Gentle taps and melodic tunes play from a stray band on the edge of the town square, right beside the bench where the petite, black-haired shopkeeper munches on her chicken dumpling.
On her right, the cheerful pink-haired girl sways from side to side, humming along.
On her left, the white-haired elf tilts her head in rhythm, tapping her foot.
Right. Not even Saunnie takes the search for his brother seriously.
Rosa bites faster in response. She wants to savor the flavor bomb in her mouth, but if they're going to search the whole festival, they need a plan. No one is planning anything.
"I didn't know tiny little bits of clinking, clapping, and tapping could add this much festivity to a tune!"
At some point, the elf is already clapping along with Lilia.
"I'm always impressed by how humans make things more flavorful, you know?" Saunnie adds. "Food, music, even theater. They have so many spices in everything~"
Lilia leans forward a little, looking at the elf beside her.
"Really? I've listened to plenty of elven music before, and it's far from bland! I enjoyed it just as much!"
"No, no, no. I don't mean elven music is bland—far from it. But for me, it's like tasting an entirely new dish. Quite literally, you know~"
Rosa's temple twitches as she finishes her dumpling.
"How about we plan our search already?"
"Now, now, no need to rush. Here, aaah~"
Lilia shoves a half-eaten dumpling toward Rosa's mouth. The girl's eyes widen as another explosion of flavor fills her.
She chews, savoring the spice-soaked chicken blending with the subtle sweetness of the dumpling.
"Mmm… as expected, this is really good… That's not the point! Saunnie, we've got barely an hour before the closing theater, and we haven't even searched half the area!"
"It's alright, you know?"
Saunnie waves a hand up and down, gesturing for Rosa to ease up before continuing.
"It won't be that hard to spot him. Like I said, he looks like me. There aren't that many elves here in green cloaks, are there? And even if we don't meet now, I'm sure we'll cross paths—maybe at another festival."
Lilia hops off the bench, landing with a flair that's characteristically hers.
"Well, since Rosa's awfully eager to help out—and we've had our rest—how about we give it a shot?"
"It's not like I'm that eager or anything…"
Rosa mumbles with a pout.
"But since Lilia's up for it, I suppose. What about you, Saunnie?"
"I'm fine either way, you know? Though I am rather curious about that eagerness of yours. Do you owe me something, after all?"
Lilia covers her lips with her fingertips, chuckling mischievously. Rosa braces herself, already preparing a retort for whatever nonsense she's about to hear.
"Truth is, Rosa's just hopelessly kind sometimes. Pridefully kind, even. When she sees someone in trouble, she helps with passionate conviction! Just yesterday, her vendor haggled her badly, yet she accepted the deal anyway!"
Rosa freezes, heat blooming across her cheeks as she shoots to her feet.
"Wha—That part isn't necessary, is it!? Besides, this and that are completely different!"
"Is iiit? When you heard he lost a few goods in the storm, you softened right up~"
Lilia crosses her arms and averts her gaze. A gesture Rosa knows all too well. No—one she often uses herself.
"Last month I got a good haul, so… I'll take your offer for now, okay?"
Her tone and mannerisms mirror Rosa's perfectly—then she bursts into laughter.
"Even though you were in such a pinch you had to borrow from me, you still had the guts to say that! Haha, hahahaha!"
Rosa exhales a long sigh, fixing her with a smile that would be cheerful if not for the vein twitching on her temple.
"Lilia… your cheeks look stiff from all that laughing. Shall I massage them for you?"
She steps forward, petite frame carrying a dangerous calm. Lilia's green eyes widen as her laughter cuts off.
"W-wait, I didn't—C-can we talk about this?"
She stumbles back as Rosa approaches, fingers pinching the air with ominous satisfaction.
"Mmhm, you lovebirds are indeed close~"
The elf chuckles, repeating the same joke for the third time.
"Like I said, we're not!"
Both Rosa and Lilia snap toward Saunnie in sync.
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Rosa walks along the crowded cobblestone path. The rhythm of footsteps and overlapping chatter blends with distant music, oddly calming in its harmony.
She scans cautiously for pointed ears—such a conspicuous feature should be impossible to miss.
Yet after all her searching, not a single elf turns up. Certainly not a male elf who looks like Saunnie.
She can only hope Lilia or Saunnie herself has better luck. That's right—they agreed to split up for more coverage.
Rosa takes the west of the square. Not by choice, of course. Lilia headed east, no doubt lured by the games and craft stalls. Saunnie went south, where the music and drinks flow—juices, smoothies, even beer and wine.
Which leaves Rosa with the west wing: juicy, spicy, tender roasts. She definitely, absolutely, does not pick this side because she wants to. And the little drool at the corner of her lips as the spices drift through the air? Entirely coincidental.
As she pushes through the crowd, a dense knot of people catches her eye. Only one thing could gather this many spectators: the yearly rematch she's been waiting for—Chef Olaf versus Chef Alfred.
Last year left a bitter taste. Alfred, her favorite, lost by just three votes. His specialty is natural dishes—letting each ingredient sing, sweetness brought out by freshness alone. But the theme had been pastries, far from his strong suit.
Even so, he came close. This year, surely, he will win.
Rosa steps forward with utter confidence. After all, the theme is mixed berry juice.
And if a crowd this size makes it easier to spot pointed ears, that's the only reason she's here. Definitely. No other motives whatsoever.
She slips her petite frame between shoulders and elbows. At least her small build has its uses—Lilia, with her curves, would never manage this squeeze. Rosa sighs with a faint, defeated smile. Sometimes she wishes she had that kind of "problem."
Breaking through the crowd wall, the sweet aroma of berries hits her at once. Tables line each end of the stall, rows of colorful drinks on display.
On the left, a bald burly man holds a glass chamber, fruit spinning inside in a bright, frothing vortex.
On the right, a moustached man pours diced berries into the same sort of chamber, its base fitted with a small metal cylinder and three sharp blades.
Neatly arranged on the table beside him, mana stones glow with their faint bluish light. He takes one, slots it into the device, and the blades spin—slicing, blending, liquefying into a vivid whirl.
Saving the best for last, Rosa heads toward the burly man's table. His sign stands proudly overhead: Olaf.
Fixating on the neatly arranged drinks, Rosa's cheek brushes against fabric as she bumps into someone's back.
"Ah… sorry…"
She looks up. A familiar green cloak. Pointed ears twitch. White hair sways as the person turns.
"Ah, it's you. We meet again."
Saunnie smiles, as carefree as ever, carrying not a shred of urgency for her supposed search. Rosa hadn't expected her to abandon the south wing entirely.
"What are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to be in the south wing?" Rosa asks flatly, her face a mask of disinterest.
"Hm? Did I miss a rule? I thought this was an open festival, no?"
"It is, but what abou—"
Rosa exhales. She's just like Lilia. No point in arguing.
"Never mind. At least tell me how you ended up here?"
The elf tilts her head back, eyes closing like the question weighs nothing at all.
"Hmm… let's see. I wandered around, asked if anyone had seen an elf like me. I'm pretty sure I asked normally—or at least I tried—but for some reason people kept giving me strange looks."
A tiny puff of envy rounds Rosa's cheeks. She wishes she could live with such ease.
"And then? How did you wind up here?"
"Well…" Saunnie smiles warmly. "I got lost~"
Rosa's reflex nearly drives her palm into her forehead. Instead, she releases a long, strained breath.
"Well, I guess there's that…"
"Now, now~ There's a saying from Nichigetsu Island I like: if you sigh too much, your happiness slips away with it. So, shall we drink our juice?"
Rosa slumps, letting another sigh escape anyway.
"Glad we at least agree on something."
They each take a glass of mixed berry juice, raising them almost in sync.
The first sip slams into Rosa's tongue like a mule's kick—honey-sweet and milky, underpinned by the sour brightness of berries. Subtle tangs and fresh notes swirl beneath, a full chorus of flavors.
"This is… quite something," she murmurs, then gulps greedily.
"Hmmm. I don't know…" Saunnie stares down at her glass as though it's a sick kitten.
"It feels like… a stage play where the supporting actor outshines the lead. Betrayal, almost."
"Hm? I thought you said you liked how humans pile on extra flavors?"
"Did I? That sounds more like something my brother would say, really."
Rosa drains another mouthful, studying Saunnie. An airhead. Just like Lilia—maybe worse. She can't even keep to her own words, let alone a plan.
"Well, as it is, credit where it's due. The drink is good."
"Agree to disagree~"
Setting their empty glasses aside, they make their way to Alfred's table. Rosa swallows, caught between excitement and nerves. How could Alfred possibly top Olaf's drink?
Saunnie leans forward, eyes closed as she inhales deeply.
"Oh, such a clean aroma~ I can pick out strawberries, blueberries, apple… even watermelon. What an intriguing mix! And there's a creamy sour note too, though far gentler than that last disappointment."
Rosa arches a brow. To her, the drink only smells strongly of strawberry and apple—nothing sour at all.
"You can tell that much just from the smell?"
"Ah, right. Maybe you don't know, but elves have quite a refined sense of smell, you know? For instance, I can even catch faint traces of roses and lavender from you. That's what you used this morning, isn't it?"
Rosa tugs a low tail of her hair to her nose. Her eyes widen. She had, in fact, added a touch of flower oil to her shampoo. Even so, she has to hold it close to catch the faintest whiff. The leftover scent is nearly gone.
"A perfect hit, right?"
The elf's ears twitch as she leans in, head tilted, smiling expectantly as if waiting for praise.
"I'll admit, I'm surprised. I guess there's more to elves than I thought."
"Oh, there is. For example, despite how femi—"
"What about the drink?" Rosa cuts her flatly, gesturing at the cups waiting to be tried.
"Ah, right~ How careless of me."
Saunnie takes a glass, sipping with the poise of a noble. She exhales in satisfaction.
"Aaah~ Now this is how a berry mix should be. The lead actor shining in the main role, supported gracefully by the cast."
Rosa follows, bringing the drink to her lips. The first sip sends her eyes wide—gentle sweetness, lifted by a touch of creamy sourness, dancing across her tongue.
Unlike Olaf's, the sweetness doesn't overwhelm. She curses herself for saving this for last; the lingering sugar from the earlier drink dulls Alfred's subtle harmony.
Still, she loses herself in it. Sweet berry, soft cream, delicate balance—before she realizes it, her glass is empty.
The winner is as clear as daylight. No doubt remains.
The elf takes a voting nail from the center table. Rosa follows a moment later. Saunnie scratches a line onto Alfred's tally; it glows in a distinct hue.
"So, you're familiar with the voting system here too?" Rosa asks, carving her own mark.
"Well, it's nearly identical to ours. I can even imagine the same sigil etched beneath the table. But what intrigues me is the lack of judges. Doesn't that just make it a popularity contest in the end?"
"…I can't really argue with that."
Rosa scratches her cheek, a crooked smile tugging at her lips.
"Guess there's no trace of him here either."
The elf glances around the crowd, ears twitching with disappointment before continuing.
"I was looking for the way to the theater, but I got lost. Do you know the path, by any chance?"
Rosa resists the urge to bury her face in her palm. There's no way she could have forgotten the way she just came from. But remembering her earlier antics, Rosa bites her tongue.
"We're in the west wing. Just head straight east." She sighs, pointing the way.
"Thanks~ I never did catch your na—"
"It's Rosa!" she snaps, a vein twitching at her temple.
"Ahaha, seems someone's in a bad mood. Well then, I'll take my leave."
Another sigh escapes Rosa, this one heavier. She realizes she went too far.
"…I guess I'll make one more round," she mutters before resuming her search