The Snowflower Festival (4)

Once the audience with the Imperial Princess was over, Arina and Isabella did as they always did this time of year — sweeping their eyes across the festival grounds for any hint of trouble.

Specifically, they were scanning for signs that Karsein had caused some fresh disaster.

It was hard not to suspect. Causing a scene at every single festival had practically become his routine.

"The atmosphere does seem rather restless. Where has everyone gone off to?"

"Mother. Over there."

"Ah. There's Karsein."

Amid the bustle, Karsein stood quietly leaning against one of the windows, scribbling something in a notebook.

"People's attention is certainly drawn to him... but it seems he hasn't stirred up any trouble today, thankfully."

"Phew. So it would seem."

Nothing had happened. Isabella let out a sigh of relief.

"Mother!"

Just then, Flora came running up to the two of them, with Claire strolling along behind her.

"Claire. Where have you been... Aigoo. You were with Imperial Princess Arcien again, weren't you? I gave you that look telling you to keep watching her, and yet."

"...Nothing happened. So we're done here, right?"

"Did nothing *really* happen? Your expression looks a little off."

"Oh, come on, Arina! I wasn't the only one standing there. Right, Flora?"

"Huh? Uh-huh."

The moment Flora chimed in, Arina's narrowed eyes finally returned to normal.

"Well, true enough. If there had been a problem, this place would already be in chaos."

Claire either having been thrown out of somewhere with a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠handprint still stinging on her cheek, or Imperial Princess Arcien having walked out to observe — since neither had happened, Arina was satisfied.

"At this rate... I'd say we can safely reward him once we return home."

"Heh heh. That child really has matured, hasn't he?"

"Th-that...!"

"What is it, Claire?"

Claire flinched like a guilty thief caught red-handed, searching for the right words.

But she couldn't bring herself to say them.

"N-nothing! Forget it — let's just go have fun already!"

Only at Claire's urging did the ducal family finally gather Karsein and set out into the festival grounds.

Isabella. Arina. Claire. Flora.

And last of all came Karsein, trailing behind.

Bringing up the rear, following the four of them, he was thinking something else entirely.

'Running the Snowflower Festival episode... yeah. Might as well take this chance to rack up as much intimacy as I can.'

He was already preparing for whatever situations might unfold as the festival went on.

Even though it was still fairly early, the market had already opened its doors — the festival preparations had long since been finished.

"The market looks a lot bigger this year, doesn't it?"

"It does. Even at a glance, it's grown compared to last year."

This year's Snowflower Festival had expanded to nearly twice the scale of the previous one.

The tribute lines of nobles waiting to pay their respects to the royal family played their part, of course, but the bountiful autumn harvest born of several new inventions had swelled the streets exponentially.

Chattering merchants and townsfolk.

Soft glowing lanterns ready to light up the coming night.

The warmth of the evening market made it all too clear why this street was called festival row.

'Hm... Still, it's true that the food and the sights are plentiful.'

The festival's foreignness — so different from the festivals of his past life — had stirred a flicker of curiosity in him after all.

'Doesn't the episode require me to actually enjoy the festival?'

If not, then perhaps this would be the perfect time to rest — a chance to set aside the complicated mess of feelings he'd been carrying.

"Wahaha—! It's a festival, a festival!"

"Flora, what if you trip and fall running around like that?"

"I won't fall! Come on, let's look at more stuff. There's SO much fun-looking stuff!"

Flora, who had been sulking the whole way here, now dashed through the festival streets with a bright, unguarded smile.

Her two older sisters chased after the youngest, insisting she couldn't be left to run wild.

Watching her daughters race ahead, Isabella smiled a gentle, motherly smile — then turned her eyes to Karsein beside her, and her expression sobered at once.

To that son, she finally voiced something she had never once spoken aloud before.

"Last year, I didn't come to see the Snowflower Festival either, Karsein."

A festival where everyone was joyful.

An annual event hosted by the royal family, a day meant for young and old, men and women alike.

And yet last year. And the year before that.

Every single time the Snowflower Festival came around, Isabella had refused to attend.

Karsein saw through her intent at once and answered.

"Because I wasn't there?"

"Yes. How could I go enjoy a festival when you weren't able to enjoy it yourself?"

Isabella looked from Karsein to each of the three daughters in turn as she continued.

"Claire's measures were rather excessive, I'll admit. However much trouble you caused, placing you under a Confinement Order that forbade you from even attending the festival — that was too far. But no matter how hard I tried to lift it, with Arina joining in on the decision, I couldn't stop them."

The truth was she had wanted to come with him too — not just the three daughters, but with him as well.

That because he wasn't there, she hadn't come to see the festival at all.

That she had even tried to sneak him out of his confinement, alone as he was.

Isabella laid out her own quiet struggles, wearing a faintly bitter expression.

And then Karsein spoke up, blunt and direct.

"It was my fault, after all."

"Hm?"

"I did wrong, so I was duly punished. Did you think I'd hold a grudge over that?"

"...I thought you *might* hold one. But I never thought that grudge would be undeserved."

What she had really wanted to say was — that having the whole family together at the festival like this, for once, truly made her happy.

But.

"Then there's no problem, is there. Let's catch up before we drift further apart."

Those words would have to wait for another day.

"Mother! When are you coming?"

"At this rate, we'll have seen everything ourselves!"

"Karsein, you hurry up too!"

"Coming. I'm coming."

Though his daughters' urging kept him from saying all he wished, Isabella watched Karsein's back as he walked away and quietly resolved herself.

This festival, she would not leave him lonely on the sidelines.

This year's Snowflower Festival had earned the word greatest for good reason.

As they strolled the streets, curiosities began catching the eye — regardless of rank, age, or gender.

Groucho glasses that turned anyone into a bumbling fool, drawing gales of laughter.

The scent of dishes made from exotic regional delicacies, tickling the nose on its own.

The classic festival staples — dart throws and archery with prizes on the line — were starting to come into view.

Arina singled out one of them.

"Oh. I don't think this one was here last year."

"Sharp eye, my lady! We've completely revamped last year's model!"

"Might I hear an explanation?"

The man's face lit up as he began his pitch.

It was a game where you rolled a ball up two foot-pedals connected by a handle, launching it into the air, then kept hitting targets to rack up the highest score possible.

However, traps were hidden all over the field — if the ball fell into one, it was lost, and if you failed to control your strength and it bounced too wildly, that was a foul and the game ended on the spot.

'Huh. That visual does look awfully familiar.'

And a game with a prize on the line?

No need to even look. The choice would pop up right about now.

-Ding!

'Well, there it is.'

A wry smile escaped him as the progress window appeared exactly as he'd predicted.

Meanwhile, Arina had taken an interest and turned to her sisters.

"Shall we try it before we move on?"

"Agreed!"

"Me too, me too!"

"Mother, you'll join us as well, won't you?"

"Heh heh. I suppose I shall."

And then the last one.

I gave an indifferent nod.

In the meantime, Flora had spotted the prize — her eyes gleaming at the sight of an enormous teddy bear. The family caught that look immediately, and they all began eyeing the prize with longing.

"How much is the entry fee?"

"Ten pecels for one attempt, my lord."

"Oh, that's quite cheap, isn't it? Then I just need to get the knack of it—"

"Ahh, no can do! Noble or not, you only get three attempts, and three attempts only."

The man hurriedly explained.

Claire objected that it seemed awfully stingy, but when he said it was for the sake of the next customer in line, she reluctantly accepted it.

Arina played the game first.

Since she had been the one to show interest, she moved the handle carefully, testing the bounce of the ball —

"Oh dear! It's fallen straight into a hole!"

"Harder than it looks, isn't it? Here, I'll pay for one more try."

"Ahh! From your second attempt onward, there's a little condition, you see!"

"Pardon?"

Grinning, the man pulled something out from right beside him.

A fishcake skewered on a wooden stick.

But its appearance was oddly, aggressively red — one look told you that a single bite would set your whole mouth ablaze.

"So I have to eat *that* to try again?"

"Indeed. If the game could simply be bought with money, it would be monopolized by the wealthy, wouldn't it?"

"Oho. Fair point. It does teach you to be more careful with the ball, too."

"You're quick, my lady. Consider it the price of your carelessness."

"For a penalty, it seems a bit trivial, though."

Arina bit into the fishcake without a second thought — and only then understood just how precious a second chance in this game truly was.

"I-I've finished it all... so I'm good now, right?"

"Yes. The fee remains the same, ten pecels."

And after that, she lost her chance again.

Arina considered another attempt, then gave up. Wiping the sweat streaming down her forehead with a handkerchief, she went off and bought herself a sherbet — in this freezing weather.

Next, Claire paid and took her turn, determined to score. And sure enough, that hotheaded temperament of hers tripped her up completely.

The ball couldn't withstand her violent strike on the handle and went flying clean out of the field.

"Tch, I'll just eat the thing! Flora, watch closely — your sister's winning you that bear for sure!"

"C-Claire, you shouldn't just eat that! It's stronger than it looks...!"

"How spicy could it possibly be? Honestly."

The moment Claire, who had been sneering at it, took a single bite, the color of her face began turning redder than her own hair. This was honestly quite entertaining to watch — deeply satisfying, even.

Claire won her next attempt and started the game again, but obviously no one performs at their peak in that condition. Soon Arina was back with another sherbet, and even after forcing herself through attempt after attempt — eating fishcake each time — it was hopeless.

And finally, Flora.

She had no dexterity to speak of either.

"Flora. Perhaps it's better if you don't eat that, dear?"

Isabella asked worriedly.

It was only natural — her two older daughters could laugh it off, but the youngest daughter was another matter entirely.

"But... I really want to keep playing this game."

"Sigh. My, my. How about this — I'll pay double the price, so could you make an exception for her?"

"My sincerest apologies, my lady. If this game could be corrupted with money, the prize would lose all meaning."

What would happen if the rules of this game could simply be bought?

The nobles would shatter the policy and monopolize it. A game meant for everyone to enjoy together would be reduced to nothing more than a plaything for the rich.

From that man's standpoint, the rule could never — ever — be broken.

And precisely because of that, this was an opportunity for someone.

"I can eat that fishcake in your place, can't I?"

"Karsein?"

Having appeared out of nowhere after standing quietly in the back, I was met with the family's startled eyes.

"Each person gets three attempts. There was never any mention of the fishcake ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one must eat to *earn* the next attempt."

"Oho. Well reasoned. However, I'm afraid I can't allow attempts to be transferred that way."

"Quite right. So instead, let's deduct them from *my* attempts. How does that sound?"

The troubled man thought long and hard, then decided this much could be permitted — and held out the fishcake.

Huh. So this counts as an item?

Though, interesting — it doesn't say it's dangerous at all.

Without giving it much thought, I bit into the fishcake.

Chew, chew.

"H-hey! Karsein, that thing is insanely spicy! If you can't handle it, you should just...!"

"I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠suppose I'd better fetch another sherbet. No — should it be milk instead?"

Huh.

It's not even that spicy.

"A-are you all right? There's lava flowing through your mouth right now, you know!"

"If it's too much, spit it out. Here — we've prepared a place for you to do just that."

"I'm fine."

-Gulp.

Right in front of the two sisters, I made a show of swallowing what was in my mouth.

After all, back in Korea I'd handled spicy instant cup ramen without breaking a sweat.

Heck, back when I worked part-time jobs, I'd even eaten fiery tteokbokki as a punishment game. Maybe that's why — this thing barely registered as spicy at all.

Anyway, they'd said I had to finish the whole thing to earn the attempt, so I popped the rest into my mouth in one go.

Arina and Claire were staring at me like I'd lost my mind.

-Ding!

'Ugh. Why does the Status Window have to spout such crap?'

My whole body was cringing. Moved? What kind of nonsense is that?

I'm just trying to raise intimacy, that's all. Even if the real Karsein were standing here, would he think like that?

Still, the intimacy going up — that, I liked.

If it could always rise this easily, I couldn't ask for anything better.

A little while later.

-Thud. Pitter-patter.

"Ah..."

"Argh, so close! One more step to the left and you had it!"

Even after burning through all three of her attempts, Flora failed to win the teddy bear she'd set her heart on. All she walked away with was a single fox-shaped candle.

"..."

"My lady, better luck next time. I'll make it up to you with something even more fun then, all right?"

The man soothed the disappointed Flora with gentle words.

But her heart clearly wasn't in it — her gaze kept drifting back toward the teddy bear.

And at that very moment.

-Ding!

The Status Window had thrown out an Emergency Mission.

'...This game. Back when I played it, there was no way to clear it at all.'

I'd tried my hardest on every retry, but the prize was simply unwinnable.

So even when the system dangled intimacy as a bonus reward, at some point I'd just given up and moved on.

But.

"Three attempts per person — doesn't that mean I still have one left?"

Taking on the challenge myself, in this body — wouldn't that be worth a shot?

Having been quietly feeling out my odds from the sidelines, I made the offer to the man.