Evan D. Sherden, Can't Enjoy the Festival (7)
Evan's group stood out as twelve people, including the Rookie children, moved together through the festival. Not only the children, but all the other members' appearances were quite unusual as well.
"Oh my goodness, look at him! He is so pretty. I heard that Lute Girls are coming to this festival, is that right?"
"I think so. Especially look at that boy. I've never seen such a pretty child!"
"Wow, he is so handsome. Should I go talk to him?"
As the dungeon festival was being held on such a large scale, many people among the festival-goers saw Evan for the first time.
However, it was not easy to look at them for longer than a few moments, as the party moved quite fast.
And that was because they weren't just pretty and cute little kids anymore!
"Wow, a lot of people came to see the festival."
"It's dangerous, so even if someone can't enter the dungeon directly, Master, there are many people who admire dungeon explorers. I don't know, but I guess these are such people."
"Do they yearn for such dangerous things because they have nothing else to do?"
"It's also because as you get stronger, you also get a chance to earn a lot of money… I'm not saying that I think like that too, Master. Oh, hey! Melson, where are you going? I'm over here!"
Evan was amazed to see the crowds that filled the streets of the dungeon city of Sherden. The alleys were crowded with people, and the businesses were booming.
'I don't think there were so many people in the game.'
Evan was relieved that they had safely lured the Mahwa tribe, including the Rose Queen, to the place they wanted.
It was surprising that there were no casualties as the whole battle ensued. That was probably due to the strategy laid out by the Marquis and the heroes. As he toured the venue, he realized how smoothly the situation had ended.
"And of course, the most surprising thing was Grandpa's ability to correctly predict that the Rose Queen would find him right away…"
"What is Grandpa Bernard doing now? Is it okay that the Rose Queen left a curse on him before dying? It was such a big deal. Should I even be enjoying the festival?"
Aa Evan was lost in these thoughts, Arisha pulled both his cheeks.
"What? What are you doing…!"
"While escorting a woman, you have to focus on her."
"You're not a woman. And I am escorting all the preliminary members of the Dungeon Knights."
Evan responded bluntly with an expressionless face as he slightly pushed away Arisha.
As these words came out of his mouth, he looked back at the children. Shine was the one in charge of taking care of them.
"Jin, you already bought that yesterday. Okay, stop staring at me like that, I'll buy it again for you. Ditto, you get your hands off of it right now! How old are you, picking up something that fell on the floor and eating it? Don't fall behind, and everyone, come this way!"
"Vice Commander Shine! Let's go see this!"
"Let's play all afternoon here!"
"Don't scatter, and everyone come this way, and if no one comes, I won't buy you lunch today!"
"Okay, Oppa!"
He had been handling them just for a day or two, but by now, he had completely mastered the skill of babysitting. The overwhelming reassurance felt from him encompassed all the children!
However, this did not mean that Evan was relatively independent of them. He certainly did not feel like he was walking with Belois and Arisha in a somewhat romantic atmosphere.
'Oh, maybe this is a situation where I am sympathizing with Raihan Hyung.'
Evan thought momentarily and started to sweat.
"Master Evan, it would be nice to focus on the stalls that have stood in the same place for five days. Let me guide you."
"Oh, Lua, thank you. All right, let's go."
"…If Belois comes out like that, I'll figure out how to escort Evan too."
"I'm sorry, Arisha, but will you not leave that idea?"
Evan never got around the concept of dating, but he knew that the things they were doing while walking around the streets were almost like it.
"Master, there is a mini-game where you can win a prize."
"If you say that, there must be a prize you want to have. Let's go play together."
"Oh, no, Master. I am okay."
"Then give it to me, Evan. I want it."
"…Can I ask for it, too, Master?"
"So, you should have asked honestly from the beginning, Lady Arisha."
"Why would only the two of you have fun?"
Evan couldn't get out of this situation anyway, so in the end, he decided to play actively with both of them. It was very enjoyable.
"Oh, it's a new record! A new record!"
"The storekeeper has had booming business today! I shall win all of those prizes!"
"Young Master is preparing for the next one already! You've already got the top position!"
The most delightful day was the last one of the Dungeon Festival, which was being held after six years.
Everyone was enjoying the last moments in the most glamorous ways, so Evan couldn't help but enjoy them too.
Even Arisha, who had been almost always expressionless, had a slight smile on her lips as she commented on everything she saw.
"Okay, I have enjoyed enough with Lua and Arisha. Now, I have to spend some time with the children of the Dungeon Knights."
"Thank you, Master…!"
"Look, at the stall there. Master Evan is wiping out the games!"
"What, is that handsome nobleman, Master Evan, himself!?"
"But what about the girls walking next to him? Are those children also nobles?"
Evan had suffered the Mahwa tribe without getting a chance to even breathe, and when the festival was over, he had to start training for the dungeon again. The hectic daily routine would start over.
There would be many difficult and annoying things in the future, but he had to play whenever he could.
"No, Master Evan! If you wipe it all out like this, I'll be ruined!"
"Isn't he the son of the Marquis of this city? He is so handsome."
"No, wasn't that game just something that high-level explorers could try? How could he…?"
Others looked at them, marvelling at their beauty, and tried to approach him, only to be frightened by Belois' frightful eyes before quietly withdrawing.
Wherever they went, they became the centre of attention. Evan couldn't help but endure it. Evan's, combined with Belois and Arisha's appearance was too flashy and too beautiful to ignore.
"It's weird, why are you looking like that? Are you sad?"
"Vice Commander Oppa! Buy me this please!"
"Vice Commander, that seems to be a monster too!"
"Well, it is not!"
Shine was taking care of the children from behind as he slowly followed the others. He felt a feeling of emptiness inside him as he saw Evan enjoying the festival with Belois and Arisha, who kept sticking to him.
One of them seemed to behave as if on a romantic date, and the other was acting like a nanny protecting Evan… Shine's lips trembled softly. On both sides of him, the twins Ran and Lin shouted in excitement.
"Vice Commander Oppa! We also want that prize!"
"Please give me one too!"
"…Alright, guys, leave it to me."
Shine was always on Evan's side, but today was different.
He looked after the young children as one of the responsibilities of the Vice Commander.
So, Shine decided to confront the one who had left this tiresome work on him. He would win and punish him! In front of Belois and Arisha, he would make Evan lose!
"I will also participate! I'll show you what defeat is!"
"…Silly Shine, don't disturb us."
"What? The nanny speaks!"
"Don't call me nanny!"
There were many games in the stalls. Among them were also some games in which they could challenge others.
It was a game that topped the popularity rankings throughout the five days of the festival because you could challenge other players of every age!
"Come on, you two! Either way, if you set a new record, you'll be able to get artefacts that were excavated from deep inside the dungeon…"
"The magic tool that the wizards have developed with difficulty! If you play it without using even a little mana, you will get a pretty dancing magic doll as a prize!"
It was a game where you race a paper boat on the water to a destination by only blowing without using mana. It was a long-established game that occasionally appeared as a mini-game in the Yo-Ma Great War series!
If you challenged yourself, you would be ranked by measuring the time, but if you played it with someone, it transformed into a profound game where you had to make your ship reach fast while preventing the opponent's ship from reaching the end first!
"Hoo-woo-woo-woo!"
"Woo-woo-woo-woo!"
"Master Evan, how can you keep blowing like that?
"It's not so easy, nanny!"
"I'm not a nanny!"
"Aha! The nanny's ship is sinking! Meanwhile, Master Evan set a new record as if it was natural for him!"
The victory or defeat was quickly covered. The surroundings became noisy with cheers and laughter during their confrontation as Shine stopped responding out of defeat.
Evan calmly gave the prize to Belois as Arisha winked at Shine, who had collapsed in place as Lin and Ran approached him.
"My Hyung is weak."
"I'm disappointed in the Vice Commander."
However, Shine did not lose motivation and stood up again. There were still so many stalls in this city where they could challenge each other.
"Just wait! We'll see who will be laughing the next time."
"Usually people who say that are crybabies…"
"Young Master, let's go! The next game won't be like this!"
"No way! You'll do me the honour of playing another game, Shine? Let's go see if the extra can beat the regular in other fields as well."
The atmosphere broke before long, but it was also fun as it was. At least, Evan felt so.
However, Belois, who was disturbed from having a good time with Evan, vowed to take revenge against Shine later. Shine, who was concentrating on the confrontation with Evan, was unfortunately unaware of that fact.