Chapter 23. Festival of Eve (1)

After finishing up our lunch from the cafeteria, the four of us soon went with our own ways. Aurora seemed to have plans with Estelle ahead of time as such she didn’t follow along whilst Mana and I along with the bread-nibbling Flora, who was being carried by Mana went outside of the school building.

“Where do you want to go first?” Mana questioned.

“How about we buy the necessities first before anything else, is that fine with you?” I suggested before she nodded as we reached the gate of the school which by itself was still magnificent. Twin statues of lions stood at the sides of the entrance.

After exiting the gate, the two of us were greeted by a festive feel of the kingdom. People were hanging tiny colored papers above the streets, some were beautifying their houses while others were helping with their families on packing, moving, and all kinds of other stuff.

“It’s quite festive here,” I said before Mana nodded.

“It’s almost the Festival of Eve, after all. Wouldn’t you also know about it?” she asked as I shook my head in response.

“What is this festival of Eve?” I questioned as we walked down the busy, festive streets that were filled with all kinds of people.

“That’s strange, I would have thought you knew about it. The festival of Eve is more of a traditional festival that is held once every year near the end of Winter where we remember the passing of the Sky Dragon Eve though it was once a more honorary thing, nowadays, people think of it as simply a festival,” she explained.

The passing of the Sky Dragon is something I would never hear inside Solis VR nor would I ever hear in Solis Simulation. To think that the Sky Dragon which is one if not the strongest dragons of Solis had passed away is something unimaginable.

“What caused the Sky Dragon to fall, if you don’t mind me asking?” I inquired before Mana looked at me confused.

“I didn’t think you wouldn’t know about it as well, oh well, maybe you are just ignorant. The Sky Dragon Eve passed away a few millions of years ago while battling the entire Dragon clan since she loved someone of the human race,” she explained.

It would be best if I really stop comparing this world to Solis anymore… almost everything is different the more I think about it. Dragons had no emotions on Solis, they were mindless beings that served as legends back but unlike Solis, this is reality where lores are real, emotions can exist.

Though, to think that the Sky Dragon which served as the greatest Dragon in Solis fell down after battling her entire clan is not something I would think at all. The chances of her actually holding back close to all of her powers are super high since a Sky Dragon is practically immortal against all attacks.

“Well, I am certainly ignorant…” I said before she chuckled, gently smacking the top of my head as a warm smile blossomed on her face.

“You are not only ignorant but also strange, pervert,” she responded as a satirical smile appeared on mine, looking at her.

“All of those were an accident though… and also, you hardly smell anymore,” I said before a smack blasted my back as a soft laugh came from strange enough, Flora who had finished eating her breadstick and was staring at the two of us.

The most amusing part was the smile that could be seen on her face, it was an incredibly happy smile that radiated warmness all around her. I was surprised nonetheless from the sudden laughter, but took it as she enjoyed watching us.

“Are you hungry?” I asked, poking her cheeks as she reached her hands out towards me as if telling Mana to hand her over to me, and with Mana’s intelligence, she was able to comprehend what Flora wanted to say and handed her over as I gladly took her before she started snuggling onto my shoulder like a kitten.

“Isn’t she quite adorable? To think that such a cute thing could destroy a kingdom is so unfathomable…” Mana said with an odd smile as she looked at Flora with a warm smile before Flora looked at her and smiled with her eyes squinted.

“Mwama! Aywumi-ma!”1SOOOOO ADORABLE!

Her voice was like an arrow to my heart. A cupid shooting girl that wore a deer hoodie, an adorable creature that brings warmth to her surroundings. I agree that it is so unfathomable and unbelievable that a girl like her would have so much power.

As if responding to her smile, Mana as well squinted her eyes and smiled beautifully as the surroundings behind her blurred. It was a beautiful smile with her hair fluttering around which took me aback as my heart for some reason stopped beating for a second.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, snapping me back to reality as I shook my head with an embarrassed sensation inside. I couldn’t tell her that my heart somehow skipped a beat from her smile… that would be embarrassing and could cause a misunderstanding…

“Nothing at all…” I responded before she tilted her head.

“Mwama, food!” Flora all of a sudden spoke before the scent of kebab assaulted our nose as we looked in front before the crowded sight of the marketplace came into sight. It was a colorful marketplace that differed from the last time we arrived.

It was the scene of a festive medieval marketplace, paintings all over the place. Some carts had paintings of knights and swords; vendors that painted their walls with the items they sold and shops which, despite staying the same, hanged colored papers all around their shop.

“What a festive mood…” I said before Mana mumbled as Flora looked at the kebab vendor over the distance with glimmering, starry eyes as her stomach growled hungrily. It seems like she wants to eat a lot this time.

“We can eat later; we still have to buy you some new clothes!” Mana said as Flora looked at her with both eyes wide open, shock had painted her entire face which made me wonder. Is this the first time Mana had disobeyed Flora’s wishes, though, from the looks of it, it seems like so.

“Bwut…” Flora said with a saddened voice before burying her head onto my shoulder as a wry smile appeared on both mine and Mana’s face before a chuckle followed after remembering how she acted. It was an adorable reaction, to say the least, better than most children I knew who would throw a tantrum.

From as far as I can tell, Flora doesn’t seem to be the type of person to speak many words. Her rule is mostly to speak straightforwardly; she will at most call the name of the person and follow it up with what she wants which is adorable.

Though, it is a wonder how she can tell our names despite not being told yet. Mana nor I have told her have not told her our names even once but somehow or someway, she can know what our names are. Not to mention, she knows plenty of words and can understand them which is surprising. It was almost like she was taught beforehand.

“Which cloth shop is best…” Mana mumbled as she looked around before stopping at a simple store with a wooden sign that had a dress engraved on it. The store had a simple glass wall with a dress line of starry skies mainly for adults displayed.

A second after stopping at the store, she looked back as her face turned a bit pink as she said, “Let’s head to the store over there…” while pointing at another store which confused me. Did she want a dress from the store there?

Despite her best efforts, her eyes kept lingering at the shop a bit. I wonder if she really wanted the dress but couldn’t afford it, especially if you consider that from what I was told she doesn’t inherit any of her family’s wealth. It would be reasonable why she would act a bit commoner-ish by this world’s standards…