My life was a comedy where I always ended up with a pie in my face. The fiasco in the Echo Cave still echoed in my head, along with Melina's song about "the cave strippers," which the bards of Vaelor now sang as if it were an anthem. The debt to Lyss, 10 coins, was just another stone in my backpack, but today, at least, there was no mission. My head was a knot with Elara, Vespera, and Liriel. Elara's shy glances made my heart race, Vespera's teasing made me blush, and Liriel's jealousy, disguised as sarcasm, confused me. And Princess Lyra, with her sudden infatuation, still haunted my thoughts, even without appearing today — a relief. I wanted to understand these feelings, but with this group, it was like trying to read a map during a storm. The amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace, royal scepter, and cord in my backpack glowed together, and Elowen said that the Demon King's ritual was approaching. But today, I just wanted a day without being called a pervert.
The guild invited us to the Moon Festival, an annual event for adventurers, no missions, just celebration. Liriel grumbled, "Mortal noise, unworthy of a goddess." Elara, with shining eyes, said, "There will be dancing, Takumi!" Vespera, with a mischievous smile, promised, "Tonight is going to be fun." I tried to keep control: "No chaos, and watch the drinks." They laughed, and I knew it was useless. I decided to drink little, already anticipating chaos. At the inn, before leaving, I checked the glowing items in my backpack. The Demon King seemed distant, but those lights gave me chills. I shook my head. Today was for relaxing.
The Moon Festival illuminated Vaelor's central square. Floating lanterns hovered like stars, stalls smelled of hot bread and roasted meat, and lively music mingled with laughter. Torin, the guild leader, oversaw everything, his polished armor reflecting the lights. He introduced Mira, a mystical dancer with flowing hair and confident eyes, who organized the main dance. "The strippers? Don't ruin my stage with your drunken antics!" she teased. Melina was there, strumming her lute, singing about our feats, and the crowd laughed. "Another verse?" I groaned. Without Lyra around, the jealousy of Elara, Vespera, and Liriel was contained, but they still surrounded me as if I could cause a scandal. Mira mentioned that valuable items at the festival had attracted suspicious attention, perhaps linked to the Demon King, but no one paid attention. It was time to party.
The night went on, and the group indulged in drinks. Liriel, with her glass of wine, made exaggerated toasts, shouting, "To the mortals who serve a goddess!" Elara, after two mugs, laughed loudly and stumbled into me, murmuring, "Takumi, have you ever thought… of dancing with me?" Before I could respond, she hiccupped and burst into laughter. Vespera, dancing clumsily, knocked over a lantern, which set a stage curtain on fire. "What a delightful party!" she shouted, tripping over a dancer and laughing as if it were the best moment of her life. I, with half a mug of beer, tried to put out the fire with a bucket but slipped in a puddle of drink, falling with a thud that silenced the music for a moment. The crowd erupted in laughter, and Melina sang, "At the festival, they strip the stage, the strippers fall into fiasco!" Mira, furious, extinguished the fire with an enchanted dance, but the stage ended up crooked, with loose planks. "You are impossible," she complained.
Back at the inn, I sat in my room, sober enough to reflect. The festival was chaos, but without magic or arrows, just stumbles and drinks. Elara, Vespera, and Liriel, drunk, went upstairs laughing to their rooms. I thought about the flirts — Elara's murmur, Vespera's teasing, Liriel's jealous gaze — and Lyra's absence. My head spun. Suddenly, the door opened, and Vespera entered, staggering, her cheeks red. "Takumi… you're… different," she slurred. Before I could speak, her eyes glowed, and a seductive aura enveloped me — her succubus powers, activated unintentionally. She kissed me, and I froze, not understanding. My heart raced under the charm, but before I could react, Vespera collapsed on my bed, snoring. Embarrassed, I carried her to her room, my face burning. "It was the alcohol," I concluded, but murmured, "Or not?" She never used her charm to seduce me, saying she wanted to "play fair" with Elara and Liriel. So why now?
In the morning, the atmosphere between Vespera and me was awkward. She avoided eye contact, clearly embarrassed, vaguely remembering the kiss. Elara and Liriel noticed, and jealousy flared. "What's going on, Takumi?" asked Elara, narrowing her eyes. Liriel, with her wine glass, huffed, "Mortals and their little secrets." I didn't explain, and Vespera only murmured, "It was the drink." Mira appeared at the inn, delivering a tiara she found among the festival items, with markings identical to the amulet, scepter, and others. "And this costs 10 coins for the stage," she said, annoyed. Elowen passed by, looked at the tiara, and said, "Another clue about the Demon King's ritual. Be careful, strippers." She left without further explanation.
When Elara and Vespera went out to get food, I pulled Liriel aside. "If you're a goddess, who's on your throne now?" She shrugged. "Celine, my assistant. She's annoying, but she takes care of the rest." She took a sip. "Why? Planning to send me away?" She smiled, with a look that left me confused. I looked at the glowing items — amulet, scepter, sphere, tome, orb, crystal, scroll, ring, cube, medallion, bracelet, necklace, royal scepter, cord, orb, tiara. Vespera's kiss, Elara and Liriel's jealousy, the new debt to Mira — my life was a nightmare, and I just wanted a day without being called a pervert.