Satin returned home without achieving his goal. Cain told him to put the Sacred Relic in the watch pocket of his pants.
‘So this is what a watch pocket is for.’
It was only after hearing Cain’s words that Satin realized the purpose of the small pocket inside his pants pocket. Since he didn’t usually carry a watch, he felt no discomfort placing the Sacred Relic in the narrow pocket.
However, the Demon God seemed to have a different opinion and immediately grumbled.
―This place is cramped and stuffy.
“Do you want to go into a water bottle?”
―It is a comfortable place.
Satin wasn’t sure how the Demon God could sense anything inside the Sacred Relic, but it seemed he didn’t want to be submerged in water. The Demon God stopped complaining and remained silent as usual.
Afterward, Satin and Cain spent the afternoon leisurely. As they began preparing for dinner, they received some meat from a neighbor’s wife.
“I have a friend who runs a small ranch in Daisyland. Sometimes I get good meat, but I can’t eat much these days. Cooking is also a hassle, so it’s easier to buy food.”
She gave them a rather large piece of meat, telling them not to feel burdened since she had received it as a gift. Satin guessed it was a return gift for what they had given her the day before.
‘Well, this worked out nicely.’
Although he wasn’t familiar with the festival, it was a festival nonetheless. Seeing people busy preparing for the night, Satin felt a bit excited too. Or perhaps it was because of another event.
Thinking of a few good meat dishes, Satin entered the kitchen and was startled.
“What are you doing?” Satin asked.
Cain was standing in the kitchen. Since Cain had never cooked before, Satin had been the one preparing meals. Cain only helped with cleaning up.
“I want to do something,” Cain said.
“Um, do you have to?”
“……I’ll get better with practice.”
“I didn’t mean you can’t do it. But you don’t have to.”
Satin’s comment was meant innocently, but Cain’s eyes narrowed. Satin quickly clarified, “I mean, I’m good at cooking, so you don’t need to learn. Unless you don’t like my food?”
Satin was confident in his cooking skills. His sister had never complained about his food and always looked forward to his meals.
‘If my sister says it’s good, it must be good.’
Seeing Satin’s determined look, Cain shook his head.
“It’s good. A bit unusual, but tasty.”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“I had a thought.”
Cain hesitated before continuing. Meanwhile, Satin moved the meat to the counter. Cain quickly followed him and spoke again.
“There might be times when you can’t cook.”
“Like if I’m sick?”
Satin nodded, understanding that injuries or illness could make cooking difficult, especially without convenience foods or a microwave.
Cain frowned, but not out of annoyance. His nose was slightly flushed.
‘What’s going on?’ Satin wondered.
There was nothing in their conversation that should have made Cain blush. As Satin looked at him curiously, Cain cleared his throat and said, “When we… grow old.”
Satin was only twenty-two, though he had lived much longer.
‘Oh, I forgot to tell Rita I’m twenty-two.’
Rita and Edward still thought Satin was twenty-three. Not that it mattered much.
It seemed amusing and somewhat touching that twenty-year-old Cain was thinking about growing old with twenty-two-year-old Satin.
It was hard to imagine next year, let alone decades into the future. Yet, Cain seemed to have a conviction that they would still be together.
‘I thought he would get bored and leave.’
Perhaps Satin, who had never been in a long-term relationship, was too quick to judge.
‘Maybe that’s true.’
Relationships might be stronger than Satin thought, not easily broken by minor grievances. If Cain could envision a future together without fear, perhaps Satin didn’t need to strive to be better than he was now.
People in the capital called Satin a hero, but he felt undeserving of the title. He saw himself as ordinary, struggling even to be average. Yet, if Cain saw a future with the current Satin, perhaps he was already good enough.
Satin looked at Cain, who spoke gruffly, “So, I’ll do something. Teach me.”
Embarrassed by his earlier words, Cain waited for Satin’s response. Satin thought for a moment and said, “How about you pick some edible leaves from the garden? But avoid the sprouts.”
***
The dinner Satin and Cain prepared together was objectively unimpressive. Cain’s clumsy vegetable preparation left some skins unpeeled, and Satin’s distraction led to slightly burnt meat. The taste was fine, but the appearance left much to be desired.
However, meals aren’t meant to be judged. After dinner, both felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
‘This feels strange.’
For Satin, this dinner was an unusual experience. Cooking had always been a duty with his father, a gesture of care with his sister, and a necessity with his teacher. He had never shared the kitchen with someone else before, but it felt natural with Cain.
Though Satin did most of the work, Cain was by his side the whole time, asking questions and eagerly helping. The experience of sharing a task he usually did alone left Satin with a peculiar feeling. Even during cleanup, Cain stayed by his side, making the work quick and easy.
“Let’s get ready to go out,” Cain said as they left the kitchen and headed upstairs. The question of where they were going was unnecessary; the indigo sky outside hinted at their destination.
Satin changed into long-sleeved clothes and went downstairs. Though it was summer, the nights were cool.
‘Urban heat islands are probably due to city development…’ Satin thought, recalling documentaries about climate issues.
Cain came downstairs, looking displeased.
“What’s wrong?” Satin asked.
“…I don’t have anything good to wear,” Cain admitted after a moment’s hesitation.
Satin bit his lip to keep from laughing and opened the door. “Let’s go.”
The streets were brighter than usual due to the festival, with temporary streetlamps and ladder-shaped structures adorned with lamps and flowers. Though not as flashy as neon signs, the decorations had a certain charm.
‘Using real wood instead of plastic might actually be more luxurious,’ Satin thought, appreciating the authentic materials.
People were gathering at the carriage stops, heading towards the tunnel. A carriage arrived with a sign reading <Only to the Temple Plaza>.
“Wow, a special shuttle carriage,” Satin murmured.
“What did you say?” Cain asked, leaning in to hear over the noise.
“Nothing, just that we can take the carriage,” Satin replied.
Cain pointed to a shorter line across the street. “Let’s go over there.”
“Why is that line shorter?” Satin asked as they crossed the street.
“It’s more expensive,” Cain explained.
Satin understood immediately. ‘Ah, premium service.’
The short line moved quickly, and they soon boarded a comfortable carriage. The driver didn’t ask their destination and set off immediately.
The festival’s long-standing tradition ensured smooth traffic management. Pedestrians and carriages had separate paths, allowing them to reach their destination without delay. The higher fare was worth it.
As they arrived, Cain offered his hand to help Satin down from the carriage. Instead of protesting, Satin took his hand and said,
“We got here really fast.”
The brightly lit plaza was far more crowded than during the day. People were buying food and drinks from stalls and purchasing cheap souvenirs from vendors. They moved in a steady stream towards the tunnel entrance. Satin watched the crowd and was surprised.
‘Wait, they’re selling tickets?’
Two boys in clerical robes were collecting money and handing out tickets. No one seemed to find this strange. Since the festival was organized by the temple, it made sense that they would profit from it.
“Let’s hurry before the line gets too long,” Cain said, quickening his pace without any sign of discomfort. Satin followed silently.
‘A world where religion is born from imagination and capitalism…’
