[Her words prompt yet another transition in the boy's demeanour, his expression shifting from one of contentment to one of distant thoughtfulness.]

......I thought something similar might be the case for me. The clothing you and my friends wear hasn't been associated with that region for a long time now. You're more likely to see it in very old art, or images depicting myths or the long past. But some of the things they have work in a similar way to things much closer to my time.

It's as though something happened back then that allowed them to discover that sort of technology much sooner.