Chapter 123 - 122: Fireworks
Chapter 123: Chapter 122: Fireworks
The area fell silent for a moment before a wave of hushed gasps erupted.
"Oh my god, he actually got it?"
"He’s so lucky!"
"I want one so bad..."
Even Zelir himself was taken aback for a second.
’Huh?’
’I actually won.’
The stall owner’s smug expression froze, then instantly soured.
He stammered for a while, unable to come up with an excuse, and reluctantly handed the wooden carving to Zelir.
He was still muttering something under his breath.
"How could he have possibly won that..."
"Here, this is for you." Zelir didn’t even glance at the wooden carving, handing it directly to Aurora.
"Really? It’s for me?"
Aurora was overjoyed, all her earlier frustration vanishing in an instant.
She carefully accepted the wooden carving, cradling it in her palms. She couldn’t take her eyes off it.
"Thank you, Zelir!" Her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, revealing her cute canine teeth.
She happily went to put the little cat statue into the cloth bag she carried.
But...
"Huh...?"
Aurora patted herself down, the smile on her face slowly freezing.
"Where’s my bag?!"
’How is my bag gone!’
Aurora anxiously scanned her surroundings.
She quickly spotted a scrawny man not far away, furtively squeezing his way into the crowd.
And tucked away secretively under his baggy robe was none other than Aurora’s bag.
"Thief!"
Aurora cried out, a mixture of shock and anger in her voice.
Her shout sent the surrounding area into an uproar.
The onlookers descended into chaos, which inadvertently gave the thief an opportunity to flee.
The scrawny man knew the jig was up. He stopped trying to hide the bag, turned, and ran, immediately forcing his way into the thickest part of the crowd.
Zelir turned his head and quickly locked onto the target.
The streets of the Harvest Festival night market were, needless to say, packed with people.
’If he manages to blend into the crowd, we’ll never find him again.’
Just as Aurora was about to give chase, she saw Zelir extend his open palm in the direction of the fleeing man.
A few soft SWISHES could be heard.
Several slender vines shot out from the cracks between the hard flagstones!
Like extensions of Zelir’s own arms, they expertly weaved past the people in the way and wrapped themselves tightly around the scrawny man’s ankles!
The thief, who had been sprinting at full tilt, felt his ankles tighten. He lost his balance and pitched forward, face-planting on the ground.
"Oof!"
But the vines didn’t stop there. They continued to spread rapidly over his body, quickly binding the scrawny man so tightly he couldn’t move a muscle.
The sudden turn of events left the bystanders dumbstruck.
’How did vines just sprout from the ground?’
’This young man... is a Mage?’
Aurora’s jaw dropped in astonishment.
She knew Zelir was a Mage, but hearing about it and seeing it firsthand were two entirely different things. This was her first time seeing a Mage casting Magic.
’He can summon vines with just a wave of his hand...’
’Isn’t that incredible?’
As Zelir walked forward, the crowd automatically parted to make way for him.
The scrawny man, bound hand and foot by the vines, struggled desperately like a fish out of water, his face filled with terror.
Watching Zelir approach, he was so terrified he could only stammer, unable to form a single word.
"Couldn’t you find something better to do than stealing?"
With a cold expression, Zelir plucked the bag from the scrawny man’s arms and handed it to Aurora, who had caught up to him.
"Check it. Is anything missing?"
Aurora opened it and checked inside. Seeing that her money and a few small items were all there, she sighed in relief.
"Nothing’s missing."
"Good."
The commotion soon attracted a nearby patrol officer.
When he pushed through the crowd and saw the scrawny man bound tightly by vines sprouting from the ground, his face was a picture of disbelief.
"What... what’s going on here?"
"He stole my friend’s bag and tried to escape into the crowd."
Zelir explained, "In the heat of the moment, I had to use Magic to stop him."
As he spoke, Zelir presented his Junior Mage Badge.
The onlookers all nodded in agreement, corroborating his story.
"Ah, so that’s what happened, Mage."
The moment the patrol officer saw Zelir’s Mage Badge, his demeanor became one of deep respect. He quickly straightened his back and puffed out his chest.
"My apologies for the disturbance, sir. We’ll be sure to teach this blind little punk a lesson."
With that, he stepped forward, cut the vines, and yanked the limp thief to his feet. He gave the man a couple of merciless kicks before hauling him off in the direction of the guardhouse, cursing at him the entire way.
"Daring to steal from a Mage’s friend! You must have a death wish!"
Once the commotion died down, Aurora placed the little cat statue from Zelir into her bag, then turned to him with a sincere smile.
"Zelir, that was so cool."
"You think so?"
"Of course! The way you made the vines just WHOOSH out and grab the thief was incredible!"
Her face was filled with adoration. "I can’t help but imagine what you’re like when you fight Demons."
"Even cooler than this," Zelir said with a smile.
Time slipped by as the evening wore on.
DONG... DONG...
The melodious chimes of the ancient clock tower in the center of town rang out.
This signaled the start of the festival’s grand finale—a spectacular fireworks show meticulously designed by the Mage’s Guild.
The once bustling, noisy square fell quiet as everyone, as if by unspoken agreement, stopped what they were doing.
The crowd began to move spontaneously toward an open field outside the city, where the view was better.
The city gates, where entry and exit normally required a thorough questioning, now stood wide open.
Even the guards on night duty had lowered their Long Halberds, craning their necks and staring at the sky with the same excitement as everyone else.
"It’s starting!"
Aurora pulled Zelir along, squeezing onto a small hill with a perfect view.
No sooner had she spoken than a sharp whistle tore through the night sky. A bolt of Magic, shimmering with silver light, shot upward, exploding abruptly at its apex!
BOOM... CRACK!
A giant dandelion bloomed in the night sky, its brilliant silver light raining down in a slow, dreamlike cascade.
A deafening cheer, like a tidal wave, erupted from the crowd.
But this was only the beginning.
One after another, Magic fireworks of all different colors shot into the sky.
They burst against the night canvas, painting one breathtaking scene after another.
There were shimmering, dancing butterflies of light, and a small green spark that, moments after launching, rapidly sprouted branches and leaves, growing into a towering tree.
Another firework burst to form the majestic silhouette of a Griffin, which circled in the sky for a moment before slowly fading away, drawing the loudest applause of the night!
"It’s so beautiful..."
Aurora tilted her head back, hands clasped at her chest, her face a mask of awe and wonder.
These miracles, woven from Magic, were far more beautiful than anything she had ever imagined.