Nanatsu no Maken ga Shihai suru - Volume 11 - Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Farnland, Nation of Lakes

A few days boat ride across several borders, with stops for sightseeing at several ports—and at last, they were near their first real goal.

“We’re in Farnland now! Katie’s home swift approaches.”

On deck, Chela’s breath was white, her clothes much warmer. The air was far colder here than in Yelgland, and the shores were covered in snow. Farnland was also known as the Nation of Lakes, and from here, they could see sunlight gleaming on any number of bodies of water—not just the waterways.

Katie took a deep breath, beaming. “Ahh, I missed this air! It’s only been three years, but I feel like I’ve been away for decades…”

“I get that. Time at Kimberly is just that saturated. It ain’t just coming home; you’re coming back to life.”

Guy was standing next to her, hands buried in his coat. Then a column of water shot up at the edge of his vision, and a pair of giant wings spread. A dragon taking off from a lake awfully close to the waterway.

“Hrm—”

“A dragon?!”

“Katie, careful!”

“Oh… Right. You guys haven’t seen a Farnish lake drake before.”

While her friends braced themselves, Katie alone was totally unperturbed. The drake flew past overhead, and the passengers cheered.

“See? They’re not your typical dragons. They live right up near human civilizations. Not aggressive, almost never attack land creatures. The government’s actually got a conservation program trying to keep the total number from diminishing.”

“…Huh. I’d read about them, but…they’re still a sight to behold,” Oliver said. “That’s a village right over there—people live this close to a dragon’s lair?”

The village was on the shore, not far off. Chela nodded, agreeing with his sentiment.

“We’re both part of the Union, but this is a very different culture than Yelgland. I heard there are demi settlements all over the place.”

“Mm, the government’s recognized their autonomy, drawn clear lines around them. A number of species not viewed as people elsewhere are granted respect here, so watch yourselves. Outsiders often wind up causing problems.”

With that warning, Katie nodded.

“But that’s all I’ll say now. The rest, you should feel for yourselves.”

“—? You sure? I figured once we were on your turf, you’d be talking a mile a minute.”

“If I did, your impressions would mold themselves to my words, right? I’d rather you see, touch, and feel for yourselves. Learn what this place is really like.” A simple wish—and then a thought occurred to her, and she added, “Oh, one more thing. I’m sure you’re aware most of the place is rural. Don’t expect the city to be anything like as busy as Lantshire or Daitsch were.”

“Ha-ha…”

“That will be far more suited to my tastes,” said Nanao.

“Yeah, way more relaxing,” Guy added, savoring the scent of greenery and soil.

They’d arrived at the vast land at the north of the Union.

As they disembarked at the harbor, a voice called to them.

“Katie!”

A man and a woman came running over, calling her name. Katie’s face lit up.

“Mom! Dad! You came to pick us up?”

They were already in a group hug. The others watched from a respectful distance, smiling. Pete was making observations.

“So those are her parents?”

“First time we’ve met anyone’s parents except for Instructor Theodore,” Guy noted. “Kinda heartwarming.”

“We’re going to be their guests. We should greet them properly,” Chela said. “No need to stress it; they’ll hardly be as perplexing as my father.”

Everyone nodded and stepped forward. Katie’s mother and father put her back on the ground and turned to face the others. The first of the two parents to speak was a sturdily built man with a well-kept beard.

“And you must be Katie’s friends. A pleasure to meet you. I’m Kalervo Aalto. I’m so glad Katie found you.”

“Oliver Horn, Kimberly fourth-year. Katie’s an endless source of good cheer.”

“And an equally significant source of headaches, yes?”

“Mom!”

“Heh-heh, I’m just teasing. Jenna Aalto,” the woman said, smiling. “I’ve read all about you in my daughter’s letters. It’s nice to put a face your name, Oliver.”

Where her husband was well-built, she was slim; her naturally curly hair and the shape of her face definitely resembled Katie’s own. Once the others had introduced themselves, Kalervo spoke again.

“I’m afraid this will be far less comfortable than those ships were, but the waterways don’t go anywhere near our home. Given what we study, that’s an unfortunate necessity.”

“I’ve read enough of your papers to know why,” Chela said. “Your firsthand fieldwork studies are all most stimulating, and I frequently lose track of the time pursuing them.”

“Thank you, Ms. McFarlane. I’ll admit, I never would have imagined we’d be inviting you over. Heh-heh, given our history, it’s a real surprise. I imagine few Kimberly instructors think much of us.”

“Who cares what they say? They’re all off their rockers.” Guy shrugged.

Kalervo laughed out loud. “Katie’s letters certainly did you justice, Guy,” he said. “I see you’ve got the Greenwoods’ big body and big heart.”

“Our motto goes, ‘The times may change, but good veggies are steadfast.’ I brought you some sprint carrots—heard you’re both great cooks.”

“A welcome gift indeed. What a lovely color. I’ll have to think of something to do them justice,” Jenna said, taking them from him.

Kalervo clapped his hands together. “We could talk all day, but let’s hit the road first. We’ve readied something big enough to carry Marco, too. Might rock a bit—”

“Sorry!” Katie said, looking grim. “This is gonna be rough.”

Everyone gulped.

Not long after, they found themselves on a massive sleigh, skidding across the snow.

“Hngahhhh!”

“Goddamn!”

“Enchanted runners with wind elements circulating above and below, letting it hover. Common practice among mages of yore, I’ve heard—”

“The idea was left to rot once they paved the roads and made the waterways! Yet in Farnland, it’s still alive and well!” Kalervo said, controlling the sleigh with his wand. “Imagine you’ve traveled to the past, and enjoy the experience.”

They were rocketing across roadless snowfields, snaking between the hills and dales. Not merely an uncomfortable ride—it was downright stomach-churning. But exactly the right level of excitement for kids bored from a long ship voyage.

Then Pete spotted an evergreen forest up ahead and yelped, “W-wait, if we go in there—”

“It’ll be fine, Pete,” Jenna said.

True to her word, just before the sleigh hit the forest, the trees moved aside, and a road opened up. Pete gasped.

“The ordinaries call it a witch’s shortcut. If you take the time to forge a bond with the forest, it’s not too difficult. Though mages these days are more likely to simply burn a path through.”

With that, she glanced around at her daughter’s friends.

“…You’re all taking this in stride. Most people cling to the sides their first ride. I was expecting we’d have to stop a few times for you to recover…”

“That will not be necessary!”

“We’ve honed our balance control.”

“Though we should keep an eye on Marco…”

Marco was sitting cross-legged at the center, and Chela moved closer to him. Watching them, Jenna nodded to herself.

“R-right… You’re all from Kimberly.”

The ride was just over two hours, and the sleigh reached their destination shortly before sundown.

“And there it is! Thanks for bearing with us,” Kalervo said, slowing the sleigh.

A huge building stood ahead of them. At first glance, it looked like a series of sturdy wooden ranch houses, but on closer inspection, the foundations were rooted in the ground, and portions of it were still in the process of growing new roofs. A living building—in a very different sense than Kimberly itself.

“This is the Aalto residence. Welcome, one and all. Now that you’ve seen this, you will not leave alive.”

“That joke was beaten into the dirt years ago, Kalervo. And we invite ordinaries over all the time.”

Everyone got off the sleigh. His curiosity piqued, Pete ran off to get a closer look.

“Such an interesting construct… Is the whole house made of toolplants?”

“It is,” Kalervo said, nodding. “No wood was cut to make the house—it’s a variation on elf homes. There’s a biotope here, too, which isn’t as tightly built as the main residence, but it’s comfortable enough.”

Beside him, Katie smiled, waving her friends along.

“Welcome to my place! Make yourselves at home.”

They were first led to the guest room to drop off their things. A large room with basic wooden furniture.

Gazing up at the rafters, Chela whispered, “It’s an…odd feeling. Both relaxing and…off, somehow.”

“I get that, Chela,” Oliver said. “This is far more open than other mages’ dwellings. Even the way the air flows connects to the outside, the ground below—there’s nothing here that feels closed off.”

“My very heart relaxes!”

“Same. Feels like home.”

“I’ll have to get used to it…,” Pete said. “Shouldn’t take long, though.”

At this point, Katie poked her head in.

“Mom and Dad are going crazy in the kitchen! You guys ready to eat?”

Nanao’s stomach grumbled loud enough for all of them.

In the dining room, they found the table laden with the Aaltos’ home cooking.

“Man, that’s good!”

“The broth is so flavorful!”

Guy and Nanao were singing the food’s praises already. Oliver and Chela were savoring every bite.

“Less seasonings to bring out the base flavors… So this is Farnish cooking?”

“A fundamentally different approach from Yelgland. This soup could easily have felt underwhelming, but the power of the ingredients keeps it all in perfect harmony.”

“…So warm…,” Pete whispered, scooping up another bite of steaming root vegetable soup.

Katie’s parents looked relieved by this reception.

“I’m glad you all like it,” Kalervo said. “We don’t get many imports from the waterways, so our food is mostly grown locally. It’s easy to argue the simple flavors are the point, but we weren’t too confident that would fly with young palates.”

Nanao held out her bowl for more, and Jenna said, “It seems especially popular with the Azian lady, heh-heh. I went to Yamatsu once for research. Perhaps the dried fish stock reminds you of home?”

“I imagine anyone from Yelgland will sympathize, but Farnish food has a reputation as being the worst in the Union,” said Kalervo. “We’ve each long struggled with how to fix that impression…”

“Yes, but for different reasons. The population of Yelgland exploded during the magical industrial revolution, resulting in a lengthy period where food was a secondary consideration. Impressions from that time linger still. While Farnland… I’m speculating based on this experience here, but I’d bet you simply can’t reproduce the same flavors with ingredients grown elsewhere.”

“Excellent analysis, Oliver. Exactly my own feelings!” Kalervo was getting rather worked up. “You can see for yourselves weren’t not using any unusual ingredients, but try making the same dish abroad, and it’s never the same. I imagine the approach to agriculture—”

“Dad, enough of that,” Katie urged, tugging his sleeve. “Oliver’s a good boy, so he’ll probably listen to you all night.”

“Oh, sorry, Katie. Can’t very well rob you of a chance to speak to your friends.”

“He is always ready to launch into a discussion,” Jenna said. “Feel free to brush him off if he catches you in one of his lectures.”

She turned to the biggest guest.

“We’ve put even less seasonings in your share, Marco. Do you like it?”

“Unh. It’s good. Reminds me of the forest.”

Marco had been silently working his way through the stewed root vegetables.

Katie started fidgeting. “I can’t wait for you to meet Patro! He’ll be back tomorrow morning?”

“Yes, and again, sorry,” Kalervo said. “He’s helping build homes for ordinaries, and they were begging for him to stay so they could finish it tonight. Hard to spurn requests like that.”

He waved a wand, chanting a spell. A liquor bottle flew from the shelf, and he caught it with a grin.

“Now we’ve got something in our stomachs, who fancies a drink? We made this mead ourselves!”

“Urgh, I dunno…” Katie made a face, remembering the first night of their vacation.

“…I’ll have some,” Oliver said. “I’m sure you’ve all learned your lesson—but in moderation, please.”

Three years at Kimberly had left them with no end of things to talk about, and it was well past ten PM before the meal concluded. The Aaltos suggested they turn in for the night, but Katie had one last thing she wanted to do, and the others joined her.

“Teppo! Hely! And Mimmi! I missed youuu!”

The wargs came rushing over when they noticed Katie, delighted to see her. There was grass at their feet but a dome overhead, with lights in the rafters. Oliver could feel life all around them.

“…So this is the famous Aalto biotope? The entrance alone makes the tech convincing.”

“Your parents agreed readily, but this is not a place to visit lightly…”

“Oh, don’t get all uptight about it, Chela,” Katie said, petting the wargs. “My parents know what parts they can’t show you, and I played here all the time growing up. We’ll give you a proper tour tomorrow.” Seeing her friends peering around avidly, she added, “Kinda like the labyrinth’s second layer, right? This biotope isn’t built to replicate nature, but to manufacture the ideal environment for the creatures within. Each of them is living in peace. Not without its flaws, but…”

“Yeah, I can tell. This is the home of angels where you were born and raised,” Oliver said off-the-cuff, evoking a phrase he’d used with her shortly after they’d started at Kimberly.

Katie buried her face in a warg so that no one could see how red she’d turned. “Um, as for tomorrow’s schedule, Mom and Dad have all sorts of plans. If we don’t stop them, they’ll likely take you along on their fieldwork… Are you up for that?”

“That’s allowed?!”

“Then be all means, let’s!”

Pete and Chela were champing at the bit.

“I’m up for it, too,” Guy said, laughing. “Pete I get, but I never figured you’d be this eager, Chela. You read up on their work before we left. Must’ve really resonated with you.”

“It rather did, yes. I’ve not often had the opportunity to review research done from a pro–civil rights perspective, so that alone was novel, but more than anything, I was blown away by their innovative approaches to each and every subject. I was especially intrigued by their search into demi-human cultures.”

“Oh, the treatises on goblin culture? Those were mind-blowing. They’ve got it that worked out. It seems like a real shame to put the research on the back burner.”

“Isn’t it? My father’s study had the Aaltos’ dissertations in it, but given our house’s stance, I was not allowed to read them there. This is the perfect chance to make up for lost ground!”

Chela’s eyes were positively sparkling, and tears welled up in Katie’s own eyes.

“…That’s so nice! You care about my parents’ research and… Augh, I’m gonna cry!”

“No need for the waterworks.” Guy rubbed her head. “Man, Kimberly really kept you in a constant state of stress, huh?”

As their plans for the morrow firmed up, Pete turned to the silent duo.

“Looks like we’re following the Aaltos’ lead. Teresa, Marco, any objections?”

“None.”

“Unh, anywhere’s better than that water.”

Two affirmative answers, which meant everyone was on board—and at last, they headed to bed.

The next morning, they were just finishing breakfast. Kalervo had taken the sleigh out early and came back with the final member of their family—the one Katie had been dying to see.

“Patrooooooooo!”

Katie burst out the door, throwing her arms around him. The others followed, finding themselves face-to-face with a troll noticeably smaller than Marco. Seeing him gently hug Katie back, they approached with smiles.

“Nice to meet you, Patro,” said Oliver. “Katie’s told us all about you.”

“Finally meeting him in the flesh! Totally different build from Marco, huh?” Guy noted.

“Marco is a purebred Gasney, while Patro seems to be primarily Ellney. Not a breed we see often at Kimberly.”

“One glance, and you can tell how amiable he is. Think you’ll get along, Marco?” Chela asked.

“Unh, not sure. Let’s try.”

Marco took a step forward, but when Patro heard his voice, the smaller troll flinched.

“Unh…?”

The closer Marco got, the more clearly frightened Patro was. Katie looked puzzled.

“…? What’s wrong, Patro? This is Marco, another troll. A friend I made at Kimberly.”

She took his hand, but Patro clearly didn’t want to get any closer. That left Katie baffled.

“That’s weird… He’s usually friendly! Is Marco speaking human words that big a shock?”

“Unh, Katie. It’s okay. We’ve got time. Give him space.”

Katie was forced to concede the point. For the moment, they parted—but Oliver couldn’t shake the way Patro’s eyes followed Marco’s every move.

After a brief post-breakfast rest, it was time for the official biotope tour. Katie’s parents led the way, and everyone stepped though the heavy bulkhead into the interior.

“Where to start was a tough question, but…we settled on this.”

They were shown to a room near the center of the transparent dome. Peering inside, they found the top of a large tank set in the ground below. Swimming about beneath the surface were creatures anyone would recognize—the same species of lake drake seen on their arrival in Farnland.

“Studying the life cycle of the lake drake has long been an Aalto family duty. You cannot speak of Farnland history without mentioning them. They pay no heed to human civilization in their territory, yet do fierce battle with any larger beasts that encroach upon it. They’re very much our guardians.”

Kalervo spoke in detail about how lake drakes and people coexisted. Dragons were known for razing towns to the ground, but here in Farnland, they were known for the opposite—for protecting human settlements. Not that the lake drakes intended to do that—it was more accurate to say that humans had simply fit neatly into their natural ecosystem. Fortunately, the lake drakes themselves showed no real aggression toward humans.

“But the start of the magical industrial revolution placed the species in danger. Building the waterways required the removal of a number of lakes. Some radicals went so far as to suggest exterminating them, and that was actually carried out in other countries. Everyone got a bit carried away by the sweeping changes in their lives, I suppose.”

Jenna sighed. It was all too easy for the others to imagine how that happened. The swelling population destroyed the balance that had made coexistence work; people craving further development began seeing their guardians as obstacles.

“It was our Aalto ancestors who put a stop to that. They came up with hard numbers proving that prioritizing efficiency in waterway construction would negatively impact the environment, and exactly how that would harm people’s lives. The more you know about lake drakes’ lives, the more clearly such choices would be self-destructive. And nobody wanted to steer the country on a course straight to our doom.”

Kalervo sounded proud of this. Lake drakes were apex predators—the environmental impact of their loss would be immeasurable. Their predecessors had made that impact as visible as possible, talking down those urging rapid development.

“As a result, the Aaltos’ reputation has been historically quite high within Farnland. Once, we even had some say throughout the Union… Those days are long gone, though.”

“Don’t beat yourself up here, Kalervo,” Jenna urged. “It’ll make the children uncomfortable.”

Seeing a cloud on Katie’s features, Oliver changed the subject.

“…What is that lake drake eating? They look like ordinary fish, but…”

“You’ve got a keen eye. Right, they’re mock life-forms cultured with magic. We use them as feed not just here, but all over the biotope. Can’t exactly call them cost-efficient, mind.”

Pointing at the drake’s meal, Kalervo explained further. Created via application of automata techniques, they were essentially puppets made of flesh in the shape of a fish, programmed to swim around. Technology proposed to help feed captive creatures with an unstable food supply, Oliver had heard of nowhere else using them on dragons. Another glimpse of how advanced the Aaltos were.

“Ecological preservation—like these lake drakes—is an important duty, but not the true nature of Aalto sorcery. What we’ll show you next should make that clear.”

They turned and walked away. The Sword Roses followed, leaving the lake drake tank behind.

The next zone had an entirely different surprise.

“…Gosh…”

“…How…?”

The sight beyond that clear wall left them speechless.

“Spotted it right away?” Jenna said, smiling. “I didn’t even need to explain! Impressive.”

“I can’t believe it!” Chela cried, eyes wide open. “A griffin and a hippogriff, sharing space in harmony?”

Standing next to her, Oliver was every bit as stunned. These were similar species, but the sight of them lying peacefully next to each other—anyone who knew their magical biology would notice how outlandish that was.

Griffins and hippogriffs might have shared several external features, but in the wild, they were infamous for being at each other’s throats. They preferred similar habitats, so their territories often overlapped, and neither seemed willing to tolerate the other’s presence. Their battles raged until the territory decisively belonged to one species or the other. As a result, the magic world used “griffins lying down with hippogriffs” as an idiomatic expression of a pipe dream.

“It’s only recently we figured out the cause of their disputes,” said Jenna. “Once, we believed both species were descended from a common ancestor, but analysis of fossils from their terrains suggests their roots are entirely distinct. You’re aware of the concept of convergent evolution?”

“Yes, that’s where two seemingly unrelated species facing similar challenges wind up developing similar characteristics.”

“Exactly, Pete. In other words, the species aren’t relatives, but strangers who merely look alike. We believe their instinctive repulsion stems from that. You’re aware that if we artificially crossbreed the two species, the resulting grigriff have no reproductive capabilities? That means if they mistake each other for comrades, it will impact their progeny.”

“I’m with you so far. In that case, how are they coexisting here?” Oliver asked. The obvious question.

Kalervo folded his arms, grinning. “We intentionally diminished the suitability of the habitat. Specifically, the nourishment and magic particles here—they’re enough to live on, but not suitable for reproduction. Like we just said, their enmity is directly connected to the reproductive instinct. In an environment ill-suited for that, we’ve learned the repulsion is nowhere near as strong. Thus, that was the cause of the ferocity of their terrain disputes.”

An unexpected angle of approach that left everyone reeling. Kalervo turned to face them.

“As this experiment suggests, the Aaltos are not naturists. Where necessary, we will preach environmental protection, but only because that is an effective means of achieving the intended goal. Fundamentally, the environment is always in flux. All creatures we know have evolved by adapting to those changes, and few things are more unnatural than unconditional surrender to nature itself. And…we are mages.”

This was frequently misunderstood, and he wanted to ensure his daughter’s friends were clear on this point.

“What the Aaltos have long sought are biological ideals that could not be achieved by a mere extension of the natural order. If we have to put a word to it, I’d call us post-realists. At least, that was the case. We’re no longer walking that path.”

A bit of self-deprecation in his tone—and no one here felt ready to pry into the cause.

The day after that, thanks to Chela’s profound desire, the Aaltos agreed to show them their fieldwork at a nearby goblin settlement.

“This is the last thing I expected to catch your interest,” Kalervo admitted.

He was in the driver’s seat, moving the sleigh along.

“Kimberly itself believes in freedom above all else, so both your papers are available in the library,” Oliver explained. “It sounds like Instructor Theodore reads them avidly.”

“Lord McFarlane himself… It’s an honor but also rather unnerving. I’ve met the man at a few conferences, and the depths of him are impossible to fathom—”

“Kalervo!”

“Oops, pardon me. Not something to say before his daughter.”

“Oh, don’t mind me.” Chela was half smiling. “I share much the same opinion.”

Oliver was equally disinclined to rebuke the man. Too much about Theodore was a murky morass, starting with his motivations for bringing Nanao to Kimberly. Even among the faculty, Oliver saw him as aligned with the powers that be.

As he pondered that, the sleigh slowed to a stop. They left it behind, moving on foot through the forest.

“We’re almost at the settlement. The goblins here are used to humans, and there’s no need for concern, but let’s keep our athames inside our robes. Don’t want to frighten them,” Kalervo advised.

“Of course,” said Oliver. “It would never do to flaunt our weapons on arrival.”

“Manners maketh man!” Nanao proclaimed.

The others nodded. Seeing everyone in the right frame of mind, Jenna put up both hands, whistling through her fingers. It sounded exactly like the warbling of a bird.

“Imitating a bird cry to announce your visit!” Chela said. “I saw that in your papers!”

“Yes, their settlements are so often hidden away. There are many variations in these whistles, and using the wrong one could get you in trouble. Copy a bird of prey, and you’ll be announcing an attack.”

“Still far better than elf villages, yes?”

“Saving me the need to bring up a touchy subject? If it won’t bother you, I’ll share the stories of our failures there later on.”

Chela had clearly done her homework and was making Jenna wince.

At this point, the brush rustled, and a goblin popped out. The newcomer came walking right up to them, not looking the least bit cautious. Kalervo grinned.

“Ah, you’re on guard duty, Caffia? Ha-ha, you heard we were coming and arranged your shifts?”

“Such a sweetheart, can’t get enough of new things. Katie, hand Caffia the gift bag.”

“Okay!”

Katie handed over a wrapped parcel. Caffia took it and opened it on the spot, inspecting the contents. Everyone peered in.

“Salted fish, vegetables, tea leaves…and what’s that?”

“A brooch purchased in a human village. Normal stuff for sale at a gift shop.”

“They like that sort of thing? Not exactly practical.”

“No, Caffia loves it,” Pete said, eyes on the goblin, who was grinning like crazy, poring over the brooch from every angle.

“They’re good with their hands and love art,” Kalervo said. “Always eager to get new sources of inspiration for their own creations. They’d actually resent it if we just brought food. It would imply we thought their village didn’t have enough to eat.”

“Ah, I see…” Oliver nodded.

Forest-dwelling demi-humans were often seen as struggling to get by, but this was just an unconscious bias.

When Caffia was done inspecting the gifts, the goblin picked them up and headed off.

“Permission to enter,” Jenna said, smiling at the others. “Move slowly, taking small steps. Smiles are vital, but there’s a trick to it—make sure you show your teeth.”

“Oh? Our teeth?”

“What an interesting custom.”

“They say ‘lips harbor lies.’ Goblins do not trust anyone whose mouth is closed. Exposed teeth are ideal—I’d suggest feeling like you must be overdoing it.”

“Like so?”

“How’s this?”

Nanao and Guy flashed their pearly whites, and Jenna giggled, nodding.

Chela turned to their big friend, worried.

“Will you be okay, Marco? I imagine goblin villages are rather narrow.”

“Ha-ha, they’ll worry less about him than humans. This village doesn’t have any, but it’s pretty common for goblins and trolls to live together. They’ve even got a path for bigger visitors, don’t worry.”

As Kalervo spoke, they passed through the thicket, and the view opened up.

“…Wow…”

“…Whoa…!”

Huts of various colors and shapes built right up on top of each other, all in a row. They were huts only by human scale—for a species small of stature, they were more than spacious enough. Especially notable was the variety of design and the freedom of expression that invoked. Terraces jutting so far out of the second floor, they seemed liable to topple the building—and that was just the beginning. On the other extreme, there was a house suspended between columns like a swing. Yet the finish and decorative flourishes were all impeccable, employing craftsmanship far beyond anything they could dismiss as children at play. If the architectural end wasn’t sound, half of these wouldn’t stand upright for long.

“Cutting-edge designs, yes?” said Kalervo. “Our regular visits have made things a touch gaudier, but every village is full of distinctive designs. They make art a part of their everyday lives. If you tried writing an introduction to goblin architecture, you’d never have enough paper.”

“It may look chaotic, but it’s not without order,” added Jenna. “They simply hate to be confined by a single format. They always build something different from the house next door and alter it over time. That three-story building was a ranch house not long ago.”

“…Um, doesn’t this go through a lot of wood?” asked Chela. “I see some are using iron and mortar, too. Seems like they must be burning through resources…”

“Unlike elves, that is certainly a constant headache for them,” replied Kalervo. “Do you know what humans and goblins first fought over? Lumber.”

As they were talking, goblins gathered around.

“~~~~~~~?”

“~~~~~~~!”

“Whoa…!”

“Hrm?”

“Ah, they’re already talking to you. Michela’s hair has caught their attention. They want to know how you’ve wound it so neatly,” Kalervo told Chela.

“Oh, my ringlets? I see their hairstyles are equally varied. City goblins are so often merely shaved…”

“That’s what humans demand of them. Shaving their heads has been imprinted as a sign of submission to humans. The practice started because of the bogeys, but…we’ll explain more later.”

Jenna cut herself off, watching Pete. He was straining his ears, trying to turn what he’d read in books into comprehension of the goblins’ chatter. It wasn’t going well, and he groaned.

“Hard to pick out words, right?” Kalervo said. “Don’t worry, everyone struggles at first. Until our predecessors proved otherwise, mages did not even believe goblins had language. Arguably, that was also because that lie suited the conservatives’ purposes, but…the other half lies in the fact that we just can’t hear it.”

“I’m sure you’ve read as much, but the aural range employed itself is different. It’s even easier to get wrong since there are parts we can hear—but more than half of what they say is outside the range detectable by human ears. Mages can train themselves to pick it up, but…”

“Unh, I can catch some,” Marco volunteered.

Perhaps he’d had some communication with goblins when he lived in the forest; he certainly seemed to be having an easier time than the others. The goblins were being quite friendly with him. Trolls often worked closely with goblins, so he must have seemed like a good neighbor.

“If you indoctrinate them like city goblins, they can manage a few human words. But to them, it’s like speaking with only half their throat. The chief here has managed it, but I’d rather not force him to. I won’t deny the necessity of a common tongue, but we’re the visitors here—”

“Yo, Aalto. Quite a hubbub. Who’s these kids, then?”

A new goblin emerged from the back of the settlement. The way his hair swooped out in front was striking, but what really rattled everyone was the sheer fluency with which he spoke. The timing of his arrival totally undermined Kalervo, who sighed.

“…Impressive fluency, chief, but did you have to speak there? I was just trying to teach them to respect your language.”

“Ha! What good’s that do anyone? I can speak, so let me. Not like you show any knack for goblinese. You been at it for years, and you ain’t getting better.”

“Hnggggg…!”

Kalervo gnashed his teeth. Seeing the kids still reeling, Jenna mustered a smile.

“Spectacular timing, so let me introduce you. This is Morlik, the chief here. Presumably one of the top-ten best goblin speakers of human language in all the world. And he’s trilingual.”

“You’re kidding…”

“That’s not even Farnish. That’s totally normal Yelglish…”

“You gotta start with the majority language, right? I’m working on Lantish now. Same linguistic root ain’t much tougher than a dialect. Won’t take me long.” Morlik thumped his chest, then looked grave. “But I’m real smart. Exceptional-like. Don’t expect this from any of the others. You don’t get used to squeezing down your throat; it’s pretty painful. Even motivated young ’uns throw in the towel quick.”

With that, Oliver got the introductions started. Morlik shook each hand, as per human custom, then looked up at Marco.

“I heard you were in the same boat, huh? You the troll who got your brain messed with?”

“Unh, I’m not as good as you. But I can speak Yelglish.”

Morlik let out an extra-long sigh. “That obviously ain’t something you get through hard work, no… Must’ve been rough on you.”

He patted Marco’s knee, then spun around and walked away.

“If we’re gonna talk, let’s eat while we do. I wanna celebrate! The big man there, and these kids, too.”

Katie blinked, then looked at her mother. “Mom…did you—?”

“Indeed I did. We’re not just here for your benefit—we want to ask the chief about Marco’s future.”

“So! What’s the crux of this whole civil rights thing?”

They were sharing a meal with Morlik in a hut built for receiving company—and therefore even more eye-catching. The building was shaped like a basket and painted bright blue, but the variety of food on offer was an even bigger surprise. Pickles, fried food, even dessert (fruit salad in gelatin). Originally, goblin diets had been much more basic, so this was presumably the result of their curious minds assimilating human cultures.

As they ate, the topic Morlik brought up was one all too often treated in the abstract. Trying not to let this string of surprises throw him, Oliver did his best to keep up.

“Historically speaking, the movement for goblin rights predates trolls by quite a bit,” Morlik added. “We were good with our hands, didn’t have too much trouble communicating, and there was the odd exception like myself. If the politics had blown right, we might’ve got them right there and then. Problem was, there was this huge impediment.”

“…Those who’ve lost their way?” Oliver said, picking the phrase carefully.

“Watching your manners, kiddo? Exactly right. You call ’em the bogeys. But they’re just goblins that picked the path of violence. Even now, your average joe probably lumps us all together, right? And trying to convince people they’re ‘safe’ leads our poor city brethren to shave their heads.”

He stroked his own hairdo proudly. Bogey was not a biological term like goblin or troll; it was simply slang derived from the need to distinguish goblins that did people harm from those that didn’t. The goblins themselves had thoughts on the subject but had chosen to refer to them as “those who’ve lost their way.” Naturally, the original expression was in their own language, and this was simply the generally accepted translation.

“Human eyes can’t tell the difference between our fancy ’dos and the lost ones’ wild manes, apparently. Can’t really blame ’em, though. The difference between us ain’t much more than you humans with your hunters and your gatherers.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Oliver replied. “Regional disparities aside, your lifestyles were never based on invasion. I’ve heard goblins didn’t try sustaining themselves by attacking people and livestock until the last thousand years or so. And that this shift was simply an adaption to competition with the human race.”

All things his mother once taught him. Morlik smiled.

“You are one serious kid! Not just what you’re saying—it’s fascinating how you ain’t let any wariness into your eyes. That’s something that don’t go away easy, whether you’re pro-rights or not.”

His eyes flicked to Guy, who made a noise. Morlik flashed him a smile, then turned back to Oliver.

“You must have been raised by some odd ducks. But at your age, you shouldn’t have eyes that run that deep.”

The chief seemed to be looking right through him, and it intimidated Oliver. Perhaps picking up on that, too, Morlik looked over at Nanao, who’d remained silent.

“Katie’s her own deal. Same with the Azian lady here. Honestly, your eyes are so clear, it’s downright spooky! What do you even make of me?”

“You are a gentleman of small stature with a sizable snout. Possessed of an intellect I could not hope to match. And I might add that your hairstyle is the epitome of cool.”

“Ha! Ha! Ha! That’s more like it! You’ve got a keen eye.”

Her response had clearly caught him off guard and tickled his funny bone.

Guy put aside his shame and admitted, “Yeah…I can’t quite shake that wariness.”

“No big whoop. I can tell you’re trying to keep it in check, and that alone says you’re a broad-minded kid. Look, if you got no caution at all your first visit here, that’s a way bigger problem. Katie may be an exception, but the boy and your Azian girl aren’t without it. That ain’t about human or goblin; it’s just part of being alive.”

Morlik let that settle in for a moment, stroking his chin.

“Maybe the framing’s misleading. This is more about yer preconceptions. These two look at me the way they would anyone they’d just met, and that feels pretty good. Right, Oliver, Nanao?”

He shot them a smile, then turned back to Marco.

“Let’s get back on track. My point is, there ain’t no clear rationale for grantin’ civil rights. If language did the trick, we’d have ’em by now. That weren’t enough for goblins. Those who’ve lost their way made a negative impression that far outweighed that. We’ve been racking our brains, but all we can really do is keep on meeting with different folks and try to convince them we ain’t like them.”

“…Forgive my ignorance, but is reconciliation impossible?”

“’Fraid so. They’re scrambling to stay alive while we were lucky enough to get ourselves on this national conservation deal. Too big a difference. Calling out to them from safety ain’t gonna resonate. We see some hovering over the line, sure, we’ll try and talk sense into ’em, but…”

Morlik shrugged and went back to Marco.

“But trolls are a whole different story. Your breed kill a fair number of people every year, but only when human expansion clashes with your lives. You’re never aggressive about it. So—if you can talk, that’ll be more of an advantage than it was for us.”

“…You’ve put so much thought into this, chief!” Katie said, beaming with gratitude.

Morlik took a gulp of wine. “What else am I gonna do if you bring him here, Katie? But if I’m being brutal, language alone won’t be the decisive factor. Only troll that can talk right now is your Marco. You haul him this way and that to do lectures, he’ll just go down as an exception. That’ll make an impact to be sure; can’t say it won’t do no good.”

A very pragmatic stance, and Katie crossed her arms.

“If you’re serious about it, you’ll wanna up that number,” Morlik went on. “If his brain’s been messed with, you’ve got a fair idea how to reproduce it, right? That makes it simple. Get a hundred like him and the winds’ll change.”

“Absolutely not!” Katie snapped.

Morlik nodded and shrugged. “Yeah, yeah, that’s how you think. At the risk of you turning on me—I don’t believe you should rule it out,” he said. “I mean, all creatures gotta change to survive. That’s why we’re out here talking like humans, and that’s why those who lost their way discarded their way of life. Survival strategies, both of ’em. Just a question of what means you pick.”

He was so matter-of-fact about it, it left Oliver blinking. He’d never imagined he’d hear a goblin talk like this.

“If ‘get yer brain messed with’ is on the table, I ain’t gonna be the one to rule it out. If that’s the only thing stopping extinction, I’d say it’s downright unnatural to reject the notion. And I ain’t suggest you force this on anyone. You look hard enough, I bet you find some trolls that gotta act now or the humans’ll wipe ’em out. Take Marco around places like that, have him explain.”

“Urge them to hand themselves over to a mage for brain surgery?” Oliver asked, looking tense.

“I sure wouldn’t wanna,” Morlik said, sighing. “But if their backs are against the wall, some folk’ll agree to anything. Get enough of them, you might change things. That’s one path to survival of the troll species. Divide them into talking trolls and silent trolls—just like we did goblins and bogeys.”

At this point, he turned to Marco.

“This is just one way of thinking,” he stressed. “That’s all I’m trying to say, no more, no less. Just trying to broaden your perspective, I guess. I’m sure girlie here’s teaching you all kinds of stuff, but I bet you ain’t heard from anyone else considered less than human before, right? Figured it couldn’t hurt to rock your foundations. Even if that meant saying something girlie here never would.”

“…Unh…”

Marco didn’t seem sure how to respond to this, and Morlik nodded knowingly.

“Your head looks ready to pop! But, Marco…remember this much: You stand ready to put the fate of your species on your shoulders. The choices you make might alter the very future of trolls everywhere. You’re standing at a crossroads just that significant.” Then he added, “Naturally, you don’t gotta carry that weight. You can drop all that crap and just live out your life as a mite unusual troll. You even got the option of forgetting all these words and going back to the forest, living like a regular one. I bet you girlie here’s plotting just that, right?”

Katie hung her head. Morlik let Marco think a minute before continuing.

“But you can also steer things the other way. The choice is yours. Don’t leave this on Katie. Your burden is your own.”

As the meal wound down, so did the topic of Marco’s future. They split up to explore the town on their own. Watching his friends enjoying their time with the goblins, Oliver hung out on the edge of the settlement.

“Didn’t mean to bend your ears that long. Ain’t exactly my thing,” Morlik said, coming up behind him.

“No need for modesty,” Oliver replied. “Your wisdom really got to me. You realized what it meant to shoulder the future of your species long before Marco even got like this.”

“Ha-ha, it ain’t all that. I’m pretty bright, sure, but it ain’t that hard to find folks like me. I’m working with several. Our side’s able to split the burden.”

Morlik shot Katie and Marco a loaded look.

Oliver thought for a moment, then asked something he’d been wondering about for a while.

“I’m glad you’re considering Marco’s well-being, but are you sure about this? The process for altering a troll’s brain may wind up applied to goblins one day. That’ll affect your brethren put to work in human settlements. I’m sure you can imagine the consequences.”

“If that happens, I got no way to stop it. The girlie wouldn’t pop open Marco’s skull and muck about of her own accord. It’s another mage that knows how—which means the technique is already out there. You know what I said is based on that assumption, right?”

An accurate statement, and Oliver hung his head. Like the chief said, it was Miligan’s research that had made Marco like this, and she’d already reported her results to the school. Darius had been financing her research before his death, and his goal had been to apply the results to elevating human intelligence—which meant they could not rule out it being applied to other demis.

“No matter how much one goblin fights it, mages rule the world. All we can do is make moves to improve our standing within their control. Barring that, all we got left is to cling to a god from some tír or other. And that’s the last thing I wanna do. Know too many brethren got themselves killed going there.”

Morlik spoke with both resignation and determination. Oliver could think of nothing else to say.

“Naturally, I ain’t about to give up on letting goblins live their own lives. Just—at the same time, if it means we survive, there’s a lot I’m willing to sacrifice.”

With that, he turned back his collar. When Oliver saw what that cloth had hidden, his eyes went wide. Those scars made it clear his throat had been cut open and stitched back up.

“…You mean…!”

“Had ’em take a scalpel to my throat so I could talk human better. Goblin vocal chords just don’t let you get this fluent. I’ve basically had whole chunks of the range humans can’t hear removed. We’ve known there was a need for a while.”

He hid the scar again with a sad smile.

“You only heard me speak human, right? Truth is, my goblinese’s no longer worth listening to. Villagers gotta make me repeat myself pretty often. Not so bad we can’t hold down a conversation or anything, so I don’t regret the choice, but…”

Morlik trailed off, eyeing the Aaltos.

“Those bleeding hearts started learning goblinese so they could talk to us better. Would feel bad showing them what I did. I’m sure I’ll get caught out sooner or later…but let’s make that later. Mum’s the word, Oliver.”

“…On my honor.”

Oliver bobbed his head earnestly.

Morlik cackled and slapped him on the back. “You sure are a stiff one! Just chalk it up as goblin prattling, and don’t worry your head about it.”

That left Oliver without a good response.

“You got your own burden,” Morlik added. “I can tell just looking at you. So I ain’t gonna ask you to look after the girlie or Marco. Not after I just advised against dumping a burden on someone else. Just—be with them as long as you can. If possible, until they’ve found their own paths. And watch to see they don’t go down a bad one.”

Oliver nodded once more. With that answer received, Morlik grinned and turned to face him.

“Come again, Oliver. I’ll read you some Lantish poetry.”

“Looking forward to it.”

They shook hands. The feel of his first goblin friend’s palm was rough but very warm.

Their tour concluded, they got back on the sleigh to head home. There was little chatter—everyone was letting the impact of what they’d seen settle in.

“…A simply astonishing experience,” Chela breathed.

“Heh-heh, isn’t it?” Jenna said. “The chief is an edge case, but the more we study, the more surprises we find. I’ve lost track of how many times our mindset was upended.”

Her voice took on a wistful tone.

“Would that we could show that village to every mage. I’d especially like the young ones to learn what the goblin species is really like. Neither those eking out a living in the cities nor those attacking en masse are what they were meant to be. I won’t ask anyone to like them—just know the truth before they make up their minds.”

As they spoke, the sun set. A silent night above the snowfields.

When they reached the Aalto home and got off the sleigh, Marco said, “Katie, I want to think on my own awhile.”

“Marco… Mm, okay. Call me if you get lonely! I’ll come running, no matter how late it is.”

“I’ll be up late tonight, too.”

“Thanks, Katie, Teresa. Don’t worry. I’m fine.”

Marco shot them a smile, then turned and walked inside.

“He’s all hunched over,” Guy muttered. “I bet he found this more shocking than any of us.”

“Yeah, his first time meeting anyone in the same position. I honestly can’t imagine how much that shook him.”

Worried about their big friend, they headed inside themselves. Guy and Katie lingered behind.

“…It’s not just Marco, though,” Guy said. “I feel the same way.”

“Huh?” Katie blinked at him, taken aback.

Guy hugged himself, elaborating. “There’s lots you and Oliver got that I don’t. I never really figured out where the real difference was… Might’ve caught a glimpse today, though.”

“Wh-what? You mean what the chief said? Don’t! This was your first time meeting goblins, Guy! Spend more time with them, and your preconceptions will go away on their own.”

“Yeah, I bet we could be friends. That ain’t my point.” Guy shook his head. He thought for a moment, getting the words in order. “It’s like…a perception gap. You’re all seeing a way bigger picture than me. The goblins are part of that, which is why you could talk to the chief all normal. That’s the difference. My world expanded today—but until now, goblins just weren’t a part of it.”

With that laid out, he turned to face Katie.

“You and Oliver started on the same scale. Just your whole worldviews. They might not align—but they’re equally expansive. I think that’s what drew you to him. You knew instinctively he was like you.”

“……!”

Unable to deny it, Katie chose silence.

“I can tell,” Guy said, his gaze turned inward. “My view’s just not that big. That’s my limitation, I guess. I know you were born the way you are, Katie. But was Oliver? Was he always like this? I find that hard to believe. I bet he didn’t start out much different from me. A normal kid who liked making people laugh—and then something went wrong. Shattered his framework, rebuilt it in a whole new shape…”

He trailed off into his thoughts. Unable to bear it, Katie threw her arms around him.

“Mm? Where’d that come from?” Guy asked.

“I don’t know…! But I felt like if I didn’t, you’d go away somewhere…”

She had no idea where this wave of panic came from. Guy managed a grin and mussed her hair.

“That’s my line. I ain’t going anywhere,” he told her. “Other way around. I’m always wondering how I can keep you all tethered down.”

He was looking her right in the eye. She was still searching for a response when he turned away.

“Gah, this just ain’t me… I’m gonna go soak in the breeze a bit.”

“Ah—”

She reached out a hand to his retreating back, but his next words stopped her.

“It’s your home, Katie. Take advantage of it; get your feelings in line. Don’t keep running to me.”

Words as kind as they were harsh, and they hit her right in the heart.

She thought he’d nailed it.

On her own, no clue what to say to him, Katie found herself wandering the halls of her home.

“……”

She hadn’t needed it spelled out to know—things were messed up. She had no reins on her feelings for Oliver and was just using Guy as an outlet for those frustrations. She’d been conscious of that for a while, but Oliver and Nanao were getting much more intimate, and that had sent her mess into overdrive. Cuddling up with someone she felt safe with helped her settle down—like she was a kid again.

“…Ugh.”

Katie wished this was as simple as feeling jealous of the boy she liked and a close friend.

But she knew better. What lay within her was nothing so adorable.

“Ah…”

As she wrestled with this, she found the cause of it before her. Oliver was standing at the window, gazing mournfully at the night sky. Katie’s heart skipped a beat; she longed to abandon thought and throw her arms around him.

She waffled for several seconds, then stepped forward.

This required courage.

“Oliver, can we talk?”

“Sure. What’s on your mind, Katie?”

Oliver turned to face her. The curly-haired girl stood there, her bright smile tinged with nerves.

“So many stars, right? I thought this was what the night sky looked like everywhere and was shocked when I first got to Kimberly.”

“I imagine you would, raised under this splendor.”

Oliver nodded, meaning every word. Katie stepped up next to him, looking at the view herself.

“Yeah—and it also made me homesick. Really proved how far from home I’d come.”

She closed her eyes, remembering how that felt. Oliver waited this out, listening for what came next. He knew she was here to talk about something important.

“It really helped that I had Marco and Nanao to worry about. Someone worse off than me, someone who’d come from even farther away. I filled my head with them and kept myself from crying.”

Her eyes turned from the stars to the boy beside her.

“…You were thinking about Mr. Leik, right?”

She heard Oliver choke up and turned her eyes back to the stars glittering above.

“He liked the stars. He’d have loved coming here.”

“…Yeah, he’d have run wild,” Oliver managed, stifling the tremor in his voice.

Yuri was officially “missing,” and Katie didn’t know what had really happened to him. But Kimberly students walked hand in hand with death and grew instincts for these things. Katie knew: He would not return.

For a while, both stood in silence. At last, she whispered, “That’s where you are now.”

“Huh?”

He wasn’t sure what that meant. Katie locked eyes with him.

“Mr. Leik. Nanao. Teresa. Your head’s full of other people. And I bet it’s not just them.”

He had no answer. Katie flashed a smile and looked back at the stars.

“I’m the same. So being home like this—it’s the first time I’ve thought about myself.”

“……”

“We’re not real good at that. There’s a limit to our mental resources, and in order to pack more stuff in there, we dump ourselves out first. Pain, suffering, torment—if it’s ours, we can just ignore it.”

That really hit him where it hurt. A move he’d pulled far too often, yet still he had the nerve to urge his friends to love themselves. A contradiction he was all too aware of.

“That’s not our best feature, and yet it isn’t something we can ever change,” Katie said. “There are too many other things that matter, and we don’t have time to put ourselves first. We have to invent reasons to take care of ourselves at all. Like, ‘I have to rest here, or it’ll hurt someone I care about.’”

That thought was so familiar, it made his head spin. He wanted to yowl with grief and loathing—rather than admit she had the same sickness he did.

“Yeah,” he said, forcing it out, unable to refute it. “We’ve got that in common.”

Katie’s smile was as bright as his heart wasn’t.

“Thanks, Oliver. Meeting you saved me.”

The gratitude she voiced struck him as all too ironic.

“Sorry to make it weird. But I wanted to say it aloud. If I can get that out…”

She clutched her hands to her chest, downcast. Like everything else she meant was contained within it.

“Nope, that’s all,” she said. “Dinner’s almost ready. I’ll go on ahead.”

She spun around and ran off down the hall. Oliver couldn’t even watch her go.

He was left standing there, his fists balled up tight.

That night, his companions long since asleep, Oliver could not manage the same. Not after what Katie had said.

Kalervo found him, a bottle in hand—as if he’d been waiting for this.

“Care to join me, Oliver?”

“Yes, I’d be happy to.”

He’d had a hunch. He followed Kalervo to the lounge, where Jenna was waiting at the table.

“I know it’s late. We debated it, but you’re the heart of this group. Right?”

“Hard to call myself that, but…I can at least represent them and listen,” Oliver said.

Taking that as evidence he knew what this was about, Kalervo nodded.

“Fair enough. We should probably have done this with everyone present, but it felt like throwing a wet blanket on a fun vacation. Consider this an off-the-record discussion just between the three of us.”

He broke off, and Jenna spoke up.

“Let’s start with this—Katie. In your eyes, how close to the brink is she?”

Oliver took a long moment. After considering it, he decided not to mince words.

“Extremely close. We’ve had several interventions on the subject already.”

Silence settled over the room. One eye on their faces, he elaborated.

“There was a lot she said that was beyond our understanding. But being here, seeing where she grew up—I feel like several pieces fell into place. Like I see where her soul is headed.”

He broke off, staring at her parents.

“Yeah.” Kalervo nodded. “The dream that we cast aside. The Aalto spell that we deemed unobtainable.”

The pain was evident on his face.

“We never meant to put this on her. We brought her up here with love, but I swear to you, we did not mean to indoctrinate her. She was born with that inside her. An ironic twist of fate.”

He sighed.

“Oliver,” Jenna began quietly. “How much do you know about the Aaltos’ sin?”

“…What all the world knows. In other words…”

He opened and closed his mouth a few times, searching for a better turn of phrase, but none existed. He steeled himself and said it aloud.

“…You spread a gnosis, and the outcome cost many a life.”

“That’s the sum of it.” Jenna nodded. “But let us tell you the story ourselves.”

A wave of a wand will bake no bread. An old saying.

Naturally, apply alchemic principles, and you can make something rather like bread. That is not the point of the proverb—what matters here is that ordinary bodies cannot process things directly manufactured with magic.

For the same reason, potions have extremely limited uses for anyone but mages. When healing the nonmagical with spells, the best one can do is give their natural healing abilities a gentle push. To a mage’s eyes, ordinary people are highly delicate creatures.

But mages have a very good reason to keep ordinaries safe. Namely: The total number of mages was directly proportional to the ordinary population. This fixed ratio made it impossible for anyone to harbor aspirations of turning the entirety of humanity into mages.

If you wanted more mages—you needed more ordinaries. That required sustaining them, but bread made with wands would not keep them fed. They were forced to rely on farms and livestock free of magical influence—and that ran up against the labor-supply problem. Ordinaries working to feed ordinaries alone was no different from ancient times and so inefficient.

Mages wondered if there was a work force that was easier to control. Dexterous enough, capable of minimal communication, and which no one would mind if you worked them too hard.

The answer was right in front of them: Of course! Like humans yet not.

The magical industrial revolution began with the enslavement of demi-humans.

The earliest signs of this worried the Aaltos. This method had consequences.

It was not merely an emotional repulsion. Following this approach to its extreme would leave them with an enslaved demi population that outnumbered the humans—oppressive overwork would fuel rebellion, and the Gnostic threat would pour fuel on that fire. They feared the risk of collapse was too great to make it a sustainable societal model.

But arguing the risks alone was hardly convincing. They needed an alternative. A means to feed the ordinaries without all those slaves.

They turned to the impossible. To wand-made bread—to life-free sustenance.

Their research remained at an impasse for generations. They produced many side products—including the mock feed for magic beasts—but had yet to find any means that would cure the root problem. No matter what they did, they could not keep ordinaries fed.

At times they compromised, working on more efficient crops and livestock. But these soon faced the same concerns. Like foods created with magic, consuming creatures altered with it also had a debilitating effect on ordinaries’ health. Their greatest successes came through slow and steady breed refinement, no magic employed—ironically, the Aaltos achieved great things in that field. They took no pride in this; one eye always on the acceleration of the magical industrial revolution, their fears of its outcome only grew.

The impasse finally ended in Kalervo and Jenna’s time. After countless trials and innumerable errors, they finally found it. The wand-made bread. A magical product ordinaries could digest without harm. A material that flew against the rules of the world—and they failed to see the trap it contained.

“You’re familiar with the food-chain pyramid? The higher you go, the fewer their numbers. Magical ecosystems have alternate patterns, but it doesn’t hurt to assume they share the same trends,” Jenna explained. “During one fieldwork expedition, we found a place that contradicted that. By which I mean—carnivores far outnumbered herbivores. Yet none of them were starving or fighting among themselves. It felt like a dream come true.”

She hung her head, her tone registering infinite regret.

“What do you think they ate? Dirt. Turned up the humus, and the entire area was blanketed in a strange yellowish soil. If the animals grew hungry, they dug a bit—and ate that. All creatures, magical or otherwise.”

“……”

“Dubious, right? Exactly what we thought. But…we couldn’t let it go. We were just that alarmed by the state of the world. We had to do something before we hit the point of no return. And I’m sure our pride as representatives of the civil rights movement was also a factor.”

Oliver listened in silence, saying nothing.

“We took a sample back with us,” Jenna rasped. “It was all so smooth. We investigated the soil from every angle and found no evidence that it was harmful. The nutritional properties were astounding, downright unnatural. We hypothesized it was the creation of an unknown elemental and published our research…”

“It’s a sad excuse now, but tír origins were among the first possibilities we considered,” said Kalervo. “And yet—it’s very tough to tell. Regular migrations have long influenced our world, and the existing ecosystems have often absorbed them successfully. Once they adapt to this world, it’s hard to tell where they originated—and just because it’s from a tír doesn’t necessarily mean it’s harmful.”

“We were acutely aware of the need for caution. That’s why we turned to the world at large. We wanted more mages to look into it from far more perspectives. For years after our initial publication, there was not one report of harm. We were running through every type of animal experiment ourselves when…”

Jenna broke off, and Kalervo took over.

“Horrifying news reached us. A group of ordinaries and demis who’d eaten the soil had turned violent.”

“…You were already doing widespread human experimentation?”

“No—we allowed no such thing. But the more samples got out, the harder they were to contain. The soil was a tír trap from the very beginning. If the soil was out there on its own, mages would swiftly confiscate it. But if it came approved by experts, then it could spread so much farther. The incident occurred one step before that stage—but the casualties were still significant. Someone had to take the fall,” Jenna whispered, closing her eyes.

“…We lost our standing and voice in the Union,” Kalervo said, sounding every bit as exhausted as if this had happened the day before. “There was no end to demands for further consequences. It was so bad—” Emotion drained from his face. “Well, we were lucky to keep our house.”

“A concession to the Aaltos’ prior results,” Jenna added. “We lost ninety percent of our research funding, and most foreign houses broke off contact with us altogether. This biotope is now a fifth the scale of what it used to be. We were left with no choice but to settle down in Farnland, researching the innocuous. And even that is getting off lightly.”

Oliver was nodding inside. Aiding a tír invasion was just that bad.

“So we wanted to let Katie be free. Didn’t hope for any revolutionary results. We’d have been fine with her being a village mage, somewhere abounding with nature… But perhaps that was a vain hope. We soon learned she was made for nothing that small scale.”

Jenna shook her head ruefully. Lost in memories.

“When she said she wanted to enroll in Kimberly, we objected, of course. Spent months trying to talk sense into her. But—we also knew we shouldn’t stop her. Putting herself in a hostile environment where she might grow—wasn’t that exactly what we did in our own youths? We knew better than anyone that our objections would not diminish her passion,” Jenna said at length. “Send her to a civil rights school, and she’d die on the vine. The Union has few schools aligned that way, and their facilities and faculties are hardly impressive. Featherston’s headmaster is little more than a puppet.”

Jenna set her wineglass on the table—she’d yet to take a sip. Oliver imagined if she let herself start, she’d drain the bottle.

“…And we did have hope. Hope that Kimberly would beat her down. That if she saw how bad mages really are—knew just how depressing our world is—that she might choose a peaceful life.”

“……”

“No such luck. I’m sure she had her share of struggles. But she found good friends, and Kimberly helped her grow into a proper mage. The headwinds only made her stronger. I knew that the moment we saw her at the docks.”

Oliver had been listening in silence, and now Jenna turned her eyes to him.

“She wrote to us about how you all met. You’re such good friends. We can tell how deep the bonds you’ve forged are. And how that’s helped her become who she is now,” she told him. “You especially, Oliver. Your name comes up in her letters more than anyone else. You compared her to an angel once?”

“…My mouth may have gotten ahead of me.”

It felt like a very long time ago.

“You’ve been a rock for her ever since,” Jenna whispered. “In that hellscape, she met someone who got her, who admired her. That must have been such a comfort when she first arrived.”

Oliver felt the same way about Katie. Finding someone that nice at Kimberly—that had been a saving grace.

“You’ve kept her smiling the way she used to. So we’d like to pin our hopes on you, well aware that this is unbecoming behavior for any parent.”

Kalervo made to speak, but Jenna waved him off.

“Oliver—step in to stop Katie. Keep her on this side so that she might retain that smile. I don’t care how. We don’t give a damn about results. Just…”

The desperation in her mother’s eyes twisted like a knife in Oliver’s chest. All sorts of emotions wrestled for control within, but one phrase won out:

“Thanks, Oliver. Meeting you—”

After a long inner turmoil, he cast his eyes to the floor and spoke.

“I know how you feel. But…I doubt I can live up to those hopes.”

He heard them gasp but made his position clear.

“My wish is not to restrain Katie, but to protect her true nature. Wherever that leads her, if she’s thought it through, and that is what she truly desires…then I have no words to stop her. No one in this world does. And if that puts us in conflict, I will draw my wand.”

He could say nothing else. Could not do as they asked if they desired no deceit.

“…I was afraid of that.” Jenna smiled faintly—she’d seen this coming. “You’re a good boy, Oliver. Kind and thoughtful and respectful of others. Someone like you at Kimberly is nothing short of miraculous,” she told him. “But at the same time, you are every bit a mage. We knew. No ordinary boy has eyes that have peered into the abyss.”

A bitter smile twisted Oliver’s lips.

Ah, so my eyes do betray me.

“You won’t stop Katie. You may warn against a careless act—but if she’s thought it through and chooses to cross the line, you’ll back that play. As you must. You’re well past stopping that. You are a creature cut from that same cloth.”

“……”

“Watching her go is one thing. But you might give her that last push. If that benefits your purpose, no matter how much she looks up to you—”

Jenna’s wand leaped to her hand. Kalervo jumped to his feet.

“Jenna!”

“I long to strike you down, Oliver. She’d hate me for it, but…that’s a mother’s duty.”

She had her wand pointed directly at Oliver’s brow, but he remained seated, unmoving. His gaze was behind her.

“Back down, Teresa,” he said. “Mrs. Aalto doesn’t intend to follow through.”

““ ?!””

Both parents gasped. Neither one had noticed Teresa sneak up behind Jenna, her athame pressed against her back. At her master’s word, Teresa darted off into the darkness of the hall, leaving the Aaltos gaping.

“Pardon her behavior. But I’m sure you’re well aware,” Oliver warned, “killing me will not change Katie.”

A harsh truth, and it made Jenna collapse in her chair, like her strings had snapped.

“…Why did we end up talking like this? Our daughter brought friends home with her. And he’s her first love…,” she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. “If only he’d been a normal boy…!”

One arm around his wife, Kalervo shot Oliver a plaintive look.

“…I beg your pardon, Oliver. We’ll make it up to you later, but for now…”

“No need for apologies. You’ve got nothing to be sorry for.”

With that, Oliver stood up, bobbed his head, and left the lounge. In the hall, Teresa emerged from darkness, sticking close to his side.

“…My lord…”

“Back to your room, Teresa. I’m gonna take a walk outside.”

“I’ll join you.”

“Did you not hear—?”

“I’m coming with you.”

Teresa was not obeying this order. He couldn’t bring himself to issue it again. The chill in his heart found her warmth all too great a comfort.

The next morning, Katie came up to him in the hall after breakfast.

“Oliver…”

“Mm?”

“Sorry for the weird question, but…did something go down between you and my parents last night?”

That made him tense up. He’d thought they were acting natural, but apparently not enough to fool their daughter’s eyes. Careful not to let anything slip, he picked his words.

“…Not particularly. They caught me up late, and we shared a drink. The three of us had a really nice chat.”

“Really? Okay… Just my imagination, then.”

Katie brightened up. Whatever felt off to her must not have been all that obvious, and he’d managed to wriggle out of it. They headed off to the guest room.

“…Er, ahem,” Katie began, drawing her friends’ attention.

She hesitated for a long moment before continuing.

“We’ve been a lot of places, and we’re all worn out! I know just the thing to ease that fatigue.”

“Oh?”

“What’s this about?”

“Suspicious.”

They waited for her to elaborate, and her fists tightened up into little balls.

“Your first time, it, um…might be super awkward, but it’s all in your heads! It’s actually not the least bit embarrassing. Totally normal! Everyone does it.”

“Katie…?” Oliver asked, not sure what else to say.

She lifted her head, her mind made up.

“Come with me.”

Unsure of their destination, they followed Katie’s lead across the snow.

“Is that it…?”

Ahead, they spied a dome made of brick. Plumes of white smoke rose from the chimney—was there a fire lit within?

“Oh, I get it,” said Guy, the first among the group to figure it out. “A sauna, right? Those originated in Farnland.”

“Oh? Then ’tis like a steam bath?” Nanao asked, perking up.

Katie nodded and opened the door to the structure built against the dome, pointing inside.

“Here’s the changing room. We’ve got towels and a change of clothes within.”

“? We go in here? Who goes first—boys or—?”

“All together,” Katie said, smiling brightly.

It took a moment for that to sink in, and she piled on.

“Again, all together. That’s how we do it here.”

“Uh—but wait, you mean that? We all gotta get naked?”

“There are towels to cover yourself with. Nothing wrong with that!”

“Settle down, Katie,” Oliver urged. “You’re getting a bit worked up.”

Katie made a face and stared at the ground.

“…I’ve always wanted to do this,” she said. “Take visiting friends to the sauna, that is.”

The intensity there silenced him. Nanao and Chela glanced at each other, grinning.

“I have no objections.”

“Neither do I.”

Both began removing their clothes. Guy slapped his hands over his eyes.

“Augh! Wait, don’t do that!”

“It’s a bit late for that concern. Or are you saying my body’s not worth seeing?”

“Don’t make it weirder, Chela! This is a cultural—”

“Join us, Oliver.”

“Aughhhh!”

Nanao had started removing Oliver’s clothing for him. The tide was against them, and soon all were sporting only a single towel each.

“Why’d it have to be a girl day…?” Pete sighed, clearly resigned to this.

“…You can’t switch? Thought you’d gained some control over it,” said Guy.

“Not on such short notice. It takes a few hours…”

As the friends talked, they moved down the short hall into the sauna itself. Oliver glanced at the girl beside him.

“…You don’t have to join in, Teresa.”

“But I will. Unclothed means undefended.”

She had a wand hidden beneath her towel.

“Don’t worry!” Katie said up ahead. “It’s only embarrassing at first! Once we’re inside, you’ll forget everything else!”

As the sauna door opened, a wave of heat overwhelmed them.

“Hoo—”

“…That’s hot…!”

“Okay, sit where you please! It gets hotter higher up! Marco, you sit here.”

Katie soon got everyone seated. Guy and Oliver sat together in the middle row, feeling their skin bake.

“…Katie, I’m not an expert, but…this is really hot, right?”

“We’re just getting started. It’ll feel a lot hotter!”

With that, she scooped water over the stone stove. There was a hiss, and steam rose from it.

“We splash scented water on the hot stones and fill the room with steam. That conducts heat, warming us further. And it smells good, right?”

“…It does, but the temperature…”

“…I’m sweating already…”

Pete was watching the beads of perspiration roll down his arm.

“That’s the idea!” Katie said, sitting down in the top row. “Mages have strong bodies, so milder temperatures aren’t stimulating enough to get you there. It’s meant to drive you to the point where your heart is racing, and you feel lightheaded.”

“Is that…part of some process?”

“Yep! The sauna’s just the start. The real thing comes after…”

For a while, they sat roasting. Drops of sweat running down their skin.

“It might be getting hard, but hang in there till I say so. You won’t regret it!”

They took her at her word and endured. Feeling like bread in an oven, time passed.

“…Still, Katie? This is getting…rough…”

“…Not quite yet… It’d be a waste to leave too soon…”

“…Heh-heh… How it takes me back… I once challenged my grandfather, seeing who could stay in longest…”

“I’ve heard Yamatsu has many hot springs,” Chela noted. “That said…this is rather intense…”

Puddles of sweat were forming at their feet. Sensing danger, Oliver said, “Katie, we’re at our limit here! Any longer and…”

“Last spurt! Thirty more seconds!”

She held them to that, then jumped to her feet.

“Okay, outside! Follow me!”

She raced through the doors, and the others were on her heels. Out across the snow, barefoot.

“Wh-what…? It’s not over?” Pete gasped.

“Nope! Time for the real experience! Dive in!”

Katie was pointing at the pond before them. The surface was iced over, with snow on top of it. Guy looked at that, then at Katie.

“…The frozen pond? Right after baking ourselves to a crisp? You’ve gotta be kidding!”

“I mean it! Like this!”

Katie took the first plunge. Her body broke through the ice, and cold water shot out. Everyone flinched.

“Y-yo, Katie…!”

“Are you okay?!”

“Bwah! Hurry, get in! Your feet’ll reach the bottom! Now, before you cool off!”

Having put themselves through that furnace, no one was really going to argue with her now. They followed her lead and jumped on through the ice. Shrieks went up as the frigid water hit them.

“Gahhhh…!”

“C-coooold—!”

“It’s colder if you move around! Get your shoulders under and stay still!”

They did as they were told, hunkering down. She was right: Their heated skin warmed the water in contact with them, easing the chill. But just as they were relaxing, Marco got in, displacing so much water, it unintentionally churned the pond.

“Aughhh! If the water moves, it’s worse!” Guy yelled.

“Unh, sorry. I tried to ease in.”

“Oliver, look! A fish!”

“You dove under to catch that?! Let it go! The cold made it sluggish!”

Nanao put the fish back in the water, and Oliver glanced at Teresa.

“You can get out first,” he said. “You’re smaller; the heat’ll leave you faster.”

“…I’m not getting out before her.”

“It’s not a competition!”

Teresa stubbornly stuck to her guns. Everyone endured the cold for a solid two minutes, and at last Katie got out.

“Okay—back inside! More sauna time!” Katie announced.

“Wha—?! Seriously?! We’re looping this?!”

“Exactly! You gotta do three reps!”

“Three…! This is far more grueling than I anticipated…!” Chela moaned.

Collecting their nerves, they began alternating sauna sessions with cold baths, exposing themselves to temperature contrasts beyond anything regular life presented. After the last cold dip, Katie turned to face them.

“Okay, we’re done! Good work! Kick back in the break room here.”

Inside were comfortable temperatures and deck chairs. All participants looked relieved.

“Yeesh… I thought I was done for.”

“…Same… But it’s an odd sensation. Like—my head feels so…clear?”

Pete broke off there, eyes half-open, not moving. Guy blinked at him.

“…Pete? Earth to Pete?”

“Looks like it’s hit him already,” said Katie. “Everyone, relax, close your eyes, do nothing. Just let the sensations take hold.”

And a new experience awaited.

“Hrm—”

“ !”

Noises escaped them but achieved no meaning. Seeing everyone had arrived, Katie smiled.

“You get it now? I wanted you guys to feel this. Amazing, right?”

“……Yeah,” Oliver whispered. “It’s really something…”

Basking in the same glow, Chela asked, “Katie, this is what you wanted to share?”

“…Yeah… I wanted us all to get here…together.”

“…You’ve convinced me,” Guy said. “Would never’ve gotten it if I hadn’t tried this for myself…”

For a while they talked quietly, letting the experience wash over them.

“…It’s wearing off,” Katie said, sitting back up. “The peak is past—how’s everyone feeling?”

“…Like I’ve been reborn,” Oliver replied.

“Do you feel the same, Marco?” Chela asked.

“Unh, not sure if it’s exactly the same, but it felt good.”

The deck chair creaked under him as he nodded.

Guy glanced out the window at the sauna.

“I want one of these in our base. Shouldn’t be that hard to warm a room…”

“That would be nice,” Katie said. “But it wouldn’t be nearly as effective. There’s more to it than just the temperature. The quality of the water, the scent of the air, the sunlight streaming in from outside…”

Oliver privately agreed with her. This was something they felt today, with this company. A marvel that lived in the moment.

“I’m convinced this is the best sauna in all the world,” Katie added. “This is the best way I know to repay you guys. Did it do the trick?”

“Indeed it did,” Nanao said, speaking for everyone. “Katie, your home is magnificent.”

Katie visibly relaxed. “Oh… That’s a relief.”

She sank into her deck chair, eyes closed, deeply at peace.

Chela slowly got to her feet, watching Katie.

Catching this from the corner of his eye, Oliver hissed, “Chela, I know you’re blissed out, but you have to put clothes on before you start hugging people. I’m gonna insist on that point!”

“Oh, you’re ahead of me… Well spotted, Oliver.”

“Since when was wearing clothes a condition of the free-hug rule?”

“Pete, don’t encourage her! You’ll end up streaking around the place before you know it!” Guy shouted.

But they soon forgot about getting dressed and were tussling in their towels.

Late that night, their daughter and her friends all in bed, Jenna was sipping wine in the living room.

Her husband joined her. “…Everyone turned in?” he asked.

“Yes—wore themselves out. We offered to split them up, but they’re all in the same room,” Jenna said, laughing.

Not just Oliver—she had never expected her daughter to find so many good friends in a place like Kimberly. She’d imagined Katie alone, isolated, with no one around who understood her. For that reason, she was eternally gratefully—and yet…

“…If they could be like that forever, I’d want nothing else.”

Why was that wish so out of reach? Hand tightening around her glass, Jenna sobbed—and Kalervo silently pulled her close.

Meanwhile, Marco had risen to get some water and bumped into an unexpected troll in the hall.

“…Mm?”

Patro waved for him to follow, then turned around. Confused, Marco went after him.

“…You sure you want me here?”

Wordlessly, they moved over to the biotope. One corner of the vast space was set up for meetings and featured two troll-sized chairs. They sat down facing each other. Patro filled two tankards with fizzless cider and handed one to Marco.

Sorry. I knew you weren’t a bad guy.

Patro spoke no words, but they were both trolls—Marco grasped his intent. This was an apology for his past behavior and a sign he wanted to make up for it.

I was just scared. Hearing human words come from one of us—it made me panic. I don’t really know why. But a chill went down my spine.

This was the best explanation he had. Marco smiled, shaking his head.

It’s fine. If our positions were reversed, I’d have felt the same.

And he wondered if he’d avoided thinking too hard about it—about how he himself had changed since learning human words.

These days, I even think in their language. And that’s gradually starting to feel normal. I may no longer be who I once was.

This admission provoked a long silence. As Marco drained his tankard, Patro began to softly sing.

“FOO……WOO……”

The resonance of it hit Marco deep, and before he knew it, he was singing with Patro. How many years had it been since he sang with another of his kind?

““……WOO……RUU……””

There was nothing stopping them from being two trolls enjoying a peaceful evening.

“…Hmm…”

Woken at dawn by birdsong, Oliver opened his eyes and found a girl’s dark brown eyes inches from his own.

“…How long have you been there, Teresa?”

“The whole time. It never gets dull.”

She’d been watching him sleep for quite a while; somehow that didn’t surprise him. He made a face, sat up, and looked around. All seven of them were packed into five beds, with Marco on a mat nearby. Hard not to smile at the sight.

Certain they were the only ones up, Oliver turned back to Teresa.

“…I’ve got something for you. Let’s step out.”

Outside, they found a clearing, and Oliver gathered kindling, using a spell to ignite it. He took a metal flask from his belongings, opened the lid, and heated the bottom over the flames. A sweet scent filled the air, and Teresa’s nose twitched.

“…What is it?” she asked.

“Nothing special. Just something nice to sip on a cold day.”

When it was warm enough, he poured the thick brown liquid into wooden cups, handing one to Teresa. She accepted it, blew on it, and took a sip—and her eyes went wide.

“……!”

“Hits the spot, right? Totally normal hot chocolate feels like a luxury here.”

Smiling, he took a sip of his own. He knew she had a sweet tooth, so he’d prepped this as a little treat, not having imagined he would find such a perfect location for it.

He looked around. The Aalto home was on elevated land, looking down on the snowcapped forest, gleaming in the light of dawn. A breathtaking view shared with the girl beside him. For a while, they let it soak in.

“…I wanted you to see this. To know that the world is filled with beautiful things to see. That those dimly lit corridors aren’t all the world has to offer,” Oliver murmured.

His expression stiffened, and he turned to face Teresa.

“But your next answer may alter the implications of that. Teresa, tell me the truth.”

“I swear,” she said, her hot chocolate already gone.

Looking right into her eyes, he asked what he already knew.

“How much longer will you live?”

She didn’t hesitate. A smile as free as her master was not.

“Not much more than you will, my lord.”

An awful truth, one that pierced his very heart. Yet—not a surprise. He’d hoped it would be otherwise but had seen this answer coming.

“Extreme silence is tantamount to death. My stealth is achieved by placing myself closer to it. Not as a technique, but as a principle of my existence,” Teresa added. “Like that astra, I was born half-ghost.”

“…I’ve heard Rivermoore’s creation is expected to live awhile longer.”

“Yes—so what I am is not as successful. I am a byproduct of an experiment that was always expected to fail. That I am allowed to serve you alone is blessing enough.”

She spoke of her own fate in measured tones. This was clearly something she had long since accepted—a fact that made Oliver grind his teeth.

“…There’s nothing to be done?”

“Not practically, no. Even if I attempted to find a solution, it would be every bit as difficult as what the Scavenger faced. Thus—put it out of your mind. Your life gives you no more time to waste than mine.”

This admonishment only twisted the knife. Oliver’s purpose alone was too much for someone with his mediocre gifts. How could he afford to search blindly for solutions to the unsolvable?

“………………Fine.”

And so, he cut it loose. He’d wanted to free her from the battle before it was too late—a vain wish that he now crushed in the palm of his own hand. This girl had only a few years to live. Sending her out in the world and claiming he’d set her free—that would be shameful indeed.

“…I brought you on this journey as some small payment for your labor. Our battles will only get worse. This could be our last chance to rest.”

“I know.”

He shouldered all this. Her life and death, her devotion—this was all part of his sin. And in light of that, he had only one thing to say to her.

“Serve at my side, Teresa. Until your last moments arrive.”

“Gladly.”

Her answer came swiftly, and she knelt before him. A moment of silence, loyalty sworn—and her face rose once more.

“But if I may ask one thing in return?”

“What?”

“I would like a kiss. Not on the cheek, but here.”

Hesitantly, she pointed at her lips. Without a word, Oliver put his hands around her shoulders.

He had no right to refuse. She gave him her life; there was no price he would not pay.

“…Mm…”

Their lips tasted of chocolate. Yet it could not disguise the bitterness of this kiss.

At last, it was time to leave. Surprising no one, Katie was openly weeping, her arms around her parents and Patro.

“…Wahhhhhh…!”

Her family reunion had been all too brief. Fighting off their own tears, her parents tried calming her down.

“We’ll miss you, too,” Kalervo told her. “But it’s time you dried your eyes. You’ve been at this a full hour now!”

“…Right, and you’ve got one last thing to take care of, yes?” Jenna said, giving Katie a gentle push.

At last, Katie managed to stop the waterworks.

“Sniff— Yeah, I know. Everybody! I want to make one detour on our way to the port.”

“Sure.”

“No problem. We got time.”

They all had a hunch what this meant. Appreciating that fact, Katie finished up her preparations and held out a hand to their big friend.

“Come on, Marco.”

“…Unh.”

Kalervo guided the sleigh across the snowfields to a settlement not human—but no less peaceful.

“Wow…”

The trolls looked up from their cooking, their gaze on the visitors. Katie waved at them all.

“This is the nearest troll village to our home. One of the few such villages left on open land. This area is all under Aalto conservatorship, so there’s no risk of that changing. I’d go so far as to call it the safest troll village in the entire world.”

She turned to the troll beside her.

“Marco, if you want—you could live here. Kimberly may grumble about it, but I can always make up a story about you dying during an experiment. I’ll miss having you around, but I can visit sometimes… And the trolls here are super nice.”

“……”

Marco stood a while, watching his brethren. This could quite literally be his salvation.

“We are mages and must go back to Kimberly. But there’s no need for you to join us. You don’t have to go anywhere that scary ever again. You can live a normal life here like any other troll. You can once again have everything you lost.”

Katie was stifling her own conflicts—and in time, Marco took a step toward the village.

“…Nn…”

Katie bit her lip, holding in the brunt of her emotions. But Marco stopped. He never took a second step.

“…I knew you would do this, Katie. I even hoped you would. I knew you were nice—if I went with you, you’d let me leave someday.”

He was speaking not just of what he’d struggled with, but the conclusion he’d reached.

“But…I never stopped thinking. About what I saw at Kimberly, on the voyage here, talking to the goblin chief. So many things that changed my perspective.”

Each moment ran through his mind. Then he turned to face the mages.

“And I thought: There is a role for me to play.”

He moved back to Katie, taking a knee in the snow before her.

“I want to find that with you. Take me back, Katie.”

This request made her quiver, her fists clenched tight, her head down.

“…You’re sure?” she said. “Think about it—do you really want to go back to Kimberly?”

“It’s not just me. You’re there, Teresa’s there, all of you are. I’m not scared.”

“…But this time it might be the death of you! I don’t even know if I can keep myself safe!”

Her voice grew louder, tears in her eyes.

Marco thought a while, then turned to the ringlet girl.

“Chela, may I borrow your hat?”

“? Ah, yes. Of course.”

Chela took a brimmed hat out of her luggage, and Marco put it on, smiling.

“Look, Katie. You ever seen another troll look this good in a hat?”

The last thing anyone expected him to say. There was a stunned silence.

“…Marco…”

“…Told a joke…”

Katie smiled through her tears and wiped her eyes. Accepting how he felt—that his mind was made up.

“……Never,” she said. “No such thing!”

“I know. So…it’d be a waste to leave me in the boonies.”

“…Ha-ha. Point taken.”

Katie took Marco’s hand. Squeezed his big fingers—then turned back to her friends.

“Come on, everyone. Marco’s made his choice.”

“Yeah.”

“Indeed he has!”

“Looking forward to it, Marco.”

They all celebrated their friend’s decision.

Teresa scrambled up onto his shoulder and whispered in his ear, “I thought this was good-bye.”

“Unh. Sorry, Teresa.”

They were done here. They climbed back on Kalervo’s sleigh and left the troll village. Marco alone looked back, watching his brethren until they were out of sight.

“…Good-bye,” he whispered—and did not turn back again.