Chapter 86

■ Chapter 85. Rest (4) □ ᓚᘏᗢ

'Festivals' are one of the concepts that cannot be omitted from human history.

Even now, just as in ancient times, 'farming' was an especially important means for the ancients, so they were sensitive to the changing seasons. Even in environments where farming was not possible, the environment would change with the seasons.

Due to these seasonal changes, people believed that gods must have intervened and offered sacrifices to them. The customs that arose from offering these sacrifices became festivals.

As time passed and civilizations developed, festivals began to take on various forms. While they still offered sacrifices to the gods, over time, people began to assign special meanings to special days.

Among the famous types of festivals are, of course, the National Foundation Day and the New Year's festival. National Foundation Day, which includes the meaning of overcoming various hardships and adversities for the country, can be said to be the largest-scale festival.

However, even such a National Foundation Day is no match for the New Year's festival. The New Year holds diverse meanings for everyone, regardless of race, so it is naturally the largest.

Thus, as mentioned before, 'festivals' are an indispensable part of human history and are still ongoing today.

Then, what is the most important thing in holding a festival recently?

A sacred offering to the gods? Capital to hold a grand festival? Various attractions?

None of these. Festivals, in essence, must be enjoyed by people gathering together to truly have meaning.

No matter how much money is spent, how systematically plans are set, or how many attractions there are, it is all in vain if there are no people.

And I am currently experiencing this common sense firsthand.

In a positive, not negative, way.

"Wow..."

I opened my mouth wide in amazement at the unbelievable scene outside the window. While our territory used to have a peaceful atmosphere in its tranquility, it is now bustling with people, full of vitality.

As I mentioned before, our territory is a rural area with no distinctive features. The reason it has high potential for development is that many young people live in the village and it is close to the capital.

Still, it remained a quiet rural area. The reason the young people stayed here was because of my father.

You might not know that my father was a renowned Navy Knight Commander, but the fact that he was a commoner who became a noble was enough to spark the curiosity of the young people. That's why there were always sounds of laughter in the courtyard of the mansion.

But now it's different. The nearly empty streets are being built with buildings and street stalls, and a performance venue, which is the highlight of the festival, is being constructed on the vast plain.

Additionally, the villagers I occasionally met are also contributing to the festival preparations. Since this is not a festival planned by the village itself but one supported by the empire, they must be working hard.

Of course, this doesn't mean their faces are etched with complaints. On the contrary, they are so happy with the prosperity of the village that they don't even feel the hard work.

"I've been granted this territory for a few years now, but this is the first time I've seen it so lively."

While watching the buildings being created in real-time like in a game, my father, who was standing next to me, spoke. I turned my head to listen to his words, which were filled with his characteristic gravity.

As always, his stern face exuded a strong sense of masculinity, but today he looked particularly haggard. Perhaps it was due to the accumulated fatigue from not sleeping for several days.

In fact, since the exhibition was decided to be held in Maishal territory, my father has been very busy. Handling the mountain of documents to be processed is just the beginning; he has also met various people.

Signing contracts with merchant guilds who visited the territory out of curiosity, consulting with construction managers, and meticulously planning the exhibition with Leort.

The sudden surge in workload has led to him working overtime almost every day, inevitably making him tired.

"You look very tired, Father."

"Even if I'm tired, the sight outside makes me feel refreshed. And I've done this kind of thing many times during my active years. It's just been a long time."

Come to think of it, he wasn't just a simple knight but a knight commander. As the commander of a knight order, he must have handled administrative tasks.

Moreover, the Navy Knights, responsible for the border, had to use their allocated budget frugally. While they might receive more funds than other places, the military is a place where no amount of money is ever enough.

Especially, the Navy Knights, being similar to a special forces unit, require astronomical budgets to train a single knight. As the person in charge, my father must have naturally developed his abilities by efficiently distributing the budget.

'Still, it must be tough for him.'

I heard that Mother is also helping with Father's work. She must be buried under a mountain of documents, suffering.

Feeling guilty, I smiled wryly, and Father chuckled, placing his hand on my shoulder. The sensation of his thick palm was transmitted, and I felt its weight.

"You don't have to feel so guilty. In fact, this festival is entirely for you. As I said before, I'm proud of you. You're achieving things I couldn't."

"I would have had a hard time without Father's help."

"I haven't done anything for you... It's good to hear you say that."

These words are filled with the feelings of a parent. A child can do nothing without the love and effort of their parents, but the parents themselves say they haven't done anything for their child.

Looking at me with a tender gaze, Father tousled my hair. I always feel like a child in front of my parents.

I smiled and then pointed to the construction site, asking Father.

"Will all of these be completed before the exhibition starts?"

"Probably just in time. The plan is to use the entire territory, not to build a complex specifically for the exhibition. I heard the scale of the play is quite large, making it suitable for our empty territory."

As Father explained, the exhibition will be held throughout our territory. It's not an event held in a complex building like a museum but a festival in the true sense.

Of course, with the arrival of orchestras and theater troupes, the events will proceed according to the plan. During the lively daytime, art exhibitions will be held, and in the quiet evening, the focus will be on the theater and plays.

Thinking about the evening performance, I asked Father. I had seen orchestras at the academy's freshman event, but I had never seen a theater troupe.

"Father, have you ever seen a play?"

"I've seen a few with your mother. They're quite interesting."

"Did the play you saw also use the entire plain like this?"

Plays are usually performed on a stage, but for some reason, this play is planned to be held on a vast plain.

That's why the performance venue is being built on the plain, and the audience seats are quite extensive. Even a translucent screen was installed, similar to what I saw in the academy's training hall.

"Hmm..."

Father looked at the direction I pointed to and stroked his chin. He then answered, seemingly amazed himself.

"The plays I saw with your mother were performed on a stage. But the theater troupe coming this time is famous for various reasons."

"In what way? I only know that their name is the Matrix Theater Troupe."

"They are famous for the most realistic performances. For example, if the background is snowing, they actually make it snow, and if it's raining, they make it rain. They even cause explosions, making their performances several times more vivid than others."

What? That's almost at the level of a movie.

In terms of production techniques, it's very similar to the famous director Christopher Nolan from my previous life. But he's a movie director, and such production is almost impossible with the science of this world.

Seeing my puzzled expression, Father chuckled and said,

"I don't know the details either. It's better to ask your mother about this. But most people believe they use magic."

"Using magic just for a play seems a bit..."

"That's why they are more famous. There's a high possibility that there are elves or demons among the members. Most importantly, we just need to enjoy how well they perform."

A play using special effects... I'm really looking forward to it.

It must feel like watching a movie. Even though it's a short time, it will be enough.

I looked out the window, increasingly looking forward to the exhibition. In the brief moment I looked away, several buildings were quickly constructed.

It's normal for building construction to take several months, so I was worried if they were built hastily.

'I should go check later.'

If there's shoddy construction, who knows what disaster might happen. In my previous life, there were many cases of buildings collapsing due to poor construction, so it's best to be cautious.

Of course, with the support of the royal family, such incidents are unlikely, but the world doesn't always go as planned.

"Isaac, have you sent a letter saying you'll attend the exhibition?"

While I was looking out the window, Father asked me. I turned my gaze from the window and looked at Father, expressing my confusion.

"A letter?"

"Yes. We know you're the author, so we can say it's a festival for you, but to others, it's a festival for the author of Zayon's Biography. If the main character doesn't show up, I wonder if the festival will have any meaning."

To reiterate, this exhibition is a festival where world-renowned artists, inspired by Zayon's Biography, display their works.

So, without the original author, it would be like a Hongchul team without Hongchul, reducing the fun and potentially disappointing the attending artists.

Hearing Father's words, I thought for a moment and, with some reservations, asked cautiously.

"What if there's a problem?"

"There won't be. Don't worry too much. There will be many participants, and just saying you'll attend is enough. After the festival, you can send a letter mentioning a few artists and saying it was really fun."

"Um... I understand."

Hearing Father's words, it's like a surprise while sleeping, so it's best to follow. Father chuckled at my willing acceptance.

"Then I'll go rest for a bit. A few hours later, the documents will pile up again, so it's better to rest now."

"Take it easy. What if you collapse?"

"Compared to my active years, this is nothing."

"Maybe I can help..."

"No. You just need to sit and enjoy the festival. As I said, it's for you."

Father left the room after saying that. I looked at the door he left through and then turned back to the window.

A festival for the fans of Zayon's Biography. The once quiet territory is now filled with vitality and smiles.

I quietly observed the scene, lost in thought. My work has become a culture, bringing vitality to the territory. It feels different to see it with my own eyes rather than just hearing about it in the news.

'Come to think of it, there was a similar place in Korea.'

Gwangshik Kim Street, where a cultural street was created in the birthplace of Gwangshik Kim, transforming the area into a unique cultural hub.

'If our territory could become like that...'

Seeing the rapid changes in the territory, my ambition began to rise. The place where I was born and raised becoming a landmark, attracting many tourists, and holding festivals at regular intervals.

How fulfilling would that be? Even if I have no desire for money or power, the idea of my novel becoming a culture has a strange charm that's hard to resist.

Is this what they call honor? I can roughly understand why so many people strive for honor.

'Artists must find it tiring to travel from place to place...'

Perhaps because of my ambition, rationalization began to set in. I was aware of it but found it hard to resist.

I quietly observed the street, which was gradually transforming into a proper territory, and muttered to myself.

"A festival for me..."

What form will this territory take in the distant future? Will it grow into a cultural city like Gwangshik Kim Street, or will it remain just another territory?

'Would it be enough to just reveal that my birthplace is Maishal territory?'

As I always say, people assume the author of Zayon's Biography is an experienced sage.

So, they would only know that my birthplace is Maishal territory, and a little investigation would be enough. They wouldn't know where I currently live.

'I can't decide this alone. I need to ask Father and Lina.'

I continued to observe the scene outside the window for a long time.