Chapter 808 – A Night for Children

000

The sun sets on the second day of the Five Elements Festival.

As the sunset over the setting horizon disappeared, bright lights came on as if covering the entire village.

What emerged was the power to suppress ghosts as the flowers hanging on each tree began to glow.

As Cleon looked at it, he took off his mask with relief that today’s work was over.

＂Phew…＂

Compared to yesterday, the number of ghosts has decreased, but as expected, dealing with tree ghosts was not that easy.

If we hadn’t received help from Diora and Selena, it would have taken time and there might have been casualties.

＂Thank you both.＂

When the two people who confirmed that they had defeated the last ghost approached, Cleon expressed his gratitude to the two people.

Diora shrugs her shoulders, but Selena replies with a tired expression.

＂Oh, this much… Ah, it’s nothing… Ohhoho…”

Cleon smiled bitterly at her reaction, which seemed to have consumed a lot of her magic power.

＂Originally, I should repay you with something…”

“Don’t worry. Because Selena has an official schedule behind this, so she has to be a part of it. I was invited to a dinner party by nobles from an eastern country. It’s a special seat.”

＂Special seats?＂

When Cleon asked Diora what she was talking about, she blinked and tilted her head as if she did not understand.

“On the second night of the Five Elements Festival, a fireworks display using firecrackers containing the magic power of the sacred tree is held. The last time we fooled Enlai, there were firecrackers at the time, and it was possible because we were preparing for the Five Elements Festival.”

Cleon had been preparing for the Five Elements Festival for over a month, but this was her first time hearing such a story, and she had no choice but to remain silent for a moment after hearing Diora’s words, who knew more about the Five Elements Festival than she did.

“They say that seeing fireworks from high up is something special, so I’m looking forward to it.”

When Diora says that and makes a V with her fingers, Selena places her hand on Diora’s shoulder and speaks while leaning against her.

“Well, we don’t have much time left, so let’s go back quickly and change clothes…”

＂Okay, so come to your senses, Selena~! If you, who were invited, don’t go, I can’t go either! Well then, that’s it! We’ll go first. Cleon!”

Diora lightly greets Cleon and carries Selena on her back.

“Oh, that’s right!”

And, just before leaving, he looks back at Cleon, who was looking at them, and speaks.

“There seems to be a legend that says if you make a wish before the last, biggest fireworks explode, your wish will come true. Also, a wish related to love. It’s a romantic legend, so why not go with the girl you care about?”

＂…＂

Cleon’s thoughts stopped as the women that instantly appeared in his mind after hearing Diora’s words.

Diora seemed to have seen through Cleon’s worries and was giggling and smiling like a devil.

“Well, no matter who we take, it’s certain to be a mess. Popular men must be in trouble~”

As if her purpose was to make fun of Cleon, she ran away with Selena in the direction of the kingdom’s military base and disappeared.

Cleon, who looked at her back for a moment, sighed while scratching her head and turned towards the Dark Dragon Company’s mansion to change his battle-stained clothes.

She also had a ‘prior promise’.

001

Cleon took off the black blanket that had been designated as the protagonist of the exorcism, changed into his usual adventurer’s clothes, and left the mansion with the other two without carrying Slash, Galatea, or Caliburn.

“Can we really go together?”

Amelia was next to Cleon, dressed in the traditional attire of an eastern country, looking around her as if her mind couldn’t calm down.

Unlike the usual atmosphere, the dress, which featured a skirt that covered all the legs and a large knot on the back, was an outfit given as a gift to girls in Eastern countries who belonged to families of fairly high status or good economic power.

In Amelia’s case, it is yellow with a pink flower pattern, which makes her look younger than her usual adult appearance along with her bright image.

If you ask where these fine jeans came from, it’s a mix of clothes that Herti had handed down to Amelia from her childhood, as she had very little of her own.

Cleon answers Amelia by nodding her head.

“Of course. I was told that the festival at the street stalls was for children, so Amelia and Sasha should enjoy it.”

“Well, I’m a little nervous!”

And in response to Cleon’s words, Sasha stood on the other side of Amelia with Cleon in the middle and touched her bangs. Unlike Amelia, she was wearing her usual adventurer clothes like Cleon.

Sasha herself thought that this outfit suited her best, and it was easy for her to move around, so there were no problems.

Above all, she seemed to think that bright clothes like the ones Amelia was wearing did not suit her, so she stubbornly refused Callia’s offer to lend her clothes of the same type.

＂I didn’t bring a bow… I guess it’ll be okay?＂

Sasha said that she felt a little awkward because she didn’t have her own bow, which she always carried, even though she was dressed as an adventurer, but Cleon nodded to her.

“What. Since it is night, there will be no ghosts. According to Laila, who is scanning not only Asteris but also the entire eastern country in real time, the flying fortress is still in place, so there is little chance of a battle occurring.”

And Cleon pats Sasha on the shoulder and reassures her.

“And, even if something happens, the government forces of Asteris will be protecting the citizens. You can leave those worries behind.”

When Cleon said that, Sasha also let out a sigh of relief, as if she felt a little relieved.

For your information, Lila, as she just said, was inspecting the entire Eastern country with Arnia from inside her mansion.

As an application of the surveillance system used by Kanon, Laila created some surveillance crystal spheres containing her magical power and sent them out into the sky.

The enormous amount of information received is handled by Arnia, who relays only the necessary parts to Lila.

Therefore, Cleon couldn’t help but tremble slightly when he remembered how she had warned him with an evil smile that if he did anything wrong, he would immediately report her to Lila.

In addition, the words she left behind are as follows.

“Just before. Cleon. The legend of fireworks told by Diora.”

＂Ah, yes.＂

Just before leaving the house, Cleon said that he would take the children to the festival, and Sasha and Amelia happily went into the room to get ready to go out.

Lilim says that although she certainly has the appearance of a child, inside she is the oldest person in the party, over 40 years old, and refuses to get excited like a child. Br〉

Lila quietly calls Cleon and talks in a space where only the two of them can talk.

“You’re not planning on taking those two to see the fireworks and make a strange wish…?”

＂Haa!?＂

At Lila’s words, Cleon raises a loud voice without realizing it, but she soon regains her composure by clearing her throat, and looks at Lila as if asking if she is sincere.

“No… That’s Cleon. I don’t really think so though? Cleon has some dishonorable suspicions, right? He… Is of the same race as Diora…”

＂It can’t be like that…!＂

Lila responded to Cleon’s desperate denial by saying, ‘Yeah, right?’, As if she was a little relieved.

“Well, well… I don’t mind if you don’t plan on doing something stupid to those two people. One thing to be careful of… Just in case. You shouldn’t just follow any woman you meet there and try to get into a good mood. Got it? “

“Lila, do you truly accept that legend?”

Are you putting checks in place because of that?

“The magical power of the sacred tree is real… See, most of the legends we heard or experienced while traveling were real, right? There is nothing wrong with being careful.”

Cleon fell silent for a moment at Lila’s words.

Sure… It made sense, though.

“Oh, anyway! I’m giving this advice out of consideration for Cleon’s safety! By the way, I heard earlier that Herti and Calia were also planning to go out. I even heard the keyword fireworks! So, even if you don’t take a weapon with you when you go out, take a backpack with you.”

＂…＂

Cleon narrowed his eyes in response to Lila’s words.

“If you’re that worried, you can come too.”

“That’s because I have work to do! It would be nice if I could at least learn the magic of an alter ego with substance and self so that it could do things for me…!”

After saying that, she sighs and speaks while looking at Cleon.

＂If the relationship increases beyond this point, Cleon. All of my retirement funds might be taken away by the women who are responsible for it?”

＂…＂

＂It might be better than an irresponsible man. How about it, doesn’t it send shivers down your spine?”

As Lila said that, she gently stroked her stomach as if it was on purpose.

＂Well… I guess I can think that Dad understood well?＂

─, She said.

Cleon himself may not have had any intention of wishing on fireworks with someone, but he couldn’t resist Lila’s torch and ended up going to the festival with a heavy backpack on his back.

If this happens even before the child is born, how much will he be trapped after the child is born…

But I think that maybe that’s not a bad thing, and when Cleon arrives at the shopping street with the two people-

＂Wow…!＂

To the extent that I could understand Sasha’s exclamation, I noticed a shopping street filled with an atmosphere different from her usual appearance.

Beneath the trees with shining flowers that illuminate the streets, dozens or even three figures of street stalls fill the streets.

The children walking between them were enjoying the street stalls among themselves or with their adult guardians.

Toys for children, masks, and even food such as cookies and candies

It was a paradise for children, spread out on a festival day that came once a year, at night, when there was no need to worry about ghosts.

Amelia also covered her mouth and didn’t make a sound, but she seemed a little surprised by the lively atmosphere of the street.

The festival she experienced must have been something of a torture, as she was forced to ride around the streets in her carriage on the Kingdom’s Victory Day, so this may be her first time experiencing a festival in the true sense. Br〉

Cleon, who saw Amelia’s eyes turning red as if something was overflowing in his heart, smiled slightly and took out a sword from the bag he had brought with him and handed it to the two.

＂This much…?＂

＂Um, are we there too?＂

Sasha’s eyes widen at the amount she received from Cleon, and to show her the money from the Eastern Bureau in her small pocket, Cleon speaks.

“Because it might not be enough.”

“This might be too much…”

Amelia seemed a little worried that Cleon might be overdoing it, but she told the two that Cleon was fine and gave them some to each of them.

“Buy a gift for Lilim or Lila at home.”

＂Well, that’s right! It might be okay to buy other people’s gifts as well!”

“Indeed… I understand, Cleon. So do we walk around together?”

Sasha nods her head in understanding, and Cleon shakes her head when Amelia asks him.

“Sorry, I have an appointment… When the time comes, go back to the mansion first. “You can’t go back too late.”

“I see… It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing we can do.”

As Amelia, she said that she wanted to go out with him, but she nodded as if she understood Cleon’s situation, held hands with Sasha, and disappeared into the streets of street vendors.

Cleon watched the two people walk away, and then moved under the sign at the entrance to a store not far away.

And I looked around, looking for a girl wearing a bread hat, but I couldn’t see a girl wearing such an impressive outfit.

“Now that I think about it, I didn’t set the exact time. Maybe it’s too late?”

As Cleon muttered like that and seemed to be thinking for a while, a voice came from next to him.

“You’re the one who’s late, though. Mr. Cleon.”

＂Huh?＂

When Cleon turned his head when he heard a voice calling his name, there was a girl looking up at him with her short, curled hair tied up with a hairpin.

Although her impression and facial features were exactly like the Noctis he knew, Cleon didn’t think she was his Noctis at first.

That’s because the clothes on my body were so different from what I saw yesterday and today.

It was the same type as the traditional eastern girl’s costume that Amelia wore, but hers looked even more luxurious with its slightly muted colors and gold embroidery.

Above all, thanks to the little powder and makeup she wore, she seemed much more mature than the Noctis she knew.

“… Noctis? I couldn’t believe it, but you…”

The level of education she has received, or the amount of charades she has handed to herself.

The latest type of magic tool for photography that exists at her newspaper company, which is said to be in poor financial condition.

As the various pieces of information fell into place in her mind, Cleon sighed and placed her hand on her forehead.

＂She was the daughter of a noble family.＂

To Cleon’s words, Noctis responded by raising the corners of her mouth.

“Phenixia. It is a somewhat prestigious family even in the Eastern countries. By the way, it’s not the lady─＂

As Noctis spoke like that, she spread the fan she was holding in her hand, covered her mouth, and spoke quietly.

＂This is the current head of the family.＂