After her last mission, Persephone had taken on a new spring to her step. She still portrayed a more conserved and shy person, but the people who knew her saw her perk up. Her posture had become a bit more relaxed, and she had a little hop to her step that wasn't there before. Her mind was full of warm thoughts that gave her comfort. Seeing the Lord she visited harboring his friendship with his servant allowed Persephone to believe that she could achieve good things, and her mother saw this. She was happy to see that Persephone was becoming more like herself again, but she still wished that her daughter would talk to her. Though, it was unlike Persephone to stop something that she's put her mind to. Instead of trying to talk her out of it, Briar gave Persephone new ways to train for the magic knight exams.

Persephone's mother had many connections to the world around them, having a map that clearly showed all the people she's met and ways to get to them from their village. Over time, the map started to have connecting pathways that branched out to form a unique map that only her and her mother had. It was quite remarkable. Though, it was made by word of mouth alone, meaning that there were spots that still needed to be filled in. Her mother knew an archeologist that could help her fill in a spot towards the forsaken region. A place she had very few pathways to. Of course, she had a few, but not enough to make things as detailed as the common region. So, for her daughter to take on the job prescribed by her mother's friend benefited both Persephone as well as Briar.

For her mother, knowledge was everything. It was how you gained power in the cruel world they lived in. Without it, there wouldn't be any chance for commoners to rise to the ranks of nobles. You had to be careful with it, though, or else the nobles would retaliate. It was this balance that Persephone needed to learn from. Persephone was always known to do things in excess. It's one of the reasons why she had taken her vow of silence. In order for her to truly be ready as a magic knight, she would need to understand that excess can get you killed. Her mother's excessive ambition caused her to lose it, and Briar wasn't prepared to lose her daughter in the same way. That was why she was giving her daughter a constant flow of small tasks. 

As Persephone treaded down the harsh environment of the forsaken regions, she wondered if she could truly say yes to her mother's question when she got back to the village. "Have you learned anything today?" Her mother had asked her this every day as a child, every time she tripped on a rock or made a mess of the house. Her mother would always ask her what she learned from it. As a child, it was a very useful way for her to grow and develop, but after the accident, and Persephone's silence, she quit asking. However, when Persephone had begun her training, her mother had asked her the question again and again with no response from Persephone. It wasn't until her mother realized that she didn't need to know what she learned, rather if she learned anything at all, and after that, a simple nod was enough. This time, though, she wasn't sure if she'd learn anything at all. It was just a retrieval job that any person could do, and she doubted that any life changing message would be gained from it...

She was tired and beginning to feel her legs weighed down by gravity. She was being pulled down towards the depths of the ground before her, stumbling through the door of the inn and falling towards a seat that had another defeated person next to it. After looking towards the tired person, her eyes opened in excitement as she pointed towards the magic knight's mantle in awe. She had found a magic knight on her journey. A person that could make this whole trip worth it. A friend maybe? No matter what this person would be in Persephone's life, at least she could learn from them today. So, she smiled at the woman as her hair flopped over her face in a tangled mess. She was in a position on the chair that seemed awkward. It was obvious that she didn't have many social skills or knowledge of personal appearance. After all, her white and purple kimono looked as though its fabric was consuming the girl's body...



@herja