The festival finally ended. The streets of the city finally regained the calm they used to have before the festivities.

Everything was back to normal.

On the day next to the end of the festival, Zaraha and the baby finally left their room for the first time, and as per their tradition, the name of the little girl was finally revealed for us to know.

Zaraha and Shawn named their little girl Anya.

Just as he had apologized that day, Elliel couldn’t make it to Anya’s naming and even for the day after, nor the one after that either. Now, several days, almost a week went by, since the last time we met him.

As Shawn had said on the third night of the festival, what he was waiting for had finally arrived. The day following his daughter's naming, the construction work on his house immediately resumed.

The trio, who all claimed to not want to have anything to do with all this manual work, still, pretty much, for the past two days, tagged along to offer their help.

We were now in the middle of the day, talking about random topics on our way back to the inn from Shawn’s place.

"I mean mud,... it’s not dirty at all. In fact, mud is very clean." Shawn explained.

"I wouldn’t go that far, though." Backed Franq

"Mud only gets dirty and is seen as dirty when you take it out of its natural habitat. You feel me?"

"Just like it would be in the wilderness."

"Exactly, nobody would consider the mud dirty in the wilderness."

"I’m still not convinced, so I’m pretty sure I would still feel dirty if I were to be splashed with mud, whether it be within the city or somewhere in the wilderness."

"As you said, it would be on you, not on the mud."

"Humph?"

"Still not convinced?"

"No."

"How exactly did we get into this stupid discussion in the first place?"

With all of this, I had forgotten where this topic began and how it evolved into such an argument.

"I don’t remembern, I think it was something about the rain."

"Ah, yes, I finally remember now."

Having found where it originally came from, the argument still pretty much unfolded for several minutes.

"Guys, since we can't come to an agreement, I propose we vote. Raise your left hand if you think mud is dirty wherever it is, and your right hand if you don't, depending on the context."

Two votes rose from the first party and a similar number of votes went for the other, leaving the debate at a standstill, but there was something the four of them knew could tip the balance.

"An, which one do you think is right?"

"I..." I knew that they wouldn’t leave me in peace if I were to not make a clear vote, so I announced, "I think this time I’m on Shawn and Franq’s side, on this one. Mud is not always dirty, it's just a matter perception".

"Yes!"

"Tsk."

"Come on, you two. Don’t take it so heartily; we were right and you were wrong. Nothing wrong with that. "

"Shut up, Franq."

"Eh, like really dude, still not convinced?" Putting his arm around Franq explained, "You see, when I was recommended by a friend to perform for a party in the noble district, I felt, I believe, what any mud of this world must feel at this very moment. The opulence on display was such that I really felt like I didn’t belong to that place, which was true, but there was nothing wrong with me, right? "

"I'm not sure about the last one, but I guess that’s fair."

"It was just like that for me. There is nothing wrong with the mud, it’s just about where the mud, which is here metaphorically me, were displayed that matters. If something or someone is put where it doesn’t belong, it/he clearly feels like a stain, even if he/she/it isn't. "

At that point, Charle was simply nodding, this time, i think, finally agreeing that maybe Franq and Shawn were right.

"But damn man, Franq, to compare yourself with mud, that visit to the noble district did sure lower your self-esteem." teased Shawn.

"It sure did. I performed in two regular noble houses for the first two days, but on the last one I performed at the Bartholomeo Castle. You guys should’ve seen it. That was really something else."

"I once visited Lord Anson's family’s castle, so yeah pretty much."

"I’ve never been to any of the castles, but I’ve once visited a noble residence while accompanying my father, so I guess I can understand the feeling," commented Charle.

"I’ve never been to a noble castle, so I think I’m the only one who – or maybe I am not."

All four of them looked at me.

They, especially Charle and Henri, to Madam’s demand, have so far done their best to avoid personally inquiring anything about me concerning my indentity, but that was at the beginning, when we first met.

Charles asked, "Say, An?"

"Hm?"

"Do you happen to like Ei and Lord Anson, and have you lived in one of those castles where you came from?"

Now they are more casual, more than they already were at the beginning, with the obvious fact that I was a noble.

"Of course, if you—"

Shaking my head, I answered, "No, I didn’t. I did once live in a castle for a while, but the home I grew up in was once just a modest manor. Well, I may say modest, but in a general sense, for most and for me, it was still pretty grandiose. "

"Flexing, aren’t we?"

"Maybe you should invite me one of those days. I’ve never been to a noble place before." suggested Shawn.

"I doubt that would be possible."

"Hum? What do you mean? "

No understanding what I meant, Shawn, by looking at the others who did understand, realized. He was about to immediately comment, but chose to remain silent.

"You know what, forget about what I just said, guys. Let’s talk about something else. "

While walking amidst the talking, the inn was soon within sight.

While walking in, we were greeted by the familiar sight of Madam and Finn behind the counter, "Hi again, Madam. Hi Finn." The four of us greeted

"Hi,"

"Hi, you all."

"How was it today?" Asked Finn.

"A lot of work."

"Especially without your help."

"Next time, I think we’ll really need your help, Finn. So Madam, you gotta allow my boy Finn to come with us next time. "

I was on my way to my usual table when I noticed that Madam was following my eyes.

"An?" She called me, her voice more serious than usual.

"Hum? What is it, Madam?"

"Someone came for you earlier." While saying that, Mamma looked toward the stairs.

Following her gaze, I saw Nia, descending along with Zaraha and the baby.

I didn’t even have the opportunity to ask who the answer was tossed at me by a simple head motion of Nia. I could easily guess who it was, but most importantly, what it meant.

It was time for Nia and I to leave.

***

"Come on, isn’t this a little bit too sudden?" said Henri.

"Yeah,"

The four of us were seated at our usual table.

"I know, but-"

"To be fair, it was pretty obvious that they were about to leave, though. You can only blame yourself for not having noticed it. " Shawn remarked.

"Really?"

"Yes, it was very obvious. How come you didn’t notice it? "

"Well,

"I knew that they were to eventually leave. I just thought that it would take longer than this."

"I can’t argue that this is really sudden."

A long silence settled at our table.

"...So that’s really it. You guys are really going to leave? Like right now?!"

"Yes, sorry, maybe I should’ve been more clear and forward with this."

"Sigh, I guess it’s no use arguing."

"I’m really sorry for this guys. I really wanted to do this right, but I guess I miserably failed, but the time I spent here was really fun, regardless of how weird certain of you were. It was fun, but it is time for us to get going. There are matters out that Nia has left in suspense for way too long."

"That sounds really serious." mumbled Shawn.

"Sounds urgent too." added Franq. Nodding,

I confirmed that it was both.

"That doesn’t even give us time for at least one last beer orgy." Henri complained.

"I don’t think it is a good idea for me to get drunk with what I have to do."

"What a shame."

Standing up, I left my seat and reached for Charle and Henri’s shoulders.

"It sure is, but you can’t always have what you want in life." I announced, "I’m not really good at bidding farewell, but I guess this is an adieu for us."looking at each of them. I declared, "You four will be missed."

"So will you."

I was approached by Nia, who was holding with her all she was planning to take away, a briefcase containing her typewriter. "Goodbye, you four. I will really miss you all. "

"You too, Miss Rena." The four of them bid.

As we were about to head for the entrance, Shawn said, "He’s somewhat of an idiot, but take good care of him."

"Talk for yourself."

"I know and I will." Nia simply answered.

Arm in arm, as if as if having taken Shawn's words seriously escorted me to the exit.

With a nod to the boys, I expressed what I had failed with words.

With a nod, the four of them answered back.

Arriving at the counter, we stopped in front of Madam, Finn, and Zaraha and the little baby.

"That’s it, Madam, Zaraha. Thank you very much, you and your inn hospitality. "

"Don’t mention it. You’re sure two need nothing else but only these? "

By these she was referring to our luggage.

"Yes, what we have here will be enough." She said, pointing at the little briefcase she was holding and the one on the counter, which I took.

"I see." She then looked at me and asked, "But what about Ei?"

I was expecting this question. In fact, I was surprised it hadn’t come earlier.

"Don’t worry, Madam, I don’t plan to leave without a proper talk with him."

"I see... It’s a goodbye then. "

"Yes."

Zaraha didn’t comment on our departure, only nodded. It seemed that her and Nia had already had a discussion about our departure even before our arrival.

Nia seemed to have handled her farewell better than I did.

"You two are really going to leave?" asked Finn as he approached us.

"Yes, we are. It is time for us to go." I will really miss you, Finn. "

"Me too." I added. "I wish we could’ve played more together." I said, patting the little man.

I, like almost everyone else in this, grew fond of the little boy.

"Next time then?" He said.

"Maybe." I chose to say.

"Until then, stay a good boy, one that will make your Mom proud."

"Okay. I will."

"I don’t doubt that."

Leaving, I threw a last glance at our table, and said, clearly and audibly, "Gentlemen, it was an honour."

To which they responded by, "You two know where to find this inn, if you two come to elope again."

We both chose to not answer and simply nod as we left the Auberge of Belltower.

***

Later, we arrived at the place where Elliel had proposed to us, the option to stay at the Auberge of Belltower; the place where Nia and I, the night of Somaroha, danced.

We were in front of Hazo.

"So that’s it? You’re going to do it? "

"Yes, I am, but not alone." I smiled.

Since the day Nia came to an agreement, we waited but only for the signal to proceed to what we had agreed to.

"Excited?"

"Of course, I am. Today, I will finally finish what the little boy that I was years ago wasn’t able to."

She said, "Then, I’ll do my best to not mess this up."