Chapter 294

On the final day of the year, it’s time for the Gaia Memorial Day! This day is super special in this world.

As I said before, if you compare it to Earth, it’s like Christmas—Gaia being treated like a chief deity, her birthday deserves all the fanfare.

Coincidentally, just a few days after the memorial day comes the New Year, so many see it as a grand closing festival.

Even the United Academy, established by the hero after the Great War with the Demon God, celebrates this day in high spirits.

It may not be as grand as the Holy Kingdom of Byzantium, but it’s pretty close. And the weather? Perfectly chilly.

After lunch, various bands and theater groups put on splendid performances, and the square was bustling with countless pedestrians.

‘Colder than I thought.’

Among these pedestrians was Danyerin. As the sky began to darken, she stepped out to explore the festival, though originally planning to stay holed up in the dormitory.

Being alone got boring, so here she was. Assassination threats aside, Danyerin wasn’t too worried. Attempting an assassination during this period would only harm the Hwan Empire.

An unpleasant incident during Gaia’s celebration? That’d bring harsh judgment upon the nation involved. Countries without much backing sometimes try, but they usually end up getting retaliated against—whether economically or militarily.

Thus, she could freely wander around, enjoying the sights. A princess, yet unknown enough that no one paid her much attention.

If anyone did glance, it was mostly due to her striking beauty. Danyerin didn’t care and simply observed the festivities.

‘Feels different from home.’

Danyerin curiously watched the vibrant and grand scale of the festival.

There were occasional Eastern-style shops, but what truly fascinated her was the cultural aspect of the celebration.

In the East, festivals often take the form of rituals. In a way, it’s similar to Tartar traditions.

For a holiday honoring gods, having priestesses bless everyone is common, and the East also selects a priestess for their ceremonies.

The East values agriculture more than the West, so they celebrate both Gaia and the Sky Deity with great enthusiasm.

‘They must be preparing for the ritual back home by now.’

In the East, celebrating Gaia’s memorial day is simple—the ultimate goal being a good harvest.

But if next year turns out to be a famine? Then the priestess chosen for the following festival will be replaced.

Apparently, the god didn’t approve of her. Though whether that’s true or not, who knows?

‘Come to think of it, wasn’t Kara, the princess of Tartar, also a priestess?’

Tartar, being a desert nation, doesn’t need agriculture—they solely worship Gulrak.

Still, even Tartar honors Gaia, albeit less fervently compared to Gulrak. After all, rain means nothing if the land remains a desert.

Though this might seem contradictory when compared to earlier explanations, it makes sense—all life originates from the ground.

‘Could that be why the Tartar people are especially strong?’

Danyerin wandered through the square, letting her thoughts flow.

She planned to grab some tasty street food and then head back to the dormitory.

‘If only Sivar were here, it’d be nice.’

Being alone made her miss Sivar. She glanced around, searching for him.

She hadn’t noticed how comforting his presence was until he wasn’t there anymore. His absence left her feeling lonely.

She had believed he wouldn’t leave her side, but everyone has limits—even him.

While some boldly claimed their spots by her side, others had to meet secretly. Danyerin let out a bitter smile.

‘If only I had enrolled earlier, things might’ve been different.’

Even so, living together was unlikely due to her bodyguard. Plus, the previous incident happened only because Sivar was conveniently in the next room—a stroke of luck.

Still, it was hard not to feel regretful. If they had met earlier, openly meeting wouldn’t have been difficult.

‘There’s a fairy tale kind of like this, isn’t there…’

A story about a clumsy yet dependable general and the princess who supports him.

On the surface, it seems like a simple fairy tale, but rumors say the man isn’t actually clumsy—he’s a genius who simply lacked proper education as a child. The fact that he became a general speaks volumes.

This perfectly describes Sivar—exceptional personal strength combined with extraordinary genius.

Once looked down upon as a wildling, he’s now one of the most famous students at the Academy.

‘I wonder what he’s doing right now.’

So, Danyerin went looking for him.

Even if someone else was with him, she figured she could casually tag along under the guise of coincidence.

With Grace around, it would be even better—it’s easier to join a group when you know someone.

‘He promised not to leave me alone.’

Not exactly what he said, but Danyerin didn’t dwell on that. She aimlessly wandered through the square.

‘All I need to do is look for his hair color.’

People around him tend to have distinctive appearances. Red hair is exclusive to Tartar lineage, and purple hair is incredibly rare.

Sivar has black hair, which is common among Easterners.

“Hey, did you hear?”

“What?”

“That wildling who came to the Academy? He’s participating in the performance.”

Normally, she’d ignore such chatter. Outsiders gossiping about Sivar was nothing new.

“He’s dancing, apparently.”

“What?”

This caught Danyerin’s attention. Dancing? Surely not.

“Dancing? Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I heard it from someone involved with the performance. They even asked the band to play for him.”

This was intriguing—too intriguing to pass up. Sivar, known for his eccentricities, was going to dance on stage? This was an event not to be missed.

Yet, it felt like a rumor. Would he really dance in an official setting?

‘I thought I knew him, but he keeps surprising me.’

A small smile crept onto Danyerin’s face. He was like an onion—layered and fascinating.

With that thought, she headed toward the center of the square where the stage was set up.

Why not inside the main hall? Simple: more people can watch outside.

‘What kind of dance will it be?’

Dances vary widely across the world, differing greatly by region.

For example, the Hwan Empire’s dances are serene and quiet, while those from Jo-Han are lively and energetic.

Western dances aren’t much different. Minerva’s dances are elegant, whereas Granada’s are loud and rough.

‘Who taught him, I wonder?’

Curiosity turned into questions. Who, why, and how did he learn?

Grace seemed the most likely candidate since she was teaching him various things already. Probably for cultural refinement.

Danyerin approached the central square, now crowded as the performance was underway.

‘This might be tough to get through…’

Standing tall herself, Danyerin still struggled to see past the throng of people.

Pushing through was inevitable. Her royal dignity meant nothing if it meant seeing Sivar dance.

Reaching the VIP seating area, she realized she could sit there as a princess. Faking royalty wouldn’t last long anyway.

‘There’s that familiar head of hair.’

Among the VIPs sat a familiar sight—purple hair.

Naturally, Danyerin headed that way, finding a familiar face.

“There you are.”

“Oh? Danyerin?”

“I heard an interesting rumor. Sivar’s dancing, right?”

“It’s already spread that far?”

Grace’s wide eyes showed surprise—she hadn’t expected it to travel so quickly.

Danyerin took the seat to Grace’s left, with Kara sitting on Grace’s right.

Luna and Eli sat behind them, having personally requested seats.

“Is he really dancing? It’s hard to believe.”

“It’ll be fun. For your info, I saw a preview.”

“A preview? Who taught him?”

Of all the questions, this one mattered most. Could Grace have taught him?

“He learned it himself, apparently.”

“What?”

“Sivar claims he taught himself.”

Danyerin’s expression changed. The mystery of who taught him was solved, but how remained unclear.

Maybe Sivar had a hidden interest in dancing. Relieved that Grace hadn’t been the teacher, Danyerin relaxed.

“Good thing.”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing, never mind.”

Her slip of tongue drew a curious glance from Grace, but luckily no suspicion lingered. Danyerin sighed inwardly.

‘My heart grows heavier every day.’

Sivar’s importance in her life seemed to grow with each passing day, paralleled by her jealousy toward Grace.

“The next participant….”

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the invited bands and theater groups finished their performances.

Now, it was time for Academy students to showcase their talents—mostly club activities.

“Our next performer is quite interesting. A student currently making waves at the Academy.”

Finally, he was coming on stage. Everyone looked toward the host, still in clown makeup.

Too many performers meant the host hadn’t had time to clean off the makeup—his pale face and red lips stood out.

“Next up is Sivar! He’ll be dancing solo! Let’s give him a warm round of applause!”

Clap clap clap clap!

The star of the rumors finally appeared. With thunderous applause, the stage lights dimmed.

The darkened stage revealed a shadowy figure.

Danyerin watched intently, unable to make out any details.

“Here’s your drink.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Eli had just returned with steaming hot tea.

As Danyerin lifted the cup to her lips—

Flash!

The stage lights blazed brightly.

“…”

In the center stood a participant presumed to be Sivar—dressed in a black uniform with a fedora.

But his pose was peculiar. One hand rested on the brim of his hat, the other on his hip.

His legs weren’t normal either—one bent, the other straight.

This alone hinted at something extraordinary. Everyone watching could tell.

But the surprises didn’t end there…

-Boom- tss! Boom- tss!

The band, specifically the percussion section, started playing.

Boom- tss! Boom- tss!

Sivar began moving his hips to the rhythm.

“Phew!”

Danyerin sprayed her tea everywhere in shock.

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