……
Before dawn, Kakusim's door was being pounded on. He yawned and instinctively reached for his coat, but halfway there, he remembered that the first thing he did upon waking up here was no longer putting on a coat.
The thick brick walls blocked out the cold, and the incredible heating kept the room warm. No matter how heavy the wind and snow outside, the room wouldn't be drafty or have a leaky ceiling like in the past. Such a high-quality residence was something only nobles in Golden穗城 could enjoy—though it was a bit small.
He opened the door, and the young man standing outside was his deputy, 梭鱼. "Why aren't you up yet, Captain? We need to hurry, or we won't get a good spot!"
"Need to be this early?" Kakusim peeked at the sky. The morning light had just poked its head out of the clouds, gently illuminating a small corner of the horizon.
"Of course! I heard from the neighbor next door that this year's Victory Day celebration will also feature a performance by the 星花劇团. If we're late, we might not even get into the square!"
"Alright, wait for me," the old man shrugged, returning to the bedroom to change. Looking at the empty bed, he sighed softly. Victory Day… he wondered if 長歌要塞 had such a celebration. Otherwise, 維德 would miss out.
The two left and headed towards the square district. Ropes were strung between the trees lining the streets, and colorful flags hung below. Illuminated by the morning light, the entire town's atmosphere was refreshed. People occasionally merged onto the main road from side streets, walking alongside them, also seemingly heading to the square district.
Kakusim heard about the Victory Day celebration from 梭鱼. To celebrate the territory's safe passage through the Demon Month, His Highness the Prince named the first day after the Demon Month's end Victory Day. On this day, the town would not only have a holiday for everyone, but also hold a grand bonfire feast in the central square. Excited by this news, the deputy ran to invite him to visit. Thinking that he had nothing better to do, the old man agreed to his proposal.
Walking to the square district, the central area had already been fenced off around the stage with wooden fences. Police in black zhifu were maintaining order, and many people had arrived even earlier, surrounding the open space in three or four layers. The two quickly found a spot near the stage, chatting while waiting for the celebration to begin.
By the time the sun reached overhead, the square was already crowded with people, and the Prince appeared at the center of the stage at just the right moment. As soon as he appeared, Kakusim heard an overwhelming cheer. The people around him excitedly raised their hands, shouting "Long live!" to their Prince.
The Fourth Prince smiled, waited for the people's cheers to subside, and raised his fist, shouting, "Once again, we have overcome xieè!"
This time, the square erupted with deafening responses, shaking the old man's heart. He hadn't seen a lord so embraced by the people in a long time.
"My people, no matter where you come from, whether it's the Western Region, the Northern Lands, or the East and the Far South, as long as you have contributed to this place, this glory belongs to you! It belongs to everyone who has shed sweat and blood for Border Town!" The Prince's steady and emotional voice seemed to possess magic. He didn't shout, but his voice clearly reached Kakusim's ears. "And today's Victory Day is a day set for you—xieè has not been completely eliminated. It will return sooner or later, but no matter how many times the enemy comes, as long as we are united, work together, and victory will ultimately belong to us!"
The old man had never heard a royal nobleman refer to the common people as "we," but the Prince seemed not to care at all. The way he looked at the people was so natural, without the arrogance and disdain common to nobles. It seemed that in the Prince's eyes, all the people in the territory and he were one entity.
Incredible, but unexpectedly… harmonious.
"Now, let us cheer to our hearts' content for this hard-won victory and raise a glass in celebration!"
"Long live His Highness!"
"Long live Victory!"
Cheers resounded throughout the square, and everyone raised their right hands to show their respect to His Highness, Kakusim included.
"This is the lord worthy of my loyalty!" 梭鱼 said, excitedly patting his chest.
Next, the 星花劇团 took the stage, and many people excitedly whistled.
"It's been a long time since I've seen their performance."
"Ms. 艾琳 is still so beautiful!"
"But compared to Ms. 梅伊, I always feel like she lacks a certain charm."
"You should call her Ms. 梅伊 now. Didn't you know? I heard she's about to marry the Chief Knight, and His Highness the Prince has already sent a congratulatory gift."
Hearing the surrounding discussions, 梭鱼 couldn't help but wonder, "The name of a theater troupe is either the same as the theater or the same as the place name. Why is Border Town's troupe called such a strange name?"
"You're not from the Western Region, are you?" someone nearby immediately explained. "Ms. 梅伊 and Ms. 艾琳 both came from the 長歌 Theater. One is called the Star of the Western Region, and the other is called the Flower of Tomorrow. Now that they've both come to Border Town, they're naturally called the 星花劇团."
"Look, it's starting!"
This wasn't Kakusim's first time watching a theatrical performance, but the story's content was particularly novel—it wasn't about the same old love stories between nobles, but an interpretation of the history of the Western Region… The actors on stage played several ordinary people living in Border Town. They went from helplessness and hesitation in the face of the Demon Month, being driven like lambs, to deciding to stay in the town and fight the brutal evil beasts to the end. The entire story was full of twists and turns and inspiring. When a character died in hunger and cold or died on the defense line to protect their loved ones, it would resonate with the people present.
The old man quickly became fully immersed in it. Even foreign refugees who had only recently arrived in the Western Region could feel the sacrifices and tireless efforts made by the people of Border Town for survival.
When the drama ended with Victory Day, thunderous applause rang out in the square.
The next scene left Kakusim stunned. A flaxen-haired woman, holding black threads, cut the wooden stage into pieces, and then directly used the pile of broken wood to ignite a towering bonfire.
The crowd not only did not feel afraid, but also shouted her name loudly, "Ms. 安娜! Ms. 安娜!"
As whole sheep were placed on the bonfire to roast, the atmosphere reached its climax. Locals spontaneously formed long chains, entered the square with peculiar dances, and began the last part of the celebration—according to others, as long as the dance didn't stop, the barbecue would be constantly replenished, lasting until midnight.
"Captain, shall we go too?" 梭鱼 swallowed, eager to try.
"I'm too old, I can't dance," Kakusim shook his head. "You go with them."
"Then… I'll go first," he stuck out his tongue. "I'll bring you some roast meat when I get some!"
Watching the young man rush into the open space with the crowd, the old man couldn't help but laugh. He had been hesitant about what name to give to the stone ship allocated to him, so that it would be both commemorative and not cliché. Now he finally had an idea.
He thought, "Let's call it the Victory." (。)