Donco Village was a small settlement nestled deeply within the embrace of mountains.

    It was evening by the time we arrived there, while leaving the guidance to a person we hired from inn town lodged alongside the highway.

    Arriving at the village entrance, we explained our reason to visit, and soon—apparently, the old man at the entrance had been a witness of the time mother had stayed around in this village—we got our entry without any hiccup. @@@@

    And astoundingly enough, the old lady Mu, a shaman, whom we had assumed to be passed away, was still alive. Well, when compared to Earth, the mana element was quite a factor for why there were a lot of people who live long, and it was also why they appeared young in contrast to their age. If rumours were to be true, the dorm mother Sora was nearly 90 years old, but she could easily pass a healthy middle-aged lady easily with the *devotion* she carried out her research...

    Then again, while the life span was indeed long, the life expectancy was rather short on average since many would lose their life to mana disaster and disease.

    Anyway, we soon met old lady Mu and... she didn''t appear any special no matter how I tried to glaze my eyes. Much like other people of her age, she, too, had a face wedged with wrinkles, and while she was quick on her feet, I might have overhyped myself.

    I even wondered if she was, you know, a ''ghost'' in the corner of my mind. I know it was extremely rude to think about the person who saved my mother''s life, but...... something was beyond control.

    ◆◆◆

    "I''m truly glad to hear you remember me, Lady Mu. It wouldn''t be wrong to say I gained a second life the day you, and the village, helped us out. It allowed me to have a family of my own, and live past that day. It might be a matter of distant past, but I hope to deliver my delayed gratitude. Thank you really very much for saving my life that day."

    At the village chief''s house, my mother expressed her gratitude in a deep voice, and we bowed our heads.

    Aside from us and old lady Mu, there was also the village chief and his wife, who was also her granddaughter.

    "Kukuku. All that matter is you''re in good health, Princess. Your elegance still as radiating as that day, hahaha!"

    Old lady Mu spoke, a broad smile wedged on her face as she slightly opened the squinted eyes.

    "You flatter me, but I''m no princess, whether it is now, or in the past. I am just someone who left the Dosperior family. I believe I explained it, though...?"

    "Kuhaha! This isn''t how it plays. Once a princess, always a princess."

    It appeared my mother''s image as the princess of a high noble family was already cemented in the eyes of old lady Mu.

    "It''s fine, and you''re always welcome to our village, Cecilia-san. It''s also to your credit that this village is still around after all."

    The village chief said with a distant gaze, seemingly gazing at the past scenery. It intrigued me so I inquired about the situation.

    The standard practice of animal husbandry in this village was to leave animals like horned goats, sheeps, or serow et cetera in the vast land made of natural terrain surrounded by variable fens. This allowed them a source for the edible meat, wool, fur, or sometimes even the horns of pseudo-monsters that fetched a high price.

    Moreover, since the animals graze on grass or vegetation around, it prevents their overgrowth which would have otherwise hid other animals or bugs, monsters in them, reducing chances of accident. The village''s defense was barely some wooden fences reinforcing its boundary, but the pasture acted as buffer place, increasing their safety.

    Once old lady Mu woke up in the afternoon, we had our lunch and promptly made a trip to the grave of Peddler Col.

    Col-san never talked about his hometown, or if he had family or not, so my mother was blank about his background. If anything, he was quite the type to live in shadows apparently. Since nothing about him was known, his grave was erected alongside a road that lead to Pashura mountain peak, one of the summit among Seven Spears

    Established on top of the steep cliff, nicknamed Endless Ravine by the locals, the simple gravestone was now covered in moss and other vegetation.

    "...After Col was no more, the villages must have been troubled by losing their merchant. I wonder if they managed to find any other  merchant?"

    My mother posed the question, causing old lady Mu just shook her head

    "Well, this is a good question. But I remember going to the nearby town to sell medicine or other materials. ...However you did more than enough of your share, Princess. Let your thoughts be freed from the past."

    After a moment of pause, my mother offered a small, white flower with pinkish hue on the grave, and joined her hand together.

    The flower was fresh, so I presume she must have picked it on their walk.

    "Col... you once said that you like these white flowers growing with the mountain grass in the mountains. I hope it''s them. My husband Bell somehow managed to find them despite my poor memory. ...Just know that there are still people who haven''t forgotten about you."

    I guess, while she must have been filled with gratitude for saving her life, she must have respected Col-san''s selfless way of life.

    Both father, and Schord offered their prayers with somber expressions.

    After a moment of prayer, my mother turned around on her heel, her expression pulling a melancholic smile.

    "Allen, can you raise the wind just like you did around my father''s grave?"

    I nodded, and roused the gust of wind as it carried our appreciation and respect.

    I made sure the winds didn''t touch the small basket that had the flowers, and yet, one of the flowers rolled out of it and rolled toward the edge of a cliff and to the endless ravine.

    Life... is strange. I had always hated grave visits with passion, but here we are, making a grave visit one after another.

    T/N - This week''s chapter would be updated on tue/thu/sat. It appeared the internet problem persists. Was planning to inform yesterday, but there was no proper way to left a note chapter. Sorry for this one.