I Am The Heroine's Father: The Cannon Fodder's Ascent-Chapter 43: Hope

Sebastian and Kirin followed quietly behind Johan, their faces filled with raw despair, which made Johan's eyes droop too.

They were currently walking on a red-bricked footpath by the stone road where carriages were running. Crowds of children and teens played tag, chasing each other, while couples enjoyed deep conversations, standing so close to each other it looked like they might start making out anytime.

The whole street was covered in beautiful blue and red lanterns, flowery decorations perched on top of every food stand and shop.

Night was cold, the chilly air from the ocean adding to the serene comfort of the beautiful evening.

Johan looked around, trying to find a good food stall—they hadn't eaten in three days. Not a single bite besides one small salted fish. Back in Vexely, they hadn't even had time to disguise themselves before Olivia's corrupted self ambushed them, and after that, they'd traveled nonstop over the largest ocean in the world.

And as a cancer patient, Sebastian also needed nutrition.

'I should've asked Beatrice for some money...' Johan sighed. His body could function fine without food, but the same couldn't be said for Sebastian and Kirin.

He turned back to look at them. "Kirin, do you know Mushma hosts a carnival every night for almost a thousand years to thank the Goddess for giving them so much?" Johan said with a smile, clearly trying to cheer Kirin up.

Kirin just stared at him, her eyes as dull as a fish.

"Let's get something to eat!" Sebastian said in an awkward, enthusiastic voice, trying his best to help Johan.

Johan nodded hesitantly and instantly grabbed Kirin's hand, walking up to a small shop by the corner, pushing the crowd of people surrounding it away.

The sudden realization of not having any money hit him like thunder. Suddenly, his eyes brightened, an evil grin creeping up on his face.

A fat merchant, who was wearing a bright brown full suit and tightly held a black cane in his right hand, waited at the front with clear anticipation in his eyes, holding a gold pound note in his extended left hand.

[Perfect Clone]

Johan's sharp eyes locked in on the piece of paper. A slimy clay manifested in his hand out of nowhere, slowly taking on the appearance of a green-yellowish note—a gold pound note.

He placed his hand in the inner pocket of his white coat, slipping a thick stack of notes neatly inside with a smile.

"Yawnnn!"

Suddenly, a high-pitched yawning sound startled Johan, making him look around at the people—only to see them waiting angrily for their turn.

"It's me, son!" Melodis groggily scoffed at Johan telepathically. He had been slumbering for a while now, but sharing the memories with Kirin was enough for him to know everything.

"I need some food, then we can start training you... I know the best way to exploit the Bitch tree's powers." Melodis said seriously, his tone nonchalant.

Johan nodded softly. This was the plan after all.

He walked up to the counter. A brown-skinned man with his wife and son was aggressively shaking the pan in his hand, running a chopstick through yellowish noodles with full force, mixing them with spices.

"Five fried noodles and chicken breast!" Johan said thoughtfully to the man, quietly pushing a pound to the man's son, who seemed to be standing there for that exact purpose.

All three of them nodded enthusiastically, and in just a few minutes, Johan was holding two disposable plates, Sebastian three of fried noodles, while Kirin had a big piece of chicken breast, marinated with unique spices and cooked to a golden brown.

Kirin swallowed her saliva, walking hastily to the side.

It was 1 a.m. already, but due to nightly festivals, the lanterns were rarely turned off. All three of them walked across the quiet road, reaching the edge of the footpath and sitting over the thick fencing of a beach house.

La La La La Umiyo I do love you, I do love you, oh babyyyy, but... I can't say, I can't say, I can't show, that I love you babyyyy... La La La.

(A.N: Umiyo = A common female name in Crimson Empire)

A soft hum was being played by three people standing in the center, surrounded by more than fifty people—some couples dancing, others simply watching with comfort, eyes closed, as if imagining a partner by their side too.

Munch Chew Chew

All three of them ate in a way their past selves wouldn't even recognize—grabbing as many noodles as they could in one hand and shoving them under their throats, their faces emotional because of the perfectly spicy taste.

A relatively small eagle was also by their side, munching on two plates of noodles all by himself, slowly eating everything with repeated pecks.

Will you Oh Will you, oh girl, will you lay with me, when we die, when we eventually die...

The music grew louder, the crowd's movements increasing with a new batch of beers arriving.

Johan noticed Sebastian had already finished his noodles and was just about to attack the chicken breast. "Sebastian, can you get some beers from there? I think they're completely free!" Johan said excitedly. There was no way he could ignore a free thing.

Sebastian nodded impatiently—he also needed something cold to cool off his burning tongue.

"So... Kirin, how's the food?" Johan spoke through bites awkwardly, trying his best to ease the tense atmosphere.

"Itsh goodh!" Kirin spoke while eating, spitting some food crumbs on Johan's face, but he ignored it promptly. A soft smile crept up on his face.

"I wonder if they will ever be able to taste and enjoy food?" she spoke clearly this time, swallowing the food down her throat, her eyes lost, gazing at the beautiful night sky.

Johan also looked up, his eyes catching millions of glimmering stars, with green aurora lights and a beautiful golden gas-like body passing through them all—a sight he could never see due to the high pollution back home.

'I can't be sure... Do you remember the North Star?' Johan pointed toward the brightest star.

"Hmm, it's said that every one of the people we love who died lives there, watching from afar. But... didn't Radhaan travel there and report that it was just a floating rock?" Her voice was hopeful at first, then dropped low, almost to a whisper.

"True. Maybe it is. But you know what it brought to people?" Johan said, his tone emotional.

"What?"

"Hope. In the harshest moments of their lives, they looked up to it, smiled toward it, talked to it—like we used to, with Alya..." Johan said softly, his eyes lost.

"And... even after Radhaan's words were published in the newspaper, no one stopped looking at it. They hadn't seen that it was empty. And hope doesn't just disappear, Kirin." Johan placed his hand gently over Kirin's, feeling its warmth.

"They won't give up on hope. The taste of these noodles—they're hoping for it. We will bring them the noodles." Johan smiled, looking toward Kirin's lost expression.

"I'm sorry... I won't ever abandon you," she said quietly, wrapping her arms around Johan's head, letting her warmth seep into his bones—clearly feeling regret about the regret she felt for coming with Johan.

"I know." Johan hugged her back with a bright smile, wrapping his arms around her waist and back, letting his head fall on her collarbone.

Melodis watched it closely. His eyes softened, and a genuine smile crept up.

(A.N = I don't know how tf an eagle will smile, but just imagine that.)