Canis Dawn.

5• Return.

A cool sunny day.

  Rocks on the floors, trees swaying by the roadside, and the clouds giving a neutral look to the girl standing sheepishly in front of a young woman who was scolding with a forte.

"What's this? Why do you have the enemies beneath your eyes Latona?!" The older of the two yelled.

"And why do you look so dermatologically bullied?"

Several hours it took, for Latona to leave the trial grounds and journey towards home. It was an arduous task to travel from a distant site to a more distant village.
 
  She was expecting a lot, considering that she had just excelled in both stages of the exams and was now a full-fledged student of the far-famed Zelerinx.

  One of such splendid expectations was to be welcomed with warm hands opened wide by Gramps and Talia, and even to a very small feast thrown for her based on her grand meritable success.

But was she wrong? Of course she was.

  She was greeted to a young lady who at first, bore a plain look as she awaited Latona's arrival, then who upon sighting Latona, sent a very proud smile to the tattered girl's way. However, and after a few seconds of taking Latona's state in as the young girl stumbled towards her, Talia became annoyed.

  That brings them both to now, the young screaming lady whom Latona currently agreed was similar to a triggered donkey, and the girl—Latona herself—who was seeing images in triples as her feet wobbled like dancing jellies. Hence, she was in no way, comprehending whatever information the other was sending out.

  Latona didn't bother to stay hidden or away from any other, as there was no one, aside from Talia and the gatekeepers, who were present.

  This was the time of the day when all the villagers retreated to their places of residence and didn't leave for quite awhile until about a few hours later.

  It was no must that all villagers were to be absent by this time, it was only a mere coincidence every day, that all the Liminai villagers head home around the mid-day to be back by late evening, as they had accomplished all they needed to for the day.

This further reveals Alderson's generosity to his people as he had made things several heights more easier for the villagers than any leader ever would for their subjects.

  After coming to a halt right in front of Talia, Talia stared at Latona in wonderment for several minutes before letting out an appalled gasp as she began to question Latona fervidly.

  It was no exaggerated expression that Talia was giving off.

  Latona did look like she had been cursed by angered little beings and was thrown into unknown arid lands to be brought back many weeks succeeding the atrocious long-suffering she had to endure.

  Sunken cheeks, dark circles, clothes in disarray, and an altogether dull expression was what had undoubtedly triggered Talia.

  The events of the past few days had left every now qualified student of Zelerinx in heightened weariness. However, neither of each knew the surprise that awaited them all.

"That's not the right thing to say to a girl who had remarkably excelled in the exams of a revered school even though looking quite overused...ma'am." Latona voiced out with a mild frown as she had reached a breaking point of tolerance towards Talia's incessant rambling.

  There was an elongated pause as they both stared intensely at themselves.

  Then, Talia let out a loud teary laughter as Latona planted a little hearty smile on her face.