The Feast of Fools

The next morning, I wake Dango at 5 am as he requested. Calmly, he eats a hearty breakfast and gets ready to go out. After returning to his room to get his bag, I hear him calling me. «Pierrot! Come here!»

When I reach him, I find objects on the bed that I would never have expected to see: a chainmail shirt, a gambeson, gauntlets, a bastard sword, and a greatsword.

«Right, you should help me carry these things.»

I stand still, staring at the objects, confused. What kind of work would require the use of weapons? A disturbing thought crosses my mind: what if Dango had lost his mind? Maybe he wants to end his career by cold-bloodedly killing the publishers before disappearing who knows where.

«Dango... What do you need those swords for?»

«Don't worry, you'll see for yourself. Now take them, I'll take the rest.»

His answer doesn't reassure me. On the contrary, his vagueness further fuels my fears.

«Pierrot, the swords.»

I don't know why, but I feel stuck. Unable to argue further, I grab the swords and follow him. We load everything into the trunk.

Dango gets behind the wheel. The car moves silently through the streets of the Lower City, with the neon lights reflecting off the puddles. The silence in the vehicle is broken only by the background music. Every now and then, Dango taps his fingers on the steering wheel, following the melody.

As we approach the outskirts, the skyscrapers give way to industrial buildings. We stop in front of a warehouse with few distinguishing marks. The roof is lit by a dim artificial light that seems about to go out.

Dango turns off the engine and turns to me. «Wait for me here. I'll be right back.»

I don't have time to respond before he's already gotten out, closing the door with a firm gesture. I watch him disappear behind a heavy metal door, which closes with a dull thud.

Minutes pass, and with them my doubts increase. My internal archive analyzes every possible scenario without stopping. Smuggling? Illegal duels? A plan for revenge against the publishers?

Finally, Dango reappears and gets back into the vehicle. He doesn't seem to have taken anything.

As we hit the road again, Dango touches the central panel of the dashboard and the bodywork transforms in front of my sensors, taking on an aerodynamic shape. The wheels retract, and the body extends in elegant lines. The wings open, and a slight hum indicates that the propulsion engines are active. The vehicle rises slowly, leaving the ground gracefully.

We fly over the streets of the Lower City. The view is amazing, the streets look like luminous threads, the neon lights draw intricate geometries, and the bioluminescent trees add an almost mystical touch.

Then the vehicle gains altitude. Dango drives decisively towards the invisible border between the Lower City and the Upper Town.

«Dango, careful! You're about to cross the border!»

«So what?»

«If no one crosses it, there must be a reason!»

«Some can, and some can't.»

«That's not an answer!»

Dango doesn't reply. He pushes the thrusters, and the vehicle accelerates. My system registers an exponential increase in tension. We cross the border.

The next moment, my system calms down. What I see is... indescribable. The Upper City opens up before us like a jewel suspended above the world. The rising sun envelops it in a golden light, making every building a work of art. We fly over the rooftops, the streets begin to fill up slowly.

We arrive in the parking lot of the castle I saw in the distance the day I was activated. Up close, it is an even more majestic place than I had imagined.

Dango touches the panel again, and the vehicle returns to ground mode, then parks next to two other vehicles.

«Let's go.»

I observe the surrounding area as we get out. My initial fears seem unfounded, everything indicates that the weapons are for some kind of historical reenactment or similar activity.

We reach a couple of men who are chatting in front of a huge wooden door. As soon as they see Dango, their faces light up.

«Hi Dango! How are you?»

«Ooooohhh! It's nice to see you again!»

Their reactions surprise me. Dango is clearly very popular here. While the three of them greet each other with pats on the back, a man approaches who exudes an authoritative aura.

«Hi, Dango!» Then his eyes fall on me. He laughs, shaking his head.

«What are you doing with an android?»

«I stole it.»

«Oh, really. Now I'll have to pay for him too?»

«If you want him to work, yes.»

The joking tone surprises me. I deduce that this man is the boss from the type of conversation, but his affability contrasts with the austere figure with which he approached.

The conversation is interrupted by the noise of a large vehicle approaching. It stops in the square, and the rear doors open with a mechanical sound. The load inside is impressive: trunks, samla, electrical equipment, sacks and other objects that are difficult to identify. There is nothing, however, that clearly refers to a medieval period.

I go to work with the others, following Dango's and the men's instructions. We unload everything with surprising efficiency, dividing the material in the main square. Each object is sorted into specific categories.

When the vehicle leaves, we begin the second phase, transporting the divided loads to specific rooms inside the castle.

The work is physically demanding, but the team moves with precision and speed. Fortunately, I am an android and do not feel any fatigue or excessive load. I wonder how they manage not to get tired, a normal person would already be collapsed on the ground.

After a couple of hours, we have not only completed the transport, but we also begin to build sets and set up rooms. I am surprised by the attention to detail, every element seems to have a well-defined purpose.

In the middle of the assembly, the vehicle returns with a new load. We repeat the entire process from the beginning.

Without realizing it, the sky has darkened. The boss calls us back and we all take a quick tour of the rooms to make sure everything is in place. The sets and furnishings are almost complete.

«Great job, guys! We'll finish up here for today.» the boss exclaims.

We head towards a large hall. Finally, it's dinner time. We all talk happily about the work we've done today and make a schedule of what needs to be done tomorrow.

After the meal, we get up slowly. I follow Dango to the vehicle to get his belongings, which we take to the assigned room for the night. The castle is silent, immersed in an atmosphere of tranquility.

***

The next day, we finished setting up. Around midday, Dango's other colleagues started arriving, until there were about twenty of us.

After 6 pm, the event began. Everyone was in costume, and parents arrived in large numbers with their children. The children, excited and full of expectation, clung to their parents, who looked at the castle with expressions of wonder. From their appearance, I'd say none of them were from the Lower City. I wondered why.

I went to one of Dango's colleagues, a guy with a short red beard and hair, to ask for more information. Surely he would tell me something more than Dango did.

«Excuse me for interrupting. Could you explain to me what this event is about?»

«Dango didn't explain?» he asked with an amused smile.

«Sometimes I doubt he knows what he is doing.»

The guy laughed loudly. «AHAHAHAHA! It's true, you never know what's going on in his head!» he replied, shaking his head and patting me on the shoulder.

A barefoot girl with the left side of her head shaved and a few strands dyed blue approached us sternly and reprimanded us in a low voice. «There are children down there! Don't make a noise!»

Despite her rebellious appearance, she had a very professional air. We both apologized for the disturbance. Then she looked at me. «You know that when the children go around the castle, you can't be seen?»

«Yes, the boss explained that to me yesterday.»

«Great. So I'll go back over there to finish getting ready.»

As soon as the girl walked away, the guy and I resumed talking in a moderate tone.

«Anyway, this is a multi-day event. The children will sleep here in the castle divided into dormitories. They'll attend "magic" lessons.»

Now the situation was clearer to me. It wasn't a difficult explanation. Why couldn't Dango have tried a little harder?

«What does Dango do?»

«He usually stays in the background to make sure everything goes smoothly and fiddles with the special effects.»

«I understand, thanks for the explanation.»

«You're welcome.»

I returned to Dango's room. Fortunately, the wing of the castle where the animators are is not the same as where the children have their lessons and sleep, so I can also walk around freely. 

Knowing that I wouldn't have much to do, Dango had also brought his computer, on which I watched some TV series and movies.

Time passed quickly and the event ended around midnight. It took another hour to finish the last things before we could say they were done working.

Far from the dormitories, in the middle of the huge castle garden, they had lit a bonfire, where the animators all gathered to tell stories, joke, talk about the day and drink. The flames danced in the darkness, illuminating the animators' faces with a warm, flickering light, while the crackling of the wood mingled with laughter.

I'm among them listening to the amazing things they're saying, surrounded by this warm and familiar atmosphere. I wish this moment would never end.

After a few minutes, Dango and a tall man, well-built and with long hair, return with swords and dressed in protective gear. I hadn't even noticed they were gone.

A spontaneous applause erupted among us when we saw them arrive dressed that way.

I turned to a girl next to me and asked «Who is that man?»

«That's Einar. He's been working with the company for several years. He's passionate about fencing and various martial arts, in fact he's the one who teaches us how to fight to prepare for medieval events.»

So that's what the equipment was for. Now everything makes sense, I was wrong to doubt Dango.

After a brief bow, they begin. They duel with broadswords, each blow echoing like thunder in my chest. Their fighting style is excellent, they are spectacular to watch! Every now and then they get hit in the torso, but they don't seem to be hurt particularly badly.

I don't understand how they can find energy after such an intense day. And yet, there's something contagious about their enthusiasm.

Later, they plant their broadswords in the ground and switch to fighting with bastard swords. Now their movements seem faster, creating more tension with each slash. I notice more attention on both of them when the blades get dangerously close to their faces. They may be protected on the body, but they don't wear helmets, they do well to dose every movement. The blows are parried, the thrusts deflected, the lunges dodged, occasionally they take a straight or reverse blow in an attempt to disarm the opponent.

After a good half hour they stop, with a spectacular victory for Einar. They bow and return to the rooms. I hope to see something similar again tomorrow night!

***

Over the past few days, I've had the chance to admire the fantastic work of the animators. 

Every now and then, during the day, I would take a moment to watch the children wandering around the castle with wide eyes, following the animators who guided them through potions, spells, and epic tales. Laughter echoed through the ancient halls.

One of the animators, who played the role of a professor, was also a fire-eater. One evening, he organized a show for the children. Not all the animators were on stage, so I was able to watch the show in the company of a few others. The flames danced in front of the young spectators, reflecting in their eyes full of wonder. The fire-eater seemed to glow with his own light as he blew out fiery jets and danced with the tongues of flame.

The plot of the animation was captivating and engaging. Seeing them so immersed in their roles, living each scene as if it were real, made me want to be part of that magic. Not just as a spectator, but as one of them.

Yet, what surprises me most is their energy. After a long day's work, they could still have fun until four in the morning and, despite this, at seven they were back on their feet, ready to start again with the same enthusiasm. They're incredible!

At the end of these days, during the nightly bonfire, I didn't get to see another sword duel, but I did witness some hilarious moments.

Some of the animators improvised a show inspired by a famous play. One of them, the one I had spoken to on the first day, performed a "spell" that sent his shoe flying straight onto another guy's jewelry. Dango, on the other hand, amazed everyone with some magic tricks. And much more!

These guys are truly unique, and I feel lucky to be sharing these moments with them.

On the last night, after finishing the animation, we decide to have a barbecue. The sound of meat sizzling on the grill mixes with the laughter of the animators, who joke and tell stories about the days just passed.

Watching this scene, I realize that although I've spent several days with them, there's only one person who remains an enigma: Dango. This is my chance to find out a little more about him.

The first person I turn to is Volo, a guy with a beard and a slight beer belly... too generic a description, considering that almost all the guys here have these characteristics. Let me rephrase that.

The first person I turn to is Volo, a guy about five foot six, who I've seen Dango joke with often.

«Excuse me for interrupting, I need to ask you something.»

«Evening, my friend. Ask away.»

«I've been living with Dango for over two weeks, and yet I don't know him at all. Maybe you, who have known him longer, could tell me a bit more about him.»

«Well, I could tell you that he's quite a lively character. There aren't many words to describe him. Imagine one evening, after the post-event dinner, we all stayed to talk outside the restaurant. Well, Dango was the only one in the middle of the road going round and round and only stopping when a train passed to watch it. It was amazing.» he finishes with a light laugh.

The answer doesn't satisfy me. I need to find someone who is even closer to him.