Chapter 43 Parisier Festival

The golden afterglow dissipated, sinking into the dimly lit streets.

A lamp was lit, then two, then three... Eventually, countless lamps twinkled, like starlight shimmering on the river.

Warm sky lanterns rose lightly, dancing like fireflies toward the night sky.

"This is the festival of Parisier, the City of Flowers."

Lan Qi and Talia walked on the hillside steps of Montmartre, overlooking the entire city.

"It's beautiful."

Talia seemed to be talking to herself, sighing as she looked at Parisier, the City of Flowers, which had suddenly become lively.

The beautiful scenery before them took their breath away. The stone houses were illuminated by dots of light, and people wore festive costumes, their faces filled with joy.

Some citizens didn't go out, but only lit bamboo lanterns by their windowsills, released their hands, and let them rise with the wind, floating towards the starry sky.

"In a little while, when it's completely dark, the fireworks will begin."

Lan Qi said to Talia.

He had already seen the introduction to the Parisier fireworks festival.

Now they were still on the border of the 3rd district on the north bank of Parisier. Walking down the steps of the highlands would take them directly to the adjacent 1st district, heading to the Temple of Eros, their final destination for the night.

However, the highlands had a good view, and they could see buildings several kilometers away.

The best place to watch the fireworks was undoubtedly the riverside square behind the Temple of Eros, with rows of terraces already set up.

They would be able to see the unparalleled and dazzling fireworks blooming in the sky up close.

"Actually, I can see the fireworks every day in the card-making room..."

Talia was about to say something.

A crisp bell sound cut through the silence of the night, rippling like waves, attracting their attention.

It was sacred music played to purify the land.

People gathered in the distant square, sitting around the altar.

Unbeknownst to them, a bonfire had been lit in the center of the square.

A priestess dressed in a pure white dress walked gracefully. She was the chief priestess who served the God of Love and Will.

"The morning breeze gently blows, the petals scatter."

The priestess waved her scepter, leaving a silver-white trail and a crisp bell sound each time she moved, chanting prayers and dancing.

"Your voice gently washes over the world."

This was a sacred dance dedicated to the gods, imitating the gods.

The sound of prayer passed through the sky above the square, reaching the top of Montmartre.

"People ask the gods for blessings, hoping to become more fortunate."

Talia spoke about the human thoughts she had understood over the years.

However, despite what she said,

If you only looked at the surface, you would think that a grand festival was in full swing.

Today didn't seem as harmonious as it appeared.

Along the way, they had occasionally heard some passersby talking.

Due to the recent turmoil, Parisier suffered no small number of casualties and losses that night. Humans and demons were wary of each other, and even during the day there were marches, demonstrations, and clashes.

"Sky lanterns are used to guide the souls of the dead."

Lan Qi murmured, his tone tinged with regret.

"Under your care, emotions continue to grow."

The priestess in the distance chanted loudly, her blessing—

"May love be like a stream, gathering into a long-lasting ocean."

The bonfire went out, and the crowd dispersed, replaced by new tourists.

Only the lonely lights in the night sky still faithfully illuminated the earth.

Without knowing who took the first step, Lan Qi and Talia continued to walk down the highlands, walking on the square leading to the temple.

"I didn't expect that in the end, the relationship between humans and demons in Parisier would deteriorate."

Talia looked at the city illuminated by the lights under her feet.

In the eyes of ordinary citizens, the instigator was the demon ambitious Perlman, and those attacking Parisier were the crazed demons.

Overnight, the peaceful city turned into a cruel battlefield, and anyone would feel a little fear of demons.

"I can't completely say that. Since Parisier chose this way of coexistence, then maybe this is the necessary path. The process of mutual understanding will always be accompanied by conflict."

Lan Qi nodded and said to Talia.

Walking on this mountain path that was sometimes rugged and sometimes smooth, various stalls gradually appeared on both sides, displaying a wide array of goods.

Many stalls had masks hanging on them, including both artistic Porson-style masks and demon-style masks.

These masks would have sold very well tonight.

Because the Temple of Eros was holding a masquerade ball.

The original intention of the ball was to allow Porson residents and demons to set aside their prejudices and get along in a friendly manner.

Under the mask, you could be human or demon.

Everyone was the same.

"Parisier is actually a miracle in my eyes."

Talia listened to Lan Qi's words and replied while strolling through the Parisier festival night market with him.

A hundred years ago, she never thought she would actually see a city scene where humans and demons lived together.

This trip to Porson could be said to have opened the eyes of this demon princess from history.

"So Perlman is a difficult person to evaluate. His mistakes are certainly irreparable, but the contributions he made still have a profound impact."

Among the three enemies that Lan Qi had a deep impression of,

He only felt more regret for Perlman, because Perlman had once been kind, which was why he was able to teach Nigel.

Nigel was like Perlman when he was young, but Nigel and Perlman were also different in essence. He had a truly steel-like heart.

Or rather, what Nigel believed in was not anyone or anything, but himself, who would firmly believe in his own convictions.

"But didn't Perlman personally break his own ideals in the end and go to another extreme?"

Talia had to admit that her demons were indeed like this, prone to excessive emotions.

The more she got used to and accepted life in human society, the more she felt that her original compatriots were becoming aliens.

"Maybe he discovered when he was about to succeed that ninety-nine steps are one step, and one step is one step."

Lan Qi said, looking at the brightly lit street ahead,

"If he discovered that the last kick was an unattainable goal, the more painful it would be, because as a pioneer and practitioner, he knew better than anyone whether his ideals could be truly successful or just an illusory bubble."

Lan Qi felt that if it had been him in the past, he would have confidently thought that if he could have met Perlman earlier, he might have been able to untie his knot and prevent the Parisier tragedy from happening in the end.

But now, on closer thought, perhaps what Professor Bolaao told him before setting off was more correct—

It's not that the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility. Sometimes the greater your ability, the greater the consequences that a single mistake can lead to. When your ability reaches a certain level, you need to learn to be an observer.

If it is not a terrible situation where you have to take action, you should consider what changes your intervention will bring.

Lan Qi had only remembered what Professor Bolaao said at the time, but now, when he thought about it again, he really felt it.

Inoan's death made him need to think more, rather than be overly confident.

"So Perlman was wrong from the beginning?"

Talia lowered her eyes and asked softly.

She also had doubts about the coexistence of demons and humans.

She didn't think that she and Antanas and the others were truly coexisting with humans, because they were still disguising themselves in order to live a peaceful life in Ikrit.

This was not coexistence.

And like Heberian, who lived in Ikrit without deception, even though she was the daughter of a duke and had suffered a lot of grievances and prejudices since she was a child, she was not happy. She even dreamed that the Ikrians would not treat her as a demon.

If demons and humans were together, it would be a mistake. For some reason, she felt that her heart would become empty.

"I think, I can't give an answer either."

Lan Qi looked at Talia and replied.

The Grand Wizard Parloni caused a disaster because he hated the demons and left the seeds of hatred. The greed of the successive elders of the Senate allowed it to take root and sprout, until it indirectly killed Perlman's daughter, passing the hatred to Perlman, which also led to the collapse of his ideals, which led to a new round of revenge.

Perhaps the turmoil caused by Perlman would also make the families of the victims on the human side remember the hatred, which would erupt again one day.

It was difficult to say what the final outcome would be.

This was the cycle of cause and effect.

"Is that so."

Talia was not moved by Lan Qi's answer.

Or rather, she seemed to have guessed such an answer and was already prepared to hide her disappointment.

"But if you ask me, one side has to believe first, even if they may be betrayed, they have to believe, otherwise no one will take the first step and a better ideal will never be realized."

Lan Qi continued.

His tone was more firm, and the look in his eyes towards Talia was the same as usual, with a kind smile.

"..."

Talia turned her head and stared at his profile.

In those clear and noble pupils, there was a little incomprehension and emotion that could not be hidden.

It was like wanting to reject him from a thousand miles away while wanting to explore a little more.

Lan Qi also noticed her gaze, and the two looked at each other.

"What's wrong, Tata?"

Lan Qi tilted his head and asked.

"Look, masks."

Talia simply said in a flat tone, naturally shifting her gaze to the stall behind Lan Qi.

Colorful masks hung all over the wall, shining brightly under the light of the magic lamp.

They were either joyful or sad, either ferocious or gentle.

"The masks of the Kingdom of Porson are indeed interesting. It's a craft I've never seen before."

Lan Qi examined the masks with interest.

"Young man, young lady, these new handmade masks this year are definitely different from last year. My craftsmanship is quite good on this street!"

The stall owner noticed the gazes of the two and immediately said to them enthusiastically.

According to previous years, they would definitely be sold out soon, but this year the festival was not so lively, so the stall owners were actively trying to attract business.

"..."

Talia was thoughtful. She reached out and lightly touched a purple-black mask with pointed horns, her fingertips sliding across the uneven surface.

It was as if she missed this style very much.

"I'll take this one."

Lan Qi next to him had already started taking out his wallet and said to the boss.

"Young man, you're really amazing. You can tell what your girlfriend wants at a glance."

The boss said with a smile.

These two customers bought things very readily, and he liked them very much.

Especially the demon masks were difficult to sell tonight, so it was great that they were willing to buy them.

"We're not that kind of relationship."

The two immediately denied it at the same time.

"So you're a married couple."

The boss suddenly realized.

"..."

The two seemed tired. They had been mistaken too many times today.

The more they argued, the more chaotic it became.

Talia was silent for a moment, and finally took off the purple-black demon mask.

"Young man, why don't you buy one too? It's definitely worth it to buy a pair of masks from my store. I'll give you a 10% discount."

The boss immediately promoted.

Lan Qi smiled helplessly.

He looked around the stall and his eyes fell on a white mask with gold patterns.

The mask had soft lines, a peaceful expression, and a compassionate and loving look between the eyebrows.

He picked up the mask without hesitation.

He usually chose things very quickly. He would only look at a feeling and find the one that pleased him the most.

After paying, the two put on their masks and merged into the bustling crowd.

At this moment, no one cared about the real identity under the mask.

They strolled in the night, surrounded by all kinds of humans and demons. No one could tell who was who.

In the center of this lively celebration, they passed many tourists, some chatting enthusiastically, and others focused on the lottery tickets in their hands.

Many people had expectant expressions on their faces, obviously hoping to win a big prize.

"Want to try?"

Talia didn't ask for much.

She and Lan Qi had three special fireworks festival lottery tickets, and Talia only wanted the late-night snack exchange coupon for the third prize.

"Of course."

Lan Qi's voice had a hint of excitement. He still liked playing the lottery.

They came to a luxuriously decorated lottery center and handed the lottery tickets to a smiling staff member.

"Good luck to you!"

The man said sincerely.

Lan Qi and Talia looked at each other, held their breath in unison, and watched the display on the screen in front of them.

What caught their eyes was not the third prize they wanted, but the participation prize, a small bag of colorful candies.

The results of all three times were the same.

"Real."

Lan Qi let out a sigh, with a hint of relief.

"It's pretty good too."

Talia put the candy in her pocket.

After thinking about it, she secretly stuffed a bag into Lan Qi's pocket.

Then she opened a bag, raised her mask a little, put it in her mouth, and occasionally took out one and put it to Lan Qi's mouth.

Lan Qi accepted it happily.

Talia was now sharing food with him. He couldn't have imagined it a year ago.

Climbing the steps, the Temple of Eros—or rather, the Parrisier Cathedral of the Virgin Mary—soon appeared before them.

It is said that the entire church has a construction area of 6,000 square meters.

The most striking thing is the two towering bell towers on the west facade.

They stand on either side of the church, like two loyal guards protecting this sacred hall.

This was not the first time they had come. Lan Qi and Talia entered the temple and still felt that this church was unbelievably large.

In addition to the five longitudinal compartments arranged in sequence, activities were being held in the central middle compartment and the two narrow side compartments.

Walking among them were all kinds of people wearing masks.

Until they walked into the main hall, the interior seemed a bit dim due to the height of the building, as if it were isolated from the noise of the outside world.

Looking up, the line of sight extended upward along the vault until it approached the dome. There, huge rose windows were quietly inlaid, like a brilliant eye gazing at the masses below.

And beneath it, the music suddenly rose.

All kinds of masks flickered in the light and shadow, and faces intersected under the lights, making it difficult to distinguish between true and false.

Everyone wore a mask, so identity, status, and race became blurred and unimportant at this moment.

But it would be found that most of the masks were still human.

Few demons seemed to have come to the temple to participate in the festival today.

Lan Qi and Talia just bypassed the center of the main hall and walked along the edge of the marble floor towards the statue, wanting to obtain buffs through prayer, and then end their outing today and go back to practice collaborative card making.

Suddenly, the priest seemed to have noticed their figures and walked up and stopped them.

"The two of you, now is not the right time for traditional prayer. Praying for blessings in a more sincere way will make it easier to receive the blessings of the gods."

The priest saluted the two and explained.

He raised one arm and pointed to the center of the main hall.

And he believed that the two must know what a more sincere way to pray to the God of Love during special events was.

"That's what they say..."

Lan Qi and Talia looked at each other, their voices a little embarrassed, and they couldn't see the expressions under each other's masks.

The blessings of the gods are believed to be there if you believe in them, and not there if you don't.

"And if you participate in the masquerade ball and complete the dance, you can get a fireworks festival lottery ticket."

The priest grinned and took out the lottery ticket from his sleeve and shook it.

Talia's eyes clearly fluttered.

She wanted to draw one more.

She was very disappointed that she didn't win the special festival meal exchange coupon.

Although she might not win even if she drew again, she always felt that the lottery ticket given by the priest had a good chance of winning.

Or rather, she was simply addicted to drawing.

But soon she restrained herself.

After all, Lan Qi probably wouldn't be willing to cooperate with her.

"Let's go dancing, just to practice our teamwork."

Lan Qi smiled.

He seemed to see through Talia's mood.

Extending his hand to Talia, he made a dancing invitation gesture.

"..."

Talia looked at him, her eyes a little confused.

Finally.

"Although I am a princess, I haven't danced for a long time. The last time was with my sister."

Talia put her hand in his palm and said.

"It's okay, I haven't danced with an 800-year-old princess either."

Lan Qi replied.

Talia still resisted the urge to throw him over her shoulder.

The two walked into the dance floor together, their figures merged into the crowd, and it was soon difficult to distinguish them.

The music gradually improved, and the crowd became more and more excited.

Laughter, conversations, and whispers intertwined into a noisy sound.

The rose window above changed colors in the reflection of the hall lights as time passed, sometimes enthusiastic and unrestrained, and sometimes cold and deep.

And Talia's figure wearing a demon mask was particularly conspicuous, and would attract more attention from time to time.

"...They were berserk a few days ago, how can demons still participate in the festival like nothing happened today."

"Demons are like this, killing a few people is nothing to them."

"Most of the people wearing demon masks today are humans, right? Who would be sick enough to want to live with demons."

There were such voices in her ears.

Or Talia could read similar inner thoughts.

Her steps were often half a beat behind.

Gradually, she didn't want to step on Lan Qi's feet anymore.

If she had known, she would have chosen a human mask and continued to disguise herself as usual in Ikrit, and everyone would have been happy.

She had been competing with Lan Qi all day, never letting go of his hand. Only at this time did she want to withdraw her hand.

But Lan Qi didn't let go.

"Tata, don't regret your choices."

Lan Qi seemed to understand her thoughts, staring at her beautiful golden eyes,

"Whether you wear a demon mask or a human mask, in my eyes you are Tata."

Lan Qi held Talia's hand tightly, making her eyes particularly surprised, and she could only stare at the man in front of her.

"..."

Talia didn't answer him, and the corners of her mouth gradually turned up slightly under the mask.

He couldn't see it, so it didn't matter if she smiled.

The dance was still going on.

Although the movements of the two looked a bit uncoordinated.

It seemed that the eras of the dances were different, one was early, and one was even earlier.

Just like the humans and demons of the Kingdom of Porson, there were still difficulties in matching.

But in the stumbles, the two were not afraid.

The figures of one human and one demon gradually attracted attention.

This harmony called "contradiction" was full of strange possibilities.

It could be seen that they were very happy.

Supporting each other and bravely taking the next step.

(End of this chapter)