In the Shadows of the Festival - Part 1

The Duchy of Beaufort: a vast territory that had been attacked along with the rest of the country by the demonic army. Until now, the prevailing mood had been heavy, weighed down by uncertainty over the fate of its people. However, with Karver—the last demonic pillar—having fallen, the territory had been completely liberated from the demonic army’s control, which is why a victory celebration was held throughout the entire duchy.

The cheers of the people could be heard everywhere, and Beaufort’s capital had never been so lively. The city’s commercial districts were filled with endless shouts and songs of joy, and inside a crowded tavern sat my companions and I.

“A toast to the efforts of our heroes!” the Duke of Beaufort shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Cheers!”

Everyone in the tavern clashed their mugs together and drank as much as they could. The atmosphere was certainly pleasant, though I won’t deny that all the noise was somewhat irritating to me.

“Garrik! Let’s have a drinking contest!”

“Of course!”

At the challenging exchange between Tyra and Garrik, Dust flew up and quickly perched himself on the elf’s shoulder.

“Why do you keep insisting on a drinking duel? You know you have a low tolerance for alcohol.”

“Then I just have to force myself to tolerate it!” Tyra exclaimed enthusiastically.

Seriously, this elf is worrying. But no one knew that better than Dust, the elemental spirit Tyra had formed a contract with, who let out an irritated groan at her response.

“Bring more drinks!”

“Seriously, Garrik, why do you go along with her?” I asked, confusion slipping into my voice.

“What’s so wrong about it? Alcohol tastes better after a hard day, especially with friends, don’t you think?”

“I agree, Sir Hero!” Aurelia exclaimed before grabbing one of the mugs on the table and downing it in one go. That, however, did not end well—no sooner had she finished than she collapsed face-first onto the table, unconscious.

“Just what we needed…”

This is the hero’s party—the group that defeated the four pillars of the demonic army and reclaimed the territory humanity had lost.

The group is composed of Tyra, a dark elf and the first to join our team. She is an exceptional unarmed combatant and has a contract with Dust, an earth spirit who supports her and grants her even more overwhelming strength. She wears light clothing: a sleeveless top that leaves part of her abdomen exposed, along with bracers, pants, and light boots, a scarf Garrik gave her, and the hide of the first animal she ever hunted tied around her waist. Her hair is black and quite long, tied into a ponytail, leaving three long strands framing her face, where her beautiful yellow eyes shine, all complemented by her slender yet slightly muscular figure.

The girl who fell asleep after her very first mug of beer is Aurelia Lunaris, the party’s saint. She specializes in support magic, both defensive and enhancement-based, and is one of the rare few known as the “Illuminated”—people capable of using the sacred element, something exceedingly rare in the world. She wears white priestly robes, somewhat fitted to her body, adorned with light blue details. She is rather short, but has a good figure. However, what stands out the most about her is her hair—long and slightly wavy—and her eyes, both pure white, symbols of her status as an “Illuminated.”

Now comes the most important member: Garrik Wolfe, the hero chosen by the sacred sword, and my best friend. He is a man I met in the country of Viryana, and apparently a reincarnated individual who died from overwork at the age of forty. He is quite paternal toward the entire group, though his past life sometimes makes him speak like an old man. While he is currently dressed in civilian clothes since his armor is being repaired, his trained body, short brown hair, and blue eyes give him such an air of dignity that no one would doubt he is the hero, even in those clothes.

And finally, me. My name is Kris Prestone, a former noble and the current mage and strategist of the hero’s party—a rather serious and somewhat twisted boy, or so I’ve been told.

“Hey, heroes!” While I was lost in my thoughts, the Duke of Beaufort approached us along with his escort of knights. “I wanted to thank you once again! Being able to finally see my people relaxed and enjoying themselves fills me with joy.”

“It’s nothing. We simply did our duty as heroes.”

“Give me another drink! I can still keep going…!” Tyra shouted, clearly dizzy from the several mugs of beer she had already downed.

“Is s-she okay?”

“Yes, she’ll be fine. This isn’t the first time we’ve had a drinking contest.”

“And she still doesn’t understand that Garrik can’t get drunk…”

“Seriously, what a reckless girl…” Dust added.

“I see… Well then! Enjoy the festival! It’s our way of thanking you for all your efforts. Besides, Duke Erskin covered most of the expenses, so make the most of it.”

“Yes, we will. Thank you, Duke,” I replied formally, seeing him and his escort off as they returned to their table.

“As serious as ever, huh?” Garrik remarked.

At that moment, I heard another thud against the table. It was Tyra, who had completely passed out, just like Aurelia.

“I guess I win again.”

“You… Anyway, let’s take them back to the dormitory. Tomorrow we need to prepare to depart for demonic territory in three days.”

“So it’s time already, huh?”

“…Yes.”

The four pillars of the demonic army had fallen, but one final trial remained. Defeating the Demon Queen—the puppeteer behind this entire war between humans and demons.

“It’s best if we all get some rest. We need to be in peak condition to finish this,” Dust added.

With nothing more to say, Garrik and I carried the girls and headed for the dormitories. However, I was not going to rest just yet.

***

Once at the inn, I explained to Garrik that I would return to the festival to look for anything that might help us. There was a wide variety of shops and stalls—herbs, magical items, and more. I wanted to prepare as soon as possible, but due to the festival, many of the shops were either closed or packed with people. I suppose it would have to wait until tomorrow.

Even so, I couldn’t return to the inn just yet. I still had something to do, so I headed to another tavern to have a drink.

“Welcome!” the bartender said as soon as he saw me.

The place was different from the previous one. Unlike the lively scene at the other tavern, this one was much calmer, using dim lighting to create a darker, more relaxed atmosphere. As for its design, it wasn’t as flashy as the tavern I had been in before, but it was cozy and somewhat elegant. Fortunately, a few seats at the counter were still open, so I took one while waiting for the bartender. The place was also far quieter than the previous one, which I greatly appreciated.

At that moment, I heard the door open again. I thought about ignoring it, but the sound of the customer’s footsteps grew louder and closer. As I suspected, the customer sat down beside me.

I turned my gaze slightly out of curiosity. The customer was almost completely covered by a cloak, making it impossible to see her face.

“Is something wrong?” she asked. Apparently, she had noticed my glance. Her voice was clearly feminine and sounded somewhat irritated.

“No, sorry,” I replied, shaking my head and returning my gaze forward. Luckily, the bartender arrived shortly after.

“What can I get you tonight?”

“A glass of wine. The sweetest you have.”

“And for you, miss?”

“…I’ll have the same as him.”

After our response, the bartender left, returning shortly with our glasses. The wine had a beautiful, slightly dark purple color. At first glance, many might mistake it for wine from other regions, but this one was particularly sweet.

I took the glass and sipped it. I had already had beer earlier with the rest of my group, but this wine was undoubtedly what I had been looking forward to most tonight.

Before setting out on my journey with Garrik, my father had mentioned that if I ever passed through Beaufort, I should try it. He had always been quite knowledgeable on the subject, and I remember he was also fond of the wine from the Duchy of Graulhet.

Meanwhile, the woman beside me watched as I drank, her gaze shifting to the minimalist-designed glass in front of her. Slowly, she picked it up and brought it to her lips, and a few seconds after tasting it, I could hear her barely audible reaction.

“…Delicious.”

The irritation in her voice from earlier had vanished, replaced by a more relaxed tone.

I’m not much of a talker. I like spending time alone enjoying my hobbies, and I prefer not to start conversations with strangers unless necessary. But perhaps influenced by the calm atmosphere, the alcohol, and the infectious smile she wore—barely visible in the darkness beneath her cloak—I decided to speak a little.

“Right? It was recommended to me before. The trip here was worth it.”

“Yes… It’s a shame I rarely get the chance to try sweet things…”

It seemed to bother her somewhat, as her tone grew subdued again while she said it. Fortunately, I had just the thing for this moment.

I rummaged through one of the pockets of my black coat and pulled out a small cloth wrapping, which immediately piqued the girl’s curiosity.

“What’s that?”

“Cookies,” I replied as I opened the wrapping, revealing a few cookies I had brought with me. “Go ahead, try them.”

“Are you sure? …Thank you.”

She took one of the cookies and bit into it. Her expression was hard to see beneath the cloak, but I noticed her eyes light up just a few seconds after tasting it, and immediately afterward she ate the rest in a single bite.

“So good!” she exclaimed, finally in a louder, happier voice. Her smile was truly contagious. “Where did you get these?”

“I made them. Cooking is one of my hobbies.”

“Seriously!? Can I have another one?”

“Go ahead.”

“Thank you!” she replied energetically.

Cooking was something I had grown quite used to, and because of it, I had become the group’s main cook whenever we had to sleep outdoors. I remember that at first, having to cook so much annoyed me, but over time I began to feel comforted by seeing how much they enjoyed my food. Seeing this girl enjoy my cookies now felt just as satisfying.

However, when she took the second cookie, she glanced off to the side—more specifically, toward the corner of the tavern, where two men were talking. It seemed they had finished their stay and were about to leave.

“Excuse me, I have to go. Thank you very much for the sweets,” the girl said as she searched beneath her cloak for some money to pay for the wine, then left shortly after the two men.

She’s following them. And judging by how her mood changed so suddenly, it’s clearly not for anything good. I definitely can’t ignore this.

I left payment for the wine on the table, thanked the bartender, and proceeded to follow the girl.