The night was alive with whispers and excited chatter as the bleachers filled with a curious audience. They looked at the empty stage, adorned only with flickering torchlight, with a mix of anticipation and skepticism.
"I heard he's the dungeon conqueror. Do you think he's the real deal?" questioned a woman to her companion.
"Could be a sham. The program seems hastily put together. Some kid from who-knows-where..." the man replied dismissively.
Suddenly, an otherworldly occurrence captivated their attention. Snow began to fall on the theater, an enchanting sight under the flickering torchlight. Then, as if scripted by magic, the torches extinguished, plunging the audience into darkness.
"Who's just some kid!?" A commanding voice echoed from the top of the bleachers. All eyes turned to the source. There stood Sinbad, his ponytail flowing behind him, a silhouette against the night.
"T-There's a person up there...!?" gasped a man, the crowd collectively awestruck.
Sinbad unsheathed his sword, summoning its power. A brilliant burst of lightning lit up the theater, revealing the falling snow. With grace, Sinbad descended from the bleachers, landing flawlessly on the stage.
"So pretty..." breathed a girl in the audience.
"The lightning reflected by the snow looks like twinkling stars..." remarked a boy beside her.
"So this is... Sinbad, the dungeon conqueror!?" someone shouted.
As the torches on the stage reignited, the crowd erupted in cheers. Sinbad grinned broadly at Reana, standing beside the stage, and together, they launched into their performance, the well-practiced routine captivating the audience.
Their show was an overwhelming success. As Harun predicted, their performances in the theatre earned them a reputation that spread like wildfire throughout the Reim Empire. Night after night, they played to a full house, the overflow of spectators unable to squeeze into the already crowded venue. In a city bustling with activity, they had carved a name for themselves.
In the wake of their newfound popularity, Harun suggested that Sinbad write his autobiography. Sinbad embraced the idea, surprising Reana with how much he enjoyed the act of writing. Even with his aversion to classroom lectures on the boat, he found joy in penning down his adventures. Reana, at his request, played the role of an editor, helping him refine his work.
Harun, the King of Balbadd, took a keen interest in their efforts. He oversaw the process, providing insights and encouragement. The trio formed an unusual yet effective team, each contributing to the creation of Sinbad's autobiography.
----
The afternoon sun bathed the room in a warm glow as Sinbad and Reana continued working on transcribing Sinbad's adventures. The quiet tapping of quill on parchment filled the room, accompanied by occasional bursts of laughter and excited conversation as they reminisced about the extraordinary moments that shaped Sinbad's journey.
In the midst of their work, Reana's attention was drawn to the window. Squinting against the sunlight, she saw the familiar figures of their friends approaching the building.
"Sin, they're back!" she exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement.
"Really?" Sinbad's face lit up, and he immediately abandoned his work, rushing to a nearby chest. He started pulling out rings, necklaces, and an assortment of glittering accessories. "Come on, let's show off a bit!" he suggested, grinning mischievously.
Reana sighed, shaking her head. "No way, I'm not following you on this, Sin."
He made a mock pout, but she ignored him and headed for the entrance, knowing he would follow suit.
Outside, their friends were approaching the building. "Did Sinbad open this?" wondered Hinahoho, craning his neck to look up at the structure.
"Just what happened in a few months..." mused Vittel.
"Hey, everyone!" called Sinbad, waving enthusiastically.
"Sinbad!!?" Hinahoho exclaimed, his eyes widening at the sight of Sinbad's bedazzled appearance. "Something's changed!"
As Reana came into view, wearing a more modest outfit and devoid of extravagant jewelry, Hinahoho seemed somewhat relieved.
"Hey, something happened, right?" asked Vittel, curiosity etched on his face.
Sinbad launched into an animated explanation. He spoke of the Sindria Trading Company, their new venture in the world of commerce. He introduced Harun, the King of Balbadd, who had been his mentor in matters of trade and business.
After the introduction, Harun excused himself, heading back to his kingdom. It wasn't long before a new arrival caught their attention. Ja'far appeared, but something seemed different. He was crawling on the ground, and attached to him was a chubby baby, tugging at anything within reach.
"Ja'far is my son's babysitter!" Hinahoho announced, his laughter resonating through the air.
The baby, almost as large as Ja'far, seemed to be having the time of his life, blissfully unaware of the discomfort he was causing the poor babysitter. A loud cry escaped Ja'far when the baby slouched heavily on him.
"Congratulations, Hinahoho, Rurumu!" exclaimed Sinbad and Reana simultaneously.
Hinahoho blushed at the congratulations. "Stop, I'm blushing," he replied with a bashful grin. Rurumu chimed in, sharing the joy of their growing family.
"Our son completely adores his big brother Ja'far. In the course of one day, he didn't want to part with him. It's proof of how good friends they are," Rurumu shared with a smile.
Sinbad, ever the optimist, rallied the spirits. "Alright! Let's do our best for our growing family too!"
As the air echoed with enthusiastic responses, Rurumu's gaze met Reana's. A warm smile passed between them, and Reana felt a subtle shift in the air. Rurumu's glance flicked towards Sinbad, who was still oblivious to the silent exchange. Reana frowned slightly, wondering about the unspoken words, her mind racing to interpret the shared glance.
In the midst of the celebrations, Ja'far was still groveling on the ground, the baby's antics showing no signs of letting up.
Reana giggled at the sight and approached to join in the play, allowing the Imuchakk baby to grab her arms and shake them with surprising strength.
Hinahoho strolled over, observing the scene with a grin. "Hehe, look at that. You'll make a good mother one day," he teased.
Reana, caught off guard, coughed at his words and turned to face him, her cheeks flushing. "What..." Her protest faltered as she noticed his gaze shifting between Sinbad and her. "Stop that!" she gasped.
Hinahoho laughed heartily, lifting his hands in a mock surrender before walking away, still grinning mischievously.
----
The air was tense with concern as Sinbad, Reana, and Rurumu gathered around Ja'far, who was lying wounded on the ground.
"Hey, are you alright, Ja'far?" Sinbad pressed, leaning over the younger man while Reana cradled him in her arms. Rurumu, her son clinging to her, watched with concern etched on her face.
Ja'far opened his eyes, meeting their worried gazes with a hint of confusion. "...Huh? Sin... Everyone... Why are you here?" he managed to say, still disoriented.
"The two of you were late, so we came here to find you guys. What happened?" asked Sinbad.
"We were attacked by a monster..." Ja'far started, holding up his weapons as he spoke. "My darts started to shine, and the next thing I knew, there was lightning..."
"Shine?" Reana asked, her curiosity piqued.
Sinbad unsheathed his sword, holding it near the darts. The weapons emitted a similar glow. "You're right..." he said, observing the radiant effect. "They're emitting the same light as my sword."
"I don't know the reason for that, but did Baal grant Ja'far's weapon some sort of power?" mused Rurumu, holding one hand to her chin. "So there's still something about the spirits dwelling within the metal vessels that we do not know about."
The two boys stared at her, dumbfounded by the implications of their newfound power.
"Baal's sword..." Sinbad started.
"Granted my weapons power..." finished Ja'far.
"That's amazing!" exclaimed the purple-haired boy. "So Djinns are capable of doing this sort of thing as well! If I'm the first dungeon capturer, then you're the first... Djinn warrior!"
"Sin...! I feel that we can accomplish anything with this power!" said Ja'far, a mix of excitement and determination in his voice.
Reana chimed in, intrigued by the possibilities. "Do you think there can be Djinn magicians or something?"
Sinbad chuckled excitedly. "That would be so cool too!"
Reana tightened her grip on her wand, staring at it with newfound wonder. Perhaps her wooden wands would need to be partially metallic to be able to gain the Djinn's power? She shook her head, deciding to focus on the immediate concerns.
"First things first..." she said, holding Ja'far down gently when he tried to get up. "We have to tend to your wounds."
The little Imuchakk kid chose this moment to leap onto Ja'far, babbling excitedly in his own language.
"Owww!!! Let go of me, Kikiriku!" Ja'far howled, a mix of pain and annoyance in his voice.
"So you were worried as well," Sinbad chuckled as he took the kid away. "That's a good little bro~"
"He's not good in any way!" Ja'far protested, his discomfort turning into mild exasperation.
A/N: Hey! This chapter marks the end of the Reim arc, next will start the Sasan arc! As always, I'd love to read your thoughts, suggestions, anything! Enjoy!