Chapter 4[แก้ไข]
Part 1[แก้ไข]
—Boundary wall, stage area, foot of a hill. Art exhibition venue.
Let the time return back to dusk.
After Asuka had abandoned Kuro Usagi and Izayoi, she'd won the intense chasing competition with the faerie wearing the pointy hat. She then arrived at the base of the Boundary Wall. Having run in the opposite direction where Izayoi was passing through the red-windowed corridors, the huge chandelier hung at the foothills area was casting a huge shadow illuminated by the red lights.
Placing the exhausted faerie on her shoulders, she then started strolling down the huge street located at the foot of the Boundary Wall.
"It's not like I'm going to eat you, I just wanted to have a travelling companion."
".................Aguuh~"
The faerie laying on Asuka's shoulders started spreading out it's body to form a star before letting out a tired cry.
Asuka gave some of the biscuits that she had bought from a nearby store to the pointy-hatted faerie.
"Here, for you. To prove the worth of our friendship."
"—————!"
The pointy-hatted faerie immediately sat up, having been lured by the sweet smell.
The freshly-baked biscuits that exuded a dense fragrant smell filled with almond and grilled caramel were simply too appetizing for the faerie, having played the catching game until she became weary.
Finishing the biscuit that was nearly it's full height, the faerie let out a cute "Fuahhh♪", before climbing on to Asuka's head.
—— Asuka was silently thinking: "Looks like the usage of food to bribe her was a success!"
"Since we are friends, we should introduce ourselves. I'm called Kudou Asuka, can you say it?"
".......Asukaaa?"
"You stretched that out a tad too long, it sounds too spiritless. You should say it a bit more clearly."
".....Asukaaa?"
"Just a bit more, you can do it . The ending must sound simple."
The pointy-hatted faerie with a tone of a child tilted it's head from left to right a few times, before shouting out Asuka's name with determination.
"....Asuka?"
"Yes, it's exactly that, not too suspicious and must be spirited."
"....Asuka!"
"Hehe, Thanks. Then, could you tell me your name?"
The pointy-hatted faerie stood up from Asuka's head, then it spiritedly said.
"Rattenfänger ~!"
".....? Ratten.....?"
Asuka showed a surprised expression. She didn't know the meaning behind that name, but the fact that the cute faerie had this kind of name gave a solemn feeling.
She brought the pointy-hatted faerie down from her head, cupping it with her palms.
"Is that your name?"
"No~ Commu!"
"Commu.....A community's name? Then what is your name?"
"?"
The faerie tilted it's head like she did not understand the question.
Asuka suddenly remembered what Leticia had addressed the faerie as before....a [Flock faerie].
Then does she belongs to that race of faeries?
(It can't be that she does not have a name right ....?)
Since it had come down to that, it might be better to address her as [Rattenfänger], as it was supposedly her reply. However, Asuka still could not change the solemn feeling that the name was giving out. She continuously tapped on her cheeks with the finger as if thinking about something, then she suggested to the faerie.
"Since I've gotten the change, is it fine if I gave you a name?"
"?....No~ No! Rattenfänger~!"
"Yup, besides the name Rattenfänger ..."
"No~ No! [A'Court]!"
The pointed-hatted faerie that was on Asuka's palm was shaking her head in denial.
"Rattenfänger~! [A'Court]!"
" ...... Acourt? Is that your name?"
"No~ No~ Rattenfänger~!"
Asuka sighed, it was clearly hopeless trying to let the faerie grasp the main point. She gave up on trying to chase after her name for now, proceeding to look at the exhibits located in the cave.
The huge chandelier that was here was without a doubt the symbol for the town. Besides the candlesticks and lanterns displayed in the exhibit hall, there were also many painted glass varying in size.
In the exhibit venue located inside the Boundary Wall, Asuka was looking back and forth at the exhibits, murmuring admirably.
"The amount of exhibits here is quite shocking.......So there were that many communities that came here and showcased their talents."
The showcased products had signboards in front of them that showed the name and flag of the community that had created it. There was something that had caught Asuka's attention, it was a silver candlestick that had it's top engraved with a flag.
"Hehe, the work on this silver candlestick seems pretty sophisticated."
"Pretty~!"
The pointy-hatted faerie that had returned back to Asuka's shoulder exclaimed in a cute voice. Considering the fact that when Asuka met the faerie, she was looking at the vases with the flower carving, so she really did like pretty things.
Asuka picked up the candlestick to verify it's creator.
"Creator: [Will-O'-Wisp]? It's the community that created the walking candlesticks eh."
With such a sophisticated carving technique used for the pattern, it must probably be according to the flag's tone pattern.
(This candlestick has a pattern of a burning flame carved on it, is it trying to let the flame itself have some special powers?)
Asuka and the pointy-hatted faerie felt that it was like the warmth of a campfire, deeply attracting them into it.
(Whether or not it has a community flag, it would still be presented differently eh....)
Carrying brooding eyes, Asuka sighed. This was certainly true, if [No Name] participated in this art festival, it would face an overwhelming disadvantage than the others.
A community without a name nor a flag.
Once they had support that self-essential factor is only restricted in only the individual's name and art, the first impressions given to people would certainly be different.
(If I want to become an outstanding [Host], the flag is definitely needed.....No matter what, we must snatch back our flag from the [Demon Lord].)
Asuka slowly made a fist with her hands, having gained the determination to fight.
The two of them looked at the large amount of exhibits. The exhibition hall was dug out from the interior of the Boundary Wall to look like a cave, therefore no light could shine into it.
This might have been a plan to bring out the radiance of the exhibits. The huge amounts of candlesticks and lanterns that exuded the warmth of fire, the painted glass that shone beautifully by a light source, flickering out a beautiful and brilliant luster of light, much more appreciating than works outside of here.
After that, they continued walking into the exhibition venue, seemingly arriving at a huge empty place that seemed to be the center of the exhibition.
Although they came to such a huge place, Asuka could not notice the crowd or the surroundings, as she was fixating her eyes on an object placed in the center of the place.
"That is....!"
Because of the huge exhibit in front of her eyes, everything else seemed to disappear, as though an illusion. Compared to the other exhibits before, the object before her was something much stronger and more shocking.