They eventually settled on her being a daughter, but couldn't be certain if it was the right choice until she grew older,— a prospect which seemed to make him nervous, considering he could only blame such a conundrum on himself. Such considerations had never crossed my mind, given the notorious difficulty of navigating to spawning stones in Paradise. I assured him that his child could always change their mind on their own, just as I had! This seemed to soothe his anxieties enough, at least, for him to smile as he bid me goodnight.

Now, I find myself back in my modest tent. My object is getting filthy, but mostly smelling of dirt and pine needles. It's an overwhelming yet soothing aroma, one that I worry I'll miss once I return to Paradise. My arm still stings, but I experienced a considerable improvement in mobility today. On the other hand, surprisingly, my feet are aching, which catches me off guard... I had mistakenly assumed I was in better shape than this.

Fortunately, I'm still more than capable of completing this expedition, aching or not.