Chapter 301: Transformation

I named the two Aura Birds “Honey” and “Cyan.” Honey was named for its honey color, and Cyan for its blue color.

They seemed to be fine living in their birdcage, and when we let them out while we were around, they flew energetically around the room. So far, I haven’t tried transferring magic to them, but they’re adorable and a great source of comfort.

A distinctive feature is that when they’re in a good mood, they sing, and if we sing along with them, we get caught up in the fun. I might even consider buying a music player or a radio for Honey and Cyan.

For the past five days, things had been peaceful… but the calm was only temporary. I had to start preparing for the upcoming festival.

I planned to ask Sam to manage the festival, so I needed to go to the royal capital. After making a proper appointment, I decided to go alone.

The meeting place was the same as before. Today, I cut my farm work short and arrived earlier than scheduled.

I had also come early to deliver a letter to Chris. I had already reached a conclusion in the carriage on the way back last time, but I hadn’t had the chance to come to the capital to send the reply until now.

If I missed today, I wouldn’t know when I’d get another chance. So, before talking to Sam, I wanted to hand over the letter. I asked townspeople for directions and found the specified “Neelmart.”

I had assumed it would be a large store, so it was surprisingly tricky to find. When I finally arrived, it turned out to be a small, privately-owned tools shop.

“Welcome. What are you looking for?”

Behind the counter sat a kindly-looking elderly man. He smiled, and for a moment I wondered if I had the wrong place, but it was definitely Neelmart.

“Um… I came to deliver a letter to Chris. Is this the right place?”

“Tch… you’re that customer, huh? Leave the letter there; I’ll hold onto it. Now, get out.”

The elderly man’s cheerful demeanor immediately changed upon hearing Chris’s name. He spoke sharply, looking displeased.

The way he changed his attitude was intimidating, but I held firm and placed the letter in the designated spot. I kept being stared at, and it was clear that the man and Chris didn’t have a good relationship.

“P-please take care of it.”

Having said that, I hurriedly left Neelmart. My heart was pounding from the unexpected treatment.

At least the letter was delivered. Now I just had to wait for Chris’s response. I arrived at the café much earlier than planned but decided to wait inside.

I told them it was the same meeting as before, and no extra questions were asked. I was shown to my seat. Sam was already there, greeting me with a cup of coffee in hand.

“You’re quite early today.”

“Hello, Sam. I could say the same to you. Were you waiting here so early?”

“Heh, not really. I just find I can get more work done here, so I was working on some materials.”

He showed me the documents he had been preparing.

“I see. I thought I had the time wrong since you were already here; I was worried for a moment.”

“Sorry for making you worry. Now, have a seat.”

I sat down and placed my order. Feeling thirsty from the tension at Neelmart, I ordered a mixed juice instead of coffee.

“Ah, a mixed juice. You know it’s good. It’s delicious here.”

“I didn’t know, so I’m looking forward to drinking it.”

“Good. Now, about the main topic… you want to hold a festival, right? Do you have any concrete plans?”

“Yes. It will be a festival with booths, and anyone can set up a booth, but only ones with a game element are allowed.”

“Game element?”

Since this culture doesn’t exist in this world, Sam had trouble understanding at first, but once I explained the festival booths in detail, he got excited and immediately agreed.

“I see. Sounds like an interesting festival. I was planning to accept anyway, but now it’s official. You can leave the booth arrangements mostly to me. I’ll invite people suitable for the theme.”

“Thank you, Sam! We’ll pay properly this time, so please take care of it.”

“My pleasure. I’m looking forward to it.”

We continued discussing the festival. This time, fireworks are also planned, arranged through Rozzo’s acquaintance. It’s shaping up to be an even bigger festival than last year, and I’m already excited.