In this world, seasons are a bit different.

Indeed, here they are only 2. The first being what you may describe as an in-between of summer and spring, it's called the "Tey". The other one is just a normal winter, a snowy one. This one is labeled "Cey".

Here calendars are aligned with those 2 seasons, a full year beginning when tey does and ending when cey does.

For some reason, the duration is fixed to the day. Tey lasts 261 days when for cey it's 59. This is quite a big difference but I will not cry about it, winter is not really my thing even though it can be beautiful with its landscapes covered in a snow blanket. It's just that the cold part of it repulses me a little.

I still can't get my head around about the fact there is no sun here, I mean, do this planet even rotate? How do these seasons even work to begin with? Magicals too?

Maybe there is some kind of god or whatever whose job is to supervise these things.

All I know about the seasons I described comes from what Claudia told me when I asked her about it. Overall she seems quite the knowledgeable person so for her to know nothing more than that comes as kind of surprising.

She didn't say anything about a deity managing them too.

Anyway, all to say that this morning summer is quite chilly for tey, today is the 192nd day in it and supposedly the period of the year with the hottest days.

Mom, dad, and I are standing in front of the great metal gates of the hospital, we are waiting for our carriage to be brought to us.

Nostalgia oblige, it's the same carriage as three years ago we will ride because it's full of memories… or I would say if it was true.

No, we will ride this one because when a family buys a carriage they keep it for a very long time, for generations sometimes, because of their unholy cost.

I don't know the value of money here but I'm pretty sure the price full of 0 Mom told me counts as "more expensive than 10 years worth of salary", people nearly have to sell their souls to get one of those carriages.

In the distance at our left, the distinct "oinnng~" of our vehicle can be heard. It's exactly as I remember last time I saw it. A huge wooden frame painted metallic black, the little white stairs to get on it, the white ring underneath the whole thing, and the carving that makes it looks a bit fancy.

Our ride stopping in front of us and land slowly on the gravel road. The only door to get into it opening when it has finished.

"Let's go now, the journey will be long girls." Dad said, giving me one of his hands to help me get on the bit high first step.

The three of us comfortably sat on the leather-like seats, me next to Dad while Mom is in front of us. From my side, we can still see the massive building standing and a familiar silhouette running towards us.

"Hector, Veressa, and you too Silvia! If you need my help in the future you know where to find me! And Silvia, refrain from doing too many worry-inducing things or your parents will have a heart attack someday!" She yelled waving her hand as the carriage was starting to move.

I waved back in return, she's really a great person, even if it's only with us eh.

And just like that, we departed.

The landscapes, even if quite similar to the ones between Urald and Birl have some differences. The variety of trees for one. You may wonder how I noticed something like that but it's quite impossible to miss, seeing how massive they are compared to the one from Urald. They look like oversized weeping willows with leaves colored gold.

"Those trees are so beautiful!" I said my hands against the window, looking at the leaves fluttering gently in the wind.

"Right? And they are even more wonderful when it's the Lasey, during that week the leaves are all glowing. Seeing that the night is quite something, I still remember the first time I was here to observe them when I was only a kid." Dad reacted passionately. "Maybe we should come here this year, what do you think honey?"

Seemingly thinking for a few seconds. She answered with the first smile I see her making since I woke up. "Why not? It's been a long time since I've been here myself, and since Iast time I'm sure the festival has gotten better."

"What is Lasey? A festival?" I asked, too curious to keep wondering.

"Ah yes, naturally you don't know. It's the name given to the 4 days when the natural magein in the entire world change when cey or tey comes. It begins 2 days before the end of a season and ends 2 days after the beginning of the next. That the reason why weeks last 4 days by the way. And yes, there is a festival to celebrate the coming of the cold days. In fact, there are festivities all around the country but when talking about the festival it's always about the one from the capital, here." Dad explained with an academic tone.

A week lasts 4 days? I really need to learn more about this place is unless I want to keep being shocked.

"There is no festival during the shift from cey to tey?" I asked. Mom spoke of it as if there is only one.

"Ah. No, just one. Because... how to explain that…" Dad kept mumbling.

"Let's not talk about it for now." Mom clapped her hand. "Silvia look outside, we can see animals!"

It's quite obvious something happens during the second Lasey. I'll know sooner or later I guess.

Looking outside as Mom told me to, there are indeed animals who are running along sides with our floating vehicle. Ones I've never seen before.

If I had to compare, I would say anteater. Imagine an anteater with a bigger head, a tiny snout, and three legs instead of four and you have it. It's the first time I ever see an animal with only three legs now that I think about it, seems impractical to me.

"Amazing right? These animals live mostly in this region and are quite docile. A legend says that they have only three legs because once, a mageister cut one of the four their ancestor had and put on it a mageil, magein construct." Mom explained to me, looking through the window with me. "I think that why they are still around here. Because people are scared to get cursed too. Otherwise, they would be hunted for their magnificent fur I'm certain."

Mageil is what they call spells I guess.

I wonder what can of other creatures there is out there, maybe there are even "monsters". Wait, I should be worried about that possibility.

Well, if they do exist at least I will not find them on the roads. From the little time I had traveling in the past, nothing fear-inducing was in our way.

And this one too. We reached Birl a few hours ago and are now near our house, nothing attacked us. Yet.

I should stop trying to jinx myself.

The night here is as peaceful and beautiful as I remember it. There is this little aroma in the air which smells nice, just like this smell after the rain, petrichor it is called if I remember well.

The landscape changed though. It's more trees than it's plains. I can see a lot of trees with some kind of fruit on them, maybe someone uses this plot of land as an orchard.

I wonder how they taste? Although they don't look very edible with the thorns, purple color, and all.

In the distance, the lights of the city illuminate the darkness of the night, even this late there is a flow of carriages which can be seen from this far.

Sadly I'll not be able to see them nearer than that as we are turning right at the next intersection, straight into the woods.

I'm suddenly feeling this sensation. You know, the one you get when it's already night and you are in your car on your way home and just two or three streets from the arrival.

If I fake sleep now I bet they will carry me! Being carried to the bed is one of the best feelings, I can't miss this opportunity!

Well, now that I think about it I really am tired so it's not even fake!

Opening slightly one of the eyes I didn't know were closed, I can see our little house through the window. The light in front of the carriage slightly illuminating the facade.

I'm already carried by Dad. When you are tired everything can become comfortable it seems.

"I'll put her in her bed" I hear someone whispering. Dad without doubts.

I feel the vibrations of each step he takes going through my body, they somehow make me even more sleepy. Each one more than the precedent.

The wood of the stair is slightly cracking under his weight, they sound unattended.

My fault certainly, sorry.

After hearing a little squeak, I feel my body being put down. I'm in my bed. It has been a long time, hello.

But I feel a little tight in it.

Someone is covering me with a blanket, thanks to whoever did this.

"Have sweet dreams." A voice whispered before leaving a peck on my forehead.

As I could hear the faint sound of steps getting away, my last strand of consciousness left my mind. Leaving me drifting deeper into the depths of slumber.

Turning my head slightly to the left, daylight assault my poor eyes. It's already day? Wasn't I was falling in the depth of slumber just a moment ago?

I feel perfectly awake though.

Ah yes, enhanced brain, that explains it. It feels like it hasn't even been a second since I fell asleep, it's a weird sensation. Did I even sleep the advised 10 hours for children? Since it was pretty late yesterday there is the possibility I only slept a few hours? I hope I did.

In my opinion, sleep is a loss of time.

Well, I don't know what time it is but I should take my breakfast.

I just… have to climb the bed before. Curse you, tiny body.

Even the door is a challenge! is someone testing my will or something? It takes more than that to make me yield I tell ya!

Just a little jump and I'll reach the doorknob easily, if cats can do it why couldn't I?

After a little jump, a lot of little jumps, the handle was finally in my hand. See? Easy.

I will just let the door slightly open from now own. I don't want to bully the door too much, I am a kind soul after all.

Well, now the door is open, great. I will go meet my next challenge, my great nemesis: the stairs.

Nothing left, nothing right. No sounds at all.

Maybe they are sleeping?

The floor is cracking a bit under my feet as I walk through the narrow corridor, the house is old maybe that why. The planks seem recent though.

Luckily the stairs don't seem to be.

It took me about 2 minutes. 2 minutes. To get down these stairs. And I'm not mentioning the dizziness.

Anyway, let's focus on what's important, food! The hospital meals were nice but certainly not delicious.

Even though I don't know the ingredients I think I will be able to cook something nice.

I'm too short to do anything that needs to be cooked; I guess a simple sandwich will do.

The kitchen is exactly as I remember it, seems just less huge than before. The fridge is on the right side.

I don't see any wire anywhere, I guess everything works with magein somehow here.

From what I've seen so far you can think of this world as one with a pretty advanced technology based on magei. But honestly, I'm not sure.

On one side there are things like this fridge who look like an Earth's one and floating carriages and on the other side, you have people with a sword at their waist walking casually on the streets

I don't really know where to put this world on the chronology of technology evolution. Maybe it's foolish to even try in the first place.

At least the food looks evolved enough and that all I need!

When you stand on a chair everything is easier. I should remember that line if I ever hold a conference on self-development.

The fridge is surprisingly stuffed, I mean we just came back from a three-year trip.

There is quite the choice of vegetables in here, everything's new to me. I have to admit, a few look similar to ones I know like this one. Take this, for example, it's almost a cucumber but the surface is smooth and light green almost blue.

I take a bit of everything and put it on the table. The drawers are easily accessible so fetching a knife is not hard.

I think the bread is already on the table. It's sad I can't use a pan, toasted bread is a must for a sandwich!

Well, before making it I should at least taste what I work with.

I slice a piece of the not-cucumber and put it in my mouth. Totally not a cucumber.

It's a bit hard to describe the taste, it's… a bit plain on the sweet side. As it is, I don't like this one very much but with a pinch of salt it can get good I guess.

Let's try the other ones if I'm lucky enough maybe I'll find something similar to potatoes.

Obviously, I didn't.

At least I've everything I need for a sandwich, two big slices of bread, vegetable n°4 who tastes a bit like tomato but have a pineapple-like texture, lettuce with literally no taste and cheese.

Because yes cheese exists, whatever the religion they have I must convert myself to thank their deity for this sacred gift.

The bottom side of the bread covered with pieces of no-tomato finely sliced, a good layer of tasteless lettuce then some good cheese, with finally the last piece of the puzzle, the top side of the bread on everything. My masterpiece is now ready to be eaten.

Sure there is no sauce, no meat, no good taste but it was created with love! This knife shall do the cross-section this composition deserves.

Yes! Gorgeous! I cut the sandwich in the middle, a satisfying crunch sound accompanying the blade through the bread.

Now that I think about it, if I was a parent seeing my three years old child with a big knife in the kitchen alone I would be pretty angry.

And that exactly when I think about that I hear someone walking behind me, let me guess, Mom is right behind me?

"Silvia Quel, could you explain to your mother what you are doing?" Mom asked me, her voice filled with a dark aura.

Who would have thought I would learn my family name thanks to a sandwich.