Not the Hero, Not the Villain — Just the One Who Wins-Chapter 73: The Fest Ends

We had to part ways.

Selene gave me one last smile before disappearing into the dispersing crowd, the soft glow of festival lanterns dancing in her silver hair. I turned around. There was still something left to do—one last duty before the night ended.

I had a stall to manage.

As I made my way through the buzzing lanes, something tugged at the back of my mind. ’Wait... I think I’m forgetting something.’ A beat passed. ’Yeah, and I’m having a bad feeling too.’

I started walking faster. Then I saw it—a massive crowd gathered in the distance. My chest tightened. ’That’s where my stall is.’

Panic gripped me. ’Did something happen? Is there a fight? Speaking of fights...’

A thought struck like lightning.

’Seraphina... oh no. Fuck. I forgot we had a date.’

My heart sank as I checked the time. The festival was almost over—barely ten minutes left.

’This crowd... is this because of her rage?’

But as I got closer, the truth was much more surprising.

It wasn’t a mob gathered around a conflict.

It was a celebration.

The crowd was there to eat.

Couples laughed over shared plates. Children tugged at their parents for another helping of glowing cottonbread. Groups of friends crowded the tables, praising the spices, the aroma, the magic of it all. The scent of seared meat and enchanted herbs filled the air, warm and welcoming. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Right in the middle of it, Seraphina stood behind the counter, calm and confident, her hands moving with graceful precision as she managed orders. Eren weaved through the tables, delivering dishes with practiced agility. Inside the stall, Noora and Julie coordinated the kitchen like veterans.

Everything was going perfectly.

And I hadn’t been there.

I walked up to the front, straight to the order counter. Seraphina noticed me the moment I approached.

I greeted her with a smile. "I see you guys managed well."

She smiled back, but there was a glint in her eyes. "We hold promises. Ones not like someone."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Sorry. I know I wasn’t able to... but you know how busy I am."

"I don’t know," she replied, her tone deceptively light. "You broke your promise. Now there will be consequences. So better be ready."

I raised a brow. "But before that—"

"Don’t worry," she cut me off. "When the time comes, you’ll know. But for now, focus. We’re almost out of everything, and the festival is about to end."

I let out a sigh and turned to work. Plates needed garnishing, orders needed calling, the line wasn’t getting any shorter.

’First I get forced into a date, then punished for forgetting the date I never wanted. This is a crime,’ I thought bitterly, but couldn’t help the small grin tugging at the corner of my mouth.

We worked in a blur—calling out orders, handing off trays, rushing refills from the kitchen. For a moment, I forgot about quests, systems, skills, expectations. I was just part of a team, part of something alive.

And then, the festival bell rang. A soft chime echoed across the academy grounds.

The fest was over.

Our final dish was served, the crowd slowly began to drift away, and a peace settled over the once-chaotic square.

I leaned against the counter, wiping my hands on a towel as Seraphina joined me. Eren flopped onto a nearby chair, groaning. Noora and Julie emerged from the kitchen, faces tired but satisfied.

[System: Festival Stall Report Complete] Total Earnings: 5000 Gold Coins

Academy Share (30%): 1500 Gold

Remaining Earnings: 3500 Gold

From the remaining share, I pulled out 200 gold coins—neatly divided into small pouches.

I approached the other support staff—those who had worked behind the scenes, cleaning, prepping, setting tables, and making sure everything ran like a machine. None of them asked for anything. A few even looked scared I was going to deduct something.

I handed the pouches out personally.

"You all did great," I said simply.

Eren tried to help, but when I offered him a share, he held up both hands. "No way. You know I didn’t do this for the money."

Noora just shook her head with a tired smile. "Keep it. Feed the next generation with it or something."

Julie refused quietly, almost embarrassed.

Seraphina? She crossed her arms. "Don’t even try."

Sasha waved me off before I could even approach.

That left just the unnamed support staff. They accepted the gold hesitantly, like I was playing some trick. One even looked at Seraphina for permission before taking it. She rolled her eyes.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

We cleaned up slowly—folding the tents, extinguishing magical lanterns, and locking the enchanted storage crates. The stars above were beginning to dim as the Academy’s night wards came alive.

Everyone else began heading to their dorms, but I lingered behind.

Standing beside the now-empty stall, I looked at the space where families had smiled, children had giggled, and friends had toasted. The place where laughter outweighed expectation—for once.

For a fleeting second, I wondered if this was what happiness felt like.

Real. Simple. Earned.

I closed my eyes, breathing in the last traces of spice and starlight.

That was when Yumi and Masha appeared, waving from a distance as they approached with bright eyes and glowing charms in hand.

"Ashen! That was amazing!" Yumi said, her grin infectious. "Even Professor Garnet was impressed—he said your cooking could rival royal banquet halls."

"Too bad someone forgot to invite us earlier," Masha added, half-teasing, half-exhausted as she slumped against the counter.

Sasha smirked. "But definitely the only one who forgot a date."

"Don’t remind me," I groaned.

They laughed, and in that moment, the tiredness melted away. There was no pressure of tomorrow, no looming battle or quest or responsibility. Just friends. The people who’d stood by me, despite everything.

We sat on the benches outside the stall, sharing leftover sweets and drinks. Stories were exchanged. Embarrassing moments. Festival memories. Layla confessed she’d lost three matches in a row at the spell-dart booth. Yumi got second place in the pet mimic race. Masha ate a spicy dumpling and cried for ten minutes. Even Seraphina smiled more than usual.

And for once, I didn’t feel like I was leading something.

I just belonged.

[System: Festival Arc – Completed Successfully]

[Reputation +12 | Morale +10 | Charisma +2 |Skill Potential Progressed]

Tomorrow would bring chaos again.

But tonight... we were just people.

And that was enough.