One month later.

Clop!

Clop!

Clop!

Riding in a carriage, Cirrus and his family head towards Yamato.

"Are we there yet?" asked Haku.

"No, we are still a bit away," said Ai.

"Dad, are we there yet?" asked Haku again.

"Zzzzz." Cirrus was sleeping on schedule.

Haku breathes in, ready to yell.

"Don’t do it!" yelled Calli. "He’s sleeping!" she said while on his lap.

"Now calm down." Said Artemis. "We will get there soon, alright."

"Here's a little snack." Malion handed it to them. "How about you look out the window? I’m sure you have seen little outside of Orario."

"…Fine," Haku said as he looked out the window to see passing trees. "It’s just trees?"

"Mom, is Fuyukusa nicer than La Fenice?" Callisto asked her mothers.

"Well, it is a lot more, shall we say, similar to Orario but more aesthetically nicer!" Artemis said.

"That is very accurate," Ai said.

They left for Yamato after the Goddess Festival, Cirrus, Ai, Artemis, Malion, Hakushika, and Callisto left by carriage. A vacation Cirrus made time for so his kids could go to Yamato.

Currently, they are on their way to Hóngsè as a stopping point.

For the trip, they asked Astraea to take over for them in Orario. Of course, for this to go smoothly, Cirrus paid for the use of Ryuu for 3 months’ worth of her services to assist Astraea along with Rethusa and the others.

 

While still traveling, the carriage came to a stop.

"Hm?" Cirrus opens his eyes at the sudden stop.

"I’m sorry, there seems to be a broken-down wagon blocking the road." Said the carriage driver.

"Stay there," Cirrus said groggily.

He picked Callisto up and handed her to Artemis.

Callisto, of course, wished to come as well.

"Dad, can I come—"

"Stay inside, Calli." He stopped her and got out.

Haku and Calli looked to the sides to see what he was gonna do, but Artemis and Ai held them.

"No peeking, alright," said Ai.

"But we wanna see what dad is gonna do!" shouted Calli. "What stopped the carriage?"

"Wait until he is finished, alright," said Artemis. "Driver, how is it?"

"He should be done in a sec—oh, he’s done! Hahaha! I guess an adventurer is always an adventurer, I guess! Oh, you have some here, sir!" He points to his cheek before handing Cirrus a handkerchief.

"Haa," Cirrus said, getting back into the carriage. "They needed a bit of help."

The carriage started moving, and as they went along, Calli and Haku could see a bunch of people tied up and beaten up on a broken wagon.

Callisto and Hakushika could tell they were bandits based on their clothing.

"Dad, why didn’t you kill them?" Haku asked.

"Yeah, what about if they try to attack other people?" Callisto said.

"They are still people." Cirrus gets back into a comfortable position. "They have their own situation that led them to their profession. But I should ask around in Hóngsè why there are bandits on this road."

"They probably did it to get rich quick!" Haku said. "There is no reason to steal!"

"Haku, there is always a reason people steal. They could need money to pay for medicine, food, or some other material needs. You should not see them as second-class or subhuman, you should have empathy for them. Do you understand?"

"Yes…" Haku chews on his father’s words.

"I do, Dad!!" Callisto said it enthusiastically.

"Wait, if I should have empathy for them, why did you beat them up?" Haku pointed his finger at his father.

"Yes, after I told them who I am, and that today was their luckiest day since I am letting them live."

"But what if they try again?"

"They won’t."

"How do you know!"

"Because I assure you that this will never happen again."

Cirrus looked at his son with calm confidence.

Haku didn’t ask any further. His father's eyes assured him that the problem would be dealt with.

 

They eventually arrived at Hóngsè’s gate, where the carriage driver told the guards of the bandits, and when he saw Cirrus, he immediately nodded and let them pass.

"Oh, wait a second." Cirrus grabbed one guard who was going to get the bandits. "Can you ask Lady Chang'e to come to see me? I wanna know why there are bandits in the area."

"Y-yes sir!" the guard said. "Yan Zhou! Cover me! I have to deliver a message!"

Cirrus tapped the carriage twice, and the carriage got a move on.

Haku and Calli saw several more guards rush by them.

The siblings began to slowly understand how influential their father was.

"Whoa!!" said Haku and Calli as they looked to see the city of Hóngsè, the country's closest port to Yamato and an important city for trade and commerce.

"The city is so red!" said Calli, looking at the buildings.

"We didn’t see any red trees on our way here?" Haku looked at the buildings as well, seeing so much red.

"They used specialized paint to make them red, and the stones in the buildings as well," Ai said.

"Really! That’s amazing!" said Haku, very amazed.

"This is a feast for the eyes," Malion said. "There is a lot of cultural influence in the construction, but I feel like it’s a bit watered down?"

"This place also serves as a bit of a tourist spot," Artemis said. "The capital, Yùshí is also a bit more touristy, but it still has its cultural spots intact."

"Oh, that sounds like a place to visit."

The carriage driver arrived at their destination, a high-end hotel used by well-off merchants.

"Welcome, Lord Kyūjouno!!" said several employees of the hotel as they were all in line.

"At ease. Help take the luggage up to our rooms. Ai, I’ll go get us a ride to Yamato."

"Okay! We’ll get set up in the rooms!" said Ai.

"Dad, can I come—"

"Dad, can I come along!" said Haku, interrupting Calli.

"Sure thing. Calli, why don’t you help Mom and the others with the packing?"

"Hmm…." She made a pouting face. "Fine!!" she said angrily.

"Sorry sweetie. How about later tonight we all go out, huh?"

"Promise!"

"Of course."

 

Leaving the hotel, Cirrus puts Haku on his shoulders as he’s too tall to hold his hand and walk.

"So how’s the view?"

"Amazing! I've never seen so much different stuff!" he said, smiling.

"That’s good. Not too hot, are you?"

"Hmm... a bit."

"Hey," Cirrus said to a man selling straw hats. "How much for one?"

"25 valis."

Cirrus hands him 50, and he gets a straw hat that would fit someone with fox ears like Haku and hands it to him.

"Keep the change," Cirrus said, walking away.

"Thank you for the purchase, sir!" said the man.

While they walk away, Cirrus glances up at Haku.

"Does it fit well?"

"Yeah!"

His smile warmed Cirrus’ heart.

"Make sure to hold on to it. The sea breeze is deceptively strong."

"Okay!"

They walk through the city and eventually arrive at the port.

"Wow!!" Haku said excitedly as he looked over a bustling port of sailors and fishermen. "Hey, Dad, what would you do if I wanted to be a fisherman?"

"That would be fine by me, so long as you love what you’re doing."

"Really!?"

It shocked Haku; he would be fine with it.

"Of course, if you wish to be a fisherman, then I’ll support you."

There is a slight silence between them as Haku’s heart beats slightly faster.

"Um, Dad… what did you wanna be when you were my age?"

"Hmm…" Cirrus stops walking and stands still. "I… I always wanted to be an astronaut."

"An astronaut? What’s that?"

"It’s one who travels into space and the sea of stars... Think of them like sailors, but except for water, it’s space. In fact, the name Astronaut translates to Star Sailor."

"Ooh…why?"

"Because I always loved space, the stars, and planets, but most of all the endless possibilities of it, and, well, I prefer it over living on this planet."

He remembers his past life. He had disdain for the world. He was overwhelmed by anxiety and fears of the future. Climate change, political strife, economic recessions, inflations. He didn’t want to live on the planet anymore.

'If only math wasn't involved.'

"Why?"

"It was a hard time—much, much harder than now... I’ll tell you when you’re older, okay? For now, let’s find a ship!"

"Alright!"

 

As they walk towards the harbormaster’s office, Cirrus lets Haku off his shoulders and tells him to wait by the door.

"Why can’t I come in?"

"Do you wanna talk about boring ship stuff?"

"…No."

"Then wait here for a bit, okay?" Cirrus enters the office.

"Hmm…" Haku walked around the building. "What can I do to pass the time?"

"Hey."

Haku turns to see a dark-skinned boy with dark blue Shaolin monk attire.

"What?"

"I saw that you were on the Heavenly Crown's shoulders. Are you his son?"

"Uhh… yes?" Haku looked around.

"Then I request a duel!" He then gets into a fighting stance.

Haku smiled. He could see that the one who requested a fight looked trained.

"Sure thing!" Haku was very much like his mother. "But let me get something I could use as a sword."

"Hm, fine then." He reaches behind him and takes out a wooden sword. He tosses it to Haku.

"Why did you have this on you?" Haku looked at the boy.

"Training." He said it bluntly.

"Well, no matter." Haku gets into a stance.

The boy smiled as well, seeing that Haku was trained as well.

The sea breeze passes by, and then they begin.

"Haaa!!!"

"Raaa!!!"