The fifteen days passed quickly.
I watched with pleasure as Elia trained under Zenre’s guidance, tending to the fields, and after the training ended, I also trained by sparring with Zenre.
Each day was the same, but it was a repetitive cycle of growth.
Whether it was the crops, Elia’s physical strength, or my own rusty skills, the fifteen days were a time of growth in many ways.
And so, as the days passed, the fifteen days finally came to an end.
“Kyle, are you ready?”
“Of course, I’ve already called for the carriage. Let’s go.”
I was ready to go to Hagen Village with Ruina, whom I had met again after fifteen days.
The carriage that I had called in advance was ready, so we were all set to leave.
And I couldn’t help but let out a small exclamation at Ruina’s outfit, which was different from usual.
“Oh, that’s a pretty dress. It suits you well.”
Ruina, who usually wore casual clothes, was now in a white silk dress with golden embroidery, looking quite impressive.
It wasn’t an overly extravagant party dress, but rather a sophisticated, high-quality, functional dress that could be worn while walking around.
When I complimented her, Ruina awkwardly smiled, seeming a little embarrassed, and expressed her gratitude.
“Hehe… Really? I’m glad. Your outfit looks great too, Kael.”
“Oh, is it okay? It feels a bit awkward, but since it’s been a while and there’s a festival, I thought I’d dress up a bit.”
Like Ruina, I was also dressed in a fine ceremonial outfit, unlike my usual comfortable clothes.
Since it was a long-awaited festival and I would be with someone, I thought I should dress appropriately for the occasion.
I didn’t want to show up looking shabby and make Ruina feel bad, so I had dressed up for the occasion.
“Mom! I have new clothes too!”
“Wow, our Elia looks so beautiful!”
Was it because she felt jealous that only Ruina and I were complimenting each other?
Elia, fluttering the dress she was wearing, proudly showed it off to Ruina.
The dress, which oozed elegance and cuteness, was a custom-made dress that had been ordered from the capital, specifically for Elia to wear to the festival.
It was a dress she wouldn’t be able to wear much longer as she grew, but since we were living frugally and had plenty of money, I didn’t want her to miss out on her first festival due to lack of a good memory.
So I had ordered the dress, and the day I gifted it to her, I saw Elia smile brightly, something I hadn’t seen in a long time.
Her bright and radiant smile was something that could be lamented, as there were no cameras in this era to capture such moments.
And as Elia proudly showed off the dress she loved, Ruina hugged her tightly.
Watching the two of them looking so harmonious, I opened the door to the carriage that had been waiting.
Squeak
“Please get in first.”
“Oh my, thank you for your consideration.”
I spoke playfully, and Ruina responded with a playful tone as well.
Then, following Ruina, who was holding Elia in her arms, I also boarded the carriage, and finally, Zenre, dressed in ceremonial attire instead of her usual armor, joined us.
“……… I guess I’m the odd one out.”
“Well… You look good too, so don’t get too down.”
At Zenre’s lonely-sounding complaint, I awkwardly mumbled an apology.
Afterward, I gave her a light compliment and patted her shoulder as a form of encouragement.
But perhaps my encouragement only made things worse, as Zenre let out a small sigh.
However, that downcast look lasted only a moment.
Zenre, with her usual energetic expression, raised her head and shrugged her shoulders as she closed the door of the carriage.
“Well, I’m just a supporting role today. Let’s go, Master.”
As she closed the carriage door, the carriage began to move slowly.
With the sound of the wheels creaking, our carriage started down the hill road.
Finally, the morning of the festival day arrived.
We were heading to Hagen Village for the festival.
“Wow…”
“Hehe, are you amazed, Elia?”
On the way to Hagen Village,
Elia, who hadn’t left the cabin in the past five years, couldn’t help but express her awe as she looked out the carriage window at the scenery.
Seeing Elia’s excitement, Ruina smiled and patted her head.
“Hmm… Now that I think about it, I never did show Elia the outside world.”
Watching Elia’s excitement at the scenery, I couldn’t help but feel guilty.
Elia had never really asked, so I hadn’t been mindful of it, but now that I thought about it, apart from visits to the physician or mental magic practitioners, she had never gone out far.
Even then, I had carried Elia and jumped to use a teleportation gate, so there was no time for sightseeing.
In other words, I had never even taken her on a simple carriage ride.
Until now, I hadn’t given it much thought, but seeing Elia so happy looking at the outside world made me feel the weight of my conscience.
“I’ll make sure to take her out more often on weekends from now on.”
From now on, I thought I should take Elia out more often on weekends when she’s free. I turned my gaze to the opposite window.
What I saw was a field of flowers and in the distance, the scenery of Hagen Village.
It wasn’t too far, so after about an hour of riding, we could already see the outskirts of Hagen Village.
But my relaxed view of the scenery was short-lived as I caught sight of the bustling scene in Hagen Village.
“Whoa… there are so many people.”
If you were to ask why, it was because there were long lines of people at the entrance to Hagen Village.
Perhaps it was because of the festival hosted by the Mage Tower, but people from countless cities had gathered.
There were so many people that I wondered if we’d even find a place to enter.
Of course, since Hagen Village is a major trading hub, they could easily handle a crowd of that size, but it was clear the festival would be loud and lively today.
The noise would be deafening, and the streets would be filled with an atmosphere of unrestrained joy.
Just imagining that scene brought a smile to my face, full of both excitement and anticipation.
And inside the carriage heading towards the crowded Hagen Village,
Zenre, who had also spotted Hagen Village in the distance, pulled out three masks from her pocket.
“Master, Luina, Miss, please each take one. I have prepared masks that match your appearance.”
“Masks? Why masks?”
I tilted my head, surprised by the sudden offer of masks.
Why would we need masks for a festival that’s not even being held at the royal castle?
I asked the question, and in response, Zenre pulled out a flyer from her pocket and answered.
“Apparently, wearing a mask is mandatory for this festival. Thanks to that, masks have sold out in every kingdom. This one was really hard to get.”
“Mandatory to wear a mask… What a strange rule those Tower of Magic folks have come up with.”
There was no way they would have enforced wearing masks without a reason. Could it be tied to something about the festival?
I briefly considered the possibility, but since it was still unclear, I obediently accepted the mask Zenre handed me and put it on.
“Well, I guess it’s not bad for me. If my face is covered, I won’t have to deal with any annoying encounters.”
“Alright, Elia, hold still. Mom will put your mask on.”
“The mask… it’s pretty!”
Whatever the Tower of Magic’s motive for enforcing masks, it didn’t bother me at all.
After all, if I wore a mask, my face would be hidden, and I wouldn’t have to worry about anyone unnecessarily approaching me.
It was the same for Ruina.
Just in case, I had brought a hood with me, but thanks to the mask, it seemed like this festival would be a lot less stressful.
Clop, clop— Clop, clop—
“We need to confirm your identity. What business do you have here?”
“I’m Zenre Hyde, Captain of the Chardena Knights. Open the gate.”
“C-Captain of the Knights?! Understood! Please wait a moment!”
And so, thanks to Zenre’s title as Captain of the Knights, we were able to enter Hagen Village without having to wait in the crowd.
At first, when we bypassed the line and approached the gate, there were some murmurs of discontent from behind us.
But the moment Zenre pulled out her knight’s badge stamped with the royal seal, the complaints immediately died down.
After smoothly passing through the gate, I chuckled and patted Zenre on the shoulder.
“It’s been a while since I’ve benefited from my disciple’s status.”
“Haha, you flatter me. A disciple of your caliber should have at least this much authority.”
Zenre responded with a similar laugh at my praise.
As we exchanged light-hearted banter, we arrived at a stable located in the heart of Hagen Village, where the lively atmosphere of the festival was already filling the streets.
Step, click— Step, click— Tap.
The sound of Ruina’s and my shoes, and Elia’s small footsteps, echoed through the streets of Hagen Village.
I took a deep breath, letting the lively atmosphere of the bustling streets fill my lungs, even though the festival hadn’t officially started yet.
“Alright, where should we go first?”
There were still two hours until the festival began.
Spending that time exploring the street vendors and watching the street performances seemed like the best idea.
So, with that thought in mind, I turned toward the three standing behind me and casually asked the question.
“…Huh?”
I couldn’t help but let out a confused sound at the sight unfolding before me.
No, to be more precise, it was the sight of Elia naturally taking Zenre’s hand and heading off that left me confused.
“Are we really going to watch the gladiator match, Master?”
“Of course. And after the match, I’ll personally guide you through every corner of this festival, my lady.”
“Wow!”
Elia cheered excitedly as she held Zenre’s hand, as if they had already planned this out in advance.
Then, still holding her hand, she headed toward the street.
“Mom, Dad, we’ll be back!”
“Wait a minute, Zenre, what the hell is this…?”
As I tried to grab Zenre to stop her and question her, someone cut me off, leaving me momentarily speechless.
“Kael.”
Clench.
Ruina called my name, clutching my arm with a strong yet cautious grip, as if trying to keep my attention focused solely on her.
When I turned toward her, I saw a Ruina who was different from usual.
It wasn’t just her outfit — her behavior, her gaze, her aura — everything about her felt different.
“…Ruina?”
And as I opened my mouth to speak, Ruina took a soft, shaky breath and, in a barely trembling voice, made a heartfelt request.
“Just for today… how about spending the day with me, alone?”
A rare, earnest request that felt different from her usual self.