Grandfather Mejihos, who I saw for the first time in a long time, became more handsome. My eyes felt relaxed with his soft smile.
“Liel, what’s wrong with your eyes? Does it hurt?”
I didn’t want to miss the look of Grandpa Mejihos for even a moment, so I opened my eyes wide, but Fay, who was next to me, spoke some worrisome words.
“……No. I was a little dazzled for a bit.”
“Ha.”
Cardin, who was watching Fay and me, sighed briefly and turned his head. I don’t know why.
“I called to ask you something.”
“Yes. What is it?”
Grandfather Mejihos, who picked up the teacup, replied to Cardin, saying, “Ask me anything.”
“Do you know a kid named Fay?”
“Fay? I don’t know, do I know him?”
Grandfather Mejihos’s head tilted as if he had heard it for the first time.
“He has black hair and gold eyes. He said that the Magic tower is his guardian.”
Grandfather Mejihos’ smile hardened like a stone.
When Grandpa Mejihos asked to say it again, Cardin reached out to the sphere and made the gas bigger.
The growing gas came out at a rapid pace and stopped in front of Fay.
“Cough.”
A stream of tea flowed down between the lips of Grandpa Mejihos, who had stiffened in the position of drinking tea.
“Why, why are you there…… No, you’re there?”
Cardin’s eyes narrowed at the reaction of Grandpa Mejihos, who seemed to know Fay well.
“Are you really the guardian of this child?”
“Guardian…! Ahaha, I forgot your name for a second. Well, it happens a lot these days since I’m getting older.”
Grandpa Mejihos, who had been lost for a while, soon returned to his usual finite form and said that he is Fay’s guardian.
After Fay’s identity was confirmed, Cardin could no longer say anything.
Grandfather Mejihos said he met Fay a few years ago outside the tower.
He explained that when he was in trouble Fay helped him, and he brought him to the tower because he seemed to have a talent for magic.
“I’m the only one who knows him because I brought him in unofficially.”
The average age of entering the magic tower as a trainee is at least in his late teens.
“By the way, who are you sitting there with? Fay…?”
The gracious smile of Grandpa Mejihos was seen over the gas.
He seemed very surprised that his beloved disciple was suddenly in the duchy.
Meanwhile, I couldn’t hide my astonishment that Fay was a disciple of tower master.
Now I know why he can use magic freely, it’s because of this reason.
“I’m going to hang out with my friend. Grandpa.”
“Oh, her father must be very surprised.”
Grandpa Mejihos said with a broad smile that did not fit his young appearance.
If you couldn’t hear their conversation, you would think they are a young uncle and nephew talking.
Grandfather Mejihos has been laughing all the time, but he has not said anything.
“I wonder who’s the friend you wanted to hang out with….”
“It’s me! Long time no see. Grandpa Mejihos!”
I couldn’t wait any longer. I wanted to say hello to Grandpa Mejihos, who I hadn’t seen in a long time, so I sat next to Fay.
“I’m supposed to go to the harvest festival with Papa today, but can I go with Fay, too?”
“You can do whatever you want.”
Grandfather Mejihos, smiling aloof, seemed somehow full of tired energy.
“Next time, Grandpa Mejihos…!”
The gas in front of me quickly dispersed and disappeared.
When I looked at the side with a puzzled face, Cardin looked very uncomfortable.
“What, Papa? I’m not yet done talking to Grandpa Mejihos.”
“…..”
Cardin’s brows wriggled.
As I grumbled with my mouth sticking out, Cardin’s fingers pressed into my pouty lips.
“What are you trying to stretch it more?”
A disgruntled voice was heard..
Cardin looked at me as I was sitting next to Fay, then he lifted me up and sat me next to him.
“Papa, do you happen to….”
I barely swallowed my question if he was jealous. If I ask someone who seems jealous if they are jealous, would they say yes?
I thought it would be awkward if I asked. Cardin was probably dissatisfied with Fay’s sudden inclusion.
I shook my head when he asked why I stopped talking and said nothing.
“I will go hand in hand with Papa.”
To relieve the sulky mood of Cardin, I grabbed Cardin’s hand with both hands and shook it back and forth.
“Hmm.”
It seemed like he was looking at the shaking arm without much emotion, but I could see that Cardin’s mood was somewhat relieved.
“Let’s go out.”
Cardin held me with his hands.
“Follow us on your own.”
It was a cold tone, but I immediately noticed that it meant permission to accompany us.
It was the first day of the harvest festival. Me, Cardin, Elvin and Fay.
It was a day that will be remembered for a long time because a harvest festival is usually spent with precious people.
***
Chernavi, the Isles of Dandelkius.
Located in the heart of the city, Vinset Square was heated by the heat of the harvest festival.
People poured into the streets to enjoy the festival, and the merchants and wandering bands on the streets caught people’s feet and provided the joy of watching and listening.
“It’s silk from the Kingdom of Dovna!”
“Come over here and take a look. You can only watch it today.”
Scarlet petals, the symbol of the harvest festival, fluttered through the crowd of laughter.
“Awesome….”
I admired every single one of them.
There was a huge number of people that it was questionable where they came from.
“Huh…?”
However, as I continued to look around, I felt an unknown sense of uneasiness.
More than half of the people in the square were walking around with their black hair fluttering.
Black was not such a common hair color that so many people had in the Empire.
Rather, it was a rare color. But…
“Why are there so many people with black hair?”
“Oh, you must have never seen it before.”
Elvin, who heard me, pointed to the corner of the square telling me to look over there.
Following the tip of his finger, I found a line of customers on a small stand. I don’t know what they sell, but seeing the line it must be good.
“What’s going on?”
The heads of the people who left from the stand were colored differently one by one.
I was so surprised to see the color change from the roots as if it were spreading in transparent water that I didn’t even notice her mouth was open.
“Papa, papa. People’s hair suddenly changed!”
Excited by the amazing sight, I slapped Cardin on the shoulder and shouted.
“It’s something that can only be enjoyed at the harvest festival a year. It’s a one-time dye.”
“No, but how does it change?”
As I knew, dyeing can be completed only after applying medicine to the hair and going through the time of patience, so I had no choice but to be mesmerized by the sight in front of me.
“The dyeing products sold at the harvest festival are produced in a certain amount by the magic tower and the temple. So, when the holder of each power uses the object, the formula engraved on the object is activated and the hair changes.”
In the old days, the people of the Empire wanted to spend the festival with a more special appearance, so they added that the custom of dressing up with their favorite-colored cloth around their heads in a more special way was the beginning.
“So, on the day of the harvest festival, the tower and the temple are very busy making dyed goods for the imperial people from a few days ago. Well, it’s up to the individual to do it or not.”
“Are they giving it away? Are you saying that’s free?”
“Yes, it’s an imperial custom to enjoy a more enjoyable harvest festival.”
No wonder the line was decreasing rapidly on the stand, so I guess it was because they distributed it right away.
“Me too! I want to try it!”
I wanted to run to get in line right away because of the dyeing that can only be done at the harvest festival.
“It’s too crowded over there, so I’ll bring it for you.”
Elvin strode through the crowd and brought dyeing items from the stand.
The dyed goods handed by Elvin were carved inside a square brooch with a crow, a symbol of the tower.
“You can hold it tightly and imagine the hair color you want to change in your mind.”
“Yes, thank you!”
I clasped the brooch in my hand and closed my eyes.
That’s the hair color I want to try.
How long has it been?
“Liel…”
I opened my eyes at Fay’s voice
Black threads drifted down blocking my view.
I didn’t feel anything, so I tried to pull the black threads to see if it had changed immediately.
The stinging pain in my scalp proved a success.
“Ta-da. What do you think?”
I came down from Cardin’s arms and turned around. Now my black hair is fluttering in the air. Soon it sank gently.
“You look good in anything!”
Elvin was the first to respond. He even clapped loudly and praised her.
“Hehe. Thank you. How about Papa and Fay ….”
From the time I changed my hair color, I could only hear Elvin’s voice and wondered about them.
When I asked why there was no response, I turned to Cardin and Fay, and they both stared blankly at my head.
“What? Are you two colluding?”
They were mesmerized with the same expression.
“Liel, you have the same black hair as me. It suits you very well.”
Fay, who came to his senses first, blushed and lowered his eyes.
“Ha, what are you talking about? It’s obviously the same with my hair.”
Cardin, who came to his senses belatedly, quickly refuted.
Both of them are not right.
Actually, it was because of my past life where I had black hair, but I decided to shut up.
There comes a time when you have to choose a path that makes everyone happy without revealing the facts.
“Oh, I want to eat that.”
I turned the subject around and pointed to a snack that I saw nearby.
When I looked closely, the shape of the skewer grilled with meat and vegetables was similar to that of chicken skewers.
My mouth was watering as I watched it gradually.
“Oops! You came out to play with your dad and brother. Why don’t you share the three skewers? Ha-ha.”
A merchant who was selling skewers came out and looked at Cardin and Fay and showed off his skillful sales skills.
“Let’s see. The daughter looks like her mother and the son looks like her father! Hahaha!”
“Ha.”
The merchant man must not see the expression of Cardin getting colder.
The sales skill was perfect, but the man who chose the wrong opponent managed to sell only one skewer.
Lol so petty🤭