Rome, April 1944. Archaeologist Filippo Cavalcanti is tasked by the Ministry with traveling to Bressanone to inspect the packaging of a shipment of artworks bound for Germany. Upon arrival, he meets the now elderly Professor Quintino, an enterprising young man from Ischia, who is in exile in South Tyrol. Given the uncertain situation in the country and the danger threatening them both, they decide to escape together to bring the artworks back to Rome. During their adventurous journey from north to south, the two men, with their very different personalities and despite the social distance between them, get to know each other better. Gradually, mutual respect grows. With Quintino's practical skills and Cavalcanti's wisdom, they overcome various obstacles, though they also experience difficult moments during encounters with partisans, fascists, and Nazis, as well as with peasants, monks, and ordinary people willing to help them. Finally, they arrive in Rome, now liberated. But realizing the dangers are not yet over, they decide to continue their journey to bring the precious cargo to safety, while encountering new surprises and adventures. Unusual landscapes, blossoming valleys and forests, awaken with the arrival of a strange spring, forming the backdrop for this delicate and moving story. It is a captivating tale about the value of friendship with which the author once again manages to touch and move.