"People are just like ants...!"

Emily giggled as she arranged potions on the table, making somewhat concerning remarks beside me.

But as she said, the town square before me was packed with a dazzling number of people.
The area that had seemed quite spacious just last week was now crammed full of various temporary stalls, leaving only narrow, winding paths for people to move through.

People dressed in all sorts of clothing, with flowers or colorful ribbons adorning their heads or lapels, jostled through the crowd. Children darted and played like nimble little fish in the gaps between stalls and people.

The sounds of conversation, laughter, hawking, and music rose and fell, weaving together with the rich aromas of various foods into a dense tapestry.

It was the very embodiment of the word "bustling."

The tragedy at the church seemed to have been buried overnight beneath laughter and spices.
After all, this is the first festival of the peaceful era. Everyone wants to look forward, I suppose.

At the very center of the square, occupying an unquestionably focal position, stood a stone platform rising about three or four meters above the ground.
It was carefully constructed from smooth, cream-colored stone, looking solid and dignified. The base of the platform was clearly carved with the multi-pointed star emblem symbolizing the Star God.

Right now, the area below the platform was already packed with people, undoubtedly the densest crowd in the entire square.
In a little while, when the sun reached a predetermined height, Baron Goldflame and the church's bishop would ascend that high platform to offer blessings to the town from the lord and the deity respectively, formally declaring the festival open.

However, considering what happened before, the bishop probably can't make it this year... Most likely, a sufficiently high-ranking and pious believer will stand in.
"Don't worry. Once the festival starts, most people will disperse to different areas."
"Brother! Don't act like it's none of your business! Hurry up and light the pumpkin lantern! Tie the ribbons!"

Emily had dug out a tablecloth embroidered with wheat stalks from home and spread it over the wooden table of our stall, making it look cheerful at a glance.
She had also, from who-knows-which household, gotten a pumpkin carved into a lantern. Additionally, she had prepared a large handful of colorful silk ribbons, planning to tie them around the necks of the glass bottles containing the potions to add to the festive atmosphere.

If it were me, I definitely wouldn't prepare all these flashy things. Too much trouble. And the potions themselves are charming enough; they don't need anything else to enhance them.
But after actually decorating, the festive atmosphere instantly thickened, making me feel eager and expectant too.
"Got it."

After finishing with me, Emily turned her focus to another person.
"Don't you dare secretly take off the flower crown! And stop trying to pull your skirt down! It looks best just like this!"

Sylvia, of course, was also behind our stall.
At Emily's urging, she had changed out of her usual silver dress.
Now, she wore a cream-colored dress, probably rented from a clothing shop in town, with a dark blue apron-style overdress embroidered with silver star patterns over it.
A warm brown, short corset vest was tied at her high waist, clearly outlining her pleasing curves. And most eye-catching was the flower crown woven from golden wheat stalks, white baby's breath, and silver star-shaped accessories, carefully adorning her white hair.

This outfit... how to put it? It really did strangely fuse the "cuteness" Emily spoke of with a certain unintentionally revealed "sexiness."

At this moment, Sylvia's fair cheeks were flushed with a cute blush. Her eyes were somewhat shyly evasive, and her hands were unconsciously, futilely trying to tug the already not-so-short hem of her skirt down just a little bit more.
I thought about stopping it, but it was just too interesting. Sorry.
"Emily, is this really necessary?"
"Absolutely necessary. Just by standing here, our sales speed will increase by half."
Cutness doubled, but profits only increase by half. That's the cruel law of diminishing returns.
"I-Is that so. Well, I'll just change clothes again later when I go walking with Adam."

Emily's hand slipped, nearly dropping several potion bottles. She looked at me expressionlessly and said,
"Brother, what is this about? How come I haven't heard anything?"
"S-Sorry. Because you were so focused on preparing the stall, I didn't get a chance to tell you."
"So while I'm shouting myself hoarse trying to earn money, you two are going to wander around the festival being all lovey-dovey...?"
She started looking at me with eyes that didn't seem very sisterly. Sylvia hurriedly stepped forward to explain,
"We'll go after we help sell everything! It's just friends walking around together; there won't be any romantic elements! And Adam, didn't you say you invited Emily but she refused?"
I did say that. I merely said it.
"It's fine, it's okay. I had plans with other people anyway... Let him regret abandoning his sister for the rest of his life. Brother, I now pronounce your sentence."

Emily walked towards me with a dark face. I displayed my elder brotherly dignity and said sincerely,
"Please have mercy. I sincerely repent."
Emily grinned slyly.
"Is that so? Then come help me with my share of the work too! This young lady is going to enjoy this long-awaited festival a step ahead of you!"

She stood on tiptoe, gave my shoulder an encouraging pat, ran off from the stall, leaving just Sylvia and me standing behind the table.

...Well done! Maybe I should start calling her 'big sister' from now on.

Suddenly, a wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.
A dazzling pale blue pillar of light descended from the cloudless sky, landing on the stone platform at the square's center.

Baron Goldflame stood at the center of the platform. His complexion was ruddy, his posture upright, completely shedding the dejected demeanor he had when complaining to me at the church. Facing the cheering men, women, and children below, he declared loudly,
"Witnessed by the Star God, attested by the earth! Neighbors, friends! It is your hard work and sweat that together forged today's prosperity and peace! May we forever revere the earth and give thanks to the stars!"
"May the bounty of nature and the guidance of the stars bring eternal happiness to this land!"

What he said was actually a bit convoluted, full of aristocratic turns of phrase, but his voice truly was like a great bell, clearly reaching every corner of the square. That was enough.
As his words ended, the long-waiting crowd below immediately erupted into a mountain-toppling, sea-roaring wave of cheers and applause, spreading outwards in layers.

The festival had begun.

"This is that 'Sacred Heart's Warm Flow,' right? I've been looking for it for a long time... If I drink it, I'll grow hair, won't I?"
"No, what you're talking about is the legendary secret medicine that cures all illnesses. Using it for hair loss is too wasteful. This bottle is 'Heartwarming Flow.' At most, it'll warm your scalp and create the illusion of having hair..."
"That's right! Look, just smelling its fragrance has already made hair start growing for you."

Sylvia interrupted me, selling the potion to the bald uncle in front of the stall while secretly using healing magic with astonishing precision.
"Oooh... It seems to be true! The top of my head really feels fuzzy! Young apothecary, you're amazing!"

The uncle, overjoyed, touched the layer of fine, soft short fuzz that had just sprouted on his head, beamed with delight, paid for the bottle of "Heartwarming Flow" without another word, and left satisfied.

Selling it is good, but this method...
I lowered my voice and spoke into Sylvia's ear,
"Sylvia, this counts as fraud, you know."
"F-Fraud?! This is a white lie that benefits everyone. It's a rare holiday; let everyone be a little happier. Okay, customers are coming!"

Seeing the miracle that had happened to the uncle, more customers swarmed forward, excitedly voicing their own little wishes.
"I want a potion that lets me dance all night!"
"Is there a potion that can make my son learn magic?"
"I want the shop owner's wife to personally feed me the potion!"

Except for the last unreasonable request, Sylvia managed to muddle through almost all of them with various little tricks, fulfilling their wishes while selling potions.
I was responsible for pretending to mix potions off to the side, putting on a profound air. According to Emily, this also helped increase sales speed.

The bottles and jars that originally piled the tabletop rapidly decreased and were soon sold out.

After hours of eloquent talk under the sun, a healthy flush appeared on Sylvia's face, and glistening beads of sweat dotted her forehead down to her delicate nose. A few drops slid down the gentle curve of her face, across her neck, and disappeared into the collar slightly dampened with sweat.

She said with lingering enthusiasm,
"It's been a long time since I participated in this kind of activity. It's really fun. Humans really are social animals after all."
"The lively feeling is indeed nice too. But for me personally, being alone with you in a room is more comforting."

Sylvia jerked back as if electrocuted, then stepped forward again as if afraid of hurting my feelings.
So cute... I really want to corner her against a wall and see her reaction.
Ugh, calm down.
"Adam, please don't be so sentimental... And wasn't it you who invited me to the festival?"
The focus, of course, is on 'you,' not 'the festival.' I can't very well invite you to spend a day doing nothing with me in a room, can I?
If it were anyone else, even if a beautiful, wealthy young maiden invited me, I'd rather stay home making potions.

Just as I was thinking this, a silvery, pleasant female voice drifted timidly into my ears.
"Um, I heard the potions here are very effective. Is there a potion that can make me smarter?"

I looked towards the front of the stall, and a beautiful young maiden instantly came into view.
She had smooth flaxen hair, a slender and thin figure, and skin as pale and delicate as porcelain, even seeming somewhat translucent in the sunlight.
Her eyes were clear but timid; an air of lingering melancholy hung between her delicate features, out of place with the festive atmosphere.

No way, she's really here.
I initially intended to let Sylvia handle this, but Sylvia was staring at her quite rudely, a trace of drool even vaguely visible at the corner of her mouth.
Although I like this side of you too, you're scaring the customer. Please mind your image.

I said,
"Sorry, the potions are sold out... However, perhaps we can help you with your trouble?"
The girl's gaze hesitated for a moment, then she lowered her voice and said,
"I'm looking for... that eyeball."