Published: August 2, 2025
Today, ten chapters are posted simultaneously.
This story is the third chapter.
“Pii-pirororo.”
“Oh?”
Cutting through the morning sunlight, a limule bird was flying in unusually from afar. We have all of ours here, and considering it was alone, not in a flock… as expected, it was Area’s limule bird. The decorative cloth around its neck, marking it as a familiar, bore the family crest.
“Pirororo.”
“Good work.”
I took off the letter it delivered, then gave it water and food alongside our own limule bird to let it rest.
“Let’s see now…”
Glancing over the letter, the first topic was the great tree sea.
Since Area herself had only heard rumors, there was a cautionary note to be careful. The adults didn’t object, but asked her not to overexert herself, to prepare properly, and to notify them before going, since they were worried.
I should write back that I will keep in touch properly. Next… ah, it’s almost time for enrollment.
The letter said that with enrollment approaching, Area plans to go to the Royal Capital from around next month to get used to the new environment. If that’s the case…
Currently, Area and I communicate via limule birds.
When Area was still here, I attached my limule bird to one sent to the Duke's household. This way, we memorized each other’s destinations and secured a direct communication method. Apparently, the fact that limule birds can memorize the route to their destination is one reason they’re highly regarded among bird-type magical beasts.
But if she moves to the Royal Capital, will communication have to go through the Duke's household from then on? She will be living in a dormitory at school, and pet restrictions or other issues might arise. I should ask about that.
Aside from that, maybe just some questions about recent matters… hmm?
“I heard there’s a festival soon in Gimul. On top of work, preparing for it must be tough, but do your best… Festival, you say?”
I hadn’t heard anything about that. Maybe I should ask someone.
So, after starting work…
“There’s a festival coming up soon.”
“Sorry, I don’t know about that. Should I look it up?”
“A festival?”
“It’s a bit…”
“We haven’t been here long~”
“Sorry about that.”
“You might want to ask someone who’s lived here longer.”
“Thank you.”
I asked Mr. Calm and the others, but no information.
Come to think of it, almost everyone at our shop came from outside town. Mr. Fay and Ms. Lilin even came from abroad, so it’s natural they’d be unfamiliar with the town’s events. That means the person to ask might be…
“Ms. Dolce, do you have a moment?”
I asked our bodyguard Ms. Dolce, who said…
“Isn’t it the Founding Festival? A festival celebrating the day this town was founded. If it’s a festival this time of year, that’s the only one I know.”
“Do you know what preparations are involved for that festival?”
“...Depends on the shops and people.”
She explained that the Founding Festival’s key points are fivefold:
1. It’s held the month after next.
2. The main street, stretching east to west and north to south, is the center.
3. As usual, preparations start around next month.
4. Preparations mainly involve decorating shop fronts and community cleaning activities.
5. You can apply to open a stall.
As for stalls, apart from locals running businesses, traveling performers, bards, and other vendors from town to town come to set up, so it's best to leave that to them.
During the festival, there’s a custom to decorate houses and shop fronts with bright-colored cloths. After the festival, since the town gets dirty, the community cooperates in clean-up activities.
“That’s about all I know. Is that okay?”
“Yes, that helped a lot.”
Community cleaning also has a social aspect, so I’ll try to schedule to participate as much as possible… As long as I don’t get involved with stalls, it doesn’t seem like it will be too hectic.
Did Area expect me to do something? …Well, it seems far off for now, so it’s enough to just remember that such an event exists.