—Guys, guys! —Robin burst into the training room. They had just returned from a small hunt where they took down about four wretches. Since it had been an easy job, they moved on to training, while the scientist went off to work on the refinery. — I have an idea for what we could do this weekend.
—What is it? —Asked the young man as he sheathed Iron Fang. One by one, they all gathered around Robin.
—We can go to a festival!
—...A festival? It's the weekend. Shouldn't we be hunting vestiges? —The young man crossed his arms as he spoke.
—It's been a stressful week, so I think it would be best to relax these two days and come back stronger next weekend... Plus, we just got paid for the materials. —Thanks to selling the materials, Shoun, Sein and Robin had earned a total of 22,500 Crestos. Joy's share (equal to the others') still hadn't been delivered since Sein hadn't been able to contact her.
—Uhh... well, what do you guys think?
—Sounds fun! Let's do it!
—I'm fine with it.
—I've never been to a festival... — The masked one said hesitantly.
—That's even more reason to go! —The little one insisted.
—Alright, I vote we go.
—Then it's decided —The young man said, already imagining his hard-earned money quickly disappearing from his wallet.
The apprentices cleaned up and left the Mirror World, waiting patiently at Shoun's house for nightfall to attend the festival.
—Hey guys, can I invite Joy? —The little one asked while checking his phone.
—Don't see why not. I don't know her well but she seemed nice. Plus we can give her share in person —Shoun immediately agreed, with no objections from the others. The young man wanted to get to know Joy better, if she proved trustworthy, he might even invite her to the Mirror World. The mage had already shown how invaluable she was in large-scale battles against multiple vestiges.
—Great! I'll text her! — Sein sent a message explaining they were going to a festival, including the address and time. He mentioned Kaze and another friend would be joining along with the rift fighters. But the message was left on read, just like his previous ones—(I don't get why she's not replying...Did I do something to upset her?)*
The little one agonized over this for hours but reached no conclusion. Before he knew it, they were already heading out.
The festival was held in a large park a moderate distance from Shoun's house. It was decorated with bright yellow lights and red ornaments, plus countless food stalls and games. A Ferris wheel had even been set up—though all the apprentices doubted its structural integrity. The main attraction, however, were the recurring shows, happening about every 20 minutes.
—Where should we start, guys? — The little one asked, getting mixed responses.
—We should catch a show first. It's the main event, right? — Suggested the scientist.
—The games look fun. Let's begin there. — Proposed the young man.
—I'm curious how much weight that Ferris wheel can actually hold. — Said the beret-wearing boy.
—Let's get food. — Added the masked one last. Since he was the only one who'd never been to a festival, they decided to indulge his request first.
—This grilled fish tastes amazing! —The little one exclaimed, his eyes shining. Shoun, on the other hand, was bitter after getting a fish with too many bones.
Afterwards, they went to watch a show. What they managed to catch this time was a parade, where many dancers performed a spectacular, stylized choreography while a paper dragon moved alongside them, following their rhythm.
—Hmm... this looks interesting. Robin, which culture does this tradition come from?
—I'm not sure. I know it comes from one of the "countries" that existed before the Codex arrived. Beyond that, I couldn't tell you exactly where, sorry Deuz.
—Don't worry about it.
When the show ended, they moved on to the games. There was a wide variety: they played a rubber duck fishing game where Sein managed to win a plush toy as a prize. Then they tried target shooting, where Robin won lots of candy that they ultimately ended up giving to the pleading Sein and Kaze.
Since they were tired, they went to a quieter area, a bingo table. As usual, Sein thought about cheating but was immediately stopped when the elderly participants began looking more terrifying than the vestiges.
In the end, using questionable judgment, all five of them decided to board the Ferris wheel in the same cabin, with the staff's approval.
—This is... a bit cramped —Commented the young man. Though squeezed together, the ride began moving. During the ascent, they noticed many components were heavily rusted—they even saw a screw come loose and fall— If this thing suddenly breaks, we won't actually die... right?
—As Codex bearers, it would be pathetic to be killed by a Ferris wheel —Added the beret-wearing boy.
—Robin, could you report this to the authorities later?
—And ruin the fun? Never! —During this exchange, the Ferris wheel stopped, leaving them momentarily suspended at the peak. Thanks to the park's elevated location combined with the ride's height, Clover Flush could see a portion of vast New Caven spread out before them.
—Our city looks so beautiful at this hour!
—Heh. At least it has more color and shadows than that miserable Mirror World at night.
—...Thanks for bringing me here, guys—The group fell silent as the masked one spoke in his usual monotone— When I faced the Mirror World alone, I never imagined I'd end up here. I'm grateful you're all my friends... and that you wanted to show me all this.
—No need to thank us! We're happy to do it! —The little one dismissed while hugging the masked one, prompting the scientist to add:
—Exactly! And don't think this ends with just some rickety festival. We'll go everywhere together—movies, restaurants, maybe even—
—A festival with a Ferris wheel that doesn't fall apart? —Shoun cut in, making everyone burst into laughter.
They finally exited the ride and headed back to the food stalls.
—You're seriously hungry again? It's only been two hours!
—All this fun works up an appetite! — Sein, Robin, and Kaze scattered to various stalls, leaving Shoun and Deuz alone by the railing. Though not as high as the Ferris wheel, it still offered a modest view of New Caven.
—Today was fun. For once, Robin's ideas were actually good. Don't you think, Deuz?—The young man leaned against the railing as the beret-wearing boy beside him responded after a pause.
—No comment... But you know, this is my first time coming to a fair like this...with friends.
—Seriously? Well, given you're a stalker, I'd find it weird if you had friends... But honestly, I don't know much about you, Deuz. Tell me about yourself.
—Hmm... What can I say?
—Tell me where you grew up—The moment those words left Shoun's mouth, Deuz's expression shifted, taking on a melancholic tone.
—...I grew up in the lowest parts of the city. My family was poor. My mother died when I was young, and after her death, my father became a violent drunk. He beat me relentlessly, never leaving me in peace. He was a mediocre Seeker, too cowardly to even earn more than what he spent on alcohol. One day, he got even more violent than usual, and... with some luck, I managed to fight back, and killed him. In the process, I became a Codex bearer... The authorities ruled it as self-defense, and since I was already 15 at the time, they let me go.
A lump formed in Shoun's throat as he listened. An overwhelming, almost unnatural sadness gripped him, something he rarely felt, but natural when hearing what someone he cared about had endured.
—I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you relive that.
—Don't worry. I've made my peace with it... My father was trash, but he made me realize the real problem plaguing our society. My mother, like so many others, didn't die from illness or something natural. She died because vestiges spiraled out of control. The Guild is supposed to protect those areas, but since they subcontract their personnel to wealthier clients for "extra security," the poor end up defenseless... That's the kind of shit society we live in— He vented into the night air, staring at New Caven with a perspective starkly different from Shoun's.
—...This world isn't easy to live in. Sometimes I wish it were different. In many ways.
—Me too...But at the same time, I'm glad I live in this world. Because I have you all, my only friends—With that, the beret-wearing boy moved closer to the young man, and together they gazed solemnly at the city, comforted by each other's presence— I'm getting a bit hungry. Want anything?
—Some fries.
—Sure... I'll catch up with the others in a bit—Without another word, the beret-wearing boy walked off, leaving the young man completely alone at the railing. He wanted to reflect more on his companion's past, but then, he sensed a presence approaching. Someone took up a spot at the railing, keeping a polite distance. A few seconds later, a voice called out:
—Are you Shoun Foster?
The young man turned slightly toward the voice.
—(A demon?)—The demon who'd addressed him had reddish skin, with two horns protruding from his forehead. He wore a loosely buttoned white shirt that exposed much of his crimson chest, paired with black pants and matching boots. A bandana covered most of his black hair, leaving only a few strands visible. The whole outfit gave him a pirate-like vibe, at least to Shoun.
—Yeah, I'm Shoun Foster. What do you need?
—...What's your relationship with the one you call "Kaze"? —The demon asked, his tone probing. The question clearly caught the young man off guard, few people knew about Kaze's existence.
—(Maybe this demon knows who Kaze was before he lost his memories! I need to extract as much info as possible. For now, cooperation's best.)— Shoun quickly formulated a plan before replying firmly: — Kaze's my friend. How do you know him?
—You should stay away from him. For your own safety.
—What are you talking about? He's my friend. I wouldn't let anyone hurt him, and he'd do the same for me—He wanted to press further, ask how the demon knew Kaze, but was abruptly cut off.
—Then I fear it's already too late for you. Please, heed my warning if you can—Without another word, the red demon turned and walked away. Shoun rushed after him, only to be blocked by a sudden crowd gathering for the parade, losing sight of the demon instantly.
—Damn it!
—Something wrong, Shoun? — Suddenly, all his companions returned with the food they'd gone to fetch, noticing the strange demeanor of their usually calm friend. Deuz immediately pressed him for answers.
—Haaah... A demon approached me just now. He asked about Kaze and my relationship with him. When I answered, he told me to stay away, that Kaze was dangerous—The apprentices fell silent, their concerns momentarily drowned out by the festival's cheer.
—That's ridiculous! Sure, Kaze is dangerous, but so is every Codex bearer! You'd never hurt us, right, Kaze?—The little one turned to the masked figure, who nodded slightly, though seemingly dazed.
—Shoun, can you describe him? I might be able to search the government database—The young man provided a detailed description, but the scientist shook his head—Too generic... Still, I'll try looking into it.
—Whatever the case, that red demon seems like a clue to Kaze's mysterious past. We'll need to stay alert—Everyone agreed. They spent one last hour at the festival, strategizing how to track down the red demon. As the night grew late, they gradually dispersed, their departure mirroring the festival's dying embers.
—Time to head out. We'll talk more tomorrow about how to proceed—Declared the scientist.
—Can I go with you, Robin?
—Sure. Take care, guys —The scientist and the little one were the first to leave.
—I should get going too. Be careful from now on, who knows what might happen—With that ominous warning, the beret-wearing boy melted into the shadows, vanishing from Kaze and Shoun's sight.
—...Guess it's time to head home, friend—Without another word, the two young men began walking through the park toward their house. It was late, and they found themselves in a large sandy area, with steep drops leading to lower terrain on either side. Suddenly, Kaze stopped and turned to Shoun.
—Shoun... Do you think I'm dangerous?
—...Like Sein said, no more than any other Codex bearer.
—But what if something happens to me one day and I hurt you all?
—Then I'll kick your ass until you snap out of it... Listen, Kaze. You're my friend. My partner. No matter what happens or what your past holds, I'll stand by you. That's a promise—The young man extended his pinky. The masked one hesitated but finally linked his own pinky with Shoun's.
—Heh. Surprised you didn't ask what this is.
—I've seen it in movies.
—Haaah, look how much you've grown, my friend—They separated and were about to keep walking when—
~Fwoooosh~
A massive wall of fire erupted between the two apprentices. Shoun tried to shout, but before he could react, an immense force slammed into him—hurling him onto the lower sandy terrain. On the other side, Kaze watched as two shadowy figures emerged in the distance.