Chương 20: Bonus Story : Victory Day : Part 6 : A Peaceful Victory

"I'm sorry," she finally managed to say between bursts of laughter.

"Really... I know you were only trying to help."

"There's no need to apologize." Emma pictured the scene from an outsider's perspective once again: a man in full armor, a massive sword strapped across his back, making his way through a Parisian crowd with a real estate agent clinging to his shoulders, all while treating the whole operation as a perfectly reasonable tactical evacuation. She immediately burst into laughter again and had to close her eyes for a few seconds before she could calm herself. When she opened them again, Aldric had not moved.

He was still standing straight in front of her. △ HIDDEN QUEST COMPLETE △ Protect Party Member Reward +200 XP Party Member. Since arriving on Earth, the system had already identified Emma as a potential ally. It now confirmed that she officially belonged to his party, at least for this evening. In his former world, Aldric's companions had been knights, mages, healers, and scouts capable of fighting alongside him. Emma possessed no known combat skills, carried no weapon, and had never taken part in a battle.

Yet she had guided him through Paris, explained the rules of this kingdom, helped him understand banks, housing, jobs, and modern customs. She had fulfilled a role that none of his former companions could ever have.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For getting me out of there." She briefly glanced toward the end of the street, where the movement of the crowd was still visible beneath the city lights.

"Even if I'll probably spend the next few days trying to avoid videos of myself online... your strategy worked."

"It was an enjoyable quest."

"Enjoyable?"

"Yes."

"You stood in a queue, thought Paris was under attack by unknown magic, and carried me through a crowd of several hundred thousand people on your back."

"Correct."

"And you actually enjoyed that?"

"The day resulted in no casualties. The soldiers were disciplined. The people seemed happy. The food was excellent. The festive magic turned out to pose no danger, and every member of the party reached a safe area." Emma remained silent for a moment before smiling. Seen from that perspective, the day really had been almost perfect. They left the small street and walked to a square a little farther away. There were still plenty of people there, but the crowd was much thinner.

A few families were waiting for a bus, groups of friends were checking their phones to find an accessible metro station, and several children were still running along the sidewalk despite the late hour. Above the rooftops, a few isolated fireworks continued to light up the sky. They were probably coming from nearby towns or from private celebrations, but their glow was enough to remind them of the display that had just ended.

Emma and Aldric stopped beside a small bridge from which they could still glimpse the golden silhouette of the Eiffel Tower between two buildings. Cars were still passing by, laughter drifted up from a nearby terrace, and the distant murmur of the crowd was still audible. Yet after the parade, the explosions, and the raid that had followed, this place felt remarkably peaceful. Emma rested her forearms on the bridge railing and watched the reflections of the streetlights shimmer across the surface of the canal.

Aldric remained standing beside her with his hands folded in front of him, quietly following the last flashes of light that occasionally appeared in the sky. The entire day replayed itself slowly in his mind. The flags, the soldiers, the armored vehicles, the aircraft, the mobile kitchens, and the fireworks had all come together to create a ceremony of remarkable scale. Yet despite all its military elements, no one had actually been preparing for war. The weapons had been displayed without being used.

The soldiers had marched through the city to receive the people's applause before departing without fighting. The explosions had illuminated the sky instead of tearing down walls. Even the crowd, despite the danger it had posed, had wanted nothing more than to return home after sharing a moment of celebration.

"You still haven't explained the victory being celebrated today." She had deliberately put off that explanation all afternoon. At first, she had simply wanted to enjoy watching his interpretations. She had known Aldric would see the soldiers as an army preparing for battle and the aircraft as metal dragons. But after everything they had experienced together, she now wanted to give him a real answer.

"It's not exactly the anniversary of a military victory," she began.

"Bastille Day is our national holiday. It primarily commemorates the French Revolution and the Storming of the Bastille."

"A fortress?"

"More of a prison, actually. Though it also had great symbolic importance. Back then, France was ruled by a king. Society was deeply unequal, part of the population lived in extremely difficult conditions, and many people wanted to change the way the country was governed. On July 14, 1789, the people of Paris stormed the Bastille. That event became one of the defining symbols of the beginning of the French Revolution."

The word revolution had also existed in his former world, but it almost always meant civil wars, burning cities, and entire dynasties brought to ruin. He looked up at the flags still fluttering above the buildings. The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"So your kingdom celebrates the overthrow of its own ruler." Emma winced slightly.

"It's much more complicated than that."

"I suspected as much."

"July Fourteenth also commemorates the Fête de la Fédération of 1790, which was much more about national unity. Over time, the date became a celebration of the Republic, the country, and its values." Aldric fell silent in thought. The ideas of a republic, revolution, and popular sovereignty were still new to him. In his world, a king's legitimacy rested on bloodlines, sworn oaths, and sometimes divine recognition.

The idea that a people could decide to completely change the way they were governed would have been seen as a threat by most monarchies. Yet France seemed to look back on that upheaval with pride.

"That is a strange custom," he said at last.

"Why?" The knight watched a family crossing the bridge in front of them. The father carried a sleeping child in his arms, while the mother held the hand of a little girl who was still excitedly talking about the colors of the fireworks. None of them seemed to be thinking about the battles, the revolution, or the people who had died before this day ever came. They saw only the happy memories they had just created together.

"In my kingdom," Aldric explained, "we celebrated victories because they marked the end of wars. After a campaign, the church bells rang through the villages to announce that the soldiers were coming home. Families gathered outside the city gates. Meals were prepared for the survivors, and the names of the fallen were read before the festivities began. We did not truly celebrate the fighting itself. We celebrated the fact that it was over."

He slowly turned his gaze toward the Eiffel Tower, whose light still rose above the rooftops.

"Today, your people watched their soldiers march. They admired their weapons, their war mounts, and their metal dragons. Yet no one seemed to wish for any of them to ever be used."

"No. Most people are much happier just watching them parade by."

"That is an important difference." Another firework burst in the distance, casting a brief red glow above the rooftops. The knight watched it fade before continuing.

"In my world, fires above a city usually signaled a siege or an attack. Here, they give children a reason to look up." Emma remained silent. The remark struck her as sadder than Aldric had probably intended. To her, fireworks had always been something tied to holidays, festivals, and celebrations.

"Do you miss your kingdom?" she asked.

"Yes. However, today reminded me of something I had forgotten."

"What?"

"The days that followed our victories. I remembered the battles, the wounds, and the companions who never returned. I had forgotten the decorated streets, the shared meals, and the children running after the knights. I had forgotten that the people did not celebrate our strength. They celebrated the return of peace." Emma didn't know how to respond without ruining the simplicity of his confession. Instead, she simply remained beside him, watching the families and groups of friends making their way home.

A few soldiers, still wearing their uniforms, crossed the square while chatting casually. Several passersby greeted them or offered them a smile, but no one seemed worried that they might be called into battle before the night was over. Aldric watched them pass before speaking again, his voice quieter this time.

"In the end... it seems our two worlds celebrate exactly the same thing."

"Victory?" He gently shook his head.

"What comes after it. Peace."

"I'd never thought about Bastille Day that way."

"Then how did you think of it?"

"As a day with a parade, blocked streets, too many people, and fireworks."

"That description is also accurate." She let out a soft laugh.

"Yes... but it feels less important now."

"Traditions do not need to be understood by everyone who takes part in them to retain their value. Children do not need to know every battle in order to enjoy a day of peace." Emma smiled at him.

"Sometimes you say surprisingly wise things."

"Sometimes?"

"Don't ruin the compliment." After a few more minutes, they resumed walking. Night had fully settled over the city, but Paris was still alive. Groups continued singing in some streets, several cafés were still open, and flags fluttered above the avenues. Emma walked slightly ahead of him. Despite the many kilometers they had covered throughout the day, she seemed less tired than before. Aldric caught up to her, adjusting his pace to stay at her side.

△ SPECIAL EVENT COMPLETE △ National Celebration Participation Successful Additional Rewards Cultural Knowledge +1 Party Bond +1 He turned to look at Emma. She was still walking beside him. A loose strand of hair had fallen across her face, and she was trying to tuck it behind her ear while checking the route on her phone. They continued toward Aldric's hotel. Traffic was gradually returning to normal, though a few streets remained closed.

The city seemed to be slowly waking from the celebration, like a vast encampment after a ceremony. Workers had already begun removing some of the barriers, cleanup crews were collecting the litter left along the sidewalks, and the first vehicles were reclaiming the avenues. Aldric regarded these workers with the same respect he had shown the soldiers in the parade. They belonged to a different order, less visible but just as essential to the kingdom's proper functioning.

Without them, the traces of the celebration would remain for days. Thanks to their work, Paris would probably look like itself again before sunrise. When they finally reached the hotel, Emma stopped on the sidewalk. The street was almost empty, and the silence stood in sharp contrast to the bustle along the riverbanks. Aldric turned to her.

"Thank you for inviting me."

"Even after the magical attack and the raid?"

"They improved the experience."

"I almost regret not recording the moment you drew your sword."

"Why?"

"Because no one will believe me when I tell the story."

"Many people recorded the incident." She closed her eyes.

"That's exactly what worries me." Another laugh escaped her. Aldric placed his fist against his breastplate.

"This was an honorable celebration." Emma inclined her head slightly.

"I'll pass that along to the government."

"You know the people in charge?"

"No." Aldric frowned, realizing too late that she had been joking. Emma laughed once more, then took a few steps backward.

"Good night, Aldric."

"Good night, Emma." She started to walk away, then turned back one last time.

"And the next time a fireworks show starts, I won't draw my sword."

"Excellent." She resumed walking. Aldric remained standing outside the hotel entrance for a few seconds, watching her silhouette disappear around the corner. Above the rooftops, one final firework burst into the sky, far smaller than those from the main display. He followed the sparks until they faded away, then gazed out over the peaceful lights of Paris. In his former world, heroes were honored because they had won battles.

Here, soldiers marched in parades, families gathered together, and citizens lit up the sky to remind themselves that they all belonged to the same kingdom. Aldric finally understood that true victory had never been the destruction of an enemy. It was found in streets where children could once again play safely, in families returning home together, and in evenings when explosions inspired nothing but applause. He opened the hotel door and stepped inside. Behind him, Paris continued celebrating peace.