Village Festival – Part 01

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Translator: Kell


“Let’s have a festival,” she said.

“What?”

I assumed that uptight professionals weren’t interested in festivals and parties and such. So when the governess, who devoted herself to teaching basic education and public morals to the village, strolled into the tavern and presented a document about the importance of ceremonies to a village, I was so surprised that I could only glance back and forth between her and the paper.

“It’s been almost a year since this village was built,” she said. “And a festival is an important observance for villagers so they feel the passage of time. To keep their spirits up, we should consider holding one soon.”

“Uh… you’re absolutely right,” was all I could say.

Taking my reply as agreement, the governess left the tavern.

That was the beginning of the anniversary of the village’s founding.


A village that has existed for a year would have rules and regulations established.

One of the rules of our village was that we gather in the tavern after closing time to discuss important matters.

I looked at the villagers gathered around. “So we’ve decided to hold a festival on the spur of the moment.”

“Sounds like a great idea,” the priest said. “The village has become quite stable, so why not?” He didn’t usually participate in such meetings, but he was the first one to speak up in favor of the festival. When I asked him what he was doing here, he said that the governess invited him, so I couldn’t turn him away. “Just don’t do anything sacrilegious.”

“And by sacrilegious, you mean?”

“Like sacrificing babies and serving them to all the villagers to eat.”

His statement caused a stir among the people gathered. Wearing a gentle smile, the priest uttered a prayer to God, as if to negate his sinister remark.

“I understand that before coming to this village, you traveled the world,” the governess said. “I’m sure you’ve seen and heard of many horrific festivals. However, evil is always caused by ignorance. Please don’t worry. With my knowledge, I will lead the villagers in the right direction.” She clenched her fists tight. “This festival is a great opportunity for this isolated village to interact with the outside world. Now that life in the village has stabilized, we must push through with this, even if it means cutting into the village’s resources a bit!”

“Very reassuring,” the priest said with an understanding tone.

I watched him with narrow eyes, then took the floor back. “Anyway, we need to decide what to do during the festival. We’re not just gonna have a feast, are we?”

“Well, we’re holding a festival, not a feast,” Bear said, looking thoughtful. “We can do a play about the history of the village, or set up food stalls, and invite people to learn more about the village, or something.”

Zero stopped writing and raised her pen with excitement. “As long as I can happily partake of delicious food, any kind of festival is fine for me.”

The others began talking about the village they used to live in, and something about the festival showing the village’s features.

I crossed my arms and stared at the ceiling. Features, eh?

“Does this village even have special features?” I wondered.

“Your presence,” the priest said. “Are you even with us?” His expression remained gentle, but his words sounded several times sharper than when he addressed the others.

“Father’s quite blunt when talking to Mercenary, huh?” one remarked.

“Well, he’s a clergy, so you can’t expect them to get along right away,” another commented.

“But aren’t there Beastfallen in the Church?”

Pretending not to hear the villagers, the priest continued. “And yours too, Zero.”

Zero nodded. “Indeed. You could say that Mercenary and I are the main features of this village. A beast warrior and a Mage. But how do we incorporate that into the festival?” She looked at me. “Should I turn anyone who wants to into a beast warrior?”

“No,” I replied. “Sounds sacrilegious. Right, priest?”

He didn’t give me an immediate answer. Instead he wore a bitter expression on his face. “Now that the Church has acknowledged Mages and beast warriors, it wouldn’t technically be sacrilegious.”

“Now tell us how you really feel.”

“I don’t like it.”

“Well said, my good friend.”

“I see,” Zero said. Her readily giving up on the idea suggested she wasn’t exactly serious.

“What about you, Madam?” I said. “You’re the one who came up with the whole thing. Got any ideas?”

The governess’s eyes lit up. She was clearly waiting to be asked. “I thought that if you could take the initiative and put together some kind of a feasible plan, I could just watch from the sidelines, but I suppose it’s a little difficult.”

“I take back what I said. We don’t need your opinion.”

“…I see.” She looked dejected.

The priest hit my shin with his staff under the table.

Stifling a scream, I wrapped my tail, bristling from pain, around my leg.

I cleared my throat. “I’m just kidding, Madam. Go on.”

The governess straightened up and began to speak animatedly.

She’s so easy to figure out.

“I think the best feature of this village is Zero’s Magic,” she said. “While the presence of a Beastfa—I mean, a beast warrior is special as well, it’s difficult to use in connecting with the outside.”

“Makes sense,” I said. “We’re seen as symbols of depravity. Especially down here in the south.”

It was a fact, and I wasn’t offended by it. The governess was aware of this as well, so she ignored my mumbling and continued.

“Then I realized, personal experience and empathy are the shortcuts to ending discrimination. So I wondered, how do we end the prejudice against Mages here in the south?” She tapped the table. “Zero mentioned turning people into beast warriors. It’s the same concept. We just need to turn people into Mages!”

Her words shocked everyone present, including Zero.


I had always thought that educators were conservative beings, but the one in our village was incredibly bold and innovative.

When the prim governess, her cheeks red and her eyes sparkling, suggested turning everyone into Mages, the priest knocked over his drink, spilling it all over Zero’s paper.

Confusion ensued, and a few people questioned the teacher’s sanity, but after listening to her explanation again, we realized it wasn’t that big a deal.

“Zero can tell if someone has the aptitude for Magic, right? People tend to be more positive about things when they know they have a knack for it. Zero will examine the outsiders, and if they are found to have the aptitude, she will write them a letter of recommendation for Wenias’ Academy of Magic.”

It didn’t sound like a crazy plan at all.

“I see.” Zero nodded, flapping the parchment to dry. “That sounds interesting. If it is not sacrilegious, I mean.” She eyed the priest.

“The Church doesn’t consider Magic blasphemous anymore,” he said. “Go for it. As long as it doesn’t pose any danger. You should know what happens when you teach Magic to novices. The battle between the evil sorcerer Thirteenth, and the righteous witch Albus is a great example.”

Ah, good times.

After Thirteenth taught Magic to everyone, they waged a civil war against humans. Some even turned into banditry, driven by greed.

“Nowadays, Magic is strictly managed by Weanis,” the priest went on, “and only those who have the qualifications are allowed to use it. In addition, the kingdom is in charge of dealing with any problems caused by Magic outside its territory. I’m not sure the Chief Mage would allow—”

Zero thrust a piece of parchment in front of the priest, interrupting him. The paper, stained with wine and which Zero had just dried, was actually a Witch’s Letter.

It was a valuable witch’s tool that allowed instantaneous long-distance communication through a pair of parchments. Zero and Albus had one each.

After a brief moment of silence, the priest spoke. “I can’t read it. I’m wearing an eyepatch.”

“Oh, right. Let me read it out for you, then,” Zero said. “It is a reply from the lass that I had just received.”

“So you were communicating with the kid, huh?” I said.

“When the governess mentioned turning people into Mages, I knew where it was going.”

“So, what’d she say?”

“‘That sounds interesting. Approved.'”

I could almost hear Albus’s voice.

“All right!” the governess cheered softly.

Her graceful appearance belied an extremely expressive personality. Since she was shorter than average, she had to be more assertive to get her point across.

“Zero agrees, the Church has no problem with it, and Wenias has given us permission,” the governess said. “We can proceed, then, yes?”

“Are you gonna take charge?” I asked.

“Of course. I’m the one who proposed the project. As a proud educator, I will make sure the festival is a success.”


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