Near the city of Rigforresia, on the edge of the Spirit Forest, Reijihart and Sylphia stood watch as part of the security detail.
With half the security force effectively incapacitated—an unprecedented disaster—the two had initially approached their duties with grim focus. Yet, despite their vigilance, the Harvest Festival was proceeding with serene tranquility. Midday was fast approaching.
Nearly two hours had passed since the start, but not a single monster, nor even a common animal, had crossed their path.
Looking back, it was only natural.
The death magic unleashed by the Death King, Isis, had blanketed the entire Elf Forest. It was a pressure so immense that even its lingering echoes had broken the spirits of half the guards. No wild creature with a survival instinct would dare venture out; they were likely huddled in the depths of their burrows, trembling, and would remain there for days to come.
With no fierce beasts or monsters to disrupt the festivities, the two found themselves with far too much time on their hands. They maintained a relaxed but steady watch, their expressions softening in the calm, until an elven man and woman approached them.
"Hey! Rei! Fia!"
"Oh, what a coincidence."
The elven man waved vigorously as he called out. They were clearly acquaintances; Reijihart raised a hand in a casual greeting. The pair came to a halt, and the woman spoke with a gentle smile.
"Are you two on patrol?"
"Yeah, given the situation. It looks like it was all a needless worry, though."
"And you? Are you here for the festival?" Reijihart asked.
"Oh, no, not me. I just came to pick her up."
Sylphia replied to the woman, and Reijihart followed up with a question of his own.
"I actually thought about joining the security detail myself," the woman said, "but he insisted, so I'm participating in the festival instead. I was just heading back for lunch."
"Of course she is," the man added. "The festival would lose its spark if the Previous Winner sat it out."
"Yes, yes... though it’s a shame Fia isn't competing. It lacks a certain challenge without my rival."
The woman was a Spirit Mage like Sylphia. The two were close friends and rivals who had spent years honing their crafts together. Last year, the woman had taken the top spot, but the gap between her and Sylphia had been razor-thin. Seeing the disappointment on her friend's face, Sylphia hesitated, choosing her words with extreme care.
"...Listen, um... why don't you just call it a day?"
"What?" both of them asked in unison.
"Look, it’s not too late! You can still withdraw right now..."
"Wait, Fia? What are you talking about?"
"No, Fia is right," Reijihart chimed in. "We know how skilled you are. But this year... the timing is just terrible."
The couple looked at them in bewilderment. As the woman asked for clarification, Reijihart pressed the point.
"Are you joking, Rei?" the man laughed.
"I'm not. This is serious. This year is dangerous. There is a monster in the competition."
"A monster?"
The couple tilted their heads, confused by Reijihart’s pale expression. A heavy silence settled over the four of them before Sylphia spoke again.
"The truth is, I was going to participate, too. Rei recommended it..."
"Yeah, but Fia changed her mind yesterday," Reijihart added. "She saw that boy’s power firsthand. It’s... absurd."
"That boy?"
"You should withdraw," Sylphia urged. "If you don't... everything you've built, your pride and your status as a Spirit Mage... it will all be shattered."
"I agree with Fia," Reijihart said. "I'm not underestimating you. It’s just that he’s in another league entirely."
The desperation in their voices finally convinced the couple that this wasn't a joke. However, without having seen Kaito for themselves, they couldn't truly grasp the scale of the threat.
"Good grief. Do you two really think she’s going to lose?" the man asked. "You remember her score from last year, right? 186 fruits. That's the all-time record."
"Well, that's..."
"True, that number is incredible, especially when the average is around 50," Reijihart admitted.
Normally, their logic would hold. The person Reijihart and Sylphia were thinking of wasn't even a Spirit Mage. There was no way he could beat a seasoned professional who understood the nuances of the spirits. And yet, the dread remained.
"Hehe... how interesting," the woman mused.
"Eh?"
"If the two of you are that worried, then this opponent must be worth my time. I think I’ll take this seriously."
"That’s the spirit!" the man cheered. "Go out there and set a new record!"
"I will. I'm in top form, and the spirits are unusually cheerful today. This year, I’m going to break 200."
Their warnings had backfired. Instead of deterring her, they had ignited a fire in a woman who had been coasting since her main rival wasn't competing. As she declared her intent to reach the impossible milestone of 200 fruits, Reijihart and Sylphia could only stare in stunned silence.
"Haha, that’s the way! Oh, we better hurry or we'll miss lunch."
"Actually, I'm going straight back into the forest. I can't be careless if I'm facing someone stronger than Sylphia."
"I see. Then I'll wait for you back in Rigforresia."
"Wish me luck. And thanks for the tip, you two. I'm off!"
The couple finished their conversation and went their separate ways. The woman marched back toward the forest with a dignified stride, while the man headed for the city. Reijihart watched her go, a hollow feeling in his chest.
"...Fia, she’s a top-tier Spirit Mage, isn't she?"
"Yes... She's the Lead Spirit Mage. One of the best the elves have."
"And 200 fruits is an unbelievable number, right?"
"Yes. It would be a historic achievement."
"..."
"..."
They stood in silence long after she had vanished from view. Finally, they looked at each other.
"...Rei, why is it? Even knowing all that, I can't see any way she wins against Miyama-kun."
"What a coincidence. I was thinking the exact same thing."
"There we go... thank you."
I took the fruit from the spirit and tucked it into my bag. It had been quite a while since the festival started; a quick glance at my watch told me it was already lunch time. Maybe I should take a break soon.
"How many do I have now? Around 300, I think?"
The bag used the same weight-negation tech as a Magic Box, so I couldn't tell by the feel. I’d been working steadily, so 300 seemed like a fair estimate. Since this was my first time, I had no idea if that was a high score or not. I really should have asked Rei-san for a ballpark figure.
Then again, Lilia-san and the others treated me like I was practically guaranteed to win. They even put money on me. If it were just Lunamaria-san, I wouldn't care if she lost her shirt—she'd have it coming. But with Lilia-san, Sieg-san, and the girls involved, the pressure was starting to get to me.
Well, worrying won't help. I’ll just keep doing my best through the afternoon.
"...Still, though."
I looked around. My vision was practically overflowing with spirits of every color. Some waved when they saw me looking; others spun circles around me playfully. A few were even poking and prodding me with blatant curiosity.
"The Spirit Forest really lives up to its name. There are so many of them..."
They weren't shy at all, unlike what Rei-san had described. In fact, they’d been falling over themselves to guide me to the best trees and help me harvest. I suppose the Spirit Race is just naturally friendly toward humans. That would make sense, given they host this whole festival.
Dear Mom, Dad— The Harvest Festival is going pretty well so far. I guess it makes sense considering the name of the place, but this forest... it really has an incredible number of spirits.
Interim Count:
Previous Winner: 96 fruits, 30 spirits following. Aoi Kusunoki: 30 fruits, 3 spirits following. Hina Yuzuki: 28 fruits, 4 spirits following. Kaito Miyama: 345 fruits (Currently breaking the all-time record), 152 spirits following.