[Ann's POV]
The last time I had come to this village—with Lady Ovelia, Sir Ace, and Ray—our purpose had been singular and grim. We had eaten, slept at the inn, and left for Thunoa without a second glance. But this time, as I walked through the vibrant, pulsing streets, I finally allowed myself to see the place. The village was vast, its energy sprawling and untamed. The houses were still predominantly wood, but I noted several new structures rising with foundations of pale gray cement, their surfaces smooth and unweathered. Soon, I thought, this will no longer be a village. It will be a town. The progress was tangible in the air, a scent of fresh lumber and wet mortar mixed with the festival's indulgence. This place had truly improved over the past eight years, shedding its rustic skin for something more ambitious
