It's already late at night and, after the chat, Toslevi asks Sely to stay and rest. They will think about what to do the next morning.
There are many things Sely would like to ask: Why would the Marquise kill humans? Why would the existence of ancient humans be a cause for a massacre? However, the tiredness is too much and the girl falls asleep without finding answers.
⁂
“Good morning, did you sleep well?” Toslevi is in the room, he is preparing something in the saucepan.
From the herbal scent, Sely deduces that it is an infusion of some kind. Tossyllia is also used to prepare decoctions and herbal teas early in the morning.
“Hi, aww… yes, yes, aww…”
“Come, let's have breakfast, we have some work to do today.”
We have?
The man hands Sely an herbal paste. The smell isn't exactly comforting and the girl turns up her nose.
“I know, the smell isn't great. It's a special preparation, it will make us run like trains until lunch."
“Like… trains?”
“Ah ah ah, yes, sorry. I'm used to Endya; he already knows these things. The trains were metal snakes, very fast carriages, which hurtled along roads called tracks. They are part of the golems and automatons built by ancient humanity. The same as the world map.”
Sely brings her eyes to the table. The map is still there, open. She didn't quite understand what trains were, but that's not important.
“Endya, won't he come today?”
“Hmm. I don't think so. If they came to get him, they'll keep him busy, that's how it works.”
“But isn't your apprentice?”
“I don't know if you know this, but humans aren't trustworthy. Language is our most basic weapon, even if it only works with our fellow human beings.”
“Are you saying he's a liar…?” Sely looks down at her feet, her tone disappointed.
But he gave me these clothes that I wear. He guided me to my father's house...
And then, on his bag, it is embroidered that he is an apprentice!
However, now that I think about it... the style of that embroidery, the very fact of the embroidery, clashes with this simple environment. He even has a change of clothes, while my dad doesn't...
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
What is he keeping from me?
“Don't worry, I don't know anyone who isn't.”
“Mom is not a liar!”
“Tossyllia is not human, neither are you. Don't fret, just take it as a fact. Birds sing, fish swim, humans lie.”
But, like this, how can we trust…?
Having finished his breakfast, Toslevi moves into the room and opens the door. It's sunny outside. It's a warm day.
“Come on, eat, we're busy.”
“Ngh! You said it before, but shouldn't we go and notify the city?”
Toslevi bursts into laughter. Then suddenly he looks at his daughter darkly.
“If we went now, without any preparation, it wouldn't end well. Endya is a good guy, but they hate you over there.”
“But they don't know me.”
“Precisely. They know the Marquise de Diamonds and that's enough for them.”
84th day of travel
Chronicle of Sely, daughter of Tossyllia
After this morning's chat, I helped my father with his daily activities. I expected to go hunting, maybe go down fishing, mom and I always do these activities.
Instead, Dad went around collecting herbs and pebbles. We descended onto intermediate terraces and collected fragments whose meaning I don't understand.
He laughs often but speaks little.
I'm dying to get to the city! And then I would like to see Endya again.
Dad says it's early for the city, he has to prepare something for me first. It takes a couple of days.
On Endya he only said that I would see him again. Even too much, he says.
The atmosphere seems relaxed, I don't perceive the tension I imagined from last night's speech.
In the afternoon he started working with a grinding wheel. He said I could do whatever I wanted; he didn't need me at the moment.
Yes, he is careful to warn me not to go near the city, nor to let people see me. No one must know that he has a demihuman daughter.
I reassured him and then walked around. There isn't much and with the telescope, I scrutinized the lighthouse again, the clouds of the towers beyond the forest, and... I know it's silly... the sky.
No trace of the flying city.
It's been a relaxing day and now I'm about to go to bed.
(Postscript) Dad's food isn't very good. They are herbal mixtures, but he doesn't give me any explanations about them. He just said that he understood and I could hunt if I wanted.
⁂
85th day of travel
Chronicle of Sely, daughter of Tossyllia
The weather continued to be nice today.
In the morning I helped Dad like yesterday. Being day five, as the Silver Chronicles indicate, I practiced the rite of elevation.
Dad was very surprised; he didn't think Mom taught me that. Like my mom, he doesn't believe it, but he doesn't want to talk about it. Again, like my mom, he says that it's too early, that I'm young and full of ideals that are difficult to eradicate. Better to let them dry in the light of time.
For me, they are both wrong. The proof is that Mom taught me all about the silver cult, so she knows it's the truth.
But I don't want to write about these things, they make me restless.
In the afternoon I didn't have much to do, while Dad continued working on something.
(Postscript) today I hunted a goatmantis... too late I remembered I only had one bullet and I had to flee. I almost got decapitated! Dad laughed and offered me some bitter weed.
⁂
86th day of travel
Chronicle of Sely, daughter of Tossyllia
Today Dad said he's finally ready.
Tomorrow we will go down to Vanoge.
The news was so exciting that I had nothing else to write.
I can't wait!!!