Chapter 68
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Anniversary - 2
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It started off well.
I'd chosen the person most likely to react positively as my first target, after all.
"Kuhuhu, good, you ask? Of course it's good! Now we have an excuse to all drink together!"
"Even without a festival, Raymond, you're always glued to your booze anyway."
"I've been getting the side-eye from my wife lately too. Maybe because I've been drinking non-stop recently..."
Raymond had no interest in anything else—his eyes were solely on the alcohol.
As the innkeeper, he didn't have extra work even during a festival, so he could just focus on enjoying himself.
"But what's this about a festival out of nowhere? The village doesn't usually do stuff like this, right? No traditions or anything left anymore."
"If this festival goes well, it might turn into a regular event from now on."
"That's great news. Personally, I'd love it if we had one every month."
"Do that, and the village funds would go bankrupt."
"I was just saying. Just saying."
There wasn't much else to say beyond announcing that a festival was coming up soon.
Nothing had been planned yet, after all.
"So I just have to sit around and wait?"
"If you want to help with preparations, you could go see the village chief. He said he's looking for hands."
"Khm, guess I can just wait it out."
"Your daily routine's plenty leisurely anyway—don't you want to spend some time for the village?"
"Agh, fine. I'll do it. Stop looking at me like that, both of you."
Raymond muttered to himself about forcing work on someone who wasn't feeling well.
I asked where it hurt, but his answer—hangover—drew a hollow laugh from me.
"Since I got no handiwork skills, I should at least ask for something like moving stuff around."
He hadn't enjoyed even a modest event, let alone a festival, in ages.
This one needed to be for the residents themselves, not for adventurers.
The village chief would plan the festival, but just sitting back and watching wouldn't yield good results.
Since it was for them, it had to include what they wanted.
"I know what the answer'll be, but for courtesy's sake—anything you absolutely want in the festival?"
"Obviously booze, and plenty of it. Oh, what about that thing?"
"Something besides booze?"
"You know, that... thing where..."
Raymond scratched his head, the idea clear in his mind but the words escaping him.
"You draw lots and give out prizes. Festivals need that stuff."
"You mean a raffle?"
"Yeah, that's it! Prizes!"
Ellie supplied the perfect term.
"What kind of prizes would you like?"
"That's for you guys to figure out. Where's the fun if you know what you're getting?"
"Hm... Got it."
The prizes would need some thought, but a raffle seemed like a solid idea.
It'd make for a nice event.
⋮
Deina's reaction was ambiguous.
"A festival?"
She echoed Ellie's explanation, but her hands kept moving.
Busy cutting fabric, it seemed.
"You wouldn't come up with a village event like that. Ellie, this was your idea, right?"
"How can you be so sure? It could be mine."
"No way. Nothing that flashy comes out of your head. You're just the slime-hunting type."
I couldn't see how my daily routine tied into festivals.
In truth, Ellie had brought it up first, so I had no ground to argue.
"So what kind of festival?"
"Huh?"
"There has to be a reason it came up suddenly. Something to celebrate?"
"No real reason—just a chance for the villagers to enjoy themselves—"
"Lend me your ear for a sec."
Ellie went over to Deina's side.
With one hand to her ear, she whispered something.
"Ah..."
"Got it now?"
"Yeah. I understand."
What had Ellie whispered?
It seemed the festival in preparation held some meaning I wasn't privy to.
She'd told the chief and Deina, but not me.
Was it something only they could understand from the days when the village still bore the name Luden?
Even when I pressed persistently, she showed no sign of telling me.
Instead, I asked Deina what she wanted for the festival.
"Hm... How about a performance?"
"A performance?"
"Singing, playing instruments—whatever. Festivals need performances."
"Anyone here who can play? And do we even have instruments to begin with?"
"That's on you to figure out. If you can't, whatever."
Given her personality, she'd said that, but she'd surely be disappointed if I didn't prepare one.
I'd have to find a way.
"You wouldn't know, but back in the day, bards used to come here often."
"Makes sense—a quiet village like this is perfect for wandering folk to hole up a few days."
"I never cared much for their tall tales. Epics? All exaggerated and twisted. Reality's always boring."
"..."
"Still, their music and singing were decent. They'd perform anytime there was an audience."
She added that the adults always fed the visiting bards, which was why, as a kid, Deina could beg for encores and they'd oblige every time.
"Performances... I'll see what I can do."
"Oh, and make sure you stop by here the day before the festival."
"Why?"
"Got something for you. Don't you dare skip it."
Ellie and I went around the village, meeting with residents here and there.
For most, we announced the festival date and asked if they had any wishes.
Thanks to that, the vague festival outline started taking shape.
Raymond wanted a raffle.
Deina wanted performances.
Ellie, who'd never drunk in front of me before, surprisingly insisted on booze.
Tiana wanted a swordsmanship tournament. Not sure if anyone's up for it.
We heard all sorts of other requests too.
A group feast, street food stalls, an exhibition, fireworks or floating lanterns.
Someone even wanted a dance party.
Resources for the festival were coming together smoothly.
Everyone who ran eateries said yes without hesitation when asked if they'd set up street stalls on the day.
Bell, especially—who'd been bored to death with no customers—was thrilled at the idea.
The tavern owner stepped up to provide supplies even before we asked, upon hearing about the festival prep.
"The reactions are better than expected."
"Worth preparing, right?"
"Yeah. Makes you wonder why they never did it before—it's going great so far."
The chief's worries were unfounded.
They weren't so poor that daily profits came first.
Even without outsiders, they'd happily eat and enjoy if they could do it themselves.
Above all, most were workaholics.
Including Ellie, the villagers showed that trait.
Unless new adventurers were entering the tower, there were no real customers besides fellow residents.
Yet they faithfully opened shop every day—I'd forgotten that.
They welcomed the extra work a festival would bring.
Whether helping as labor or enjoying as villagers, they could savor it fully.
"Now that I think about it, it's weird. No one hates it, yet there were no festivals—or any events—until now?"
"Not a single one since the tower... if my memory's right."
"At this rate, it's not like the chief didn't want to work."
"No way."
Come to think of it, what did the chief even do?
To conquer Floor 1, you needed his proof, so adventurers had to see him no matter what—a key resident.
As village head, he was overall responsible, and though hierarchy wasn't clear, his role paralleled the count on Floor 11.
Maybe because he wasn't visible on the surface, but it was hard to deny his role in the tower felt minor.
The village managed itself for the most part.
No one died or aged, so members and roles stayed fixed.
Last year's village and this year's ran fine by the same standards.
But if no events had happened...
"You've got your theories."
"...Yeah. He's no slacker."
When we proposed the festival, he didn't refuse and committed to it—far from lazy.
He even said he'd do his best, so he must have his reasons.
"Not many left."
"Who's remaining?"
"Gotta see the two guards. Delion might be sleeping, though?"
Ah, Koon's left.
I'd mistaken it after coming back from the forest for a request—he was already visited in my mind.
That was before talking festivals with Ellie, though.
"Koon's shift change with Delion's soon, so with luck, they might both be together."
"And the smithy too. Harman and Sylvia are there."
"..."
"That just leaves those four, right?"
"Today up to Koon and Delion, tomorrow for the rest. Running short on time."
"...Yeah? Sun's setting—rude to visit now."
Festival prep was going smoothly.
Fortunately.