Chapter 28: A Glance (Part 2)
In a world of flowers and festivity, with lights blazing like dragons, May 15th was the day designated by the church for the Mother Deity’s blessings to humanity. In Ethanbel, it was customary for people to plant a green branch or a young tree outside their homes, adorned with flower crowns, bouquets, and colorful streamers, all while they prayed for a year of smooth winds and abundant harvests. Meanwhile, cities held garden parties, and the streets were alive with diverse performances aimed at celebrating the blooming of flowers and the birth of all things.
On this day, young girls armed with wreaths of twigs would go door to door singing harvest songs to bless everyone with good fortune. Of course, this tradition had faded alongside the wealth of the Royal City, where fewer people farmed seriously. Thus, the blessings had lost their significance; drinking, singing, dancing, and prowling the night markets with family and friends became the true theme of the festival. And at night, the stalls selling goodies seemed to multiply, making the atmosphere as lively as ever.
This year’s harvest festival had a slightly different flavor… While there were still various artistic performances and knightly tournaments, the boundaries between the genres had blurred a bit. There were more performances showcasing both drama and martial prowess, like the reenactment of a palace rivalry and Miss Silvya battling against the Abyss. The performers included knights and even some prominent nobles. Bards strummed their vielle instruments in the street corners, serenading heroes and deities, with many people clapping to the rhythm, and after a song concluded, cheers erupted, raising the atmosphere even more.
Tonight, with the moon shining and stars scarce, the soft chimes of a bell echoed as a girl in a simple white dress and sun hat strolled by, one hand clutching some oily skewers of grilled meat while the other waved a branch decorated with a lovely pink bow and little copper bells that jingled merrily with her movements.
The girl swept along the snack stalls, her silhouette flitting playfully through the bustling crowd, followed closely by a round-faced girl calling after her: “Peilo, slow down! Wait, Daisy is lost!”
Hearing her friend’s shout, Peilo dramatically skidded to a halt, turned around, and zipped back, the copper bells jingling all the way.
The two finally found Daisy, and Peilo bounced around her, “Sarah, hurry! I saw they’re selling that last batch of egg custard tarts over there—”
Sarah, the girl with an exasperated expression, replied, “Can you at least finish what you’re holding first? Seriously, your bag is stuffed! How are you going to carry more?”
“Just help me carry it.”
“No way…”
But she still followed Peilo, because who could resist?
The South District of the Royal City was a cacophony of noise, with a million candlelights illuminating the streets, creating a vibe of uncontainable energy. The evening breeze blew gently, and at the end of the street, drums thundered as a street performer troupe paraded through, hope-filled children racing around them, while the heat from countless stalls wafted into the air. The three girls from 1504, lost amidst the hustle and bustle, moved on after finishing their egg custard tarts, making their way to the next stall.
I finished munching on my skewers, tossed away the stick, and pulled them along to slowly savor some soybeans we bought in a semi-ceramic cup. As I enjoyed it, I subconsciously squinted my eyes, swaying the twig adorned with bells in my hand. Then, out of the blue, Sarah casually said, “You know, Sophia is quite impressive.”
“Huh?”
“Back when we left, I saw her face… She must have wanted to come out and stroll with us—what girl doesn’t love shopping? But in her mind, some things are much more important than just having fun together…”
She said this with a serious face, causing me to ponder and eventually nod in agreement.
“Yeah.”
“She always knows when to do what and when not to. I, on the other hand, can’t do that… I often argue with Sophia and find her noble demeanor a bit annoying, but actually… I admire her in my heart…”
The girl lifted her face amidst the crowd, her eyes reflecting a hint of confusion illuminated by the firelight.
“She’s going to have a better life than me for sure… no, it’s not just that; her life is already much better than mine… And you, Peilo, even without… that status, you’re amazing too… You’re all impressive people… talented, with good backgrounds, plus you work harder than me… and you’re even younger… Sometimes, I really wish I could be like you—just go for it when I want to do something… but I’m just so lazy.”
Clutching a bag of egg custard tarts, the girl walked rather slowly.
“Although I often ponder these things, each time I resolve to, like right before sleep, I think, ‘Tomorrow I will definitely try harder, I need to wake up to practice some swordplay!’ But when the next day comes, even if I wake up early, I just don’t want to practice—I feel like it’s such a drag. Waiting for tomorrow to work hard is okay too…”
As I walked beside her, Daisy lagged half a step behind, licking a piece of licorice candy.
“Cabbage meat pies—homemade secret formula, only available today!”
“Morm sausage upgraded! Fatter, juicier—”
Vendors shouted their wares through the streets, blending with Sarah’s increasingly gloomy murmurs.
“These days at the library, Peilo, you dive into studying right away, so focused, sitting there for hours! I can’t do that… My mind just can’t settle; I often find myself daydreaming while reading, unable to concentrate… In the past, when my dad was home, I’d always be the one getting scolded… I’m a lazy person; I know it inside, I want to be better, but… just can’t get myself to do it…”
Turning to look at me, she asked, “Peilo, what should I do?”
I gazed back at her.
Sarah managed a thin smile.
Her smile spread amid the thick crowd, unremarkably like many ordinary girls in the world.
But hey…
“Sarah, you’re a good girl.”
“A good girl?”
“Yep. Kind-hearted, with a strong sense of justice—even if you’re a bit slower. In the future, you’ll definitely be a respected and formidable female knight.”
“But you guys will leave me far behind…”
“Huh?”
Her soft mumble was drowned out by the clamor; I didn’t hear it. After I showed my confusion, she shook her head, unwilling to repeat.
“Hey, should we go check out the garden party? If we wait too long, it’ll be too late.”
Sarah’s mood switched in an instant, bouncing back to joy, cutting off my comforting remark. Seeing her smile, I gently shook my head.
“That garden party… sounds really far.”
A long journey would eat into our eating time…
“Not really far! I know a close one, just at Livinis Square.”
“Oh…”
“Let’s go, let’s go! I heard there’s a famous street performer over there! Just a few blocks down the road—let’s go! Right, Daisy?”
“I’m fine with whatever…”
“Then let’s move… ah, Peilo, don’t get grease on me…”
“My hands are clean.”
“Yeah, towels don’t wipe things clean—if you want egg custard, I’ll get it for you…”
Time slowly approached midnight, and the festive buzz in the city was reaching its peak. I, along with Sarah and Daisy, strolled with the crowd, munching on more treats along the way. By the time we’d finished the soybeans and custard, we felt about 60% full. Then, we turned a corner and found ourselves staring at a road bustling with tons of people, completely clogged, the war chariots on either side seeming stuck in a swamp.
Not far off, a round square illuminated by fiery lights almost looked like daylight, with music wafting from it faintly.
“Looks like we’re late; so many people…”
“Should we still try to go in?”
“Let’s give it a shot.”
“Sarah, lead the way.”
Nodding, Sarah took my and Daisy’s hands, and when she spotted a gap in the crowd, she started weaving through, calling out “Excuse me,” and when others scowled after being shoved, she smiled and said, “We’re the support crew.” Being three young girls, adorable and not too old, the crowd couldn’t get mad too much and reluctantly made way.
Thus, I held my sun hat down and was yanked into the brightly lit center, right in front of the stage.
The stage wasn’t particularly grand or beautiful; it was rather shabby. The framework was exposed, but a stunning red cloth draped on top gleamed with a hint of gold under the myriad of lights, wrapping around with flowers and rainbow ribbons, giving it a bit of a visual appeal.
The stage was crowded to the brim. As we arrived at the front, the performance seemed to be at its peak, with applause and cheers resonating through the crowd. People shouted names I wasn’t familiar with, and Sarah, caught up in the atmosphere, shouted along, while Daisy appeared less enthusiastic—typical of her, usually preferring to curl up in her dorm even when bored unless someone dragged her out, living life in a very relaxed manner.
As I pondered, I looked upward at the stage.
It appeared to be a musical-drama performance.
Since we had entered halfway through, I was still clueless about the storyline. All I could see was that the performers were clad in exquisite court garb, their hair finely styled, clearly playing some nobility. As the scene unfolded, a noble lay on the stage, apparently deceased, surrounded by furious individuals, each showing expressions of rage.
Opposing them stood a lone white-haired woman at the other side of the stage.
Dressed in simple white attire, her slender figure shone under the stage lights, her silver locks fluttering in the night breeze creating a single color with her gown; she stood there grasping a bl**d-stained sword, seemingly the “murderer” or “assassin” of the person on the floor. As they hurled insults, she remained silent, merely lowering her gaze and caressing the blade as if it were a swaddled baby. Then someone shouted, “Let’s k*ll this rebellious woman!” and a few elegantly dressed men charged forward.
“Get them!”
“k*ll them!”
The shouts from the crowd below grew increasingly fervent. The woman, however, paid no heed, continuing to stroke her sword, and when someone charged at her with a blade, she suddenly flicked the sword, producing a sharp hum as she finally made her move.
With a swift motion.
Swish, swish—
Two glints of cold light flashed.
“Ah!”
The man clutched his chest, tumbling down with outrage.
“Wow—”
The crowd gasped in shock.
My eyelids flickered suddenly.
Those two strikes…
As hesitation filled me, I noticed other performers yelling and rushing towards her. The woman didn’t pause, stepping forward smoothly, the blade rotating at her waist, and then—swish! Another opponent went down. She managed to evade a sword swing with a lazy flick of her wrist, leaping on her toes to turn around and, with a flick of her wrist, sent several strikes in quick succession. The movement was grand yet beautiful, like a dance, and her dress fluttered as she twirled, resembling a butterfly among flowers, mesmerizing everyone around.
Amazing…
This woman had extraordinary sword skills!
On stage, after she executed those few strikes, all those rushing in fell. The audience below seemed stunned for about two seconds before bursting into thunderous applause.
“Such good slashing—”
“Absolutely stunning!”
“Who is this woman?”
“I’ve never seen her before…”
“Must be a new performer… she’s incredible! What a beautiful sword dance.”
“No way, are they really cutting people? I felt like she might have hit someone… those strikes were so fast I could barely see them.”
“Relax, it’s all props!”
Even Sarah was shouting excitedly, “Wow oh wow~ sister is so cool! So impressive!” Her eyes were full of admiration. Clearly, she was enamored by the lady’s swordsmanship.
It seemed the performance was coming to an end.
After she sheathed her sword, the woman stepped to the center of the stage, facing the crowd. The performers who had previously fallen all stood up alongside her, and amidst the thunderous applause, they bowed to the audience.
I joined in the clapping, but my gaze remained locked on that woman, my brow slightly furrowed.
I couldn’t shake off the feeling…
With such sword skills, she shouldn’t just be a street performer, right?
Suddenly, that woman seemed to sense my gaze, her icy eyes scanning over, circling through the crowd, and then locking onto mine.
My heart skipped a beat.
Beneath the dazzling lights, her cool blue eyes resembled a clear sky, and her flowing white hair momentarily reminded me of two familiar figures.
Carlos.
And… Teresa.
