blue moon—it did happen. Because of this, wheat was cultivated in the nearby grasslands, and a small orchard of fruit trees grew along the riverbank. There were also vegetable farms, though limited—mainly lettuce and carrots.
Or she could work with the livestock. The settlement had pigs and chickens, both brought here by the fiends to provide the settlers with necessary nutrients.
'Very generous of them,' Aria thought sarcastically.
She had all day to think about it. Today was an exception—her first day in the settlement, so she wasn't expected to work.
Apparently, this place did have a day-night cycle, just… different. Instead of a sun setting beyond the horizon, the light simply faded—gradually dimming until it was gone. And in the morning, it would return just as slowly, growing brighter until the land was fully illuminated again.
It was strange. Unnatural. But then again, nothing about this place was natural.
As for food, instead of individual cooking, the settlement had a communal meal system. Food was prepared and served at the large hut in the center of the settlement which settlers called the town hall, where everyone could eat together. If someone was still hungry, they could go for seconds. Meat, however, was only served every fourth day.
This system had its advantages—food was scarce, and this way, no one could hoard large amounts of it. Yet, the settlers weren't entirely reliant on the communal meals. Each person was given a small portion of vegetables, fruits, and a bit of flour so they could have something to eat outside of mealtime.
Aria had received some as well, though in her case, they were gifts rather than something she had earned.