Chapter 273

Chapter 276: The Slanderous Mama-san, the Hipster Half-Elf (Please Subscribe!)

“Hey Izay, how about you come a little closer? Let me give you a buff?”

Finn maintained a kind smile on his face as his hands that were previously resting on the desk quietly slid down to grope in the nearby drawer.

It was where he kept spare weapons in his office.

No big deal—it’s just a few daggers, barely considered second-tier adventurer armed equipment.

Surely Izay could handle it easily!

“Hmm, Leader, I suddenly remembered a friend is looking for me. Let’s end today’s topic here… We’ll talk next time!”

After all, being Level 5, there was no way Izay couldn’t see Finn’s little move.

Realizing he might have touched upon one of the leader’s sore spots, he immediately took a step back, distancing himself from this devious halfling and gradually approached the door.

“Didn’t you say you’d stay to help me with paperwork? Izay?” Finn smiled even more brightly.

By this point, Izay had already reached the doorknob, opening the door in a flash and making a quick escape. Not forgetting to throw a reply at Finn: “Definitely next time!!”

Before his words even faded, he had already disappeared from Finn’s office.

“Ah~”

Looking at the re-closed door, Finn sighed.

It’s quite a headache when your juniors are too energetic…

Who told Izay about his search for a partner which has been fruitless?

“Was it Loki? Or Riviria? It can’t possibly be Gress, right?”

The Halfling Tribe Leader placed his elbows on the desk, seriously pondering.

There were only these three people who could be suspected; Ais and Tione didn’t know about this matter.

And Finn didn’t think Izay’s previous teasing was just casual chatter.

It sounded more like someone who knew his situation speaking directly.

“Riviria seems most likely… She often visits Izay’s Magic Workshop lately, they spend a lot of time together, and older people tend to gossip. Elves probably do the same, right?”

Don’t let Riviria’s dignified appearance fool you; by human standards, she is actually the oldest among the three top figures in the Loki Familia! (Whispered)

In an instant, Finn believed he found a reasonable suspect!

This Halfling Tribe Leader subconsciously ignored the fact that if calculated using the unique time frame of demi-humans, Riviria was actually the youngest among the trio.

Almost simultaneously, Riviria, who was enjoying her quiet time in Izay’s Magic Workshop, sneezed several times.

“Who’s slandering me!?”

The Mama-san, almost spitting out her tea, angrily spoke out.

The amusing situation inside Twilight Manor was something Izay wouldn’t know about at this moment—he had already arrived on the street.

The streets were bustling with lively voices full of joy and excitement.

It was still morning, during the time when many adventurers dive into the Dungeon, and the North Street was crowded with commoners and some adventurers emerging from their residences.

They all moved purposefully, heading towards the same direction—Circular Arena on East Street.

That place was the center of the Monster Festival, fully booked for the entire day. The beast tamers of the Ganesha Familia would perform there.

Izay didn’t really feel much novelty toward the Monster Festival.

Since he had attended it once last year with Ais and the others.

If not for the possibility of something happening today, he might have actually helped Finn with the paperwork right now~

Buying a bag of candy on the roadside, Izay ate it while following the crowd aimlessly.

Heading south along North Street, passing through Central Square where Babel Tower stood, it wasn’t long before he reached the main road of East Street.

Here, a large crowd had already gathered. For the celebration, numerous stalls lined the roads, presenting a prosperous scene, attracting dense crowds everywhere.

Men, women, young, old, various races mixed together—a breathtaking and grand sight, truly unique to the world’s center, Orario City.

The overly excited crowd flooded the entire avenue, forming a long and thick queue stretching all the way to the periphery of the Circular Arena located on the eastern side of the city.

With the thought of “just killing some time,” Izay also started heading there.

Because, honestly, wandering aimlessly on such a festive street alone sounds pitiful.

Enough to make one want to hug oneself for comfort~

……

The Monster Festival would last the whole day in the arena, so its opening ceremony naturally took place in the morning.

With a thunderous roar echoing across the sky, the Monster Festival commenced, enveloping the audience seats capable of holding fifty thousand people in a whirlwind of heat.

In the central area, the ferocity of the monsters captured for this day was unleashed, charging fiercely with four legs toward their prey. Truly living up to their name, able to effortlessly crush rocks.

Yet the beast tamers of the Ganesha Familia skillfully dodged, earning enthusiastic cheers from the surrounding crowd.

Outside, Eina sighed, muttering to herself.

“It’s starting again…”

On duty outside the arena, she felt the waves of sound and vibrations emanating from within with her skin, glancing back at the building behind her.

Every time during the Monster Festival, she couldn’t help but question the purpose of such events.

The Monster Festival wasn’t an activity spontaneously created by the gods but a plan proposed by high-ranking members of the Guild. The organizer merely promised full assistance from the [Ganesha Familia].

Rationally, Eina did not approve of the Monster Festival.

Monsters are dangerous beings; bringing them to the surface and introducing them into the city isn’t a behavior worth encouraging. At least Eina felt somewhat resistant.

“And… bread and circuses? How distasteful…”

She slightly squinted her eyes, catching a glimpse of the duel arena visible in the distance, murmuring softly.

“Bread and circuses? A famous line by renowned bard Juvenalis. Didn’t expect you to be such a hipster, Eina?”

At that moment, an unexpected voice intruded into the half-elf’s ears, causing her to instinctively tense up, turning her head quickly like a startled rabbit.

Then, a familiar mop of blonde hair came into Eina’s view.

“Izay? What are you doing here?”

“That’s a strange thing to say, hipster Eina. Of course, I’m here to join the festivities and have fun~” Izay grinned, shrugging nonchalantly.

“Ugh…! Don’t call me a hipster!” Eina’s face turned red.

She hadn’t expected that casually quoting a famous line would be overheard by a cultured person.

And worse, that cultured person happened to be someone she knew.

She had known Izay for almost two years now, so calling him an acquaintance wasn’t wrong.

“Ah, hipster Eina, denying it now won’t change anything—I’ve already heard.”

Izay shrugged, wearing a teasing expression. His demeanor made Eina’s small face turn crimson, unsure whether she was angry or flustered.

Just moments ago, Miss Half-Elf was actually criticizing the Guild’s actions. If not for Izay’s extensive reading during his idle time, he might not have understood her veiled reference.

“Bread and circuses,” a famous satirical line by a renowned bard, critiqued the aristocrats of a certain kingdom.

It mocked how those nobles used free food and popular entertainment—such as arena performances—to pacify and win over the commoners, implying that the commoners lacked ambition, content to be mere dependents without opinions, easily misled.

Izay didn’t tease Eina wrongly by calling her a hipster.