episode_0218

The further we walked, the more the festival ripened.

*Should old acquaintance be forgot♪* *And never brought to mind?♩* *Should old acquaintance be forgot♪* *And auld lang syne?♫*

The beautiful singing and instrumental music of the performers could be heard. People dancing nearby wore happy smiles.

“When Queen Tia was adventuring through a remote mountain valley, five hundred-year-old bears suddenly appeared. The fierce bears roared, ‘Oh, blood of Lykaine! We shall devour you!’ But the valiant Queen Tia brandished her heirloom sword—and the Great Bear died in a single strike! The frightened subordinate bears prostrated themselves before the Queen, begging for mercy.”

There was also a bard telling the legend of Queen Tia. It was a fiction stitched together from already known anecdotes of old kings, but it was interesting because it subtly aligned with certain facts in a few places. The children especially loved it.

Upon finding a bustling area, we saw people distributing clothes and food. They were teachers from the charity organization ‘Saint Lucretia,’ founded by Aban.

The teachers said, “Poverty should not be an obstacle in this moment when everyone should be joyous.”

They then gave us cloaks to ward off the cold, freshly baked bread, and a little water.

Marie, wrapping my allotted cloak around her as well for a double layer, loved how warm it was.

Next, we went to a dilapidated tent.

A woman sat there, her face completely hidden by a black veil.

“Our destiny flows as predetermined by the will of the gods,” she said in a gloomy voice, extending her gaunt fingers. “How about it? Shall I tell your fortune and that of the girl next to you? You’ve ‘already seen it once,’ so you know well, don’t you? The power of destiny.”

“……”

In the woman’s other hand was a deck of cards.

I had always found those cards repulsive.

They grasp someone’s destiny in their skeletal hands, revealing them one by one to ‘fix’ their future.

If that is the will of the gods, then what kind of gods are they?

If it is His will to make us, His creations, sad and miserable, then shouldn’t Tia, who willingly sacrifices herself to save us all, be called ‘God’ instead?

“No. I don’t need it.”

I held Marie’s hand tightly and replied.

“I have already found my own God.”

Even if destiny is already determined.

It should be us who unveil it ourselves.

At least, that’s what I think.

“Huhu… Is that so. Then you wouldn’t need it.”

Putting down the cards, the woman offered us a simple blessing.

“May your path be filled with happiness.”

After touring the streets, we climbed the stairs. We were heading up a high hill to look down at the panorama of Deseo. Many people had already gathered there, but stepping away from the clamor brought a sense of peace.

I leaned against the stone wall’s railing, resting my arms. From a distance, the city of Deseo was dark. In a window where a lamp was lit, an old man was reading a book, and in another window, young children could be seen crawling.

Under the streetlights of the carriage road, people enjoying the festival were visible. Beyond them lay the dark night sea, from which cool, salty wind blew.

“Marie.”

“Yes?”

“What are you going to do tomorrow?”

“Hmm.”

Marie’s hair fluttered gently like a soft curtain.

“I don’t know. What about Ritsu Oppa?”

“Well.”

I still hadn’t decided. I didn’t know what I would do with my life from now on.

It wasn’t that I was afraid of making a choice. It was just that nothing I had thought of so far felt like the path I truly desired.

“I don’t know either. What I want to do.”

Even though telling Marie wouldn’t get me an answer anyway.

I felt like I needed to say something to grasp a bit of direction. So I spoke with difficulty.

At that moment.

*Slide.*

A warmth spread through my hand resting on the stone wall.

The warmth was so comforting, so warm that it felt as if my hand was melting away.

Marie said, “Take your time to think. Until Ritsu Oppa finds the answer… I’ll be by your side.”

And then she gave a small smile.

“……”

How could Marie say something like that?

Looking back at the long, painful journey from Breeze-Dun to Deseo.

It always felt like I was alone, but Marie was always by my side.

She never left me. Not once. She followed me without a single complaint.

No, she protected me.

Whenever I was tired and collapsed, she hugged me. Whenever I faltered, she encouraged me. She never doubted, always affirmed, and believed in me firmly.

We hadn’t exchanged many words, but we had always had each other’s backs.

And that companionship isn’t over yet.

Even now.

And in the future.

Marie will continue to be by my side.

*Boom!*

Suddenly, the night sky brightened. We simultaneously looked up.

*Whoosh- boom! Bang!*

Above the Red Castle, a brilliant, ruby-red light illuminated the night sky.

With gasps of admiration from the crowd, everyone’s movements ceased.

Our breaths also hitched at the beautiful sight, as the entire world was dyed pink.

Honestly, I thought my heart would ache. I thought I might fall to my knees and weep. I said I was fine, but perhaps I wasn’t.

These fireworks were surely a flame announcing a new future to the people of Deseo, but for me… they were a flame signifying farewell to Tia.

But now, someone is holding my heart tightly, preventing it from wavering.

Helping me stand firm and bid her a peaceful farewell.

Helping me shed beautiful tears.

“Marie.”

The fireworks blooming brightly under the moonlight.

Their refreshing bursts told me.

“I’ve found the answer. I think I know what I should do now.”

I turned my head and looked into Marie’s blue eyes.

“Let’s go back together. To Breeze-Dun.”

As always.

Marie smiled and replied.

“Yes!”

***

Deseo’s southern port was bustling from the morning.

This was especially true in the morning, as ships that had been moored overnight had to depart as soon as it got light. Fortunately, we had very little to take with us, so we were able to easily slip through a gap.

“Taildon. Two people.”

“80 gold.”

When I handed over the coin purse, a sailor waiting outside came out and led Marie and me onto the ship.

“Ugh.”

But a problem arose.

Even before we had departed, the swaying of the ship was making me feel strange.

How to describe it, it felt like standing on a slowly moving cow. Anyway, my stomach felt heavy, and I became uneasy. I could barely endure it by holding onto a mast and exhaling slowly.

Is this ‘seasickness’? I thought I’d be fine since Tia never got seasick. But then again, she was naturally strong.

Damn it. If this continues, I’ll be a dried-up seafood by the time we reach Taildon…

“Ritsu Oppa. Lie down here.”

Marie, sitting on the floor, patted her thigh.

There was no other way. In the end, I had no choice but to lie down with my head on Marie’s lap.

Around us, people chuckled about a man lying in a girl’s skirt, but it was no time to care about appearances. Marie didn’t mind at all either.

“Think of it as lying in a hammock, not on the sea.”

I closed my eyes and imagined it.

Behind Aunt Seri’s house was a big tree, and there was a hammock there. It was Ruyef’s favorite spot to relax.

Thinking that I was feeling the wind of a green forest instead of the blue sea, the nausea really disappeared.

“Much better.”

“Did it help?”

“Yes.”

“That’s good. Hehe.”

Speaking of which, I suddenly wondered about him.

“Ruyef said he was rebuilding Breeze-Dun. Is he still doing well?”

“Oh, a letter arrived before.”

“A letter?”

She explained that Ruyef had written a letter to Vincent Teacher-nim in Taildon, and Vincent Teacher-nim, who was in Deseo, received it, then handed it to Joseph Uncle-nim, and Uncle-nim delivered the letter to Marie.

“What did it say?”

If it had traveled such a long distance and time to reach Marie, what kind of story could it be?

Since Marie wasn’t anxious, it couldn’t be urgent. He must have written many things.

But Marie’s answer was extremely simple.

“He said Oppa is doing well.”

“Yeah.”

“……”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

Then she showed me the problematic letter.

It was true.

It simply said that he was doing well and asked for a reply once I read the letter.

“So like Ruyef.”

It was beyond absurd, almost to the point of relief.

There’s no one else in this world who would send a costly letter with just one line written in it.

“Depart!”

As the last sailor boarded, the gangplank was lowered, and the mooring ropes were untied. The sailors worked together to raise the triangular sail, and the sail, catching the wind, unfurled widely.

With a creaking sound, the ship slowly began to move away from the land.

The weather was clear, without a single cloud.

The ship, which I thought was slow, had traveled quite far out to sea before I knew it, while I was lost in thought.

The panoramic view of Deseo from the sea was magnificent. The city was certainly vibrant, large, grand, and great.

And the most striking thing was… the Red Tower.

Marie said in an excited voice.

“I can see where Tia Unnie is from here too.”

“Right. It’s beautiful.”

“Will we be able to see Unnie again?”

“Of course. Not now, but someday, we definitely will.”

The top of that splendidly tall tower sparkled crimson in the sunlight. It was as if it were bidding farewell to this ship leaving Deseo.

It had been a year like a dream.

Though it was a sad dream, what I found at its end was hope.

The wind blows.

It is time to leave.

Peace to this nation.

Happiness to all people.

Blessings to our future.

And to her whom I love.

Goodbye, Tia.