The sudden, unseasonal migration—if that’s what it was—eventually petered out, and after about thirty minutes, the skies were once again as calm as they always were. The people who had until then been watching with worry went back to their daily lives and quickly forgot what had happened.
Shiori and Alec asked the local slimes about it, but were told that the location in question was too distant to reach—the slimes did not know why the birds had behaved so strangely either. If the birds were to land somewhere nearby, then they could be asked directly, but based on how panicked they had been, all the slimes could tell was that something had happened in the far north.
“Surely it isn’t the former Empire...” uttered Caspar.
The knight went back to the garrison to get their report, but they’d received no word regarding the strange occurrence there either.
“We sent a messenger bird to Tris just to be safe, but that’s all we can do for the time being,” he said. “All the same, we’ll increase our patrols.”
For a time the adventurers continued to watch the skies, but nothing else of note occurred, and so Shiori and Alec decided to return home. Fortunately, they were able to find a wagon that would take them to a village along the route back to Tris. They would be on foot the rest of the way, but still expected to reach the city gates in around two hours.
“I’ve written a letter on your behalf, just in case you need it,” said Caspar, handing them an envelope. “If any knights or gatekeepers ask about your new familiar, all the information they need is in there.”
He’d written the letter taking into consideration what problems might pop up on the adventurers’ trip home; the missive granted them permission to travel with the new familiar, and also allowed the creature access into the city.
“Wow, this is perfect,” said Alec. “Thank you, Sir Caspar.”
“No, thank you,” replied Caspar, looking suddenly bashful. “Once again, you provided us aid when we most needed it. This is the least I could do. Come back and visit again, okay?”
He clapped Alec on the shoulder, and the two men shared a firm handshake.
“The skewers were delicious,” said Alec. “Tell the store owner we loved them.”
“You got it. Miss Shiori, please take care of yourself.”
It was clear his first impression of her still lingered, and though his solicitousness caused Shiori to cringe slightly, she took his outstretched hand in her own and shook it.
“I will,” she said. “Stay well, Sir Caspar.”
“Of course.”
It was a short goodbye, but one filled with strong emotions. When they were done, the two hopped aboard the wagon and, with Brovito’s villagers seeing them off, started on the trek home. The wagon’s drivers were none other than the husband and son of Anika, who was often referred to as “the boss of the footbath.” They’d offered to give the adventurers and their familiars a ride while they transported some produce. Shiori couldn’t help but feel a little surprised as she saw Anika’s son, a boy of fourteen, take the reins with a proud grin. He had his mother’s casual grace and his father’s easygoing poise.
“I never would have imagined she’d have a son so old!” Shiori exclaimed. “She can’t be any older than I am.”
Anika and her husband had married at sixteen, right when the two were considered legal adults. It was surprising for Shiori, with her Japanese sensibilities, but in Storydia people marrying at such ages wasn’t particularly uncommon. Anika’s son, too, was already in a serious relationship, and the two were just waiting to hit sixteen themselves so they could get married.
“It’s more common in the cities for people to wait a little longer before they marry,” said Alec, “but in farming villages, this is often how things go. I’m guessing people wait even longer where you come from?”
“It was quite common for people to marry in their teens some seventy or eighty years ago, but the vast majority of people now go to university or otherwise complete their education right up until university age. Upon graduation, people often work for a time before getting married, so the general marrying age is naturally older.”
“It’s amazing that attending university is just a normal part of life,” remarked Alec. “I guess everyone has a passion for learning.”
“Hmm... Well, compared to the past, university has become very much a part of ordinary life, so it’s not always seen as something particularly special. And there’s quite a large number of people who don’t really have studies in mind when they attend; it’s more a way for them to put off having to enter society for a few years.”
“I see. Then again, you could probably say that about the upper classes here as well.”
“Is that so?”
“Yep. It’s not always university, per se, but the nobility and the rich often send their sons to learning institutes. This distances them from their noble responsibilities and future marriages, so it’s not uncommon for some to indulge in the many pleasures of exploring other countries under the banner of ‘studying abroad.’”
“Whoa... That’s on a whole other scale,” uttered Shiori.
“Many believed that Professor Lindvall was doing exactly that, when in fact he was actually doing the work that made him the agricultural expert he is today.”
“Which is to say...?”
“Contrary to what people thought—that Lindvall was gallivanting around as a gourmand delighting in foreign delicacies—he was actually researching cooking methods and agricultural techniques from across the world. In the end, he played a huge role in developing the kingdom’s agricultural industry. His network of connections is nothing to sneeze at, and so in that sense, studying abroad can be very meaningful.”
“That’s true. But holding everyone to his standard might also be a bit unfair.”
“I suppose. If you’d demanded a younger me get out there and achieve similar results, I’d have been in tears.”
“I...don’t know if it’s okay to laugh at that or not...”
Alec had said the words in jest, but Shiori knew that as a youth, Alec had fled from many of his responsibilities, so she wasn’t sure how to react. Alec could only offer a wry chuckle and explain that he hadn’t meant it that way. All the while, Violid gazed around, excited about his first ride in a wagon. When Shiori and Alec noticed that the two slimes had slyly positioned themselves on the driver’s seat, they burst out laughing.
The wagon proceeded at a trot, and was a more comfortable ride than Shiori had been expecting. Brovito’s villagers had pooled money together to buy the best wagon available, and it barely rocked at all. The breeze that entered through the gap in its cover was also a delight, and Shiori felt not a hint of queasiness.