Chapter 103

Chapter 103: The Festival Approaches

As the Dewdrop Festival drew near, Hopeland saw an increase in visitors.

Many came to participate in the festival, and with Vergha being relatively stable and prosperous, quite a few wealthy families from the West Wind also came here to take refuge.

The streets and alleys of Hopeland began to be adorned with colorful small flags. Many dance troupes from other regions were also invited to Hopeland. On the makeshift stages, various dances with distinct flavors were performed, and the entire city gradually entered a festive and joyful atmosphere.

Dancers wearing sheer veils had their dark skin glistening, with small bells on their wrists and ankles. They danced to the lively drumbeats, throwing five golden hoops resembling hula hoops into the air one after another, then catching them as they fell.

A black-haired dancer, dressed in a revealing short skirt and a bandeau, was extremely flexible. She effortlessly lifted one leg, forming a一字型with her other, and caught a hoop. The hoop then spun down her calf by the skillful use of force, before flying back up again.

Then, she supported herself with one hand on the ground, and her two legs traced a graceful arc in the air. Her body flipped over, and her wrist caught another hoop. As she danced to the music, her dark eyes sparkled with vitality.

Next to the wooden high platform, six copper basins were set up, with flames burning inside, illuminating the stage brightly.

“Good~”

“Good!”

“Again~”

Hundreds of spectators below the stage cheered for the young lady’s superb dancing skills. Many wealthy people even threw money onto the stage.

This was a major street in central Hopeland. Recently, the guilds had set up several stages in the streets and alleys, inviting various artists to perform and enliven the festive atmosphere.

At the same time, the large consumption by tourists greatly boosted the local economy. Some shops might have earned more this month than they did in the previous year.

So, it wasn’t surprising that the guilds placed such importance on the Dewdrop Festival.

Lolan Hill and Lanlier stood below the stage, watching the performance. Lanlier still held several small trinkets she had just bought.

“How is it? Lingxin is impressive, isn’t she?”

“Yes, very bold.”

Lolan Hill watched the young lady on stage. Her tight purple dancing dress swirled wildly with her movements, her flexible figure and passionate dance exuding a sunny beauty, like the sun itself.

“Lingxin and I are good friends. We are both third-year students and in the same college. I didn’t expect her to be so busy during the break, performing with the troupe here,” Lanlier introduced her friend.

“Are there different colleges within Emanas?”

“Yes, Lingxin and I are both part of the High Tower division, officially known as the Academy of the Tower Overlooking All Things. We mainly teach the Magic Sequence and the Dragon Sequence.”

Laner explained.

“If you come to Emanas, Lacy, all first-year students will be taught together in the central school building, while second-year students will be divided into different divisions.”

“Stop tempting me,” Lolan Hill looked at Laner next to her, displeased. Recently, she had discovered that this blonde girl had been taking bribes. After a stern warning, Laner had started enticing her to go to Emanas again.

“Come on, come on, Lacy. Emanas is so much fun, and there are lots of delicious foods too. You can find delicacies from all over the place there.”

“Alright, I get it. Stop shaking me. Look, the performance is almost over. Do you want to go say hello to your friends?”

Lolan Hill pointed at the purple-dressed girl bowing on stage, delivering her closing remarks.

—

On the other side of Hope Lane.

Due to many residents from the West Wind fleeing to the area recently, recruiting workers for various workshops became easier. The Nisos family only partially fulfilled their previous promise, and the sick employees still hadn’t received compensation.

Grete called another assembly to strike and protest, but after days of effort, the results were minimal.

The gates of the Chamber of Commerce were tightly shut, and the guards inside seemed unperturbed, coldly watching the protesting workers.

After some time, some of them began to waver.

“How about we just end it here, Grete? The Nisos family has already made concessions by improving our benefits.”

“Yes, Grete. With many people from the West Wind coming to Hope Lane, it’s not hard for them to find new hires. If we continue like this, we might all lose our jobs.”

Some workers began to sway Grete, rationalizing that although the sick employees were pitiful, the situation hadn’t affected them directly. They started to worry about their own future.

Looking at his companions, Grete saw their hearts had changed. He couldn’t change their minds.

“Alright, let’s call it off today.” He sighed deeply, giving in.

Others present also breathed a sigh of relief and dispersed. Some went to watch the performances, while others went home to rest, no longer concerned with the matter.

As Grete watched everyone leave, the once crowded gates of the Chamber of Commerce quickly emptied, leaving him alone with Bard.

Bard, seeing Grete standing motionless, knew he was troubled and patted his back comfortingly.

“Grete, let’s go.”

“Mm.”

Grete remained silent, turning to leave with Bard. The autumn wind swept through the night streets, bringing a chill.

De Xiang wanted to say something to comfort his friend, but he was not good with words and did not know what to say. He opened his mouth, but finally closed it again, choosing to stay silent and accompany his friend back.

“Shall we go get something to eat?” Ba De thought of dinner only now, after standing all day and feeling hungry. He suggested this to his friend beside him.

“Mm.”

The two turned towards their usual cheap little restaurant.

A few days later, the Nisos Winery started operations again. With the assistance of the Tisiphone family, they had recently secured some new orders. The workshop was bustling with activity.

“What? The Chamber representatives said they would increase wages, but why are they even lower than before!”

On payday, some of the workers complained loudly.

“What’s there to complain about? Don’t you know the current situation? Look at those newcomers. They work harder than you but earn less. If you don’t want to, there are plenty who will.”

The Chamber manager distributing wages stood on the high platform explaining, with several armored guards standing beside him.

Some of the workers below were still unsatisfied. At this moment, a few of the previous protest leaders stepped forward to mediate.

“Calm down everyone. The West Wind is at war; the Chamber is also struggling. We’re all having a hard time. Just hang in there for a while longer.”

The workers who had planned to cause trouble looked at these leaders now supporting the Chamber and felt deflated. Moreover, it was true that hiring people was easy now, so they didn’t dare to act as recklessly as before. They could only grumble a bit and then walk away.

Grete watched this strange scene and became furious, ready to question these companions who had previously gone on strike with him.

A thick hand rested on his shoulder, and a weathered face shook its head at him before forcibly pulling him away.

“Grete, I know you mean well.”

“But some people aren’t as noble as you. If you continue to stir things up, it will be too dangerous,” the elderly man from the winery advised.

“How can they dare…”

Who would have thought that comrades who had recently fought against Chamber oppression would be bought off so quickly?

Grete clenched his fists, suppressing his anger.

“I want to ask, just how much money did the Nisos Chamber bribe them with?”

Please recommend~

Previously, the protagonist sang a few songs:

One was the ending theme “Wings” from RWBY, with some lyrics modified.

Another was clearly “The Bird’s Prayer.”

The opera performed was Sound Horizon’s “The Genealogy of the Thunder God.”

End of Chapter