'Damn, I can't sleep.' After I went up to the room, I stayed there until night, but when I lay down, I couldn't sleep at all. Through the window I could hear the voices of many people, the voices were also louder than normal, and this was making it difficult for me to sleep.
Lisandra didn't even seem to care, she was sleeping as if nothing was happening.
"The first day was not like that, is something happening today?" Maybe there would be a special event during the night, so everyone seemed to be more excited than usual.
Since I was unable to sleep, it would be good to take a look at what was going on, it can be something interesting.
I got up and went downstairs to the inn main room. The lights in the main hall were partially switched on, which gave the place a somewhat gloomy atmosphere. Some voices could be heard, so there were still people around.
I could also hear the voice of one of those adventurers, his group still seemed to be here, but he seemed even drunker than before.
Arriving at the room, I realized that the same group was still there, but only two were really awake, the other two were sleeping with their heads on the tables while they drooled.
"Hey, wake up, the time has come." One of the muscular men who were still awake woke the other two men and soon after they left the inn looking happy and excited about something.
"Noah? I thought you were already asleep, do you need anything?" As I watched the men leave, Sara came over and started to talk to me gently.
"There's a lot of noise outside, so I couldn't sleep."
"Then that's it..."
"Taking advantage of you being here, answer me one thing. Is there any reason why everyone should be so excited? Yesterday things seemed calmer." I asked Sara and waited for an answer, but she seemed a little bewildered by my question.
"Hm? Don't you know about the Supplicium Ceremony?"
"I've never heard of it before, and I also don't remember reading about it ..."
"Didn't your parents even tell you about it before they sent you to this place?"
"They didn't say anything, can you tell me what it is? By the name, I can already imagine that it's some kind of ceremony, is it some kind of religious thing?"
"That's not it, as I can explain. You know that there are criminals who receive the death penalty, don't you?"
"Yes, I know about that." It was also quite common in my old world, so does this ceremony involve executions?
"So, usually a big ceremony is held annually during the fair, where some prisoners chosen by the king are executed."
"I see, execution of prisoners. But does it happen in public?"
"That's right, so it's better not to go to the ceremony, it may be a little too disgusting for you, understand?" Well, I wouldn't think it was disgusting, but I think the way they treat things here is a little too radical.
I've never heard of public execution in my old world, not in the middle of a big festival like this. The few cases I heard of were very dangerous criminals who were killed in front of the population to alleviate people's fear.
But I confess that I never saw any execution.
"I get it. But if it's public execution, something that would be disgusting and brutal for most people, why do they look so happy? Even you look happy."
"Me? I'm not happy as you say. And why are people happy you say? Well, usually the people who are executed are dangerous criminals or have done really horrible things, so most people are satisfied to see their deaths. "
"Then that's it.."
"But I confess that I never really liked it, I end up feeling sick when I see a lot of blood."
"Well, I think I can understand you."
"Now I have to help clean the kitchen, go back to your room and try to sleep again, in a little while the noise should decrease, okay?"
"Right good night."
"Goodnight." Saying goodbye, Sara entered the kitchen and I continued in the room thinking about what she had told me.
If what she said is correct, then it works the same as I said, only the most dangerous prisoners would be executed in public, but I don't remember people being so happy with the execution of other peoples.
"Would it be nice to have a look?" I'm curious and my sleep has disappeared, I think it's okay to go out for a while.
######
Even though I felt bad for cheating Sara, I went out the front door of the inn. Since she was inside the kitchen, Sara didn't try to stop me. Nobody seemed to want to stop me, but when I went outside and started following the crowd, I got a lot of strange looks.
"Hey, what is a brat doing here, is everything really okay?"
"He must have just lost his mother, leave him alone."
"But he is going towards the ceremony, is it really a good idea to let that happen?"
"Who cares, he will participate in that in the future anyway, won't he?"
"I still think we should stop this .." I was beside two men, they were talking about me without caring that I was listening, and like Sara, they seemed concerned.
But I'm sorry to disappoint you, I'm not going to be disgusted with a little blood.
I continued walking with some people, the place was even more crowded with people. It was even difficult to walk, but as I was small, I managed to move among people in some way.
Everyone was smiling, as if it was the happiest moment of their lives, and some did not look happy, but just irritated or emotionless.
"What happens in this ceremony besides executions? I can't believe that people act that way during an execution." I started to advance even more among people, and even with difficulty, I started to notice some different things.
The food stalls were gone, so the space in the square was even bigger, a lot more people were here.
And the closer I got to the center, the clearer the vision of some kind of rectangular stage that had been placed in the same place as the fountain was. I don't know if they removed the fountain or it was under the stage, but it was gone.
But only the stage was there, no one was on it. However, people seemed to be waiting anxiously for something that was going to happen.
Lowering myself and passing under the legs of some people while almost dragging myself on the ground, I managed to get to the front line, I had the perfect view of the stage.