The Male Lead Knelt Before Me

The festival’s venue was quite large, stretching from the square all the way to the centre of the city.

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I’m not sure I’ll be able to see everything even if I walk until dawn.

Mila seemed overjoyed all the way to the capital’s entrance.

The child chatted, her eyes shining with admiration.

And I was just as thrilled as Mila.

I knew there was a festival like this, but everything I knew was based solely on Elena’s memories.

Furthermore, after the Baron couple died and Elena became independent, she chose to rest her tired body in her bedroom rather than attend the festival, so the memories of it were hazy.

So this festival was simply new and exciting to me.

Because this was my first time doing anything like this.

‘I’m hoping there will be a lot of interesting things to see.’

I took a step forward, holding Mila’s hand tightly.

The festive atmosphere grew stronger as I entered the festival venue.

The streets were lit up with colourful lights, and street vendors stretched out like night markets, selling interesting items and food.

 

“Wow! Eonni! People are eating pink clouds!”

Mila took my hand in hers and pointed her finger at the people passing by.

“It’s cotton candy.”

“What is cotton candy? Isn’t clouds also known as cotton candy?”

“It’s a snack, not a cloud.”

“I had no idea people could make snacks out of clouds.”

Is this her first time seeing cotton candy?

I was wondering when I heard someone shouting loudly from not far away.

“From the Kingdom of Irzenia comes to a new snack called cotton candy! If you can’t eat it this time, you’ll never be able to eat it then!”

When I discovered the source of the sound, I noticed a crowd of people.

Everyone was staring at a vendor making cotton candy with wide eyes, and some exclaimed, “Wow, it’s a pink cloud!” like Mila.

Because this is a new snack for these people, I was able to understand Mila’s reaction only after.

“Would you like to try one?”

“What?”

“I mean cotton candy.
Do you want to try one? I’ll buy it for you.”

 

“Am I allowed to do that?”

“Of course.”

I took Mila and went to a vendor who was selling cotton candy.

I had to wait quite a while because the line was quite long, but watching the cotton candy being made kept me entertained.

It was finally our turn.

I gave the money to the vendor, got cotton candy, and gave it to Mila.

“Here you go.”

Unlike what I thought that she would eat as soon as she got it, Mila hesitated and took a bite carefully.

It didn’t take long for the girl’s face to light up.

“It’s delicious…”

“Does it taste good?”

“Yes! I had no idea clouds could taste so good.”

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That being said, it is not a cloud.

I didn’t bother correcting her misunderstanding because her appearance is so adorable.

Instead, I took out her wheat-coloured hair, which was fluffing around her mouth while she was eating cotton candy.

“Eat slowly.”

“That’s right! Eonni! You should try a bite as well.”

“Shall I?”

I didn’t like cotton candy, but I didn’t want to turn down Mila’s favour, so I ate just a little bit.

The corners of my mouth quickly became sticky as the fine sugar thread collapsed.

But it was so sweet.

“It’s delicious.”

“Right? It’s really good.”

Mila smiled as she took another bite of cotton candy.

“Do you think my sister, Natalie eonni, has ever eaten cotton candy?”

“I’m not sure.
Will we find out if we ask? Let’s ask her later when she comes.”

“Yes.”

Mila nodded.

“I hope I can go with Natalie eonni next time.”

“It will definitely happen.”

I sat Mila on the bench, thinking about Natalie, who was probably out on patrol by now.

And it was the moment I adjusted Mila’s unkempt wheat-coloured hair after she had eaten cotton candy.

“… Mila, Lady!”

“Eonni?”

A woman in a navy uniform was running as she returned the familiar voice.

It was Natalie.

She walked up to us in an instant and took a deep breath.

“Aren’t you on patrol, Dame Seria?”

“At first, I was, but one of the off-duty knights ha… ha… changed my shift.
So I went all over the place looking for Lady and Mila.”

Her words were occasionally mingled with an exhale she couldn’t keep hidden.

“But haven’t they all said they don’t have time?”

“That’s correct; my comrade who asked to swap places with me was originally planning to attend the festival with his girlfriend.”

“He must have been in a difficult situation at the time.”

“Yes, he said he got dumped after arguing on the way to the festival.”

Oh, my…

I’m not sure who it is, but I feel bad for him.

Because he was dumped on the way to the festival after an argument.

Still, it would be beneficial to Mila and Natalie.

“Can we then go around together?”

“That’s exactly what happened.”

“Wow!”

Mila smiled wider than she had before.

I smiled as I looked at them, but doubts arose.

‘What should I do now? Should I leave now that Dame Seria has returned?’

First and foremost, I came here to accompany Mila to the festival on Natalie’s behalf.

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But now that Natalie has returned…

It was a time when I couldn’t decide whether to leave or remain with them.

I was in an ambiguous position in an instant, while suddenly Mila grabbed my hand with her small hand and pulled it.

“All right, eonni, let’s go.”

“Oh? Oh, okay.”

My worries were dispersed in an instant.

To the point where I feel like a fool who was spaced out.

Mila took Natalie’s hand in her other hand, and we blended in with the crowd.

Food was always in our hands as we moved around.

And when we saw something we wanted to eat, we bought it right away.

Of course, we didn’t just eat, we also watched many things.

The fire show was the most memorable part, but perhaps because the sun was setting, the flame shone even brighter, and we watched it with admiration the entire time.

Hmm.
Thinking about it makes me want to see it again.

I was walking down the street, hoping to see it again, when the back of a man caught my eye.

The familiar black cloak that came down to the ankles, and the silver hair that could be seen under the black hat.

“… Lord Egon?”

“What’s the matter, Lady?”

Natalie, who was walking ahead, looked back at me and asked.

“I think I saw Lord Egon.”

“Are you referring to our Commander?”

“Yeah, over there…”

I pointed to the location where I had seen a man who resembled Caleb earlier.

But there are only busy people passing by, and the man I saw before is nowhere to be found.

Even with such a short time.

“… but he’s no longer there.”

“Perhaps you saw it incorrectly, Lady Oreu.
“The Commander stated that he would arrive the day after tomorrow.”

“Then I guess I saw it wrong.”

That’s right.

Caleb can’t be the only one in the world with silver hair, can he?

So I guess I made an error this time.

“All right, let’s go.”

I hastened the steps that were delayed because of me, and we looked at the rest of the sights.

We were exhausted from our sightseeing, so we decided to sit on a bench and rest for a while.

I was drinking the juice I had purchased nearby when Mila grabbed my hand and said.

“Eonni, eonni.
Over there, there are a lot of people wearing masks!”

As Mila stated, there were people in masks where her finger was pointing.

Why are they dressed in such a manner?

Natalie said as I was looking at it with interest.

“I guess it’s time for the competition to choose Solenia’s Kitara.”

“If it’s Kitara then it’s the winner of the singing contest! Right?”

“That’s correct.
I believe I taught you a long time ago, but you recall.
You’re as smart as I expected, my sister.”

Natalie’s compliment made Mila laugh.

It was as Mila said.

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Solenia, the goddess, was not only a goddess of fertility but also a goddess of art and was popular for appreciating the arts.

As a result, the temple organized a competition for her and named the winner “Kitara,” which means “musical instrument” in ancient words.

They call it Kitara because they believe that singing for the Goddess sounds like the musical instrument that the Goddess enjoys.

“But why are they all wearing masks?”

“They’re hiding their faces for the sake of equity and entertainment.
People can then choose people who sing well solely on that basis.”

Oh, I had no idea it was for that reason.

Even if I had a basic understanding of the world thanks to Elena’s memory, there was still a lot I didn’t know.

Especially, the more Elena was not interested in the things, just like now.

“What is the link between covering their face and selecting a good singer?”

“Hmm… You’ll understand when you’re older.”

Mila cocked her head in response to Natalie’s words.

As if she doesn’t understand why her sister would say such a thing.

She did, however, pull Natalie’s hem because she was more interested in something else.

“I’d like to watch that, Eonni.
Can we see that? I never watched the competition because we always went back before it started.”

“That is true, but…”

Natalie cast a glance my way.

Is she being considerate of me?

“I’d like to watch it as well.
I’ve never seen it before.”

“Never?”

“Yes, I, too, always return before the Kitara competition begins.”

“Ah, I see.
Then let us all go watch it together.”

Mila exclaimed and raised both arms in response to Natalie’s words.

“Yeay!!!”

* * * * *

‘I thought I just needed to wear a mask.’

I awkwardly touched my hair, which was flowing down to my shoulder.

Because my hair was no longer dark purple, but a stunning red that drew everyone’s attention.

When I first heard Natalie’s explanation, I assumed I only needed to wear a mask, but it turned out that I also needed to change the colour of my hair.

Natalie was always patrolling during the festival, so she had no idea because she had never participated.

Anyway, there was a separate entrance to the location where Kitara’s competition was held, and participants had to drink the potion the priest gave us in order to enter.

We must also wait for our hair colour to change before exchanging the empty bottle for a mask.

When I first heard about it, they told me that I wouldn’t have to wear a wig to compete with this potion.

They did, however, state that the potion is not for sale and will never be available unless it is during this time period.

Furthermore, the hair changes at random every time we drink the potion.

So my hair turned red, and Natalie’s hair, who drank the potion with me, turned red as well.

Natalie, like me, couldn’t keep her hands still.

Perhaps she thought her new hair colour was awkward.

“Your hair colour has changed, Eonni-deul!”

“Isn’t it strange?”

“No, no, no! It’s lovely!”

Mila streamed a beaming smile.

Aww, our cutie Mila.

“I wished I had different hair colour like you…”

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Mila, who had been smiling up until now, recited glumly.

Mila, who is still 7 years old, was apparently unable to drink the potion because it was only drinkable to those over the age of 16.

It wasn’t because the potion had any negative side effects.

However, because the child’s hair colour had changed, it was difficult to find the child if he or she went missing.

Children were not allowed to wear masks for the same reason.

To prevent the outbreak of missing children.

“Let’s hang in there a little more, Mila.
I’ll definitely bring you back when you’re sixteen.”

“Okay.”

Mila reluctantly nodded in response to Natalie’s words.

After that, we gave the priest an empty bottle in exchange for a mask.

“Put on the mask and walk right in.
May Solenia’s blessings reach you.”

We immediately put on our masks and went inside after hearing the priest’s words.

And I was amazed at the larger crowd than expected.

“Wow, there are a lot of people here.”

“That’s right, Lady Oreu.
There are a lot of people here.”

“Why don’t we hold hands so we don’t lose track of each other?”

Natalie and Mila agreed to my suggestion, so we held hands tightly and found a secluded spot.

“By the way, Dame Seria, do you know how Kitara is chosen? I was wondering how they could choose the best singer out of all these people.”

“Yes, indeed.
As far as I know, people gather in moderation, and when the time has come, the priests throw scented candles.
Only the person who received the scented candle is eligible to be a Kitara candidate.
Kitara candidates are also known as goddess-chosen people because the priests throw them at random.”

“Then, there will be cases where people who don’t want to receive it, right? What do they do then?”

“Unfortunately, they have to go up.
Since they were chosen by the goddess.”

On the contrary, if you are not chosen, you will be unable to participate.

It is convenient from the temple’s perspective, but it is completely unreasonable from the spectator’s perspective.

“But I heard that no one hates going up so far.
Because Kitara’s benefits are excellent.”

“If there is a benefit, then…”

“I’m not sure about the specifics, but I heard Kitara can receive free treatment from all priests except the great high priest for a year.”

“Is it just Kitara?”

“I heard that even family members and relatives of Kitara also are allowed.
I know that there is a lot of prize money too.”

“That’s a great opportunity.”

I can’t even meet low-ranking priests due to financial constraints, but if I could become Kitara, I could receive treatment from higher-ranking priests.

In awe, a fire broke out in the pillar-shaped braziers on both sides of the podium, and three priests stepped forward.

“From now on, Our Goddess, Solenia, will make the choice!”

People shouted when the priest in the centre spoke loudly.

Argh, my ears hurt.

As I frowned, the other priests threw white things one by one from their baskets.

“The priests are throwing something, Eonni.
What’s that?”

“It’s the scented candle.” If you get that, you’ll be a Kitara candidate.”

Oh, that’s the thing.

I was curious about what the priests threw even if I didn’t ask, so Natalie’s explanation was helpful.

When the priests threw scented candles, everyone tried their hardest to catch them.

People stretched their arms from every direction, and joy and sorrow were mixed together.

People carrying scented candles ascended to the podium where the priests were, while the priests continued to throw scented candles.

I thought the sound of the roar was getting closer, and the priests stretched their arms in the direction we were.

Finally, the scented candle was thrown.