Chapter 72

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 72

Chapter Title: Festival - 1

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Looking back, there were hints I could have picked up on regarding the true purpose of the festival.

The day before it started, Deina had called me to her shop. By then, she had already heard about the nature of the commemoration day from Ellie.

"You're here? You came early—I was starting to think you wouldn't show."

"What... are you doing?"

"What else? Fitting clothes for you to wear. Don't just stand there gawking—come here."

Deina immediately started holding various outfits up against me, one after another.

There wasn't even the slightest chance for me to choose them myself.

"You haven't given a single thought to what you'll wear tomorrow, have you?"

"Well—"

"Yeah, yeah. The usual outfit that all looks the same to you? I could guess that without asking."

I preferred clothes that were comfortable and neat, so I owned multiple similar sets.

I hadn't even gotten my excuse out before she read my mind perfectly.

"It's a special day—don't you think dressing like always will do?"

"Won't I be the only one overdressed? Maybe I should just wear what I normally do."

"Last time you wore what I gave you, how was the reaction? Good, right? Then quit complaining and do as I say."

Of course, Ellie's reaction had been nothing short of glowing.

She didn't stop at saying it suited me—she even said it felt fresh because it was a different style from my usual.

But I thought the situations were different now.

That had been a private date between just the two of us, and Ellie had put equal effort into her own outfit.

I worried that standing out too much at a group festival like this might be overdoing it.

"Unnecessary worrying. Don't you want to show off a cool side to Ellie while you're at it?"

"True, but..."

"And Ellie will probably dress up a ton too. If you show up sloppily, she'll be disappointed."

I couldn't argue with Deina's fashion sense, so I had no choice but to comply.

Her methods bordered on strong-arming, but it wasn't like I couldn't afford it.

"Showing up in your usual getup would draw more stares, anyway."

"How do you know?"

"Sales have skyrocketed lately. What do you think that means?"

And the top sellers weren't even everyday wear.

The villagers were putting extra care into their outfits, treating the festival as a special occasion.

"Try this one on first."

"Don't tell me all those back there are for me to try too?"

"Obviously."

"Isn't this inhumanly excessive?"

"These are just the ones that didn't immediately clash. Quit whining and get changing."

I should have realized it then, from how she fussed over me more intensely than even on date prep day.

That the festival's focus was different from what I'd assumed.

Deina hadn't limited her efforts to me alone.

The comment that Ellie would come dressed up for the festival might not have been a guess—it could have been a subtle hint.

"Looks like Deina really came through on my request."

"Thanks to her, I changed into dozens of new outfits. Rough day."

I'd felt like a living mannequin.

Every time I changed, she'd shove another outfit into my hands, and the cycle repeated.

Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference on some of them.

Of course, my opinion wasn't needed—Deina filtered them with her hawk-like eyes and picked the best.

"Heh, you must have worked hard."

"What do you think? Worth the effort?"

"Yes. Perfect."

Ellie smiled in satisfaction, clearly approving of Deina's eye.

And so did I.

"What...? Nothing to say to me?"

"Hm?"

"You have to return compliments. I put in some effort today too..."

Ellie had a different vibe from usual as well.

She wouldn't wear something like this while working as a receptionist.

She was dressed up to enjoy the festival today.

I couldn't find the right words to describe her, so I blurted out the first that came to mind.

Times like this reminded me how lacking I was at describing things.

"Even if I asked for it, isn't that a bit too much? Just saying whatever?"

"But it's true. That's how I see it."

"Well, it does sound nice. 'Pretty'."

Maybe my blunt honesty appealed to her—she grinned widely.

"Then, shall we start enjoying the festival?"

"Shall we go?"

Ellie offered her hand.

I took it without hesitation, and we ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠walked along the street.

I received a small piece of paper.

It came from a square box.

A number was written on it, apparently.

"Want to open it?"

Mine had a 1.

"Is this the prize number?"

"Yes. Don't lose it until the festival ends."

Ellie got one too.

Having helped with preparations, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I already knew what prizes were up for grabs.

Not what number 1 corresponded to, though.

"Happy with the number?"

"Hard to say. Can't tell just from the number."

"But you have a feeling about it, right?"

Higher wasn't necessarily better, nor lower.

Draws were pure random, after all.

Still, if it was just a hunch...

"Feels decent."

"Oh? Got your favorite number?"

"Less that, and more... it doesn't seem middling."

As the first among many numbers, it felt better than something average.

Just a hunch, though.

"Ellie, what'd you get?"

"Nah, spoils the fun if I tell."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

She didn't peek at mine or reveal hers.

But her expression suggested it wasn't bad.

Just a hunch, though.

"It's my favorite number, so it feels good."

"Hoping for a specific prize?"

"Whatever it is, everyone wants the best one available."

I folded mine neatly and tucked it into my left pants pocket to avoid losing it.

The draw was in the festival's latter half—carrying it around openly would mean misplacing it eventually.

"No pockets in this outfit."

"Want me to hold it?"

I took hers and put it in my right pocket.

"No peeking."

"Don't worry. Safe and sound."

With numbers drawn, we could finally enjoy the festival proper.

We wandered the street stalls, filling up on food.

"Welcome! What can I get you?"

"Bell? You snagged a spot right up front?"

"Yes! Figured it'd draw more customers!"

Heat from the brazier wafted over.

Appetizing skewers sizzled atop it.

Bell was just a restaurant server, not an operator.

Too young and clumsy to run one solo.

But she loved serving food more than anyone.

She enjoyed delivering the head ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chef's dishes, but never passed up a chance to make her own.

So she was manning a stall alone this festival.

"I'll have this. What about you, Earthbound Spirit?"

"Same for me. Looks tasty."

"Right away!"

Perfect flavor for the cheap price.

Bell wasn't the restaurant's kitchen staff, but her cooking was unbelievably good.

"How is it?"

"Delicious. Good enough to sell regularly."

"Ahaha, I wish I could make food like this more often."

Bell looked genuinely happy.

"Thanks for staying in our village."

"..."

"It created opportunities like this..."

The village chief's words came to mind.

The village couldn't hold events for him.

I hadn't grasped it at first, but reflecting on the tower's mechanics made it clear.

In a space revolving around adventurers, non-adventurer events were restricted. It was familiar.

The quest itself proved the tower wanted adventurers as the focus.

Non-adventurer events shouldn't turn into quests like this.

"Today might as well be Earthbound Spirit's day, so enjoy it without regrets!"

"You have fun too, Bell."

"I will!"

The day I entered the tower.

If that sparked a festival everyone could enjoy, it was fine by me.

"Let's grab some of that too!"

"Fruit ground up inside bread?"

"Doesn't it look delicious?"

Ellie was delighted, and watching her made me happy too.

This was absolutely not a festival just for me.