Episode 41: The venai season festival

Despite the damages, the festival for the venai season was being celebrated across the capital city. There were long stretching ceilings made of colorful tarp above the streets and hallways, figures of venais, beasts with antlers and dense fur, on many rooftops, of varying quality and style. The cobbled and concrete streets were painted to look like flowing rivers with colorful fish, and there were many articles to protect from the rain, like round leaf shaped umbrellas.

The Team was enjoying the festival while also awkward after the intensity of their love confessions. They didn’t know what to do exactly now they were all in the “happily ever after”. hands touching turned to finger holding to hand holding to everyone holding each other by the waist or shoulders, an amusing sight to behold to the students thrilled by the rumors

Ari: Isn't it getting a little hard to walk like this? Also, who is grabbing my butt?

Sidra: oh, my apologies, I was wondering what did I just grab

Taro: uhh, I have question, how find me?, fancy boy sent to palace, but return to plaza, with you guys

Nagye: when we were sent to help near to the royal district, we saw him looking at the palace, and then he saw us and asked where were the m-monsters

Shizuka: ooh yeah, he was standing on the top of a building, and he jumped down to us and was like “the bastards!, where are they?!”. The defense line was strong there, so there were no monsters getting close, and he said “then we must go, my best friend is in the commercial plaza!”. he really had us follow him jumping from rooftops, I felt like a -ninja- hehehe

Ari: I didn't expect things to be that bad when we got there, where we were before was pretty safe, but the commercial plaza was a warzone

Sidra: I really thought I gave up on using my Healing Grace, but the moment I saw you on the floor, my body simply moved on its own. I must thank you all for helping me there, not only did we save Taro, but my faith was restored. though I don’t know if I could return to being a full-time priestess

Shizuka hehehe, I’m glad you liked our little surprise technique, I wish we could have shown it under better circumstances, but I’m glad it was just what we needed

Ari: it caught me by surprise too, a technique to share mana, so that's why you were going to the library so much

Nagye: well umm, that’s what I was looking for f-first, a mana transfer technique, but there w-was nothing of the sort. there were only some books on forbidden m-mana stealing techniques, and I ju-just adapted them to w-what I needed

Shizuka: Don't worry about the little details hehehe, if it works, then it works

The stands of the main school arena were full of students and people of the city, all gathered to watch the festival tournament, where prominent students displayed their best skills. After buying their snacks, The Team could only find 2 empty seats, and they made do with what they had. Shizuka and Sidra sat on the seats, Ari sat between them, and Taro and Nagye had to sit on their laps. The surrounding people looked at them and giggled, but The Team endured the embarrassment and decided to not care anymore

Shizuka: hmm? you are right Sidra, very plump hehehe

Sidra: Nagye’s is also pretty nice too I must say ohohoho

Nagye: hay?!

Taro: (I may be a man, but this is still embarrassing)

Taro and Nagye tried to stand up by reflex, but the girls held them in place

Ari: we’re here to watch the matches, not to break public decency, you perverts (though I can feel them both, I hope I can focus on the matches with this much… distraction)

The tournament featured impressive techniques and thrilling duels. Though there were recognizable “schools” of training, the uses of mana and styles was as diverse as the participants. The final match finally came, from one of the gates entered a lady wearing a bombastic white dress, excessively decorated and beautiful. The crowd was in awe, not only because of the opulence, but also because of the audacity to fight in the finals wearing such a dress. from the other gate came fancy boy, wearing an elegant outfit himself, though paling in comparison to his rival

fancy boy: Angea! I must tell you this which has been eating me from inside immediately! I apologize for my hasty imprudence, I did not consider your pace and scared you away, I don't want to lose your friendship, I demand a second chance to make things right!

Angea: prince! I am here to prove myself worthy of being at your side!. Last time, I was caught unprepared and your passion overwhelmed me, it ashamed me deeply not having been able to reciprocate your love, but this time, I am ready to commit. I have trained to be the best for many years to stand beside you, I will not let it go to waste!. I will defeat you and become worthy of being your wife once and for all!!

The crowd went wild as the duel between those two titans commenced. Their intensity broke into ripples on the ground, and for a moment the crowd felt in danger, but it was the best duel they had ever seen nonetheless. Angea emerged victorious, and not even the referees could separate her from her embrace with fancy boy

Ari: Whew, that was intense, it was so hot, I’m kinda dizzy

Sidra: The air was pretty cool, weren’t you hot because of a different reason?

Shizuka: hot and bothered?

Sidra and Shizuka: ohoh ohoho!

Ari: perverts are banned from speaking!

Shizuka: That was so so cool though, haaaa!, now I kinda regret not registering for the tournament, I feel like I wouldn’t have done too bad

Ari: yeah, there were a lot of them I think I could beat, but no way I would be able to get to the semifinals.

Nagye: m-my favorite parts were the ice mage and the one using monster constructs, a lot of good ideas to c-copy, oh and the final match, I also liked it, that was so romantic

Ari: they truly are built for each other

Taro: haha, yea, they two half of uhh -an orange-, or, cirul. I just hope they no fight like that in house

Shizuka: imagine that: every time they have an argument; they destroy their palace in a duel heheheh!

Taro: I hope fancy boy become good talker, fight with loved ones, not good, very sad

Ari: sounds like you’re speaking from experience

Taro: yes, I had friend, in other world, we good friends, but one day we fight, ugly argument, no more talk, no more see. I wish I say sorry

Nagye: is he called G-Gor, or something like that?

Ari: Gordo?, the name Taro said when we were healing him?

Taro: yes, Goro, he good friend, one day, I will sorry to him, when return to other world, maybe

Shizuka: when we return to our world huh? I also want to see my family again, but the question is how to return…

Ari: if there is a way, I won’t forgive you guys if you leave us behind

Taro: no, we all go together. I want see family, but you all, family to me too

Nagye: t-that makes me happy, ehehe

Sidra: now we have 2 future plans, a trip to the river, and a trip to the other world, most wonderful

Turt: Taro! guys! hey!

Turt and his wife approached the team, carrying baskets of snacks, they cleaned their crumble-filled faces before talking

Turt’s wife: I’m so glad you’re alive, you had us so worried, blessed be the sight

Turt: Taro, man, I’m so glad you're—

his voice cracked and his tears welled up, but he endured

Turt: I'm so glad you’re ok man!, I’m so sorry I could not fulfill my promise, as soon as we got to the shelter, I passed out, I promised I would return, but I failed. I’ve been eating so much just from the anxiety. here, have these snacks!, I’ll give you more next time, don’t think this is all

Turt’s wife: as soon as he woke up, he wanted to recruit people to go find you. we are deeply grateful for saving us that day, you truly are a soldier of the goddess, we will never forget your bravery

Taro: it ok friend, I happy, you and wife are good, we friends, always can count on me, never forget

Turt: you too man, I may just be a humble town guard, but I’ll always be at the ready for you