"Pleased to meet you, Miss Yatadera. My name is Tetsuo." Trying his best to steel his nerves, the man introduced himself to me and gave a courteous bow.

"Oh, Narumi is fine. I'm pleased to meet you too, Mr. Tetsuo!" I returned his bow as I replied.

Mr. Tetsuo was a villager whom I met through Marisa. A few hours ago, she greeted me at my residence and told me she planned on introducing me to someone.

"Hey, Narumi. You free today? Got a favour to ask of you. Something you might be interested in."

"Ah, hello, Marisa! What do you need?"

"You mentioned a while back that you had some interest in meeting new people. I met this guy from the village yesterday who wants to come by the forest more often, and I think he could really use some help getting familiarised with the area. I was gonna show him around a bit, wanna come with?"

Residing in such a remote location without many passersby, I don't often come into contact with many people. There are times I go to the village to shop for supplies and the occasional book, but such purposeful travel does not lend itself to casual interactions with residents.

I am quite selective of the company I keep, and even then consider social gatherings with them a special occasion. Solitude is sometimes good; there's room to grow and breathe. But unusual individuals certainly pique my interest.

I have never encountered a villager in this forest. I can only think of a single acquaintance of mine who must been here multiple times, but even then I don't recall ever seeing him around. A different one frequenting the Forest of Magic... What kind of person might he be?

"Hmm... Yes, I'd like to meet this person."

"Sweet! I'll bring him over around noon. You mind meeting us at my place? You know where that is, right?"

Ah, Marisa. Ever the snarker.

"Of course I do. What's actually surprising is that you knew where to find me, considering you couldn't even get my name right for a while... You can be as dumb as a rock sometimes."

"Real talk coming from someone made of stone. Anyways, I'm gonna head back home and make some preparations, then head out to grab him. I'll meet you there when I get back. Catch you later!"

"Alright. Bye!"

Once the sun reached its highest point, I flew over to Marisa's abode. Going across the forest on foot would take a good amount of time and energy, but it was a skip and a hop via air. Ah, the convenience of flight.

Even from the sky, I could see just how much junk had accumulated at her home's entrance. Tomes, vegetation, crystals, household objects, and much more I didn't recognise littered the yard. It was perfectly neat the last time I was here, and I'm pretty sure she had since expanded her hoard by multitudes, too...

I touched down and waited for several minutes. Yet, she still hadn't returned with our mystery guest. It was well into the afternoon when she finally made her grand entrance. I could have walked there from home and made it on time. Probably twice.

"Yo, sorry we're late. I got caught up in some extra preparations for stuff before I could head out, and this guy wasn't ready when I dropped by his house. Hope we didn't keep you waiting here that long," she remarked rather dismissively.

There were many ways I could have answered back, but I figured it would be best to keep mum. Hopefully those "extra preparations" Marisa made meant our expedition would go more smoothly. Not to mention, when being introduced to a stranger, I like to make my first impression a pleasant one. Given the man's rather mortified expression, staying silent was the right decision.

As the two dismounted Marisa's broom, I got a closer look at the villager. He was fairly small, as I didn't have to tilt my head too high upwards to meet his gaze as I do most other people. His facial features implied he was young, perhaps several years younger than Marisa. And yet, there were some aspects that challenged his youthful aura. The stubble forming around his chin and mouth, as well as his neck-length hair, concealed his baby face. And it seemed his build was surprisingly stocky, as his shoulders were rather broad. His robes and sandals were well-worn, yet still intact and presentable, leading me to believe he put effort into grooming himself and taking care of his belongings.

"As I mentioned earlier, Tetsuo, this is Narumi. She'll be showing you around with me. Why don't you properly introduce yourself to her?"

And that was when we exchanged our greetings.

Mr. Tetsuo then immediately spoke up. "Um, I'm very sorry for keeping you waiting, Miss Narumi. I tried to be prepared on time, but there was a lot I didn't account for and it still took me longer than expected. I even kept Miss Marisa waiting for a bit, even though she arrived at my house late. I hope it wasn't for too long," he fidgeted around as he mumbled his apology.

Oh, if only he knew. Still, his attitude was a far cry from Marisa's, so I was happy to forgive his mistake. And I didn't want him to feel too bad...

"It's okay. Please don't be too harsh on yourself."

"Thank you..." he muttered, still looking away.

"Alright, you two!" Marisa loudly proclaimed before he could further lose his composure. "Ready for our grand tour? By the end of it, Tetsuo here will know this place like the back of his hand! No more wandering in circles for hours like yesterday!"

The two of us nodded in affirmation. Marisa began to outline her plans for our journey, and addressed Mr. Tetuso.

"Alright, so I was thinking, since you're gonna be jumping between the village and my house, how about we start out by going from here to the path that leads to the village? Then, we could retrace our steps, so you know the route both ways." Marisa then turned to me. "After that, how about you show him where you're from, Narumi? It's on the other side of the forest, so you'll be able to see what's in between it all. And we'll circle back to my house."

This seemed like a solid plan. I was confident in my familiarity with the area to be able to successfully guide him. Besides, Marisa would accompany us to ensure all went well, so there was nothing to worry about. Both of us voiced our approval.

"Great! Oh yeah, forgot to mention, there's something I gotta take care of first. I'm gonna hop out for a bit. Narumi, you've got this, right? You spend so much time here, so you know this place like the back of your hand. I believe in you! All that sound good?"

"Wait, what?!" Both of us yelped in shock.

"Perfect! I'll be back before sundown. See you two later!"

Marisa excitedly muttered something to herself about being a master of multitasking and knocking out two... no, three birds with one stone. Then, she stormed off before either of us could even react.

The two of us stared into the air and watched Marisa slowly fade away into a monochromatic speck. Then at each other. In awkward silence.

If I was confused, Mr. Tetsuo was beyond bewildered. I can only wonder what Marisa said about their plans on the way here, and how it must have felt to see it suddenly crumble away. So, I tried to take initiative and serve as the guide I promised to be.

"Well, I understand you came here for a tour of sorts. At least Marisa's proposed route was solid. Shall we get going?"

"Ah, um, yes. Thanks."

Marisa's home was in a small clearing right in the middle of the forest. Continually heading eastward would eventually lead out of the forest, although the road connecting the forest and the village was a little more south of that. I reasoned the shortest, optimal route would be towards the southeast, directly to where the road faded into the foliage. I would also note specific landmarks that would serve as checkpoints between the village road and Marisa's house, as well as possible threats and obstacles to look out for.

So I began my instructions. "You probably remember a dirt road that connects the forest to the village. That would be southeast of here. Now, do you see that little trail of junk strewn about leading away from the house? The road would be in that general direction, so let's start heading that way..."

Marisa boasted about making preparations, but Mr. Tetsuo was the one who actually came ready for the expedition. He had brought along a notebook and pen, and was meticulously writing down everything I told him, as well as observations of his own. Although his detailed notetaking meant we had to make rather frequent stops for him to write, I could sense this effort would pay off in the future. As he was jotting down a description the stream of water we were to cross, I expressed my admiration for his dutifulness.

"You know, that's a great idea, bringing that notebook along with you. You're really taking all of this to heart, aren't you?"

"Thanks," he said to me, with a warm smile. "I like to make my notes as detailed as possible since I have such a hard time keeping track of the little things. Been that way since I was young, and my notetaking really got put to the test when I tried to go into higher education."

"Higher education? What were you studying for?"

His voice continued to get more lively the more he spoke. "Oh, I was thinking about being a scholar. I've always read a lot of books, I love learning new things. Even outside of class, I'd spend a lot of time bugging Miss Kamishirasawa, my teacher from the village temple school, and ask her so many questions about our history. She liked to talk about it, and I liked to listen to her. I'd be happy if I could do that for someone else one day, you know?"

But his excitement soured as he continued. "It's just a shame the staff at the school don't like me very much, aside from Miss Kamishirasawa and Miss Hieda. I hope."

I asked something I later would regret.

"Did something happen?"

At the time, I believed perhaps getting it out of his system would make him feel better, but I soon realised I shouldn't have pressed the issue further. The more he spoke, the more fiercely the fire in his eyes burned, and the more his hoarse voice progressed into a guttural growl.

"Oh, sure, something happened. A demand for basic decency is what happened. So, last year, before I started working, I asked if I could be a student-teacher, and Miss Kamishirasawa vouched for me, so they let me in. The classes are pretty small, and Miss Kamishirasawa had to take some time off, for what I believe was a family matter or something. Regardless, I was put in charge of her class for a week. Now, these kids, I understand where they're coming from having been in those exact same seats a few years ago, and I know most aren't too fond of Miss Kamishirasawa's strictness and, er, lecturing style. They seemed to take me a lot less seriously. I guess they were just happy to have someone else for a change, and I was willing to be more lax for their sake.

"But, man, children can really find a way to push your buttons! Being on the other side of that desk gave me a whole new perspective on Miss Kamishirasawa and how insanely patient she is. Those kids, they don't listen to you, and that's fine, you just gotta find the right way to get across to them. Some of them are great, and they give you the time of day. But the others don't, and instead they're just hurling insults at you, and you can only take so much before you start yelling at these fools to just sit down and shut up before you force them to. But, oh, that's not appropriate for a classroom setting! Even though the kids say ruder things all the damn time, many times towards me no less! But I'm the only one expected to put up with insults, and now you've got parents complaining, and--"

It would be best if he stopped talking.

"Ah, er, sorry to interrupt. I empathise with your frustration. People can be awful and hypocritical. But right now, we need to focus on the task at hand..."

Mr. Tetsuo's eyes immediately darted away, and his voice fell back to its characteristic gravelly whisper. "...Right. Yes. I'm very sorry for the outburst." He went silent as he stared blankly at the words he had written earlier. Then, he looked up at me.

"So... What was the landmark, again? And which way were we supposed to go from here?"

He made extra sure to pay close attention from then on, and didn't say much aside from asking some questions for further clarification. Which, now that I think about it, was every time I would stop to tell him something. It admittedly got quite irritating after a while, but I did my best to stay cool and answer his questions calmly.

The silence as we walked gave me time to reflect on my impressions of this person I decided to spend my day with. Mr. Tetsuo didn't seem to be particularly good at speaking to others, and often struggled to accomplish his goals, if his lack of punctuality and brief stint as a teacher was anything to go by. His emotional sensibilities could get the best of him and compromise his outlook, ironically like the rowdy schoolchildren that drove him mad.

Yet, he still paid close attention in following my directions and getting every detail. He took his prior role as a student seriously. The way he spoke warmly of his instructor, as well as his desire to aid the next generation (however misguided), showed he had heart. The way he apologised when he arrived late showed me he took responsibility for his actions. Well, at least sometimes.

Eventually, we made it back around to Marisa's house. We were behind schedule due to all the extended stops, and we still had the other side of the forest to explore. Though with how low the sun was in the sky at that point, Marisa might come back soon. I decided to ask Mr. Tetsuo what he would prefer to do.

"I know we still have the other half of the forest to explore, but it will soon get dark, and Marisa could be on her way back. Do you think we should wait for her, or should we stick to the original plan?"

"Um, I'm not sure. I trust your judgement as the guide."

"In that case, how do you feel physically? Are you tired?"

"I'll be okay either way. I've gotten used to walking for extended periods at a time. But I wouldn't mind some rest..."

Perhaps it would be best if we just waited for Marisa, then. If we both took some time to rest ourselves, she could be back before we set out. I expressed my thoughts to Mr. Tetsuo, who agreed.

"Oh, yes. That makes sense. Let's just wait, then."

We made some space to sit in Marisa's front garden. As I moved some of her stuff out of the way, I decided to ask Mr. Tetsuo what he was doing here.

"If I may ask, what brings you to the Forest of Magic? You're the first villager I've seen here."

"I met with Miss Marisa yesterday, and I asked her for a job. She said I should come by here more often and she'd have some work for me."

Work? For Marisa Kirisame? I know she ran a shop, but from my understanding, it didn't get many customers, so I wouldn't think she needed employees. Not to mention, to me, she didn't seem to have the best business sense... I wondered why he thought to come to Marisa, of all people, for work. Not to mention, I wondered what he even did around here.

"At least, I think so," he continued. "I'm not really sure."

Perhaps he wondered so too.

"Well, I hope she keeps you on board, then. You could do a great job you try."

Mr. Tetsuo's eyes shone, and he gave me a small but apprehensive smile. "You really think so?"

"If I may be perfectly honest, you do have a tendency to get overly emotional, and that can lead to issues down the line. It did, really, when you took that teaching job."

His eyes darted away in embarrassment as I continued to speak.

"But I can see you put great effort in trying to understand what I told you today. You did ask a lot of questions... Like, a lot, but I know you just wanted to be sure of everything so you could do the best job you can later on."

He looked down and replied, "I'll do my best to keep that in mind. Thank you for letting me know. And, I'm sorry if I asked too many questions. Or stupid ones."

"They say there's no such thing as a stupid question. Well, to be honest, I can think of some. But you didn't ask any."

Mr. Tetsuo gave a small laugh. "Heh, that's good, then."

Soon enough, we saw a black smudge in the sky, getting bigger and bigger. That must have been Marisa. As she approached, I noticed she was carrying a fairly large object, and I began to smell the distinct stench of smoke.

As she touched down, she let go of a large sack, which hit the ground with a large thud. A closer inspection showed her clothes were full of large tears and smudges of dirt, and her body had several cuts and bruises. Her face, now covered in ash and soot, wore a smug, victorious grin as she was chortling to herself.

His jaw on the floor, Mr. Tetsuo rushed over to Marisa. "Miss Marisa! What happened to you? Are you okay?!" he frantically asked.

"Hahaha! Never better!" Marisa let out a hearty laugh.

"...Huh?" Mr. Tetsuo was even more at a loss for words.

"Eh, don't worry about it. So, how'd it go?"

Mr. Tetsuo was still immobilized in shock, so it was up to me to answer her question. Giving a sigh, I gave her a disapproving glare as I spoke."

"We were able to route a path through the eastern side of the forest, as you suggested. Mr. Tetsuo took some very detailed notes, so I'm reasonably confident he has a decent foundational understanding of the area. However, we didn't have the time to explore the western side."

"Ah, that's fine. We can always do that later. Thanks for guiding him."

"Right..." I sighed. I was glad she didn't hold it against us, though.

"Anyway, you've done a lot today, Tetsuo. I'll take you back home. Should we head out, now?"

"Um, sure, Miss Marisa. I appreciate it," Mr. Tetsuo said, still a little confused.

"Yeah, of course. Hop on, then."

As Mr. Tetsuo tried to make himself comfortable on the broom, Marisa turned to me.

"Hey, Narumi. I'm really grateful you stuck around and helped out. You really did a great job, and don't worry about only being able to cover half the forest. I know I didn't give you enough time. Thanks a lot. And, I'm sorry for going off and leaving you to handle it all on your own. I owe you one."

Marisa was a handful, but I am indeed quite selective of the company I keep. I know Marisa would do the same for me.

"I appreciate the apology. I'll hold you to it."

"Heh, gotcha. Later, then."

"Bye, Marisa!" I replied, then turned to Mr. Tetsuo. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Tetsuo! Best of luck with everything! Until we meet again!" I wished him well as I gave a bow.

Mr. Tetsuo smiled at me as he bowed back. Well, as well as he could while sitting on a broom. "Thank you very much for guiding me and being so patient, Miss Narumi! You were a huge help! Bye!"

I waved to them as they flew off. Once they were gone, I flew back to where I lived.

Even if Mr. Tetsuo could be annoying and childish sometimes, I thought he was a caring man at heart. I'd have liked to talk to him again one day. Perhaps he could have told me what he knew about history. Preferably without any exhaustive rants.

I hoped he did well and lived a good life. I put him in my prayers.