The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 1321

“Maria, are you ready?”

A dress with layers of velvet. The woman with braided black hair turned around, her dress swirling.

The moretta mask, which covers the entire face with black cloth, would originally make it impossible to speak because the strap is held in the mouth, but modern masks don’t have that problem. She asked, arms crossed.

“Mom, do you know you’ve said that more than ten times now?”

“Because I’m worried. How embarrassing would it be if you fell during the parade?”

“I’m definitely not going to fall, so don’t worry. I’m an adult now!”

“Okay, I got it. Just, always be careful of people! Got it?”

Maria tuned out her mother’s advice and walked out, her heels clicking on the floor.

As soon as she opened the door, flower petals rained down from the sky. Splendid lights illuminated the night, magnificent gondolas floated by, and a march played in the distance.

Maria smiled brightly.

The festival she had been waiting for had begun.

To celebrate the Venice Carnival, people in the streets were roaming the city in unusual masks and costumes.

In the carnival, which has continued for over 900 years, masks have a special meaning.

People who gain ‘anonymity’ through masks cast off the limitations that restrict their daily lives—such as wealth, class, age, and gender—and do things they haven’t been able to do, mingling and playing together without any prejudice.

Without knowing who the masked person is, they laugh, chat, drink, and dance together from day to night.

In the process, new relationships and sparks bloom, and people who would never have become close friends share friendship and love.

“Like *Roman Holiday* in Venice.”

The Venetian girls giggled.

Recently, a movie called *Roman Holiday in Venice*, set against the backdrop of the Venice Carnival, in which a masked couple falls in love, has become a big hit.

–Of course, the movie caused a lot of controversy over its plausibility– the cliché story of a man and woman falling in love at a masquerade ball and discovering they are both beautiful after removing their masks excited the girls who were waiting for the carnival.

“A masked, blond, white, handsome guy. I don’t get it. Do you like that kind of thing, Maria?”

“Well, we’re at an age where we dream about that kind of thing.”

“Haven’t you ever imagined the opposite?”

“The opposite?”

Maria turned to look at her usually cynical friend and asked.

“Why-. Not knowing who’s behind the mask-.”

People tend to give better qualities to unknown beings they feel attracted to and imagine ideal images, but well…

“The masked person could be a pot-bellied middle-aged man, or maybe an older, elderly person.”

The friend smiled eerily, her lips painted a dark shade.

“Or it could be a pervert or criminal hiding a criminal record and running rampant.”

Maria recalled the murder and kidnapping cases that appeared on the news every morning.

“It could be someone with a very dangerous secret.”

“What kind of secret? Are you talking about something like the Mafia?”

“Anything. It’s usually not a good secret, right?”

The friend saw Maria’s lips, which were shut as if she was frightened, and laughed, patting her on the back.

“Just kidding, just kidding. You’re taking it too seriously. I can’t even joke around.”

The friend, who reassured Maria that she should trust the police officers stationed throughout the streets during the festival, winked.

“Oh, but when you dance, make sure to check the other person’s feet. Ghosts don’t have feet, they say.”

“Bella!” [Italian for ‘beautiful’],

Maria shouted at her friend, who thought she was still a little kid, and turned her head away. She didn’t leave the group.

The streets were already crowded with people, making navigation difficult. Rather than moving around unnecessarily and falling into the canals of Venice, it would be better to part ways at San Marco Square.

Just then, Maria unconsciously turned her head to the unfamiliar language coming from beside her and was startled by the figure standing next to her.

An outfit that covered the whole body with a black beret, black coat, black suit, and black gloves, plus a long black beak mask.

“Medico della peste…” [Italian for ‘plague doctor’].

The plague doctor’s outfit was designed by the 17th-century French doctor Charles de Lorme. The glossy black leather plague doctor’s mask had dark-colored glass in the eyeholes, and the sides and back of the mask were covered with black crow feathers, so it was impossible to know who was inside the mask.

Not even gender, age, or class.

Maria, who was quietly looking at the plague doctor, recalled her friend’s warning.

-The person behind the mask could be a pervert or criminal hiding a criminal record and running rampant. Or it could be someone with a very dangerous secret.

-But when you dance, make sure to check the other person’s feet. Ghosts don’t have feet, they say.

Maria, having confirmed that the man – most likely a man, judging by his height – did have feet, slowly moved to the side.

The crime news she had seen in the morning and her mother’s warning to be careful of people came to her mind.

The symbol of the plague doctor, which means death and corruption at the carnival, suddenly felt ominous.

As all of these things connected, they seemed like foreshadowing.

*Why is it that in horror movies, the main character always ignores someone’s warning and acts as they please, only to get into big trouble? It’s daytime now, but nowadays, horror movies don’t distinguish between day and night.*

The plague doctor turned his head and looked at her.

She was startled by the eerie black eyeballs and thought she should move further to the side.

Was it because of that impatience?

-How embarrassing would it be if you fell during the parade.

Her feet got tangled, and her body tilted to one side.

“Uh-.”

Her friend watched her and slowly opened her mouth.

Maria remembered that there was a canal in the direction she was falling.

A canal with very dirty water. But what worried her more was,

[Maria, a girl who fell into the Venice Canal during the festival on the first day of the carnival]

The newspaper headline that would be plastered all over Venice.

Rather than seeing that, it seemed like it wouldn’t be so bad to just bury her head in that dirty water for the rest of her life.

Maria closed her eyes tightly, imagining the fall, the smell, and the cold water temperature she would soon experience.

But…

Maria opened her eyes.

Someone grabbed her arm, and instead of falling backward, she was pulled forward.

Maria, who had nearly buried her head in the black coat, raised her head, clutching her head.

The plague doctor’s black glasses, which had felt ominous, reflected her.

“You have to be careful.”

“!”

He whispered in a voice mixed with a faint smile.

Maria’s face instantly turned red as she realized that the scent from the coat was the woody scent she liked.

The man seemed to be a foreigner.

He spoke Italian, but with a unique foreign accent.

Besides, he was chatting with the people he was with.

It sounded familiar, but it was also like she was hearing it for the first time, and it was a beautiful language.

The ticklish voice and the hand that grabbed her arm must have been from someone her age. He seemed to be a head taller than her, who was wearing heels.

“Um-.”

Maria reached out as the man tried to move away.

Just as she was about to grab the man’s collar, a fancy rose glove grabbed her arm.

“Maria, are you okay?”

“Maria, oh my god. Look how pale she is.”

“No, guys. Move aside.”

Her vision was obscured as her friends flocked around her.

Maria hurriedly escaped, but by then, the man had already turned the corner and was far away.

The man walking with his group. The voice that whispered to her echoed in her ears.

Maria stared blankly at the man walking away.

While Medico della peste often carries a cane, the man was carrying a large guitar case with a gold butterfly on a black background instead of a cane.

#

“Wow!”

A fairytale-like world unfolded before those who entered San Marco Square with the huge procession. It was literally true. The square, full of kings, princesses, popes, and knights, felt like stepping into the age of romance, and where the east wind blew, there were lions, scarecrows, and tin robots. On one side were pirates, on the other were animals and angels, and far away was the Star Wars legion, so fantasy was not far away.

Well, in fact, this side wasn’t too bad either.

Nam Gyu-hwan, who had just asked a steampunk pirate whether the gun was real or fake, was wearing a helmet reminiscent of a gladiator, and Han Jin-young was wearing a fantasy-style robe over a goblin grandfather mask.

And Moon Seo-yeon was wearing a voluminous dress and a Colombina mask [a type of half-mask]. The half mask, which covered the eyes, ears, and upper cheeks, was adorned with jewels, crystals, and red feathers.

When they arrived at August Veil’s mansion the night before the day before yesterday, they were greeted by a huge museum. As if the rumor that August Veil’s hobby was collecting masks was not a lie, there were masks made by artisans.

For some reason, the hearts of the petty citizens trembled at the feeling that it would be very expensive, but they eventually chose them, thinking about when else they would be able to enjoy the Venice Carnival.

The result is this unique outfit.

It was uncomfortable, but they secretly liked it.

Around the afternoon, an angel falls from the bell tower.

The Flight of the Angel.

The square was filled with cheers from those who were watching the girl, who was selected from among 12 girls, as she touched the ground.

The warm sunlight shone down on the square.

On the first day of the carnival, there was no place to set foot in the square in the morning and afternoon. Buskers could be found all over San Marco, as street performers can be seen in any country, as well as people performing circus-like stunts. It was constantly crowded with tourists approaching cosplayers and asking for photos.

If you weren’t careful, you could get lost or become a lost child.

“…”

Halo looked around at the suddenly quiet surroundings.

“…President? Jin-young oppa [Korean term for ‘older brother’ used by females]? Hey, Nam Gyu-hwan! Where did everyone go?”

Moon Seo-yeon was watching an old man playing the accordion when she suddenly came to her senses, and…

“Hmm.”

Nam Gyu-hwan, who was looking at the graffiti on the floor, came to a dead end. And,

“…Oh dear.”

Han Jin-young found a child crying in the darkest alley of the glamorous city.

“Little one, are you lost?”

He asked in English, but he didn’t know if he would understand. He needed to know what country he was from.

“You can’t stay here. Let’s go to the police officer.”

He saw a police officer standing on that bridge.

Han Jin-young thought that he was doing it with good intentions, but he felt like he had become a kidnapper.

But Han Jin-young had forgotten one thing.

That he was wearing a goblin grandfather mask.

The foreign child, who was lost and crying, saw the goblin grandfather in the backlight and cried even louder. When he belatedly raised his mask above his head, the child shouted, “It’s a monster!” and ran into the opposite direction.

Han Jin-young, who was planning to calm him down for a while and then call a police officer, said, “Oops,” and followed the child.

It was nosy, but really.

– What kind of Pied Piper are you? Who is that little kid?

– He said he wants to learn music from us.

– We’re not going to become kidnappers, are we? Shouldn’t we turn him over to someone since we don’t even know who he is?

-Jeongin Elementary School!

-?

-Jang Jin-soo, 6th grade, class 3…!

He couldn’t ignore it.

– Hae-il, um, would you like to learn MIDI from hyung [Korean term for ‘older brother’ used by males]? Self-study is good, but MIDI is a bit complicated-.

– …Okay.

– !

Each and every small connection he had made

-Wow! Jin-young hyung plays bass? That’s so cool! Hyung, I’ll be your first fan when your album comes out!

-Hyung, would you like to be my bassist?

Became a great blessing.

-Long time no see. Um… is everyone doing well?

Han Jin-young squatted down.

The rattling guitar case tapped his waist. He had been carrying it around just in case since he improvised in Vienna, Austria.

“Little one.”

Han Jin-young maintained his distance so that the crying child wouldn’t run away and took out his bass. He was used to dealing with children because he had calmed down Jin-soo, who cried easily at Gong-hak and Deok-soo’s pranks, quite a bit.

Thump, thump.

“What is this?”

“…Guitar?”

When the sound came out, the child looked at him cautiously.

“No, it’s a bass.”

“Bass? Not a guitar?”

“It’s a little cooler than a guitar.”

“Tom said guitars are the coolest.”

“Then would you like to see which one is cooler?”

“Yeah.”

“Come here. I’ll show you.”

It still sounds like a bad uncle’s line.

The child, who understood English, slowly began to approach. Han Jin-young smiled kindly and strummed the bass.

The clumsy performance he had shown in front of a child in the past was gone. As he regained his skills from his 20s, Han Jin-young, who could play much more stably than back then, received quite a few requests – performance percussion or recording, etc. A talented bassist was always needed everywhere.

Such a person plays for one audience in the darkest corner. More happily than anyone else. He kindly tells the child who asks what it is.

“Thank you so much for finding our child!”

“Where did Leo go! Mom was worried!”

Leo cried, wailing.

The young couple patted the crying child for a long time and thanked Han Jin-young.

“Leo, aren’t you going to say thank you?”

“Thank you, super cool guitar hyung.”

“Guitar?”

When Han Jin-young asked back, the child shook his head.

“No, bass hyung!”

“That’s right. Leo, you’re a smart kid.”

The child said shyly at the kind compliment.

“Tommy said guitars are the coolest in the world, but I think bass is cooler than guitars. I want to be a super cool bassist like hyung.”

Han Jin-young, who smiled faintly at the pure child’s words, put his hands on his waist and said like a strict teacher.

“Okay, then what should Leo do now to become a super cool bassist?”

Han Jin-young gestured to the parents standing next to him, and Leo looked at them and said.

“Um, big money?”

“What?”

Han Jin-young and both parents burst out laughing at the realistic words.

The original intention was to tell him to listen to his parents, but he couldn’t say anything more because he was so cute.

Leo’s parents were really grateful and tried to give him a reward, but Han Jin-young politely refused. Then this time, they said they would buy him dinner. If he had a group, they said they would have dinner together. They showed a strong will to buy him dinner no matter what, saying that they were running a small watch business, so he shouldn’t feel burdened.

When he was at a loss as to what to do, Han Jin-young suddenly discovered a gondola passing by the canal next to him.

It wasn’t just one or two passing by like water taxis, but gondolas with fancy shapes or even bigger boats began to pass by.

“It’s a gondola parade.”

The late afternoon parade that decorates the first day.

If processions passed by on the streets, boats returned the way they came on the water.

Some boats scattered flower petals, and some people danced. People in traditional costumes posed for photos, and bands on boats performed.

Han Jin-young, who had forgotten the existence of the foreign couple next to him, was about to turn his head when he realized and said, “Oops.” He couldn’t help but stop.

Because he saw a familiar person.

It was a fancy gondola that was much larger than a normal gondola. The outside was decorated with flowers, and a band was on board. Their music gradually got closer.

Han Jin-young’s eyes gradually widened.

The person standing on the gondola fleet caught his eye, and even the guitar he was holding was so familiar that he was confused as to whether it was an illusion.

There were quite a few people dressed as plague doctors on the street. Even if it was a mask made by an artisan, it all looked similar if you didn’t look closely.

But Han Jin-young couldn’t help but recognize the outfit because he had seen it from the side the most, and what made him sure was that the plague doctor was holding a sleek, non-linear guitar with the letter H engraved on it.

People’s attention was drawn to the performance as if they were playing HALO’s music. Soon, the gondola reached right in front of Han Jin-young.

Han Jin-young’s eyes met the plague doctor’s.

“Hae-il? Why are you there…?”

Instead of an answer, a song was heard from the plague doctor’s mouth.

HALO’s 2nd album *Spring Again* in the original language.

[When we meet again]