Chapter 122 - 121: The Autumn Harvest Festival
Chapter 122: Chapter 121: The Autumn Harvest Festival
Zelir headed to a clothing store to buy himself some new clothes.
It didn’t take long for him to pick out and buy everything he needed.
He got two white cotton-linen shirts, two fleece-lined long overcoats—one gray and one black—and a dark brown leather vest with simple embroidery.
He also bought a pair of durable black trousers and a new pair of soft, high-top leather boots.
Zelir then looked at himself in the mirror.
"Hmm..."
The young man in the mirror looked much the same as before.
However, thanks to his increased Charm Attribute, his overall demeanor had definitely changed. He now had a certain warmth that somehow drew people in.
And perhaps due to all the life-or-death battles he had experienced, whenever Zelir furrowed his brow, his expression would instantly sharpen, giving off an intimidating edge that warned strangers to keep their distance.
But as soon as his brow relaxed, that sharp edge would vanish without a trace, revealing the same handsome, gentle young man he’d always been.
"Not bad."
Zelir was quite pleased with his new look.
After buying his clothes, he still had plenty of time before he was supposed to meet Aurora. As was his custom, Zelir went to the outskirts of town to practice Magic for a while.
He had been so focused on dabbling in Swordsmanship lately; he couldn’t afford to neglect his primary profession.
It was notoriously difficult to find a suitable place to practice Magic.
Some of the more powerful spells, like Arcane Missile or the Flame Breath Skill, could easily destroy the Swordsmanship Training Ground or even start a fire.
So the outskirts were the most convenient option.
Zelir practiced his Magic until nearly dusk, then leisurely made his way back to the Night Flower Inn.
He first went upstairs to bathe, washing away the day’s fatigue and dust, before changing into his new clothes.
When he came downstairs, he found Aurora already waiting for him in the main hall.
Aurora was wearing a waist-length, moon-white jacket and a dark, knee-length skirt. Her hair was pulled back into a playful ponytail, making her look vibrant and cheerful.
Even though she was just sitting on a sofa in the lounge area, idly swinging her legs, her presence brightened up the entire hall of the Night Flower Inn.
As if sensing his presence, Aurora looked toward the staircase.
The moment she saw Zelir coming down the stairs, Aurora shot to her feet, her face breaking into a brilliant smile.
"Let’s go, Zelir!"
The night of the Autumn Harvest Festival was just as lively as they’d expected.
Zelir and Aurora made their way to the most crowded street.
The sweet aroma of wheat and fruit wine washed over them.
But the air wasn’t stuffy. Instead, the roar of the crowd swept them up, pulling them into the festival’s whirlwind.
The Black Stone Town Government Hall had cleared out the town’s widest main street specifically for the festival. It stretched from the central plaza all the way to the south gate and was now lined with night market stalls.
Rows of warm, pumpkin-shaped lanterns hung from the eaves on both sides of the street, illuminating the entire area as brightly as day.
A joyous atmosphere permeated the air. Children chased each other through the crowd, holding aloft sugar paintings that glowed like Fluorite.
Miners, who usually worked from dawn till dusk, gathered in small groups, raising wooden mugs overflowing with foamy ale and singing at the top of their lungs.
At the most prominent stalls, farmers proudly displayed their harvest.
The plumpest heads of wheat, the largest pumpkins, and the most enticing-looking colorful berries.
They weren’t for sale; they were for bragging rights.
Crowds of people gathered around, admiring the produce and discussing how they might grow such a fine harvest themselves next year.
Even Zelir found himself swept up in the festive mood.
This was the first time he’d seen such a bustling, lively scene since coming to this world.
"Wow! Look at that!"
Her eyes already sparkling with excitement, Aurora grabbed Zelir’s hand and plunged headfirst into the densest part of the night market crowd.
The crowd was so thick they had to press close together just to move forward.
Zelir instinctively shielded Aurora, and she didn’t shy away from the contact in the slightest.
Whenever someone came toward them from the opposite direction, she would press herself tightly against Zelir to let them pass.
Black Stone Town had transformed into a city that never slept. Crowds gathered around Minstrels, singing and dancing to the cheerful sound of their Lutes.
Zelir even spotted a few figures shaped like water buckets bouncing around at the center of a circle. Standing on his tiptoes to see over the crowd, he realized they were rarely seen, pure-blooded members of the Dwarf Race.
The two of them strolled along, taking in the novel sights on either side of the road and buying all sorts of specialty snacks.
Zelir’s favorite was a snack similar to fish balls. They were served on a bamboo skewer, steeped in a wooden box filled with rich broth, perfect for eating on the go.
According to the vendor, they were made from the Silver-Scaled Fish found in a nearby river.
The tender fish meat was mixed with flour and pounded repeatedly. This gave it a springy texture and a unique, savory aroma when chewed.
As for Aurora, she was happily munching away, holding a freshly pan-fried flatbread in her left hand and a small box of jam-covered strawberries in her right.
The two continued to eat as they strolled.
Up ahead, a series of cheers mixed with sighs of disappointment caught their attention.
They squeezed closer to get a look and saw it was a ring toss game, a common sight from Zelir’s past life. A huge crowd had gathered around the stall, making it nearly impassable.
Zelir glanced over the prizes.
They were just small figurines and trinkets, nothing that interested him in the slightest.
Aurora, however, was captivated. As soon as she saw the cute little knick-knacks, she eagerly squeezed her way toward the front.
The crowd of onlookers was much the same—mostly young women who liked cute, novel trinkets.
After finishing her flatbread in a few quick bites, Aurora handed the box of jam-covered strawberries to Zelir.
"Zelir, hold this for me. I’m going to try my luck!"
"Hey, those things are hard to win. You’ll just be wasting..."
But before Zelir could finish, Aurora had already paid.
She boldly spent twenty Copper Coins, taking ten wooden rings from the vendor with an air of complete confidence.
However, perhaps because the distance was too great, her tosses were always off by the slightest margin.
Plus, the wooden rings themselves were very light and springy. Sometimes, a ring would land perfectly over a prize only to spin and bounce right off.
Nine of the ten rings were gone in a flash, and Aurora hadn’t managed to win even the smallest prize.
She returned to Zelir’s side, her cheeks puffed out in a pout.
The vendor was still smiling, egging her on. "Ooh, so close! Want to try another ten rings?"
"Zelir, you try!" Aurora said, refusing to give up as she thrust the last wooden ring into his hand.
The ring felt weightless in his hand. No wonder it was so difficult to land a prize.
Zelir’s gaze swept over the pile of prizes. Without much thought, he mimicked Aurora’s posture and casually tossed the ring toward the center of the display.
The ring wobbled through the air in a precarious arc, yet somehow landed perfectly over a small, exquisitely carved wooden cat.
The little wooden cat was incredibly lifelike and crafted from fine material. It was by far the most valuable prize at the stall, and the one many people had been aiming for.