"Some people are responsible and diligent, just like you. Others are careless and perfunctory, as if they're merely on vacation," the old man said, attempting to ease the group's wariness. "After all, we've lived here for 800 years, and countless Church Staff have come to investigate during that time. Some are tight-lipped, while others don't mind casually revealing some of what they know to the island's residents. Over time, these islanders have learned a few things about why the surrounding environment has changed so drastically. The information they possess is almost no different from what Alka and his companions know."
The old man in front of them continued, as if speaking to himself, "You know, according to our ancestors' records, more than 800 years ago this place was a wonderfully mild, spring-like region. The grain produced here could be sold to several neighboring countries.
