0. Hey, what's wrong? Something on your mind?
1. Kinda, yeah. Remember before when we were talking [cdb]about my mom?
2. The more I think about it, the more I'm realizing she [cdb]really was a strange person.
3. What do you mean?
4. Exactly that. Everything about her was kinda just... a mystery.
5. I've spent hours trying to puzzle out how she might've [cdb]ended up in that remote village, but I keep coming up [cdb]empty.
6. I mean, someone that smart is rare even in the biggest [cdb]cities, right? She practically knew everything.
7. Even using magic was a breeze for her.
8. Hm. She may not have talked much about her past, [cdb]but can you think of anything she mentioned that [cdb]could give you a clue?
9. Maybe something about the people she knew, [cdb]or unique things she owned.
10. If she did, it's not coming to me. She's been gone so [cdb]long now.
11. So, yeah. Nothing really springs to mind. I don't even [cdb]have any mementos to remember her by.
12. ...
13. Then we'll just have to investigate. I'll help.
14. Investigate? As in, my mom? Where'd that [cdb]come from?
15. Well, both of my parents died in an epidemic when [cdb]me and my siblings were still very young.
16. I still have some hazy memories of them—food they [cdb]used to make, that kind of stuff—but that's really all I have left.
17. And since they were commoners, there's almost no [cdb]record of them. All my searches came up empty.
18. I know how much that hurts. So it's not hard for me [cdb]to sympathize with what you're going through.
19. Huh.
20. Really it's just so I can get my own closure. We don't [cdb]have to do it if you don't want to.
21. Agree to do it.
22. Express reservations.
23. All right, I'm in. I'd love to learn some more [cdb]about my mom.
24. I dunno. I'd love to know more about my mom, [cdb]but I'd feel kinda weird dragging you into it.
25. Don't worry about that. I want to help, and I can [cdb]learn more about you while I do it.
26. OK then, how are we doing this thing?
27. The most sensible place to start would be talking to [cdb]people who knew her.
28. I doubt anyone in the village really remembers her, [cdb]though. We weren't exactly the most social family.
29. Still, someone must have known her. It's impossible [cdb]to stay completely unnoticed in those small mountain [cdb]towns.
30. It's entirely feasible one of the villagers can tell us [cdb]something. Or, oh, what about the village chief?
31. If anyone's gonna remember her, it's him. But for all I know, he could be dead by now, too.
32. Then we'll just have to send a letter and find out.
33. And if we never get a response because no one there [cdb]can read...well, in that case we can go ourselves.
34. Guess it's worth a shot.
35. I feel kinda bad sending a messenger out that far, [cdb]but we might as well see what happens.
36. Great. Now come on, let's get started on that letter!