The first light of dawn had just begun to peek over the rooftops of the city, and the orphanage was already in complete chaos.
"...Where are my shoes?!"
Everyone had woken up early, bustling around to help Violet prepare for her departure.
After a quick breakfast, they all gathered in the courtyard to see her off.
All right… this is it.
"Okay, I'm going now…"
In front of her, the children were huddled close to Mother Célene.
"Be careful, big sis!"
"Yeah! And come back soon!"
Gal and Piro struggled to contain their excitement.
Negis, on the other hand, was holding little Lili, whose face was dark and streaked with enormous tears.
"So you're not coming back anymore?"
"Of course I'm coming back."
Violet knelt down and gently caressed the girl's cheek.
"As soon as I finish my mission, I'll come straight back. You'll see!"
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Lili nodded, hugging her brother tightly and hiding her face against his clothes.
"Try not to get lost, big sis," Negis added, far more serious than the others.
"Lost? Why would I get lost? Why does everyone act like I don't have any sense of direction?!"
Annoyed, Violet shot the children a glare.
"Violet…"
Célene stepped forward, handing the girl a small shoulder bag—old and worn.
"There are some provisions inside. It's not much, but it should last you a few days."
Violet accepted the bag, peeking at the contents.
"…Thank you, Célene."
With her usual serious, slightly melancholic expression, the woman approached and clasped Violet's hands.
"Promise me you'll be careful."
Violet looked at her closely—her beautiful yet tired face, her worn hands—trying to carve the image deeply into her memory.
"I… I will!"
"Travel during the day, and stick to the main roads, the ones with the most travelers. And don't talk to strangers too easily…"
Violet listened, scrunching her nose.
I'm not a child…
"…And write to us as soon as you arrive. The guild will make sure your message gets delivered."
Adjusting her old shoulder bag one last time and gripping her staff with determination, Violet prepared to depart.
"Alright!"
"See you soon, big sis!"
The children rushed to her one by one to say goodbye.
"Write to us when you arrive," Negis said, shaking her hand with an expression unusually adult and formal.
"Yeah, and bring us something from the capital, okay?"
"Maybe the head of some monster if you can!"
Piro and Gal hugged her in turn.
Last came Lili, who stepped forward, looked the dwarf straight in the eyes, and smiled.
"Goodbye, kind mister… please take care of my big sister, okay?"
Nainai, staring at the girl's little face, seemed to smile back.
"Alright then… it's time. Let's go, Nainai!"
Amid the children's shouts and waves, Violet and her companion stepped out of the courtyard and followed the path leading out of town.
It's sooo hot!
After crossing the entire city back and forth several times, the pair finally left its walls behind and found themselves surrounded by countryside.
All around them lay rolling grassy hills, and the chirping of birds in love filled the air with music.
Violet adored the countryside and its colors; she had already stopped multiple times to admire the distant lines of trees.
A gentle breeze carried the scents of nature, brushing her hair as she walked.
Following the road, she noticed several old plaques set at regular distances within a field full of colorful, fragrant flowers.
Curious, she ventured several meters into the field, eager to uncover the mystery. The plaques were covered in ivy, looking like remnants of an ancient past.
Could these be magical runes?
Pulling the ivy aside, she finally read the ancient letters carved into the old, weathered wood:
"Do not trample the flowers."
As she walked, Violet—battered by the heat pressing down on her head—spotted a large tree in the distance, its shadow stretching broadly across the ground.
"Come on, Nainai… if we stay under the sun any longer I'm going to melt into jelly."
Once they reached the trunk and felt a bit of relief, the two settled at its base to rest.
They hadn't been traveling long, yet Violet was already drenched in sweat. Even Nainai had big droplets rolling down his forehead, gathering on the tip of his nose before falling to the ground.
Around them, silence reigned, broken only by the whisper of the wind brushing through the leaves overhead.
Far off, windmills turned slowly, and farmers worked in their fields.
"If it's always like this… it's not that bad, right?"
Violet addressed her companion, who remained as always silent and motionless, staring at nothing in particular.
I still have no idea why they assigned me a companion like this. He doesn't talk, he can't eat by himself, he barely moves. I feel like I'm his babysitter…
And those two weird women at the guild. The seal, the goddess, the mission… Thinking about it now, it's like a bad nightmare.
Just hours ago she hadn't the faintest idea who the goddess Sigillaria was, nor had she ever heard of divine seals or ancient artifacts. And now she found herself dragged into a mission she had no clue how to complete.
"You're not much of a talker, huh…"
Violet walked slowly, turning from time to time to look at the dwarf following her, studying his expression and his fixed stare.
It's almost scary…
Worn out by the path, the heat, and the extra weight she was dragging along, Violet spotted another large tree farther ahead, its long shadow stretched invitingly across the grass. She decided that reaching it was her only hope.
"Let's stop for a bit… I can't take another step…"
Once safely in the shade, Violet found a comfortable spot at the base of the tree and sat down, helping the dwarf settle as well.
Well… at least he's not annoying. Or rude. If only he could talk…
Still lost in her thoughts, she pulled out her canteen and took a long sip of water—only to notice Nainai staring at her with wide eyes, fixed entirely on the flask in her hand.
"Are you thirsty? Hold on…"
Turning toward him, she held out the canteen. The two exchanged a brief look.
"You can't even drink on your own?
Seriously? You're like a child…"
She sighed and brought the canteen to his lips. Nainai took a long, greedy gulp.
"Hey—slow down! You're going to finish it… Unbelievable."
But he didn't listen. He kept drinking without pause.
"You really were thirsty… The girl at the guild said you're a Diamond-rank adventurer. So you must be really strong…"
Nainai didn't react, continuing to drain the canteen.
He does look sturdy though… strong muscles, all those scars… you can tell he's fought a lot.
"I bet you've got tons of stories to tell…"
She really wished she could talk with him—hear his tales, learn from his experience. But even without words, having him by her side made her feel… safer.
At least I'm not alone…
Then a faint sound from the branches above drew her attention upward.
Two large dark squirrels had appeared along the tree limbs, their long fluffy tails swaying. One clutched a big dark acorn in its paws, while the other watched intently from a short distance away.
"…Pretty."
What? He spoke?!
Violet whipped her head around, eyes wide, only to realize that Nainai too was gazing upward.
His round eyes reflected the countryside sky—soft, drifting white clouds gliding lazily across the blue.
"Yes… It really is beautiful…"
Taking one last sip, Violet tucked the canteen back into her bag, adjusted herself, and leaned her back against the thick trunk.
The two remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts, until gradually Violet's head sank against the bark, her eyelids growing heavy… and finally closing.
A sudden noise!
Above them, the squirrels had abruptly gone wild.
The one farther away leapt at the poor fellow holding the acorn, trying to rip the prize from his paws—sparking a frantic little brawl.
The two rodents, tumbling and twisting, slipped from the branch and fell right onto Violet's head. Half-asleep, she jolted awake and screamed.
"Aaahhh!!!"
The critters bounced off her and landed a little farther ahead, immediately going back to clawing and biting each other with ridiculous ferocity.
The squirrel that had been attacked managed to wriggle free. Its long ears—pulled mercilessly during the fight—were now swollen and bright red.
It rubbed them furiously, wincing as they throbbed.
After a moment of intense glaring… the little beasts lunged at each other again, resuming the chaos.
Violet shot to her feet, horrified.
The squirrels were completely out of control—scratching, biting—tufts of fur flying everywhere.
Yanking the rope hard, she tried to pull the dwarf up.
"Come on—we're leaving! Right now!"
They hurried away from the tree and back onto the path, fleeing that absurd scene.
"This is insane! A girl can't even take a nap in peace?!"
Violet kept grumbling for quite a while, and without realizing it, the pair had wandered onto a trail that left the fields behind and gradually sloped upward.
The scenery changed, becoming rocky and barren.
Climbing between uneven stones and scattered debris, they finally reached a flat plateau.
Before them yawned an enormous, impossibly deep ravine.
"…And now what?!"
Violet pulled the map from her bag and scanned it desperately.
"There's nothing marked here!!!"
The canyon sliced the land in every direction, and there wasn't a hint of how to get across.
What now? We can't seriously go all the way back!
"Damn it! Come on, Nainai—let's try to find a way over."
Violet began following the crack in the earth, glancing down into the abyss—a chasm of darkness stretching endlessly below.
We've barely started this journey and we're already stuck…
Maybe I should have stayed on the plains…