Morning had passed and it was now lunchti.
Eleanor had already left to spend ti with King Orpheus, once again, leaving all alone.
Instead of returning to the lab right away, I figured that I might as well patrol the area and maybe take a look around at the festival.
With that in mind, I stumbled upon an unusually noisy tent. Normally, I would have just passed by without much interest.
However, not only was there a crowd blocking the path, but I could also hear familiar music playing.
"..."
Upon closer inspection, it wasn't just people gathered there; wandering spirits who had previously haunted the academy were also gathered around because of the music.
A hastily scribbled sign that read [Professor Deus' Laboratory] was hanging above the tent.
"..."
As I circled to the back of the tent, I saw Owen passionately playing a small piano he had brought from sowhere.
When I went to the front, beyond the child who was playing with his eyes closed and imrsed in his performance, there was a miniature duel arena that was typically used to play with mini cars or spinning tops.
And there…
"Go!"
"Don't give up! Be strong!"
They were using hands adorned in sothing flashy to fight each other.
On each side stood a person who was channeling their mana into Professor Fel's prosthetic arms as if they were threads and controlling it.
"Co on! Move! Don't just stand there like a spinning top; it's a matter of life and death!"
Findenai excitedly encouraged them from the center of the arena as they gambled.
"How about this? If you look at this imitation arm..."
Even Professor Fel Petra was there, setting up a stall in the corner and recomnding prosthetic arms to students.
The thought of them using my na on this dreadful hybrid collaboration already made dizzy.
Just then, Erica Bright and Academy Nurse Caren broke through the crowd.
Erica, who spotted , approached to ask.
"Uh, we received a report that there are duels between hands that can spurt blood everywhere taking place here, and that you can even bet on them..."
"Wow, I was wondering what kind of nonsense is going on here, but the person who reported this explained it quite well."
Caren clicked her tongue and exclaid in amazent.
"Let … take care of this."
"Okay... do your best."
"Good luck."
The two of them seed to trust and left. After taking a deep breath, I approached Owen.
"Huh?"
I grabbed the hands of the boy playing the piano, stopped him, and then forcefully pressed down on the piano keys.
Clang!
Due to the loud sound, everyone's gaze turned towards us.
Unknowingly, I furrowed my brow and uttered a single sentence with an expression that indicated I was furious.
"Everything is now closed."
* * *
"Wasn't it fun?"
"..."
"Just be honest with , our ideas were pretty good, don’t you think so?"
Findenai, who was patrolling the streets with , babbled regretfully.
"You are right. Honestly, the idea itself was not bad."
I had to at least admit that.
I never thought they would be able to create an event that fulfilled Findenai's desire for a fighting arena, Professor Fel's enthusiasm to showcase her prosthetic arms, and Owen's yearning to perform all at once.
However, it went a bit too far.
"One of the issues here was that Professor Fel's prosthetic arms were too perfect. With blood flying everywhere as the hands moved around, it was too grotesque for an academy festival."
"But that's what made it fun."
"Additionally, the biggest issue was the opening of a gambling den. I will say it again: this is an academy. This is a festival for students."
"Well... sorry about that. I got carried away with the excitent."
Findenai honestly admitted her mistake. Truthfully, I wished she had at least taken off her maid uniform because there were outsiders visiting the academy festival.
And surprisingly, perhaps because it was a festival, the outsiders who ca here didn't find her strange at all.
Instead, they simply passed it off as part of the event.
"Anyway, try to stay out of trouble during the festival. Do not stir up any unnecessary disturbance."
"Well, I didn't plan on causing a disturbance on purpose."
Findenai scratched the back of her head and looked around. Students were laughing and chattering, eating food, playing pranks, and raising their voices.
The word ‘peaceful’ could be applied to many situations, but at this mont, there was no shortage of reasons to describe this ti as peaceful.
"Are you bored?"
Therefore, I naturally thought that if it were the usual Findenai, she would have felt disappointed on seeing such a scene because she was soone who lived for battles and survival.
However, to my surprise, Findenai opened her mouth while wearing a contemplative expression.
"No, it's nice to see."
"..."
It was such an unexpected answer.
I closed my mouth, realizing that I would frequently encounter unexpected situations today. Findenai continued speaking.
"I an, I only fought because I was born in situations where I had to, Master Bastard."
"..."
"I'm also fighting because I don't want other people like to be born, and I hate the Republic that fastened us with damn leashes."
"I see."
"We've been deprived of our freedom from birth, and I've been fighting to regain it."
The Republic was a place its citizens were deprived of things we took for granted, like freedom.
It seed even more so, especially because Findenai could be seen as part of a slave class in the Griffin Kingdom.
"Every day, I shouted ‘For freedom! Let's reclaim our freedom! Let's break free from the oppression of the Republic!’ Like a broken record."
"..."
"However, one day, when most of the Scrapyard Nomads fell into a trap set by the extermination units and died, do you know what I was thinking?"
Findenai glanced at .
It was a conversation topic that didn't seem to fit the street's scenery, but I calmly listened to her.
"What was it?"
"Damn it, is freedom truly necessary when so many young children are spilling blood to this extent?"
"..."
"Should we have just bowed our heads to survive?"
It seed like there was more to her words than ets the eye.
When she ntioned that most of the mbers of Scrapyard Nomads died, it likely involved non-combatants such as children.
"With such concerns, I took the remaining mbers to cross the mountain range."
Findenai slipped her hand into her pocket and glanced around again.
Then, she shrugged her shoulders as if she realized sothing.
"Yeah, it turns out it is this good."
"..."
"That is why everyone is struggling so much and screaming for freedom, because it feels so great."
"Findenai."
Seeing her reaction, I found myself calling her na before I even realized it.
"Huh?"
For so reason, it felt like she might just disappear sowhere if I didn't do so.
Perhaps that was why I, sowhat uncharacteristically, gestured towards the beverage stall next to us.
"How about we have sothing to drink?"
"Are you thirsty? I'll buy."
Out of the blue, Findenai sohow took so coins from her pocket and bought a drink for . It was juice with ice floating in it, and it tasted just decent enough to drink.
So, we simply stood there for a mont, sipping on our drinks. Surprisingly, Findenai drank hers quickly, even chewing on the ice.
Watching her like that, I uttered the words I had organized in my mind for a mont.
"Our contract is valid for a period of five years."
Crunch!
Findenai chewed on the ice before responding.
"Yeah, I know. It feels like at least two years have passed, but it's only been half a year, which is surprising."
Seeing Findenai let out forced laughter, I continued speaking.
"After five years, once everything I need to resolve is taken care of, you will be free from our contract."
"That's right."
Findenai's gaze montarily drifted far away as if imagining that day arriving. There was a hint of regret in her eyes.
"By then, once I achieve my goal and if the continent is still intact…"
"..."
"At that ti, I will be the one to lend you a hand."
Five years was the ti remaining until the fate of the continent was decided.
If I managed to stop the impending doom properly, then, afterwards, it wouldn't be bad to assist Findenai in fighting against the Republic.
"Ha! Your dream is on the scale of saving the continent?"
"Have you not noticed it yet? After all, we have been going around together all this ti."
I responded slyly at Findenai’s playful retort, which was not typical of . The other side laughed in return.
"Yeah, I felt it. I got myself a very impressive Master Bastard."
Findenai, who had been laughing heartily, slowly stopped laughing and let out a slightly regretful sigh.
Then, after looking around, Findenai changed the conversation.
"Master Bastard, what would I have beco if I had been born in the Griffin Kingdom?"
"...The Griffin Kingdom is not a Utopia."
Although it annoyed that she deliberately avoided my offer to help, I decided to respond to Findenai's words first.
"Students often talk about things like this, right? What if this happened, what if that happened."
"..."
"If I were born in Norseweden, would I be much different from now?"
It almost felt like Findenai was forcing the question on .
"Probably, but that nasty temper of yours would still be there."
"Tch."
"You might not be as strong as you are now, but you might have recognized your talent and applied to join the garrison."
"Ah, that does seem like sothing I would do."
Findenai nodded in agreent. Yet, I exercised a bit more imagination.
"While working in the garrison like that, you would have probably caught Darius' eye and beco friendly with the mbers of the household."
"From what I see, if it were Master Bastard from his playboy era, you would have made a move on right away, wouldn't you?"
"..."
As I stared blankly at Findenai for a mont, she t my gaze.
Alright, I would let her win this ti.
"Yes, maybe it could have happened... No, that is definitely how it would have happened."
Because you are more charming than you think.
"So, will I end up being a northern wench who, despite cursing at you and complaining, eventually succumbs to your sweet words and techniques, Master Bastard?”
"....Though I am not sure if you would have liked the person I was back then.”
“We’re just talking about hypotheticals. Why are you taking this so seriously? I'll just think of him as you, the Master Bastard I've known so far.”
Findenai smirked and closed her eyes for a mont. She took a deep breath and raised the corners of her mouth.
"It's a completely useless fantasy. How can I ever beco a northern countryside maiden? It really doesn't suit ."
"..."
"But..."
It probably would have been enjoyable.
I felt like such a remark would follow that /genesisforsaken
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