Cale clapped along apathetically as the people around him whooped and applauded, watching the bishop pour water on the altar.
“The moment the water seeps into the ground, let all of this year’s sorrows be washed away!” the bishop shouted.
“The moment the water seeps into the ground, let all of this year’s sorrows be washed away!” the people recited. Some even stomped their feet to cheer for the legendary Lake of God’s Tears.
Cale had expected the offering ceremony to be a somber affair, but it was surprisingly vibrant. He used the noisy environment to ask the red kitten in his arms, “Are those bastards staying put?”
Hong meowed in response. He looked as much like a kitten as ever, probably because he was only eight in human years. With Hong’s confirmation, Cale organized his thoughts.
The “bastards” in question, Arm, had remained at the duke’s manor after handing over the item rather than moving on. Will we cross paths with them inside?
Cale padded away from the roaring crowd, pondering the possibility of encountering new members of Arm. Just in case, he’d left Rosalyn—who wasn’t as strong as Clope—and the dazzlingly beautiful whales behind. It would spell trouble if any of them caught Clope’s eye or if other people remembered seeing them. Thus, only Choi Han and the children accompanied Cale this time.
“Our hopeful dispositions will surely please our god!”
“Woo-hoo!”
Accepting a skewer of rice cakes from Choi Han, Cale observed the cheering populace. How interesting. It fascinated him to see the citizens of Faern, a kingdom of disparate faiths without a national religion, praising a single god together. Perhaps they weren’t necessarily extolling the specific deity in the legend of God’s Tears but simply enjoying the opportunity to relax and celebrate instead.
Well, that’s none of my business.
Chewing a rice cake, Cale scanned the area above the altar. He’d expected to see Guardian Knight Clope Seca, but only the current family head—Clope’s father, Duke Seca—was present.
People still think the duke holds the title of Guardian Knight.
Most of the kingdom’s citizens were under that impression; only a select few knew Clope was the true Guardian Knight. Those select few fell into two categories: Clope’s collaborators in declaring war against the southern kingdoms, and members of Cale’s retinue.
Beginning to feel unreasonably irritated, Cale heaved a sigh. He then hefted Hong up with one hand as he finished the rice cakes.
At that moment, he heard a pitiful voice in his mind. ‹H-human… I have a piggy bank. I’ve got a lot of money… Please buy me a skewer too.›
Cale glanced down to see that Hong was salivating as well. Ohn, cradled in Choi Han’s arms, also had her eyes locked on Cale. The three children’s gazes bored into him.
“I’ll buy you some later,” he said. “With my money.”
The cats’ ears twitched, and Raon’s voice rang out in his mind again. ‹Our human really is a good person!›
Of course, of course. Cale nodded at Raon’s assessment. He would let them eat and play to their hearts’ content for the next few days. They’d be working through the festival’s final night without sleep, after all.
“How about we swing by a restaurant, Choi Han?”
“Don’t you want to stay until the end, sir?” Choi Han pointed to the lake, which was bustling with noisy revelers, but Cale had no reason to linger.
“Nah, no need to watch. We should go before it gets busy so we can enjoy our meal in peace.”
As the disinterested Cale waded toward the edge of the crowd, he heard the cries of the local priests.
“Though the lake is dry, we can see traces of our god!”
“Our Faern is the only place where a god personally created water for the people!”
“Glory will come to Faern when this lake is filled with water once again!”
For Choi Han’s part, his face tightened the more he listened. He found himself curious about this god that they were worshipping so fervently. “Just what kind of god is it?”
“No idea.” Cale had no way of knowing; none of Birth of a Hero’s first five volumes revealed this god’s identity. “The people of this kingdom call it ‘the god of Faern.’”
Faern’s citizens venerated this being as their land’s patron deity. Not deeming the topic worthy of any further attention, Cale dismissed it and promptly headed to the restaurant they’d spotted earlier. Choi Han took one more peek at the altar and the people around it before hurrying after him.
When Cale arrived in front of the restaurant, he gasped in admiration and brushed back his dyed brown hair. A delicious aroma tickled his nose.
‹Human! Human! Make sure you slip some food under the tablecloth! I’ll totally eat it!› Raon begged. ‹You have to!›
Ignoring the dragon, Cale entered the restaurant to find it only sparsely occupied. He’d made a point of choosing a venue with long tablecloths so Raon could eat from his hiding place underneath.
Cale was moving toward a table in the corner of the room when he noticed something odd. “What are you doing?”
Choi Han had stopped in his tracks; now he was staring pointedly at Cale. Why is he acting like this? When Hong urgently pawed at his arm, he glanced down at the red kitten. Hong looked like he had something important to say.
Maintaining a pretense of normalcy, Cale surveyed the dining area for a bit until a server approached him. “Welcome! Shall I take you to a table?”
“I’d like one in the corner.”
“No problem! Please, have a seat over here!”
The server guided them to their corner table and provided some menus, instructing Cale to call for her when they were ready to order. Once the server left, Hong stood up with his front paws braced on Cale’s shoulder. Cale lowered his head so the kitten could whisper in his ear.
“The people we saw last night are here.”
‹Human, there’re beings as strong as Rosalyn in here.›
What? Cale absorbed their reports with a blank expression on his face. Judging by what Hong had said, the members of Arm were in the restaurant.
The sharp screech of a chair grinding against the floor made Cale turn his head. Choi Han sat across from him and whispered, “At your nine o’clock.”