(EP-219.2)# 2

219 – Great Escape #2

━The shaved ice is delicious. There are more food options this year than last year.

━Let’s check out that shop over there.

The streets of Ark were lined with stalls and tents that I had never seen before. The crowd was bustling, with the atmosphere being filled with sweat and laughter of people.

It was a festival.

Now that I thought about it, it was about time for the summer festival. I felt a bit disappointed that I slept through the preparations, and the festival already started.

I heard the opening ceremony was spectacular.

But I missed it because I was asleep.

Still, where was everyone?

I was looking for Elga and Aira, but I couldn’t figure out where they were or what they were doing. In particular, I would like to see how Aira was after waking up from the dream.

However, with the vastness of Ark, it wasn’t easy to find familiar faces in the midst of a crowded festival.

Then I spotted Marmar.

“Ah-! Comrade-! Nice to see you-!”

Well, she spotted me first and waved me over. Marmar was selling something in a small cart full of balloons.

“Is this shaved ice?”

“We got a lot of ice recently! We grind it up, then top it with homegrown raspberry and wild grape syrup… tadaah─.”

Seuk-.

Marmar handed me a cup of shaved ice. Now that I looked at it, the food felt more like a slushie than shaved ice. It would be easier to carry around in one hand.

“We ran out of wild grape syrup, Tartar, go make some more-!”

“Ahht-! Purpur, before that, Gargar has been nibbling on the ice again-! At this rate, we won’t have any ice left to sell-!”

“Hihi-! Garr, Garr-!”

Watching the lively imps, the festival atmosphere was truly in the air.

There were a lot of things I wanted to ask about like how it was going with the nymphs, but she looked very busy with all the customers so I waved goodbye for now.

“See you later, Marmar.”

“Yeah! Off to meet the fearsome queen now?”

“That’s the plan. Do you happen to know where she might be?”

“Hmm, I think there was a signing event in the park over there.”

“Signing event?”

One of my eyebrows twitched and rose at the odd mention that seemed both fitting and out of place for Aira.

Aira was certainly famous enough to deserve such an event, but she wasn’t exactly known for being that friendly.

“And here’s a ballot for the shop customers! Comrade can write the name of the person you want here.”

Marmar handed me a small note.

I wanted to ask what it was, but I didn’t get the chance.

“See you later! I’m busy right now, I have no time! There’s something important I need to tell comrade, so make sure to find time for it!”

“Okay.”

I was curious about what important thing Marmar had to say, but her figure was soon swallowed up by the crowd.

━Take my money-! And give me shaved ice and the Marumaru doll-!

Seemed like she was doing well…

That girl would probably make it big.

Anyway, I headed towards the area Marmar pointed out.

I could see a lot of people having gathered. The long line looked like a queue at a ticket booth.

“If you’re here for a signature, go to the back and stand in line.”

Then someone tapped my shoulder. I guess he thought I was going to cut in line. I turned to the man with a thick beard and asked.

“Who is signing right now?”

“I don’t know. The line was long, I thought they must be someone famous, so I lined up too. Seems like someone who wrote some kind of novel.”

━Next person, please come forward…!

Didn’t seem like it was Aira.

I asked an official and was told that Aira had already signed about a thousand people and moved to another place.

“Look, I got one too!”

The official then showed me a big sheet of paper. On the white paper was a scrawl of unrecognizable writing.

“It must have a profound magical meaning, right? It’s clearly signed with a magic spell. I’ll leave it as an heirloom for generations to come!”

The official’s eyes lit up with excitement, but it was just illegible writing…

Aira’s handwriting was truly terrible. It was one of her few shortcomings, but she was someone to whom the phrase “genius with bad handwriting” perfectly applied.

Still, I could recognize that the writing said ‘Aira’. But I decided not to mention that and just go with the flow.

“It must be a lucky charm… So where did the Queen go?”

“Well, she went to the venue over there. There’s the choir of the month contest. I heard she’s a judge.”

At his explanation, I made my way to the small outdoor hall where the choir contest was being held. It looks like an opera, but the event was already over and cleanup was underway.

“If you’re looking for Queen Tarantera, go over there-.”

“If it’s the Queen, she’s there-.”

“Over there, that way….”

It felt like I was always one step behind. And so, as the sun slowly faded into dusk, I finally found out where Aira was and what she was doing.

Pang, papapang-!

Woongseong woongseong-.

A crowd of people were all heading in one direction.

When I lifted my head, I saw a brightly lit stadium. The cheers of many people tickled my ears.

━Who do you think will win?

━Is it Empress Serazade?

━Eh, it must be Queen Aira.

Everyone was heading there.

Looking around, I noticed placards saying「July Queen Contest」 and 「Queen Selection」 hanging from trees and fluttering in the wind.

Which made me wonder.

Was Election Day Today? Only then did I begin to understand the meaning of the ballot that Marmar had handed me.

Election Day.

Obviously, Aira would be there.

As my mind raced with that thought, I felt my heavy steps gain strength.

Edited by: faker