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The Amuhkam Harvest Festival.

This was a festival where the year’s harvest was dedicated to Yerna, the Earth Goddess, in gratitude and to pray for a bountiful and safe harvest the following year.

The Harvest Festival was a major event in the village, held annually for a week during the fifth Red Moon. Given that this would be my first time experiencing it, I was looking forward to it with great excitement.

The main stage for the festival would be the large clearing south of Station One. This clearing and the Amukham House were connected by a straight road—essentially the main street of Amukham.

During the festival, this several-hundred-meter-long street was decorated, lined with food stalls, and filled with parades going back and forth. On the final day, a huge straw doll was set ablaze in the clearing, marking the end of the festival.

Originally, the festival had been held only on the last day, but over time, the week-long preparation period became part of the celebration.

Throughout the week, traveling entertainers and musicians gathered in the village to perform in the clearing and parade along the main street. Villagers joined in, donning masks and costumes, dancing through the streets. It was like a combination of Halloween, the Awa Dance Festival, and Yosakoi all in one.

The Harvest Festival drew not only the villagers of Amukham but also people from nearby villages and even Cope Town. In short, it was a major celebration in the territory formerly known as Amukham Margrave. That was also why the crowds during this time were massive.

I had been told that the Cloud family would serve as the main hosts during this time, and our entire family would spend most of the week together at Amukham House. I had no idea there was a room in that castle reserved for the Cloud family!

Papa Howard looked dashing and refined in his formal tuxedo—something he normally never wore. He truly looked like a nobleman, truly dignified and handsome.
Mama Sonia wore her hair up beautifully and changed into elegant dresses daily as she welcomed guests. Her appearance and grace were that of a noblewoman. She was absolutely lovely—almost too lovely!

Last month, I had officially become their adopted daughter, and I was invited alongside Papa Howard and Mama Sonia. The dress I wore for the evening party was pure white and showed off my shoulders. The tiered skirt was flared with layers of ruffles, making me look like a princess. My hair was styled up, and a small tiara adorned my head. I nearly died of embarrassment when Mama Sonia exclaimed, “My princess is complete!” The maid from the Amukham House and Miss Elrose, who’d all helped me get dressed, were all smiles and nodding in agreement.

Papa Howard and Mama Sonia instructed me to only introduce myself and then smile when welcoming people to the evening party. I was honestly so nervous, having been sandwiched between two nobles. I was just a commoner! I wasn’t cut out for this kind of thing!

But it was comforting to have Bibi always close by, quietly supporting me.

“It’s about time you learned how to act as the Cloud family’s daughter!”

She would tell me. I couldn’t figure out what she was trying to say. She spoke to me as if I were some refined young lady. I was only dressed up like this because of the festival, wasn’t I? Bibi was clearly saying some strange things. When I told her that, she shrugged and sighed with an exasperated look.

(What is all this about?! I don’t get it!)

Still, I snuck away during the daily parades and spent a delightful week with everyone—eating from the food stalls, watching the parades, and even joining in occasionally.

The final day of the Harvest Festival arrived, culminating in the burning of the giant straw figure. There was an old saying that if you held hands with someone while watching the bonfire, your bond would last forever. It was a custom in the village to invite someone special to watch the bonfire together.

Mia came to pick me up that day, and we headed to the clearing together.

When Mia arrived, Mama Sonia and Miss Elrose gave us subtle looks, but Papa Howard seemed happy and relieved to send us off.

(What was going on…? Something about this feels a little strange.)

When we arrived at the clearing, Corin and Dana were already there, and Helena and Mary soon joined us.

“Huh? Where is Bibi? Isn’t she coming? Should we go get her?”

I asked Mia after noticing that Bibi wasn’t here.

“Bibi was… well, kidnapped.”

She said something I didn’t understand.

(What does that mean? Is she coming together with someone?)

Until the bonfire started, we wandered around the clearing, buying and eating all sorts of things from the food stalls. Seeing the bustling market—a rare sight in a village—was naturally thrilling. We bought more than we should have: skewered roasted meat, baked sweets, and fruits with honey, but there was no way we could hold back.

Eventually, it was time. The human-shaped straw figure was lit. The 15-meter-high human-shaped tower stuffed with straw was set ablaze. This fire was meant as an offering of thanks to the Earth Goddess for the year’s harvest and catch…

“Beautiful, isn’t it, Su?”
“It is.”
“Let’s stay together, forever, Su.”

Holding hands with Mia, Dana, and the others, we all gazed up at the bonfire.

“It would’ve been great if Bibi was here too.”

The words slipped from my lips, and Dana turned to me…

“I think Bibi is over there…”

She looked toward an old tree that stood on a small hill southwest of the clearing. From there, you could get a great view of the bonfire.

I knew of the old tree. It was a massive tree, similar to a zelkova, said to be a thousand years old. You could see it from nearly anywhere in the village, making it a good landmark.

So, we all decided to go up the hill where the tree stood to see for ourselves.

“Legend has it that on the night of the Harvest Festival, if two people in love kiss beneath the old tree while the bonfire burns… they’ll be happy forever.”

Corin shared as we climbed the hill.

(What? Well, that’s one romantic legend. Who’d go to a legendary tree
to share their feelings? It’s like going there and saying, please love me!)

“It’s so sad that Will had to go back, isn’t it?”

Dana nudged Corin teasingly with a grin.

“Stop it! B-But who knows… He did say we’ll come see it together next year.”

Corin stammered back, cheeks flushed, her gaze dropping toward the ground.

(Ooooh?! She’s so cute. I just want to cuddle my face up in her chest. But let’s not do that. I’ll probably be met with a counterattack if I do it now.)

When we finally reached the top, Dana raised her index finger and whispered, “Shhh!”

We moved quietly toward the old tree… and sure enough, two figures stood beneath it!

The hilltop had a small park, about 20 meters in diameter, centered around the ancient tree. The area around the tree was thick with tall shrubs and other plants, and we hid ourselves there to listen. From this angle, to the right of us, the tall shrubs had grown sparse, and we could clearly see the bonfire’s glow. Whereas the old tree stood just to the left of us. Two people were in front of it.

I couldn’t see their faces, but I recognized the back of the boy, Irvine. A smaller figure was slightly hidden in front of him, her face faintly lit by the firelight. It was Bibi.

I heard a gulp beside me—it was Helena, clutching my right sleeve tightly. Mary, standing next to her, kept muttering, “Adults? Adults? Adults?”

Irvine said something, and Bibi looked up at him sharply. It was dark, but I could see the blush on her cheeks in the flickering light.

“Su, Su. Su! Su!!!”

Mia shook my shoulders. Her chest bounced with the motion and bumped against my back!

I noticed how close Irvine and Bibi’s faces had gotten. Bibi tilted her face upward, eyes closed.

Dana and Corin leaned as far forward as they could! We all held our breath and watched.

(Please just don’t fall!)

Just as the space between the two of them was about to disappear…

From the thicket on the opposing side, multiple figures suddenly tumbled out!

It was Alan, Belknap, and Lombard! Seeing them, both Bibi and Irvine froze in shock.

(What a bunch of fools!!!)

We had been watching them so quietly and sweetly, and here they came in and ruined everything! Everyone on our side immediately became tense once the three boys appeared.

Alan, completely oblivious to the mood, scratched his head and struck a goofy “Tehepero!” pose right at the two of them. A painfully awkward and inappropriate action!

(This is bad… I can’t let this continue! I should do something ASAP to de-escalate the situation here!)

I immediately leapt from the bushes and moved with lightning speed to the three boys. Without pause, I scooped up Lombard—the biggest one—and hoisted Alan and Belknap under each arm, racing back to our spot in a flash. Then, Mia and Dana also came rushing out from the thicket, and I flung Belknap and Lombard behind them! Only Alan, while being carried, had the nerve to say something like, “What’s this blissful feeling I have on my cheek?!”—so I threw him even farther in the distance!

After the job was done, I dusted off my hands proudly. As I turned back, I saw Bibi and Irvine, frozen and wide-eyed, staring at me.

(Oh no… Did I mess up?)

A bead of sweat slid down my cheek. I slowly turned my neck, locking my gaze with the two of them. Their faces were completely flushed, and their mouths were wide open.

I felt my face heat up with embarrassment. My mouth twitched, too.

(Screw this!)

I thought to myself and raised my thumb at them.

“Good luck!”

With that, I quickly grabbed Mia and Dana by the nape of their necks and pulled us out of there!

“ “Don’t good luck us!!!” ”

Both Irvine’s and Bibi’s shouts echoed through the night sky, slowly fading away.

My very first Harvest Festival, with the bonfire’s flames brightly burning into the autumn sky, would certainly be a night to remember.