Category: Isekai Nonbiri Sanpo Tabi

The priest seemed to have finished his preparations and turned back to us.

“Now, let us report this year’s harvest to God.”

At the priest’s words, we all turned to the altar with serious expressions. Then, as the Margrave’s family stood up, I and the other townspeople who had been sitting also stood up. At this moment, even the townspeople watched the religious ceremony in silence.

“Our Lord God, thanks to your protection, we have been able to welcome another fruitful autumn this year. This too is a gift from your power.”

The priest prayed, offering his prayers to the goddess statue that Ao had made. This world has no weather forecasts, and irrigation facilities are not fully developed. That’s why everyone share the joy of the harvest together.

“Here, we all share the joy of the harvest, and we pray that next year will also be a fruitful year.”

After a long and solemn prayer of thanks to the gods, followed by earnest wishes for a bountiful harvest in the coming year, the priest finally concluded his report to the divine.

Yeah… that took a while.

I wasn’t the only one feeling worn out by the lengthy ceremony. Judging by the faces around me, plenty of others were struggling to stay focused as well.

“Dear”

“Ow!”

Even the Margrave had begun to slump a little in his seat, only for Emilia-sama to sharply pinch his backside and snap him back to attention. Honestly, Kent-chan had paid closer attention to the priest’s rites than he had.

“Your Excellency, the ceremony has concluded without incident.”

“Mm. Well done.”

The priest must have been watching the timing carefully. He approached just as the Margrave straightened up after Emilia-sama’s corrective pinch. It seemed the priest knew the Margrave’s habits quite well.

“Good. We shall now begin the Harvest Festival parade. Men, make your preparations!”

““““Ooooooh!””””

At the Margrave’s command, the men of the town burst into action, hurrying to prepare for the parade. Among them were several people loading large barrels of ale onto carts.

“Shun-oniichan, there’s a barrel on that wagon.”

“There’s a reason for that. Around harvest time, the ale brewed from that year’s wheat is finally ready. The barrels are there to let everyone in town know that the new ale has been completed.”

“Ohhh, I see!” 

For the townspeople, the arrival of the new brew was probably something they had been eagerly awaiting all year. Looking around more carefully, I noticed that the festival stalls were already selling drinks, including ale and other beverages.

“Alcohol…”

“Sue, not now. Wait until everything is over.”

“Yeah”

““Ahaha””

Sue, you really should stop looking so devastated just because you can’t have a drink right away. Besides, have you already forgotten? You drank far too much and caused an absolute disaster in the Eastern Margrave Territory.

Apparently, Casey-san and Telma-san were well aware of just how troublesome Sue become when alcohol was involved. All they could do was exchange wry smiles and laugh awkwardly at her obvious disappointment.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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By the time most of the preparations were complete, the members of the Margrave’s household arrived by carriage. Today, the carriage was tightly surrounded by a heavy escort of soldiers. Security had clearly been reinforced far beyond the usual level.

“““Ohhh, those outfits are incredible!”””

Perhaps because it was the Harvest Festival, both the former margrave and the current margrave were dressed in lavish noble attire, while Emilia-sama wore an equally elegant dress befitting a lady of high standing.

“Wow, it’s a festival!”

“Hehe, yes. Today and tomorrow are the Harvest Festival.”

“I see!”

Kent-chan, too, was dressed in a very dignified outfit, while Maria-san—who was carrying him—wore a slightly more refined attendant’s uniform than usual.

Kent-chan had helped a little in the plaza earlier, but this was his first time seeing everything fully prepared. His eyes sparkled with excitement, overflowing with energy.

“Shun, everything is ready, I presume?”

“Yes. We’re good to go at any time.”

“I see. You’ve done well.”

The margrave nodded in satisfaction, acknowledging the effort that had gone into bringing everything together. With the offerings prepared perfectly, the former margrave looked around the plaza with clear satisfaction.

Incidentally, Ao had already made several full patrols of the area to ensure there were no suspicious objects. Everything was thoroughly checked.

Then, a group from the church arrived as well—priests and sisters dressed in ceremonial vestments.

“Everyone, we apologize for making you wait.”

“No, we’ve only just arrived ourselves.”

“I see. In that case, we shall proceed with the preparations for the Harvest Festival at once.”

After exchanging greetings with the Margrave, the priest headed toward the altar and began preparations. In response, more and more townspeople gathered in the plaza. When making offerings to the god and reporting the harvest, the townspeople participated together as well.

“Now then… where are we supposed to sit?”

It was about time for us to take our seats, but what caught my attention was that chairs had somehow been arranged behind the margrave’s seating area. Without hesitation, Shiro and the others naturally went and sat there.

“…Could it be that we’re supposed to sit here?”

“Uhm, I think there’s no doubt about it….”

Sue and the others had also come over near me, but they were clearly unsure as they looked at the rather conspicuous seating arrangement.

Just then, Toria-san spoke up.

“Shun-sama, you are also requested to take your place with the Margrave’s household. Please, be seated.”

“For real…?”

Even Toria spoke to me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

With a slight sense of resignation, we made our way to the seats behind the margrave’s family.

“Shun-oniichan, what’s going to happen now?”

“The priest is going to report to the gods and give thanks, saying that we were blessed with a good harvest this year.”

““““I see!””””

For some reason, not only Shiro and the others but even Kent-chan was listening intently to my explanation. Watching them, Emilia-sama smiled softly, clearly amused and pleased by the scene unfolding before her.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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And so, the day of the Harvest Festival finally arrived.

“Alright, we’ll be heading out first.”

“Take care.”

“Bye-bye!”

After finishing our preparations, we set out early from the Margrave’s residence, seen off by Emilia-sama and Kent-chan, who was bursting with energy from the morning.

The members of the Margrave’s household would join us later, as they still had matters from the previous day to handle. Apparently, they had already taken various measures overnight, so there wasn’t much left for them to do. Toria-san accompanied us as well, saying she would help out.

Clack, clack, clack.

“Wow, there are already so many people gathered.”

“It’s so lively.”

“Everyone looks like they’re having fun.”

By the time we arrived at the plaza, many townspeople were already there, busily preparing for the festival.

Right then—first things first, we needed to take out the tools and supplies stored in my and Ao’s item boxes.

“Here we go.”

“““Ooooh!”””

The moment Ao and I unloaded the items, a loud cheer rose up around us. It seemed that the sight of so many things appearing all at once was quite astonishing to the townspeople.

Alright—now we just had to assemble everything in one go.

“Shiro, Fran—sorry, but could you help Ao with assembling everything?”

“Leave it to me!”

“Fran will do her best too!”

The ever-energetic Shiro and Fran, both exceptionally skilled at heavy labor, immediately joined Ao and began helping the townspeople set up the plaza.

“Horn, could you help Sue and the others instead?”

“Okay!”

On the other hand, Horn, who excelled at delicate work, went to assist Sue and the others with the preparations for the wedding ceremony. The ceremony itself would be held tomorrow, but today was for confirming the participants, reviewing the procedures, and fitting the costumes.

“Alright, the statue of the goddess is in place!”

“Good! Bring over the altar next and start setting up the offerings!”

“““Yeah!”””

With the statue of the goddess now installed, the townspeople brought in the altar and began arranging the harvest offerings one after another. At the same time, rows of chairs were steadily being set up as well.

“We’ll carry this too!”

“Next is this one!”

“Haha, those girls are strong!”

“Really, they’re such hard workers.”

Laughter and admiration mixed together as the children moved about with surprising strength and energy, earning warm smiles from the townspeople. Shiro and Fran absolutely loved moving around, so they eagerly helped line up the chairs and arrange the seating as well. Both of them were full of energy, and the townspeople watching over them couldn’t help but smile.

“Next, let’s set up Margrave’s seat. Given what happened, we’ll need to tighten security as well.”

“Yes. Today, not only the town guards but also a large number of the margrave’s troops will be deployed.”

“And with several adventurers who bear titles in attendance, our sense of security is certainly much greater.”

Meanwhile, I somehow found myself acting as the on-site coordinator together with the officials and soldiers in charge of the setup.

“Toria-san, why am I the one directing everything here?”

“Eh? Everyone here simply assumes it’s only natural that Shun-sama would be in charge of on-site command.”

Apparently, both Toria-san and everyone else considered it perfectly normal for me to be leading the operation. It seemed my so-called “title” played a big role in that expectation.

But no matter how I looked at it, it didn’t feel like the kind of title an adventurer would normally have….

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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Once everyone had gathered in the reception room, the former margrave was the first to speak. Part of the reason was likely consideration for the current margrave and Emilia-sama, both of whom were in a particularly difficult position.

“First and foremost, I must express my gratitude to you and Ao, Shun. Regardless of the outcome, you succeeded in capturing members of the criminal organization that had been hiding within the territory.”

“We were fortunate as well. If they hadn’t been keeping the Margrave’s estate under surveillance, I don’t think we would have been able to find a lead on them.”

“Even so, the achievement is significant. Whether they choose to talk or not is another matter entirely, but there is no doubt that you’ve reduced the threat they posed.”

We had captured a large number of the operatives, which certainly weakened the organization. However, there was no way of knowing whether we had caught every single one of them. Naturally, none of us intended to let our guard down.

“Well, dealing with the aristocratic side of things is our responsibility. You don’t need to burden yourself over it, Shun. Given the nature of the incident, this isn’t something the margrave’s family can decide on their own anyway.”

His words carried a note of resignation.

The matter had grown far beyond a simple local problem. With noble houses implicated and a criminal organization operating in the shadows, any final judgment would inevitably involve the authorities in the Royal Capital. In other words, the fate of those families was no longer solely in the Margrave family’s hands.

The Margrave spread his hands in a gesture of surrender.

Given that multiple noble families were entangled in this dark organization’s activities, dealing with the aftermath was bound to be complicated.

“Incidentally, Casey’s and Telma’s brothers looked genuinely shocked when they saw the two of them. It seems they had been under the impression that Casey and Telma were no longer in the territory.”

“That still doesn’t justify joining a criminal organization and trying to harm the Margrave’s family though.”

No matter how complicated the circumstances were, it could never excuse turning to crime. I could only hope that Casey-san’s and Telma-san’s brothers would come to understand the gravity of their actions.

“Regardless, our priority is making sure the Harvest Festival concludes without incident. After that, we still have to put a stop to this organization. Unfortunately, the army isn’t expected to arrive until the day after the festival.”

“They might try to bring in reinforcements before then. We’ll stay on our guard.”

Just as Emilia-sama feared, this wasn’t over yet.

The threat still lingered in the shadows, and there was no telling what the organization might attempt next. With those thoughts weighing on our minds, the meeting finally came to an end.

As I made my way back, I found Sue waiting quietly in front of my room.

“Sue, how are they doing?”

“They’re not in a good state. The strain is getting to them. Learning that their own brothers were involved in such a serious crime has taken a tremendous toll on them, both mentally and emotionally.”

As their closest friend, Sue was deeply worried about the two of them. 

For the time being, we’d need to make sure that Ao, Shiro, and the others stayed by their side at all times.

“Ao used magic to put them to sleep.”

“That was probably the right call. With how tense they are, I doubt they would have been able to sleep at all otherwise.”

Neither Sue nor Ao had made the wrong decision. No matter how difficult things were, Casey-san and Telma-san needed proper rest more than anything right now.

“What did the Margrave say?”

“He said that handling the negotiations and disputes between noble houses was his responsibility, no matter how troublesome it might be. Other than that, he warned us to stay vigilant, since we still don’t know whether we’ve caught all of the perpetrators.”

“I see… Thank you.”

Sue lowered her gaze slightly. There were undoubtedly many thoughts weighing on her mind as well.

After parting ways with her, I returned to my guest room. I needed to get some rest too. First and foremost, we had to make the Harvest Festival a success. Only after that could we focus on bringing this entire affair to an end.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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“Casey… Telma…”

“Uuu… sob…”

Sue gently embraced the two girls as their tears continued to flow.

In many ways, Casey-san and Telma-san were victims themselves, caught up in the schemes of a criminal organization. Yet at the same time, they were also members of the perpetrators’ families. It was a painfully complicated position to be in.

“Margrave-sama, will Casey and Telma still be allowed to participate in the Harvest Festival?”

The two had worked tirelessly alongside Sue, pouring their hearts into the preparations for the wedding ceremony that would be held during the festival. But now there was the possibility that their own brothers had been involved in the explosion in the town square—the very incident that had forced everyone to start the preparations over from scratch.

“I will permit them to take part in the Harvest Festival. It will serve as proof that the sisters have done everything in their power to make amends for the misconduct of their brothers. It may also be taken into consideration as a mitigating circumstance.”

I see. So that was his approach.

By allowing Casey-san and Telma-san to continue helping with the Harvest Festival, their efforts could become a factor when leniency was considered later. The Margrave might seem absent-minded at times, but moments like this were a reminder of just how sharp and calculating he truly was.

“Margrave-sama, thank you for your consideration.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Mm.”

As Sue, Casey-san, and Telma-san bowed their heads in gratitude, the immediate matters were finally settled. Now, the most important task was ensuring that the Harvest Festival over the next two days passed without incident.

There was nothing more for us to do here, so we returned to the manor.

“We’re back.”

“Welcome back. You two have been through so much.”

As soon as we arrived, Emilia-sama greeted us and pulled Casey-san and Telma-san into a tight embrace. She likely already knew about their brothers and the judgment the Margrave had handed down, but she said nothing. Instead, she simply held them close.

Touched by Emilia-sama’s kindness, Casey and Telma began to cry once more.

“Sue, stay with them tonight, will you? Sleep in the same room and keep them company. I’ve already spoken with Shiro and the others.”

“Yes. I’ll stay by their side and look after them.”

The concern in Sue’s voice was unmistakable. Seeing her friends suffering like this, there was no way she could simply leave them alone. And with Emilia-san’s quiet warmth embracing them, the burden the two girls had been carrying seemed, if only slightly, lighter than before.

I doubt the worst-case scenario will come to pass, but preventing it is precisely why Sue, Shiro, and the others are so important. At this point, all we can do is entrust the two girls to Sue. 

Even Ao has decided to spend the night with them.

“Shun, we need to discuss what comes next.”

“Sorry, but could you come to the study?”

With that, I found myself sitting down once again with the members of the Margrave’s family. 

No matter what, we had to find a way to deal with this situation. If we failed, there was every chance that the dark organization lurking behind the scenes would continue to spiral out of control. And that was something we absolutely could not allow.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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The Margrave then escorted Casey-san and Telma-san toward the cells. Less than a minute later, he returned. The color had drained even further from Casey-san’s and Telma-san’s faces than when they had first arrived.

“I’m afraid I have bad news. Among those captured at the Human Supermacy Cult hideout that Ao raided were members of Casey and Telma’s families… as well as their elder brothers.”

“What?!”

The Margrave spoke with a look of deep regret.

That likely meant Casey-san and Telma-san had personally confirmed their identities, leaving no room for doubt. Meanwhile, Sue remained silent, quietly watching the situation unfold. She had probably already heard the report back at the manor.

“Margrave-sama, my family’s actions… my brother’s in particular have caused you an immense amount of trouble. For that, I offer my deepest apologies.”

“I am truly sorry. Please pass judgment on me as well.”

With tears streaming down their faces, Casey-san and Telma-san apologized to the Margrave. Having been directly involved in organizing the Harvest Festival themselves, they understood better than anyone just how serious the actions of their family members and brothers had been.

The Margrave let out a quiet sigh before addressing them.

“First, I will accept your apologies. As for you two, Ao’s appraisal has already confirmed that neither Casey nor Telma was involved in any wrongdoing.”

As expected of Ao and the Margrave. They had already conducted another thorough investigation into Casey-san’s and Telma-san’s backgrounds. Then again, the two of them had done little more than travel between the town square and the manor, and wherever they were—whether in the square or at the estate—they had always been accompanied by someone.

“However, the House of Viscount Nasca and the House of Viscount Franz will almost certainly face disciplinary action. The final judgment will depend on the results of the investigation, but given the gravity of the matter, even a demotion in rank is a real possibility.”

“Yes, I understand. I am fully prepared for that.”

“I understand all too well that what was done warrants such consequences.”

The Margrave spoke in a firm, unwavering tone, and Casey-san and Telma-san accepted his words head-on without looking away. Considering that the incident included an attempted assassination of members of the Margrave’s family, there was more than enough reason to believe their houses could be stripped of rank.

“I have already sent word to the Royal Capital. A search of your estates will likely begin before the night is over. You should also prepare yourselves for the possibility that members of your families will be taken into custody.”

““Y-yes, we understand.””

The two answered in unison.Members of House Kasuak had already been arrested by the military. Both Casey-san and Telma-san were well aware of that fact, and the uncertainty of what lay ahead undoubtedly weighed heavily on their minds. Even so, they met the Margrave’s gaze and responded without hesitation.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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In the end, they probably wouldn’t say anything even if we questioned them properly.

So there was no reason to keep them here any longer.

“Let’s just have them removed.”

Bzzzt— crackle.

“““Guh…!”””

I released an area stun spell, and the men disguised as soldiers collapsed at once, their bodies going rigid. Immediately, the real soldiers on guard moved in, restraining and binding the immobilized intruders.

All of them were human.

And when I used appraisal magic on them, the result was clear: members of the Human Supremacy Cult.

There was no doubt anymore. Straight to the dungeon was the only destination for them.

“Ao is currently chasing down the one who ran off. She might even be in the process of taking their base. In any case, we should have human soldiers conduct patrols and start rounding up anyone else disguised as troops.”

“Yeah… you’re right. We excluded anyone in uniform in the crowd. That was a blind spot.”

“We should probably extend that suspicion to other professions that require uniforms as well.”

They could just as easily be disguised as a beastman, of course—but how far we could detect them remained uncertain. Still, one thing was clear. Their movements had been disrupted. And for the moment, that alone gave us a small advantage.

Boom, crackle, crackle.

“W-what’s that magical light?”

“Ah, that’s probably Ao’s magic. I think he’s probably taken over the hideout.”

“I-I see. As expected of the champion. Someone go to the guardhouse and call for reinforcements!”

At this point, the soldiers should be able to handle the rest. I also head to the guardhouse to talk.

“Anyone who might be in disguise is suspicious, right?”

“Will costumes to make you look like a beastman be sold at the Harvest Festival?”

“They’ll be for children, but not for adults.”

“In that case, an adult disguised as a beastman would be extremely suspicious.”

I arrived at the guardhouse and chatted with the soldiers while watching the captured suspicious person being imprisoned. The suspicious person looked quite frustrated, but perhaps my suspicions were spot on.

“Come on, walk faster!”

Oh, it looks like the suspicious individuals Ao captured have arrived as well.

There were quite a lot of them—well over ten, at a glance. A few had faces that were bruised and swollen beyond recognition. Judging from the state they were in, they must have underestimated Ao and paid the price when they tried to fight back.

Still, the most important person was nowhere to be seen. Ao herself wasn’t with them.

Just as I was wondering about that, the door to the guard station opened. For some reason, the Margrave entered, accompanied by Sue, who was carrying Ao in her arms, as well as Casey-san and Telma-san.

What immediately caught my attention was their expressions. Sue looked unusually serious while Casey-san and Telma-san looked unusually tense.

Had something happened?

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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As soon as dinner was over, Ao and I made preparations to begin our patrol.

“Shiro’s coming too.”

“Fran too.”

“Horn too.”

Right on cue, Shiro and the others insisted on coming with us. However, it was already late at night, and someone needed to remain at the mansion in case anything happened.

“Sue and the others won’t be with us tonight. I need you three to stay here and look after the mansion, alright?”

“““Okay…”””

The three of them reluctantly accepted my decision.

I pulled them all into a hug. Ao joined in as well, wrapping her tentacles around them as if sharing the embrace.

“Then I’ll leave things here in your hands.”

“Yes. Leave it to us.”

Entrusting Shiro and the others to Sue, I left the mansion with Ao.

The moment we stepped outside, I activated my Detection Magic.

“So they finally made a move…”

Almost immediately, I noticed someone who had been keeping watch on the mansion.

The moment Ao and I departed, that person began following us. At the same time, another individual broke away and ran off toward some unknown destination. Ao and I exchanged a glance. No words were needed. I continued wandering through the town as if I had noticed nothing, acting as bait. Meanwhile, Ao silently slipped away into the darkness, setting off in pursuit of the person who had run off.

“Are you keeping a good distance, watching me from the shadows? Though, everything I’m doing is completely transparent to you.”

As I slowly walked towards the square, more and more people gathered behind me.

Are they planning to kill me?

I also began to secretly gather my magic power. 

And then I arrived at the square.

“Thanks for your hard work.”

“Y-yes. Good work to you too.”

When I arrived at the square and spoke to the guards, they responded in a friendly manner. There were four guards in total, all strong beastmen.

Actually, I’ve seen them many times before during preparations for the Harvest Festival, so I’m pretty much acquainted with them.

“I came because I was worried, since it starts tomorrow.”

“Haha, I understand that feeling. I’m also praying for the success of the Harvest Festival.”

While chatting casually with the guards, I kept an eye on the person hiding behind me.

Five people in total? This should be over in no time.

I gestured with my index finger to the soldiers to be quiet.

“Come on. I already know you’re hiding there. You’d be better off coming out quietly.”

The moment I called out to the people concealed in the shadows, there was a reaction. Five individuals stepped out without hesitation. I wasn’t surprised in the slightest—it was exactly what I had expected.

The soldiers on patrol, however, were another story.

“W-What?! They’re wearing our uniforms!”

Sure enough, the people who emerged were humans dressed exactly like soldiers of the Margrave’s army.

“The best place to hide a tree is in a forest. If they’re dressed as soldiers, the townspeople won’t find them suspicious. And with security tightened throughout the city, having more soldiers walking around than usual wouldn’t seem strange at all.”

“I see… So that’s how they managed the previous attack. Nobody thought they were suspicious, and they caught the guards completely off guard.”

With that explanation, the incidents at the square suddenly made perfect sense.

Dressed as fellow soldiers, they could lower their targets’ guard and slip in behind them with ease. Likewise, approaching festival facilities under the pretense of performing an inspection would attract little suspicion.

I had found the situation suspicious from the beginning. The Margrave’s beastmen soldiers were seasoned warriors. It was hard to believe they could be defeated so easily in a straightforward confrontation. But if the attackers had disguised themselves as allies and struck when their victims were least expecting it, then everything fit together perfectly.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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The work continued smoothly throughout the afternoon.

The festival stage was nearly complete, and all the equipment needed for the wedding ceremony had been gathered and prepared. More importantly, the townspeople were brimming with enthusiasm. Seeing how determined they were only strengthened our own resolve to make the Harvest Festival a success.

“Alright, I’ll store all the clothes away. Is there anything else that should be put away?”

“Let’s see… No, I think that’s everything. Ao already stored the rest.”

As evening approached, we began cleaning up for the day. With so many items packed away inside Ao’s and my Item Boxes, the festival square looked surprisingly empty and deserted. Still, once everything was brought out again tomorrow morning, the stage would be completed in no time.

“All that’s left now is to wait for tomorrow.”

“That’s right. Somehow, no matter what happens, I want this Harvest Festival to succeed.”

Sue and the others had finished their own preparations as well, so we all headed back to the mansion together. We would have to get to the square a little earlier than usual in the morning.

“We’re back.”

“Welcome home!”

The cheerful greeting echoed through the mansion the moment we stepped inside, bringing a warm smile to everyone’s face after a long day of work.

When we returned to the mansion, the ever-energetic Kent-chan came running out to greet us. A moment later, Emilia-san appeared from behind him.

“Welcome back. It sounds like the festival preparations went smoothly.”

“Yes. It looks like we’ll be able to welcome tomorrow without any problems.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Go wash up and then come join us for dinner.”

Word of the successful preparations had apparently already reached the Margrave’s household, and Emilia-san welcomed us with a warm smile.

After returning to our rooms and washing away the day’s sweat, we headed to the dining hall.

“Sorry to keep you waiti—… Huh? Is something wrong?”

The moment I entered the dining hall, I noticed something unusual. The former Margrave and the Margrave were already seated, but both wore grim expressions. Even Emilia-san, who had greeted us with a smile only a short while ago, now looked troubled.

“Shun, read this.”

“Y-Yes, sir. Let me see… [ Please look forward to the Harvest Festival. — Human Supremacy Cult.] In other words, it’s a threat.”

“Exactly. Earlier, the soldiers guarding the square were attacked by unknown assailants, and this letter was left behind. As a precaution, we’ve increased the number of guards and reinforced security around the square.”

The former Margrave’s face remained unusually stern as he handed me the letter. The soldiers assigned to guard the square had not been ordinary troops. They were carefully selected members of the Margrave’s forces. The fact that someone had managed to defeat several of them was proof enough that the attackers possessed considerable strength.

“Then Ao says she’ll go check on the square later!”

At that moment, Shiro and the others entered the dining hall carrying Ao in their arms. Ao’s tentacles were swaying enthusiastically, making it obvious that she was fully motivated.

“She says she’ll patrol the town too.”

“Then I’ll go with her. I can use Detection Magic, and if we combine it with Ao’s abilities, we should be able to get a good picture of what’s going on.”

“Sorry to ask this of you, but can you do it?”

“Of course.”

The former Margrave’s request left little room for argument, and so it was decided that Ao and I would patrol the town after dinner. I could only hope that we wouldn’t find anything. Given the threatening letter and the attack on the guards, the atmosphere in the dining hall had grown noticeably tense.

Still, worrying alone would solve nothing. If there really were enemies lurking in the shadows, the best thing we could do was search for them before they had a chance to make their move.

With that thought in mind, I finished my meal and prepared for the night’s patrol alongside Ao, hoping that tomorrow’s Harvest Festival would pass without incident.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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The following day, we threw ourselves back into preparing for the Harvest Festival. The heavy labor was left to the townspeople, while the rest of us focused on repairing the wedding attire.

“Heave-ho!”

Fran, who was hopeless when it came to sewing, had joined the townsfolk in the physical work instead.

“It’s a relief that the damage to the clothes isn’t any worse than this. At this rate, we should be able to finish the repairs in a day.”

“I’ll help as well.”

“Shiro will do her best too!”

“Horn too!”

Fortunately, the wedding garments had been stored in a different location, so they had escaped with only minor damage. If we concentrated, we could have them ready in no time. Sue and the others were busy meeting with the event organizers, so for now it was just the four of us working on the repairs.

Stitch, stitch, stitch.

Needles moved steadily through cloth as we carefully mended every tear. At the very least, the outfits needed to hold together throughout the wedding ceremony, so we made sure not to cut any corners.

Then, just as we settled into our work, some welcome reinforcements arrived.

“We’ll help too.”

“Leave this sort of thing to us.”

The speakers were the town’s middle-aged women. Apparently, they had been looking for a way to contribute, and when they saw us beginning the repairs, they decided they had found the perfect opportunity.

“Ooh! That’s so fast!”

“Amazing!”

“Haha, well, we’ve spent years mending our husbands’ and children’s clothes.”

“This much is only natural for us.”

As expected of the town’s veteran mothers, they repaired the garments at a pace so impressive that even Shiro and Horn stared in amazement.

“The Harvest Festival’s group wedding is always one of the biggest events of the year.”

“They announced the participants ahead of time. I heard there will be five couples this year.”

“It doesn’t matter whether they’re newlyweds or getting remarried. Good news is something everyone should celebrate together.”

It was clear that the women were looking forward to the wedding ceremony just as much as anyone else. The townspeople truly had their hearts set on this festival. That was all the more reason for us to keep pushing forward and make sure neither the dark organization nor the Human Supremacy Cult could ruin it.

“Actually, one of the couples in the group wedding is a friend of ours.”

“They’ve been together for years and even have children already, but they’ve always been too busy to hold a proper ceremony.”

“This time, their wish is finally coming true. They’ll get to have the wedding they’ve been waiting for.”

I understood immediately. If someone close to you was taking part in the ceremony, of course your enthusiasm would be on a different level. 

Thanks to everyone’s efforts, the clothing repairs were completed by noon.

“We’ll help with the cooking too.”

“With this many people, there’s no way you’ll be able to feed the whole town by yourselves.”

When it came time to prepare the communal meals, even more of the town’s women gathered around.

“Well, this is a perfect chance to learn how to make such an unusual dish.”

“The cooking method is simple, and best of all, it makes generous use of the Margravate’s local specialties.”

“It would be great for both the townspeople and visiting tourists.”

The energy these women had was truly incredible. Most of them worked at restaurants and eateries around town, and they seemed eager to take advantage of this opportunity to learn how to make the dishes I was preparing.

“So, young man, you don’t mind us learning your recipes?”

“Not at all. They’re not exactly a secret. Besides, whether a dish turns out delicious in the end depends on the cook’s skill.”

“Well, that’s an interesting thing to say. We’ve got plenty of confidence in our cooking abilities, so we’ll make sure they’re delicious.”

“That’s right. Leave it to us.”

That was how I had always felt in the other margravates as well. If people could make the dishes well, I wanted them to learn as many recipes as they liked. In fact, I thought it would be fascinating if, over time, each region developed its own unique variations and seasonings, transforming the dishes into something distinctly local.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com

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