“Here, Sely” Toslevi hands the sunglasses to his daughter.

“Huh, did you work on these?” Sely takes them, they have dark lenses and rusty frames.

“Heh, yes. In the city, you will always have to keep them. No one should see your pink eyes. Also, here” Toslevi hands a light cape to her daughter. “Cover yourself with the hood, the antennae are like eyes.”

“I mean, no one has to understand that I'm a demihuman?”

“Right. Let's also avoid saying that you are my daughter...”

“But… what if Endya had already spoken? I mean, it's been days...”

The man massages his thick beard, illuminated by the sun. The sky is clear and Toslevi looks at the sky.

“Endya didn't speak. Yes, he is my self-proclaimed student, indeed, he often lies to make himself more important. But it's not stupid if no one came to ask about you… evidently, he didn't say anything, hahaha.”

Toslevi pats Sely's head.

“Aww, stop it! Haha.”

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Talking to the elderly is not easy. Report only the essentials, let me do the rest.”

“Uh-hmm, okay!”

⁂

Descending the reverse route, Sely and his father reach the crossroads. This time they take the descent, towards Vanoge.

As you get closer, the shapes become more detailed: the ruined lighthouse with the brazier and the old ruins emerge from the rocks and ground.

People grow small vegetable gardens, some wheat clods, and other plants useful for survival. There are also two fences with metal grates. They contain goats and poultry.

Off to the side, a worn concrete stable holds some goatmantis.

They are very organized. They remind me of Mom's small community, but here there will be fifty, a hundred times the residents.

The journey is silent.

Like when he picks herbs or works at his table, Toslevi doesn't talk much.

Sely rubs her eyes from time to time, not used to wearing sunglasses.

Once we arrive at the first farmhouse, the shouting increases in volume and a nod of greeting is addressed to Toslevi.

Sely recognizes him: the man with the mustache and the wide-brimmed hat. Pot-bellied, he keeps his hands on his belt full of tools and cutlasses.

“Oh, old witch. What brings you down here?”

“Folfo, are you still giving air to your mouth?”

The two men stop in front of each other.

Sely cannot understand how serious they are and what the degree of the challenge is.

After a moment of silence, Toslevi points to the backpack on his shoulders.

“I have to go shopping at the master repairman. I need new materials.”

“Hmm… yeah, he's got good stuff. Last week a merchant passed by with rare materials. If you didn't always hide up there...” Folfo shifts his gaze to Sely.

“H-hello!” Sely stands on her tiptoes, trying to place her hand on the man's forehead.

Folfo steps aside, refusing the greeting.

How rude!

“Hey, old man, who is this?”

Toslevi shrugs. “A traveller. She found my home.”

Folfo doesn't seem convinced, he passes the bass between his fingers. He looks at Sely smugly.

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“This? A traveler?”

Sely wants to reply but Toslevi puts a hand on the man's shoulder. He puts his face close to his ear and whispers something.

As soon as they separated, Folfo turned pale.

“Yes-yes, I understand. I understand. Sorry if I doubted. Come on, come on. The mayor is supervising the works for the festival!”

“Well.” Toslevi starts walking again, overtaking Folfo. “Come on, Sely, we have to go.”

⁂

Once a man has passed, the city is all a coming and going and a ferment. People are running back and forth with beams, bags, and baskets. They are people of various ages who converge on the central clearing.

“Aren't we following them?” Sely asks curiously.

“No, we have to reach the mayor. Also, it's best if you keep a low profile.”

“Hmm… what did you say to that guy earlier, Folfo, right?”

“Nothing, we have old scores to settle. So, we're even.”

Dad has secrets, just like mom…

“And what about the festival? What is it?”

“You're curious, well done Sely, it's a good thing you inherited this trait.”

Sely feels herself blushing, but she also wants an answer. She looks around and sees only wooden and brick houses. Very simple hovels, built close to the ruins, exploiting their remains.

“…anyway, the festival is a traditional celebration. They invoke the favor of the elements to prosper in the coming year too.”

“Really? But, according to the Silver Chronicles, the new year is a month away. And then they are heretical practices or...”

“Right, grunt!” Toslevi advances, dodging a running boy.

He has blond hair and green eyes and is muscular. He carries two buckets full of metal pieces and staggers as he runs. But he doesn't fall, no matter how much he staggers: he doesn't fall.

“Sorry venerable master, sorry!” The young man shouts as he disappears behind an alley.

Sely follows the scene with his gaze. She is in awe of the boy's balancing ability.

Who knows where he is running in such a hurry...

“Sely” calls her father back.

“Y-yes, I'm coming!”

⁂

Having reached a house that is slightly larger than the others, with a small balcony on the second floor and some windows, Toslevi stops. He takes off his backpack and places it on the ground.

He knocks on the door and then opens it.

“Wait for me here” he enters and closes the door behind him.

Ugh, how boring though, if I could at least chat with Endya…

As she thinks about it, Sely looks around. Now that she thinks, she needs some bullets. Running out of ammunition is a problem and her father doesn't have any.

The square is not far away and is packed with people.

Of course, so close, what bad can happen if I get closer to look?

Mom told me to be careful. But Dad is too fearful.

Okay, come on, it'll be for a moment anyway.

Just enough time to approach that stall with that gentleman alone…

“Hello!” Sely greets the man at the stall.

All absorbed in looking at the people in the square, the guy doesn't even look at them.

“Excuse me!!!”

“Huh? Oh, little girl, what did they send you to buy?”

Sely is slightly annoyed. “I'm not a little girl! I need some bullets.”

The man frowns. “White and pink hair, dye… hmm… say, I don't recognize you. Are you a foreigner?”

“Yes, I come from the plateau.”

The merchant rolls his eyes. “From the plateau? Alone!? But there is nothing for dozens and dozens of days of travel!”

“Eh, that's exactly why I need new bullets, please… I only have one left…”

“By the elements of earth, sea, and air” the merchant wrinkles his eyelids. “Bullets are rarer than gold. I can't please you.”

“Please, the fact that he can't… doesn't mean he doesn't have them!” Sely winks.

“Well…”

“I can pay, wait… hmm, not here… not here… here!”

Sely places three scales on the counter.

“Give me all the bullets he has for… AH!”

An arm pulls Sely aside. Immediately a hand takes the three scales. The man at the counter bows his head as a sign of respect.

Toslevi nods at him and then turns his gaze to Sely. He has a serious expression.

“Dad… that is, Toslevi!”

Toslevi ignores her daughter. He turns to the merchant. “Sorry for the inconvenience caused by this traveler. She is a guest in my house but she doesn't know the manners of these parts.”

“Of course… she just asked me…”

“It does not matter. The mayor awaits her.”

Does the mayor want to see me yet?

As they go to the mayor's house, Toslevi glares at Sely.

“Sorry,” she moans. “I didn't think it would be so busy.”

“No, it's not that. But you should be careful. Three scales... they don't see three scales here in a lifetime!”

“Oh, I didn't know…”

“I imagined. Look, maybe you don't know, you're not used to living in the city. But everyone has already noticed you, the foreign element. Look at how they glance and chatter. Nothing serious, not as long as you're with me. Not as long as they think you're human.”

Sely nods. She understands where her father is going with this.

Mom didn't express herself so explicitly.

She told me to be careful of humans. But to fear insects, my kind.

Dad is doing the opposite.

He warns me about humans, his kind.

“Aah…” Sely sighs. It's hard for her. She would like to meet humans and socialize with them. Yet socializing is difficult, it requires caution that she doesn't even suspect exists.

“Sorry if I got angry... I'm just scared.” Toslevi places his hand on the door.

“Fear? But you seem very respected...”

“Don't be fooled Sely, I'm just the village madman. A madman who, thanks to the sighting of the flying city, has just become a sacrificial jinx.”