Chapter 8: Commence

By the time the sun sets—even though its bright captivating lights couldn't be properly seen due to the strict weather—townspeople of Froozilla emerged from each of their houses to welcome and celebrate their nighttime festival.

"The snow suddenly stopped pouring."

"Yes, it's strange but good thing it did."

"We will be able to enjoy ourselves in this upcoming festival."

The trio's levels after an arduous grinding in the forest showed above their heads.

[Maverick, level 8]

[D1ngl3B3rry, level 9]

[Qing, level 9]

An exchange student from a Western country, Moruel, who harbors the mixed genes of a half-German, half-Italian, half-Southeast Asian, and half-American, displayed such gratification upon seeing fine beauties in their jackets and thick leather pants.

On the other hand, Lim—a direct descendant of the Sy family whose vast knowledge about martial arts far surpasses that of the late era—grabs a stick of barbecue chicken once he is done selling the loots from earlier's hunt.

As for Maverick, who is an island boy with deep knowledge about the sea, he was delving further into the event the townsfolk were about to hold.

"Excuse me," Maverick politely called, "I'm just wondering what the occasion is. What's this nighttime festival?"

Kind enough to give a curious traveler an answer, the middle-aged woman with dirty clothes on spoke: "My, a traveler? Such people, everybody, are welcome to our town. The nighttime festival is a monthly event, which is held by the town's mayor where people celebrate and feast. It's a night of joy and a party with big surprises!"

The stains on her clothes were due to the mashing of tomatoes and mixing them with animal blood whenever she was wiping her fingertips.

"That sounds great! One more question, do you know where we can probably stay the night? An inn, something like that?"

Maverick does not actually know what an inn looks like. Moruel and Lim told him to look for one before they split and once he finds one, they are to meet up after an hour.

"Inn? Oh, a tavern? You're in luck, young traveler! I happen to own one!"

Brightly, he smiled because of the great find and the lady seemed genuinely kind.

"Actually, I am not by myself. I arrived here with two friends."

Friends... The three already recognize each other as friends.

"More travelers, huh? Got that! I happen to have one room with three beds available!"

"Really?! Nice! How convenient!"

Maverick followed the lady to the next block and there they arrived at a tavern near a beer bar where lively chatters reached the street. Loudly as well, indeed.

"The night sure seems very lively."

"Of course, everyone will stay awake till the sun unknowingly rises from the east."

"But when did such an occasion start?"

For a second, she was deep in her thoughts. Maybe recalling the memories from the past or knowledge passed down regarding the nighttime festival. She then answered.

"About 6 years, 6 months, and 6 days ago." She smiled at the recollection of the past, getting to live in the moment once again upon getting brought up. "It was one silent night with darkness completely enveloping the town whereas the snow colored the houses white, though still invisible to the naked eye. At the time, light preservation was a big deal, so the town would be in complete void all night. Crime rates were low due to the zero visibility and if seen using a lamp, you would be arrested."

"That is some rather strict and strange order. But to each their own, I guess."

"It was... until our beloved mayor came up with the idea of buying monsters' cores to use as incandescent lights when heated up by mana. It brought life to our pitch black town where the streets are bright as the morning until it felt lacking again."

"I'm guessing there weren't any parties or occasions going on. No loud chatters and laughter?"

"Exactly," she pinched his nose as though he was a silly child. "One party was held at the mayor's town hall until every household and establishment began celebrating just the same, thus the monthly nighttime festival after 30 days of fruitful harvest."

"And all kinds of parties or surprises have been different each month?"

"That's right! The mayor knows how to surprise his townspeople! From inviting famous people across the country to leading a theatrical play when the Vermilion Dragon was slain!"

Maverick was told about the great disaster that brought nations together to defeat a single ancient dragon who wiped out hundreds of thousands. The theatrical play depicted the Vermilion Dragon as merciless and utterly powerful. Five different nations bonded together—joining forces in order to slay the mythological creature.

By any means necessary, the five leaders of the five nations created a single forbidden spell, which sacrificed the lives of many to defeat the ancient dragon. Different from the theatrical play, the lone red dragon succumbed to death when slain by a hero. The dark past hid the truth from the five nations' constituents to avoid stirring national chaos.

"Where is the hero that supposedly saved the five nations from utter annihilation?"

The innkeeper went inside the establishment with the keys to every room along with Maverick who was focused on the story but didn't forget to pay attention to his surroundings.

"Just like in games, I've seen online... The typical taverns you'd stumble upon in anime and games!" Maverick thought, wondering if he'd come across a cute girl for his own plot development.

"No solid evidence of the hero's existence was given to the masses, so people started to believe that such an individual did not really perform a miracle. Different types of rumors circulated in the whole country until everything died down when the five nations awarded the supposed hero."

To erase any confusion or rumors about not really having a hero that saved them from the Vermilion Dragon, the five nations came up with the idea of producing a fraud.

"His statue has been long-standing in the center of the Pentagonal Prism. The center of the interconnected boundaries of five nations is called the Pentagonal Prism."

The hero became the symbol of hope for the five nations, aspiring young generations to become a better dragonslayer than that of the hero.

At the front desk, Maverick and the owner talked about the rooms. He paid the costs and he was shown his room.

"Incandescent lights are a thing here. The match can be found in the drawer if the fire goes out."

A candle-like object stood underneath the incandescent light to keep the monster's core warm and bright.

"Thank you," he lightly bowed his head.

The innkeeper smiled sweetly and took her leave while Maverick collapsed in his bed.

"There really are three beds... 20 ETHEL per night sounds cheap. Is there a catch to this? Maybe she is not the real owner. What if she killed the owner, took the keys, and those blood stains on her clothes were the blood from the victim?!"

He shook his head for overthinking too much when he could have also thought that the lady was just considerate and kind enough to give the room a discount.

The hours of grinding for EXP and ETHEL in the forest paid off. They leveled up quite a bit and looted resources and materials they had sold for a good price, especially the dark fur of the Froozbear Maverick slain.

"All that grueling fight and encounter with monsters made me wanna take a dip in the shower."

He got up and met with the innkeeper once again to ask about a public bathroom or if the establishment had one.

***

Before he came back to their meeting spot, Maverick was spotless clean, and fresh from the warm bath he had.

"Nice attire you have. Seems cozy and warm," Lim said, pointing out the jacket made out of a wolf's fur.

Moruel was just arriving at the town hall of Froozilla where the mayor resides. He had just finished business with a woman he had been hitting on ever since they landed a foot in the town.

"You're fitting in already. Quick to adapt, aren't you?"

"The lady I came across is such a good person. Turns out she owns a tavern and has us rent a single room with three beds."

It will serve as their saving point or respawn point whenever they log off or resurrect.

"Was it cheap?"

"Real steal!"

Maverick guided them towards the tavern when, all of a sudden, a parade of musicians started playing on the road, thus blocking their path onto the alley, which leads to the back of the main road.

"Is there another way?" Moruel exclaimed to have his words reach the ears of Maverick. "They are not moving! I think this will go on for several minutes!"

"Let's just wait! I mean, the performance isn't bad!"

"Yeah, we will do that!"

Little did they know that the musical instruments used in the band represent each section of the town where the surprise of the mayor will unfold.

"Travelers and residents of Froozilla, the fun of the night is about to begin! Our monthly nighttime festival is beginning in section A where the market can be found! Hurry up! Rush to the market and see what surprise the mayor has for everyone!"

As fast as the news traveled to everyone, the same were the townsfolk with their feet, running hastily towards section A, also known as, the marketplace.

"What now? Should we go or continue heading to the tavern?"

"Sounds like something is about to happen in section A."

"Let's check it out and see what all the commotion is about."

To the crowd they followed suit, avoiding collision whenever they caught up to someone heading to the market. They hastened, picking up their pace while also letting a few of the townsfolk lead them to section A, for they did not know where it was actually located.

In the middle of the night, along the paved road of Froozilla, the reverberation of footsteps echoed in the streets as huffing and heaving for air resonated within each other as the night continued to serve the darkness. The darkness was easily defeated by the monsters' cores as incandescent lamp posts in every corner to give illumination to those who seek the light.

Stirring of commotion occurred almost immediately as soon as a few townspeople reached section A of Froozilla.

Wondering what was happening, Maverick and the other two hurried to the scene only to be surprised at the gift the mayor gave to everyone.

"Disgusting!"

Most involuntarily gagged while others threw up at the bizarrely gross sight. They couldn't endure what their eyes were witnessing, taken aback at how strange and grotesque the surprise for them was.

~