Episode 193. Day 1 of the Festival (1)
The day of the festival has finally arrived.
An atmosphere of joy and excitement was evident throughout the town of Alighieri.
While people were getting excited, the cadets who prepared the event were still busy preparing something.
In the corner where archery was being prepared, the sound of the bowstring being clicked and something falling could be heard.
In the corner where the restaurant was located, the sizzling sound of food being stir-fried and the savory smell stimulated the taste buds of tourists.
Just that sense makes people look for things to see and enjoy.
The reason people come all the way to Alighieri is because there are worthwhile things to enjoy.
It goes without saying that it was a tactical demonstration.
Most of the events that take place in this town are used to kill time while waiting for the banquet.
Of course, you have to put a lot of effort into even those small events so as not to get nitpicked.
Otherwise, ignorant people from the provinces will just hang on and bite.
Just like right now.
“This will be very inconvenient. There are other guests waiting, so what if you keep taking up seats?”
“Lotus Crawler, who was conducting the arrow shooting event, said.
He was in charge of one of the festival events as requested by the Chainsilver family.
But some guests were troublesome.
“The arrow is meant to be shot, so why do you keep interfering? You have to hit all the targets to finish the game!”
“I’m sorry, but each person is only allowed three arrows. It’s difficult if you make up rules like that.”
“Trouble or not! The hunt isn’t over until all targets are silent! Right, guys!”
-Hahahahaha!
-You’re right, brother!
-Weakling bastards, get out of here!
They were unexpected guests. I had a rough idea of them when they snatched up the seats in front of me.
They were not ordinary humans, but rather a race of beasts. Judging by their rough behavior and speech, they seemed to have come from a faraway place.
Of course, Lotus did not want to disparage the entire Suin.
This is because in other regions, there were often people who adapted well among the people or had a certain nobility in their name.
But these guests were completely different.
While there are species that have adapted to human society, there are also species that have not adapted.
Judging by the way they were talking about prey, their home seemed to be in the wild.
It was easy to guess just by looking at the lack of manners or morality between people.
“What are you looking at! Do you want to die? Should I blow a hole like a wild boar?”
The guests behind her get angry and tell her to be quiet, but Su-in threatens them with a bow and yells at them.
Lotus frowned at the sight.
`Never point your bow at people.`
Because they blatantly violated the rules of the event.
It was fine whether it was Suin or something. We shouldn’t leave these city thugs alone.
“Get out now.”
“what?”
“Haven’t you heard?”
Hwarur-
“I mean, get out.”
Lotus threatened, using magic to create a fireball in his hand.
The heat coming from the fireball the size of a tray greatly shocked the people.
It was good for scaring them, but it didn’t change their way of thinking.
“Ha…! Using magic for something like this? You’re being so petty!”
“What did you say?”
“What kind of trash event are you planning? I wonder what level of planner you are!”
The string of reasoning of Lotus was broken.
Because it was an insult to the Chain Silver family that took care of our family.
At first, they were just living off of their land, but their relationship grew better and they became close enough to have drinks with the high-ranking members of the family.
The owner, Gerard, was no exception.
The fact that you are watching the event now is also a result of that.
That’s why… I couldn’t just let those words go.
“What the heck? How are you going to roast us now?”
“Go ahead and do it! If you do that, you’ll end up at war with us.”
I think that even those living in the wild would be quite large.
Clearly, there will be a lot of bloodshed if they come in large numbers, as there is a powerful being called the Chieftain.
But this side is not without its backers. They tried to make an example of one guy by roasting him.
The moment you think that it will be okay as long as you don’t die…
“Stop.”
Suddenly a girl’s voice was heard.
Su-in turned her head toward the woman, wondering what kind of woman she was… and at that moment, her mouth fell open in shock.
“Those people… by any chance…?”
There was a guard of knights and priests surrounding them, and two girls stood in the center of them.
It didn’t take three seconds for me to realize that they were saints of the Order of the Holy Cross.
Even the common people could not help but open their eyes wide as they became aware of the saint’s presence.
Because one of the saints was a beast just like them.
“Oh, Saint Angela!”
The people also heard it through rumors.
The first saint born. Just hearing the news filled me with admiration.
Because we finally have an opportunity to flatten the human nose.
Even though there is one more saint next to us, our people’s status will rise.
They are of the same race, so of course they should take our side…
“Come out now, you guys.”
“yes?”
“Didn’t you hear? Come out now.”
Saint Angela speaks. She looks at them with a very sharp gaze, waving her hand.
The face of a beast that seemed to harbor hostility. The people felt goosebumps at that.
The way he spoke was exactly the same as the event host who had a fireball in his hand.
“Pull it out.”
The knights moved at the command of Saint Angela. The target they dragged out was none other than the water spirits.
“Okay. Wait a minute. What are you doing?”
“Saint Angela! Why all of a sudden…!”
“We’re on the same side!”
Lotus clicked his tongue at the protests of such people.
Are we on the same side? Did you think that you could sympathize with the existence of a saint with something like that?
As expected, his country bumpkin image of knowing nothing was clearly revealed.
“Please don’t do this. We did nothing wrong!”
“That’s right! We didn’t do anything other than move as usual!”
“It’s all because of that lowly human being…”
The people kept spouting nonsense that didn’t make sense.
At that moment, Angela said with a poisonous expression.
“Shut up.”
And he stretched out his tail like a whip and lifted them into the air, strangling their necks.
Although they had no murderous intent, they were groaning and crying out in pain.
Still, Su-in’s ears were sharp enough to hear what Angela was saying.
“If you came out of the forest, you should have followed the rules there. You are the most vile and abominable of them all!”
“Why… Ugh…!”
The strangled men lost consciousness. Angela left them on the floor without mercy and spoke to the knights.
“Just throw those guys out of town. Just like you threw those guys out a little while ago.”
“yes!”
The knights moved quickly as if they had already done so once before.
While they were following orders, the two saints approached Lotas.
“Are you Radon Oppa’s father?”
“Oh, yes. This will be our first time meeting in person.”
“I will apologize on their behalf for their rudeness.”
Angela bows her head in front of Lotus, as she is no different from Suin.
Looking at the saint’s aforementioned face, Lotas restrained himself, saying that there was no need to do so.
And this time, the green-haired saintess standing next to him greeted him.
“Nice to meet you. I am Nevia Cromag, also a saint of the church. This is my first time meeting you in person.”
“Yes, that was the only time I saw your face at the party that day.”
This was his first time meeting Saint Nevia, so Lotas was quite nervous.
But from her expression, he could tell that she had feelings for him.
“And… since we’ve met, there’s something I want to tell you.”
When asked what that was, Nebia said,
-Thank you.
It was full of good intentions and seemed to touch my heart, but I couldn’t understand it.
But it wasn’t until Nevia explained the reason that I was able to understand it.
“Are you saying that it helped that I bought all the holy relics back then?”
“It may have been a nuisance to other believers, but it was a great help to me. Because I no longer had to listen to that damned mother’s nagging.”
When she was a count, Lotas stole all the holy relics, which caused her mother to lose her vocal cords.
But that was a stroke of luck for Nebia.
Because my mother’s voice was still a trauma to me.
“But why did Lord Lotus steal all the holy relics back then? I heard that instead of benefiting from it, it actually led to his downfall.”
Anyone who saw it would find it strange behavior.
Even from a common sense perspective, he must have known that it was an action that would result in losing even the principal.
Still, I wanted to know why he insisted on following the family’s orders.
Because that family had a man named Radon Crowler.
“Does Saint Nevia know anything about the Layert family?”
“If it’s Layer… I heard you guys are a branch of the Crowlers.”
I remember. They were humiliated at the party at Chainsilver Mansion.
And from Lotus’ mouth came a surprising sound.
“They say they suddenly went extinct.”
“yes?”
“That happened overnight too.”
They are the ones who usurped the title of Earl that the Crowler family had previously held.
This family, which has ascended to the throne as a close associate of the imperial family by using the stolen family’s abilities, will have a very high status.
But it was destroyed? In one day?
“Are you lying?”
“….”
Lotus thought, I wish this was a lie.
If it were false, the erosion rate would have been greatly reduced.
“What do you think is the cause?”
“I’m not sure.”
This is already absurd, so how could it be easy to deduce the cause?
But Lotus dropped one hint.
“According to the news, all members of the Layth bloodline, including the head of the family, have disappeared. There have been eyewitness accounts from servants that they turned to sand and disappeared.”
“It turned to dust and disappeared?”
“For your information, our Crowler family is always in danger of that happening. Even now, of course.”
“….”
The more I listened, the more complicated it became.
Are you saying that they too will soon turn to sand and die?
Even in present progressive tense?
Why on earth? For what reason?
“Are you under a curse?”
“■■”
“yes?”
“….”
I think I spoke clearly, but I didn’t understand.
And for some reason, I started to feel annoyed.
I asked a question, but she kept her mouth shut, so it was understandable… but something sounded different to the ears of Nevia, the Saintess of Melody.
That voice clearly did not contain the will of ‘Lotus Crawler’.
Strange. It must have been the voice that came from Lotus’ mouth.
And there was a tremendous sense of malice in it, an aura that had the effect of stirring up people’s emotions.
“Well, what you just said… I thought my stomach was turning.”
“As expected, it’s because I didn’t say anything…”
“That’s not it! I didn’t hear anything from your mouth… but my ears can’t be fooled.”
Nebia said with a sharp look in her eyes.
“I thought I heard the voice of the one I just drank. I was able to endure it because I am the Saint of Melody… but if someone else had heard it, they would have definitely felt disgusted by you.”
“…!”
Lotus’ eyes widened at the information he had heard for the first time in his life.
This silent treatment that comes up every time you talk about curses. It’s true that I was treated as a weirdo because of this and it led to my downfall.
Of course it can’t be otherwise. Because I can’t speak at important moments.
But what if it was actually for another reason?
“I always felt something was strange when I saw Senior Radon… but now I know for sure.”
“….”
“What the hell is wrong with you Crowlers?”
* * * * *
Jenny and Crona walked around the town and stopped at an event building.
It was a bookstore where you could appreciate Nobel records, and it was a place where things prepared by members of the newspaper department were displayed.
However, it was not the newspaper club that wrote that Nobel record, but several people including the student council.
So, I had high expectations since it was a work that they had put their own touch into.
“Why are there not many?”
Crona was very disappointed by the sight of the bookstore full of flies.
That piece contained the best screenplay he had ever written, and he was full of anticipation that someone would read it.
Since it is anonymous anyway, the pen name will not be revealed.
So it was a time when the strength in my shoulders was about to leave.
“How about changing the interior?”
“Are you saying we should completely change the appearance?”
Jenny felt similarly to Crona.
It was not good for the work written by his friend Radon to rot away without anyone seeing it.
Looking inside the bookstore, it felt like looking into an old antique shop.
If it’s this boring, how can people come?
Moreover, the place where the records written by Radon were displayed had this phrase written on them.
-It’s totally fun. Probably.
Looking at the font, it feels like there is little radon.
Putting that aside, it was easy to guess why it was unpopular.
“It’s too bad. I need to change it.”
“But how do you change it?”
“I learned it from Radon. He says that people focus their attention on the cover or the title.”
It was knowledge I learned while mastering the art of fantasy swordsmanship.
We originally learned that getting the other person’s attention is the shortcut to deception, but that attention-getting is used in many ways other than deception.
“The original Nobel record was a product of young people like us. So we changed it to fit that image.”
“Hmm… Are you saying we should just turn it into a children’s building?”
“That doesn’t sound so bad!”
There is a widespread misconception that Nobel Records is for kids.
So it’s important to be able to grab the kids’ attention.
“Okay! Let’s start the repair work right away!”
Those words were so frightening that a large number of people gathered at the bookstore and began remodeling.
They attract the attention of teenagers their age.
This was Jenny and Crona’s ultimate goal… but they overlooked it.
Because the bookstore has become so colorful.
Then, younger aspiring writers began to visit the bookstore.
I thought it was a fairy tale bookstore.
-It’s totally fun. Probably.
And countless children have fallen for this phrase.
Surviving as an Academy Fraudster
