Chapter 56

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"Should we do something with the remaining arrows...?"

"No, just shoot them."

Riko was holding the two remaining arrows, hesitating.

After seeing the service to Hyaro, she seemed to have lost the will to shoot any more. It seemed she was rather fastidious for a teenage boy.

And that feeling was also understood by me, who still had a thin libido.

Hyaro's face was still red, and he was changing expressions, touching his cheeks.

"O, iye, he, hehehe..."

He was making strange sounds and ended up laughing.

It seemed that the opinions of Riko and me, the remaining two, were in agreement. We should finish quickly and leave this place.

"Then, even though it's a waste, let's shoot them quickly."

"Let's do that."

We nodded to each other and simultaneously drew our bows.

Seeing this, Hyaro's eyes widened as if he had an idea.

"Hey, if you don't need them, can you give me those arrows?"

"…Do you like them that much?"

Though he didn't specify what, the object was clear.

Hyaro, being stared at with a piercing gaze by Riko, averted his eyes to hide his embarrassment.

"N-no, you see, I want to bring some alcohol as a gift to the people at work. Instead of shooting randomly, I think it would be better if I aim..."

His excuses wouldn't stop. But those words weren't a reason for Riko or me to give him the arrows.

"Then, let's have Riko do it. Her accuracy is the best right now."

"But, if you're not trying to hit it, it's meaningless, right?"

He insisted on shooting the arrows himself, no matter what.

Riko sighed, turning her gaze away from such a Hyaro.

"Alright, let's make a souvenir."

Saying this, she shot the arrows in quick succession.

The targets were hit one after another. Though not in the center, both arrows were stuck at the edges.

"Since the target was big, those two are probably alcohol."

Riko's smile as she turned around was dazzling. Beside her, Hyaro was hanging his head.

However, he suddenly lifted his face and looked at me sharply. His eyes were not yet filled with despair.

"Mr. Crow... can you give me your arrows?"

"Owner, are there any other prizes like alcohol or cigarettes?"

Before finishing his sentence, he asked the owner. The owner pointed to a few targets with a wry smile.

"Understood."

I nodded and drew my bow. I could hear Hyaro still saying something, but I couldn't hear it.

Though I'm not good with bows, I'm skilled with shooting.

I covered the arrow with magic and shot it. Just like aiming at a fireball, the arrow easily pierced the target.

Cheers rose from the crowd.

"I'll give you the prize, so you can use it as a souvenir."

Smiling, I said this to Hyaro, who then collapsed to his knees.

Handing over the prize to Hyaro, he put it in his backpack and muttered.

"That's right, I wanted souvenirs for everyone. I'm so happy."

The emotion had drained from Hyaro's voice. His dry laughter was painful to hear.

"You should have just said you were interested in the women."

"I don't think I could say that."

Teenage boys are complicated.

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By night, a large fire was lit as they had said.

Unwanted scraps were burned, and a huge fire, towering high, was lit in the center of the large square.

To make the fire stand out, the surrounding lights were turned off. As a result, the fierce red flames illuminated the surroundings, enhancing its sacredness.

"I can understand why it's an object of faith..."

The flames were so magnificent that I couldn't help but say this.

Avoiding the sparks flying from the burning flames, we lined up at the edge of the road.

"The New Year's festival is over. After this, when the fire is about to go out, the sacred fire will be distributed to the various facilities of the Holy Church... the infirmaries."

"Seriously, they keep it burning without extinguishing it?"

"Yeah, exactly. The New Year's fire will continue to burn in the infirmaries until the end of the year."

I think Zoroastrianism also had something similar. Although it's not an object of faith here, it seems the sacred fire is important to the Holy Church.

Fire worship is also practiced in this world. People's thoughts are the same everywhere.

"Look, the fire is going out."

The tongues of flame were flickering weakly, about to go out.

A priest-like figure approached, ringing a bell and crouching down. He scooped up the embers into a copper pot and carried it away reverently, reciting a prayer.

"That will be the fire for this year."

"We've never seen it burning."

Hyaro muttered, looking uninterested. It's understandable that a ceremony unrelated to him would be boring.

When I explored the Holy Church, I didn't remember seeing the fire. It must be enshrined deep inside, hidden from the public.

The fire went out, and the surrounding lights were turned on.

With that, the solemn atmosphere of the festival disappeared.

The loneliness of the end of the festival filled the air.

"It's over..."

Hyaro and Riko stretched, closing the festival with a good relationship.

Riko smiled and asked me.

"Wasn't the festival in this town nice?"

"Yeah, it was."

This was the first New Year I spent in this town, and it was completely different from the pioneer village.

"The food was delicious."

When I said this, both of them burst out laughing.

"Ha ha ha! You're right!"

"…This was the first time we ate at a festival stall! It was delicious!"

Looking at the two of them, I recalled the days in the village.

Until now, the New Year's festival for me was more of an event to get clothes.

I'm not saying the previous festivals weren't fun.

However, it was the first time I enjoyed the New Year's festival without thinking about practical benefits, and it was definitely thanks to these two.

I'm glad I helped them.

I'm glad I didn't abandon them.

I truly felt this from the bottom of my heart.

After that, the three of us smeared our faces with ash and dispersed.

Seeing my ash-covered face, Gustav laughed, which will be a good memory.

The year since leaving the village has ended.

From now on, it will be the same old routine.

My goal has not yet been achieved. I am still a resident of the slums, and I receive unpleasant looks when I walk through the streets.

However, everyone is changing.

Hyaro and Riko are smoothly integrating into the town, and Kichi has become a knight.

And with time, I will change too.

With strength, knowledge, and friends, I have grown.

Three years have passed.

It's time to move on to the next step.

To show the townspeople, I will become an explorer from now on.