With a Love Sorceress, the Festival will Begin

Four days passed faster than I could think. Between preparing for the festival and harvesting the orchards, my hours were busy.

Yet every time I glanced over to the village’s main streets, the small town of Rivasvale seemed to transform before my eyes.

Colorful flags strung between the wooden homes. Decorated stalls lined the thoroughfare, waiting to be filled with treats. Tapestries of woven, stained-glass moons fluttered from every lamp post, while homemade wreathes of pine-cones and ribbons shown on every doorway.

Tiny though the village was, everyone joined together to prepare for this event.

And then, the caravans started arriving.

Farmers from the surrounding villages brought their tributes in the back of their humble carts. Behind them, carriages arrived in droves: one after the next after the next. Nobles from the larger towns brought their entourage in a parade of horses and wealth, each carriage decorated ever more luxuriously than the last.

I watched the procession from Mia’s window with a growing nervousness in my stomach.

“Rivasvale won’t have room for all these people,” I murmured.

Distantly, from behind a closed door in the other room, Mia chuckled. “The guests camp outside at night,” she informed. “It’s become a competition for the nobles to see who has the most outdoor comforts. That’s why they bring all those fancy carriages! Quite silly, if you ask me. This festival is supposed to remind them of their farming roots. Not the plushy insides of their carriages!"

I heard the doorway swing, and the gentle tap of footsteps as Mia approached.

“What do you think?”

Mia spun around, wearing the traditional outfit of the Painted Moon Festival. It was a cherry red dress with white, puffy sleeves. Brightly dyed flowers embroidered the bottom edge of the skirt, and the waist was cinched with a braided leather belt. The dress flowed as she twirled, the white petticoat underneath filling it like a gown.

“You look amazing,” I whispered.

Mia tucked back her hair. “Thank you,” she smiled softly. “It was my mother’s dress. I hope she’ll watch over me tonight. And I hope...my father will understand.”

A lump rose in my throat from her words. But Mia didn’t need my sympathy right now — she needed my support.

“I’ll make sure your father attends,” I promised. “Just like we planned.”

Mia nodded, taking in a deep breath. The sun was just starting to lower in the sky. We had an hour or so yet before the festivities started.

“I should check on the tribute,” Mia decided, “and see how Toren is coming along with getting ready. I’m afraid he’s never worn a suit in his life, and he might be a little stuck,” she giggled. She then paused, having a thought. “Did I ever tell you how Toren and I met, Roki?”

“No, I don’t think you did.”

Mia’s gaze softened. “He was a drifter, as many half-beast children are. He happened to pass through the town where my dad and I were living at the time. I saw some children teasing Toren because his borrowed human clothes didn’t fit his tail.” Mia held a mischievous grin. “So I ran to my house and grabbed a pair of scissors, wielding them like a weapon while I scared those mean kids off!” She laughed. “Then I taught Toren how to mend his outfits. Admittedly, I was pretty young then too, so my sewing was horrible but, he was just so amazed that I would help him. He promised right then and there that he’d repay me one day. So he kept coming back, year after year, telling me about all the places he’d seen...until we were about twelve. That’s when my grandparents passed away, and my father and I had to move to Rivasvale.”

Mia held a wistful sadness.

“Roki, when you said Toren was here in town, I was so happy to see him again. I’d hoped, eventually, Toren-nii would tell me all about his adventures like he used to. But he hasn’t really spoken to me at all.” Her expression fell. “Do you think he’s forgotten about me?”

Pain reflected in her eyes. Toren meant more to her than I thought.

“He hasn’t forgotten about you once. I promise,” I said earnestly.

Toren might have been my rival, but at this point, I didn’t care. I considered him a friend regardless. After seeing how valiantly the half-beast had stuck around town, and continued to help Mia prepare for the festival these last few days — I only had respect for him.

I put on a smile. “Now go make sure that idiot cat boy isn’t caught in his necktie or something!” I laughed. “I’ve got one thing I need to check on myself. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Mia smiled and nodded. I hurried out the front door of her house, making my way through the busy path to my cottage. The village was somehow filled with even more people than before! Nobles and common-folk alike mingled around the village streets, waiting for the festivities to begin. Candle-bearers hurried to push through the crowds, trying to light all the decorative lanterns before sunset.

With only a slight nervousness in my chest, I stood before my doorway.

There was someone else that needed to be here.

I gripped the intricate golden doorknob, and it turned with a click. The rush of the void’s chilling air hit me.

“Why Roki! What a pleasant surprise!” Claire’s called. She was perched upon a purple lounge chair, grinning and staring into a large mirror she’d positioned in front of her. She watched it like a television, flicking her wrists and changing ‘channels’ every now and again — except instead of changing channels, she flipped between views of Rivasvale, watching the preparations for the festival. She even had a bag of popcorn for the occasion.

She popped a bite of caramel popcorn to her mouth. “Marvelous, isn’t it?” she said between munching. Claire waved her hand, and the mirror showed a sight of the town square: its usual fountain was drained of water, and the basin was filled to the brim with a flower display instead.

“Madam Claire,” I spoke gently, extending a hand. “Won’t you come see the festival in person?”

“Ihn puwwson?” Claire said through a mouthful of popcorn. She finished her bite and laughed. “No, no! Roki, I really shouldn’t attend. But I am so excited to see what you and Mia have planned! I promise I’ll be watching!” Claire tapped the mirror encouragingly.

Watching? That’s it?

Noticing my crestfallen expression, Claire tossed a piece of popcorn at my forehead.

“Don’t worry about me,” Claire encouraged. “I don’t belong in the world anymore. I haven’t for years. Enjoy the festival, alright?”

Madam Claire had helped me so much. I wanted her to be there. I wanted her to share this with us.

“Won’t people notice that Miss Bradleton’s gone missing?” I tried.

Madam Claire held a sorrowful smile.

“They’ll forget about me in a few day’s time,” Claire assured. “They always do.”

Was that what it meant to be a World Breaker? To never really belong anywhere? To never have anyone remember you when you were gone?

Wasn’t that...lonely?

Claire let out a huff and stood from her couch.

“Jun, the best thing for your future is if I stay safely in the void. So go out there and reclaim your near-zero percent chance with Mia, alright, lover boy?”

She grinned and shoved me out the door, closing it with a wink. I tried desperately to catch the handle before it shut, but I heard the bolt lock on the other side.

It was the best thing for my future, sure — but was it the best thing for hers?

I shook my head, knowing that Claire had a point. This was an important evening for Mia. I needed to give the festival my full attention if everything was to go to plan.

But the pain in my chest just wouldn’t go away.

“Fine,” I determined, glancing towards the first stars as they started to shine in the sky. “If Madam Claire doesn’t want to go to the festival, she doesn’t have to. But she didn’t say anything about the dance afterwards.” I grinned. “Surely no one will mind if the good elf asks the kindly old widow Miss Bradleton to a dance or two!”

I hesitated on that plan, and then laughed at myself. What was I saying? Was I that desperate to make Madam Claire smile?

…Maybe I was.

“Roki!” I heard Mia’s voice calling for me down the way, pulling me from my thoughts. She held up a large tribute basket in her hands.

“The festival’s about to begin!”