Chương 45: Chapter XIII — The Burden He Carries

As Galan crossed the entrance, a familiar, boisterous shout cut through the night air. Shuten Dooji's crew was gathered on the elevated porch, waving their gourds.

"Going home already, Dear God?" one called out, grinning widely.

"Yeah," Galan shrugged, continuing his walk.

"Gotta punish the vengeful spirits for misbehaving." The oni erupted in deep, hearty laughter.

"Have a safe trip! Show those ghosts what happens when they mess with humans!"

"I will! Enjoy your drinking games!" Galan gave them a thumbs-up.

"Yes, Dear God!" He turned onto the main path, leaving the revelry behind. The alleyway was now a river of light and shadow, alive with traffic. Lanterns of every design bobbed in the darkness. There were the elegant paper lanterns of the Japanese, painted with family crests and cherry blossoms. Another was the ornate, six-sided silk lanterns of the Chinese, their gold tassels swaying with every step.

Romans carried sturdy bronze lamps that cast steady beams, while the Greeks held terracotta lanterns pierced with intricate patterns, projecting dancing shadows of heroes and beasts onto the pavement. One woman lifted her lamp, casting the shadow of Hercules onto a delighted child. Ahead, the elves carried bundles of silvery birch wood that pulsed with a soft, natural glow, like captured fireflies. Above, the night sky was just as busy. The Skyfolk flew freely in the cool breeze.

Young angels in iridescent robes drifted like clouds, their wings painted with constellations. Putti buzzed around them like clumsy bees, peering down at the lantern-lit faces with wide-eyed curiosity. Fairies also flitted by, their transparent wings catching the light from below in shimmering rainbows. Galan threaded his way through the symphony of light and life, watching a dwarf father lift his laughing daughter onto his shoulders to wave at the passing fairies.

He then heard a young Japanese couple raving about the tournament and the "weird, powerful foreigner" who had crashed it. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Galan smiled. And for a moment, he let himself be just Odagawa—a simple tourist enjoying the festival. But as the light from the village spilled through a clearing, he caught sight of a Greek woman stumbling, her fine clothes torn by wild bushes.

A Japanese man rushed to help her up. Galan's steps faltered. The image triggered a memory, sharp and unbidden. The features of the Greek woman suddenly turned into Aurelia, gasping through wet, stuttering sobs, barely keeping herself off the ground. He put a hand on her shoulder and used his mindcast to force her into a deep sleep before lifting her into his arms.

"What did you do to her?" Lucilla asked, her voice trembling.

"She's just sleeping," Galan said, turning back toward the outpost.

"Reliving the memories that were stolen from her."

"Stolen?"

"I'll explain as we go. Let's head back." As they walked through the trees, she pressed him for more.

"What did you mean by 'stolen memories'?"

"Someone in my family tampered with her mind to protect her," Galan explained, stepping over a large root.

"An archangel named Loshya. He thought they'd be safer if he replaced her and her family's memories."

"How would that protect them?"

"By giving them new identities, it made it impossible for the biggest raid party in China to find them."

"A raid party?" Lucilla looked shocked.

"She never told me she was in a raid."

"That's because the plan worked. If they had found her parents and figured out who they were, they would have been killed on the spot. Or worse."

"But why was she separated from them?"

"To add an extra layer of protection. By removing her from her parents and rewriting their memories, the raid party couldn't just dig into their minds and find a young couple with a daughter from Séchuen."

"Huh… she told me that she was from Yunnan," Lucilla said, thinking.

"There was a raid there, too. By making her believe she was a victim of that raid, an orphan named Yusyang, the pursuers would have no way of knowing she was actually Cang Cu, the daughter of the man who killed their leader."

"But wait," she asked with concern.

"Wouldn't making her remember put her in danger now?"

"My family had gotten rid of those raiders years ago. Don't worry."

"Oh, I think I understand now," Lucilla said, though her expression was still clouded with confusion.

"But her parents... where are they now?"

"I have no idea," Galan shrugged.

"I'll ask Loshya if she wants to find them." They walked in silence for a while, the only sound around them being the crunch of leaves beneath their feet. Lucilla glanced at Aurelia's peaceful face, then back at Galan. Her voice, when she spoke again, was suddenly coarser, deeper, and laced with a familiar, lilting accent.

"Hey, Galan," she said in old Irish, her voice akin to stones grinding against one another.

"What is it, Lucilla?" She sounded confused.

"Lucilla? Who's that? Have ye seriously forgotten me?"