Chapter 7: The Days of a 5 Years Old - Midsummer Festival

The town of Reedwald is located in the east-southeast of the Arsis Empire.

To the east is the difficult forest of Leknod, and once you pass through it, you are in the territory of the Kingdom of Balmut, which belongs to the Coges Union. Although the Arsis Empire and the Kingdom of Barlmut are on bad terms, a road connecting the two countries has existed for a long time, and except during times of war, traders and adventurers have come and gone. The road crosses the forest of Leknod, so the level of danger is quite high. Especially for merchants, an escort is required, and it is recommended to have a rank of C or higher, which is called a skilled or experienced person.

The town of Reedwald has a population of about seven thousand, which is quite a large number for a frontier town. The reason why so many people are gathered here is that this town is located on the main artery of the southeastern part of the Arsis Empire. The city is connected to the south and west princes by a road, and from the Leknod Forest in the east, goods from the Coges Union and the Corusnet region to the southeast are brought in by traders. The Leknod Forest itself is a treasure trove of resources. If we counted the non-residents, the population would be much larger.

Looking up at the clear sky, I breathed the morning air.

It seemed to be hotter than usual today. It was almost an hour since the six o’clock bell had rung. Looking outside the main gate, I could see a crowd of people. It’s not just outside. There are dozens of people gathered around me, near the main gate of the mansion. My father and other members of my family, members of the Knights, and unfamiliar old men. This strange situation is, of course, not the everyday life of Reedwald.

Today is the Midsummer Festival, the day when the sun shines longest in the world.

The front of the house had been turned into a little plaza for people and others to hold a ceremony. There were no fountains or tree planting, just a large stone pavement. It was just a large stone pavement, surrounded by barracks, so it was not a place to visit without a purpose.

But today was a different story. The place was so crowded that it was difficult to walk through. Stalls, which are usually prohibited, were allowed and lined the walls of the barracks to the point where there were no gaps. Among them, the restaurants were the most popular, desperately dealing with the constant influx of customers, while soldiers and adventurers were busy clearing the crowd here and there.

The square was enveloped in a strange atmosphere, but in the center of the square sat an even stranger object.

A log pillar stood straight up in the middle of the square.

The pillars were wrapped with colorful cloths, and the multiple layers of red cloths tied to the tops were swaying in the wind, shelving against the clear sky. It was as tall as a four-story building, and at its base, a group of strong young men held it up to prevent it from falling. A child on their parent’s shoulders gazed up at the still tall pillar.

I, too, looked up at it fluttering.

I don’t open my mouth like a child. I’ve seen it almost every year, so it’s no surprise. I just didn’t know what it was at all.

I looked for my brother to ask him, but before I knew it, he and my father were having a chat with some old men I didn’t know. I felt like I would get caught up in it if I approached them. I’ll leave it to the elders to deal with the old men.

I gave up and looked back, and saw Roland’s back in front of me. Just as well.

“Roland, what is the meaning of that?”

“What?”

Roland turned around and followed my gaze.

“Oh, the pillar. It’s said to be a representation of the power of the sun god Lactos. You see the red cloth at the tip? That represents fire, and in the old days, they used to really burn it. It’s a huge torch. Apparently, it once caught fire, so they’ve stopped using it now.

“The Sun God…”

The image of the sun watching over us from the heavens, I wondered.

Could it be that Lactos is the creator god?

This world is a polytheistic religion, and there are no gods that look like this world's main god. The sun god Lactos and the earth mother goddess Mirtieva are popular, but if you ask me if they are creator gods, I’d have to tilt my head. As far as I know, neither of them has any such anecdotes. If I had to pick one, I would have to say Mirtiva, who gave birth to many lives. I should have asked the little fat god for his name since he’s taken care of me.

As I was thinking about this, I saw my brother standing next to me. My father and mother are also there.

Now the Reedwald family is all here. It’s about to start.

The soldiers gathered in front of the main gate, and five knights, led by Conrad, surrounded us inside the grounds. The knights were our guards, but the soldiers were not there for security purposes. They were there to secure the way to the high ground set up in the square.

At my father’s signal, the gate was opened.

In response to the sound, the square erupted in cheers.

As we ascended the stage, the cheers grew louder and the heat was intense. As if in response, a band gathered in one of the stalls, lightly strumming their instruments.

My fathers smiled at the crowd. To my surprise, I could even hear them calling my name. As expected of the lord’s family, even the second son, a five-year-old, was known by name. Here, I’ll give them an adorable smile like an infant. It was Nord. Why did you come over there? Oh, did he say he was dispatched? There’s a woman next to him who looks like his wife. Okay, I’ll wave to her as a service.

After the Reedwald family responded to the crowd, Conrad, the Knight Commander, stood in front of the big crowds.

“Silence!”

The voice of an old man shakes the square.

The crowd quieted down, leaving a reverberation. It’s as if he’s been trained on the battlefield.

An old man in a ceremonial dress came up to my father. He bowed to my father and looked around at the crowd.

Without greeting, he begins to talk about mythology. Apparently, this old man was a priest of the god Lactos.

After the difficult sermon, my father stepped forward.

Perhaps reading the atmosphere, he simply finished his greeting and announced that the Midsummer Festival would be held.

As soon as he did, there was such a cheer that the surrounding buildings shook.

Next, everyone’s eyes were drawn to the pillars.

A young man gathered in the center of the room jumped onto the pillar with his supporters as a stepping stone.

He dexterously climbed up the pillar while receiving shouts of encouragement. When he reached the top, he stripped off the red cloth and jumped down without looking down. Countless arms caught him. He then set fire to the red cloth and used it as a spark to light several torches. This time, the young men holding the torches scattered in all directions, followed by the children and some of the crowd.

“In the days when they burned the pillars, they transferred the fire from there to the torches and carried them to various places. That’s how they prayed for the blessings of the Sun God to reach every corner of the territory. This is a reproduction of that.”

Roland explained again from the bottom of the hill.

The torches ran through the town in all directions, finally igniting the bonfire outside the outer wall. We were told that the torches would be watched over carefully to keep the fire burning until morning. The ritual itself was simple and over with that.

The ritual itself was simple, but for most of us, this was where the real fun began. We sang, danced, drank, and made noise until morning. This was the only day that most jobs were closed. Those who work are the people who entertain the revelers, the taverns, restaurants, street vendors, and the soldiers and adventurers who maintain security. Roland also explained to me, slurring his words, that young men and women have a pretty good chance of getting together. Is that the kind of information a five-year-old needs?

We finished our roles and descended the plateau.

“Then we’ll return to the compound. It’s noisy in Reedwald today. You must be back before it gets too late.”

I had taken Nord’s advice and persuaded my parents to allow me to look around the town.

I bowed my head reverently to my father.

“Of course. Even if it costs me my life, I will make sure to get home.”

“No, you don’t have to. Just come back as normal.”

“No need to risk it. Roland, you take care of Alter. He can do some strange things from time to time. Keep an eye on him.”

“I’m on it.”

My mother patted me on the head as Roland responded.

“It’s a pity because I’d like to come with you. Be careful you don’t get hurt.”

“Yes. Would you like to go around the town with me after the festival?”

“That sounds good. Let’s go shopping sometime.”

The Reedwald family, except for me, was about to have dinner with the town’s leading figures and a major business association. Until last year, my brother had been enjoying the festivities with the three squares, but this year my father had decided that he would be present.

After seeing off my parents and my somewhat nervous brother, I stepped out into the floating city with Roland in tow.

◇◇◇◇

We walked down the main street, looking at the stalls.

Most of the items were unfamiliar to me, and I couldn’t help but notice them. Surprisingly, there are many decorative items. The materials are small gems and milky white stones, mostly necklaces and brooches. I wondered if the lack of rings was a size issue.

At first, I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the crowd. Adults are like giants to me. I wondered how I was going to wade through them, but soon realized I didn’t need to.

It was Roland in the background. The stern man was clinging to me like a ghostly ripple stand. He was wearing beautiful chainmail and a surcoat with a coat of arms. Even if you don’t know where the coat of arms is, it’s obvious that he’s a knight. In addition, if you look down below, you will see a noble boy and it is obvious that if you get involved with him, you will be in trouble.

I no longer have to worry about being crowded, but it doesn’t feel good to be avoided in a hurry. I’m just a small boy. However, my fears were unfounded. Most of the people were in a hurry to get out of the way, but some didn’t care about our appearance.

First, the street vendors. To them, a wealthy little boy is a duck. As soon as we stopped, they started to shout at us, trying to sell us something. It’s all well and good to have a strong commercial spirit, but don’t try to sell vegetables to me.

The other was a drunk. Most of them had been drinking before the ceremony, and they were ready to go. When they see me and Roland, they say, “To the sun god Lactos!” He threw his congratulations at us. It’s fine to be friendly. But don’t offer alcohol to a five-year-old.

What, are the residents of Reedwald all like this?

A group of musicians was playing lutes, bagpipes, and other stringed instruments that looked like they belonged in an Indian movie. The residents were drinking and dancing to the music. It looks like it’s going to be a lawless zone due to the …… time problem.

Now, even though it was a holiday, I was able to get a feel for the town.

If possible, I would have liked to have seen a normal day, but I can’t afford to be extravagant. At the very least, we should make good use of this time.

My first choice was the adventurer’s guild, followed by the armor store, and if that didn’t work, the general store. If I’m being honest, I’d say the next best option would be a magic tool store, but Roland is the one holding the wallet. And what’s more, it’s probably only pocket change that he’s giving me. You can’t get your hands on the magic tools, even if it’s more than you expected.

“What can I do for you?”

Before I knew it, I had become lost in thought and had stopped in the middle of the road.

The carriage would normally pass by. Thank God it was a holiday.

“I was wondering where I want to go. Do you know where the Adventurer’s Guild is?”

“Yes, I know where it is, but why are we going to the guild? I don’t think it’s a good idea today. They’re already drunk, you know.”

“Is that going to …… be a problem?”

“It will, definitely.”

Even ordinary drunks have gotten involved. It’s not hard to imagine what would happen if it were an adventurer. Even if we get entangled, Roland will do anything, but if you’re bothering a noble son or a knight, the adventurer will be punished. Should we give up?

“What about the armory?”

“Even stranger, ……. Well, I know a few of them. But I don’t know if they do.”

Roland shook his head.

He was aware that this was not the place to go on a day like this. But it was finally time to get out of town. If I missed this opportunity, how long would it be before he could go again? I had promised my mother that I would go shopping, but I didn’t think she would stop by, and she wouldn’t look too good. And since it was a festival, they might be selling special items like grab bags. I had a feeling that I would be grabbing garbage, but I decided to just go anyway.

Roland’s favorite store was closed, and we went to several more, but the doors were still closed. We took a break and bought some skewers at a nearby stall, and asked around for an armory store that might be open. The store owner seemed to be a local villager and prefaced his visit with, “I don’t know much about it, but …”, he told me about a nearby store.

The store we were told about was on a side street, a short distance away. It was a little secluded, so I might have passed it by without asking.

The exterior of the store was quite ordinary.

It’s always a good idea to find a store that deals with famous products, but this shop was so ordinary that it betrayed my faint expectations. They seemed to be having a business meeting, and I could hear their conversation through the open window. Let’s just be thankful that they are open for business.

“Welcome.”

The shopkeeper’s words and eyes were quickly lowered to Roland.

As expected, the business person instantly decided which was mainline. I looked around the store and saw that besides the owner, there was a thin man dressed as a bandit at the counter. A tumbler was placed in front of them, and the smell of wine wafted in the air. It was not a business meeting, but a chat.

“I’d like to take a look. Am I interrupting anything?”

“No, thank you very much. Please, have a look.”

The shopkeeper invited us in with an amiable face.

The store was not that big. There were low shelves in the center and taller shelves lined up against the wall. I was overwhelmed by the variety of weapons and armor. The armory in the barracks may have more in number, but the variety is unparalleled. There were countless types of swords. In addition to the three typical types of one-handed swords (small sword, short sword, and longsword), there were also single-edged swords and curved swords. Even within the same type of weapon, the width and thickness varied, and the shape and size of the head of a typical mace were so different that it could be recognized at a glance.

I wondered if adventurers would be able to find a weapon that suited their needs from among these.

Generally speaking, the “sword” is short. I tried to hold it, but it felt awfully heavy. Even if I could swing it, I would get tired quickly. When in doubt, call in the experts.

“Roland, what do you think is the best sword for me?”

“Since you’re buying it?”

Not a very good response. He seems to be afraid that my father will give him a hard time.

“I’m not going to wield it blindly and recklessly. I think it’s time you got used to the real thing.”

I don’t know what you kids are talking about. …… Well, I’m sure Alter Boy will be fine.”

A little dismayed, Roland looked out at the shelves.

He stopped at a shelf of daggers and picked up a few.

“If you’re thinking about the future, go for the dagger. If you’re looking for something a little different, this is the one for you.

He held one out to me.

It was quite light. The body of the sword is thin, and if you look closely, you can see that the blade has been crushed. No, hasn’t it been sharpened from the beginning?

“This is a stiletto, a stabbing weapon, so you don’t have to worry about getting hurt. It’s light, so it’s good for practice.”

That’s a very Roland-like choice.

The piercing weapon itself is highly practical and can penetrate chainmail, so the knight is also wearing a sword. Among them, the stiletto has no blade, so it is hard to get injured unless it is struck. If this is the case, there is less concern that my parents will blame him.”

“I’ll take that one.”

Roland chose a reasonable one and paid for it at the counter.

The bandit man who was there left uncomfortably.

I felt sorry for him while he was having a drink, but then I noticed the fur in his hand. Deerskin? But it has a strange presence. The appraisal said it was the skin of an Eleph, but the details were unclear. I was curious, so I spoke to the man.

I was curious, so I spoke to the man, “Sorry to interrupt. What is that fur? I don’t think it’s just a deer.”

“Ah, yes. This is the skin of an Eleph.”

The man seemed surprised by the unexpected question, but he responded politely.

If you look up at him again, you will see that, despite his appearance, he has a simple face. But I already knew the name. As I was thinking about how to break the ice, Roland intervened.

He said, “Eleph? Did you kill it in the Leknod Forest?”

“Oh, yes.”

The man had a slightly proud expression on his face.

The man looked a little proud.

“It’s not that rare.”

“It’s not that rare, I guess. If anything, it lives in the more southeastern part of the country, south of the Coges Union. It’s temperamental and carnivorous. At a glance, it looks like a mere deer, so low-ranked adventurers often get hit by it. If you’re old enough, though, you won’t be mistaken for one.”

When I tilted my head, Roland continued his explanation.

“It’s appearance changes drastically. Your whole body will turn white and you’ll have three horns. In addition, it can use Thunderbolt magic.

“Thunderbolt ……, that’s nasty.”

“That’s nasty. The old Eleph equivalent to B rank.”

I groaned unintentionally.

If it is equivalent to B rank, it is comparable to a young dragon. Even in Roland when he was an adventurer, he was ranked high in C rank. If it had grown into something like that, the damage to the territory would have been enormous. I turned to the man.

“I want to thank you on behalf of my father, who is not here. You did well to defeat it. Even though he is not old, Eleph must be a powerful opponent. Perhaps you are a known adventurer?”

“Adventurer? …… Yeah, and you are?”

“I’m sorry I’m late in telling you my name. My name is Alter Les Reedwald. My father is Baron Reedwald.

“My lord? I’m sorry about this!”

The man hurriedly jumped up and down and bowed his head.

I was also surprised by his reaction. This is what happens when you suddenly meet the son of a lord? I can’t get rid of my commoner’s feelings.

Look up,” he said. I’m his son, but I’m his second son. We might be having adventures together in the future.

“I’m not an adventurer, I’m just a hunter.”

“You’re not an adventurer?”

Roland and I looked at each other.

“You're a hunter. The world is a big place after all. Yes, could you tell us your name?”

“Oh, yes! My name is Nerio!

“Nerio. I would like to meet you again someday. When we meet again, tell me about your hunt.”

“Yes!”

I returned home earlier than usual with my first weapon and a new encounter.

The hustle and bustle of the town continued well into the night. In the past, I had felt it was just noise, but this year it was different. There was life there. Smiles, energy, exuberance. As if to blow away the melancholy, people were immersed in the noise and became a part of it. Maybe one day I’ll get to be a part of it.