Erato has been in the forest south of the village for a whole month. She sits on a tree branch, idly plucking her bowstring. Not long ago, this was a battlefield where the village's guerrilla forces fought the invaders for control of the land. Sargon's colonial rule over Minos is now merely history, and the small invasion force has left this land that did not belong to them. 'The brave archer repelled the enemy and became a hero admired far and wide. She also won the national archery championship. Then she returned to her hometown, settling into a life with her farm and garden... No, this ending is too bland. How can a tale of heroic adventure end so simply?' The forest is quiet, and Erato's murmured storytelling is the only sound to be heard. The stiff bowstring vibrates, producing a faintly melodious sound. Several fowlbeasts settle in to form an audience, landing on the branches beside her, as well as her shoulders. Erato looks south and sighs. The starlight above her head filters through layers of branches, leaving only a faint light. The vast sea of trees blocks the wind blowing in from the distance. 'They say that the land beyond this forest is an endless desert. The invaders they expelled came from that desert.' 'Life in places without grass and flowers must be difficult. But why is our world like this? Some places are full of flowers and grass, while others are barren? 'Maybe the gods were lazy when shaping the lands, and in some places, they sculpted meticulously, creating mountains and lakes full of flowers and grass. In others, they just scribbled, resulting in desert and tundra. Because they live in such different environments, people in different places cannot understand each other, bringing about all manner of conflict... What do you think?' Of course, the fowlbeasts do not answer, they only take the flowers from Erato's hairpins and bring them back to their nests. Erato proceeds with this opening, telling her story while playing and singing. From the hero leaving her hometown to the adventures on the road, meeting like-minded friends and teaching lessons to villains. By the time the story reaches 'The brave archer finally came to the place where the land ends and shot an arrow at the lazy creator god hiding there,' the last fowlbeast had fallen asleep by her side. Erato jumps down from the tree branch and lands on the soft grass. 'I should go and see for myself. Maybe I can find a similar story in my travels.'