Episode 187: Starlit Jellyfish (1)
“Master, I’m back.”
That evening, Victor returned from his visit to the Order.
“What did they say at the Order?”
“As you requested, I sent a messenger to the main headquarters to ask for a Master Class deployment.”
“Well done.”
Victor beamed with pride at Damien’s praise.
“At first, I thought you might have lost your mind, asking me to relay such a message without any evidence.”
“You never miss a chance to speak your mind, do you?”
“But I was surprised the Order believed you so readily.”
This was a testament to the strong relationship between Damien and the Order. They didn’t doubt him, even when he spoke of the absurd notion that Hedoniac was targeting the city.
“When did they say the Master Class would arrive?”
“The branch wasn’t sure. They said it depends on how long it takes for the messenger to reach the main headquarters and for them to dispatch the Master Class.”
Damien had expected this response. Even for the Holy Order, deploying a Master Class on such short notice would be challenging.
‘At least there’s still time before Hedoniac arrives.’
Hedoniac’s two transcendents aimed to shatter the happiness of travelers enjoying the festival. Thus, there was likely still plenty of time before they reached the city.
But Damien knew better. Life rarely goes as planned, and one must always be prepared for the unexpected.
‘I might have to buy us some time.’
If Hedoniac arrived before the Holy Knights, Damien would have to step in. Facing both a Master Class and a dark sorcerer was daunting, but he could at least delay them.
“Good work. Get some rest.”
Victor bowed and left the room. Once he was gone, Damien retrieved his travel bag from a pocket dimension and called out to Munchi.
-Squeak!
As soon as Munchi emerged, it began to lick Damien’s face enthusiastically.
“Alright, alright, I get it.”
Damien gently pushed away the wolf, which was the size of a calf, feeling slightly overwhelmed.
-New master! Be cool!
“You need to understand.”
-Got it!
Munchi sat down, awaiting Damien’s command.
“From today, keep an eye on the city’s surroundings. Alert me immediately if anything dangerous appears.”
Munchi was perfect for this task. Damien didn’t know exactly which direction Hedoniac would come from, and the two transcendents would likely conceal their powers. While Damien could sense them, other undead might not even notice if the transcendents were right in front of them.
But Munchi was different. With its unique ability, “Shadow Assimilation,” it could create clones to monitor a wide area and use its animal instincts to detect the transcendents.
-I’ll do as you say, master!
With that, Munchi melted into the shadows.
“I should get moving too.”
Damien needed to prepare for the arrival of the two transcendents.
From that day on, Damien was busy. During the day, he spent time with his family, exploring the city. At night, he prepared for Hedoniac’s arrival.
“Mother, look at this! It’s a brooch made by a local artisan.”
“Oh my, it’s beautiful.”
On the first morning in the city, he accompanied the women on their shopping trip. His mother, sister, and sister-in-law, Olivier, wandered through the city, admiring the goods. Damien followed to help carry their purchases.
“Aren’t you ladies tired of walking around the city? I know a great restaurant…”
“They’re all taken, so move along.”
“And who are you… Ahh!”
He also had the task of warding off men who approached the women. Initially, there were many persistent suitors, but after dealing with a few, they stopped appearing.
“Oh, Damien, you’re back. Care for a game of chess?”
Returning from shopping, he found the men playing chess.
“Play with Ballad. You’ll learn a lot.”
“Brother! His skills are impressive! He could represent the city.”
“Oh, I’m not that good…”
Ballad, Louise’s fiancé, responded modestly to Abel’s praise.
“What if both of you lose? The Haxen family name would be tarnished.”
“Look at this guy! Why don’t you give it a try?”
“You won’t find it easy, brother.”
In the evenings, Damien played chess or chatted with the three men. He continued to spend time with his family, attending plays or watching street parades.
As night fell, he roamed the city, preparing for Hedoniac’s arrival. Time passed, and the night of the starlit jellyfish finally arrived.
The family gathered on the rooftop, waiting for the starlit jellyfish to take flight, enjoying food and drinks as they waited.
“Damien, do you remember what you said as a child? You insisted you’d marry your mother.”
“Why bring that up now?”
“Look at him, he’s embarrassed.”
As the alcohol flowed, they exchanged lighthearted banter and laughter.
“So, Damien, when will you find someone?”
The conversation turned to a sensitive topic. All eyes were on Damien as his mother asked the question. He pretended to focus on his food, aware of their expectant gazes.
“Well, I’ll figure it out when the time comes.”
“You can’t be so nonchalant about it!”
“Right. Abel’s married, and I’m about to marry Ballad. You’re the only one still single.”
Damien continued to feign interest in his food, feeling the weight of their expectant stares. It seemed he couldn’t avoid the topic.
Just as he was struggling to find an answer, a collective gasp rose from the city.
-Wow!
-Oh my!
The family looked around in surprise, soon realizing the cause. Something was rising into the dark night sky.
It looked like inverted flower buds floating in the air, scattering light as they swam slowly through the sky.
The starlit jellyfish were taking flight, searching for their mates. The family was speechless, captivated by the sight.
Damien was no exception. He had never seen anything so beautiful, not even in his past life. He was momentarily entranced by the starlit jellyfish.
“It’s beautiful.”
His father had come to stand beside him, unable to take his eyes off the jellyfish.
“Thanks to you, we get to witness such a wonderful sight. Thank you.”
Damien gave a wry smile at his father’s words, prompting a puzzled look from him.
“What’s wrong? Is something troubling you?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“Come on, tell me. You’ve seemed worried these past few days.”
Damien touched his face, realizing his father had noticed his unease. He had been on edge, not knowing when Hedoniac might strike, but he thought he had hidden it well.
“Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
Damien’s mouth opened slightly, then closed again. He couldn’t reveal the truth about preparing for Hedoniac. He needed another reason.
”…I’ve been having nightmares lately.”
Perhaps it was the relaxed atmosphere of the trip that made him confess his real concern without realizing it.
Before he could take it back, his father asked with concern, “What kind of nightmares?”
“Everyone… everyone dies, leaving me behind.”
It was a lie. The real nightmare was different. In his dreams, he was the one killing his family.
In truth, they weren’t even dreams. They were memories of what had actually happened. He wasn’t dreaming; he was reliving the past.
His father laughed heartily at Damien’s words.
“You’re worrying too much. Why would we leave you behind? That won’t happen.”
It did.
To be precise, it had happened.
That’s why Damien couldn’t escape the nightmare. He never knew when it might happen again. The dark sorcerers who had ruined him and his family were still out there, spreading their evil.
“Damien, focus on the present moment.”
His father spoke while watching the family, who were still marveling at the starlit jellyfish.
“Damien, I’m happy. What about you?”
Without a doubt, he was happy. Being with his family was precious beyond words. He was almost frantic at the thought of time slipping away.
But Damien couldn’t purely enjoy his happiness. He was anxious. There were too many wretched things in the world. He feared they might destroy this happiness at any moment.
So he couldn’t easily say he was happy.
At that moment, something tugged at his sleeve. Looking down, he saw Munchi’s head emerging from the shadows.
-Master, there’s trouble.
Munchi tugged at Damien’s sleeve, signaling urgency.
“Two people have shown up, and they both give off a dangerously suspicious vibe.”
The happiest moment in life.
And the most unwelcome guests had arrived.