Chapter 2 - Yellow and Violet: The Joyful Festivity Kingdom

= The Baiter's Job =

Props are ready, the carriage is arranged well and of course, our small little market area booth is perfectly ready.

The only left now is the audience. Based on Asher's idea, they need a voice and attraction. So I clapped once with a loud force, bringing some passerby's attention while Asher spread his arms to introduce our business.

"Welcome, welcome People! Step right up and try a wonderful game called, Hit the Baiter! Who is a poor fellow Baiter? See for yourself!"

I can see people staring at him, then at our market area. It's going well but stay composed. Breath in, breath out, I can do this. I stepped on the stage and smiled gently. Asher nods back that our plan is going well and he will deal with the introductions.

"I'm Asher, your wonderful game host for this lovely festival and this is my greatest merchant and my wonderful assistant who will make you smile, the Baiter, Crister!." He smiles while pointing at me and the old driver, who is the shopkeeper of the market side. I waved and looked back at the audience cheerfully.

"As for the games, I will explain everything. The rules are simple" He grabs a soft and jiggly sack covered by seam cloth called 'Water balloons'. Asher created those during our expeditions and I wonder what that strange name prefers but, he didn't say anything back.

"You grab one of these called Water Balloons. You may call it a Splash anyways, and all you have to do is use it and try to hit the marking target spot over there."

He pointed at me and continued, "The Baiter will be the main defenceless target. You have to hit him with them anytime. Once you hit the marking spot, you will get some good rewards for the treasures we collect in our expeditions."

While the audience watched Asher and the game space area, I opened another chest and grabbed one of the treasures we stored from our travels. I showed it to the audience and listened to the host who advertised this treasure.

"It's called the Rainbow Necklace. It's shiny, good for fashion and worth 60,000 diamonds for each. Also, for adventurers, nadventurers and other fighters that are capable of, it's apparently good for boosting your level powers.."

The audience doesn't seem to believe it but Asher tries to encourage them. "It's not a scam. We tested a lot of those good candidates who fought the event quest outside right now and it worked. I believe they're still fighting, wearing those good necklaces to get some level boosting up."

I hope his enthusiastic attitude can convince them. He even tried to ask them with a big smile as he held the water balloons. "So what do you say?"

Never did I imagine that half of the audience raised their hands and decided to try it out. Asher gave me a thumbs up, as a sign of respect for the incoming role of a baiter, which I'm not eager to look forward to taking it.

And so, Asher allowed one of the audience to try this game by giving them a basket full of Splash 'Water Balloons', he also set the time limit, giving a signal to start the showdown.

I covered my eyes with a blindfold cloth while the Audience watched the whole game. The first contestant made it seem too easy to find the target, thinking they could possibly hit a blind Baiter in one hit. So much for the challenge they say.

Then, our business game started.

The first contestant was smiling as if they knew they would win a first try with a blindfold target standing in a small space. Hey, I couldn't see a thing and the Old man Merchant must be smiling to see me in this state right now.

However, what they did was right according to Asher's plan. The moment they threw the Splash at the target, I immediately felt the sound of water jiggly noises and then, I knelt down, dodging in an elegant position.

Even though I couldn't see their reactions, I can hear that everyone was at their jaws and surprised that a blindfolded amateur guy like me could dodge something I couldn't see. The timer countdown starts now and the first contender tries to keep up.

The audience was impressed by how I was able to dodge them. Whenever the first guy tried to hit all the water balloons, I always dodge it.

As a friend of the masked guy, I wonder how Asher knows I'm capable of mastering my hearing skills and using them for their business.

Maybe I've done that in my past with those friendly warriors I trained with? Or maybe I can sense some water elemental presence in one second? Or maybe I have...

A potential perhaps?

Either way, I'm starting to doubt his ways of doing his game business is part of coincidence. But alas, I noticed the timer countdown is close to five seconds and so far, I can see the first contestant wasn't able to hit the target no matter how many water Splash balloons he threw.

*Ding*

When the timer with a bell noise came up, Asher waved his hand and told them the game was out. The first audience sighed in defeat while I took off the blindfold and stared at the audience, who clapped his good performance.

"Oh man, I'll lose" The first contestant felt down but Asher held his shoulder and smiled,

"Sorry fella, gotta try again with those stunts of yours.. haha.." He chuckled but also tried to lean a hand to him.

The guy takes it and they shake their hands, admitting how fun their game was, earning respect as they left with their smiles.

Seeing their respective companionship earned a lot of attractions to the audience. I was also impressed the crowd began selling one of our resources from the old guy's market. Guess that one minute my dodging skill performance has earned a lot of promotions.

Speaking of promotions, the other audience were amazed by this game and raised their hand to take part of it. The crowd went wild and I tried to calm them down but they were so loud.

While the old guy is busy with selling the products, I begged the crowds to form a line to wait their turn and Asher is... laughing.

He's laughing to see the crowd going wild while I tried to prevent them from going further. The masked guy began to let me select the most determined contestants who would offer to pay money early before the game.

So I followed his request and asked the audience for the conditions. Two brave contestants wanted to take part and gave money to Asher so early, pushing him away so rudely and heading face to face with me.

"We don't care about the price, we just want to see how far this Baiter will wet himself in front of us. That'll be a wonderful show to give us, right boy?"

For some reason, I don't like their personalities. They look smug and overconfident in their skills. It's like they underestimate us, thinking this game is just a joke for them. I respond back with a silent nod.

I want to remove one contestant since this is just a game for one person but Asher doesn't mind, saying he's craving for challenges. I stood back, set the timer on time, wore my blindfold cloth on time and listened to Asher for a signal to start the game.

The two contestants are ready for this while I'm ready to show no mercy and eager to take them down, using my hearing skills again. When the next round began, they threw more Splash Water Balloons at the same time while I heard them and proceeded to dodge them again.

I also avoid the Splash by jumping them or sliding at the ground while I can hear the Audience made a gasp and surprised by my performance. I bet those two throwers are gritting their teeth to see the Baiter left unscathed.

I can also feel Asher must be smiling like a Cheshire cat right now whenever he sees those who are desperate to try and take out the annoying flea that won't happen till the end of the timer.

And so, the time runs out and the two contestants drop their sweat and take their heavy breaths. They tried to throw the Splash Water Balloons at me again but I heard Asher coming their way and grabbed their wrist to stop.

When I take the Blindfold off, I can see how pissed they are, glaring at me with daggers while I find myself unscathed, without dirtying my clothes. In other words, I dodged all their attacks again and it's another win for me.

The audience clapped at our game again and Asher took the two contestants away from the crowd with a smile while the Old guy gave me a thumbs up.

Two rounds may have finished but, there's more to go and I'm getting the hang of it. Asher proceeds to choose another faithful contestant, whether they're good or not, he prefers the challenge ones, which I solemnly accept, hoping that luck will stay on my side.

**2 hours later**

After sixteen game trials, our business surprisingly goes well. The Old man was impressed how his supplies have sold a lot of good fortune.

"And that's all we had." Asher told the audience that their game may be over but they will still continue once their break is over.

When Asher, the Old man and myself are alone at the back of the booth to have privacy, Asher flipped those money papers, smiling at the results of their first income.

"Some good business we say, I call it, a Success, per say." Asher slapped my back, which didn't hurt a bit.

"Poetic. We managed to purchase some goods during that plan of yours. It was well done for two birds with one stone." The Old man replied, holding a bag of cash and placing them inside the carriage.

"Exactly!" Asher said with a snap of his fingers. He rose up and looked high and mighty when he point at himself proudly. "I really am the best Merchant, am I right?"

"Whatever, pickle brain." I said, rolling my eyes.

Despite how bragged this guy is, Asher also cares about his group. He was the one who invited us to this kingdom to sell some supplies for promoting our job. In fact, it was his idea to entertain those customers with his peculiar games while the Old guy will sell those products at the same time. Two birds with one stone per say.

Once the supplies were stocked up, he chose the quality products and placed them in the market box again, ready for the round 2 business. Asher and I were having an extra snack break to restore our energy but suddenly, he widened his eyes in surprise as he felt someone hold his shoulder and turned straight to the right side.

Neither I nor Asher couldn't feel that someone's presence was already beside us, waving like an innocent trespasser that even the experienced Old man almost dropped his crate. He was also shocked that a strange townsfolk guy was there.

"Excuse me, my good merchant folks" The trespasser asked. "May I try that game of yours. I saw those people getting good views of your game and I was wondering if I could try some"

I looked at Asher, who dropped his sweat but kept his composure. He also gives me the face of "don't make me talk to him" or something like that, which I'm planning to wait for him to respond.

I mean, Asher is kinda good at being an extrovert host guy. I'm sure he can deal with this stranger and tell him to give some time while we're still having our lunch break.

"Sure friend, I just got my break finished and he's starting to fire up" Asher said with a confident tone while my expectations broke out.

Before I reached up and slapped his head, I looked at the stranger and felt a sudden mysterious dark aura that called bad luck. It's giving me shivers, making me want to puke in secret areas.

"Wait Asher, come here." I grabbed Asher and took him to a quiet place. I try to whisper, making sure the Stranger won't hear anything. "I'm not sure about this guy, I have a feeling he's not the same as the others"

"And what does that mean, Baiter?" Asher asked, twitching his eyes in a sly tone.

"What I mean, is that he got this weird aura coming inside him. I don't think we can-"

"Sorry Christer friend, warning comes later, we don't have to keep our customer waiting, right?" Asher pushed me out of the way to allow the Stranger to serve his request, not following my warnings. He smiled back and clapped once.

"Alright gentleman, let's get this show on the road. But just to let you know, my Baiter seems terrified all of a sudden. So try to take it easy on him."

The Stranger widened his eyes as he heard that suggestion and he looked at me, then back to Asher and said, "Well then good hoster, why don't you be the Baiter while this guy has to take a break?"

"Acceptable my customer. Let's not keep the audience waiting, shall we?"

I have a bad feeling about this. It's not like I worry myself, I'm mostly worried about Asher, who seems unaware of the danger coming after him with this stranger.

This stranger still gives me an odd and dangerous aura that no one realises how intense he shows up when he keeps smiling. Even Asher hasn't felt danger after accepting his game. No matter how many warnings I told him, this silver haired masked guy won't listen to me.

When the break is over and townsfolk passerby are waiting for the next performance, their first reaction was confused when the host himself is the Baiter.

I, too, got confused when I became the Hoster and tried to explain to the Audience about this "Special Round". It was not part of the plan but the Stranger gave us a good price in advance and Asher has nothing to say about it.

With their smile, the Special round of Hitting the Baiter commences, facing Asher the Baiter and the Stranger holding the Splash (Water Balloons).

But what I noticed about this stranger, the way he holds those Water balloons, a mysterious scribble mark suddenly marked by their cloth. It looks magical but not a good sign for my guts.

I just hope everything goes well.

~~~~~

= 7 Daylights Ago From Now =

*Wings POV*