Chapter 176: Those Who Enjoy the Festival and Those Who Cannot
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 176: Those Who Enjoy the Festival and Those Who Cannot
Pshhhhh— Boom!
Pshhhhh— Bang!
Fireworks exploded in the sky.
"This isn't just any American hot dog! These sausages were grilled using fire-type skills specifically authorized for cooking! Behold, the Awakened Hot Dog! Get them while the veggies are fresh! Best taste guaranteed!"
"Burgers, burgers! Forget your average burgers, forget franchise burgers! We’re selling Victory Hamburgers, available only at Victory Academy. From the buns to the meat, everything is 100% handmade and organic—we grew it all ourselves!"
"Step right up! Take your pick! A high-speed roulette spinning at 150 km/h! Hit the jackpot and get one million won on the spot!!! Put your money where your mouth is!"
"Cold drinks, lemonade for sale! Cold drinks, lemonade for sale!"
"3:30 PM! There’s a musical performance at Victory Hall at 3:30 PM! Please come and watch!"
"Come taste Holyscream, the sacred ice cream made by Paladins~"
"Curious about what a nun sees in your future? Come get your fortune told~"
Food trucks and performance promotion teams, made up of cadets and instructors, lined the streets.
"Mom, buy me that!"
"That actually looks delicious. What’s the name of this?"
"Ah, this is the Mint Choco Rice Ball. It’s a dish that harmonizes the East, the West, and the Third World..."
"Oh my... I just remembered I have something very urgent to attend to... Good luck."
"Ah... yes... goodbye."
The Victory Festival had begun, and even civilians were participating.
I had heard it was originally supposed to be just for us, but the Holy Kingdom suddenly changed their tune.
'I think they said something about everyone enjoying it together.'
They had only announced that outsiders were allowed the day before the festival, yet the place was absolutely packed. The crowd was comparable to a major amusement park on Children's Day.
'I thought it would be like a college festival...'
But this was on a different level.
Aside from the lack of actual rides, it had everything a festival could offer. The grounds were so vast that you might not even see everything if you spent the whole day walking around.
Thinking about Kim Min-su causing trouble in a place like this gave me a headache. Is that protagonist bastard really planning to involve civilians?
'Since his share increased... will everything just turn out positively for him?'
Kim Min-su's current Protagonist Share was 65%.
One might wonder how much of a difference 5% could make, but based on his track record so far, it wasn't a number to be underestimated. The advantage of being a protagonist was that no matter what they did, they pulled off the best possible result.
'But first, I need to worry about myself.'
The biggest reason I had considered skipping the festival was currently approaching me.
"Tae-yang, were you waiting?"
"It’s been so long since we’ve hung out like this, hasn't it?"
"It’s the first time for me."
"Me too!"
Yu-min, Su-jin, Melanie, and even the Saintess.
I had to navigate this festival, which was practically reeking of light novel tropes, while leading a harem. Although there was a time limit—only until the campfire—it was definitely a massive headache.
'It’s a relief Hye-mi is busy.'
If I had to walk around the festival with five of them, including her? That would have been truly insane.
'This is a first for me, too.'
Even back on Earth when I was managing a fish tank, I never called multiple women out to date them at the same time. I always met them one-on-one, meticulously planning the routes and timing.
But there was none of that now. This was a harem event happening in real-time.
"For now... if everyone isn't hungry, should we go play some games?"
Could I pull this off?
It wasn't that I felt they were a burden; rather, I was starting to feel a sense of responsibility. I didn't want to disappoint these girls who trusted me, forgave the harem situation, and followed me.
Because of that, I set a few rules in my mind to prevent any conflict.
First: Never go anywhere with side-by-side seating.
'That’s the most dangerous. Who gets to sit next to me? They could fight over that.'
Based on intimacy alone, it would be natural for Su-jin and Yu-min to take both sides, but that was just an ideal. Since this was a group date, everyone would want the seat next to me. Therefore, I had to avoid any place that could cause unnecessary friction.
Second: Find something everyone can enjoy fairly.
'If we do something only one person is good at... or if even one person feels left out, it’ll be trouble... It’s a festival, so we should all enjoy it together.'
If we were going to play, we might as well have fun. With these two rules etched into my brain, I took action.
"Welcome! Oh... wow~ Such distinguished guests in a humble place like this? It’s an honor!"
"It’s nothing like that. The five of us want to play. How much is it?"
"Two thousand won for ten darts!"
The activity I chose was darts.
'Everyone gets a fair shot... yeah... this is good.'
Every activity followed this pattern. I stayed close to Yu-min, who pretended to be bad at throwing, and assisted her. I helped Su-jin when she tried to copy her, and I gave Melanie a back hug when she was acting all tsundere.
As for the Saintess... I didn't know what she was thinking, so I just let it slide.
"I... brought a lunchbox."
"Huh? Me too..."
"...Me three."
"Oh my, did everyone bring a lunchbox? I did too! We really are of one heart and mind!"
"It’s okay. I’m actually starving. I’ll eat it all."
A heartwarming lunchbox event? Of course, it existed. Though it was more of a food fight sandwiched between the "heartwarming" and the "lunchbox."
'Even for an Awakener, eating seven servings is a bit much.'
As I started taking bites from each of them, it turned into a competition, and they began stuffing their entire lunchboxes into my mouth.
Surprisingly, the most aggressive one was Melanie.
'She’s actually really cute.'
Just looking at the band-aids on her fingers told me how hard she had worked on the cooking she wasn't used to. Yu-min and Su-jin, needless to say, were already pros at domestic tasks.
"Tae-yang, try this. I made these egg rolls especially delicious."
"I put cheese in mine. Try this first."
"I'll eat both. I like both."
Yu-min, who looked like a blazing flame even in her school uniform, and Su-jin, who was like a dandelion on a spring day. Seeing that the two of them weren't on bad terms, it seemed that having that 3P once was indeed the right prescription.
While we were enjoying our meal in a relaxed atmosphere...
Vrrr— Vrrr—
Melanie’s phone rang.
"Who is it?"
—It’s me, Kim Min-su. But 'who is it'? That’s a bit cold. Didn't you save my number?
"No."
The caller was Min-su, and his reason for calling was glaringly obvious from his voice. How should I put it? He sounded like a thirsty simp, practically drooling through the phone. That was exactly the vibe.
—Ah... you didn't... Anyway, what are you doing? It’s about time for lunch... I was thinking we could eat together...
"I already ate."
Melanie cut Kim Min-su off coldly, as if she were possessed by an ice princess. The funny thing was, most people would have taken the hint and hung up by now, but he didn't give up.
—Well, it’s not just about eating... I also meant I wanted to spend time with you. Do I really have to spell it out for you, Melanie?
As soon as she heard that nonsense, Melanie frowned and looked at me.
'Sorry.'
I mouthed an apology to her. Ultimately, the reason Melanie had even briefly gotten close to Kim Min-su was because of me. That was why she looked at me immediately.
"No... I’m saying I’m refusing because I don't want to be with you. Also, I’m with Tae-yang right now."
—What? Baek Tae-yang? No, why is he always with—
Click.
Melanie hung up, clearly not wanting to hear any more.
Vrrr— Vrrr—
As if on cue, the Saintess’s phone rang next.
The friendly atmosphere that had existed before Melanie’s phone rang vanished. Yu-min laughed as if she couldn't believe it, and Su-jin quietly shut her mouth.
"This is really something. Saintess, is that Kim Min-su by any chance?"
When the Saintess nodded, Yu-min looked exasperated.
"...Eek! Hugging me so suddenly... well... I guess I feel a bit better now."
I pulled Yu-min into my arms to lighten the mood. We were smiling and eating; it wouldn't be good to let things get too serious.
"Hello?"
—Ah, Saintess! It’s the Indomitable Hero, Kim Min-su. I’m calling because...
"Oh dear, I happen to be with Tae-yang right now, so unfortunately, I think we’ll have to see each other another time."
—I haven't even finished what I was say—
Click.
Wow, she’s even harsher than Melanie. The Saintess just said what she wanted to say and hung up unilaterally.
"It’s hard to eat when you’re losing your appetite, right?"
At the Saintess’s words, I wasn't sure whether to be happy or suspicious. Was this behavior coming from a genuine dislike for Kim Min-su, or was it to win my favor? If only I could take off that veil and see her expression.
"Ah... I guess so?"
After the brief disturbance caused by Kim Min-su’s calls, the friendly atmosphere resumed for a while before Su-jin stood up first.
"Su-jin, do you have to go?"
"Sorry. I only got permission to be away for the morning..."
At the Victory Festival, first-years are required to participate, but from the second year up, they have to make certain sacrifices for the event. In Su-jin’s case, being part of the Disciplinary Committee meant she had to be at the forefront of those duties.
There were about seven hours left until the campfire.
'It’s about time I showed Kim Min-su.'
The time had come to gift that bastard a sense of inferiority.