The fortune teller seemed more professional than Shasha. With a deep purple hood pulled low and a solemn expression, she stroked an invisible crystal ball while groaning intensely, creating the impression of conducting a mystical ritual. Yet beneath all that solemnity, there was an unmistakable air of amateurishness.

“By the gods! I cannot foretell your future!”

Just as expected.

Like clockwork, the fortune teller repeated the same line she did every year. Rudis couldn’t help but snicker. During her first year when money was tight, she had felt the urge to report this ridiculous statement as fraud. But now she’d grown accustomed to it. Still, she found it strange that she kept visiting this tent to hear the same words over and over. What exactly was she hoping for?

“Goodbye.”

Rudis offered a brief farewell and shrugged as she left the tent. Looking up, she took in the vibrant festival scene at a glance.

The streets buzzed with activity. Merchants at densely packed stalls enticed customers with their unique wares.

“Premium weapons here!”

“Looking for special farming tools?”

“Fresh fruit for sale! Rare delicacies brought with great effort from distant lands!”

Energy flowed everywhere. People with arms already full of purchases still peered around curiously, hunting for more treasures. Rudis moved from stall to stall with a bright smile.

She was methodical. Determined not to miss anything, she examined each stall carefully and purchased any unfamiliar item without hesitation. Rudis knew better than anyone that today was her treasure hunting day.

After exploring all the stalls, Rudis headed toward a narrow alley. Her next destination was hidden quite discreetly—so much so that even she had only discovered it recently.

“Spare a coin, please.”

A small voice came from the alley entrance. An elderly man in tattered clothes crouched on the ground, head bowed low. Though easy to overlook, Rudis couldn’t simply walk past him.

“Here, 10,000Z.”

“Hmm…”

The old man slightly raised his head to look at Rudis. Noticing the large sum in her hand, he accepted the money with wrinkled fingers and slowly spoke.

“You’re quite kind. But I can’t just take such a large amount for nothing. Take this at least.”

The old man rummaged through his pocket with his deeply wrinkled hands and produced a small object.

‘Suspicious Seed’

Rudis’s eyes sparkled. Ever since accidentally discovering that this old man gave out hidden items, she had sought him out during every festival. Sometimes he handed out useless junk, but the larger the amount given, the higher the chance of receiving a rare item. That’s why she had offered such a substantial sum. This suspicious seed must be… a new item not yet in her guidebook. The thought of filling another slot made Rudis bounce excitedly on her feet.

“Thank you! Take care!”

Rudis energetically bid farewell and left the alley.

“It’s nothing. Whether this brings you misfortune or luck, I cannot say.”

The old man’s cryptic remark went practically unheard. Her mind was filled only with excitement and anticipation.

On her way to the general store and tavern booths, Rudis rolled the seed in her hand while quickening her pace. Though she wanted to plant it immediately, there were still special festival-exclusive items left to buy.

“Thanks to you, Rudis, I was able to prepare. Thank you.”

Xenon smiled as he handed her a sample of wine at the tavern booth.

“It’s nothing. I’ll take one bottle of wine, please.”

Rudis waved her hand dismissively.

‘Oh please. No need to thank me. You paid five times the normal price, so I should be thanking you. Thanks to that, my account is full again. I’ll be sure to plant plenty more grapes in the future.’

Swallowing both her inner thoughts and a gulp of wine, Rudis went on to purchase numerous items from the general store. By the time she came to her senses, night had fallen. The sky was filled with stars, and preparations for the final “Beginning of Spring” event were already underway in the village plaza. The plaza, lavishly decorated with colorful lanterns and ribbons, was filled with masked people from all directions.

“I wonder what couples we’ll see this year. It’s a shame. If only I were ten years younger.”

“Talking nonsense again. I knew you when you were young.”

“What did you say, you old coot?!”

In one corner of the plaza, married couples and elderly folks exchanged jokes and laughter. Music and laughter from all around warmed the night air.

“Now, would all participants please gather.”

The Lord’s representative’s voice filled the plaza. Rudis took a deep breath and headed toward the center.

During her first year, she didn’t even know a mask was required and couldn’t participate. It felt like yesterday when she could only watch with regret, but now she was an experienced participant boasting four consecutive wins. It was a nostalgic feeling.

Soon to be five consecutive wins.

“Ladies, please choose your preferred partner.”

With the representative’s call, participants began to move at once. Even couples refrained from sharing mask identities to truly enjoy the festival—an unspoken rule. The plaza bustled with people seeking partners.

‘There he is.’

But Rudis was different. Scanning her surroundings with the experienced eyes of a hawk, she extended her hand without hesitation upon spotting the cat mask.

‘This will secure my victory again this year.’

When the cat-masked person took her hand, a smile spread across Rudis’s face.

‘Sorry, Sandra. I’m borrowing your future husband for a moment. I built him a house, so this much should be fine.’

After silently apologizing to Sandra, her thoughts grew complicated.

‘Who will I dance with next year after Ralph gets married?’

Until now, Ralph had been a guaranteed ticket to victory… Next year’s festival already seemed daunting.

The music had begun. Rudis held her cat-masked partner’s hand and naturally matched his steps. The plaza glowed with brilliant lights, and festival excitement ran high. Participants shared laughter and passion while dancing with their partners. The recently recovered “Sparkler,” which had been mysteriously abducted, emitted dazzling light from the center, captivating everyone’s attention. Rudis was among those mesmerized.

The dance was simple. No form, no rules. She just needed to follow her partner’s lead. This simplicity was precisely why choosing the right male partner was crucial.

‘And to think I practiced dancing for days without knowing this…’

Memories of her first participation surfaced. Back then, ignorant of everything, she had locked herself in her cabin, stomping her feet and swinging her body. Recalling how she had practiced intensely, determined to win, made Rudis’s face flush with embarrassment. It was a tremendous relief that no one had seen her.

But something felt off.

‘Has this guy been working out because he’s getting married?’

The sensation from her partner’s body felt different from before. It was firm and solid. Ralph had always been slender, but now he seemed taller too. The touch of hands and waist during the dance was more firmly pressed than usual, and his lead was smoother and more precise than before.

‘Plus… we don’t usually dance this intimately, but now it’s almost sensual.’

As they danced, they drew closer and closer until virtually no space remained between them. Rudis felt her heart racing and her head spinning in that peculiar atmosphere.

‘I must be going crazy.’

Something had felt different since that incident in the cave. Strangely, that mysterious event with Xenon kept coming to mind. No, this wasn’t right. Worried about developing inappropriate feelings for someone else’s man, Rudis quickly tried to pull away.

But the cat-masked man pulled her even closer instead.

“Huh?”

Caught off balance by the sudden movement, Rudis fell right into the man’s arms. At that moment, a familiar scent brushed her nose.

Wait, this is…?

The wafting fragrance made Rudis flinch momentarily. It was too familiar to mistake—after all, she had spent four months making it with eighteen different ingredients.

The only person who used this perfume was,

“Xenon?!”