Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

After finishing my regular checkup at the Black Dragon Lantern Clinic, I returned home with Alfe, Hom, and Estea after having an early lunch together in the Dragon Temple Market. But when we arrived, something about the house felt… different.

The source of that unease quickly became clear—Mother’s warm smile, which always greeted us first, was nowhere to be seen. I didn’t recall hearing that she was going out. Had something happened?

“…Where’s Mother?”
“She’s been having a bit of a cough. So I told her to rest for now. We’ll need her appetite tonight—she has to enjoy Mrs. Clifford’s grand feast, after all.”

Father said it cheerfully, but judging from his words, her condition probably wasn’t all that good. Knowing Father, he must have taken time off precisely because Mother had a tendency to overexert herself.

“She might just be tired,” Estea suggested softly. “If it’s all right, may I share a taste of my homeland’s cooking as a gesture of thanks? I heard there’s a Canado district here in the city.”

She must have learned about it from Alfe and Hom while waiting for me—the western side of town was known for its “Canado Street,” a lively commercial area. Around this time of year, it would be filled with food stalls and festive crowds preparing for the New Year.

“Oh, I’ve heard of Canado New Year dishes! I’d love to try them! They’re supposed to bring really good luck, right?” Alfe said, her eyes brightening.

She’d likely heard about it from Mrs. Clifford or Master Tao Ran. Estea nodded and smiled.

“Yes. The dish is called ozoni. It’s made by simmering the ingredients over the first fire lit in the New Year, and it’s said to bring prosperity and happiness for the year ahead. The recipe varies by region, but in mine, we use chicken broth, round rice cakes, and a touch of yuzu for aroma. It’s simple and gentle on the palate.”
“Rice cakes are nutritious, too,” Father said with an approving nod. “Natal would probably enjoy that.”

Estea’s expression softened with relief at his agreement.

“Then it’s settled,” I said. “Let’s go shopping in the Canado district.”
“Right now?” Father asked, startled. He looked from me to Hom, as if gauging whether we were serious.
“Yes, Father,” I replied firmly. “It’s important that the ingredients are cooked over the first fire of the New Year. If we’re going to pray for Mother’s health, we should do it properly.”

Beside me, Hom nodded deeply in agreement.

“But it’ll be terribly crowded out there—”
“I shall protect Master. And besides, it’s a rare chance to show Master Tao Ran that I’m doing well,” Hom said, her tone unusually resolute.

It wasn’t just Father—her words caught me by surprise as well. Hom rarely voiced her own wishes so clearly. She must have remembered her teacher the moment the Canado district was mentioned.

Even if she hadn’t, the lessons she’d received from Master Tao Ran had guided her through many of the toughest moments during the Zersteler—Canalford Cup. For Hom, he wasn’t just an instructor—he was a true mentor, someone she deeply respected. There was no reason to pass up the chance for them to meet again.

“Well then, as they say—make haste while the day is young. We’ll buy round rice cakes, kelp for the broth, chicken, soy sauce, and yuzu. And of course, we’ll visit Hom’s teacher. I would love to meet him as well,” Estea said, summing up the plans for the day.
“Good, good. Then leave the party preparations to me and Mrs. Clifford. Just be sure to make it back in time for dinner.”
“Of course, Father,” I replied.

It was just past noon. The streets would indeed be crowded, but we still had plenty of time to visit Master Tao Ran and make our purchases before evening. With Estea’s explanations, I’d probably gain a better understanding of the Canado cuisine too.

Yes—this might be a good opportunity to learn more about her homeland while we were at it.

***

I had expected the kind of crowd you’d see during the May holidays—but the year-end bustle of Canado Street far exceeded my imagination.

“Step right up, step right up! Best deals of the day, don’t miss out!”
“Come and see, come and see! No New Year’s feast is complete without this! Start soaking it today and it’ll be ready by tomorrow!”

Vendors’ lively voices echoed nonstop from the stalls and booths lined tightly on both sides of the main street. With each shouted pitch, the crowd surged and shifted, forcing me to weave my way through the human tide, carried right and left with every wave of movement.

At this level of congestion, I began to worry whether we’d even find what we came for—but Estea, somehow unfazed, kept slipping into shops and returning with exactly what we needed. Clearly, she had things well under control.

“Lady Estea is amazing,” Hom murmured, eyes following her intently. “I suppose a keen eye for observation can be useful even for shopping…”
“That could be part of it. But I’ve heard there are a lot of open markets like this in her homeland—she’s probably just used to them.”
“Yeah, that makes sense. Oh—”

Alfe suddenly stopped mid-step and looked up, puzzled, at the sky above.

“What is it, Al—”

Before I could finish, I bumped into someone coming from the opposite direction. Off balance, I fell backward with a startled gasp.

“Master!”
“Are you all right?”

Before Hom’s worried cry even reached me, a cool, slender hand extended toward me.

“Ah—”

If I had to describe her outfit, I suppose “Canado-style” would be the right word. The woman who had offered me her hand wore a strange garment with sleeves that hung down in long, flowing folds—and her long hair was a pale light blue.

“Thank you.”

I took her hand and hurriedly stood up. Strangely enough, though the market had been so crowded a moment ago, a small pocket of open space had formed around us.

“You’ll get hurt if you don’t watch where you’re going.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”

As I replied, my eyes briefly turned to the woman standing beside her—a blonde dressed in a military uniform. Judging by her attire, she must have been a soldier, like Father.

It was an unusual pairing—a foreign woman in exotic clothing and a soldier—but given that we were on Canado Street, it wasn’t too strange to think they might be here, like Estea, in search of the flavors of home.

“It gets crowded around this time of year. Be careful not to get lost.”
“I will.”

Honestly… I suppose it can’t be helped, dressed like this—but it seems I’ve been mistaken for a little kid again.

“Well then, take care.”

With that, the woman in the curious outfit and the soldier took their leave. The moment they disappeared into the crowd, the flow of people surged back, but thanks to Hom pulling me by the hand, I managed to rejoin the others.

“I’m so sorry, Master.”
“No, it’s fine. More importantly—”

When I looked toward Alfe, she was still gazing into the air. Her eyes were fixed in the direction the two women had gone.

“Do you see something, Alfe?”
“That aether… it’s huge. And shaped like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”

Rather than mentioning its color, she spoke of its shape, blinking in quiet wonder. If only I could see what her shining Pure Eye was seeing. As I followed the two women with my gaze, I caught their voices near a liquor shop where they had stopped.

“Rasetsuki, we already bought some sake earlier.”
“Oh, come on—it’s New Year’s. A little more won’t hurt, right?”

There were only two of them, and yet they were clearly speaking as though to a third person.

“That aether… it feels alive somehow,” Alfe murmured.

Was it really aether that Alfe’s Pure Eye was seeing? I couldn’t shake the feeling that those women were perceiving something beyond what we understood.