Previously: The Slum’s night festival game tournament ended with Camilla’s victory.
The heated game tournament ended in an unexpected way, and the atmosphere shifted to one of leisurely enjoying the afterglow of the festival.
Zenos was munching on a grilled skewer from one of the food stalls lined up along the main street, listening to the lively festival music.
“Come to think of it, I don’t see the winner of the game tournament.”
“Camilla-san said she was getting too much attention, so she went home.”
“I know it’s late to say this, but…”
However, most of the festival participants were familiar faces from the clinic, so there should have been very few people seeing her for the first time.
Incidentally, it seems she took the luxury sake, the grand prize, home with her.
“Sensei, are you enjoying yourself?”
“Yes, thanks to you all.”
The female demi-human leaders came over one after another and sat around Zenos.
Zofia and the others sighed and looked up at the night sky.
“But, to think Camilla would take the championship.”
“Ringa thinks we shouldn’t have made such strange rules.”
“If it’s a game of luck, it can’t be helped. Perhaps the heavens are telling us it’s not yet our time.”
“But, Lily had fun.”
Is it just my imagination, or is there a strange sense of camaraderie among the four of them?
“Well, I’m glad it’s going to end without any major problems.”
The first festival ever held in the slums.
Zofia and the others, the organizers, seemed relieved and toasted each other.
“This time, the participants were mainly from our inner circle, but next year, I’d like to make it a little bigger.”
“Ringa thinks that if it becomes a hot topic, the number of participants will increase.”
“Perhaps it will eventually become a festival that represents the slums.”
“If that happens, will the citizens start coming too?”
Lily’s casual remark made the atmosphere stiffen.
“Ah, sorry…”
In this country, dominated by class distinctions, the separation between citizens and slum dwellers is immense.
There are some, like Umin and Becker, who have little sense of discrimination, but they are basically a minority. Zofia laughed softly and stroked Lily’s head.
“No, it’s okay, Lily. That’s right, maybe someday…”
“Ringa can’t imagine it at all, though…”
“But, it might be children like Lily who change the times.”
Ringa and Reve added.
As they continued to chat pleasantly, Zofia’s younger brother, Zonde, appeared with a panicked look on his face.
“Sister, there you are. Could you come with me for a moment?”
“…?”
Zofia tilted her head and stood up.
“What’s wrong?”
“Some strange guys showed up.”
“Strange guys?”
“Yeah, they barged into the festival and are causing trouble.”
Zofia narrowed her eyes, and Ringa and Reve also stood up.
“Zenos.”
“Yeah, let’s go too, Lily.”
Lily and Zenos decided to follow the demi-humans.
As they proceeded down the main street, the entrance area of the venue was becoming noisy.
Beyond the Lizardmen, Werewolves, and Orcs, there were more than a dozen men.
The man standing at the front was a large, muscular man with sharp fangs. His skin had a greenish tinge, and he looked like a complex mix of various demi-human bloodlines.
“Hey, hey, what’s this? We can’t have you doing whatever you want on the main road.”
The man said, looking down at the group. Zofia, who had stepped forward, quietly glared at the man.
“Who are you?”
“Ah, it doesn’t matter who I am. Are you the one in charge?”
“Well, I suppose so. Did we cause you any trouble?”
“You’re causing a lot of trouble. It’s so loud I can’t sleep.”
“That’s too bad. It’ll be over soon, so please bear with it.”
“Besides, the food stalls are blocking the road, aren’t they?”
“If you want to pass, just go ahead. We won’t stop you.”
“Oh, really?”
The man narrowed his one eye and suddenly struck the nearby food stall with the club in his hand.
With tremendous strength, about half of the makeshift stall was shattered into pieces.
The Kobold shopkeeper screamed “Hii!” and scrambled to escape.
“As you can see, I’m a big guy. If I’m going to pass through here, I’ll have to destroy all the obstructing food stalls.”
“I see.”
Zofia didn’t react at all, and she responded in a lower voice with her arms crossed.
“So, you’re here to pick a fight, is that it?”
“Zenos. Those people…?”
Lily, who was behind him, tugged at Zenos’s sleeve anxiously.
“I don’t know, but maybe—”
This festival is organized by the three major powers of the slums: the Lizardmen, the Werewolves, and the Orcs. It should normally be difficult for anyone to interfere with the festivities of the three races that are the leaders of the slums.
“If there’s a force that can do that—”
Zofia spoke what Zenos was about to say.
“You guys are from the Underground Guild, aren’t you?”