Like any other day, the hoarse and husky voices of the elderly were coming from the further reaches of the pile-dwelling, where the sight of the deep blue sea was unobstructed.

In conjunction with the benches they built for themselves, it was the perfect place to let their idle minds wander to times long past while still having new topics delivered to them, like how big that cod was or how beautiful that mackerel near the surface was or how that pylon full of seaweed attracted less shrimps and crabs than the day before.

Sometimes a child would go there to their dear grandpa or grandma to be spoiled a little, receiving small bites of stale sweet fritters the elderly kept as snacks, but when they understood the seemingly important chatter of their wise elders was nothing but redundant trifles they soon got bored and hastly waved off the group.

Today though, the child that came to the scenic view had other intents behind his brown eyes and they burned, intensely.

As he approached the sparse crowd of hunched backs and grayish white hair, he thought back about what had taken him to this place.

This morning he hadn't been awakened by the familiar and frankly by now annoying alarm ring of his phone, but by a strangely exited seagull cry, following which, a flood of memories from a kid of a seemingly alien but strangely similar world to his own, and the realization he had now become that kid struck him.

The sensation too real to be emotionally denied, he had gone to make certain about a crucial point of his new memories, something which could decide the very way he would carry himself from that moment onwards.

Having closed the distance during his short mullings, he finally faced the greatest sources of wisdom that could be found nearby.

"Nicalua! Come come. Have a seat near grandma. Ehi Vita, scurry over there, my grandson his here."

The boy scratched the back of his head and smiled awkwardly in embarrassment having heard the familiar and oh so unfamiliar name he now came by.

He sat next to his grandma Gara, a stocky dwarf of a person that could be mistaken as a ball from a distance with a top of still grayish hair, rough hands and thick legs that belied the assumption one could make seeing the rest.

"Why are you so blue today? Don't think you can trick the precious few candied fruits that I have left out of my hands"

Though she said that, her hesitant eyes betrayed her and the lenghts she was really willing to go for her precious grandson.

With an extremely youthful voice that got himself surprised for the umpteenth time, the brown eyed kid Nicalua hastly replied.

"No grandma, it's not like that! ... it's just, why are all the inhabitants of our town content with risking their life cathing fish far into the sea or starving waiting for food to come while occupying themselves with menial tasks, all of that, to finally have their body fail them and that was it, nothing more nothing less.

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I mean, they clearly have another way forward, one much more meaningful and that will lead to much more and potentially be infinte, they could just go to the Hermits to learn or even try it in their spare time, everyone can do it."

"Hahahaha, young Gara, finally the day has come when you too will know how it feels."

With granny Vita at the lead, which seemed close to granny Gara, the others also let out Snickers of their own.

Granny Gara shot them a look, but then regarded her dear grandson Nicalua with a look of care and a bit of apprehension.

"Nicalua, you are still young so maybe you will not completely understand what I will say, but know that no one is bound by anyone and they chose their lifestyle, something which can't be disparaged by anyone."

Without looking for a nod of acknowledgement, she continued.

"It's indeed true as we all know that by bettering our minds we are able to extend our lifespan and gain abilities, just like this."

Saying that, she pointed a finger at the sea at random and seemed to concentrate.

Astonishingly or maybe expectedly seeing how the conversation was proceeding, something did happen.

A couple of drops of water rised tremblingly from the sea surface like a backwards of that popular slow mo of a drop of rain falling into a pond.

Then, they suddenly dropped in the sea at a greater speed, af if enraged at being separated from their mother.

"All of us bags of bones are able to do small tricks like this, but many of us have never intentionally trained our minds like those Hermits.

I showed you that to let you understand that the mind is a greatly multifaceted subject and even ordinary life experience is enough to enrich it.

Because of that, Hermits aren't the only ones that try to train their minds, as many others have searched and found innovative ways that can get them similar results without the need to isolate themselves, some even establishing schools to teach their method.

Hermiting is just the first method found effective and so more deeply and widely developed."

Seeing that his young grandson seemed to understand these deeply theoretical concepts greatly and pleasantly surprised granny Gara.

The fact he didn't interrupt her was the cherry on top that made her think he matured overnight.

"Knowing this can you really call their way of life superior to ours?!

If it was our ancestors that had to struggle everyday with strong beasts maybe we would all be cooped up in our stilt-house to get every little advantage we could over our life and death, but as it stands we are just living life as much as them."

Of course it was the 22 year old mind from another world that understood these somewhat more difficult concepts and remained amazed by them.

Knowing how hard and backbreaking the life in town granny Gara was describing as seemingly simple and worry free really could be and exited by the prospect of becoming a cultivator of the Mind that he could have never hoped to become in his old world, the boy made up his mind rather quickly.

Trying to not appear as if he didn't fall for her empty words, with his shining brown eyes Nicalua said:

"I already decided, I want to be like you grandma. I want to study the mind."

Thinking all the maturity his grandson had shown but a moment ago had evaporated at the childish prospect of raising a couple of drops of water, the round old lady looked disappointed for the briefest of moments and then diverted the topic hoping his grandson would forget his childish musings.

"Enough of that, how is your mother? I heard that your father still hasn't returned a week over the deadline."

And so the day went, to the somewhat disappointed but eager spirit of a boy with now a flame burning inside.