Bazaar Is Happening

It was morning, and I was finally about to face the school bazaar – the event I had been dreading since Lenna mentioned it. The thought of seeing my face plastered all over the school grounds, like some kind of celebrity endorsement, filled me with a mix of embarrassment and morbid curiosity.

Vroom!

I arrived at the school gate on my new motorcycle, the cool morning air whipping through my hair. This was the first time I had ridden to school alone, and the feeling of independence was exhilarating.

As I approached the entrance, my eyes were immediately drawn to the sight I had been both anticipating and dreading. There, in the middle of the school gate, stood a life-sized cardboard cutout of myself, my face grinning out at the passing students.

I stopped the bike, staring at the caricature in disbelief. Lenna had given me a cartoonish makeover, exaggerating my features and making me look like some kind of anime protagonist.

Why did they have to make me look like this?

I groaned inwardly, the helmet muffling my voice.

Then I saw the even larger banner hanging above the entrance, my face beaming down at the crowd.

"I never posed like that..." I muttered to myself, examining the image. The pose was unnatural, almost forced, as if someone had snapped the photo from a distance without my knowledge.

I shook my head, the morning chill seeping through my jacket.

I guess I'm the first one here, I thought, parking the bike and heading towards the school building.

The echoing silence of the empty school hallways was a stark contrast to the vibrant energy that buzzed just outside. The schoolyard was a whirlwind of activity, with stalls being set up, decorations hung, and students excitedly preparing for the upcoming bazaar.

As I made my way to my classroom, the sound of my footsteps was muffled by the plush new carpet.

"How much money did the headmaster give the student council to make this event so grand?" I mused to myself, walking with my light backpack. "And how many sponsors did they manage to get?"

I entered the classroom, noticing only three people inside: Roro, the wealthy student known for his generosity, and his two ever-present companions. Their names escaped me; they seemed to exist solely to bask in Roro's reflected glory.

I walked past them, nodding a curt hello to Roro.

"Morning, Xian," he greeted me, his voice smooth and friendly.

I returned the nod, placing my bag under my desk.

"I see your face everywhere," Roro remarked, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Seems like you've become quite the celebrity around here."

I didn't particularly want to engage in conversation with him, but it wouldn't be wise to ignore him completely.

"Yeah," I replied simply.

"I bet you're always hanging out with that cool kids' group now, huh?" he continued, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Cool kids' group… He was referring to Jonathan and his clique, who had shown a sudden interest in me since I arrived at school on my new motorcycle.

"Not really," I replied, shaking my head.

"Hmm... I thought so," Roro said, his smile widening. There was a hint of smugness in his voice, as if he knew something I didn't.

"Well, whatever," I mumbled, dismissing Roro's comment with a wave of my hand.

"Are you going to the festival later?" Roro asked, his tone shifting to one of genuine curiosity. "I heard you're going to be one of the main attractions."

"Yeah," I confirmed with a sigh. "Apparently, I'm the poster boy for this year's bazaar."

Roro chuckled. "I'm sure you'll do great. What are you going to be doing there?"

"What am I going to be doing?" I echoed, unsure myself. "I don't know... I don't think they've asked me to be the MC or anything, but I'm sure I'll be doing something. By the way, is our class going to be selling anything?"

"Apparently, Rayhan wants us to sell some books, or something interesting like comics," Roro replied.

Rayhan, huh? Well, he is a weeb, so that's not surprising.

"So it's happening today?" I asked, confirming the date.

He nodded. "I bought a bunch of books here..."

"Comics?"

"Yeah, and some other books that I've never actually read, because they're not that great... but my dad says they're expensive."

That piqued my interest. "What kind of books?"

He pulled a book from his bag and showed me the cover. "Kingdom Truth."

I blinked. "Can I take a look at it?"

"Sure, here you go," Roro said, handing me the book. "If you like it, you can keep it."

I rose from the carpet, taking the book from Roro's outstretched hand. "Thanks," I said, my curiosity piqued. "I'll give it a read."

Roro nodded, already engaged in conversation with his friends. I returned to my desk, flipping open the worn pages of "Kingdom Truth."

The book was written in an archaic style, filled with unfamiliar terms and convoluted sentence structures. But as I delved deeper, a fascinating story began to unfold.

It was a chronicle of an ancient kingdom, ruled by a wise and benevolent king named Prabu Siliwangi. The kingdom was known for its prosperity, its harmonious coexistence with nature, and its mystical traditions.

But the peace was shattered when a dark sorcerer named Ki Janggala rose to power. He sought to harness the kingdom's spiritual energy for his own nefarious purposes, plunging the land into chaos and conflict.

Prabu Siliwangi, with the help of a group of loyal warriors and seers, fought valiantly against Ki Janggala and his minions. The battle raged for years, leaving a trail of destruction and despair in its wake.

In the end, Prabu Siliwangi was forced to make a desperate decision. He sealed away the kingdom's spiritual energy, sacrificing his own power and the power of his descendants in order to protect the land from further harm.

I gasped as I read the final pages of the book. This was the story of the Seers, the ancestors of Lenna and her family. And Ki Janggala—could he be the same entity that my ancestors, the Unveiled, had fought against?

< Chapter 048 > Fin.