88 Festival [1]

Aoife closed the door to her room. Her room was no different than usual. It was clean, with little to no decorations. It was just bland.

"Huu."

Taking a deep breath, she headed for her desk.

If there was one place that wasn't clean and organized it'd be her desk. With all sorts of colored pens, pencils, and writing instruments, her desk was anything but clean.

Tossing her script onto the desk, she sat down and opened the pages.

For the past week, it had been her routine to spend at least a few hours trying to analyze the script.

Today was supposed to be no different, but...

"....How do I do this?"

His image continued to appear in her mind, sapping away all motivation from her.

The way he acted... From his facial expressions to demenour. It was overwhelming. To the point where she couldn't even find a single flaw.

And the fact that she was supposed to act with 'that' only put more pressure on her.

Her inability to keep up would become glaring to those watching.

Perhaps, they would even think that she didn't put in any effort and that they had selected the wrong person.

But...

"That's not true."

Aoife bit her lips.

The effort was there. But who was anyone to know? They only cared about what was in front of them and not what happened behind them.

She understood this concept all too well.

Therefore, she knew that despite her frustrations, she couldn't rely on excuses.

Flip

The only thing she could do was put in more effort.

To show them that she could keep up and that she wasn't being lazy. For that reason, she needed to spend even more time trying to immerse herself in the role.

Her image was important.

She couldn't let herself tarnish it due to not being able to perform as well as he did.

Flip

"I'll do it."

Regardless of how much it hurt her, she planned on perfectly mastering the character.

For the remaining week until the start of the festival, Aoife only slept three hours a day.

Drip! Drip!

"....N-no, why are you doing this?"

Even as her nose bled, she continued to flip through the script while looking at a nearby mirror to check her expressions.

Her face was pale and her hair was a mess, but...

"I-I... Help!"

She never once gave up.

And by the time it was time for the festival, Aoife's acting underwent a tremendous transformation.

***

The festival was a week-long event.

With all sorts of attractions, it was an important event that was designed to showcase the Academy's facilities, and their ability to train the elites of the empire.

The main gate of the Academy was flooded with new faces, all of whom handed invitations that the security guards checked at the front.

"Hi! Please follow me, I am Josephine, and I will be your guide for today's orientation."

At the front of the gate was the cheery Josephine who led a group of several important figures around the Academy campus.

'I guess they had a reason to choose her over Aoife.'

Given how bright her cheerful personality was, she was well-

received by the guests from the outside.

Had Aoife been the one to guide them then...

"Hah."

I could already imagine just how stiff the atmosphere would've been.

Looking at the time, 10 A.M. I decided to spend some time looking around at the Academy.

The play wasn't going to start until the third day, and while there indeed were combat exams and mid-terms in the following week, I thought about spending today to destress.

At the rate I was currently pushing my body, it was starting to fail me. For that reason, I had no choice but to spend some time to relax.

Well...

Those were my initial thoughts. However, I knew that I was probably being followed.

'What a pain.'

It was for this reason that I chose to remain outside in public. I didn't know the identity of the person following me. Were they from the organization, or was it the senior?

Either way, I kept my guard up.

"....."

That was until I found my steps halting and I turned to my right.

"....."

Our eyes met and she blinked her big eyes. Holding onto a large pastry, she looked around before nearing me.

".....You didn't see anything."

"I didn't."

Her eyes squinted, and I moved my hands over my mouth in a zipping motion.

"My mouth is sealed."

"....."

From her gaze, I could tell that she didn't seem to believe me, but who would I even tell? It wasn't as if I had any friends to gossip with, and who would even believe me if I told them the chancellor was a pervert who enjoyed being a kid?

".....?"

All of a sudden, Delilah extended her hand in my direction.

I was taken aback.

"You want money? I don't have any to give."

"No."

"If not money, then..."

I patted my pockets and shook my head.

"I don't have any. They're back in the dorm."

"No."

Yet again, Delilah shook her head.

I frowned and thought about what her actions could mean, but I was stumped. In the end, it was her that explained.

"Your hand."

"My hand...?"

I blinked and looked at her hand. It finally clicked, and I leaned my head back.

"You want me to hold your hand?"

Nod.

The hell...

"It'll make things easier for me. My current appearance is too suspicious, and since I can't go in my normal form, I need someone to accompany me."

"....I see."

It made sense if she put it that way.

"But why me?"

"Didn't we have an agreement?"

"Ah."

We indeed had one. It was the price that I had to pay for her to train me. Sighing inwardly, I finally relented and grabbed her hand.

She nodded happily and pointed towards the distance.

"Let's go there. I want to try that."

"Ye-uhk!"

I didn't even have the time to agree before she suddenly dragged me. For such a little body, she certainly had a lot of strength.

"We sell cotton candy! The finest cotton candy~!"

The destination was none other than the cotton candy stand. The line was short, and waiting behind the counter was a rather buff man with a beard.

"Ho, ho! Are you here for some cotton candy? For your little sister?"

I looked down at Delilah and felt my mouth twitch.

Sister? How was I going to respond to this?

"No."

Delilah shook her head and responded with a flat voice. The problem lay in the fact that despite her best attempts to sound mature, the polymorph effect distorted her voice, making it sound rather childlike.

"I'm older than him."

"Uh?"

The shopkeeper blinked his eyes.

On the other hand, Delilah continued.

"I'm his older sister."

"...."

"Oh..."

I exchanged glances with the man and pursed my lips.

"It's as she said."

"Ohhh."

The shopkeeper winked at me as if he had understood something.

No, she really was older...

"Would you like some cotton candy? How many would you like?"

I looked down to see Delilah carefully counting with her little fingers. She seemed to be indecisive between two or three.

"Three."

She eventually settled for three.

"Coming right up!"

Despite his appearance, the man was an expert at this. Within moments, he had three sticks done as he handed them to us.

"That will be ten Rend."

"Oh."

I looked down at Delilah who looked back at me.

"...."

"...."

Seriously?

Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I reached out for my wallet and took out a single bill.

"Here you go."

"It was a pleasure serving you. Next~"

"Let's go."

"Ugh!"

Like that, I was once again dragged around by her.

"Get me that."

Gradually, my wallet started to drain.

"That too."

Whatever had sugar in it, she bought it.

"I want to try that too."

With my money.

"I want-"

"I've run out of money. "

Looking at my empty wallet, I didn't know whether to feel happy or sad. Maybe it was a mixture of both.

Sad that I was broke, but happy that I no longer had to be dragged around by her.

"Oh."

Delilah seemed a little disappointed by the development. In the end, throwing away a wrapper, she patted her hand.

"....I'm satisfied."

"I'm glad you are."

Was I finally going to be set free?

Taking out a tissue to clean her hands, Delilah casually glanced behind as her expression flickered back to her usually frosty one. It was as if her entire demenour had changed.

"You've been followed the entire time, do you know that?"

"Hm?"

Surprised by the sudden question, I lowered my head to meet her gaze.

For a moment, I lost myself in her eyes as they stared back at me, threatening to suck me in at any second.

Quickly recovering myself, I realized something.

"Did you drag me around because you wanted to confirm this?"

"No. I just wanted to eat."

"I see."

For some reason, it felt like she was half-lying. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

In any case, I nodded my head.

"Yes, I'm aware."

There was no need for me to lie.

"....Do you want me to help you?"

"You're willing to help?"

It was a bit surprising to hear this. However, after thinking about it for a few seconds, I shook my head and rejected her offer.

"....I'll have to decline."

Whether she was doing it to repay the favor for buying her the candy and stuff, I didn't need her help. Sure, things would indeed be a lot easier were she take matters into her own hands, but that wasn't what I needed.

There was a certain goal I had in mind.

Her interference would ruin what I had in mind.

"....."

Delilah stared at me without saying anything. I couldn't tell her thoughts at all, and the more time passed, the more uncomfortable her gaze became.

Just as I was about to say something, her small lips parted open as she went on to ask,

"I heard you're going to perform at a play."

"....Yes."

"Is your role going to be big?"

"No, it's not."

"Hmm."

Delilah seemed to have fallen into contemplation.

Eventually, raising her head, she said,

"I'll be watching. Don't disappoint."

Her figure gradually blended with the background. Her actions were subtle, with hardly anyone around noticing her sudden disappearance.

I was a little worried that the person observing me would notice something, but I didn't think Delilah would make things difficult for me like that.

'Perhaps there's still an illusion next to me.'

Who knew?

Either way, I looked down at my watch.

There were still a few hours before the first day of the festival ended. I had lost a few hours but still had some time to myself. For now, I planned on enjoying my day.

"Popping balloon! Pop the balloons and you win a prize!"

"Come here and eat the delicious food that we have!"

"A one-in-a-million act! Come watch!"

Hearing the pitches coming from the stalls, I decided to head to one that interested me.

"A customer!"

My stomach gurgled at the sight that was before me. It looked like a roasted pig, but at the same time didn't. Perhaps a monster from the mirror dimension...

Either way, it looked and smelled delicious.

"Looks like you can't resist the smell. Haha, here, I'll prepare one for you. It'll be 15 Rend."

"Okay. "

I swallowed before reaching out for my wallet. Since I was planning on enjoying a few hours to myself, it wouldn't hurt to try it, right?

Making up my mind, I opened my wallet and prepared to take out a few bills to pay.

Only that...

"...."

I had no more money.

"Here you go, sir~"