Chapter 222 - <1>
From the moment we entered the village entrance, a cheerful sound was already echoing. Recognizing the sound, I jumped up, feeling a happiness that made me want to dance.
"Do you hear that? That's the festival music!"
I instinctively threw my arms around Ritz, who was walking beside me, and he answered in a heavy voice.
"I hear it. My hearing is better than a normal person's."
"...You sound kind of down?"
Even though we had finally returned to my hometown, Ritz had seemed unusually dejected ever since he realized we were close to Vishnu.
Tilting my head, I looked at Ed-san and Franz. Ed-san seemed to understand something and just shrugged. Franz also sighed as if he knew what was going on.
It's no fun being the only one who doesn't get it. I mean, Ritz is my boyfriend.
...Then again, we just became a couple, so I'm full of questions, like how to really be a couple, or what normal people do.
But I was so happy to be back in my hometown after so long that I decided to put all that aside. I remembered the date and couldn't help but smile. The festival is tomorrow! It looks like we came back at a great time!
"Ritz, this is your first time seeing the harvest festival, isn't it!"
"Yeah. I snuck out of Vishnu on the day of the harvest festival, after all."
"Uh-huh."
It's a fond memory. Come to think of it, two years ago today, I started calling Ritz by his name instead of Ritz-san. I felt like I had gotten a little closer to the mature, well-traveled Ritz, and I remember being so happy back then.
As I was reminiscing, Ed-san asked me a question.
"What kind of festival is it?"
"It's a festival to celebrate the harvest of the village's specialty sweet potatoes and our staple food, wheat. The feast, of course, is potatoes and bread."
"Oh? So it's a festival where the whole village eats potatoes and bread?"
Ed-san said, looking impressed. It seems I gave him the wrong idea. It's a bad habit of mine, always talking about food first.
"That's not it. Well, we do eat, but that's at the end. The main event is the singing and dancing."
"Singing and dancing."
Ritz, who was walking in front of the nodding, interested Ed-san, looked at me.
"...I thought for sure you all sang that 'I'm Hungry Song' you're always singing and ate potatoes..."
"That's so mean! And at my own village's festival, too!"
I puffed out my cheeks, and Ritz laughed and patted my head.
"Just kidding. So, what kind of song and dance is it?"
"Yeah."
Satisfied with that, I continued my explanation.
"Various spirits are involved in the vegetable harvest, you know. First, the earth spirits are essential. Then there are the water spirits that make it rain. And without the wind spirits, the wheat wouldn't grow, you see. So we offer a prayer of thanks in song to all the spirits that protect the vegetables. It's told like a story, and it's the job of the orphanage children to sing it. I used to sing the solo every year, you know."
I puffed out my chest proudly, and Ritz whispered that he would have liked to hear it. Just that made me incredibly happy, and I enthusiastically continued.
"After that, we first roast the sweet potatoes in the central bonfire and eat them together. That's the end of the children's part. From there, we celebrate the harvest of our staple food, wheat."
I looked around and saw young girls here and there making crowns out of dried wheat straw.
"Look, look over there. See the girls making wheat crowns?"
"Yeah."
Ritz nodded. Those crowns are woven by hand, one by one, to look like actual crowns, like weaving a basket, and the rule is to weave them so they can actually be worn.
"That's quite skillful."
Ed-san also said, looking impressed. It makes me kind of happy to hear someone from the village being praised. I enthusiastically explained.
"After the children leave, all the young girls in the village wear those crowns and dance around the central bonfire. The boys hold bouquets made of wheat ears and dance with the girls."
I remembered the scene fondly. Because I look like a child, I've never participated in the dancing part. Until recently, it was my job to go home and sleep with the other children. But just a few years ago, since I was technically an adult, I was entrusted with singing the [Song of Bountiful Harvest]. I remember being so happy about that.
As I was lost in nostalgia, Ritz tilted his head.
"And that's it? They just sing and dance and it's over?"
"No, that's not it. The boys offer their wheat bouquets to their sweethearts. If she accepts it and places the wheat crown on the boy's head in return, it means they will build a fruitful future together, just like the wheat. In other words, it's a marriage proposal. People who don't have a sweetheart but have someone they like dance in the same way. They confess to the person they like, and if they agree to date, they accept the wheat bouquet and put the crown on them in the same way. Most people ask someone to the dance in advance, so in reality, everyone participates as a pair."
"...I see..."
Ritz nodded, his voice once again sounding somewhat dejected. Ritz has been acting strangely tense today. I wonder what's wrong.
As I walked with somewhat mixed feelings, I heard singing as we approached the village square. This song is the one all the orphanage kids perform at the harvest festival. I nostalgically remembered that I was always given the solo when I was here, but that was only two years ago.
It feels like I've been away from the village for a long time.
I thought it would be wrong to interrupt their practice, so I watched from a distance, but it was the members of the youth association preparing for the festival, not the orphanage children, who noticed us first. The one who ran over was Earl, the village chief's son. I've known him since we were kids, but he's become so respectable in the meantime.
"Anna! You're back!"
He said happily, shaking my hand vigorously. It seems he's gotten much stronger while I was away.
"Yeah. I just got back."
I said, a little surprised, and Earl smiled happily and looked back.
"Everyone! Anna's back!"
At his considerable shout, not only the working youth association but also the orphanage children and the villagers all turned to look at us at once. Before I knew it, the area in front of me was filled with villagers. It seems we're completely surrounded.
"Welcome back, Anna!"
"I'm home!"
"Have you been well? Haven't you gotten a little thinner?"
"I haven't gotten thinner. I've gained muscle and gotten stronger."
I rolled up my sleeve to show them, and everyone erupted in laughter. They told me I hadn't changed. I think I've grown up quite a bit, though.
While things were getting lively, someone noticed Ritz.
"Hey, you're the one who protected the ranch from the silver fox."
The villagers all thanked Ritz one after another, saying he had been a great help back then. It seemed that not a single incident had occurred since the silver fox attacked the ranch. It felt strange, considering all the things that had happened on our journey.
As I was lost in thought, Earl suddenly spoke up.
"That's right, since Anna's back, let's have her sing at tomorrow's festival! The [Song of Bountiful Harvest]!"
Voices of agreement rose from all around.
"But, but, I've forgotten it! I can't do it~!"
I protested in a panic, but not just Earl, but even the village elders started to get excited.
When I looked up at Ritz, at a loss, he gave me a small wink and gestured with his eyes, unseen by the villagers, to look in a certain direction.
I looked in that direction and saw a girl standing there with a sad face. That very pretty girl is Earl's younger sister, Nancy.
Could it be, is Nancy the one who's supposed to sing the [Song of Bountiful Harvest]?
"What about Nancy?"
I asked Earl nonchalantly, and he nodded.
"You know her well. Nancy was supposed to sing, but this is fine, right?"
Nancy, who had been looking sad just moments before, gave a forced smile and nodded. This was absolutely not okay. Nancy must have practiced an incredible amount. It wouldn't be right for me to just show up and take her place just because I've been away for a long time.
"Sorry. I can't sing."
I said it on impulse.
"Why not?"
"Because I..."
This is difficult. Nancy has worked hard, so Nancy should be the one to sing, but Earl is pretty stubborn, so persuading him will be tough. As I thought hard, an idea suddenly popped into my head, and I blurted it out.
"Because this year, I want to be in the dancing part."
"Huh...?"
"Uhm, I may look like this, but I'm older than both Earl and Nancy. It's okay for me to dance, right?"
"Well... yeah, but..."
Earl's words trailed off as if he were confused. It is certainly surprising, isn't it? Even I didn't think I'd say I'd be in the dancing part myself.
"But Anna, what about a partner? Are you going to choose one of the young guys from the village?"
To Earl's question, I answer with full confidence.
"No. I already have a partner."
As I said that, for some reason, all the villagers let out a collective gasp.
"Huh? Is something wrong?"
I tilted my head at the unexpected reaction, and Earl, as if representing the villagers, asked.
"Does that mean you have a boyfriend?"
"That's right."
For some reason, everyone's gaze simultaneously fell on Franz. Franz turned pale and shook his head vigorously, denying that it was him.
"It's not him~"
I laughed, throwing him a lifeline, and Earl and the villagers stared intently at me again.
"Then, who?"
"It's Ritz."
I said, looking up at Ritz next to me, and he forced a strained smile.
"A pleasure..."
Everyone's eyes simultaneously pierced into Ritz. Why? Everyone looks so scary.
"You... you're the one who took Anna with you, aren't you...?"
Earl stared at Ritz with a somewhat menacing look. As for Ritz, he nodded with the same strained smile.
"Well, I suppose you could put it that way."
"You were traveling alone together, weren't you?"
"For the first few days..."
"You're quite a bit older than Anna, aren't you? I heard from the priest."
"...I won't deny it."
What is this, this tense atmosphere? Did I say something wrong? As I was feeling troubled, Earl asked Ritz in a low voice.
"You didn't do anything to Anna, did you?"
At Earl's words, for some reason, all the villagers clenched their fists. Those holding farm tools or other implements all readjusted their grips.
Something is strange here.
"Hey, wait, hold on a second."
"I'm asking you. Answer me!"
"I haven't done anything yet!"
Ritz shouted, sounding flustered.
"Is that true? Anna, this man didn't force you to do anything, did he? You can tell us the truth. We've got your back!"
I have no idea what they're talking about. But what Ritz has done to me is...
"Uhm, not forcibly, but it's not like nothing has happened, I guess?"
"A-Anna!"
Ritz tapped my shoulder with a voice full of panic. I have no idea why things are so tense, but all the villagers are glaring at Ritz with incredible intensity.
"Is something wrong?"
"What did he do to you?"
Earl asked in a scary voice. I don't know what the big deal is, so I answered honestly.
"He gives me lots of kisses?"
"Please, give me a break."
For some reason, Ritz groaned as if pleading.
"Huh? Oh? Was that wrong?"
"You're supposed to cover for me in situations like this..."
"Uhm, well, then... I'll kiss Ritz?"
"That's not what I mean..."
Ritz hung his head in defeat. Oh dear, was that wrong too?
I don't really get it, but I feel like all the villagers are staring at me with their eyes wide open. I'm so confused.
"Ritz is my boyfriend. So it's natural for him to kiss me. So it's okay for us to dance together. Is that so strange?"
I retorted, staring intently at Earl and puffing out my cheeks, and he shook his head in a fluster.
"No, it's not strange. It's just... unexpected for you, Anna... uhm..."
Earl's gaze wandered and then stopped at one point. Following his gaze behind Ritz, I saw a familiar figure.
"Fath..."
I was about to say '...er' and run, but I stopped myself. Because my foster father was smiling, but it was a smile that didn't reach his eyes as he gripped Ritz's shoulder. Ritz, turning to see my foster father's figure, froze completely, a strained smile plastered on his face.
"It's been a while, Ritz-kun. I'd like to have a little talk."
Foster father, you look really scary for some reason. And Ritz, you look really tense.
I instinctively looked around, and the villagers who had been surrounding us, even Earl and Nancy, scattered like spiders, moving away quickly.
I wonder if Nancy feels a little relieved. I couldn't check.
But... I understand how everyone who ran away feels... because I've never seen my foster father look this scary...
"I... was also thinking of having a proper talk. Priest Anton."
"I should think so, I should think so. It concerns my daughter, after all..."
"I apologize."
Ritz bowed his head deeply.
"...Well, this isn't the place. Let's go back to the orphanage."
I don't know what's going on, but it seems like a serious situation. As I stood there bewildered, Ed-san put his arm around my shoulder from behind.
"Don't worry about it. This is a path Ritz must walk."
"Is that so?"
"It is. If he's the kind of man who would run away here, he can't make you happy."
Since Ed-san says so, maybe it is.
Not quite understanding, I returned to my nostalgic home, the orphanage on the hill.