Day of Divine Manifestation

A happy party enjoyed with the children, Myu, and Isolde, secretly diverting the monster meat that was supposed to be used for the palace party.

As it was a party so happy that we didn’t even realize time passing, the party came to an end in an instant.

Recalling it again, it was a modest party that ended in about 1 hour, and as soon as the party ended, the five including Arin went to finish installing the sacred banners they couldn’t complete due to meeting me, Isolde went to her room to rest, and Myu returned to the private room with me.

And then, after the party ended, the prepared ingredients were stored in a separate warehouse created using Myu’s magic.

Thus, in the blink of an eye, the party time ended.

And just as the party ended quickly, the Day of Divine Manifestation, which had two days left, soon approached right before our eyes.

·

·

·

·

·

·

·

·

·

·

·

·

·

·

·

Dong── Dong── Dong──

“It’s already the Day of Divine Manifestation.”

The two days flew away like dandelion seeds, and suddenly the Day of Divine Manifestation arrived.

The cheerful drum sound echoing through the streets as soon as it became 6 o’clock.

It was a sound announcing the morning of the Day of Divine Manifestation and at the same time telling those who usually sleep late to quickly get up and prepare themselves to greet the goddess.

Perhaps people who were sleeping to work in stores from the afternoon might curse at this.

It was a story that didn’t particularly concern me, who had been awake since dawn.

I enjoyed the morning air, using the drum sound that echoed again and again as music, and then slowly got up from the window I had been leaning on.

“Hmm, I should start preparing soon.”

I usually always stayed in Aria’s form, which was comfortable but prepared for battle, but today I had the important task of being in charge of the palace party, so I had to prepare now.

I get up from the window and stretch my body, which had become stiff from just watching since morning.

The refreshing feeling as muscles stretch up and down. After being immersed in the lingering sensation of that refreshment for a moment, I came to my senses and softly muttered.

“Avatar.”

Along with my muttering, a semi-transparent avatar window rises before my eyes.

I touch Yeonhwa’s appearance at the very end with skilled hand movements while simultaneously muttering.

[Do you want to select Cook – Yeonhwa?]

“Select.”

As soon as a temporary flash blinds my vision, I felt my eye level lowering and my build becoming smaller compared to just now.

As I slowly opened my eyes, I nodded with satisfaction at the deep red hair visible at the edge of my vision and the pure white cook’s outfit wrapping my body, and then flung open the door.

“Did they say the palace people would come at 10 o’clock?”

According to what I heard, the time for the palace people to come was 10 AM.

In other words, it meant they would come in 4 hours from now, so I should start cooking soon.

And.

“Since I’m in charge of preparing such a big party, shall I satisfy their expectations?”

As it’s a party that even ordinary citizens will enjoy, it wouldn’t be bad to prepare a table that would make their jaws drop just by looking at it.

Exerting my best that I can prepare in 4 hours.

The palace party on the Day of Divine Manifestation.

This palace party, which takes place on the day when the god comes, was a party hosted by the royal family as the name suggests.

A party held where those invited by the royal family gather together.

It might seem not much different from an ordinary social gathering, just that the day the party is held is the Day of Divine Manifestation, but if there’s something special about this party, it’s that unlike other parties generally held on the temple street, it’s held right in front of the statue in the center of the street.

Since from ancient times, it was the royal family who first greeted the goddess when she manifested, the palace party is held in front of the statue to continue this tradition.

And if there’s one more minor difference, it’s that although it’s called a palace party and only invited guests gather, ordinary citizens can also participate in and enjoy the palace party.

Because the Day of Divine Manifestation was the only day in a year when class distinctions disappeared.

Of course, any ordinary citizen who causes trouble to a high-ranking noble riding on the heightened atmosphere of this day should be prepared to face their wrath the next day.

Anyway, as it was such a palace party, many of the invited guests knew each other, and Shati Petra of the Petra family, one of the five pillars invited today, and Arin, the vice-captain of the 1st Knight Order, were also among such cases.

The entrance to the temple street.

Among the citizens entering the street to hold parties, in one corner surrounded by knights, those who would participate in the palace party were gathering.

From nobles who seemed to be invited to the Divine Manifestation party for the first time, glancing around nervously, to nobles who walked confidently with relaxed attitudes and started conversations.

And Shati, who had been invited and participated in the palace party every year until now, belonged to the latter group of nobles.

“Hey, Arin. It’s been a while.”

“It’s only been two days, what do you mean it’s been a while… But it’s still nice to see you.”

Arin smiles awkwardly at Shati who raises her hand in greeting.

Usually, they mostly gathered as five including Kana, Riana, and Pina, but due to the special nature of the palace party, it was the first time Shati and Arin met just the two of them.

One might think it would be awkward when only two meet out of the five who usually gather, but such a thing didn’t happen to Shati and Arin, who were inherently sociable.

Rather, enjoying this special situation of meeting just the two of them, Shati, who had greeted first, opened her mouth first this time as well.

“Shall we depart right away since we’ve met? My father seems to be busy talking with other nobles anyway, so it probably doesn’t matter.”

“Shall we? I don’t mind either. My father is also busy now as the Knight Commander, escorting His Majesty the King.”

“Hm? Weren’t you the vice-captain too, Arin? Is it okay for you not to work?”

Shati, the only one among Arin’s four friends who knew that Arin was the vice-captain of the Knight Order, tilted her head and asked thus.

It was a question from Shati with doubt whether it was okay for the vice-captain to slack off while the Knight Commander was working, but to this, Arin let out an awkward laugh.

“Well, I left it to the other knights and came out. Father said there’s no need for me to escort as well, so he told me to enjoy myself.”

“Ah, so in simple terms, you’re playing hooky…”

“It’s different! Even though I look like this, I’m known as a rather kind vice-captain within the Knight Order!”

“Pfft!”

As soon as Arin’s words ended, Shati burst into laughter with exaggerated gestures.

Seeing Shati holding her stomach and laughing loudly, Arin shook her fist but couldn’t bring herself to hit her.

All she could do instead was grumble about being laughed at despite telling the truth.

Arin was a fairly kind vice-captain in her own opinion and according to others, so when a friend who heard this laughed out loud right in front of her, even Arin felt a bit wronged.

However, before Arin’s sense of injustice could inflate in size, Shati, who had cut off her laughter at an appropriate point, wiped the tears formed at the corners of her eyes and took a step forward.

“Ah, I had a good laugh after a long time. Shall we go then, Arin?”

“Haah… Alright, let’s go.”

Knowing that it would be futile to dwell on what just happened here as Shati would smoothly escape anyway, Arin didn’t particularly go against Shati’s guidance and followed behind her.

Today was the Day of Divine Manifestation. It was a day when parties were held all over the temple street and street vendors set up their stalls, so there were mountains of things to see, and to see them, they first had to go to the front of the statue and greet the king.

As they were invited by the royal family, they could only receive free time to enjoy the party or not after first greeting the king.

Therefore, the first place they headed was the center of the temple street, and Arin and Shati exclaimed at the scenery they saw while walking that path.

“Everyone looks so happy. And there are so many interesting things.”

“We should enjoy after going to greet His Majesty the King first.”

The surroundings were full of games that captivated the hearts of children who were at the prime age for playing, and as their mood heightened seeing this, Arin and Shati’s steps gradually quickened.

Although it was only 10 o’clock and the sun was blazing in the sky, even the remaining 14 hours felt short to enjoy everything in the temple street.

Because of this, Arin and Shati’s footsteps began to accelerate in an instant, proving they were students of Lua Academy, and matching that speed, the sight of the center of the temple street gradually came into their view.

“I can see it over there.”

“Ugh, but as we get closer to the center, there are so many people…!”

Perhaps because it was the center where the palace party was held, they barely moved forward, pushing through the people crowded around.

Although the width of the temple street was quite wide, so it wasn’t crowded to the point of suffocation, groups of three or four people were gathered everywhere, making the path to the center quite complicated.

However, that was just complicated to a certain extent. Arin and Shati somehow walked through the crowds and reached the palace party venue in the center, and finally, the sight of the already started palace party filled their vision.

“…Huh?”

“…Eh?”

It must have filled their vision.

But they both simultaneously burst out with questions looking at something that entered their field of vision, without anyone going first.

Wondering if they might have come to the wrong place for the palace party, the king among the questionable things and the goddess statue erected in front of him told them that this was indeed the center of the temple street.

Therefore, they once again burst out with questions and put them into words.

“Arin, I’m not seeing this wrong, am I?”

“Since your reaction is the same as mine, it probably isn’t wrong.”

“…But does this make sense?”

“I don’t know…?”

Unless their eyesight was wrong, these couldn’t be right.

Arin and Shati looked up with dumbfounded expressions at things so preposterous that such denial of reality naturally came out.

Kuguugu───

Waterfalls of cheese and chocolate flowing on either side of the king, and creatures sculpted from numerous ingredients such as meat, vegetables, fish, etc., placed on top of the pools created by such waterfalls.

Meanwhile, on the tables surrounding them, normal and delicious-looking foods were lined up in rows.

It’s as if seeing another world made of food inside the barrier of the dining table. A world where ingredients seem to move and live.

And it was a natural course for the two to be surprised and doubt their eyesight at this nonsensical scenery, but a cook walked proudly in front of them holding plates in both hands.

“Additional dishes are ready. Your Majesty, are you satisfied with the party?”

Probably… no, undoubtedly the person responsible for creating this scenery.

Yeonhwa.