The sun was still rising when Takumi and the group arrived at Vailor's central square. Even though it was early, the movement in the city seemed twice as intense as usual. Stalls were being set up in a hurry, porters ran back and forth, and the smell of spices, broths, and roasted meats was already beginning to fill the air. The Lantern Festival was approaching, and that meant one thing: all of Vailor was in a state of organized chaos.
Liriel looked around with a curious gleam in her eyes, though she still carried the tired demigoddess air she always had.
"There are too many people here… is this normal?"
Elara, holding her mana pouch as if it were an artificial heart on the verge of failure, sighed.
"For a festival this big, yes. And I still have to save mana… I'm almost empty since yesterday."
Vespera, on the other hand, walked cheerfully, though with her bow strapped to her back in a way that made it clear she would probably knock something over at any moment.
"Festival means food. And food means… food. I think that's basically it."
Takumi laughed.
"Great line of reasoning, Vespera."
But his smile faded when a broad man with a stained apron and a desperate expression came running down the street toward them.
"You! Adventurers! Help me, for the love of the goddess!"
Takumi frowned.
"Uh… hi? Did something happen?"
The man came closer, almost throwing himself to the ground in front of the group.
"I'm Chef Rarton, owner of the Great Golden Cauldron Tavern! The festival starts in two days and… and… my rare ingredients were stolen!"
Elara crossed her arms.
"Stolen? Who would steal cooking ingredients?"
"The goblins!" Rarton shouted indignantly. "Those green wretches got their filthy hands into the crates I left in the storage behind the tavern! Aurora Fruits, Nebular Mushrooms, silver roots… everything was taken!"
Vespera raised her hand.
"Can I ask an important question?"
"Of course!"
"What are… uh… Nebular Mushrooms?"
"Very expensive!" he yelled. "And absolutely essential!"
Takumi took a deep breath.
"Okay, I get it. You want us to recover everything before the festival?"
"Yes! And fast! If I don't have those ingredients, the mayor will skin me alive!"
Liriel put a hand to her chin.
"Goblins don't usually steal rare food. Stealing common food I can understand… but this seems planned."
Takumi nodded.
"Alright, let's go take a look at the storage."
The storage area behind the tavern looked like it had been hit by a small tornado. Crates were overturned, sacks torn open, and small, irregular footprints marked the ground.
Vespera crouched down to examine the soil.
"Yeah… these are goblin footprints. Or some kid with a really ugly foot."
Takumi sighed.
"Let's assume it was goblins."
Elara examined a broken crate.
"They only took rare ingredients. Nothing common. That's strange."
Liriel closed her eyes for a moment, extending her hand over the crates. A small golden glow appeared — her light magic, weak, flickered like a candle at the end of its life.
"I can try to track them… I think. Wait, I think… yes, there are traces. They carried everything toward the Eastern Forest path."
The glow faded immediately afterward, leaving Liriel with the expression of someone who had used more energy than she should have.
"Ugh… I… need to sit down."
"You cast a light spell and already want to faint?" Vespera muttered.
"I'm a limited goddess, respect my fragility!" Liriel replied, offended.
Takumi raised a hand.
"Alright, let's head to the Eastern Forest. Maybe we can catch them before they eat everything."
The entrance to the forest was quiet, but there were clear signs of movement: small footprints, remnants of crushed fruit, bite marks on root peels. The group advanced carefully.
Vespera raised her bow.
"If I see one of them, I'll hit it right away!"
Takumi looked at her seriously.
"You never hit on the first try, Vespera. Please try not to hit us."
"I know! I know! I'll hit it this time!"
Elara put a hand to her forehead.
"That doesn't reassure me at all."
When they got close to a clearing, they heard thin, quick giggles. Goblins. Many goblins.
They were surrounding a huge pile of rare ingredients, as if they were… cooking? An improvised cauldron steamed in the center, while two goblins stirred it with pieces of wood.
Takumi frowned.
"They're… making soup?"
Liriel blinked several times.
"This is new. Very new."
Vespera got ready.
"Okay, now I'll hit it!"
She drew the arrow, took a deep breath… released…
The arrow flew right past a goblin, hit a tree behind it, ricocheted, flew back, and almost hit Takumi in the leg.
"Vespera!" Takumi shouted.
"It was the wind…"
"There is no wind!"
"Exactly… scary, right?"
The goblins noticed the group's presence, raised their improvised weapons, and charged.
Takumi stepped to the front.
"Elara, don't waste mana. Liriel… well, just don't faint. Vespera… try not to kill us. Let's go!"
The fight was quick and light. Goblins weren't difficult, but they were messy. Takumi knocked down three with precise strikes, Elara pushed two back with small bursts of mana — carefully controlled to save energy — and Liriel used small flashes of light to distract the enemies.
Vespera… hit an arrow.
Yes. One.
And she was so surprised that she almost forgot to draw another.
In the end, the goblins fled in disarray, leaving the ingredients intact.
Takumi wiped his sword.
"Alright. Let's take everything back to Rarton before he has a breakdown."
Vespera raised her arms.
"At least I hit one!"
Elara sighed.
"Yes… by accident. But it was progress."
Liriel smiled tiredly.
"I need a bed. And maybe… an Aurora Fruit. No. The chef needs them. Damn."
Takumi laughed and began gathering the crates.
"Let's go. He'll be very relieved."
When they returned to the tavern, Rarton began to cry with joy.
"You are my saviors! My festival is saved! Here, here! Half the reward now and half on the day of the festival!"
Vespera looked at Takumi.
"Half? I thought it was all of it."
Takumi shrugged.
"Better than nothing. We need the money."
Rarton wiped his face.
"And you can come eat for free on the first day of the festival! It's the least I can do!"
The group left the tavern with tired but satisfied smiles.
"It was too easy today," Elara commented.
Takumi looked up at the sky.
"I hope it stays that way."
But he knew that, in Vailor… nothing stayed easy for long.