Chapter 1
A Lack of Fall Memories
The alliance was victorious.
The glorious news spread across the continent in no time.
Yet Zoltan was on the frontier, all the way at the end of the road.
The news reached the capital of Avalonia in a week but still hadn’t arrived in Zoltan.
“Fwaah.”
Yawning as she stepped outside the store, Rit looked out at the fall colors of Zoltan.
“It’s getting a bit chilly. I guess it’s about time we brought out the winter clothes.”
Zoltan’s long summer had come to an end, giving way to a short autumn.
“As soon as you start thinking about doing something autumnal, it turns to winter… Ahh, what a shame.”
Yellow leaves fluttered from the trees to the ground, which only reinforced the feeling of fall ending.
“I know!”
Rit went back inside, the look on her face saying she’d just thought of something.
Even now that the world was at peace, the people of Zoltan went about their days in the same way.
Mornings started early at Red & Rit’s Apothecary…at least by Zoltan standards.
I woke up before the sun had fully risen and started preparing medicines in the workroom.
“Pi, piroro, kii!”
I could hear the lively call of the morning birds through the window. It had a distinct rhythm in fall, made by a bird that had migrated from the north called the “piropiro” bird in Zoltan.
I didn’t really think it sounded like “piropiro” all that much, but hearing my friend Gonz explain it at length, apparently it had started being called that after it was mixed up with another bird that had a “piropiro” call.
Zoltan could be a silly place sometimes.
“Pi, piroro, kii!”
Still going at it, huh? …Okay, then.
“Pi, piroro, kii.”
I tried copying it on a whim.
“Kiii!”
I got a shrill cry back.
It sounds a little annoyed… Did I not pull it off?
“Mmph.”
I heard a voice. Turning around, I saw Rit in the door, covering her mouth while trying not to laugh.
“I—I was just…”
“Maybe I should try, too.”
Rit walked over to the window and put a finger in her cheek.
“Pi, piroro, kii!”
“Wow, that was really good.”
Who knew?
“Pi, piroro, kii!”
“Pi, piroro, kii!”
The piropiro bird called back in response to Rit.
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