Chapter 293
Chapter 293
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 293
Chapter Title: A Brief Festival #2
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The first thing that came to mind was last night.
Hassan said he was turning in, so we had a girls-only pajama party—! Everyone, pull out the snacks you brought!
It's girls' time only...!
Sure, having the wide room all to myself was nice, but it felt just like being on a school trip where everyone else is off in other rooms having a blast, and I'm stuck alone in an empty one watching TV until I fall asleep.
So even lying in bed, sleep wouldn't come.
Wow, Hippolyte, your pajamas are so cute. You always wear armor, but you sleep in something this adorable.
Before I knew it, the lively chatter of the women had lodged itself vividly in my ears.
Maybe the walls were thin, or the architecture was shoddy, but their voices carried over clearly, and I ended up eavesdropping without meaning to.
So, I mixed cherry blossom petals with henna to paint my nails! The color's nice, right? It's pink like my hair. Even Hassan said it was pretty.
Indeed, Knox Dottie, it matches your hair perfectly. And Hassan called it pretty, you say—.
No, this is my color, so you can't steal it! Hippolyte, you do brown! You have brown hair!
No, brown nails just look like they're caked in dirt—not pretty at all. Anyway, Elfriede, was it? You're awfully quiet. Say something.
I'm sleepy.
Gnomes must have a weakness at night, it seems...!
What? Even with those short ears—.
Lu, Luna-ma'am, the gnome's pulling my ears...! At this rate, my ears'll grow and I'll turn into a gnome too...!
Damn, it was so noisy I couldn't sleep. Still, I tried. Then I overheard a question.
Luna, right? How's a cute girl like you dating a guy like Hassan?
Probably Elfriede. My sleepiness vanished in an instant, and I found myself listening intently to the conversation drifting over.
He's handsome!
N-no, Luna-ma'am, that's not it...!
Right, it's not about looks. Hassan's soul is the handsomest of all. When he dies, he'll become an amazing constellation.
A handsome soul? Knox Dottie, you say the strangest things sometimes. Is that a voodoo priestess's insight?
Honestly, I don't know. Can't explain it well. It just... happened somehow.
That's a pretty vague answer.
I don't wanna talk about it anymore. What about you, Hippolyte—.
What? Me? Why am I coming up?
You like a guy too, Hippolyte. You keep changing your earrings and trying new makeup styles. What's to like about him?
....
Hippolyte likes a guy.
Is it me?
Sure, it could be my imagination, but given the circumstances, who else could it be? Of course, she might've taken a liking to someone else in the meantime.
She's a high-ranking adventurer who gets hit on constantly by nobles and elite adventurers, after all.
Heart pounding a little, I strained to listen, but Hippolyte never answered.
Now, sitting side by side by the fire, I asked her that question.
“Hippolyte, what about me caught your eye—?”
“What do you mean?”
“Ah— well, just what it sounds like. You're exceptional in so many ways, so why that night with me...”
I trailed off tactfully. A seasoned woman like her would get it.
Crackle, crackle—.
The bonfire popped loudly.
Amid the chatter and music, I tensed, waiting for words from those slightly parted lips.
Maybe it was the booze or the fire's heat, but her face seemed redder than usual.
“Ah—.”
After a long silence, Hippolyte finally spoke.
“So that's what it feels like—. Yeah, no easy answer comes to mind. I don't know. That's my honest reply. Maybe there wasn't a reason at all.”
“...I see.”
“I'm not gonna tack on some lame excuse. I did it because I wanted to. I wanted it, so I went for it. Isn't that enough?”
Her response hit me like a smack to the head. What a tomboy. No, tomwoman.
She's the total opposite of someone like me, who overthinks everything. As I admired that, she spoke again.
“Alright then, Hassan. Let me ask you something.”
Her sudden hesitation felt out of character for that tomwoman vibe, putting me on edge. What was she gonna ask?
“Say, just hypothetically. If some guy fell for me. What do you think the reason would be? M-maybe my status? Gold-tier adventurer and all...”
Oh, that's easy. No need to agonize.
“Because you're pretty and busty.”
“I see.”
*
*
*
“Alright, now we'll summon the brazier dragon. Villagers, gather around the brazier like we used to—.”
The next morning.
At Village Chief Gardman's words, the villagers formed a ring around the massive brazier. They joined hands and began spinning.
The two rings of people swaying irregularly left to right, right to left, made my eyes play tricks on me. My brain felt twisted. Elfriede, watching beside me, murmured quietly.
“It's a summoning circle.”
“Summoning circle?”
“Their movements and the central brazier act like a magic array. So that's how they summon dragons—.”
Arms crossed, Luna piped up excitedly.
“It looks like the moon-gazing dance! Back in Ideophe, the sisters do that on Moon-Gazing Mountain, holding hands and spinning!”
I pictured pink-haired girls in twin tails, hands linked, twirling under a giant full moon.
Pink—. Moon-Gazing Mountain—. A vague sense of déjà vu flickered, then vanished as a massive flag-like flapping snapped me alert.
A huge shadow loomed over us, too big for this early hour.
Flap— flap—.
Insignificant mortals summoning Vesta's apostles at dawn? Fine, what's the errand? Per my pact with Goddess Vesta, I'll grant a simple wish.
It was a goddamn enormous dragon. As big as the fire dragon from the cave, it landed in the village center with wings spread wide. Unlike yesterday's, this one was a clear, cool blue. Refreshing.
“It's an adult. Around five hundred years old, I'd say.”
I looked up at Elfriede's words. No clue.
“How do you tell?”
“Five horns on its head. They grow one per century, they say.”
“Ah, got it.”
Then Paranoya shouted.
“I'm hungry, so candy would be nice...!”
What? You use this once-a-decade brazier dance to summon this noble self, just for candy? My pride as Isvaron won't allow it. Denied.
This pest.
We nearly blew our dragon wish on Paranoya's stupid candy. To punish her, I lightly smacked her head.
Thwack—.
“Eek—!”
She clutched her head, yelping in exaggerated pain. Half acting, probably.
Speak your wish. This Isvaron is busy.
The dragon growled, flashing its huge fangs.
Even knowing it wasn't evil, its bull-devouring maw terrified the villagers.
Look, a real dragon.
The legend of summoning dragons with brazier flames is true. I thought it was just grandpa tales.
Amazing....
Even for Dragonscale villagers, this must be rare. They say it's once every ten years, so yeah, novel for the young ones.
Village Chief Gardman spoke.
“Pointy-eared fairy lady, in thanks for saving the brazier and village. We offer you the wish.”
All eyes turned to Elfriede. She blinked up at the dragon.
“U-um, could you give us a ride—?”
It sounded like a shy girl's confession.
Pretty much was. I already knew yesterday how much she loves dragons. Of course she'd be thrilled to ride one.
What? You dare, puny mortal, ask to ride my back?
“...”
Elfriede's face stiffened. Gasps of dismay rose from the crowd.
They hadn't expected such a fierce retort.
Fully grown dragons are proud, she said; they don't let just anyone ride.
Ah, day's wasted.
As disappointment set in, the dragon's maw opened with a thunderous roar.
Very well. That's the pact with Vesta.
What the—?
But riding's out of the question.
What now? I felt like a clown lost mid-routine, brain tangled. The crowd murmured.
So I asked.
“What exactly are you saying?”
Oh, an amusing one. Your name?
“Hassan.”
Juvenile Hassan. Regrettably, you're unqualified. Only immortal gods may mount or stand above us dragons.
“So you'll fly us to Delphi or not?”
I don't mind you lot underneath. Thus, I'll carry you in my claws.
Isvaron, huh. Flip-floppy bastard. I'd been scared stiff, but picturing it as a giant cat made sense.
Idiot.
That thought vanished when it scooped up our wagon in its four claws.
Flap, flap—.
Weird dude, but the strength befitting centuries was real.
“Come back through when heading to Sodomora—!”
“See ya, Stream Water Nymph—!”
We waved briefly to the people below.
I wasn't sentimental, but Paranoya and Luna, who'd had fun at the festival, kept waving until they looked like black ants.
“Neat brazier and fun village. They gave us heaps of mushrooms! Local ones. Delicious raw!”
“A place that cherishes nymphs...! As expected, no bad folk among the brazier faithful...!”
But soon the lofty blue sky and shrinking mountains erased the regret.
Brazier village, dragon, weird sword, festival. So much had our heads spinning we'd barely noticed—we were flying.
“Hassan, look! Sodomora down there!”
I peered out the wagon's window at Luna's words.
Sure enough, a city with tall walls and dense buildings sprawled in the distance.
“So tiny! Like an anthill!”
“Feels like I could squash it with a finger right now...!!”
Luna and Paranoya nailed it. The city where we'd bled and sweated looked so small.
Down there, tiny folk must be frowning and yelling over their tiny dramas.
It made all my past struggles seem trivial, almost funny.
“Cool.”
My honest awe slipped out.
I'd been glum about cramming into this wagon for a month, but now I felt great.
Rivers flowing by, forests, bizarre rock mountains, vast plains ahead—.
This was the world I'd fallen into.
Finally seeing it pieced together the puzzle in my head.
This is where I've been living.
Someone said.
“This must be the view from the lofty Hypnos gods. Even I've never seen the like. Gives me chills.”
“Dragons fly higher than clouds. We're soaring between clouds and stars.”
Probably Hippolyte and Elfriede.
Do the gods, dwelling in sky-high mountains, always behold such vistas? Enviable.
Seeing this daily would make anyone feel divine.
Grab hold. Accelerating now.
And so we flew toward the gods' city of prophecy, Delphi.
“Ah—! This scene... I remember dreaming it...! Hassan-ma'am, looking at the sky all happy, petting my head and giving candy...!”
“Don't lie.”