The second day of the festival.
　Today there will be a baseball final and a chess qualifier.
　Baseball will begin in the morning with Restia vs. Mismid and Belfast vs. Regulus in the first and second stadiums, respectively.
　And the winning team will decide the winner in the afternoon.
　Before that, a third place game will also be played around lunchtime. Depending on the team, it may be a series of games, but you can use Flora's special strength recovery potion, the pride of the 'Alchemy Building', to help you recover your strength.
　On the other hand, as for the shogi game, the preliminary rounds continue from morning until evening. This is because there were a surprisingly large number of participants, and also because of time constraints.
　Normally, there is a time limit in shogi. However, to be honest, it is complicated and troublesome, so I decided to play within two minutes for this tournament.
　I used a special piece, and when one minute had passed since my opponent played, the piece turned gray, and when two minutes had passed, my piece turned black. That's how you lose.
　If you played before the piece turned black, the color would return to normal.
　I prepared a two-minute hourglass on the opponents' table so that I could think about it until the last minute.
　To be honest, I would like to proceed smoothly, but there were many participants because the game is not dependent on age or gender, unlike the baseball or martial arts tournaments.
　From there, a few qualifiers and the invited players will be selected to compete in tomorrow's main event.
　The hall was already crowded with participants and observers. The seeded invitee, Mr. Dolan of "Ginsuki" and the boy, King of Paloof, disguised with the badge, were watching the games of the qualifiers.
　As for me, I am not that enthusiastic about chess, so I am just looking around lightly.
　A few minutes ago, one of the participants seemed to be about to lose and turned the board over on purpose. However, our special chess board can record the positions of the pieces right up to the moment before the game was overturned, so it was just a useless struggle. Of course, he was disqualified.
　Incidentally, Naito's old man who was off duty yesterday was sent out to this preliminary contest. Although he seems to be a little hungover.

He said, "Well, I can't deny that it is not very good.
But everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, that they are. Look at that seat, an old man and a child getting along with each other, that it is.

　In the seat Yae was pointing at, there were indeed two people, an old man and his grandson, playing against each other. It's a good thing that you're not a fan of this kind of thing.

''By the way, Yae, are you sure you don't want to follow Shigetaro-san?
''Your brother has been training at the knight's training grounds since morning today to concentrate on the martial arts tournament starting tomorrow, that he is. I don't want to interrupt him, so I thought I would stay with Fuyu-dono today, that I did...

　With a blush on her cheeks, Yae twists and turns the fingers of her hands together in an unruly manner. Of course, there is no reason for me to say no.

Then let's go watch the baseball game. It's time to decide which team will advance to the finals.
Oh, then I'm going to go and change for a bit, so I would like you to wait for a moment at the Silver Moon, that I would like you to wait for a moment...
"? I don't mind, but....

　Saying that, Yae rushed towards the castle in a great hurry.
　At any rate, as I was walking through town to go to the "silver moon", I was suddenly grabbed by the hem of my coat and almost fell down.
　When I turned around wondering what in the world was going on, there was our little drinking god, Drunken Flowers, clinging to me. Wait a minute, Kora.

"Hey, what are you doing...?
Fuyao-chan, do me a favor for life. Can you lend me money for alcohol? Kana-chan snatched me away earlier. It's a festival and we're all without alcohol!

　Then he cries and clings to it even more. Stop it, you're getting snotty! Hmmm, is this guy really God?
　If you think that the spirit of sake can pop out a bottle of alcohol, you're wrong, that would be a god's power, so he can't do that on earth. The only thing this guy can do is to know about alcohol, taste it by analysis, and not get drunk no matter how much he drinks? It's a bad idea when you think about it........ Oh, I thought you could use Drunken Fist too? .........that's even worse.......
　I guess that's why I felt lightly drunk even though I still seemed to be drunk as usual.

''Don't you have some kind of cup that gushes with liquor or some other divine object like that?
I have one, but... That's a cup that only the Divine Wine, Nectar, can gush out, so I'm tired of it! I'm tired of it! I want to drink all kinds of rare local liquors brought in from all over the world at this festival!

　I finally got a dada out of it. I don't understand, but I'd like to see you shang a bit more. I'm God, you know.... Don't you have a sense of pride in God.... They often say that you can't beat a drunk and a child, but I didn't expect a double.
　Not good, the eyes around me watching us were starting to hurt.
　I let out a single sigh and crouch down to meet Drunken Flowers' gaze.

'We can do this after the festival is over. I'll make a move if you're sober and want to help the maids in the castle. Do you promise?
It's all yours! If we can drink this festival, then we can have a rest day for a while!

　It looks like the kids have a day off and all that, but that's okay. I don't want to get tangled up in this anymore.

You see? And take this too. Don't get hurt if you get tangled up in something weird?

　I hand him a gold coin from Storage and a bag of dragon jerky, along with the beef I had made from dragon meat.
　A single gold coin is too much for drinking money, but this guy drinks anyway. Expensive or cheap booze, it doesn't matter.
　By the way, it doesn't seem to matter much whether the liquor is good or bad. If it's bad, it's bad, and it has its own flavor. Anyway, I wonder if they want to drink all kinds of sake on earth. Isn't he an idiot with a stupid tongue?
　Well, at any rate, that's enough to last us three days. It's better than having to hang on to it later.

"Yee-haw! Thanks! I love you, Fuyao-chan!

　After receiving a gold coin and a bag of jerky, Drunken Flowers kissed me lightly on the cheek and ran off in a flash to the liquor cart. It's the love of a very cheap god.
　When we parted from Drunken Flowers and arrived at the Silver Moon, it was still more crowded than usual.
　The dining room was crowded with people enjoying their meals even though it was before noon. It seems that the customers have been waiting a lot longer than yesterday, but... ah, I see. Dolan-san went to watch a game of chess today, so there are not enough people to go around.
　Normally it wouldn't be this crowded, and with just a few waiters, there's plenty of people to go around.
　When I went out towards the kitchen, Mika was still busily finishing the dishes one after another. The battlefield is just as powerful.

Hi. You want some help?
'There they are! I don't need any more help from the cat! In the meantime, take this to table three!

　I said it half jokingly, but he pushed a tray of stir-fried meat and vegetables and soup on top of it. Huh? Seriously?
　I can't say no now, and I have no choice but to take the food to the table. When I was placing the dishes in front of the guest at table three, a guest at the next table saw me and raised his hand.

I'll have some salted polo fish, stewed potatoes, and a bean salad.
'What? Oh, yes, yes, polo, salted fish, stewed potatoes, bean salad.

　It's been ordered. Wait a minute. I'm not a waitress here.
　But the order was accepted, so I went back to the kitchen and told Micah about the ordered menu. Then she handed me a tray with the next dish on it.
　So wait a minute!
　As expected, I tried to open my mouth, but I was about to open it, but hurry! I swallowed my words at the sight of Mika's eyes as she said, "I'm not sure what to say. Shura. There is a shura.
　They say that even parents can use those who are standing, but I guess the king is used too....
　I bring the food to the table where I'm instructed and take the order again. Oh no, I'm stuck!

"Your Majesty! What are you doing!

　The one frozen in place at the entrance of the Silvermoon, looking my way, was Lantz, a newcomer to our order.
　Did you come here to have lunch? I know you're after Micah, but she's a shura now. I mean, thank God!

Mr. Lanz! I give you an edict!
'What? Ah, ha!
'All day long, you will be under the command of the manager of the Silver Moon. I'll let the Order know. Basically, it's order taking and food delivery. Now get to work!
'What? No, ha!

　Lantz takes my words in an upright and immobile state and rushes into the kitchen. As expected of the knight kingdom Restia, loyal to duty, wonderful.
　The apron is put on and Lantz immediately brings the food to the table where it is instructed to be served, and just like me before, he is receiving orders from new customers.
　Don't feel bad about it. Think of this as another one of your strategies, Micah.
　I don't want to be used any more, I left the sacrifice behind and jumped out of the Silver Moon.
　I decide to wait for Yae near the entrance as it is, and I use my phone to tell Rain-san, the Knight Commander, about Lanz-kun. It seems like I can manage to replenish at least one person, thank God.
　That's the thing, I'd better call the Adventurer's Guild for a day job today. Dolan-san won't be here tomorrow either.

''Here you are, that I am.
Oh....

　Suddenly, I turned around at the sound of a voice from behind me to find Yae standing there, dressed in a yukata with her hair pulled up in an upright position.
　She was dressed in a yukata with morning glories painted on the wisteria-colored fabric, a light blue obi, and a small geta, exactly what one would call a Japanese yukata beauty. This is........nice.

It was a festival, so mother let your brother have it, that it was a festival. How do you think...?
'No, it looks good on you. It looks so good on you, I can't even put it into words.
Yes, that you do.

　As a matter of fact, I saw a few people in yukata in the city. It is not surprising that many immigrants in Brunhild wear such costumes for the festival, because there are many immigrants from Yishen.
　However, I have never seen a beautiful woman wearing a yukata as well as Yae. Is this my favoritism that I have fallen in love with?

I left my sword behind, that I did.
No, that's...

　A yukata and a sword? If you make a mistake, you're a bare ronin in a kimono. I'm glad Yae took the fashionable part of a girl.

I have a dagger in my pocket, that I do.

　Not so much.

'Well, let's go to the stadium anyway. We may have already decided on the team that will advance to the finals, but the third place game may have already started.
That's true. ........uh, well, I mean, Fuyu-dono. Can I hold your hand, that I can hold your hand...?

　Firmly grasping Yae's hand as she reluctantly offered it to us, we started walking.
　Accompanied by a bashful but happy Yae, we proceeded through the streets lined with food stalls.
　Speaking of which, we heard yesterday that there were some people who couldn't stay at an inn, but instead stayed outside the town or pitched tents. We didn't expect so many people to come here.
　Should we build some more lodgings? But it's not a problem except during the festival, so I guess it's fine as is.
　When we came to the second stadium, where the third-place game was to be held, the results of the game were immediately posted on a sign at the entrance.

"Mismid won the first stadium, Belfast won the second?
So it's Restia and Regulus in the battle for third place, that it is.

　That's right. The game had already started when we walked into the bleachers, and it was the bottom of the third inning, 0-0 to the Regulus.
　Just as we sat down in our chairs, there was a roaring sound from the batter's box, and we looked up to see a white ball flying across the blue sky. Oh, I think this is going to happen. Here we go. Here we go.
　An instantaneous outpouring of joy. It was a splendid home run.
　The player who hit the ball raises his fist and goes around the base. There are a lot of hard hitters in Regulus, you know. That's not all, but it's still spectacular.
　With a runner on second base, it was 0 to 2. It was still early in the game, and with this kind of run differential, there was a chance of an upset. For a while, we decided to watch the game for a while.





　As it turned out, Regulus kept their two-goal lead and beat Lestia.
　So the third place was decided now.
　After this, the final between Mismid and Belfast would be played in the first stadium.

'I wonder who will win, that is.
"Mismid is better physically, but that's not enough to win the game. Belfast is also a team that has become more balanced in terms of attack, defense and running.

　The crowd that had been trickling out of the second stadium was now heading to the first stadium. Most of the spectators seemed to intend to go on to the final.
　We were following their lead, but on the way we came across a group from Belfast. Of course, they were wearing the usual badges, so they would only be seen by those around them as ordinary onlookers.
　I called out to the King of Belfast, who was accompanied by Yumina.

'As expected, have you come to watch the final?
I'm also interested in the chess game. Fuyu-dono, move it up next time you play, please. I'm too busy.

　I chuckle at the King of Belfast's words. It was an urgent tournament to begin with.
　It seems that the king of Belfast wanted to watch as much of today's qualifying round as possible in order to attend tomorrow's chess tournament.
　Instead, I heard that his younger brother, the Duke of Ortlinde, is staying at the chess hall. The Duke is also participating in tomorrow's tournament, so I guess he will be observing hostilities. I'm guessing that Sue, who was following him, will soon get bored and come over here.
　I was chatting with Yae and Yumina, who was with the Belfast team.

Oh, Grandpa! Winter's night! And your uncles!

　Accompanied by Mr. Reim, the Ortlinde family's butler, Sue, who came from behind, jumped vigorously on my back.
　It's still childish in this way. You can call it cute, though.

I knew it. Are you tired of playing shogi?
I've had enough of the crackling. Father looks at the board and mumbles to himself, it's so boring.

　Phew, Sue puffs out her cheeks. Suu has a temper, you know. I guess he prefers the easy wins to the obvious ones. Oh, well. Then we'll go watch baseball together.
　Suu gets off my back and turns to Yae next to her.

Yae's dress is beautiful. Was it Kimono, right?
This is a yukata, that it is. This is a yukata, that we wear this kind of thing at festivals in Yisheng.
'It sure looks great. Shall we all make this outfit for the next festival and wear it together?
'Good. I want to wear a strawberry too!
Then you should learn from my mother, that you should. This is also your mother's work.

　Smiling at the girl talk that had started before we knew it, we made our way to the first stadium where the final was to be held.
　The final is about to begin.