That night, after making a promise with my friends, I had a dream.
In the dream, I was a Swordsman.
I could not say I was greater than the Sword Saint, the great Martial Artist I had once encountered in my memories.
Even in my dreams, that kind of thing was still far beyond me.
But my path was not sorrowful.
Nor was it lonely.
As I walked, I was smiling.
Together with Andrea, who carried a greatsword over his shoulder, and Anna, who wore a slender sword at her waist.
In the dream, we were strong.
With a single sword each, Andrea and Anna summoned storms and pierced mountains.
And I cleaved apart a sky filled with blizzards.
Just as the Sword Saint had done in the visions or memories I had once seen.
Even when a gigantic dragon rushed at us with its jaws open wide, or a mighty golem swung its fist, we defeated them together.
On the day we returned home after accomplishing such astonishing feats—
I faced my parents and pulled them into a tight embrace.
Then I realized that it was a dream, and at the same time, the path I needed to follow.
When I awoke after a pleasant sleep, I recalled the dream and smiled.
Just as I had in that dream.
***
On the night when boys and girls made a beautiful promise.
On the night when a lame boy who had inherited the Sword Saint’s memories found his path.
“Capo.”
“...What is the situation?”
“It is not good. We do not know how it was exposed, but at this rate, Gakt may be discovered as well.”
The one who had shed the title of Dono and taken on the title of Capo was preparing a promise of his own.
“What will you do?”
“It is earlier than expected, but... it cannot be helped.”
“You mean...?”
“Prepare. We cannot allow anyone to interfere with the day promised to us.”
A promise meant to tear apart a promise.
***
The vacation of mysterious experiences and firm promises ended, and everyday life returned.
So many things have changed.
Anna and Andrea worked harder as Apprentice Adventurers and studied harder as well.
They still clutched their heads over their studies, but they did not complain like they had before.
Alongside my studies, I handled several matters.
First, with a nervous heart, I met the head of the Jeong Family, who was Grandma’s younger sibling.
There, I signed a lease agreement for the place I had named Paradise Island.
For some reason, it was a little frightening when he looked at me with eyes full of greed and smacked his lips.
Fortunately, the contract was completed smoothly, though my parents, who had been present, nearly fainted.
It was an absurd amount of money, even for our fairly well-off household.
At first, I was surprised too. But as time passed, I felt more reassured instead.
It felt as though another invisible force had appeared to protect my parents while I was away.
After handling this and that, August had arrived before I knew it.
On an evening when the heat had finally eased a little, I left the house with my parents.
“I do not even remember how long it has been since we went to see a festival.”
“Haha, has it been about ten years?”
My parents held my hands tightly as we walked, as though they were afraid of losing me.
I felt a little embarrassed to be walking hand in hand with my parents at this age, but I quietly went along.
Because I understood how they felt.
“I am sorry, because of me...”
“No, it is only nice that our son is coming to see the festival with us like this.”
“Hahaha, my son. Let us bury the past in the past and enjoy the present.”
My parents had not gone to see a festival even once since I was very young.
There was no way they could have enjoyed going to a festival by themselves while leaving their son shut in his room.
When I recalled the past and apologized again, they told me they were grateful.
My chest tightened at the sight of the two of them cherishing me without end, despite all the grief I had caused them.
“Yes!”
I hid my stinging heart and replied energetically.
Just as my parents hid their own emotions and smiled at me.
Once I left next year, I did not know when we would be able to enjoy a festival together again.
To enjoy this festival with all my strength, I held my parents’ hands and led them forward.
I was no longer a boy who had to follow behind someone else.
Now, I could take the lead.
After walking for some time—
“Brother! Over here! Here!”
Beyond the canal bridge, Emilio was bouncing up and down and waving with his younger siblings.
I approached them with my parents.
“It has been a while. I am glad you all look healthy.”
“Brother, you said that yesterday too!”
“Haha, did I?”
It had taken the children nearly two months to leave the monastery.
Those who had adapted earlier had waited until the youngest, who took the longest to adapt, could leave as well.
Their bond as siblings felt deeper than the bond of blood.
It was enough to make me embarrassed for ever suspecting that the monastery had broken its promise.
Still, it was nice to see every one of them together and looking happy.
“Brother, did you bring a mask?”
As I looked at them fondly, Emilio grinned and pulled out a lion mask covered in feathers.
The viciousness and maturity he had shown when we first met were gone, replaced by a childlike appearance.
I was happy to see that, so I smiled and played along.
“Of course.”
The biggest festival to adorn Raechia in August: Carnival.
This festival, which combined the Fairies’ masked dances passed down since the days of Dongnae with the humans’ mask festival, was a symbol of harmony.
In that sense, the mask I brought out carried quite a bit of meaning.
It was a Lame Man Mask, usually used for the role of a cripple.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the children did not know the meaning of the mask because they lacked experience of the world.
So instead of giving them a tedious explanation, I introduced the children, who were loudly saying that my mask was cool too, to my parents.
“Say hello. These are my parents.”
“Ah! Hello! I have not seen Brother in so long that I forgot to greet you!”
Following Emilio’s lead, the children all bowed together.
My parents’ faces beamed, as though they found the children utterly adorable.
“Oh my, how cute! Our Johan used to be like that too.”
“Haha, I heard about what happened from Johan. Do not feel too uncomfortable, and make yourselves at ease. On that note, here is a gift!”
“Thank you!”
My mother covered her mouth as she laughed, and my father pulled candy from his pocket.
The children accepted it, popped it into their mouths, and beamed as they chewed.
It was a scene I would never have seen if I had stayed shut in my room, and it tickled my heart.
‘Are you watching?’
As had become my habit at some point, I thought of the Sword Saint.
All these changes had begun when his memories came to me.
Of course, there was no answer, because he was only a memory.
But that was all right.
I simply wanted to remember him.
After enjoying the moment for a while, I walked over to the chattering children and my parents, who had not stopped smiling for even a moment.
“Should we get moving soon? At this rate, we will be late for our appointment.”
“Oh my, where is my mind? Let us hurry!”
“Dear? You have to come with us!”
“Wow! Are we running?”
My mother stamped her feet in flustered haste, then started running ahead.
My father tried to catch her and stumbled.
For some reason, the children found that wonderful and all began running after her.
I smiled and followed behind them.
My balance still became unstable when I ran, but even that unsteadiness had become familiar, so it was all right.
Thanks to that, we reached our meeting place in no time.
“Hello, Mother and Father!”
At San Marco Square, we met Anna and Master, as well as Andrea and his mother, who had been waiting for us.
After the adults warmly received the polite greetings, Andrea finally approached me and complained.
“You are a little late.”
“It just happened that way. Still, we are not terribly late, right?”
“You’re big, so why are you so small-minded? You only got here five minutes ago yourself.”
“Hey! I still got here on time!”
As always, Anna and Andrea began bickering.
The children, who had never seen this before, looked at them anxiously and told them not to fight. That only made the two of them flustered.
The clumsy side of children who were unusually brave and mature made laughter spill out of me.
My clear laughter rang out, cutting through even the noise of the square.
The two were about to bristle at my laughter, but soon started laughing along with me.
The moment was simply too good to be angry.
After friends, children, and adults alike had all shared a hearty laugh—
I calmly held out my hand to my friends.
“Shall we go?”
“Yeah. Let us go have another splendid adventure tonight!”
With my friends’ energetic steps, the summer festival that would leave an indelible mark on us began.
***
San Marco Square was full of people dressed in their finest clothes.
Colorful silk jackets and long overcoats, fitted tunics and hose, delighted the eye.
The Fairy masks and carnival masks worn by everyone also heightened the atmosphere.
Roses and hydrangeas scattered by people wandering around blessed summer at its height.
We gladly blended into the middle of that beautiful scene.
“Wow, that looks delicious!”
“Then we should eat it.”
“Huh? Ah, you do not have to buy it for us. We have money too!”
“Hush! When an adult buys you something, you say thank you and accept it happily.”
The children marveled in front of a street stall selling fried doughnuts.
Perhaps it was because they had starved so much in Subura.
Emilio and his siblings had something of an appetite.
Seeing that, there was no way our parents, whose pockets were full and whose generosity was even fuller, could sit still.
Pretending to scold the children for refusing, they handed each child a doughnut.
“Thank you!”
“It is really delicious! Wow... There is food like this too.”
The children from Subura had eaten even the rough and simple monastery meals with great appreciation.
They said that in Subura, even soup made by throwing together fish heads, entrails, and rotting vegetables was considered precious food.
And now, those children were tasting food that had been fried in oil.
Naturally, every one of them went wild and wolfed it down.
Perhaps their wholesome appearance was nice to see.
The adults gladly opened their purses, bought more doughnuts, and gave them as gifts.
Including doughnuts for my friends and me.
“Uh, you do not need to give me one.”
“I wanted to experience buying my son a doughnut while seeing a festival together.”
At Father’s meaningful words, I quietly accepted the doughnut.
I had not done any of the things that others had done for their parents over the past ten years.
I needed to build up memories diligently, even now.
So, each of us with a doughnut in our mouths, we started walking again.
After leaving the square and following the main road, we saw a parade announcing the beginning of the festival.
“Oh, it is the Festival of the Marias.”
“What is that?”
“Long ago, it began when the Doge paid the dowries of poor young women. These days, it has simply become a festival where pretty girls ride in carriages and parade.”
As quiet conversation passed between us, a carriage decorated with bouquets of flowers began moving.
Twelve beautifully dressed girls stood on the roof of a grand carriage pulled by six horses, smiling brightly and waving.
The crowd scattered flower petals over the girls, blessing them one by one.
One of the children watched the sight with her mouth hanging open and murmured.
“Pretty... I want to ride one too.”
Hearing the dream that had sprouted in the heart of a girl who once wished only to survive, I smiled.
Welcoming a change that had come late, yet not too late.