Chapter 217: Deciding the Autumn Event

The autumn crop cycle had started, and farm work had become a bit more manageable.

It was about time to plan an autumn event, but surprisingly, there weren’t many standout events for this season.

Spring and autumn overlapped in terms of mood. While spring after winter was exciting, autumn following summer had a calmer, more subdued atmosphere.

Back when I lived in Japan, I hated summer. The extreme heat and my work as a corporate drone made it unbearable.

Because of extreme “eco-friendly” electricity-saving measures, the air conditioning was fixed at 28°C even on the hottest days. The airflow was minimal, leaving the indoors sweltering. I still remember how awful it was.

So for someone who once hated summer, it’s proof that your feelings about the seasons can change depending on your environment.

Back on topic, autumn, although enjoyable, naturally brought a sense of calm after the excitement of summer. Before winter, I wanted to hold a flashy event—but the only ideas that came to mind were a campfire or a sweet potato roast. That was the dilemma.

After racking my brain, I thought of a sports festival.

Originally, the “mock battle tournament” had been held under the guise of a sports festival, but it might also be fun to hold a competition purely based on physical ability.

The problem is that the top contenders from the mock battle would likely dominate. Ideally, I wanted to create an opportunity where various people could shine.

Then again, since it’s also the “season of appetite,” a cooking competition might be interesting.

Chefs like Norman or Jacob would naturally be the favorites, but there’s a chance that amateurs could cook something even better.

Alternatively, we could have the chefs act as judges and hold a competition only for amateurs. Sure, Sheila would likely still be a favorite, but it’s harder to think of a competition where she wouldn’t be a top contender. So maybe a ruleset limited to amateurs is the way to go.

Another idea was a Halloween party.

To avoid overlapping with the Christmas party, a costume contest where participants compete for “best quality costume” would be fun.

I thought of splitting it over two days: Day 1, the cooking competition inviting people from afar; Day 2, the chefs focus on the costume party. That schedule could be interesting.

I had felt a bit stuck, but I managed to pull out some ideas. Once decided, it was time to start preparations.

Autumn is short, and if we dawdle, winter will come quickly.

First, I would talk to Sheila, and then discuss the finer rules with Norman.

So I approached Sheila.

“A cooking competition and a costume party? Both sound fun!”

“So, you’re in favor, Sheila?”

“Of course. I’ll participate in both.”

I explained my plans, and Sheila agreed immediately. It was our first time holding either event, so I was nervous, but with her support, I was confident it would succeed.

“Then we’ll proceed. I’ll coordinate the cooking competition with Norman, and I’d like to discuss the costume party rules with you. What kind of rules do you think would work best?”

“If we want it competitive, it’s fairest to set a material and production cost and have everyone make their costumes on the spot. But if the goal is high-quality costumes, we might not need restrictions.”

Limiting the material cost to one gold coin and having participants make their costumes on-site would make it feel like a real competition.

However, I also wanted to see high-quality costumes that took time to make, so maybe no time limit would be fine.

“Let’s set the material cost at one gold coin and leave the rest free. That way, we can see high-quality results.”

“I have no objections. Participants can bring their completed costumes and appear in them—that should work.”

“Sounds good. Each person can vote for up to three others (not themselves) to determine the ranking.”

“Great rule. …Rozzo and Sid might be strong contenders.”

Indeed, the two who excel at crafting could dominate, but the key is “costumes.”

Older dwarves may be limited in costume design, and lightweight, beautiful costumes by Sheila or Rose could easily outshine them.

Personally, I think Velvet would be the top contender.

Elegant, visually striking, and skillful—she’s my favorite to win.

“Appearance matters as much as skill, so anything could happen. I’m looking forward to Sheila’s costume too.”

“Fufu, I’ll do my best to aim for the win.”

Even with this brief discussion, the costume party rules were set. I was looking forward to Sheila’s costume and planned to participate as well.

While thinking about what to dress as, I headed to Norman to finalize the cooking competition rules.