“Ayesha……you came here as well.”
“Ya. We also have many matters to think about on our end too! Heysu!”
Ayesha jumped off the window and landed before Yō and the others.
Swinging her prided blue twin-tailed hair and clasping her hands behind the back of her gothic outfit, Ayesha’s lips parted in a smile.
“Come to think of it, have you guys decided on the Gift game to participate in?”
“No, we’ve just arrived.”
“Then you must take part in the [Hippocamp Riders] for I will be taking part as well.”
“……Hippo……what?”
[What’s that?] Yō cast Kuro Usagi a questioning look.
Kuro Usagi was about to explain when she decided to pass the job onto another and patted Jin’s back.
Ahem! Jin paused before launching into his simple explanation.
“Hippocamp is a Horse headed, fish tailed creature. It's also known as a [Sea Horse] of the Eudemons. It has a pectoral fin instead of a mane and its hoofs have webbed protrusions. Describing it as a half-horse and half fish would be accurate as well. I guess……this game that is called [Hippocamp Riders] should be a race that is held between people who ride upon them while they gallop in the water to the finish line.”
“……Really? There’re actually horses that can run in water?”
Yō had clasped her hands before her chest as she clenched her teeth.
It hadn’t been over fifteen minutes in this place and they already heard of two types of Eudemon and their information.
Yō probably was starting to realize---South Side was a treasure trove of Eudemons.
“It’s the biggest event of all the Gift Games hosted in the previous Harvest Festival that you definitely mustn’t miss! I’ll also be using my new weapon to win this time!”
“Got it. I will give it some thought.”
Ayesha snapped her fingers and smiled smugly.
On the other hand, Jack had arrived in front of Jin with his lightly flapping gunny robes as he gave a polite greeting.
“Yahoho. It’s been some time, Jin Russel-san. Thank you for taking care of us during the battle with the previous Demon Lord.”
“No……We should be the ones who say it’s been some time.”
“Regarding the candle stands, we will be sending it over to Jin’s Community[4] after the Harvest Festival is over. The other daily essentials will also be prepared in due time……but it’s really unexpected for us [Will-O'-Wisp] to receive orders for a whole set of products from you! AyaAya, please continue to support our products in the future!
“Yahohohoho!” Jack gave a hearty laugh.
Asuka took a step forward and lightly lifted her skirts as she gave a curtsey.
“It’s been some time since we last met too, Jack. It’s good to see you so happy and lively today.”
“Yahoho! That’s because liveliness and happiness is my selling point! It’s good to see Asuka-san also looks healthy and well rested too. Out of carelessness, I had allowed Deen to steal the glory in the previous Game. May you allow me to take revenge for that one day---”
“Eh?”
Jin who was listening to the conversation let out a puzzled sound.
Asuka immediately changed the topic.
“Ri…Right! Jack! Aren’t you joining the game too?”
“Yahoho. My main job is being a Host. The role of a [Game Participant] is a tricky situation for me. I’ve only come to the Harvest Festival due to receiving the invitation letter, but the reason is for the wholesale marketing of daily essentials here.”
“Oh, so it’s only Ayesha who’s participating? Wouldn’t it be an assured victory for us?”
“Nn.”
“Oi!” Falling for their provocations, Ayesha was so angry that her twin-tails bristled behind her.
On the contrary, Jack only bobbled his pumpkin head as he laughed Yahoholy at the scene before him.
People that could find humor at everything was definitely the category that Jack belonged to.
After that, the troop of [No Name] and the duo from [Will-O'-Wisp] made their way into the dormitory together to go to the VIP rooms prepared for them. Though it was a dormitory constructed out of wood and mud, the interior was unexpectedly solid in structure.
Although the structure was mostly built out of soil, the air wasn’t too dry. This should be due to the water tree roots that produces moisture from time to time. The water tree roots that also jutted out from the reception area could also be taken as chairs. Yō chose one of them to sit in and she took a deep breath before giving voice to her thoughts of [Underwood]:
“ ……It really is an incredible place.”
“Yes. One would say that it feels very much like Nature, right? Compared to the North Side that is filled with buildings, it would seem that the South Side people are adapting to their environment.”
“YES! It’s said that during the start of the construction of Little Garden’s cities, many Gods of fertility and Mother Goddess have visited the South Side. Being the region where the power of the Nature gods are at the highest, the biological varieties would also have some obvious changes.”
“Is it so? But the crystals in the water canals seem to be of a Northern technique aren’t they? I saw something similar in the [Rise of the Fire Dragon] festival.”
“Eh?” Kuro Usagi tilted her head and rabbit ears.
While Jack who sat beside her replied in awe:
“Your eyes are quite keen. Asuka-san is right about that. Those crystal canals are constructed with the techniques of the North Side. I heard that the reason for the South being able to revive to this extent after the Demon Lord’s attack ten years ago is all due to the techniques that she helped to contribute to the region.
“That…That’s the first time that Kuro Usagi has heard of this news. Who could it be and where did the person come from…?”
Including Kuro Usagi, all the others were looking to each other for answers.
Jack brought up his hand to rest on his pumpkin head, at a location that would have been the equivalent of his chin, as he continued with the explanation:
“Actually, about the ancient faerie that resides above [Underwood]……Due to the injuries it sustained from the Demon Lord attack ten years ago, it seems to be in a hibernation state currently. In view of that, the [Draco Greif] Alliance and [Underwood] formed an agreement to help protect the region and engage in the revival efforts in exchange for a place for them to stay in.”
“Then there’s a person in [Draco Greif] that is in charge of the revival……?”
“Yes. That person was originally from the North Side. I heard that it was very fortunate that the person had appeared at that time to make such a headway enough to start on their goal of restarting the old activities of before in just a short duration of ten years.”
“……So I see……The person sure seems impressive.”
Kuro Usagi placed her hands before her chest as she thought through Jack’s words.
Having suffered Little Garden’s Biggest Disaster---[Demon Lord] that attacked their lands and the timely arrival of the savior who helped with the revival.
And the relation between those two made it strikingly similar to the [No Name] and the problem children.
“Yahoho. We were just about to find the [Host] to say our greetings…... To meet at this time is surely a work of fate. Would the [No Name] like to come along too?”
“YES! Jin-bocchan, let’s go with them too!”
“Yea, that seems right. Well then, please wait for us while we will go place our packs into the rooms first.”
Yahoho~ Jack laughed heartily in response and went outside with Ayesha to wait in front of the dorm.
The [No Name] followed the lead of Jack and Ayesha, after having placed their baggage in their dorm rooms, climbing up from the Underground City as they made their way towards the Harvest Festival Headquarters that was located in the centre of the Great Tree.