Chapter 63: Yona, Aris, and the Festival

The next morning.

As always, I opened my eyes to the morning sunlight. My whole body ached from moving too much last night.

Fsss.

I was staring blankly at the ceiling when the blanket wiggled.

What?

The moment I wondered, a white head popped out.

“Are you awake?”

“Yona?”

The owner of the head was Yona.

She had entered the blanket while I was sleeping.

“Sister. Are you going to eat breakfast?”

“Yeah. I have to eat. What time is it? It’s probably before 9 o’clock since the alarm hasn’t rung yet?”

“Uh… it’s 10 o’clock.”

“10 o’clock? 10 o’clock? I slept through the alarm.”

It seems that Emily’s dance class was harder than I expected. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have missed the alarm I set for 9 o’clock.

“Did Yona eat breakfast?”

“No! I was waiting to eat with you, sister.”

“Then let’s go.”

I went into the bathroom and washed up roughly. Yona said she had already washed up, so only I had to wash up.

“Okay, let’s go.”

“Let’s go!”

I picked up Yona and went down to the first floor.

There were a large number of maids and butlers in the mansion. They were busy from the morning cleaning and ventilating.

When I entered the first-floor dining room, a delicious smell vibrated.

I asked a passing maid.

“Did someone eat first?”

“Ah. I was preparing Miss Emily’s meal until just now.”

“Did she eat and leave?”

“No. She said she had a lot of work to do today, so she said she would eat in her room.”

“Ah. Thank you.”

I wanted to eat with both of them if possible. But I can’t help it since she has busy work to do.

At the imperial banquet, Muelia will gain as much benefit as possible. The main character of the banquet is Muelia duchy, and the emperor has a problem with that.

Emily, who is in charge of that work, is bound to be busy.

I put my disappointment behind me and sat down with Yona.

“Sister. Is there anything you want to eat?”

“Me? Um. I don’t really care, as long as it’s not too greasy.”

It’s morning, so if I eat something too greasy, my stomach will feel heavy.

“Then how about a sandwich?”

“Sounds good.”

We ordered sandwiches. As it is eaten by the children of the Great Duchy, it will not be a mediocre sandwich that I think of.

I was looking forward to it.

“It’s here.”

A sandwich with a lot of contents inside, fixed with a skewer, came out. As I expected, the ingredients were amazing.

“Wow, bon appétit.”

Chomp!

Yam!

It was delicious.

The sweet and sour sauce, bacon, egg, and bread went well together. Especially, the fruit juice that came with it was a very good match.

‘So this kind of sauce is also good?’

I learned another one.

So the two of us ate breakfast.

“Sister. Do you know there’s a festival outside?”

“Yeah. It’s to commemorate the hunt, right?”

“Then, will you go play with me like last time?”

“I don’t mind, but Emily is busy. Would that be okay?”

“Yes. I asked her, and she said to go with you. She said the festival itself will be held for a week, and she’ll be busy for a week.”

“Then I can’t help it. Shall we go right away?”

“Yes!”

When I came back to my room, I put on casual outing clothes. Yona was wearing a hat like last time.

That’s because she doesn’t like bringing a lot of escorts.

“Let’s go.”

I picked her up and went outside. Then Aris appeared nearby.

“I will escort you like last time this time too. Miss Yona. If you need anything, please give me a signal.”

“Yes.”

This time, Aris was the escort. I thought for a moment.

‘Even if it’s Aris, if people are crowded during the festival period, can she provide support immediately?’

If you don’t care about the injuries of the surrounding people and focus on escorting, there is no such problem.

You can push them away whether people get hurt or not. But Aris was not such a person.

‘Then, shall I ask her to move together?’

If she’s right next to me, I don’t have to worry about that.

I want to enjoy the festival with the two of us, but Yona’s safety always comes first.

Not only that, but Aris also learned the sword from Delkarmen Muelia since she was a child. Even now, she spends all her time training instead of leisure.

“Well, Aris.”

“Do you have something to say?”

“How about we move together?”

“Move together?”

Aris tilted her head.

I talked about Yona’s safety during the festival.

“I see. If you look at the power structure, this place is like the mouth of a tiger.”

The Empire, the two duchies, and other forces are aiming for Muelia. Aris nodded and stood next to me.

I asked Yona.

“Is it okay to go together?”

“Yes. I’d rather like it”

Yona was happy that there was one more person to play with.

So we headed to where the festival was being held.

The festival held in the capital of this empire has a very monumental meaning.

Because they repelled the high-ranking monsters hiding in the southern great forest, and the battle that resulted in numerous casualties was over.

The empire linked this fact to the demon king.

As a result, people know that the demon king’s secret weapon has been blocked and are enjoying the festival.

As proof of that, many demon king dolls crying were seen at the entrance of the festival.

“Buy a crying demon king! Only 5 silver!”

“A play is being performed with the demon king at the 5th theater. Please watch it!”

There were various hawking activities as there were many people gathering at the festival. Yona looked around with sparkling eyes.

“Is there anything you want to do?”

“What about you, sister?”

“Me? I don’t have anything in particular.”

Then a lady running a stall called us.

“Hey. You ladies? Try this on. I’ll give it to you as a gift if it suits you well.”

The lady handed me a horn headband on the stall.

It’s a cute headband with cute reddish-black horns sticking out. It seems to be shaped like the horns of the demon king.

I was about to reach out without any doubt. But Aris took it first.

“Fortunately, there are no tricks. You can wear it with confidence.”

I had a funny thought as I watched her speak seriously.

“Madam, do you have one more of these?”

“Who’s going to wear it? That little lady? Or the lady next to you?”

“The lady next to me.”

Before Aris could say anything, I put the headband on her. Aris looked at me with a bewildered expression.

But I ignored it and just shrugged my shoulders.

“How much is it?”

“Oh my. It suits you well. I’ll give it to you for free, so please wear it and go around.”

I looked in the mirror. It suited me well as I saw it.

This lady has good business skills. She’s trying to pick a few people who suit her well and use them as models. This way, we can create additional customers who want to buy after seeing us.

“I’ll use it well.”

I thanked her and walked away.

“Rachel, what is this?”

“What do you mean what. We’re enjoying the festival. We have to act naturally like this so people don’t get suspicious.”

“But.”

“Don’t worry. It suits you well. Right. Yona?”

“Yes! It suits you well!”

Yona looked at the horn headband with sparkling eyes. Yona can’t wear it now because of the hat.

“Heh. I knew it would be like this, so I brought Yona’s too. Let’s try it on later when we go home.”

“Hehe. Thank you.”

She rubbed her head against my chest.

Aris couldn’t say anything because it suited her well, and walked awkwardly.

I sighed.

No matter how awkward it is, a person who is escorting is openly showing signs of ‘I’m an escort’.

And a woman of that age should enjoy it.

I looked around. The women of her age were all laughing and enjoying the festival.

So I hooked arms with Aris.

“Rachel?”

“Enjoy it. It’s a festival. Is there a place you want to go?”

“Uh uh….”

Wandering eyes. It seems that she is embarrassed by the environment that is different from usual. Meanwhile, Yona pulled my clothes.

“Sister. That.”

“Huh? That doll?”

“Yes!”

Yona pointed to the demon king doll.

Unlike the real demon king who looks scary, the doll was cute.

Two cute horns sticking out and two eyes that are dead in an x-shape. He’s wearing red clothes and sticking out his tongue.

It wasn’t scary at all even if a child saw it.

The desire to buy was full in Yona’s eyes, who likes dolls.

“Okay. I’ll buy it for you.”

It’s not like the doll is expensive. It was me who was receiving a lot of consideration from Yona, so I wanted to buy it for her.

“Mister. Give me one doll.”

“Doll? You mean the demon king doll? What size do you want?”

“Um. Which one do you want?”

I asked Yona. Yona chose the middle doll. The size is divided into small, medium, and large.

“Give me the medium size.”

The mister handed Yona a soft, medium-sized demon king doll. Yona hugged the doll right away.

“Are you going to give it to your sister?”

“Haha, yes.”

“Oh, she’s cute. I’ll give it to you cheaply, 3 silver.”

Even though the merchant couldn’t see most of her face because she was wearing a big hat, she was cute just by looking at her lower jaw. I stroked Yona’s head and enjoyed the festival.

Of course, I didn’t forget to hook arms with Aris.