The crowd gathered in the southern plaza was truly beyond counting.
Ho Cheon-an looked down at the scene, engulfed by emotions that were hard to describe.
Sara, pretending not to notice Ho Cheon-an’s agitation, spoke up.
“There are so many people, right? It seems the people of Rasa have flocked here for the long-awaited magic performance.”
“After several years, indeed.”
Ho Cheon-an picked up on Sara’s tone, realizing that magic performances had been ongoing. Given the chaotic situation surrounding Rasa recently, it seemed they had been temporarily halted.
The magic performances.
A joyful time that was as delightful as the effort invested. And the companions who shared that joy with him.
The stunning beauty of the Black Cat, whose mere existence was like a magical tool.
Yeo Il-ye, quietly practicing magic in a corner by herself.
Hyeok Gi-rin, who was talented yet always seemed a bit anxious.
Tang Do-yeon, who quickly learned magic with her dexterous hands.
And Tang So-yeon, who created the illusion of a mysterious magical tool while genuinely saying he didn’t know the details, all while smoking.
Ho Cheon-an felt a pang in his heart.
Realizing that the joy he shared with them—laughing, enjoying, and creating delightful moments for Sara and Rasa—had been preserved until now made him bite his lip.
“I hope I haven’t burdened you.”
“Though it’s true that the Great Hero and Nab-in rushed to match the timing before leaving, resuming the magic performance was indeed necessary, so there’s no need to feel burdened.”
Though Ho Cheon-an wasn’t aware, the magic performance in the southern plaza had become one of the famous attractions of Rasa and was now considered a symbol of the place.
However, with the Bandit Group running rampant, the performances had naturally come to a halt. Part of the southern plaza was even used to accommodate the incoming nomads, and with Rasa in disarray and exposed to crisis, it was difficult to continue the magic performances to gather so many people.
This magic performance was a gift for Ho Cheon-an, a bait to make Nab-in want to return as a governor, but it was also a declaration signaling the return of peace for those gathered in Rasa.
Even the Rasa residents, unaware of the full circumstances, sensed the intention of Podalap Palace and came to watch the performance filled with hope and enjoyment.
“Come, this way.”
Sara seated Nab-in right in the center where the stage was best visible. Seeing Nab-in’s eyes sparkle with excitement, wiggling in anticipation, Sara recalled her childhood. She remembered hiding away in her room, crying when she hated goodbyes, borrowing the power of Rano Jingbu to rush down the mountain and make it in time for the magic performance.
She felt proud for Nab-in, who was much younger than she had been back then and yet accepted the parting with far more maturity.
“You are better than I was.”
And seeing Sara, Ho Cheon-an too was immersed in inexplicable feelings. Sara, who once clung to the Black Cat, had now grown up to be a mother of a child and a lady of the palace.
What kind of expression would the Black Cat have if it were to see this scene? Surely a bright smile on her beautiful face, shining brighter than the moon, as she embraced Sara tightly.
It was something he couldn’t fathom.
Ho Cheon-an couldn’t imagine how the Black Cat would have matured if she were still alive.
“Wow! It looks like it’s about to start!”
With Nab-in’s shout, Ho Cheon-an broke away from his thoughts and looked at the stage. It had only been a few days since Sabok Seol had been caught and the Trench Faction began moving. For Sara to prepare to resume the magic performance in such a short span was no easy task.
Since it had been a hard-won stage to resume, they must enjoy it from beginning to end.
A man in gaudy attire entered, waving his hands.
Waaaaaaaah!!!
That alone earned a tremendous cheer from the people of Rasa. Nab-in too shook with excitement amid the warmth of a crowd he had never felt in his life.
“Thank you for waiting so long! Ladies and gentlemen! The magician! Langchang presents!”
[Thank you for waiting so long! Ladies and gentlemen! The magician Okryong presents!]
Ho Cheon-an’s mind blended the performances of that day with the one happening now. Although the words were different, the gestures and the charisma that drew cheers from the audience were identical to Okryong.
Suddenly.
Langchang stomped his foot.
With that, colorful rings exploded into the air.
Tchank!
Waaaaaaaah!!!
The same magic as that day. The audience’s cheers mirrored those from that day, as did Sara’s thrilled screams, perfectly resembling Sara’s voice back then.
Ho Cheon-an felt as if he had been transported back in time.
Langchang, like Okryong at that time, separated and joined the rings with relentless enthusiasm, and the audience roared. Ho Cheon-an clenched his fist, realizing that this performance was indeed a reenactment of that day.
The magic that magician Langchang spun, and even his movements, were precisely the same as what Okryong had displayed that day.
The magician playing Okryong finished all his magic and exited. Nab-in applauded with all his might, thrilled, while Ramo and Sara were also blooming with joy at the long-awaited magic performance.
Then followed Ho Cheon-an, the magician.
Seeing the magician winking at Nab-in, Ho Cheon-an couldn’t help but chuckle. They even recreated this part?
“Now, this squirrel is a magician’s squirrel.”
“Ah, that is…!”
As Nab-in recalled the magic he had seen Sara perform, he gasped, and at that moment, shiny silver squirrels and sparkling golden squirrels ran all over the magician’s body.
Their movements were so dazzling that even the audience struggled to express their awe. Ho Cheon-an admired the magician’s skill in executing his role. Despite being at a point of saying goodbye to Sara, he perfectly showcased his magical act, while the current magician was executing Ho Cheon-an’s magic with impressive finesse.
How much effort must have gone into perfecting this magic?
Waaaaaaaah!
The magician, out of breath yet feigning calmness, exited, and then the magician playing Tang Do-yeon stepped onto the stage. With the splendid movement of the strings unfurling, the atmosphere heated up once again.
The audience roared with their full power, enjoying the long-awaited magic, and Nab-in was no exception.
The magician playing Black Cat came next, performing their magic, followed by the magician playing Yeo Il-ye, who took the stage next.
Ho Cheon-an absorbed all the magic without missing a single detail.
With gasps, cheers, and applause, the magic performance gradually reached its peak.
Finally, Cheol-gwan made his entrance.
As soon as Cheol-gwan appeared, Nab-in trembled in excitement. Now he understood that the audience’s cheers were directly linked to the excitement of the magic.
A huge performance was imminent!
“Eek!”
Then came the shocking moment when Langchang was abruptly split in half, and Nab-in gasped in horror at the sight of Langchang’s upper body flailing.
Caught in that state, Cheol-gwan, the half-figure, engaged in a game of catch with Langchang’s upper body, leaving Nab-in’s face painted with confusion.
Only when Cheol-gwan reassembled and Langchang stood upright did Nab-in let out a sigh of relief and smile.
“Did you enjoy yourselves, everyone?”
“Yes!!!”
Nab-in shouted with all his might, though his voice was drowned in the crowd’s cheers.
“It seems like good news for everyone! From this moment on, the magic performances in Rasa will continue!”
Waaaaaaaah!!!
“But we’ll have to wrap up today’s performance here! With every reunion comes a parting!”
Uuuuuuuh!
Waaaaaaaah!!!
Cheers and jeers mixed together. Ho Cheon-an thought about the difference; the former were those who had seen the performance that day, while the latter were those who hadn’t.
Seeing Nab-in’s face clouded with disappointment, Ho Cheon-an let out a hearty laugh.
“Then, everyone! Until we meet again!”
Pararararak.
The curtain of the stage fell. In the brief moment of the curtain falling, all the magicians had vanished, leaving behind an empty stage.
Waaaaaaaah!!!
Those who belatedly realized that even the exit was part of the magic cheered for the empty stage. Nab-in, perhaps moved, kept bouncing around, his face flushed.
“Regrettably, we couldn’t execute the final scene. We couldn’t engage the Peak Expert, the master of performances.”
“Hahaha. I see.”
Ho Cheon-an nodded. Indeed, it would be unlikely for a Peak Expert capable of handling the ropes of such a large stage to be actively working as a magician.
Though the ending was a bit different.
Even still, Ho Cheon-an couldn’t shake the lingering aftereffects.
While Ho Cheon-an reveled in the afterglow, the audience dispersed in twos and threes, and Nab-in held onto Ramo, sharing the magic performance’s thrills.
Sara regarded Ho Cheon-an and finally spoke up.
“Ho Cheon, even the trade deal, mind you. I haven’t been able to retrieve it yet. When I had gathered enough martial arts to go to the Central Plains, Sacheon was in chaos, and now that the chaos has subsided, the governor has become puzzled.”
“…I see.”
“Now that Ramo has grown tall enough, and the governor will soon restore peace… if only the Central Plains would be peaceful as well, perhaps I’ll finally be able to go retrieve the trade deal.”
Ho Cheon-an looked at Sara with those words. Sara was gazing at him with a gentle smile.
“Then I hope you’ll make the Central Plains safe.”
“…I shall vow.”
Unlike the empty promise from days ago, the words were filled with strength, prompting Sara to nod.
“I’ll look forward to it.”
In the Rasa of the governor.
Once again, a promise of reunion unfolded in a certain plaza.
