The fall had damaged Remilia… Maybe it couldn’t express itself like a normal being, akin to a plant… Maybe it was never alive. However, I didn’t want to admit it. I didn’t even want to think about it. Since Remilia made me happy. 

I wasn’t going to allow my father to say what Remilia was and wasn’t. And not in that manner. Even if Remilia wasn’t alive, it didn’t mean it couldn’t feel pain. And even if it couldn’t… I would feel Remilia’s pain. 

 

Perhaps he was right, but I wanted to find out by myself. Not by being told. 

 

Sadly, the research of a rock was hard. But, it wasn’t as if a rock didn’t have a tale to tell. Like Remilia’s damage, each rock had different things. Remilia was a fragment of Sag⁠— monolith, that after researching, was a giant rock. 

There were requirements that needed to be met in order to be a monolith, but that wasn’t too important. Rocks are different in their own manner, some are made up of a single element and others have a lot of various things like minerals. 

 

It could be concluded that Remilia was a rock with a lot of story behind it⁠— No, all rocks had different stories. 

The days continued to pass, I never spoke to my dad nor he spoke to me, there wasn’t much interaction. I kept leaving to the forest looking for things. Observing different types of rocks, from the fragile rocks of the grass to the lonely rocks of the river. 

 

However, I always felt fascinated by the different types of rocks. 

And in the valley near the forest I realized something. Why were the rocks made up of different colors? I looked at Remilia, but no sound or answer came my way. It was simply observing in silence, I still had a question in my mind. 

 

Was it really alive? 

 

It was late at night, and I didn’t know much. There wasn't a lot to know about Remilia. Was it really alive? I asked myself the same question and simply sighed. I felt somewhat reluctant and heavy, but I moved towards my father’s office. 

His door is open? What could he possibly be doing? The light of the room leaking into the hallway. And that’s when I saw it. He was writing in a notebook in a somewhat desperate manner, and on his hand… A rock? He had a rock?! 

 

“I am sorry Emily, but it really isn’t… alive…” He said in a slightly depressed tone. “But I want to see what your research leads to…” He was regretful.

He was regretful. And moreover. He was looking forward to my research?! I had to show him something! 

The next day at the forest, I looked at Remilia. Desperation and frustration could be visible in my face. 

“What am I supposed to research!?” I shouted in rage. 

 

I had to research anything to do with the valley, however, even after going there I didn’t have a single answer. Hell, I didn’t even have something to ask said valley. 

I felt so frustrated. How am I supposed to research without knowing what I am looking out for? 

 

It’s not as if I had discovered something. The rocks changed with time, but I had no idea what made them change. Physical damage was more than obvious, but how did the monolith’s part collapse. Monolith? I stood up from the rock I was seated on, at least they were somewhat decent to sit on, even though it would start hurting after a few minutes. 

I got up and in that moment I stepped on a rock from the river that I had investigated previously. My foot got bent in a weird manner making me fall on the ground. 

 

“Ouch…” I lamented as I was now filthy with random plants and grass, well grass was technically a plant. It wasn’t painful, but now I was looking at something strange. A piece of rock? It was quite big. 

After getting up, I realized it was a broken pillar that was buried underground. Who in their right mind would bury a pillar in the ground? 

Bury… At that moment it clicked in my head. I hurriedly went back to the valley. If everything would end up buried underground with time… then… Then you could say that the layers of rock are similar to the pillar? 

 

It all made sense! Even though minerals like silver or gold were rocks, they were dug down from mines. Wouldn’t it mean that at some point they were on the surface? But you cannot find such things on the surface. There had to be a reason to why this happens. However… I don’t understand it… 

I sighed with sadness… I could only come this far. 

I came back home with Remilia and my notebook that was full of my findings. Although I felt somewhat saddened, I lamented the fact that I couldn’t research more. It was simply out of my reach. 

I entered my father’s office. He had a big box on his hands, and seemed surprised seeing me. 

 

“Emily, I was simply⁠— 

“I am sorry…” I said, interrupting him. “Rocks aren’t really alive after all… But I found out something!” I said with enthusiasm as I presented my notebook without giving him time to explain himself. 

 

“Emily… I am sorry…” Eh? “I am sorry for throwing your rock. Even though it wasn’t alive, it also wasn’t right…”

 

I swallowed, I felt great hearing his apology, but at the same time I didn’t feel that sad over it anymore. There was something that I found more important. 

“Forget about it! Read what I wrote!” I shoved him my notebook while he still had the box. 

“Ha… Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter anymore.” He put down the box and grabbed the notebook. “While I read your notebook, you should open your gift,” he said casually as he took a seat. 

 

Gift? 

 

Woof! That’s when I heard it, a small bark coming from the box. In that moment its small golden head peeked over with the curiosity of a kid. Seeing me, something connected and it hurriedly rushed over to me. I was confused as I knelt down along with Remilia. 

And⁠— He bit her! Remilia?! It took her away in an instant. It simply looked at me with Remilia in its maw. Before I could even take it back, it put it down on the ground and started… Playing? 

 

“Dad!?” Oh… informal… oops. But he didn’t react to it, he simply smiled while he read. 

 

“Emily, this is your new dog. You will take care of her, just like you took care of Remilia,” he said without even giving me time to think.