Ethereal Flower

Part 16-New start

Cassandra, Sam, Jasmine, and Kang-A-Ji fell into thought without answering each other's questions. 'I don't know about this. Where are we even going with this?'

Although Cassandra did not untie Sam and his companions yet, she continued to provide them with water that she got from the mineral spring: the same spring where the golden ethereal flower grew. Oddly, they didn't feel hungry and their bodies weren't exhausted from the exertion and poison rain, was recovering.

Eventually, in the evening, Cassandra made her decision and decides to tell Sam and his companions.

"Now your body should have recovered. You should feel much, much better than before. And you'd better go back from where you came. I don't want to answer your question, so just go back."

Then Jasmine says,

"I don't know the details, but what the man said to you earlier. It sounded like a dream but I remember what was said. We owe you and I'd hate to be in your debt. And maybe, just maybe, we can help each other out. I don't think there's any harm in that, right? I think it will be a great comfort when life is hard. We're going to stay tonight under the clouds where we used to be. If you change your mind, you can visit us. I'll be waiting."

'Does such a thing really exist?'

Cassandra, who has lived her whole life on the mountain, in a place where no one else can see her, is curious along with doubts. Cassandra follows Sam and the party out of the door and sees them off, muttering a spell to go into the house.

"You should go down the stairs in the clouds."

"Stairs in the clouds? Is she messing with us? We'd probably just fall on our butts again." Sam said to Kang-A-Ji

Kang-A-Ji responded, "Let's just go. Ha, stairs in the clouds."

As Kang-A-ji led the way, Cassandra, observed their departure from inside the house. She worried about her father, who has not yet returned. Kang-A-Ji carefully step on the stairs in the clouds almost jumped in surprise. He almost exclaimed out loud that they were real. As soon as the other foot steps on the stairs, it led them down like an escalator. Sam and Jasmine are surprised and followed Kang-A-Ji. Needless to say, they arrived at the flat land where they stayed past couple days and gathered at Jasmine's hut. 

Jasmine says,

"Let's take a break tonight and think about what we're going to do. Jasmine starts to make hot tomato soup and bake some bread. While Sam and Kang-A-Ji silently help Jasmine to set the table. Jasmine opens the cabinet and talks to herself. 'Is there a thermos bottle and a paper bag or paper foil here?' Inside the cabinet, there is a thermos bottle and an paper bag and paper foil to satisfy Jasmine's wishes. Jasmine pours into hot tomato soup  in the thermos bottle and wrap some freshly baked bread. 

Curiously, Jasmine than announced to the group, 

"I want to share some food with the girl who lives above the clouds over there. I don't know, but I feel sorry for her and because of her father and, because of what those mysterious people told her, she would be very worried and scared. I think I know how she feels, so I want to give her some comfort. Most of all, she saved us."

Moved by Jasmine's words, Kang-A-ji volunteered himself to deliver tomato soup and bread to their benefactor.

Jasmine and Sam nod their heads and prepare their meal. Kang-A-Ji, moved quickly to take the package for his delivery, steps on the stairs once again. Then the stairs went up to the top of the mountain towards Cassandra's house. He left the food at the small table in porch. Cassandra, who witnessed a figure climbing up the stairs to the clouds alone, and realizes it is Kang-A-Ji dropping off something in front of the house. After Kang-A-Ji disappeared, she opened the door and found a thermos bottle and a wrapping cloth that smelled delicious. When she brought it into the house and poured the soup in the thermos into a bowl, the still steaming  and warm bread were delicious to eat. She doesn't have appetite when she thinks of her father who hasn't come back yet. Somehow, she feels that eating this will give herself energy and courage.

On the other hand, Kang-A-Ji, Jasmine, and Sam, who gather together at the dinner table and  eat together. After finishing their meal, they clean up together, Kang-A-Ji and Sam go back to their huts. Jasmine keeps getting worried about Cassandra as she remembers the desperate feelings of when her mother was sick and climbed MiJi mountain every day in search of ethereal flowers.

After a while, at dawn, Jasmine wakes up to a knock on the hut. Jasmine opens the door as she sees through Cassandra standing outside.

"Hi?" Cassandra greeted her. "Can I come in?"

"Sure"

When Jasmine leads Cassandra to the sofa, Cassandra handed  empty thermos bottle. "Thank you for the food you guys gave me yesterday." Jasmine smiles and makes coffee.

"Would you like some coffee? It goes well with blueberry muffins."

Cassandra smiles a little. Soon outside, Sam and Kang-A-Ji are checking to see if Jasmine has woken up. Jasmine tells them to come in and points to Cassandra. After an awkward and brief greeting, they eat jasmine-made coffee and blueberry muffins. Towards the end of breakfast, Cassandra starts talking. 

"The reason I came here is because of my dad. I can't tell you everything right now, but I'll tell you what I can tell for now. The man in the hoodie you saw the day before was my dad. My dad and I are doing our job here. Dad didn't come home last night. Chin  goo and I have been looking through the mountain, but it doesn't seem that he is here. I'm afraid what the barbarians told me yesterday might be true. As you may have noticed to some extent from what you saw yesterday, our house and garden are unaffected by any threat or attack. That's the way we Simmani have traditionally been and it's our mission. The barbarians used my father as an excuse to persuade me to remove the shield. Broadly speaking, this shield is the last stronghold of this dimension. If my father and I fail to protect this shield and ethereal flowers and plants, especially the gold ethereal flowers, disappear or cease to exist, it will bring about a major change in the world. A big change that will shake the dimension. In this world, many dimensions are connected like cogs in a machine, and if a major problem occurs in one dimension, it can have a big impact on the whole universe. I wish I could go to the barbarian dimension right now and find my dad, but I can't. In order to protect this shield, there must be at least one Simmani here, and there is only my father and me here."

Tears welled up in Cassandra's eyes. Kang-A-Ji quietly takes the tissue and hands it to Cassandra.

"So I'm going to make this offer to you. Please find my dad and if you find him, please get him back safely." Cassandra pauses for a moment before continuing,

"If my dad returns safely, I'll give you gold ethereal flower you're looking for. I Promise."

Sam asks Cassandra,

"But where can we locate barbarian's dimension? And after moving to the barbarian dimension, how can we find where your father is?"

Cassandra asks,

"So are you accepting my offer?"

Sam, Jasmine, and Kang-A-Ji nod their heads. 

"Than Chin goo will be able to help you. Just a second."

Chin goo shows up. Everyone is surprised to see the dragon reappearing all of a sudden. Jasmine asks surprised,

"Are you telling us to go with this dragon?"

"This dragon is Chin goo, my friend. It has been with me all my life, it has protected me, and it will always be. Simmani each have their own Chin goo. Think of it as a guardian animal. Anyway, guardian animals can sense them each other, so if you arrive at barbarians, Chin goo will be able to communicate with my dad's Chin goo and know the location. Of course Chin goo won't do anything to harm you because it knows you're helping me. Most of all, you have to go with Chin goo then my dad will know that you are not his enemy and you are on my side."

Jasmine asks carefully,

"But may I ask what made you decide to trust us?"

"Well, I don't know exactly. It's just a feeling... I think we've shown a little bit of trust in each other. And that bracelet you all have...The Queen and my family have a history, but I don't think the Queen would agree with barbarians...