Refined Souls

The winter nights always came earlier than any other seasons. The glittering red and green lights by the downtown road reflected on the glossy asphalt under the late evening traffic. In the ebon sky, the rounded moon flared brightly amid innumerable stars.

Stepping on the paved yard hurriedly, Marvel and I walked toward the mansion door.

"Welcome home!"

The greetings surprised me as both sides of the main door were wide open. I saw Gilbert, Tanaka, and at least a dozen men behind them, all gathering in the parlor. Flustered, I stood still without a word beside Marvel.

At a glance, my focus immediately turned to the table in the center of the room where there were so many cakes - like, every possible type of cake out there in the world - that I couldn't name all of them, that I hadn't even seen some of them before, and already, various kinds of candle was placed on top of each.