After defeating another Underwater King and claiming the next Aqua Rune, we emerged from the Bank of Water and sold our day's haul of gems. The sky had already turned a deep orange by the time we stepped out of the Dungeon Post.
Shuffling behind me, Tizmilly looked up at the horizon. Her expression said it all: Finally, I am free.
We walked down the street toward the square, where a crowd had begun to gather. Curious, I led Tizmilly closer to see what was happening. A man in a black wizard's robe was weaving through the throng, handing out dark pamphlets.
"Knowledge! Wisdom! Behold the feast of civilization!" he cried.
He noticed us and pressed a pamphlet into our hands with a smile. I recognized the title immediately.
"Deep-Lore Delve Festival... What is this, Mister Roost?" Tizmilly asked.
As a former noble, she knew little of the traditions born from scholars and Dungeon Divers. What started as a niche celebration of academic breakthroughs had evolved into a city-wide event.
"It's exactly what the name suggests—a festival," I explained. "People dress up as monsters, scholars showcase their findings, and the shops sell all sorts of dungeon-themed trinkets. You'll see."
Tizmilly still looked confused, but she nodded in response, probably had a hard time imagining it. Well, she would understand what I meant later.
"It starts in 12 days. It will be a big snowy event then," I muttered, looking up to the cloudy sky.
Winter was approaching.
'After the winter, we have to return to the Academy and starts our third year. Thinking it alone has drained my energy.'
I looked around and found a stall that was selling skewered meat at the square corner.
"Let's rest there before we go home."
I wanted to forget about what was waiting for me next year, so I immediately went to the stall. Tizmilly also didn't look like she disagreed with me.
She even looked as if she had just experienced a revival from death once we sat down on the chairs.
I ordered two for each of us. Five minutes later, our orders were ready. We got four skewered meats, and it was only 8 small cooper coins.
'It's rabbit meat. Not as good as my mother's cookings, but the owner clearly had some skill. Cheap and good... No wonder there were a lot of people buying his skewered meats.'
I idly thought about that while enjoying my share of Skewered meat.
The sky was getting darker by second. The wind also became colder as time passed. But the crowd around the square was never decreased. They only increased, to be honest. With the street lamps, the square also spared from the darkness left by the sun, so it created a sight resembling a small scale fest, with stalls set around the place, with various kind of goods and foods were shown.
"I think... I like it." Suddenly, Tizmilly opened her lips.
I turned to looked at her.
She was currently staring at the faces of people. Admiring their smiles. With the last skewered meat in her hand, and her glistening lips covered by oil from the meat.
Then she turned her head toward me, and our eyes met.
Her hair, which usually well-kept and shimmering like fire, now left untidy after our continuous fight with monsters today. She didn't look as dirty as the time when she was fighting The Rain Serpent before, but still, her current state couldn't be called elegant no matter how you looked at her, with strands of hair were unkept.
However, when she tugged her lips, and locked those burning pupils with mine.
For some reason, the sight was etched into my memories.
From those eyes, I could feel her gratitude.
Such pure, genuine emotion.