Joan woke up rather late, the sun was shining on his face, hurting his eyes. He turned around, trying to avoid the light but he eventually realized that he had to get up. The man had a slight headache and felt as tired as last night. After discarding the blankets he remembered how he was dressed, his cheeks flushed a bright red, even in the privacy of his own home he wouldn't have dared to go to sleep in such attire. He came out of bed wearing the blanket as a cape to hide his shame.

In the meantime Alessia was already awake and walking around town. Not only did the alcool had no effect on her, but she also slept soundly. She awoke fresh and ready to explore. She had already completed her shopping and was returning to the carriage at the Inn to put the new bags in the care of Alexis, who was still eating breakfast. She sat with and they chatted for a while before Joan appeared in the reception room. He was as well put together as usual, he had even taken the time to polish his black leather shoes to avoid it's deterioration during their long travel. It was also because he wanted to spend as much time alone as possible.

"Good morning professor!" Alessia cheerfully welcomed him at their table. "Slept well?"

"Yes, wonderfully" He lied. He sat next to her and asked. "Are you already done with your shopping?"

"Yes, I wondered if you would agree to accompany me on a walk?"

"It would be my pleasure." Joan took a sip of his tea, 'Why did I agree?' he thought. None of the panic he felt showed on his face.

"Great, we'll set out as soon as you're finished with your breakfast then"

Their walk took them all around town. San Timo was lovely this time of year, the alleys were well lit and the the grass was really green, the flower beds were filled with blooming roses and iris. The stopped at a bookstore, they browsed the selection of books but did not settle, instead, Alessia, bought two bookmark with pressed flowers. They then stopped at a winery, Joan did not feel particularly concerned by the produces being sold and only Alessia engaged in a discussion with the seller. They walked a park, Alessia was desperately trying to make the professor talk about himself, but he stayed resolutely silent. Alessia was forced to fill the silence with her own voice. She wasn't always talking but sometimes but sometimes she felt like she had to say something or she feared that Joan would forget she was here.

"Miss Voder, how come that you are studying in Margen if your primary qualification are geology. Isn't that a science taught in the Natural sciences Institute?" Alessia was stunned to hear him ask her a question directly, she jumped on the opportunity.

"Indeed, that's where I obtained my degree, but during the year I attended a lecture, out of curiosity, by doctor Tesla and after hearing my questions he said that I could come try a year in Margen to learn associated disciplines such as geography and geopolitics."

"Oh, and to what end? Do you have an idea of what you want to do with your diplomas?" This atmosphere and walk were quite relaxing, he felt at ease.

"Well I have always dreamt of becoming a cartograph , but in this time and age I can settle for a less grandiose goal. Studying soil is still pretty interesting."

"We will always need people who can draw maps, roads a bound to change, eventually even the mountains will change."

"Ahah, that's true, but I do not wish to live through an epoch which will change the landmass so drastically that we will need to redo everything." She stopped to pet a cat on a wall.

"It does sound dangerous, I wouldn't want to have lived through the great floods either, no matter the rich history of that era." He also pet the cat with a soft smile. "Living History often rimes with living through tragedies."

"Yes..." She didn't really know what to add to that so she checked the time on her pocket watch. "We still have some time before we need to make our way to the carriage, where do you want to go ?"

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"Let's see the Fountain of Maria, then we will recheck the time."

"Let's go!" The cat jumped off into a garden and they too departed.

They almost got lost going to it but eventually they arrived. The white stones had been cleaned for the season, it was almost painful to look at them for too long. The statue of Maria, a water nymph holding a vase from which the water flowed, was a really well known representation of the lady. Joan formed an idea and turned to Alessia who was looking at it in awe.

"Do you know the story behind Lady Maria?"

"I know precious little about legends, my parents weren't big on bedtime stories in my childhood." She apologised.

"Would you like to hear it?" She energetically nodded, Joan laughed, "A long time ago the great interior sea would come as high as San Timo, letting its waves crash against the walls of the city. It was a dark time, of monsters, hero and magic. The time of legends." Joan cleared his throat and continued. "It is said that one day the Goddess of the sea, unhappy with the way the humans treated her and her gifts, decided to punish them for their behaviour. She raised raging waves that could destroy walls, drown people, wash away the crops people had worked so hard to grow. She raised the sea even higher until entire regions of Sullo were underwater. Higher than ever before, covering the valley in a heavy liquid blanket with a salty taste that tasted bitter to it's inhabitant." Alessia turned her gaze back at the statue adorning the fountain.

"Terrified, the humans pleaded and prayed to her to stop but the goddess stayed deaf to their cries. So, they sent heroes on legendary quests to try and find a solution, many never returned and those who did were half of who they were when they left. A water nymph disguising herself as a human decided to act. The inhabitant of her city had never been violent or insulting to her, always treating her with respect and friendship despite being a foreigner, she couldn't let them die without trying to help. To repay for their kindness. So, she took her sacred jug of water, given to her by the all mother, the goddess of the sea, and began pouring out the water of the sea into a small canal she had dug, knowing that the water would soon dig the rest. After years of effort she created what we now call the immortal river. It drained the sea and put an end to the Great Floods but, exhausted, the nymph fell into the river. Her mother saw this and understood her misguided ways, she decided to bless the nymph with immortality as long as she guarded the river she had created."

"When the Nymph awoke from her century long slumber she saw that humanity had healed and prospered. Satisfied with the outcome the Nymph settled on the banks of the river and decided to stay here and guard it. To this day, they say, she is still protecting us from her mother mood swings." Joan finished his story, his throat was kind of dry, he was also looking at the statue, of course he didn't really believed in the legend, he wasn't a believer of the all mother or of magic, finding that although he understood nothing of science, it was quite a great tool to explain all seemingly fantastical apparitions.

"Oh! So that's why she is so popular!"Alessia slowly nodded at the statue. "Well I have heard that throwing offering to her in the fountains can grant wishes...do you want to try?" She held up a copper coin, offering it to him.

"It would be my pleasure!" They both threw their coins after silently whispering their wishes onto them.

Joan had easily accepted the coin because not only was it the smallest currency, but also, as he was starting to understand, Alessia was actually quite wealthy. Despite the good money he made off his book and his job he still had to budget a lot. But here she was, paying for their drinks, throwing money in fountains and making unnecessary purchase. He felt a little jealous.

"We should regroup with Alexis, come on!" Joan said to the young woman.

"Okay!" she quickly turned around making her pigtails fly.

*****

"Maybe I should cut my hair..." Alessia was horrified.

"Why?" Her voice went really high. "I don't go cutting my hair so why should you?!"

"I don't really want to braid them to be able to fight, I feel like they are getting in the way as is." He pushed a strand out of his face, illustrating his worries quite well.

"Oh dear lord of beauty, please have mercy on this man poor soul"

"It's not that bad Alessia." He chuckled with difficulty, it was a strange solace after those long days of hell."I would like you to do it." Alessia's expression, which had softened with his laugh turned to feigned fear again.

"No!" She shook her head "I will not make myself accomplice to such a crime!"

"You know when I was younger I used to have them short, no one ever complained."

"Because they didn't know any better" She sighed "Lord of beauty, forgive me for the sin I am about to commit. I'll do it."

"Thanks you very much gallant knight of beauty, had I known you were such a fervent follower I wouldn't have asked you to do such a thing!" Joked Joan wholeheartedly.

"I cannot trust you to do a good job I had to step in!" Their heart ache but they still laugh quietly.