Between my breakthrough, my provocations, and the amusement the latter provided to the guards, the process of letting us through turned from the main topic of the day to just a side dish—something the guards just… did.
There was no celebration nor fanfare when they finally concluded all their ceremonies and rituals related to the whole act, allowing us to grab what little luggage we brought along before letting us pass.
Even the process of getting through the barrier itself came and went without any major events or trouble arising. But while no one came to stop us from crossing—be it guards or the locals—just the act of crossing itself did, in fact, come with its own weight.
