Chapter 94: Raven Festival

The next day, Ruchir, Garret, Alice, and Flippy were seen riding their horses back to the capital. The morning sun cast long shadows on the path ahead, and a cool breeze carried the scent of pine from the surrounding forest. The group rode in silence for a while, each lost in their thoughts about the previous day's events.

Ruchir broke the silence, glancing at the chest with intricate designs strapped securely to his horse. The carvings on the chest were elaborate, depicting mythical creatures and swirling patterns that hinted at its ancient and possibly dangerous origin. "This chest... it must be part of a larger conspiracy," he said thoughtfully. "Someone very powerful is behind this."

Garret nodded, his usual playful demeanor replaced by a rare seriousness. "Of course someone big is behind it," he agreed. "I mean, think about it. Whoever's scheming against the Sayy Duke Mansion has to have some serious backing and guts."

Alice nodded in agreement, her mind racing with possibilities. "It makes sense. The Sayy Family is no small entity, and anyone willing to cross them must have a lot of resources and influence. This is bigger than just a gang of bandits."

Flippy, riding alongside them on a smaller pony, piped up, "So, what about the mission we took? What do we do about it now?"

Ruchir's eyes narrowed as he considered their options. "We won't report the full details," he said decisively. "We'll just say that the enemies were too powerful for us to handle, so we had no choice but to retreat. There's no need to mention the chest or the conspiracy. We need to keep this information to ourselves for now."

Garret grinned, his usual confidence returning. "I can handle that. I'll say that we fought bravely but were outmatched. A tactical retreat was the only option."

Alice laughed, appreciating Garret's flair for storytelling. "We'll make it convincing. I'll add that we encountered unexpected reinforcements on the enemy side, which forced us to withdraw."

Flippy nodded, relieved that they had a plan. "It sounds plausible. But what about the chest? What are we going to do with it?"

Ruchir looked at the chest again, his expression serious. "We'll need to find a safe place to open it and figure out what's inside. But first, we need to regroup and think through our next steps carefully. We can't afford any mistakes."

The group continued their ride in silence, each of them contemplating the weight of the secrets they now carried. The chest represented more than just a treasure; it was a key to a much larger and more dangerous puzzle. As they rode towards the capital, the gravity of their situation began to sink in. They were caught in a web of intrigue and power struggles that extended far beyond their initial mission.

Garret broke the silence with a chuckle. "You know, I never thought our mission would turn into something like this. It's like we've stepped into a whole new world of trouble."

Alice smiled wryly. "That's an understatement. But we've handled worse. We'll get through this too."

Ruchir nodded, feeling a surge of determination. "We will. But we need to be smart and careful. There are bigger players involved, and we have to stay one step ahead."

As the evening light began to fade, Ruchir, Garret, Alice, and Flippy finally reached the bustling capital. They entered through the grand gates, greeted by the familiar sights and sounds of their home city. Garret stretched and sighed in relief, "Ah, it feels good to be back home for a change."

Ruchir, ever the thoughtful one, looked around and said, "Home is not just a place but a tapestry of memories and moments that define us."

Alice, who had been scanning the surroundings, suddenly noticed something strange in the market. "What are these masks people are wearing?" she asked, pointing to the numerous people donning black, beak-like masks.

Garret squinted and then laughed, "Looks like the capital has been hit by the raven plague!" He waggled his fingers comically, making spooky noises.

Ruchir chuckled and explained, "These are raven looking masks, what a beauty they are . It must be a local tradition."

As they moved further into the market, they noticed the sheer volume of raven-themed merchandise. There were raven discounts, raven shirts, raven pants, raven skirts, raven chicken, raven eggs, raven soda, and many other raven-themed items.

Garret couldn't help but laugh. "Is the capital obsessed with ravens now? Are we in Ravenland?"

Ruchir replied with a grin, "It does seem like the city has gone a bit overboard. But the Raven thing is a big deal here."

Alice, still bemused, said, "It feels like too much raven for me."

Garret, ever curious, approached a shopkeeper wearing a raven mask. "How much does this tofu cost?" he asked, pointing at the neatly stacked tofu.

The shopkeeper, eyes gleaming behind the mask, replied enthusiastically, "Two bronze coins per piece, sir."

Garret's eyes widened. "Wasn't it one bronze coin per piece before? How could it increase so much?"

The shopkeeper, though slightly annoyed, spoke politely, "Sir, you must have been out of the capital for a few days. The Raven Festival has arrived. These tofus are our special raven tofus. The last time someone got to eat these was twenty years ago during the last Raven Festival."

Garret was stupefied. "Raven Festival? I haven't heard of such a festival before. Have I become ignorant suddenly? It must be because I'm with Alice," he joked.

Alice, not amused, smacked Garret on the head. "Stop blaming me for your ignorance," she argued, her cheeks flushed with annoyance.

Ruchir, always polite, asked the shopkeeper while buying some tofu pieces, "Sir, could you explain what this festival is about?"

The shopkeeper, happy to share, said, "You may not know, but the Raven Master of Thousand Leaves Academy is a celebrated legend. His unfathomable power is renowned far and wide. Once every decade or two, he takes in a nominal or official disciple. Yesterday, he came out of seclusion and announced that in four days, he will be taking a new disciple. And so, the festival."

Ruchir nodded thoughtfully, "Our predecessors must have come up with an excellent marketing strategy. No one knows how long this tradition has been going on or how much profit people make out of it."

Garret chuckled, biting into the tofu, "Profit-minded folks will be stuffing tofu and saying 'delicious,' even if it tastes like cardboard." He betrayed his thoughts with a laugh, enjoying the tofu despite his joke.

As they continued through the market, they couldn't help but enjoy the festive atmosphere. The streets were lined with colorful stalls, and entertainers performed tricks and acts, all wearing raven-themed costumes. Children ran around with raven balloons, and musicians played lively tunes that added to the festive spirit.

Garret, ever the prankster, grabbed a raven mask from a stall and put it on, making exaggerated raven caws. "Look at me, I'm the Raven King!" he declared, flapping his arms.

Alice rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "You look ridiculous."

Flippy, perched on Alice's shoulder, chimed in, "I think it suits him. He's always been a bit of a birdbrain."

Everyone laughed, the tension of their recent adventures melting away in the light-hearted moment. The capital, with all its raven-themed madness, felt like a warm embrace after the challenges they had faced.

As they strolled through the market, Ruchir noticed a stall selling raven-themed calligraphy sets. He stopped and admired the intricate designs. "These are quite beautiful," he said, appreciating the artistry.

The shopkeeper, noticing his interest, said, "These are special edition sets for the Raven Festival. Only available once every decade or so."

Ruchir smiled and bought one, feeling a connection to the ancient traditions that had shaped their world. "This will be a nice reminder of our time here," he said.

As the evening turned into night, the market lights glowed brightly, casting a magical hue over the capital.