"A warm meal and a gentle smile are often all that keep us moving through this world."
– A Spoken Mime
After the meal, the enchanted utensils and dishes rose gracefully into the air and floated toward the kitchen to clean themselves. Meanwhile, the spirits and I moved to the living room, where we browsed the large selection of movies. They were torn between romance and horror, while I simply pressed the buttons.
They eventually settled on an action-romance film titled The Bloody Love of a Flower. Once I started the movie, the slightly noisy room quieted, leaving only the sounds from the television.
The film was somewhat bland for my taste, though it featured fictional arcane usage—mostly blood-based—and the fight scenes were impressively intense. I had not realised so much blood was permitted in human cinema, though the spirits seemed to enjoy it far more; none of them moved an inch once the story began.
When the movie ended on a cliffhanger, the spirits demanded I find the sequel. Fortunately, the second film was already advertised on the platform. I pressed play, then excused myself to check on the enchanted cleaning tools.
They had completed their tasks and now waited patiently for further orders. I cancelled the enchantments and watched the implements fade away like glittering dust—after all, they had been a gift from the spirits. The kitchen was spotless, dishes neatly arranged. Satisfied, I nodded and headed to the bathroom for a bath.
Still wrapped in a towel afterwards, I opened my computer and accessed the bureau library, this time focusing on spirit magic.
As I read, I learned that while humans had possessed arcane knowledge for thousands of years, it had only been revealed to the public a mere century ago and had become a formal subject taught in specific institutions just sixty years prior. That explained the relative scarcity of arcane users.
Humans were surprisingly well-informed about spirits. I agreed with the sections describing them as whimsical, but I strongly disagreed with claims that they were unknown to mankind—after all, I currently had several lounging in my living room.
The text further explained that spirits had brought the arcane into this world and served as messengers of the gods. There was even an entire religion dedicated to them, closely tied to "The Worship of the Blessed", which oversaw worship of various deities across the globe.
It listed several prominently worshipped gods: the Goddess of Life, the God of Games, the God of Commerce, the God of Travellers, the God and Goddess of Love/Romance, the God of Valour, the God of Visions, the God of Smiths, the God of Gardens, and the Goddess of Festivals.
A bit shocked, I searched for the Goddess of Death. Her worship ratings were abysmal—nearly surpassed by the God of Poverty. Why would anyone worship the God of Poverty?
I sighed and decided that was enough for now. I turned off the monitor, dressed in something comfortable, and went to check on the spirits.
When I entered the living room, the television was on. In its place were various animals—dogs, cats, birds, and a rabbit—each in vibrant, unnatural colours, sleeping peacefully. I knew these were the spirits, so I turned off the television and returned to my bedroom.
There, my bed was covered with even more colourful animals—birds, lizards, cats, dogs, and several bear cubs—patiently waiting for me to sleep. Looking at the assortment, I lay down and pulled the covers over myself. The lights dimmed on their own, and some of the animal-shaped spirits snuggled against me. I drifted off quickly, though slightly annoyed at the invasion of my sleeping privacy.
I woke the next day completely covered in colourful animals. Pushing aside the snake draped across my face, I sat up and stretched. Even more creatures blanketed the floor.
With a pleasant sigh, I carefully moved the animals from my lap to the bed so I could stand, stepping gingerly to avoid those on the floor as I headed to the bathroom.
After brushing and bathing, I emerged to find most of the animals gone, replaced by shrunken spirits sleeping on my bed. Ignoring them—especially the loud sniffing sounds—I went to the kitchen, where more animals were awake and playing. Some spirits had already prepared a simple breakfast: bread, eggs, beans, bacon, sausages, and milk.
I graciously accepted my portion and sat at the kitchen table. Some spirits had changed into overalls; others remained naked, veils still in place. I ate slowly, savouring the exquisite taste. When I finished, I requested more, which was provided without hesitation. On my second helping, my phone rang. Before I could stand, a purple monkey spirit brought it to me. I thanked it and offered a sausage, which it accepted happily.
The caller was Richard. He asked me to come to his office—he wished to thank me and speak privately. I told him I would come after finishing my meal, then hung up. Another serving appeared: spaghetti with large meatballs and a tankard of beer.
I knew the spirits would not accept refusal. I finished my eggs, drank my milk, and began devouring the spaghetti.