◈ 283. [Side Story] Autumn Festival (4)
The Winter Silver Merchants had set up tents and opened stores throughout the city.
Are you digging something because people are swarming around? I wanted to go and see it.
“welcome! How about a simple game?”
“… play?”
“yes! If you participate, we will take a stamp. If you have a different experience at another Winter Silver store, we will stamp you again, and if you collect all the stamps by type… … .”
After hearing the story, each store built by the Winter Silver Merchants has a game zone or experience zone.
If you take a stamp while going around here, it will be exchanged for a predetermined product… … what kind of story is this Plus, all for free!
“Of course I should!”
The first place I stopped by was a place where you could throw darts.
The four of us threw darts in turn, but I missed all of them because I had no tact, and Evangeline threw them so hard that they bounced off, so her score was low.
Junior skillfully put everything into the plate… … And Damian showed a trick where all the darts he threw were stuck in the center.
“Hot ha!”
Damian shrugged, letting out a strange laugh. this… This arrogant clairvoyant… … !
“It’s just a dartboard, but it’s kind of fun!”
The staff put a commemorative hat on Damian, saying it was a commemoration of breaking the all-time record.
Putting on a large bread hat, Damian smiled mildly like a child.
Evangeline, who looked at the bread hat with envy, gnashed her teeth.
“Go to another store! No, everything is back! I’m weak at darts, but I’ll give you first place in everything else!”
“May I use magic from the next game… ? no i will write I need to get some souvenirs too.”
“Be gentle, boys. please. Gently!”
So, this afternoon’s plan was to go around all the stores in Winter Silver and stamp them.
We went to different stores, bowling, throwing rings, matching cards, and taking quizzes.
‘It’s really nothing special, but I feel good every time I collect stamps one by one… … !’
I felt a strange sense of accomplishment every time I added one more stamp to my share of stamp paper.
I’m not a person who’s thirsty for achievement points or achievements, but I think I know a little bit why I’m doing it… … !
A waiting line was formed for each experience zone, and people in the line bought snacks from nearby stalls and munched.
Is this really why the stores are dropped here and there?
I could see other party members playing all over the place.
The shadow unit laughing while bowling.
Quylan falls in love while arm wrestling, and the punishment unit watches and laughs.
The Holy Grail Exploration Team, a smile flashes across their blank faces while matching cards… … .
“… .”
I watched their smiles as they each enjoyed the festival.
If only this city was a place where monsters never invaded.
Would I have been able to see this kind of scenery every day… … ?
“End of stamp collection!”
By the time the sun goes down, gear nose, we went around all the game zones and experience zones and succeeded in clearing the stamp all.
It only needs to be collected within three days of the festival, but I did it all on the first day… … . On the first day of the update, it felt like watching Korean gamers finishing all the quests, so somehow my party members started to feel more familiar… … .
‘No, not in a good way.’
Have some fun with this one! Fuck you!
Anyway, since I’ve collected all the stamps, I’m going to exchange them for prizes. We headed to the gift exchange shop with a bread hat on each head.
The exchange of prizes takes place at the central store at the top of Wintersilver in the center of the city.
“majesty!”
Serenade was there.
“Are you enjoying the festival?”
I held out a piece of paper with all the stamps on it without saying a word to her with a wry smile on her eyes.
The serenade clapped and smiled brightly.
“You got them all! congratulations! Then I’ll exchange it for a prize!”
“Ughhhh… .”
It’s embarrassing to feel like I’m being treated like a child… … . Honestly, because I had fun playing… … .
Prizes included stuffed toys and toy knives, most of which were junk. But feeling is what matters.
I wanted to see what the other kids would choose, so Junior chose a toy magic wand, Evangeline a toy shield, and Damian a stuffed toy. Are you sure you have a real character?
As I was hesitating on what to choose, Evangeline jumped out and said yap! I picked out a toy crown instead and threw it away.
Then he pressed the crown over my bread hat. Yumma!
“Oh, it suits you! After all, royalty!”
“I wished I had more like that model of the knight over there… Eh, that’s it.”
He became a grotesque figure wearing a bread hat and a crown at the same time. Seeing me like this, the party members held their stomachs and laughed. What’s wrong with you guys having fun… … .
“Thank you for opening such an event store, Serenade. Thanks to that, the festive mood seems to live on.”
While the party members rushed to the snack stall next door, I started talking to Serenade.
“But if you distribute everything for free like this, will there be any profit?”
“Of course, I can’t leave any financial profit.”
Serenade smiled brightly.
“Instead, I can leave a good image.”
“image?”
“This festival is a place where citizens of the city set up their own stalls and enjoy business. Bringing and selling liquor from door to door and sharing cookies baked at home.”
Serenade explained in a quiet voice.
“What would happen if a merchant company from the ecliptic suddenly intervened in a place like this and started doing business on a large scale?”
“ah… .”
“You may see it as a little fun right now, but it not only buys glare, but also destroys the purpose of the festival.”
Serenade slowly looked at the citizens who filled the streets.
“Even though Wintersilver is the largest guild in the country, nothing has been done in the southern part of here. We have to start over.”
“So you start by planting a good image.”
“It is as you say. If we spend a little bit and serve as a priming water for the festival’s success, the festival will run bigger and better, and it will benefit the visibility of Crossroads here. In the long run, it will help Her Highness’s tourism city planning.”
Serenade gave a doll to a child who had collected all the stamps and smiled softly.
“Then, eventually, the things our guild can do in this city will increase.”
“… .”
“It is easy to make financial profits in a short period of time, but it is difficult to coexist with the local community for a long time. But it’s worth it.”
After listening blankly, I muttered quietly.
“You are a good merchant. Serenade.”
“Whoops. Thousands of words. I just did it because I calculated that this way would be more profitable in the end.”
The party members who had gone to buy sweets were seen returning this way. Serenade beckoned outside.
“Now go and enjoy the festival, Your Highness. You’ve worked hard here on the front lines for a long time. There should be days like this.”
“you? Won’t you play with me?”
“Thank you very much, but the girl still has a lot of work to do. Since I was preparing in a hurry, there are many incomplete parts… … .”
Serenade was agitated for a moment and seemed to want to jump out, but eventually refused.
It seems that the upper management team of Winter Silver is also lacking manpower as they are rushing to plan and execute such an event.
“Instead, Your Highness, maybe on that last day… .”
The serenade that intertwined her fingers while saying something is great! He coughed and waved his hand.
“No no! Then see you later, Your Highness!”
“okay. See you later serenade.”
I added, shaking my hand.
“Thank you for helping the festival.”
Serenade smiled brightly.
“That alone makes the girl happy.”
***
Full sundown time.
It is a dark night because it is the previous year, but the city is brightly lit, and people are eating and drinking at stalls and bars.
The four members of Ash’s main party disbanded after having dinner together.
After playing around all day, Ash and Damian ran out of energy and went back to their respective dorms, but Evangeline and Junior entered the city again because they had a prior agreement.
A cafeteria next to the central square.
When Evangeline and Junior entered, they saw familiar faces drinking wine. It was Lily and Marherita.
“Sorry, I’m a little late!”
“It took longer than expected because our party members ate until dinner together.”
Greetings warmly, Evangeline and Junior sat together. However, the atmosphere between Lily and Marherita was not very bright.
Lily keeps emptying her wine glass with a sullen face, and Marherita is smoking a chain-smoker… … .
“… .”
“… .”
Why is this atmosphere like this?
Evangeline and Junior quickly looked at each other. Why are the senior sorcerer and the saint making a statue to die for on a festival day… … ?
Evangeline clapped her hands and smiled awkwardly.
“now! Crossroad Female Hero and Mercenary Rights Protection Committee! In short, it’s big! 2nd meeting! Let’s all start off in a good mood!”
It’s a name that always makes me sick of hearing it, but first of all, I had to save the atmosphere. Junior agreed.
“is it so! Our big yeoyeongyongwi members! Let’s talk while eating something sweet! Do you throw away the inside of a can of alcohol and a can of tobacco? On such a fine day!”
Evangeline and Junior called the cafeteria owner and ordered food and dessert drinks.
But even when the table was filled with new plates, Lily and Marherita’s porridge was not spread.
Evangeline and Junior broke into a cold sweat. What are these people like?
“Saintess, what are you doing… ?”
Eventually, Evangeline couldn’t stand it and asked.
“You seem to be in a bad mood today. Please tell me. Who robbed the fight? If that’s the case, then I, the chairman of the Great Yeoyeongyong Committee! I’ll scold you!”
Evangeline subtly put an accent on the word ‘Chairman’.
Junior quietly thought to himself. Miss Evangeline is secretly greedy for fighting… … .
“… no, it’s not a big deal I was on vacation today. I was off duty.”
Marherita, who had extinguished her cigarette, poured herself a drink into her glass.
“Since this festival is so large and exciting, there are far more injured than in previous years… .”
“ah.”
“I keep getting calls saying that the emergency room is short of manpower. I thought about ignoring it and taking a break, but then I felt uncomfortable, so I just left. I went… … When I came to my senses, I was working at an emergency treatment center all day. Can’t even see the festival. The sun has gone down.”
Marherita gulped down her drink and sniffed.
“Even though it was just a festival day, I couldn’t rest all day and worked, so the atmosphere was good. I’m a clergyman, but I’m not good enough to complain about this… … I’m sorry.”
“Ugh, it can be.”
“I understand 100 percent! You don’t have to be sorry!”
Evangeline and Junior comforted Marherita in a fuss.
Marherita’s face, fortunately, became more and more relaxed as the alcohol was added to the sweet snack.
The remaining problem is… … .
gulp gulp.
“… .”
“… .”
It was Lily who drank wine like water.
“Hey, Lily sister… ? What happen?”
“… .”
Lily, who had been blowing Nabal with the whole bottle, thumped the bottle! He put it down and growled with a face flushed with drunkenness.
“It’s a festival now.”
“yes.”
“Isn’t it common sense to spend a festival with your lover?”
“uh… Yes?”
“But do you know what that person or that elf said?”
That elf was, of course, the story of God Hand. Lily let out a sigh.
“’My younger brothers and sisters, today is the first festival they go through since they were born. Can I spend today with my younger siblings and start spending time with Lily tomorrow?’ I mean.”
“ah… .”
“What can I say? Because that’s the case and it’s understandable. I said yes.”
you said that again Everyone broke into a cold sweat.
“By the way, everyone else is having fun, but I originally planned to play with my boyfriend, but I got upset and I was alone all day… It’s slowly getting hot. It seems that he secretly cares more about his younger sibling elves than me… … .”
Lily wiped her hot forehead with her hand.
“Something… It’s a little bit like this, but… … It feels like dating a man with a baby… … .”
“Pooh!”
The other three spewed out the alcohol and drinks they were drinking at the same time. Not minding, Lily continued.
“Besides, I don’t even notice… I don’t even know how to take care of the mood… … I’m an idiot for flirting with an elf. Whew.”
thud!
Lily gnashed her teeth as she slammed the bottle down on the table.
“Do you know how ignorant I am? I haven’t even gotten a proper confession yet.”
“Eh?”
“Really?”
“Weren’t you dating?!”
“We ended up thinking that we were just dating naturally~ but… oh i don’t know I guess this is an elf-style romance.”
Lily gulped down the bottle. The darkness over the table grew thicker… … .
“Ay! Although everyone is at a loss now!”
Evangeline then jumped up and raised the glass in her hand.
“Eventually we can all get what we want! As the president, I assure you!”
“Oh right! Greater happiness will surely come!”
Urgently shouting along, Junior stood up as well. Then Marherita and Lily also raised their glasses and shouted in turn, eyes widening.
“Find a work-life balance!”
“Find Truerup!”
Junior and Evangeline also shouted.
“Looking for health?! No wait, what am I looking for… … .”
“Crossroads is mine!”
braided-!
It was a toast without context, befitting a drunken drinking party, but it’s a good thing to do that at a drinking party.
The four of them swallowed their glasses and bottles clean and-
thump!
Lily fell forward.
It was a situation where I had already exceeded the original dosage by a long time. Lily, blushing and slumped unconscious on the table, only let out a sack-sack-breath.
It was time for the remaining three to start discussing how to send Lily back to the dorm.
“Heh heh heh heh! stir… … !”
Someone ran into the entrance of the cafeteria.
“Is Lily here by any chance? I’ve been looking for it for a while… … .”
A tall elf with light green hair. It was God Hand.
The other three members of Kyu Yeo-yeong-yong, who discovered the criminal, shouted and pointed at the same time.
“Hey! Don’t do it right?!”
