The house felt quiet at night. Occasionally, the sharp call of a gecko broke the silence. Nana had already fallen asleep, while Sancaka spent his time drawing, waiting for his father to return home.
"Tono, you're finally home," his mother said. From his room, Sancaka could hear her greeting his father.
"I'm sorry, Sari. I came home too late," his father replied. "Are the children asleep?"
The moment Sancaka realized his father had returned, he stepped out of his room and hugged him tightly.
"My son, you're not asleep yet?" his father asked.
"I'm not sleepy yet," Sancaka answered cheerfully. He was relieved to see his father return safely. Earlier that evening, he had worried that some misfortune might have befallen him. The armor his father wore was still clean, without a single scratch.
At the dining table, Mother prepared dinner for her husband. Sancaka sat cross-legged beside his father. Seeing that Sancaka was still awake, she told him to go to bed, but he insisted he wasn't sleepy. She didn't push further. Before going to her room, she asked her husband to make sure Sancaka went to sleep soon.
His father ate rice and roasted duck with his right hand, illuminated by the soft glow of a candle in the center of the table.
"Mother's cooking is better," Sancaka said.
"It's always delicious. No one can compare," his father agreed.
"I was hoping she'd cook spicy chicken tonight," Sancaka added. He loved spicy food.
"Be grateful for the food on the table, son. Rejecting what is served is like throwing away the blessings the world has given you," his father said gently. "Now go to sleep. You have school tomorrow morning."
"I'm still not sleepy," Sancaka insisted. Then an idea appeared in his mind. "Tell me about your work today. After that, I'll go to sleep."
His father swallowed the last bite before answering. "Today I was assigned to patrol. The village was completely safe. No creatures tried to disturb it. If there had been trouble, I would have cut them down."
"If there was no trouble, you could have come home earlier," Sancaka said.
"Before heading back, I talked with the other knights. They said that tomorrow one of the Dharma heroes will be visiting our village."
Sancaka's smile widened instantly at the mention of the Dharma. "Really? The Dharma are coming here tomorrow?"
Seeing his son's excitement reminded him of Sancaka's dream of becoming one of them. "According to the message carried by the carrier pigeons, a Dharma will visit our village. We don't yet know the purpose."
"I want to see them. May I meet the Dharma?" Sancaka asked eagerly.
"You may not. Tomorrow you must attend school," his father replied firmly. He then told Sancaka to go to bed immediately. But Sancaka refused to sleep without permission to meet the Dharma. Once his father finished dinner, he took a candle and gently pulled Sancaka toward his room.
Even after reaching his bed, Sancaka persisted. "But I really want to meet the Dharma. I want to tell them that I will become a Dharma too and protect many people."
His father smiled warmly at those words. He was glad to see his son's spirit burn so brightly.
"To become a Dharma, you must first be diligent in school. All Dharma studied hard in their youth. Your ambition is admirable, Sancaka, but remember—education is important preparation for your future," his father said softly, then kissed Sancaka on the forehead.
He blew out the candle beside the bed and left the room.
For a moment, Sancaka stared up at the wooden ceiling. His thoughts drifted into dreams of becoming a Dharma, of saving countless lives. He imagined himself cutting down Kurawa to protect the innocent.
And with his mind filled with heroic fantasies, Sancaka finally fell asleep.