Chapter 88

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 88

Chapter Title: Festival - End

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Only after doing it did ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the embarrassment come rushing in.

Until our breaths drew close, I never imagined Ellie would take such a bold step.

My body felt rigid.

"S-say something. Don't make it awkward..."

"...".

"Was it bad by any chance?"

Attaching the pretext of a "request" to her true feelings—it was the most Ellie-like way.

She'd borrowed courage from the alcohol right before sobriety kicked in, melting into the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠atmosphere under the fireworks.

Requests must be precise.

Goal, reward, precautions—all of it.

I counted to ten silently in my mind and waited.

I even followed the precaution to close my eyes.

The reward of happiness..., I received it properly.

If you complete a request, the announced reward has to come through, right?

I learned once again just how simple people can be.

The frustration and hopelessness from moments ago? Hard to even remember now.

Every time I saw the residents enjoying the festival, I'd felt proud of this plan.

And right now, in this moment, I didn't regret starting it one bit.

She just stares intently, lips sealed.

"It-it was the alcohol. If you didn't like it..., sorry for forcing it."

"I'm not drunk."

"Of course. Only I was─ mmph!"

I decided to show my answer with action, not words.

Approaching distance.

Round eyes.

Receding distance.

Puckered lips.

I seal Ellie's mouth as she blames the booze.

Focusing on sight over sound, as expected, only sensation lingers at the end.

I didn't need any help from alcohol.

My actions now had nothing to do with the booze.

And since this wasn't request-related, no need to ask if she'd accept or reject.

With eyes open, her flustered expression filled my view completely.

Was it the red fireworks bursting overhead? Her face looked utterly crimson in the glow.

"A-are you crazy?"

"Was it bad by any chance?"

"N-no, it was good..., but at least say something first next time!"

Ellie clutched her face with both hands.

Small hands hiding the heat, only her eyes peeking through the fingers.

"I-I was surprised..."

I was pretty surprised too, so we're even.

"But seeing you do it too, Earthbound Spirit didn't hate it either, huh?"

"It was good. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Too good to put into words."

"...Want to do it again?"

Ellie narrows her eyes slightly.

She leans forward like sending a signal.

And a finger taps my shoulder.

A finger tapping from the opposite side—not Ellie's direction.

"Um... I didn't want to interrupt. How long are you two gonna keep that up?"

"Eek! D-Deina? You were watching?"

"How far apart are you? Of course I saw."

Deina halted our actions.

Ellie started burying her face even deeper in her sleeves at the thought of an audience.

"You're not ghosts who died unkissed—how many times back-to-back? Your lips'll wear out."

"Usually you're nagging me to express more."

"Not this kind of expression... whatever. Progress is progress."

Deina's slowly descending gaze halted midway.

"More importantly, you—hands off Ellie's waist. How far you planning to go in public?"

I return my hand from Ellie's waist.

Ellie's hand slips slowly from my shoulder.

"Better get a room together after. Not here."

"W-what?! G-get a room...?!"

"Sigh, you frustrating idiots..."

Deina glared at us alternately, curses slipping in.

There was a reason Deina butted in.

The sky was spotless—no twinkles left.

A proper night sky should brim with moon and stars, but here it was like black paper draped over.

The fireworks were done.

People's eyes had been skyward—that's how we'd gotten away with it. Keep groping without realizing? Total embarrassment.

If Deina hadn't stopped us, festival-goers would've shifted from fireworks to our makeout.

"Alcohol's scary stuff, huh?"

"Thanks for the timely save. Lost track of my surroundings."

"Ha... Should've gotten him drunker? Alcohol really is the answer?"

Deina stared blankly at Delion's empty spot.

"Some bust their asses all day and end up alone, while you clowns flirt even half-assed. My life..."

"...".

"Bet you still won't go all the way. Frustrating me to death."

Deina was more unhinged than us.

"Do we look frustrating?"

"You've known each other how long, and affection's only now? Can't wrap my head around it."

"That took huge resolve..."

She hadn't gotten payback for her day's work.

Pretty outfit prepped, fresh topics nonstop to kill silences, drank enough beside him.

Not Deina's fault—the situation sucked.

Delion in plain clothes, answering questions but not extending chats.

His mood wasn't fixable by others playing matchmaker.

Couldn't relax into the festivities.

"Fine. You two at least stay happy, not lonely."

"...".

"Nice to see. Don't clam up awkward tomorrow—speak your feelings so they know."

Not mere friend spat; rooted in raw hostility toward Sua.

Only one-sided Deina stays frustrated.

"Earthbound Spirit."

Ellie latched onto Deina's advice, sidling close to my shoulder.

Ellie in this pose usually means a whisper next.

"Anyway, I claimed you first, so no eyeing others from now on. Got it?"

Always the same script, yet never braced.

Blushing but blurting wants anyway—drives you mad.

Sua completed her role and returned.

"Phew, flexed my skills for the first time in ages."

She stowed her briefly drawn staff back in sub-space.

Lately sword-hunting even; no prolonged precise spellwork like this.

Recent stuff: guard-duty summons, match-cheat mini-spells.

Flaunting her fire-magic trademarks? Long overdue.

"How was it? Worth the trust?"

"Flashy."

"That's it? Gimme more."

Sua, praise-hungry from the grind, awaited my words.

Pondering praise, Ellie jumped in.

"Thanks to you, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠we had a blast. Fireworks against the night sky set a perfect mood."

"...Aha. Did they?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

Sua squinted.

Mouth smiling—but no natural curve.

"So you two had fun while I slaved away?"

"...".

"Me busting ass again—is this why you begged me?"

"Sua. Those fireworks? Coolest magic I've ever─."

"Keep talking. Let's test if burning mouths still speak."

Tempering dips hot then cold, they say.

My mood: that metal.

Both sides smiling—temps polar.

Festival raced to close after.

Last up: drawings.

Raymond's suggestion slotted final.

Numbered slips drawn at kickoff, prizes claimed last.

In event order, all goals bar draw fulfilled.

My number: 1.

Announcer calls 1, step up, claim prize.

Quest "Festival for Adventurers" done.

"Fruit basket winner..., number 12!"

"Oh! I won!"

"Instructor! Congrats!"

Quests have a quirk: no timers anywhere.

"Next, even I want this—potion shop voucher! Courtesy of the owner."

"Five uses? Solid prize."

"Number..., 19?"

"Huh? That's me?"

"Potion boss gets potion voucher? Ha!"

Ellie's "Slime Extermination"? Reset daily.

Paper request trashes on fail post-day, but quest lingers.

Redo same next day? Picks up prior.

Take that "Lazy Ice King Slime."

I took request, but Sua solos it solo?

No monster left unmet—quest stalls incomplete.

Yet doesn't vanish.

Instead, same spawns quick.

Tower keeps completion viable somehow once spawned.

"Final one! Number 1!"

"...?"

"No 1? Weird? Counted heads."

All numbers but mine drawn.

Prizes big, small claimed.

"Last call—only unclaimed prize holder. Wait, I remember Earthb─."

"Nah. Why chase someone who forgot their own number?"

"Then what of this prize?"

"Village head'll hold it."

"You want it, head?"

Village head: lifetime savvy shows in street smarts.

Nicely cut announcer off.

But couldn't dodge Ellie's query beside him.

"Last number's Earthbound Spirit, right? You got nothing."

"Ellie, want more festivals next time?"

"Obviously!"

Not from lazy head—no prior events.

"Can't run adventurer-unrelated self-fests willy-nilly. Outside tower bounds."

Tower rules, that's all.

So tower can't bind head from "my festival" repeats.

Till this quest clears.

"Do it next year too. This festival."

Failed quest-end here, so festivals must recur.

This rigid tower might nix even "commemorative" ones next year.

I need insurance too.