the beginning of the festivities

The Kano delegation was not long to follow, with Kanda at its head. She immediately sensed the presence of many people where the square appeared empty. She noticed Echuranmi, who seemed to be greeting someone in the void. Further along, a strapping fellow known as Awoye, already well into his drinking, also seemed to have picked up on something.

The presence of King Zomassa, for its part, left no one indifferent — some intrigued, others irritated, others still visibly ill at ease. The two kings greeted each other, exchanged a few hollow pleasantries, then each rejoined their delegation at their respective quarters.

Echuranmi, who had sensed the arrival of the Tanetier delegation from afar, lingered a moment. Meanwhile, strange individuals seemed to move about here and there, without any apparent reason…

Penalky, for his part, seemed elsewhere. He was following the delegation on autopilot, his gaze vacant, when a voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

**Echuranmi:** "Good morning, Penalky. Could you spare me a moment?"

Penalky took a moment to respond, still foggy.

**Penalky, intrigued:** "Good morning… Echuranmi. What do you want from me?"

**Echuranmi:** "I need to speak with you. But not here."

**Penalky, irritated:** "This isn't the time. And I'm not in the mood."

**Echuranmi, insisting:** "Would you rather I bring up your dream right here?"

A silence.

**Penalky, taken aback:** "What… I… how did you…"

He stopped. Swallowed what he was about to say. When he opened his mouth again, his voice was lower.

**Penalky:** "…Give me a moment."

He gave his instructions to his creatures. A single look was enough for the Kongamato — the great membrane-winged beast inclined its head, silent. The Tibicena let out a low growl of understanding, its thick fur rippling in the morning air. The Aziza simply vanished — light, invisible, already on their way.

Penalky informed his king with a brief gesture, then fell into step behind Echuranmi.

---

And so that turbulent day gave way to night. The n'danga remained well filled — the blend of various drinks flowed by the dozens of canaris, mingling perfectly with the scent of spiced dishes that drifted through the warm air.

---

At the crack of dawn, the organizers were already hard at work. Banquet and drinks in abundance, tam-tams, griots and dancers — everything was ready. The festivities opened with costumed parades, followed by traditional dances. It was at midday that the komians, emerging from the sacred forests, did what they had come to do. As evening fell, purification baths and a tribute to the ancestors brought the day to a close.

---

The two days that followed were a succession of parades, traditional dances and a procession of masks. On the evening of the third day came the veneration of the royal stools and the tribute to the sovereign. The festivities ended with the offering of the new tuber to the ancestors and to Nyame — followed by the sharing of boiled yam, which everyone seemed to await with barely concealed impatience.

---

That evening, Echuranmi and Penalky found themselves together in a n'danga…