Allen had never seen so many people in Ellander before. To be precise, since coming to this world, he had never seen so many people gathered in one place. From the moment he stepped out of Vera's small courtyard and walked towards the temple gate, the number of people started to increase.
The secluded temple entrance was packed with carriages, and the priests, dressed in simple robes, were sweating profusely as they organized the women who had come to worship Melitele, praying for blessings in the new cycle of rebirth. They led them orderly into the temple.
Allen had originally planned to invite Lessa along, but seeing her flustered and overwhelmed at the entrance, he wisely chose not to disturb her and quietly left. And this was just at the remote Melitele Temple, a place rarely visited by men.
After walking down the blessed mountain path and passing by several impressively thick, ancient oak trees...
Suddenly, a rush of heat and the din of voices came flooding towards him.
Merchants were shouting, children were crying, tourists were exclaiming in amazement, and the guards were calling out to maintain order...
Before he even got a good look at the lively street scene, the witcher had to control himself to dull his sharp hearing.
After turning the corner, but before stepping past the sign marking the temple district, Mary, who had been eagerly pulling Allen forward, suddenly stopped.
She quickly turned around, her bright eyes sparkling, as if she was about to share some treasure. She shook her index finger forcefully, pointing to her side:"Allen… Allen…"
She was so excited that she couldn't even finish a full sentence.
Is it really something to get this excited over? Allen found it amusing.
But as he took another step and turned the corner, he too involuntarily came to a stop. He stared in disbelief at the scene before him, unable to speak.
Flowers.
There were blooming flowers of all colors everywhere.
On the streets, windowsills, rooftops, city walls…
Not only were there flower pots on the buildings of residents and shops, but there were also flower pillars decorated with fresh flowers, ribbons, and streamers on both sides of the streets. Among the crowds, many girls had flowers pinned in their hair or wore carefully woven flower crowns.
The bustling throng of people made Ellander look like an ancient flower-covered ship sailing through a sea of blossoms.
"So beautiful, Allen!"
Mary shouted excitedly, swinging Allen's hand, pointing here and there. It truly was beautiful...
Smelling the fragrance of flowers in the air, Allen couldn't help but admit it. The intense festive atmosphere instantly lifted much of the fatigue he'd been feeling from days of potion brewing.
However.
After a burst of excitement, looking at the throngs of people, Allen and Mary exchanged puzzled looks, unsure of where to go next. Since arriving in Ellander, they had never wandered around the city, and didn't know their way. Just as the two were feeling a bit lost...
"Master Allen!"
The witcher looked in the direction of the voice.
A guard dressed in neat silver armor was waving at him, running over.
Allen watched as the guard removed his helmet, revealing a young face that seemed somewhat familiar, but he couldn't place it.
"Who are you?"
Sinc caught his breath, carefully glancing at the sorceress's beautiful and fair face, feeling a little envious as he noticed their tightly clasped hands.
"I'm Sinc Vincent, one of Duke Mason's personal guards. I was with him when we set up the ceremony earlier. Just call me Sinc."
"I noticed you two standing here for a while. Is it your first time here… er… unfamiliar with Ellander?"
"We haven't really explored the city much, so…" Allen glanced at Mary. "Is there anywhere lively today that would be suitable for us?"
"Hahaha," Sinc laughed heartily, revealing his white teeth. "There's not a single place in Ellander that's not lively today, but the best spot for you two would definitely be the Ellander Market Square."
"Not only are there traveling bards, musicians, and jesters from all over the world…"
"There are also all sorts of snacks and treats. Especially at 'Gnome Mama's' donut stall, the donuts are soft, sweet, and filled with tangy plum jam..."
"Grumble~"
Someone's stomach growled at that moment.
In the noisy environment, ordinary people might not have heard the sound of the growling stomach. But Allen, being a witcher master, even though he'd dulled his hearing somewhat, heard it clearly.
Mary clearly knew this too.
After giving Allen's arm a playful slap, her face suddenly turned red, and she lowered her head. Her adorable expression left the young Sinc momentarily stunned.
"How do we get there?" Allen asked.
Sinc snapped back to reality, a little embarrassed as he quickly pointed towards where the sun was setting: "Just follow this road straight ahead. There's a large square with a statue of Melitele in the center. That's the place…"
"If you still can't find it or run into trouble at night, you can always find a guard along the street…"
Sinc paused for a moment.
"Just mention your name, and that will be enough."
Allen blinked in surprise.
Is my name really that influential?
Does every guard patrolling the streets know who I am?
Slap slap.
Sinc seemed to understand what the witcher was thinking and smiled as he patted the sword at his waist.
"Tonight, the swords guarding Ellander will all be the color of the sea."
The witcher was silent for a moment.
"Thank you," he said.
Sinc smiled, hesitated for a second, then asked:
"Will Ellander be safe?"
"Mm, everything will be fine." Listening to the joyful laughter from the crowd, the witcher nodded solemnly.
-------------------
The Ellander Market Square wasn't far from the boundary between the temple and the city. However, due to the crowded streets, it still took the two of them quite a while to reach this noisy, joyful, and bustling place.
Crackle, Crackle.
Although it wasn't completely dark yet, many torches were already lit around the statue of Melitele in the market square. A large bonfire, about two people high, was fenced off not far behind the statue. Further back, on the edge of the square, there was a stage made of birch wood overlooking the large bonfire.
But the stage was still empty.
In the slightly stifling heat, several bards dressed in brightly colored clothes surrounded the goddess's statue, plucking their lutes. They seemed to be trying to ignite the bonfire with the enthusiasm and joy of all of Ellander. And in such a lively place, there was no shortage of vendors selling goods.
Sure enough.
Allen, holding Mary's hand, had barely had a moment to catch his breath after arriving at the square...
When an elderly woman, still quite spry despite her age, squeezed through the crowd with a basket in hand.
"Handsome young man," the old woman opened her basket, revealing flowers of various colors. "On such a beautiful day as the May Festival, how could you not adorn your lovely companion with flowers…"
Before Allen could respond, the old woman glanced at Mary and clicked her tongue in admiration:
"Such a beautiful girl deserves the most radiant flowers."
Upon hearing these flattering words, Mary's already flushed face turned even redder.
She stole a glance at the witcher.
Whether it was because of the heat from the bonfire or not, Allen, who was holding Mary's soft little hand, could feel the blood in his body heating up as well. He scanned the surroundings.
All the girls had flowers in their hair, except for his girl.
How could that be?
He immediately pulled out a small handful of coins from his pouch and handed them to the elderly woman, whose smile deepened with wrinkles.
"Just this one will do," the old woman picked a single oren from Allen's hand and carefully tucked it into her chest.
This price would normally be expensive, but on the day of the May Festival, it was just right. After all, none of them were prepared. But wealthy Allen didn't mind at all.
After pocketing the money, the elderly woman cheerfully reached into her basket and pulled out a rose, a deep red that appeared almost bewitching. The thorns on the rose had been meticulously removed.
Signaling for Mary to lower her head, the old woman swiftly and skillfully arranged the flower into her hair.
The rose now rested above Mary's right temple, its crimson hue accentuating her snow-white skin with a beauty that seemed beyond her years.
"How do I look?" Mary gently touched the rose with her right hand and tilted her head, eagerly looking at Allen.
"You look beautiful," Allen truthfully nodded.
Mary chuckled a few times, her cheeks flushing even more.
Just then—
Another flower, a pale pink carnation, appeared before her.
"What's this?"
"This is for you," the old woman smiled kindly, offering a blessing:
"May the goddess bless you with a good match, health, and happiness."
After saying that, the old woman, with agility surprising for her age, moved against the crowd to her next customer.
"A good match, huh?"
Mary muttered under her breath, feeling her face heat up as if it were about to catch fire.
Gurgle...
Someone's stomach was protesting again.
"Let's go find those donuts that Sinc mentioned—the ones made by the 'gnome mom'..." Allen chuckled.
Grabbing Mary's hand, he started looking for the donuts. His steps quickened. After all, they hadn't eaten dinner, and it wasn't just Mary's stomach protesting. Though someone else was using a witcher's self-control to suppress his hunger.
---------------------
Time flew by in the midst of the bustling festivities, and soon the night fell.
The crowds at the Ellander Market Square began to thin out.
Merchants, jesters, bards, musicians...
Of course, the ones leaving the most were the men and women who had already settled down. The May Festival was a celebration for the young. Once it was dark, it was time to let go of the shame of daily life, to embrace the changing cycles of nature, and ignite desires and vitality.
After eating their fill, and with Mary now adorned in various quirky, beautiful, and fascinating trinkets—looking more conspicuous than the Maypole itself...
The witcher had spent his last coin. Then, with a slightly tired Mary, they sat down in the square. They watched as, behind the unlit bonfire, a few bards and musicians slowly made their way onto the stage.
"May Festival!"
Voices began to rise from the crowd.
"May Festival!"
Passionate, lively music filled the air, and the calls from the men and women in the square grew even louder. Mary, too, seemed energized by the increasingly festive atmosphere, joining in with loud shouts.
At this moment—
A pair of young men and women, wearing flower crowns and dressed in bright clothing, walked onto the stage from the side.
Judging by the exclamations around them, Allen and Mary realized they were the May Festival King and Queen from the previous year. They would now select this year's May Festival King and Queen amidst the crowd's cheers. This was a unique tradition for the May Festival in the Northern Continent.
The May Festival King symbolized vitality and strength, while the Queen symbolized fertility and spring.
They would lead the young people participating in the festival through dances and celebrations, to honor and please the goddess of spring and flowers. Here in Ellander, that goddess was, of course, Melitele. As for how the King and Queen were chosen...
The blonde May Festival King and Queen intertwined their fingers and took torches from the hands of the bards, who had stopped playing. They then threw the torches toward the massive pile of firewood.
Whoosh!
A blaze roared up into the sky, as if it were trying to light up the heavens. With the heat rising and the music resuming, now even more lively and passionate than before, the atmosphere in the market square reached its peak.
"May Festival!"
Men and women shouted excitedly, rising to their feet and quickly seeking suitable partners to drag toward the stage.
Following the wild, enthusiastic dance steps of the former May Festival King and Queen on stage, they too began to dance freely.
Every so often, there were cries of surprise as people stepped on each other's feet or bumped into one another. But no one cared about that.
It didn't matter if the dance steps were right!
It didn't matter if they were in sync with the rhythm!
What mattered was letting go and embracing the wild excitement, letting the blood boil and the energy of life erupt.
Only then could one be chosen as the May Festival King and Queen!
Allen's body felt a bit heated too, but he had no intention of joining in. After all, he couldn't dance. Just watching people dance awkwardly made his scalp tingle.
But then, the next moment—
The witcher felt someone suddenly grab his hand, pulling him up.
"May Festival!"
Mary, uncharacteristically bold, shouted into his ear, her familiar citrus scent making even the supernaturally resilient witcher a bit dizzy.
He didn't know why.
Looking at her flushed cheeks and the dreamy blue eyes—the same color as his own—he couldn't help but stand up.
In a daze, he found himself being pulled into the crowd, despite his superior strength. She danced gracefully beside him, her robes and the flowers in her hair swaying in the wind. He had never realized she was such a good dancer, like a butterfly fluttering among flowers.
Elegant, light.
Hearing her bright, bell-like laughter, he focused entirely on her steps, maneuvering his body to avoid the other dancers. The witcher's extraordinary physical abilities were on full display.
Despite never having danced before, he not only kept up with her rhythm but soon felt as if he were moving as one with her...
There was no need to force control over his body or to concentrate on his surroundings—he could simply flow with the music. He started to lose himself in the moment. His eyes seemed to focus solely on the soft gaze of Margarita Laux-Antille.
Until...
It seemed like the entire city began to chant:
"May Festival King!" "May Festival Queen!"
Suddenly, a commotion erupted around them. It felt as though someone had placed a crown on his head, and a wreath on hers. The crowd surrounded them, parading them through showers of flower petals, leading them towards a path of light amidst cheers.
In that moment—
He forgot the reason he had joined the festivities. All he saw was the girl's bright smile, her eyes full of dancing firelight, and the reflection of a blue-eyed figure.
She clung tightly to his shoulders. The air around them was filled with the intoxicating scent of citrus.
In this heady fragrance, he forgot everything.
Until suddenly—
Countless shooting stars streaked across the night sky.
....
📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
For advance chapters: p@treon.com/Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
273. One Wave After Another.
274. The Dust of Heroes.
275. I Have My Battlefield.
276. Conjunction of the Spheres—Wraiths.
277. The First Battle of the Divine Sword Balmur.