Book 8 Chapter 3

Chapter 177

– Twilight Bloom?

In a world where twilight shone, there was a flower garden that bloomed in the colors of twilight for only a brief time.

– It's a mysterious flower that only unfurls its buds when twilight falls, and it was a place my master liked.

One of the dazzling memories that sustains me in the depths of my heart.

On the day we visited that place 300 years ago, Friede had puffed on his cigarette smoke repeatedly, his eyes distant.

Friede would curse his master, saying she was a terrible witch, an even bigger chain-smoker than himself, yet strangely, he loved talking about her.

– Of course, this Fire Dragon Priestess, Lady Friede, likes it too. So remember it well.

– I don't have the brain capacity to remember such trivial information. I'd rather fill that space with another math formula.

– Where do you think you're going? Knowing what someone liked, like food or scenery, is quite important, hehe.

– Hehe, hehe, hehe, hehe.

At that time, Friede blew a puff of cigarette smoke into my face as I tried to escape, making me cough and even shed a few tears, then burst into laughter.

– You…!

When I finally managed to escape the fog, I couldn't get my revenge.

Because Friede's face, which I saw with my own eyes back then, somehow looked like he was crying while laughing.

– These small memories prevent you from becoming lonely when that person leaves later.

Friede, who was gazing at the distant horizon where the twilight was falling, smiled sweetly at me, who was frozen in place.

– Rin, later, when you're left alone, the memories from this place will help you remember us.

– …?

– These flowers will whisper. That our stories, this event we shared here today, aren't some legend.

People forget, and are forgotten, and die, but nature does not forget.

Nor does it die.

It will always be reborn, waiting for you, and tell you the scenery of today…

“Mmm…”

The cold river wind of the evening seeped deep into my body, pushing away the warmth and scene of the dream.

What pulled my consciousness up from the depths of the dream, even more powerfully than that tactile sensation, was a sound.

Had I fallen asleep leaning against the gunwale…?

“Rain, Rain, Rain.”

Pipi, who had been keeping watch from atop my straw hat, landed on my shoulder and rubbed her head affectionately.

“First Form, Heaven! Fire!”

“Ten! Fwii!”

“Second Form, Yaaah!”

“E-yah!”

I adjusted my straw hat and stood up, seeing Celine demonstrating martial arts forms with precision on the deck.

And Aki, who was imitating her posture with astonishing similarity.

Watching the training of the Six Great Sects was a rare experience, and indeed, many of the Seastorm Ship's crew and no small number of passengers were all cheering and watching.

“Well done, Aki!”

“Wahahahahat!”

“Even the punching motion is so cute!”

Some even tried to imitate the movements themselves, only to realize they couldn't copy them as perfectly as Aki, letting out hollow laughs.

– What amazing talent. Truly, her talent is immense. She wasn't just born with a Heavenly Martial Physique.

I, too, sat on the gunwale, watching them and unconsciously wearing a pleased smile.

Remembering Celine's constant praise for Aki, to the point her mouth wore out.

– Her physical senses are beyond words. What takes a genius a year to learn, she masters in a month.

Aki had also begun to follow Celine well… and watching the two of them often filled my soul with a warm nostalgia for a cherished past.

– Rin, this formula is written like this.

– You solve this problem like this, you pathetic one.

Sometimes, Dean Ahjumma's face or Rin's face would overlap with Celine's.

And sometimes, young Rin or Turaina would overlap with Aki's face.

Beautiful memories buried in a past I could never return to.

I never thought there would be a way to recall memories that had only been sad and painful, with such warmth…

“We will arrive in the Segeth region tomorrow morning.”

The captain of the Seastorm Ship approached.

To shake off my thoughts, I quietly placed the old straw hat, which I had been caressing, back on my head.

“But this ship's passengers, and there are quite a lot of ships heading that way. Is something happening?”

“Are you asking because you really don't know? There's a famous year-end festival in the Segeth region.”

“A year-end festival?”

A year-end festival, indeed. Only two days remained in this year, 318 years after the end of the Antarctic War.

Despite it being the end of the year, the season was still summer, but the sky was unusually azure, and the river wind blowing across the river was pleasantly cool.

It was probably less due to the year-end and more purely because we had almost left the Red Mountains…

“What kind of festival is it? How troublesome. I don't remember it existing before.”

The Segeth region held great significance for Pipi and me.

Because it was the place where the Twilight Bloom flower field we had seen before crossing the continent stretched from the riverside to the foot of the mountains.

I had wanted to see it quietly and leave, but with so many people… However, such thoughts all vanished when I heard the captain's next words.

“It's a historical festival that even the heroes of the old Hero Party enjoyed. You should attend it once.”

“…The Hero Party?”

“I mean, Sir Rista's comrades. It's a pity that Rin died and couldn't be with them at the start of the festival, but…”

* * *

The captain didn't know anything more detailed about the festival.

He, a merchant, said his reason for coming here was to buy a large quantity of 'Riser', the world's finest wine produced in the mountainous vineyards of this Segeth region, and take it to <Aurelinople>.

Finally, the Segeth region's ferry dock, which revealed itself, was bustling with countless merchant ships, sailboats, and barges from this morning.

“There’s quite a crowd, do you intend to stop by?”

Valencidis, who was guarding against pursuers with Pipi as always, approached.

“Yes.”

When I answered briefly and prepared to disembark, a new connection began.

At first, I didn't see the people.

Amidst the hammering and nailing, I only saw carpenters building large temporary fences and viewing stands over the Twilight Bloom flower field.

‘That must be where the festival is held…’

And along the waterfront, quite a few street stalls were lined up, with crowds teeming in front of them.

Jugglers performed tricks with balls while sausage vendors and liquor sellers raised their voices.

Seeing this, Aki tugged hard at Ceresia's sleeve.

“Aki, pwease buy me a twate.”

“No. It's not good for you.”

“Pwease buy it!”

“I said no.”

“Why don't you just buy it for her? She's begging like that.”

“Oh no, you can't. You'll develop bad habits.”

Just then, the melody of ‘Summer 300 Years Ago’, played by a minstrel, pierced my ears.

300 years ago, they left.

To the land of summer, where the abyss slept.

There were four when they went, but when they returned…

Listening to that melody and looking down at the Twilight Bloom flower field rustling in the wind, I felt a vast solitude wash over me once again.

“Flowers, flowers, flowers.”

Pipi seemed to feel a similar emotion, circling above the flower field, flapping her wings with a mournful sound.

It was then, as I descended to the pier, as if following Pipi.

“Hmm, she won't do. That level of appearance is far too lacking.”

A young witch in blue robes was sharply scrutinizing each passenger disembarking from the ship.

But the moment her gaze brushed past us and fixed on Aki.

“Wow! I found her! Absolutely perfect! Is she like an angel sent by the gods?”

When the witch clapped her hands, the young men and women standing behind her also cheered and applauded wildly.

“Wow, she’s incredibly cute!”

“Yes, if it’s that child!”

“We can smash the pride of those Rcole rascals!”

Feeling a sense of alarm, I stood in front of Aki, and the witch waved her hand as if to say she wasn't a suspicious person.

“Are you, by any chance, that child’s guardian?”

“What if I am?”

“My name is Florena. As you can see, I'm the Blue Witch of Marind Village. I'm sorry, but I'd like to discuss something important.”

“Discuss?”

“It won’t be a disadvantageous conversation. I’ll give you food, a place to sleep, and 30-year-old wine for free. You know the village is extremely crowded right now, so most visitors are sleeping outside, right?”

The Segeth region, where the last ridge of the Red Mountains broke off, was famous for its low and gentle hills, like mountains in shape and height.

It was no wonder that many of the empire's most renowned grape villages were located on these slopes, which received the full blessing of the sun.

The largest villages here were Marind in the northern mountains and Rcole in the southern mountains. These two were said to be the main villages of the ‘Grape Boy\/Girl’ festival.

“Originally, this festival was about choosing the youngest child from each of the two villages as representatives and competing to see who could drink the most grape juice.”

But the core of the problem was that that despicable Rcole village had been bringing in beautiful dancer boys and girls since last year.

“It's a tradition to use the portrait of the Grape Boy\/Girl who competed and won that year as the wine label for one year. But those guys used a beauty scheme to…”

“Sell a lot of wine?”

Thanks to the dancer children, who ate and drank a lot as they exercised vigorously, they won the competition, and their beauty brought in tons of money.

It was said that an absurd superstition was added, claiming that the wine of the winning village was blessed by the Hero Party, and drinking it brought good fortune.

“Yes! Those wretched guys, this is no longer a competition. It’s a war! And that’s our countermeasure this year.”

I was listening to that ridiculous story in the witch’s hut.

The hut was built on a high ground overlooking the vineyards, and indeed, like a guardian of a grape village, grapes and wine were piled up all over the house.

“Look at her, how cute is she? And how well does she eat? With her, we'll win the festival and then some. And if she’s on the label, wine sales will jump tens of times over.”

Mmm, a short groan escaped me.

Aki was eating grapes non-stop, and empty stems were piling up like mountains in front of her.

“Aki, I told you to eat just one.”

“I, I only ate one.”

“Hmm, then what are those piled up in front of you? Did Pipi eat them?”

Aki then looked alternately at the empty grape stems and me, then suddenly whistled and subtly pushed them, making them fall off the table onto the floor.

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

Suddenly, silence fell.

I doubted my own eyes.

Florena and Celine chuckled, and laughter was heard from outside the door. Pipi barked.

“Pan, pan, pan, chimpanzee, stupidity, stupidity, stupidity.”

I couldn't laugh.

Because I had to grab Aki and spank his bottom vigorously.

“You! Are you messing with me right now?! You’re just a child, and you’re already learning bad things! Who? Who taught you that?”

“I-I-I did it wrong! I did it wrong!”

Celine, who received my sharp gaze, raised both hands and shook her head wildly.

“Why, why? Why are you looking at me like that? I only taught martial arts, I never taught anything like that! If she’s just imitating me, *ahem*, then maybe…”

“You’re the cause, aren’t you!”

“Cause, cause, cause.”

Then Florena intervened, trying to mediate.

“Now, now, calm down. She was given them to eat in the first place, and *ahem*, there's no need to say how much it all cost, but *ahem*, she's still eaten more than twenty bunches, *ahem*, so couldn't she be our representative? All she has to do is drink some grape juice?”

When I showed no reaction, Florena, casting aside all witch-like dignity, even knelt and pressed her forehead to the floor.

“Please, I beg you! I've seen countless children so far, but there hasn't been one as cute as her! We can't win without that child! And it starts today.”

Watching that, a sigh like a lament escaped me.

That sly witch, seeing that she brought me here before telling the story, it seemed she had no intention of letting me go…

But then, hadn’t Karenden said this in the first place?

– The young True Dragon needs memories.

Participating in this festival would be a rare experience for Aki. And I also had a reason to stay here.

“Alright, if it's just drinking some grape juice. But…”

Explain the origin of this festival in detail.

“Waaah!”

Before I could even state the condition, a thunderous cheer erupted, and the villagers poured in.

“To have such a cute child as our representative, you are excellent, Witch! We're definitely going to win this year! Sales will surely skyrocket too!”

“Hahahahat! Yes, who am I? I'm Lady Florena, a master at seducing men, that's who.”

“Oh my, up close she's an absolute doll. My dear, how old are you?”

Aki, instantly surrounded by countless people, looked bewildered by the sudden attention.

Her face turned ghostly white, and she pressed herself against my leg, burying her face there, as if that would make the people disappear.

Seeing that, Celine let out a short sigh. The reason was a lack of primal beast-like ferocity as a wanderer.

“Oh my! How cute, even hiding like that!”

“Witch, is this what a spirit looks like?”

“No, spirits don't look like that. She's cuter.”

When, oh when, would he become an absolute life form like Alakish, who used to give terrifying commands to the fearsome beast-warriors…?

“Then, Sir, may we immediately adjust the size of the Grape Girl dress for Aki? It's traditional to wear a special costume.”

Custom-made clothes?

So far, whenever I bought Aki clothes, he would tear them or turn them into rags without fail, always rolling and running around.

So, whenever we stopped at a village, he would simply borrow and wear the children's shabby clothes from that place.

“It doesn't matter, but… he might tear it. No, he's 100% going to tear it.”

The village maidens paid no attention to my warning, giggling amongst themselves and busily measuring Aki.

“Ah, ah, ahbuh.”

Aki looked at me with pleading eyes, but it was punishment for lying. I wouldn't help him.

Instead, I looked at Florena.

“In exchange for Aki participating, can you tell me about the origin of this festival?”

The Blue Witch is a guardian of oral traditions and folk songs.

And as the witch in charge of this region, she would know more details. Because knowledge would have been handed down from their predecessors for 300 years.

Florena, who seemed to be on familiar terms with the villagers, gave a slightly sad smile.

“It doesn't have such a pleasant origin. The heroes of the Hero Party gathered here every year at year-end.”

“In that flower field?”

“Yes. But they say that for heroes who saved the world, they conversed with expressions that were far too sad.”

So, the villagers started this festival.

They wanted to give those who couldn't laugh freely because of a comrade who couldn't return, frozen, a moment to forget their sorrow and laugh.

‘They gathered here every year?’

Those foolish guys…

‘Perhaps I shouldn't have used Juyeosogye Dae-ban back then…’

I myself didn't know what my expression was like as I mulled over that story in my heart.

“There’s also a saying that Friede’s Sun Parrot, Pipi, loved this festival very much…”

As Florena looked at Pipi with a somewhat skeptical gaze, Pipi wiggled her bottom as if feigning innocence.

“Ah-baht!”

Just then, Aki ran and clung to my leg, and he was so cute that I was momentarily captivated.

It was a festival costume: a purplish dress with a border of lime green silk, patterned after the color of a grape vine, and inside, Twilight Blooms were lavishly embroidered.

This was probably the first time Aki had ever worn a girlish skirt.

As soon as she saw Aki, Florena clenched her fist and let out a triumphant laugh.

“Ohohohoho! Good! Very good?! At this rate, we're definitely going to win! Then let's go!”

“Yes, Witch!”

“Go? Already?”

“What do you mean, already? This festival must be prepared before twilight falls. If we miss that time, it'll all be for nothing.”

When we descended the Marind village road again and arrived at the Twilight Bloom field, the three suns were already hanging on the western ridge.

The flower field was already bustling with quite a crowd, and the temporary spectator stands were almost full. Many people sat down with sausages or fried grasshoppers.

The residents of Rcole, the southern village, were already there, and as soon as they met, they hurled insults at each other, and the witches even started brawling.

“Oh my, look who it is. Isn't it Witch Florena of the village called Marind or Mirin, on the verge of ruin?”

“Your cowardly tyranny ends today. We've brought our ultimate weapon too, you know?”

“Hohohohohoho! No matter who you bring, they won't stand a chance against our Ren Arong~?”

When the witch waved her hand, a boy from their village line stepped forward with a dancing gait and bowed.

Olive-toned skin, dark eyes, glossy lacquered hair, long eyelashes, and plump lips gave him a sensual feeling.

Twelve, no, perhaps thirteen years old… I clearly understood why Florena said they wouldn’t win without Aki.

To others, it might look like the beautiful boy of the Republic versus the beautiful girl of the Empire.

“So, where might your esteemed ultimate weapon be?”

“Hmph, if I show it now, you might run away, so no. I’ll show it later.”

Aki was hiding behind my back.

I put the straw hat on his small head and wrapped Ceresia around his shoulders, and he seemed to calm down a little, his breathing much softer.

I held Aki in my arms for a moment, looking out at the Twilight Bloom flower field rustling in the wind. Even Pipi was silent for a while.

– These small memories prevent you from becoming lonely when that person leaves later.

Was the scenery I saw with those guys back then really this empty…?

The past scenery rarely came to mind accurately, only a feeling that something was very different.

Back then, there was something, truly something that pierced my heart with a poignant ache…

“What are you doing, not coming!”

Putting aside my thoughts at Florena's shout, I stepped inside the temporary fence.

“Alright, then, we will now begin the Grape Boy\/Girl festival.”

The host was the Blue Witch from a neighboring village.

A temporary table was placed in the middle of the flower field, with two glass cups and a glass bottle of wine on it.

Amidst expectant cheers, a moment of silence fell as Ren Arong, the Grape Boy from the southern Rcole village, appeared at the host's call.

“Wow.”

“Is that really the same as us?”

“The southern village will win again this time.”

Ren Arong danced with graceful, flowing movements as if carried by the wind, then saluted the audience.

An explosive reaction poured out.

Especially from the women.

Then, when the witch pointed to the opposite side, our side, a moment of silence fell.

“Eh…?”

An unusual grace flowing from steps that gently, carefully trod upon the flowers.

And light red hair, elegantly harmonizing with the grape-colored costume, flickered like flames in the twilight.

Aki, Marind village's ultimate weapon, had appeared.