Dunyarzad quickly wove a flower crown using the fresh blossoms on the float. The float team hurried to clear a space in the center, then announced the "Climb Aboard for a Photo" activity to the crowd following the parade.
The people—most of whom had not dispersed—burst into excitement again. Children eagerly signed up, and even many adults were itching to try, but time was limited, so the children had to go first.
Vihar stood on the float's platform, playing the Knight of Flowers while also ensuring the children's safety as they climbed up.
Dunyarzad worked personally, taking picture after picture with her Kamera.
When they began to run out of picture plates, Victor Wang and Lumine stepped in to help. When she got tired, Dehya joined, and the group took turns, everyone becoming busy.
For a full three hours they continued like this. Many children left with satisfied smiles and their pictures in hand. At last, it was time for the adults—yet it was already close to 2 PM, and the float had to resume its procession.
Before the float set off, Vihar gathered his courage and asked, "Miss Dunyarzad, you've all been working so hard. Would you like to come up and take a picture too?"
Though it felt a little like using special privilege, Dunyarzad—who had been living every day as if it were her last—knew she had no time to hesitate. If she wanted to do something, she had to seize the moment. And so, fully aware of this truth, she stepped onto the float.
The moment she looked down, dizziness washed over her.
"Whew… this float is a bit high…"
"Haha, it's not so bad. If you're scared, just don't look down."
But Dunyarzad still looked down. She wanted to see what the Lesser Lord Kusanali would see when sitting here. She saw the crowd all looking back at her. They say the eyes are the windows of the soul, and through eyes you can glimpse a person's wisdom. Her gaze passed over Victor Wang, Lumine, Paimon, and Dehya, then swept across people of every kind—and finally met a pair of bright green eyes.
"Huh? That child… You seem to have been here for a long time. Why have you only been watching from the crowd?"
"Me?"
A little girl with white hair and green eyes in the crowd pointed at herself.
"Yes, you… would you like to come take a photo?"
Victor Wang looked over as well. As expected, it was Nahida. And yet—until Dunyarzad pointed her out—he hadn't noticed her at all.
Lumine nodded toward Nahida, as though already familiar. "Go on. Otherwise, you might not get another chance."
"…Alright."
Nahida climbed onto the float and introduced herself properly. "Hello, my name is Nahida."
"Nahida… hehe, you're so adorable! Can I hold your hand? Let's take the picture together."
"…Mm."
The picture froze that moment in time.
When the event dispersed, they noticed Nahida was all alone, so Dunyarzad pulled her into their group and brought everyone to explore the Sabzeruz Festival together.
"Before we knew it, the entire afternoon had passed. The Dance of Sabzeruz is about to begin soon. It's the only part of the Sabzeruz Festival that can compare to the float parade. Nilou will reenact the legendary scene with her graceful, flower-like dance. The Sabzeruz Festival will come to a perfect close amid cheers and blessings."
Though she was having fun, Dunyarzad still did not forget her responsibility to explain the knowledge of the Sabzeruz Festival to Victor Wang and Lumine.
"When this festival ends, only half my wish will be fulfilled. The other half—" Dunyarzad glanced at Victor Wang, her eyes shining with a clear update your manuscript message, urging him to continue the book that could help restore the Lesser Lord Kusanali's rightful name.
"Ahem… let's focus on the Dance of Sabzeruz right in front of us first."
But when they entered Zubayr Theater, what awaited them was exactly what they expected.
The Grand Sage Azar himself had arrived at the theater, standing stone-faced on the stage. His assistant, Setaria, was lecturing Nilou. "There are already ordinances in place. You cannot hold performances of this type without filing an application. Surely you are aware of that?"
"But the Dance of Sabzeruz is a fixed part of the Sabzeruz Festival. If we can't perform it, then…"
"The Sabzeruz Festival… hm. Holding large-scale worship of a deity in private is forbidden, is it not? If you insist on continuing, we'll have no choice but to investigate every organizer of this so-called festival. Think carefully. Simply terminating the show is already the Grand Sage being lenient. Learn to behave sensibly."
There was no way Dunyarzad could accept that. "The Sabzeruz Festival is something the Akademiya should have hosted in the first place! They're the ones who have failed their duties for so many years. I'm going to confront them!"
Paimon was also angry. "Why is the float parade and the Dance of Sabzeruz always being blocked? Stupid Akademiya!"
But Lumine quickly grabbed both of them. "Don't rush in. Getting too emotional will make your Eleazar worse. We've seen this play out many times now. Slow down."
"…"
Seeing both Nahida and Victor Wang shake their heads, Dunyarzad forced down her anger. The group approached the stage slowly and steadily.
Onstage, the Grand Sage Azar joined the reprimand. "Art, dance… In a nation of wisdom and reason, you pursue such frivolous, hollow things. Do you feel no shame? Sumeru City is a paradise created by the Archon for scholars seeking reality, truth, and knowledge. And yet people like you seek to defile it."
"No…" Nilou argued firmly. "I believe the Archon has never rejected art. Just as the Flower God once danced for our Archon, the Archon would also be pleased… The very fact that the Sabzeruz Festival has survived all this time is proof."
"But now it no longer exists."
With the weight of someone long accustomed to authority, even his calm tone crushed Nilou with pressure. "I doubt your knowledge qualifies you to debate with me. What you should do now is remove these laughable decorations immediately."
Just then, Victor Wang and his group stepped onto the stage. The Grand Sage glanced sideways and scoffed at Victor Wang. "And you… I've heard about Pravina. To think she'd lose to someone like you—a novelist who writes nothing but fabricated stories. How shameful for the Akademiya."
Victor Wang chuckled. He understood that the Akademiya's attempts in the dream to stop Nilou from performing the dance were meant to keep her dream forever incomplete—so the loop would continue. But their personal attacks clearly had nothing to do with that plan, which meant the real Akademiya held that same contempt.
Nilou and Dunyarzad looked ready to argue back. The air was turning tense.
Lumine stepped in front of them and the Grand Sage. "No need to waste words. They're just puppets. Listen carefully, Nilou—did you notice those two pots of deep violet Padisarahs in the theater?"
"Huh? Those gorgeous violet ones… Aren't those the real Padisarahs from the legends? They should have gone extinct with the passing of the Flower Goddess…"
"Exactly. So why are extinct flowers appearing here in a way that makes no sense? Everyone think carefully. Think boldly. The only one who can understand what's happening… is you."
Lumine gave Victor Wang and Dunyarzad a meaningful hint, then told Nilou, "Now close your eyes and imagine it. Imagine that the Grand Sage and the others are not actually standing in front of you."
"What do you mean…?" Nilou felt both doubt and a spark of realization. Meeting Lumine's steady gaze, she nodded. "Alright. I'll try."
And then the Grand Sage vanished.
Like a stage trick, the scene stunned both Paimon and Dunyarzad, leaving their mouths slightly open.
"Am I… dreaming?"
Nilou understood at last.
===BREAK===
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