As the golden hues of the setting sun bathed Enohay Village, Dama slipped the last of some miscellaneous items into a leather bag, patting it with a sense of accomplishment. Nearby, Mumu carefully placed a large crate on the ground with a soft thud.

  Dama took a deep breath, savoring the cool evening air and the peaceful atmosphere of the now empty village as he brushed some dust off his sweater. Before he could speak, a cheerful voice called out, "Great job, you two!"

  Turning to face the voice, Dama spotted Jaden strolling over with two smaller crates in hand. Jaden’s expression was one of genuine gratitude, his usual lively demeanor softened by the day’s end.

  “You really came through, Dama!” Jaden said warmly as he reached the large crate Mumu had set down. With practiced ease, he stacked the smaller crates on top of it. “I wasn’t sure if you’d have time to keep your promise, but I should’ve known better. You’re as reliable as they come!”

  Dama scratched the back of his head, a bashful grin spreading across his face. “I told you I’d help, didn’t I? Can’t just leave you to do all the heavy lifting.”

  Jaden chuckled. “It’s much appreciated. Between you and Mumu, packing up was a breeze today.”

  Mumu let out a satisfied grunt, his plush form giving a subtle nod, which made Jaden laugh even more. “See? Even Mumu agrees. Thanks to you both, I can finally head home and get some rest.”

  Dama strolled over to the nearby village center well, his steps light yet purposeful. When he reached the well, he picked up a basket full of produce that he had left there in order to help Jaden.

  Adjusting the basket on his arm, he took a moment to admire the bounty of fruits and vegetables, ready to head home to his cabin.

  Jaden, catching sight of the basket, raised an eyebrow with a knowing grin. “That from Kina Alder?”

  Dama blinked, then chuckled. “Yep! Nothing gets by you, Jaden!”

  Jaden shrugged, smirking. “Call it a merchant’s intuition.”

  Dama tilted his head thoughtfully before responding, “I’m surprised you didn’t see it when you came over to the booth earlier.” He paused, then shook his head. “Actually, that makes sense now that I think about it. Your booth was packed now that I think about it.”

  Jaden laughed heartily, rubbing his nose with one hand while placing the other on his hip. “That’s because I always give a little discount on popular items during the last hour. It’s a win-win! Keeps business lively and leaves the customers happy.” He puffed out his chest, clearly proud of his strategy.

  Dama raised an eyebrow, slightly intrigued. “When did you start doing that?”

  Jaden perked up slightly, as if surprised that Dama was interested. Looking around for a split second, he then hustled over to Dama and bent down to his level. “Picked it up from the merchant grapevine.” He whispered with a sly grin, his tone conspiratorial as if revealing a trade secret.

  "I see!" Dama replied, adjusting the basket hanging on his arm.

  Though, as he did, Jaden’s eyes caught sight of some unusual vegetable peeking out from amidst the produce. His brow furrowed as he focused, only to realize that the 'unusual vegetable' was actually a plush doll sticking out at an odd angle.

  “Hey, what’s that?” Jaden pointed, his curiosity piqued. “You didn’t get that from Kina too, did you?”

  Dama gave a sheepish smile. “Actually, I did. I visited her before coming to your booth to talk about an idea Mr. Liam had for the Enohay Festival.” He paused, glancing down at the doll fondly. “When I was about to leave, she handed me the basket and included this doll. Said it’s one of the ones she and my mom worked on together. After we talked, she thought I should have it.”

  Jaden’s expression softened, his whole body relaxing as he leaned back on his heels. “Oh. That’s...pretty sweet.”

  Before Dama could respond, Jaden then suddenly perked up as if struck by a lightning bolt of inspiration. Without a word, he dove into one of the smaller crates he had just packed up.

  “Uh, what are you doing?” Dama asked, his voice tinged with confusion as he watched Jaden rummage through the crate.

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  “Hold on, you’ll see!” Jaden replied, his voice muffled by the box as he shuffled its contents. After a moment, he straightened up triumphantly, holding a wooden marionette doll, complete with strings and painted details. “Ta-da!” He declared, holding the marionette aloft like a prize.

  Dama and Mumu both tilted their heads in perfect unison, staring blankly at the wooden marionette. The two of them didn’t say anything, their expressions as vacant as their understanding of what they were looking at.

  Jaden, meanwhile, stood proudly with the doll held high, his grin slowly faltering as the silence dragged on.

  To top it all off, a comedic gust of wind blew by, rustling the trees and ruffling Jaden’s robe as he stood there awkwardly. Finally, Dama broke the silence, pointing at the marionette with a curious, but wary, look. “What, uh, what is that thing?”

  Jaden blinked, his cheeks reddening from embarrassment. Lowering the marionette, he cleared his throat. “It’s a marionette. Y-Y’know, a doll made of wood, kind of like a circus puppet.”

  Dama’s ears perked up at the mention of the circus. “Oh! I know about the circus! Liam told me stories about them—like traveling circuses and the ones some kingdoms keep permanently! He even said the clowns there looked really goofy!” He laughed, recalling a crude drawing Liam had once made of a clown with oversized shoes and a red nose.

  Jaden chuckled, encouraged by Dama’s enthusiasm. “That’s right! Clowns, jesters, marionettes, acrobats, performers, and more—they all have their roles in the circus! Each one’s there to entertain the audience and put smiles on people’s faces. That’s what the circus is all about!”

  At the mention of “putting smiles on people’s faces,” Dama’s mind immediately went to Giona. He imagined her wide-eyed wonder at a real circus, her laughter at the clowns, and the bright smile he had already come to cherish so much. The thought made his own face light up with a soft smile.

  “I bet Giona would love something like that,” Dama murmured, more to himself than anyone else.

  Jaden raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued, but before he could say anything, Dama looked up and asked, “Did you make it?”

  Jaden let out a hearty laugh. “Me? Nah, I didn’t make this. Never had the skill for such woodworking. Though, I bet Mary could make something akin to this.”

  “Then where’d you get it?” Dama tilted his head again, genuinely intrigued.

  Jaden’s grin softened into a more reflective expression. “Got it from another merchant,” he replied.

  “Another merchant?” Dama repeated, his interest deepening.

  Nodding, Jaden continued, “Yeah. It was during my first trip to the Kingdom of Reaon. I met this older gentleman who had this amazing setup—a horse carriage that doubled as his booth. It was something else, lemme tell ya. I’ve dreamed of having one like that someday, maybe even better!”

  Dama listened intently as Jaden’s voice became a mix of admiration and somberness. “After chatting with the guy for a bit, I noticed this doll just sitting there in the corner of his counter, all lifeless-like. My merchant intuition—you know, that little voice in your head—was telling me to ask about it. I figured it might be valuable to someone, the right customer, y’know?”

  Jaden’s tone shifted, growing heavier. “But when I asked, the old man picked up the doll real carefully, like it was some fragile treasure, and he cradled it in his hands. That’s when he told me it had belonged to his daughter. She loved the circus, couldn’t get enough of it. But when the Hiyan Plague swept through, it first took his wife, then her.”

  Dama’s breath hitched as his chest tightened. He knew all too well the pain of losing family to the plague. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay composed as Jaden continued.

  “I felt awful...” Jaden admitted. “Apologized to him for bringing up something so personal, but then he did something unexpected. He offered me the doll—for free, no less. Said he could tell the moment I looked at it that I was interested. But there was one condition: I had to promise to take care of it, because he said I seemed like the kind of guy who would.”

  Jaden’s voice brightened as he brought the story to its conclusion, cradling the doll like the man once did. “So, I’ve held onto it all this time. But now? I think it’s time I pass it on.”

  Dama blinked, startled. “You want me to have it?”

  Jaden nodded, his cheeky grin returning. “Why not? You seem like the type of person who takes care of their belongings, just like the old man said about me.”

  Dama stared at the marionette, his hand instinctively reaching for it but hesitating. Memories of his family, of the life he lost to the plague, surfaced, threatening to overwhelm him. Swallowing hard, he finally took the doll, cradling it gently, just as Jaden did, and the old man had.

  “Thank you,” Dama said in a soft tone, his voice carrying a weight of gratitude and emotion. Jaden simply nodded, letting the moment speak for itself.

  Noticing the shift in Dama’s demeanor, Mumu patted him on the head with a warm, reassuring smile, as if silently promising, "Everything will be alright!"

  Dama’s somber expression gave way to a genuine smile, his spirits lifted by the comforting gesture. Carefully, he nestled the marionette doll between the produce in his basket, ensuring it wouldn’t be harmed.

  Jaden, sitting nearby, watched the tender moment unfold. His usually energetic expression softened as a warm smile crept across his face. He tilted his head back to gaze at the now bluish evening sky, the first stars faintly twinkling overhead.

  “Getting pretty dark, huh?” Jaden commented, his voice light but reflective. Lowering his gaze back to Dama and Mumu, he straightened up and added with a chuckle, “Sorry for holding you two up. You should get going before it gets too late.”

  He waved them off with one hand while flexing the bicep of his other arm in an exaggerated show of confidence. “Don’t worry about me—I’ll finish up here by myself. I’ve got everything under control.”

  Dama nodded, smiling as he adjusted the basket on his arm. “Thanks, Jaden. See you tomorrow!”

  With that, Dama and Mumu began making their way back home, the warm glow of the village’s lanterns guiding their path as the sky deepened into night.

  -

  Next: (Extra Chapter 13) A Spark of Hope