Founding Festival (5)
Evan, his hands full of packaged food, spoke up.
“Is this about right?”
“As long as it’s enough to fill our stomachs simply, this’ll do.”
Of course, my idea of “moderate” differed from a normal person’s, but I’d bought just enough to eat our fill. Rana and I were students, so we packed it away. Same for Evan.
Though Ria, still just a kid, would be different.
We headed toward the rest of the group. It wasn’t far.
In the distance, I spotted the two sitting midway along a long table. Rana had Ria clutched tightly in her arms to keep her from wandering off.
“Sis, you’re here.”
“Kyle! Junior Evan! Come on over!”
“Welcome.”
They greeted us warmly. I set the food down on the table. And the moment I started unwrapping it…
“Hm?”
I frowned.
“There’s a rotten smell…”
The odors were all mixed together, but that scent was definitely there.
“A smell? Uh… I don’t smell anything?”
“Yeah. Just smells like Kyle to me.”
“No idea what you mean.”
The three of them tilted their heads at my words.
“Not the kind of thing you’re imagining.”
It was just a figure of speech. Not the simple stench of rotting meat.
To put it precisely, this was…
Holy power.
The reek of that damn energy.
It had long since dispersed, blended with the saintly aura, but that distinctive tang couldn’t be erased. Especially not for me, so sensitive to holy power—it hit even easier.
And it meant a god had lingered nearby.
“Rana. Anyone come up to you?”
“Yeah, someone did. Talking weird stuff.”
“What’d the guy say?”
“What was it…?”
Rana seemed to ponder for a moment, but thankfully answered quick.
“Ah! Said they came to deliver good news.”
“And after that?”
“Uh…… No clue.”
“No clue?”
“Yeah. Think they said something else, but I can’t remember.”
She shook her head this way and that, trying to recall, then gave up with a resigned look. I immediately checked her body over.
Confirming nothing wrong, I let out a relieved breath.
“Phew…”
No signs of memory tampering or hypnosis. Body and mind both fine.
Of course, I might’ve missed something, but I knew that field inside out—no way I’d screw up or overlook it. The lingering holy power was faint, too, which sealed it. Tampering with higher beings took massive power, even for a god.
“You, kid.”
“Suspicious person came, so sis hid me in her arms. Didn’t hear a thing.”
Ria explained she’d been held for protection. I checked her just in case—no issues there either.
“Rana. What’d the guy look like? Any standout features?”
“Uncle? Nah, grandpa maybe? Hmm… coulda been a lady too…”
No real hope from Rana’s side. Then Ria piped up.
“I remember the outfit. Peeked through a gap for a sec.”
“What were they wearing?”
“Just a glimpse, so not sure… but weird, ridiculous clothes.”
Weird and ridiculous, huh…
I recalled the gods from Akacheonma.
Parang and Juhwang never leave their domains—ruled out.
Red, White, and Green moved around some, but rarely showed in the human world. That left just one.
Norang.
Fitting the bill perfectly if it was that guy—unlike the name, as a god. The bizarre fashion and carefree wandering of the human realm described him to a T. Could’ve even come to the amusement park for fun. Hated sitting still, per the lore—plenty possible.
But why approach Rana…?
Like the World Tree said back then, Norang had zero interest in humans. More precisely, only in the divine and amusing stuff. Ignored everything else outright. Never spoke directly to humans. And right now, Rana wasn’t at the point where Norang would take notice. That kicked in around next year.
Hmm… Can ignore for now?
Short deliberation, that was the verdict. Norang’s traits meant no harm to humans. No clue why her memory was fuzzy, but as long as no funny business, fine. Dude did weird shit—enough to stand out even among gods. Common knowledge.
“Let’s eat. You two are good.”
I dropped the serious face and told the three. They hadn’t touched the food I’d packed thanks to my heavy mood.
The four of us dug in, me included.
Amusement park grub was infamous for being pricey and meh. But this imperial setup? Different story. Tastier than your average restaurant fare.
Mid-meal, Ria caught my eye. Tiny hands hoisting a burger as big as her face. Her little mouth barely chomped a bite. Sauce and meat juices smeared everywhere around her hands and lips.
“Tsk tsk. Eat clean.”
I cast a cleaning spell. Could wait till after, but her hands were slippery—might drop it.
“…Thank you.”
Ria bowed deeply in thanks. I smiled to myself.
Then I spotted Evan next to her and scowled.
“Look after your sister. Don’t hog it all.”
I chucked a bun his way. He snatched it easy.
“Hyungnim!”
“What.”
“House rule: eat alone at meals. Builds independence. Not like I’d ignore Ria…”
“Home’s home. This is out.”
Another bun. Smacked his face dead-on this time.
“They say don’t touch even dogs when they eat…”
A giggle erupted right beside me. Rana, cracking up at the sight.
“Like earlier—you fuss over Ria a ton?”
She eyed how I kept tending the kid, intrigued.
“She’s a kid.”
“That the only reason?”
“What else? Weird ideas, and I’ll say hell no.”
Why fuss over a side character who wasn’t even the lead? ‘Cause Ria was a 12-year-old kid. At 14 or 15, I’d tell Evan to handle it.
“Kyle must like kids.”
“They’re kids.”
That alone was reason enough to cherish and protect.
“Hmm~ Haven’t seen this side of you in ages.”
Not a new side—just no chance to show it.
“Ah, Kyle, then…”
“What.”
“Mentioned the place I sponsor daytime. Wanna come?”
“Fine by me. But we’re festival-ing all day.”
“Just the one trip. Kids gotta enjoy festival too.”
“If you want.”
I said it casual, but inwardly relieved. Truth was, four straight days held no appeal. Two, sure. Beyond? Even I’d burn out. Easier skipping sleep.
“Evan junior too? With Ria?”
“Huh? You two going, we ok?”
“Tons time to hang with Kyle. Festivals better packed anyway.”
Like Rana said, spots like orphanages? People made ‘em safer.
“Then ‘scuse us briefly.”
After, we wrapped the castle tour. Wandered other spots till evening hit.
Last up: fireworks from the castle. Then we split.
Next day.
“Ugh… Kyle, help.”
“Why’d you buy so damn much.”
Met separate for her errand—Rana buried under a mountain of gift boxes.
“For orphanage kids, snowballed like this…”
“Delivery it.”
Carefully shifted boxes, fished her out. Casual clothes today unlike yesterday—still cute as ever.
“Hehe, they’re happier getting direct on days like this.”
“Yeah, guess…”
Or summonbeasts. She’d let ‘em loose for festival fun—felt bad calling ‘em back.
“Hyungnim, early as always.”
Siblings showed right on cue. Ria gripping her brother’s hand tight again.
“You grab some too. Don’t drop Ria’s hand.”
“Haha, one-handed’s plenty.”
Evan’s senses sharp—hoisted boxes easy.
Group full, off to the orphanage. Near yesterday’s alleys—no long trek. Twenty minutes or so, we arrived.
“Here!”
“Well kept.”
Orphanages usually rundown from cash woes—this one solid. Doors and bricks pristine, flower beds tidy.
“Capital’s different—orphanages huge.”
“Oppa. Bigger than home.”
“Hehe, expanded recent. Half size before.”
“Still huge…”
Chitchat over, we headed in.
Open lot front of the main building—kids romping about.
“Ah! Rana sis!”
Spotted her, swarmed like a wave, mobbing her.
Rana handled it smooth, like always.
“Kids, got gifts? Lemme through?”
Kids gonna kid. Eyes lit at “gifts,” attention snapped.
So straightforward. While they fixated on boxes, who looked like the director appeared.
“Thanks for always looking after them, Miss Rana.”
“I do it ‘cause I like. Casual’s fine.”
“Can’t with a benefactor. Without you, me and kids’d be on the streets.”
Even empire couldn’t cover everyone, shield from all crime. Yesterday’s ticket mess proved it—big and small crimes constant.
We greeted the director after. Evan and Ria hit it off with the kids fast.
“These punks on Ria…!”
“Waaah, run!!”
They seemed to be having a blast. Naturally, like the siblings, kids came to me too.
Fierce glare slowed ‘em, but they asked eventually.
“What’s your name, bro?”
Chin-propped spectator mode, I answered.
“Kyle Arden.”
“Hic-!”
One kid startled into hiccups. Spread like contagion.
Fearful stares multiplied; some backed off, heads down. Director shot anxious glances.
Rep only thawed at academy. Outside? Still the punk.
Anyway, not why I came. Gathered mana in my palm.
Called the gathered kids low.
“Kids.”
Soft tone, but backfired. Like Ria yesterday—shivered, expecting a scolding.
“Show ya somethin’ fun.”
Before it dragged, magic time.
Colors bloomed in the air, shifting to big and small animal shapes.
“Waaah…”
“Whoa!”
Eyes sparkled like nothing happened. Punk in front? Forgotten. Lost in my spell.
♪♪♪~ Fitting music layered in. Time passed, fear vanished.
“O-other stuff too?”
“Gotcha.”
First to speak got props—unleashed flashy magic next.
Dreary orphanage vibe turned full festival.
Played with ‘em awhile, then slipped back. Kids’ stamina too much.
Rana sidled up.
“Having fun?”
“Eh, tolerable.”
“Worried when none approached at first. Glad.”
“Eyes like these—no helping it.”
“I think they’re fine?”
“You would.”
No one else’d say that.
Sat shoulder-to-shoulder, watched the fun.
Rana murmured soft.
“Y’know. Feels like you’d be amazing with a baby once it’s born.”
“Yeah?”
“Mhm.”
“Probably.”
Other stuff aside, my own kid? Way better than this—several times over. Prediction, sure.
“But why bring it up?”
“Hmm~”
She beamed.
“Just?”
Knew the intent in that grin, no words needed.
Sometimes Rana had her lewd side peek out.
But… probably no one else saw it.
Except me.