Arcane Innovator

The sun shone brightly on the day of the Harvest Festival, causing a sparkle in Helga's eyes as she prepared for her momentous debut in the city's society. She hummed happily as the maids helped her put on her new dress, which I gifted her for this very occasion.

I couldn't help but shake my head, still flabbergasted by how much this damn thing had cost me. But, of course, I couldn't deny that it was indeed a splendid gown. It was made of deep burgundy velvet that emphasized my sister's graceful figure. The fabric flowed down in beautiful waves all the way to the floor, and it was decorated with intricate embroidery.

The sleeves were wide and flowing. They billowed gracefully as she moved, adding a touch of timeless beauty to her every gesture. The mere sight of it was enough to take Helga's breath away as she looked at herself in the mirror. I could tell by the look on her face that she was beyond excited for today.

Shortly after breakfast, we hopped into the carriage. We drove the short distance toward Myra's family residence to pick her up, as I promised her during the tea party that I would take her to the festival.

Myra also looked splendid, although her dress appeared much more modest than my sister's. Nevertheless, they both looked beautiful in their own way. It was almost inevitable that they would draw a lot of attention during the festivities, something that I was both glad for and slightly worried about at the same time.

"Darian! Helga!" Myra happily greeted us as she entered the carriage, sitting beside Helga across from me. But she then narrowed her eyes, looking at me admonishingly, "You are late! The ceremony will begin shortly..."

I couldn't help but show her a helpless smile. "There was nothing I could do about that. Helga took her sweet time getting ready."

This, in turn, prompted Helga to throw me an offended look. "How can you blame me? I have never worn such an elaborate dress before!" Helga interjected.

Myra, meanwhile, was silently admiring Helga's new dress. "I must say you look breathtakingly beautiful in such a dress! You're like a proper lady now..."

She then turned toward me and added with a confused look. "It never stops to amaze me how well you two have settled here... having such an amazing home, a carriage, and being able to afford such fine dresses; where do you get the money to pay for all of this?"

"Hahaha! You should ask your uncle, as it was he who introduced me to investing. And I've had quite a winning streak recently!" I replied, trying to appear confident, while on the inside, I was sweating nervously, hoping she wouldn't continue sniffing around such a dangerous topic."

But luckily, I was saved by the fact that we were already entering the main square area where the festival takes place. We couldn't get all the way there as the square itself was already packed full of people, so the driver dropped us off at the corner, and we made the rest of the way on foot.

With my status, we would be permitted to sit with all the nobles and dignitaries at the tribune. Still, I didn't like the attention that would be directed at me, not to mention I wanted to avoid meeting certain people there, so I opted to stay in the front rows of the crowd among the rich merchants and other wealthy citizens.

We arrived at the main square just as the festival began. I could feel the almost palpable excitement within the large crowd of people before us.

Before we had time to find a good spot, the High Priest had already ascended the main stage and began his long sermon, so we decided to stay at the crowd's edge.

The High Priest's speech was very similar to the one he gave the previous year, so I didn't pay much attention. On the other hand, Helga hung at his every word while she fervently prayed with the rest of the crowd for a bountiful harvest.

I raised my eyebrow at such an unexpected show of devotion. 'Hmm, now that I think about it, I had never noticed how religious my sister actually is...' I couldn't help but smile as Helga was starting to resemble our mother more and more since I knew that Mother frequented the village temple quite often.

While pretending to listen like everyone else, I threw a curious look at the tribune, where I recognized many important people. Among them was also the venerable Sir Roderick as well as the Baroness the Fleur. I quickly averted my eyes from them as I didn't want them to notice me. However, I didn't see my fellow Aspirant Jenny anywhere. 'Do they always keep her locked up in the fortress?' I wondered somberly.

I was hoping I could meet with her here and try to pry some pieces of information out of her about what Sir Roderick was teaching her about magic since he so graciously decided to take her under his wings...

But alas, it was not meant to happen today, so instead, I turned my attention back to the stage where the High Priest just finished his sermon, and it was time for the Count to appear to address his loyal subject.

When he took the stage, I noticed that he looked exactly as majestic and imposing as I remembered him. He was not showing any signs of aging at all, although I had learned that he had apparently ruled Ereneth for close to 30 years already.

The Count beckoned to the crowd while everyone happily clapped and shouted. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at such cheap theatrics as, from what I heard about the Count, he acted pretty differently behind the castle's walls than how he liked to present himself to the public.

After the ceremony had ended, it was finally time to enjoy the festival in full. As we waited for the festivities to begin and the stalls to open, we moved closer to the tribune to greet some important people. Since the primary purpose of today's outing was for Helga to debut in society, she needed to be seen.

And seen she was. Everyone's eyes were on my sister as we moved about. I managed to locate Myra's uncle Alaric within the crowd so that he could introduce us to some of his business partners. Although Helga looked slightly startled by all the attention she was now getting, thanks to her hard work in the past weeks, she managed to get through all her interactions with elegant grace, befitting a young lady.

I nodded happily, seeing her progress as she couldn't be more different from that shy village girl she was when she first arrived in the city...

As the day progressed, the festival grew even more lively. Merchants promoted their wares with loud shouts, adding to the already bustling atmosphere.

The air was filled with the aroma of spices, fruits, and freshly cooked meals for miles around. Brightly-colored banners hang from storefronts and stalls, each boasting a variety of dishes made from local ingredients.

The sounds of the festival could be heard all around as the drums beat out a steady rhythm while people happily sang and danced. Performers took to their stages, and we could listen to the lively conversations of people enjoying themselves.

We also took to the stalls, and everywhere we looked, vast arrays of delicious dishes were continuously served on steaming platters. The enticing aroma of grilled meats drifted through the air, beckoning us to come closer.

"Let's try to eat as much as we can!" Helga said eagerly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Seeing her behave like a small child in a candy store, I chuckled.

Helga then began busily exploring the various stalls, sampling their delicacies and examining their wares with an excited look in her eyes. At the same time, Myra and I simply watched her with amusement.

"I can't believe how bright and colorful it all looks!" Helga exclaimed in awe, her eyes growing wide with delight. "Look at all these amazing things! I've never seen anything like it." We slowly made our way through each stall in turn – stopping here and there to let my sister marvel at an especially intriguing item or sample yet another culinary delight.

I, too, partake in the food offerings as there are several unique dishes you couldn't taste anywhere else but right here at the festival. They have quite a complex flavor enhanced by adding local seasonal herbs, which I immensely enjoyed.

After a while, we decided to take a break and rest our tired feet. Spotting a small area with a few empty seats, we quickly made our way over and sat down. I lazily stretched my arms with a pleased expression. 'It was a long time since I stuffed myself so full.' I thought.

But right at that moment, my eyes narrowed as I spotted a figure of a man approaching us. I could smell the unmistakable odor of alcohol on his breath. I also saw the malicious intent in his eyes with which he was blatantly eyeing my sister, who was happily chatting with Myra, utterly oblivious to him.