As we walked through the festival streets, Miguel gradually became quieter. The excitement from earlier had faded from his face, replaced by a lingering guilt that he had been carrying ever since the incident. Several times, I noticed him glancing in my direction before quickly looking away again.
Eventually, after we had walked for a short distance in silence, he lowered his head and spoke.
"Arthur... I'm really sorry."
I turned toward him. "Sorry for what?"
Miguel forced a small smile, but it failed to hide the guilt written all over his face.
"Because of me."
For a moment, he hesitated as though struggling to find the right words... then he continued.
"If I hadn't bumped into that bastard, none of that would've happened. You wouldn't have gotten dragged into it, and Hana wouldn't have been so scared."
His eyes briefly moved toward the little girl walking beside us before lowering once again.
"It was my fault."
For a few moments, I simply looked at him. The bruises on his face were still visible beneath the lantern lights, yet instead of being angry at the person who had beaten him, he was busy blaming himself for something that had never been his fault to begin with.
Shaking my head slightly, I reached over and patted his shoulder.
"Why are you saying sorry?" I asked. "It's that bastard's fault, not yours."
I looked straight at him as I spoke.
"You accidentally bumped into someone in a crowded festival. That happens a hundred times every night. The only reason things turned out the way they did was because that bastard was looking for someone weaker than him to bully."
Miguel remained silent. Seeing the guilt still lingering on his face, I clicked my tongue.
"So stop acting like everything was your fault."
Miguel looked away again, clearly unconvinced by my words.
"Still..." he muttered. "I'm sorry. Because of me, the mood of the festival got spoiled now."
The guilt in his voice was so obvious that I could not help snorting.
"You pig."
Miguel immediately snapped his head toward me. "Pig?!"
The look of shock on his face was so dramatic that even Hana blinked in surprise.
"Yes." I nodded without the slightest hesitation. His expression became even more offended.
"You got beaten too, and that's what you call me?"
I simply shrugged. "What else should I call someone who keeps sulking like this?"
Miguel opened his mouth, only to close it again. Meanwhile, I continued walking as though I had said nothing unusual.
"Don't be a pig," I said. "We still have a lot of the night festival left to enjoy."
For a moment, Miguel simply stared at me. Then he let out a genuine laugh. The gloomy expression that had been hanging over him ever since the incident finally began to disappear.
Even Hana giggled after seeing his reaction. "You really called Brother Miguel a pig."
Miguel looked at both of us in disbelief. "You two are the worst."
The sight only made Hana laugh harder, and before long, even Miguel was shaking his head while smiling helplessly.
For the next two hours, we wandered through countless streets, sampled different foods, watched performances, and laughed together as though nothing had happened. Slowly, the painful memories from earlier faded into the background beneath the colorful lights and cheerful atmosphere of the festival.
Eventually, as the hours passed, the night festival slowly began approaching its end. The lively streets were still crowded, and the sounds of laughter and music continued to echo throughout the city, but everyone knew there was only one event left before the celebration concluded.
The fireworks.
It was the grand finale of the entire night festival and undoubtedly the event most people had been waiting for since the beginning of the evening.
As the time drew closer, streams of people from every direction began making their way toward the center of city where the fireworks would be launched. Naturally, Miguel, Hana, and I followed along with the crowd.
The closer we got to the city center, the more crowded the streets became. Soon, the flow of people became so dense that everyone could only move forward at the pace of the crowd itself.
By the time we finally arrived, the entire area was already packed with people. Countless citizens filled every available space, standing shoulder to shoulder while eagerly waiting for the spectacle to begin. Excited conversations could be heard everywhere as children pointed toward the sky and adults searched for better places to stand.
The city center had been specially prepared for the event.
A large section on one side had been reserved for nobles, wealthy merchants, influential families, and distinguished guests. Rows of elevated seats had been arranged there, providing a clear and unobstructed view of the upcoming fireworks display.
On the opposite side stood the common citizens. Thousands of ordinary people gathered together in a massive standing area, stretching as far as I could see. Despite the crowded conditions, nobody seemed to mind. If anything, the anticipation only made the atmosphere more exciting. Everyone's attention remained fixed on the dark sky above, waiting for the moment the first firework would illuminate the night.
Unable to see over the countless people gathered in front of us, Hana repeatedly stretched herself onto her toes while trying to peer past the crowd. Every few seconds, she would rise as high as she could, only to be blocked once again by the adults standing in front of her.
A small pout gradually appeared on her face. "Brother, I can't see anything."
I watched her struggle for a moment before shaking my head slightly. Then I simply bent down, lifted her up, and placed her on my shoulders.
The moment Hana found herself sitting above the crowd, her eyes widened with excitement.
"Wow!"
Her voice was filled with amazement as she looked around in every direction. From her new vantage point, she could finally see the enormous gathering of people, the brightly illuminated city center, and even parts of the noble seating area in the distance.
The little girl turned her head from side to side so quickly that it seemed she wanted to look at everything at once.
"It's so high up!"
"Don't fall," I replied.
"I won't!"
Her cheerful answer came immediately.
Meanwhile, Miguel stood beside us while leisurely eating the last sweet he had purchased earlier. The bruises on his face were still visible beneath the lantern lights, but compared to before, his mood had improved considerably.
"Look at her," he said with a chuckle. "You'd think she was sitting on top of a mountain."
"I am!" Hana immediately declared from above.
That only made both Miguel and me laugh as we continued waiting for the fireworks to begin.
As we waited, my gaze slowly drifted toward the elevated seating area reserved for nobles and wealthy guests.
Almost immediately, my expression changed as I recognized him.
The same bastard who had beaten us in the middle of the street, humiliated us in front of countless people, and nearly raised his hand against Hana.
He was seated comfortably among the wealthy guests, surrounded by the same three friends who had laughed while watching the beating unfold. Several mugs and plates rested on the table before them, and from the look of things, they were enjoying themselves immensely.
As I watched, one of the city's influential nobles walked past their section. The young man immediately straightened his posture and greeted him with a respectful smile, his attitude becoming polite and courteous in an instant.
The noble exchanged a few words with him before continuing on his way. Moments later, the young man returned to laughing with his friends. Seeing him sitting there so comfortably after everything that had happened made my fists slowly clench.
Outwardly, however, I remained calm. A faint smile still lingered on my face as I listened to Hana's excited chatter and Miguel's occasional complaints.
But beneath that calm exterior, the anger I had been suppressing all night had never truly disappeared.
If anything, seeing him comfortably enjoying himself after everything that had happened only caused that anger to burn even hotter.
Then my eyes shifted higher toward the upper section of the noble seating area... and I saw her.
Lady Valenor.
Even seated among countless nobles, she naturally drew attention. The colorful lights illuminated her elegant red dress while her graceful posture made her stand out from everyone around her.
For a brief moment, I found myself looking in her direction.
Unlike earlier, however, she was not alone. A young man sat on one side of her, while a young woman occupied the other. Both appeared to be around the same age as her, and judging by how naturally they interacted, they seemed to know each other quite well.
As my gaze continued moving across the noble seating area, I spotted another familiar face, Bryn, from House Caelthorne.
He was seated in a different section together with several men and women. A few of the young men sitting near him shared certain facial features with him, making me suspect they were his brothers or close relatives.
Aside from them, there were countless other nobles, wealthy merchants, and influential figures occupying the remaining seats. Expensive clothing, jewelry, and family crests were visible everywhere I looked. Most of the faces were completely unfamiliar to me, but it was obvious that many of the important people within Astravia had gathered here tonight to watch the fireworks.