Recettear: The Start of Everything

by PaulXion

An old story I found. Everything was alright at Recettear. Sales were fine and all the debt Recette owed was paid in full. But all is not well when she is targeted by an assassin with a blood debt by her father. Recette will need the strength of her friends to make it through as the threat of a civil war loomed in a neighboring country.

2. The Harvest Festival

Chapter 2: The Harvest Festival

(Pensee)

The chapel bell rang, music was in the air, singing and laughing was the theme of the day and the smell of pastries and barbeque filled the atmosphere, drowning all other stench from the plaza.

The Harvest Festival has begun…

From the city's plaza to the hilltop, parties and celebrations were being held aplenty. Everywhere you see, everywhere you went, the same scene played itself over and over again. Bards and street performers scattered along the streets, children of every age gleamed with wonder and mystery and merchants of various origins sold their items like it was the next Venice.

Even the Adventurers who often delve into battle participated in such games.

In one corner, you could see Arma, the supposed golem and dungeon master of Pensee, performing fire arts, entertaining the children with her pyrotechnics. In another corner, Nagi, the foreign warrior, displayed her homeland's fan dance with a geisha mask included. A splendid display of culture and wonder filled the atmosphere, emptying all vile thoughts from the public.

But in one particular store, a certain girl overslept in her bed, unable to join the fun.

(Recettear)

"TEAAAAAARRRR!"

"Bha? I'm not asleep." The gray fairy vaulted her head up from her record book, a drool dropping from her mouth. "Huh?"

"TEARRRRR!" A blinding wind flashed through the shop. "It's morning! The time when the sun goes up and the people go wakey-wakey! The festival's already starting!"

"Huh? Ah. Oh… yeah."

"Don't just float there like a light-bulb! Help me! Uwa! Where are my hairpins? My money pouch! My lucky charm! Oh and my adula abinglada!"

"Would you calm down?" Tear calmed her friend down, letting out a tired yawn on her own. "And what's a abula agla… never mind. The morning celebration hasn't even begun. This is simply the opening act."

"But the free food!"

"The food will be plenty even when we arrive there. I highly doubt they will disappear just because you're not present. Besides, we have orders to fill out. We have 12 orders of foodstuff and 6 books, 8 clothes and several ingredients for the Committee of Science."

"Oh butter carp… can't we just do that after the festival?" Ricette whined.

"Now now. The faster you finish this the faster you can go and enjoy the pleasantries of the festival."

The girl arms slouched in defeat knowing well that there was just no way was she ever going to beat Tear when it came to logic. "Fine." Raising herself, the girl opened the store and randomly placed all the items by the display counter and returned to her seat and wait for the customers to fly in. Metaphorically speaking of course.

And without warning, the first customer came in. To Ricette's surprise, it was her close friend Tielle who entered.

"Welcome to Ric-Oh Tielle! Welcome!"

"Good morning Ricette." The elven archer greeted back cheerfully. "It's good to see you again."

"Same here. Are you joining the festival?"

The elf nodded. "Yeah! It's way awesome! The bakery by the plaza is having a baking contest with all of its bakers. There were games, shows and even free food. Can you believe that?"

"Uuuuuu! That sounds like a lot of fun… and a lot of food! I wanna join too."

"Eh? Can't you go?"

Ricette shook her head in reply. "No. I still have some things to do at the shop. But I'll definitely come. That's a promise."

(Plaza)

"Haa…" Louie, the swordsman from the frozen north let out a breath as he hammered the last nail into place. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he looked up to see his days of hard work finally come to fruition. All the plaques and signs were in place and ready to be seen by the crowd who were already crowding up the streets. The sounds of music were beginning to play and the booths were ready to make their grand sale. It almost felt like he was in a different country already. "There… that should do it. Old man, I'm done."

"Oh, nice work there, boy." An elderly citizen of the city praised the boy's work. Obviously he was the boy's current employer. "These signs will do nicely. I'll get my son in law to get them set up immediately."

"I'm just glad to be of help." The boy replied scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. "If there's anything you need doing, just give me a call. I'll be more than happy to lend a hand for a good price."

"Spoken like a true adventurer." The old man laughed. "But don't forget to live a little. Though this may sound contradicting, life is not always about work. It's about enjoying the things around you."

"But if I enjoy working then does that mean I'm still working?" Louie countered only for the elderly man to pause and think.

"Well… if you put it that way… then… I suppose it doesn't. Aha! How refreshing. To be beaten in a battle of words with a child. It almost makes me want to live longer just to see what future this world holds."

"Ahehehe… you praise me too much."

Smiling and grinning, the elderly quickly pulled out a pouch from his pocket and tossing it over to the swordsman. "Here boy. Your pay. That should be all I need for today. And a little extra for all your hard work."

"Thank you, Mister. I appreciate it." The boy graciously accepted his payment and tucked it into his pocket. "This should get me closer to my goal."

"Oh and if I may ask. What are you saving up for?" The old man inquired. "With all the work you've been doing, I'm guessing you're planning to buy something special."

"Well, I suppose you could call it that." The boy answered vaguely. "Anyway, I still got some things to do. I'll see you around Mister." And with the speed of a bullet, the boy ran off to his next assignment.

The old man couldn't help but watch as one of the proud youth of the world sped off. "Such a hardworking kid. A few more of him and this world may just be a brighter place for all of us."

(Gustav's residence) (Main hall)

Alouette pouted quietly to herself as she gazed at the city plaza just on the other side of the bridge over by the window. The noise from that place could be heard even from where she was standing and it dabbed in her curiosity.

With all the decorations, the colors, the sights and sound, it made her feel like the circus itself had come to town for a one night stand. The wonders, the sights and the music were poking at her interest and it felt like she was missing out on something very important. She wanted to do more than just look at it from afar, she wanted to get a closer look. She wanted to hear the music they played, the food that the commoners eat, the sights unlike anything she has ever seen through her window.

Looking through that transparent glass, she felt like she was barred out from the rest of the world. And looking at the inside, she could see the servants scramble around prepping for the guests that were to arrive.

Tables draped in white sheets littered the main hallway with drinks and snacks that only the rich and wealthy could even see. Shrimp cocktails, foie gras dipped in red sauce, cooked oysters and lobsters. Everything was lined up so elegantly that even royalties from the capital would dine here. And right at the center of it all, was her mother, Lady Maree Gustav.

The lady was coordinating everyone with such precision and grace it was easy to tell that she was in command. Her words were sharp and precise, leaving little room for error. Her chocolate colored hair and finely made dress differentiated her from the rest of the rabble that surrounded her.

Alouette wanted to help but she hardly thinks that she could be of any use there. She would mostly just get in the way of things. Turning her attention back to the window, she couldn't help but sigh out loud.

"Mistress, can you stop sighing? You're making me depress." Prime stated giving a sigh herself.

But the lady ignored her whines and continued gazing outside. "Hey Prime. What do you think they're doing there?"

"Huh? What's that suppose to mean?"

"I mean. What do commoners do in such a festival? What do they… do?"

The tanned skin fairy gazed back at her lady in confusion. "Well… I guess they sing and dance like they normally do. There's food, music and games."

"What kind of games?" The blonde one asked.

"Well… all kinds of games. There's apple eating, air-soft gun range, a strong man challenge where you have to lift this heavy hammer and strike it real hard on the ground! Oh! And there's Pin the Roper where you have to pin one of the Roper's tentacle on the right body and if you get it wrong, you get electrocuted. Uwehehehe… I remember how fun that used to be. I used to poke the other fairies with it instead."

"It sounds like your version of fun is different from what ordinary people enjoy." Alouette gave out another sigh. "Still… I wonder…"

Prime was starting to get annoyed by Alouette's troublesome personality. It was plainly obvious to the naked eye that the girl was dying to see what was on the other side of the window but that untruthful pride kept her from progressing. Normally, the red clad fairy wouldn't let this kind of thing bothered her. She knew from day one that her Master was a major tsundere. But now, this pride of hers was just eating her from the inside.

"Huaa…" This time, it was Prime who sighed. "Look. If you want to go so badly, why don't you just ask your parent's permission?"

"What!?" The girl instantly realize her blunder and retorted. "What nonsense are you implying? I wouldn't dare be seen at such a place. I was merely inquiring knowledge to better myself in the culture of this place."

Again, Prime sighed. "Ugh. This is getting us nowhere. Wait here." And with a quick push of her wings, the little fairy flew towards Lady Maree.

"P… Prime! Where do you think you're going!?" Alouette tried to catch up but was slowed by the many servants in her way.

It didn't take long for the lady of the house to notice the little fey to stop by her face with a polite bow. Immediately she dismissed the servant she was speaking with before directing her attention to the small one. "Well, this is unusual. A servant who actually wishes to speak with me. What do you want?"

Prime gazed and saw the splendor of the lady before her. Maree's elegance and sense in fashion was extremely gaudy, in all sense of the word. The summer hat, the long purple dress and the fine jewelry adorned on her garments made her glitter like a diamond through the faintest source of light. Even the braids of her golden locks of hair were decorated with the most attractive silk money could buy. If she was trying to make herself the most glittering jewel in the city, she succeeded. But what attracted the people around her the most would be the crescent moon tattoo that covered her left eye. No one knows why she had it done, but it certainly made an impression on all her guests.

Prime quietly bowed as she spoke. "My lady. If I may be so humble to ask for your permission to dismiss Lady Alouette for the day so that she may attend the festival in city?"

"Oh?" Maree raised her tattooed eye in question. "And why does she want to visit such a low-class place?"

"I believe that it would be a great education for her." The fairy explained. "Exposure to such culture would be a grand experience that cannot be taught from books or classrooms. It would be in her best interest to attend such a festival firs hand."

"Hoo? That does sound interesting."

"Yes indeed my lady." The fairy bowed smirking under her lip.

"So are you saying that if I told her to stay, I wouldn't be holding my daughter's best interest at heart?"

"Eh?" Prime's smirk dropped. "Huh?"

"Are you saying that you, a fairy, a servant, know what is best for my daughter? Hmm?" Maree's eyes sharpened, quirking the little one to her wings. "Are you saying that Alouette's own mother, would not know what is best for her own daughter?"

"Uh… no… I didn't say that…" The crescent eye fell upon Prime, sending a cold shiver down to her wings. No. To be more precise, she'd probably say that she froze up inside.

"Then what are you saying, fairy?" The words pierced the little fey, causing her to slip up. "Depending on your next answer, I might have to put a few detriments on our… contract."

"I uh… well…"

"M… mother!" Alouette's voice crashed in.

"Ah, my sweetie, there you are." Maree's persona made a complete 180 when her daughter came into view. "I was just having a pleasant conversation with your subordinate. She's quite the lass if not, a bit overconfident of herself."

"Uuuu…" Prime flew back to her Master's shoulder a bit shaken from the lady's gaze.

"Please don't scare her, mother. You know you're easily frightening." Alouette added earning a chuckle from her mom.

"Oh my. You praise me too much darling." Her giggle alone would've made the old witches in the capital shiver under their magic. Her piercing gaze was directed away from Prime but the fairy couldn't help but feel that stare still lingering on her head. "Judging from what I heard from the little one, you wish to visit the festival grounds. Is this true?"

"Of… of course not!" The girl denied it quickly. "Such a low-class event does not grab my interest at the very least."

"Is that so?" The lady smirked, returning her gaze at the fairy who ducked away. "You see, little fairy? My little Alouette says that she has no interest in such an event. What kind of a mother would I be if I forced my daughter to do something she does not desire?"

"No! But…" Prime tried to counter but found herself shrinking from the crescent moon eye gazing at her menacingly. "Eeeep!"

"You know. It's not nice to lie to people, little one." Maree added mocking the Fey even more. "But despite your selfish behavior, I must say that you do bring up some interesting points."

"Eh?" Both girls quickly became puzzled to the lady's words.

"We simply do not have a presence in the world of commoners. Since my husband has to attend to his guest and the mayor coming here, we will definitely have our hands full entertaining the masses. I think it would be good for our image if one of us showed their face in such a lucrative event."

"Huh? What are you saying, mother?" Alouette couldn't keep up with her mother's sentence and could only stare back in confusion.

"Alouette…" Maree called to her daughter showing a rather rare smile to her. "What is the one duty that I assigned to you?"

The girl quickly scrambled her mind in search for an answer. "To… display our wealth and pride to the commoners?"

"Correct. And you won't be doing that here. These plebian can be quite forgetful of the grander lifestyle so a representative of their affair may jog their memories. Can you do that?"

"Eh?" The girl looked back confused.

"It is the lady's duty to display the prestige of her family. So… can I entrust you with this task?"

"Y… yes! Of course mother!" Alouette replied almost to the verge of yelling with glee. "I will not fail you!"

"That's what I expect." Maree nodded smiling proudly to her daughter's almost uncontrollable grin. She then turned to Prime who poked her head out of her lady's shoulder. "And you there, fairy."

"Y… yes milady?" Prime stuttered.

"I leave my daughter's safety to your care." She ordered darting her crescent eye to the little one. "I will hold you personally responsible for every strain of hair that is damaged. Is that understood?"

"Y… Yes ma'am!"

Satisfied with her reply, Maree turned her gaze back to her daughter. "Now, go you two. The day is still young and you wouldn't want to miss the free food." With a happy hop, Alouette ran off towards the door, almost tackling two or three servants along her path.

"M… mistress, wait for me!" Prime flew after her, panicked thoughts in mind.

Maree gently laughed at her daughter's hidden delight. "How wonderful… to be young again."

(Recettear) (Afternoon)

"Thank you for coming to Recettear." Recette bowed lowly as the last customer left the shop with a happy smile on his face. The last order was finally done and from what Tear said earlier, there would be no other orders until next week which gave the young shopkeeper the rest of the day off. "We're done!"

"Thank you for your hard work." The gray fairy congratulated her partner for a job well done. After crossing the last name off the list, Tear cheered back. "That should be the last order we have for today."

"Bwah… it's just barely noon and already I'm tired." Recette added breathing a sigh. "But that can easily all go away with a quick trip to the plaza!"

"I expected nothing less from you." Tear stated a smile growing on her lips. "We can close up for today and enjoy the rest of the afternoon in the plaza."

"Glee! Happy Harvest Day!" The girl raised her hands with joy before disappearing into the bedroom behind the store. "This is gonna be the 2nd best day of my life!"

"The 2nd?" Tear raised a brow. "I'm guessing there's a 1st Place?"

"Tee hee. I wonder what they have for sale today."

"Don't forget to wash your hands and bring a towel. It'll be crowded there." Tear urged only to find Recette ready. Never had she seen the girl so enthusiastic about such an event. She believed that if Recette put some of that enthusiasm in her work, she probably would've made twice than what she had today.

But just as Tear was about to put all of the account books in place, she suddenly noted a red circle mark on the calendar. Clearly someone had used her favorite red marker to note the 20th day of this month. Normally Tear would do such a thing whenever a customer would come by to make a substantial order. But this time, she couldn't recall what this one was.

"The 20th? That's… tomorrow." The grey fairy looked back to see Recette making headway in her preparation. "Recette? Did you…?"

"Oh, I almost forgot." The shopkeeper interrupted, cutting the fairy off to pick out a special board from her cabinet. "Tear, come and look at this. Cha chan!" She showed a poorly made wooden sign with a cute drawing of Recette and Tear next to one another. "I made this, this morning. What daya think?"

The gray fairy took a look at the sign and noted one error… or one big error at this point. "Closed for the Daestival?"

"I had a hard time picking out Day or Festival so I decided to put the two words together making… Daestival. Neat huh?" Recette wore that 'insult to the Dictionary' like a badge of honor which only made her partner sigh, forgetting the mark on the calendar.

"People will undoubtedly mistake that word for something else entirely." The fairy groaned. "But at the very least, the word 'Closed' will give the general idea."

"Yay! Then we're off!"

"Don't forget to lock this time."

And with a quick whiff, the two were gone.

…

The town of Pensee was bustling more so than usual. The streets were crowded, almost to the brim of leaking into the alleys. From the plaza to the market, to the guilds, and to the bridge connecting to the northern part of the city, you can see faces practically everywhere, some familiar, some foreign. But they all came here for a common goal, to celebrate the Harvest Festival.

When the pair finally arrived at the plaza, they were greeted by an array of colors that would've blinded a lesser man. The countless flags and pavilion decorated the walls and streets, turning the once dull white walled city into a masterpiece. Obviously someone with exquisite taste in decoration had done some fine renovation of the place. It was so well done that even Tear almost wanted to applaud the one who managed the operation.

"Holy fish carp! This is absolutely flippin fabula!" Recette cheered loudly, but her voice wasn't able to pierce through the crowd. "I feel like the whole city is gathered here."

For once, Tear agreed. The whole plaza was packed with people both local and… well… not-local. She could easily distinguish them from the people of Pensee with a mere glance. By the sound of their accents, the clothes they wear, their facial features, heck even just by looking at their hair. It was truly a gathering not only for the citizens of Pensee but for the continent itself. Such a gathering would offer great exchange of culture which can often introduce people to new types of goods and items.

Already the little fairy began to calculate how much profit she could generate by simply sampling and trying out new products on the stands.

But just before she could see the decimal point on the number of zeroes she had in her invisible calculator, a roar from the crowd caught their attention. Immediately their eyes followed the trail of people gazing on the red plaque stage. A number of oddly made instruments were being used there, and at the center of the band, a familiar Spear Wielding Adventurer stood in her traditional pink kimono, holding onto two separate fans in each hand.

"Nagi?" Recette tilted her head, puzzled by her friend's appearance on stage. "What is she doing there?"

When the first instrument played, the crowd hushed. From the silence came the drums, then strings, and soon, cherry petals dropped from the roof of the stage.

And soon after, Nagi's first move followed. Her dance was alluring, the fans on her hands attracted the attention of the audience, and her moves were swift and fluid only to be trailed by her kimono. The soles of her footwear tapped on the ground matching the beat of the music. It mesmerized the crowd silencing even the rowdiest of sailors. Tear recognized some of the moves she made as they were obviously a copy of her spear techniques but with a twisting form of a dance. It provided entertainment rather than slaying monsters.

By the time performance ended, the girl on the stage gestured a lowly bow along with the musical performers. At the end, the crowd was left wanting more. They gawk, not knowing if the song had ended but they grew into a hearty applause afterwards.

"Subliminary!" Recette cheered from her side. "That was amazing. I didn't know Nagi could dance like that. That was awesomy!"

"Indeed." Tear nod in agreement, flicking her eyeglass. "Though it did not make sense on first glance, it is nice to see something exotic for a change. I will have to ask her what they mean on a later date."

"It does look like fun." Recette added. "But now is the time for us! It's time for… SHOPPING!"

"Just don't go buying things that are out of your field."

The two walked the plaza like ordinary girls on a day-off. Everywhere Recette looked there was something new and amazing at the corner of her eye. Accessories she's never seen before, charms, belt buckles, even ribbons of every shape and size that a kid could imagine.

They went from stand to stand looking at all the different things each person had. There was even a collectible card with cute animal faces on them. In about an hour or two, they finally came upon a shop that took Recette's interest.

"Ooooh. This is nice." The young shopkeeper sang with glee as she meddled with the many gemstones on display in the stand. There were charms and amulets both bizarre and wonderful and rings that would cover almost entire fingers. "Oh I can't decide which one to buy. Hey Tear, which one do you think would fit me?"

The fairy raised a brow. "I didn't know you were interested in such glamour, Recette. I always pictured you to be the plain type."

"Hey. That sounded mean." She pouted. "They say that a diamond is a girl's best friend but I prefer something with a little more color than that. Things that shine like the rainbow after the rain."

"Hmm… if we're talking about jewelry, then why not a necklace?" Tear recommended pointing to the accessories by the stand. "A ring would be too symbolic and a bracelet would be too much for you. A necklace is by far the simplest choice in terms of jewelry since it can't distract you from your work."

"Alrighty then. I wonder which color I should get."

"Beware what color you get young lady." The merchant warned. "Each color represents a different meaning behind them. Gemstones with color speak more than their weight and beauty."

Recette tilted her head in confusion. "Really?"

"That's the first I've heard of it." Tear added directing her attention to the salesman. "What meaning do colors have?"

"Well depends on which. The red garnet here represents Energy, Desire, Passion and such. All of which fuels your motivation to take action. Blue sapphire represents Trust, Loyalty, Confidence and Wisdom. All of them confide with your beliefs. The purple amethyst is the symbol of royalty, nobility, luxury and ambition. The color of a higher class."

"So that's why Alouette wears that dress all the time." Recette added something irrelevant to the conversation. "That's neat. But I think I'll take the green one. It reminds me of trees."

Tear could only face-palm herself hearing her friend's childish remark. "Why in the world would that remind you of… ugh… forget it."

But the Merchant's face twisted with a hint of a giggle under his lips. "Uh… are you sure, madam?"

Recette nodded in confirmation. "Yeah. So what does green represent? I bet it's something awesome!"

"Well… yes." The man sweat dropped and faked a cough before continuing. "The green emerald symbolizes stability, growth and healing. It indicates hope and safety and uh… I guess… the natural order of things?"

"You seem uncertain." Tear eyed the man suspiciously. "Is there something you don't want to add?"

The man again sweat dropped. "Well… if you must know. Green gemstones are usually bought by women from my land."

"So what seems to be the problem?" The fairy inquired.

"Well… most of the time in my country, green is often associated with the symbol of… well… fertility."

"Fertility?" It took a moment to process in Tear's head before her face glowed in the color that matched Recette's hairpin. "Gubah!" She shrieked before darting her heads between the merchant and her partner. Recette just stood there, innocently admiring the necklace in hand.

The man laughed half-heartedly. "Yes… well… the women who buy them are often mothers-to-be or newlyweds. They put these on them hoping to be blessed with… well… you know."

"Yes, I understand." Tear stopped him turning her attention to her friend. "Recette. I think it would be best to pick another color."

"Huh? Why?"

"Well… you see, this color represents…" Even Tear had a hard time trying to explain the reproduction process to an innocent child like Recette.

"It represents hope! That's all I needed to hear!" The shopkeeper announced before handing the money to the merchant who seemed rather hesitant to accept them. "I'll take it!"

…

After her first purchase Recette gladly made her way to the center of the plaza by the fountain where couples gather for their dates. All the way, the girl was grinning from ear to ear, pleased of her new accessory.

"Can you stop grinning like that?" Tear pleaded. "People might start thinking that you're demented."

"Ahehehe. It's fine Tear. It's just that I'm so happy to finally have something new for myself. It's nice to be a customer for once."

"We're customers all the time when we visit the market or the Merchant's Guild." Tear pointed out but Recette ignored her. "Haaa… well at least this trip wasn't a total lost. I was able to find something of use."

"Oh yeah. You were at the other store for quite awhile." Recette recalled. "What were you buying?"

Tear proudly placed a small pouch barely the size of Recette's hand and revealed several small stones from it. "A seed merchant offered these for sale. They're herb seeds."

"Herbs?" Recette inquired. "You mean like grass?"

"Not quite." Tear groaned before explaining. "I plan to grow these at the back of the shop. Since we used up most of the space expanding the place, I was wondering if we could buy that plot of land beside the store and make it into a small greenhouse. It would certainly be profitable in the long run."

"But wouldn't that mean more work for me?"

"Not at all." The fairy eased her worries. "A few plant pots, some fertilizers and daily care, about an hour a day would be more than sufficient. I can take care of it on my own if I am provided with all the necessary tools."

"Well… I suppose we can spare a few Pix." Recette reluctantly agreed. "At least we won't be playing Harvest Sun in real life."

"Don't you mean Harvet M—Hey! Don't make me say that! I might be sued for copyright infringement!" Recette simply chuckled at her partner's distraught. "Haaa… but either way, this is indeed a nice change of pace. Despite the company we are with."

Recette looked around and immediately noticed the many couples that surrounded the fountain. Everywhere she looked you could see partners of every kind walk the streets, hands held together, and a wide smile on their faces. From young love to elders rekindling their devotion, she could see them all. Even kids barely half her age were hanging out together with pigeons on their heads and pinkish hearts flying everywhere.

"Uwa… Love must really be in the air." The shopkeeper scanned her surroundings. "I'm a little jealous."

"Are you seeking someone special yourself?" Tear teased.

"Uwa… no. Not really." Recette raised her hand in defense. "I wouldn't know the first thing about love in the first place. It'd probably be ten times harder than running a shop."

"Hoo? So my little Recette is actually interested in love after all." Tear moved closer, teasing her discomfort bone.

"N… no! Not at all. I have no interest in boys or their cooties!" Recette moved away but her purse quickly came out of her pocket rolling on the floor. "Uwa! My coin purse!" She quickly gave chase, trailing the little round object through the street.

"Recette! That's dangerous!"

And just as quickly as the purse stopped rolling, Recette found her face smacked on a wall of metal liked it had been placed there with the intent to stop her. She fell easily on her back with tiny imaginary coins floating above her head.

"Owie… my dress." The girl whined. "Who put a metal wall here? Eh?" She paused when she noticed a hand extending to her.

"Are you alright my lady?" Philippe asked feeling once again responsible for tackling the girl. "Are you hurt?"

"No I'm… uwah!" Recette immediately recognized the man and leaped back up with her own strength. "Y… you are…!"

"Oh my." The knight gasped, equally surprised. "It's you again. This is certainly a small city if we are able to meet at such a manner twice in two days. Again, my sincerest apologies for bumping on you like that. I was simply dazzled by the crowd that I lost myself in thought. Are you injured?"

"N… no, I'm fine!" Recette stuttered in her words.

"Thank goodness." Philippe sighed with relief. "Again, a thousand pardon for my rudeness."

"Recette! Are you al… right? Oh…" Tear finally caught up only to be dazzled by the familiar knight in shining armor. "You…"

"Oh my. A member of the Fey?" The knight tipped himself in a gesture of a bow. "This city certainly does have its surprises. I'm afraid I bumped onto your friend here."

"Huwa…" Recette muttered, still dazzled.

"Well, I'm glad that none of you are hurt." Tear added finally getting the girl to cooperate. "You're probably busy right now so we'll just be out of your way."

"No wait." Philippe stopped her. "It is said that bumping onto someone is an accident. Bumping to them twice is simply rude. Allow me to mend my honor by treating you two to something. It would only be polite of me."

"Oh but we couldn't possibly impose on you." Tear admitted patting her partner's head. "Unlike you, sir knight, we are salesmen and as you can see in this festival, we are quite busy."

Philippe looked down, dejected. "I see. That is understandable. Then at the very least…" Quickly the boy fiddled with his pockets producing a rather expensive looking badge. "… take this with you as my apology. Count it as a favor for the next time, should we meet again."

(Gate of Pensee)

A small group of twelve guards patrolled the southern entrance of Pensee that afternoon after the morning shift ended. These dedicated watchmen stood in vigilance and dedicated their daily lives into the protection of the city and its citizens with renowned courage. Their stories varied from fending off monsters that wander too close to the city and ensuring bandits and thieves find themselves a nice comfy jail cells on which to repent for their crimes. The guards of Pensee have seen countless action in years and all of them intriguing and inspiring.

…or so people were led to believe…

At the main entrance, only three out of twelve guards stood watch as they questioned both foreign visitors and locals of their business. The other nine were scattered in the guardhouse nearby lounging around and bathing in the sun of a nice summer afternoon. And no one could really blame them.

With such a warm weather, a cool breeze, and a bottle of cheap cold wine with some hot bread and bacon on the side, even the farmers would consider spending this day lounging around instead of tending to their crops.

The large open field between them and the Jade Way was about the size of three golf fields put together. There were fields and orchards as far as the eye could see and the only thing separating them from the dungeons was a long stretch of river with only a few bridges that could cross it.

"Aha! Take this you varmint! My kobold army attack with my Axe of Fury!"

"Not so fast!" Another guard called out in defense. "My 'Negate Attack' barrier is still in effect. Your Kobold Army is useless against it! Now it's my turn! My Legion of Slimes shall crush you. And with my +7 Cannon of Dum-Dum, the attack will be tripled! MWahahaha!"

"Hold your horses there, partner." The first guard grinned. "Because you just activated… my TRAP CARD!" The men around the table booed in unison. "Avalanche of Dodos! If I flip a coin on heads, the avalanche will crush three of your Slime Legions leaving you totally defenseless!"

"But if it lands on tails, the Avalanche will role to you and destroy what's left of your Kobold Army!"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." A coin was tossed by a third party and soon enough, one side of the crowd will groan in pain while the other side cheered with joy.

The head of the patrol sighed as his soldiers wasted their time in such a silly game. But he couldn't blame them either. It was the Harvest Festival for the love of Pensee, the 2nd biggest event this side of the kingdom with more food and drinks that could drown a boat. People will be celebrating this even from dusk till dawn and vice versa. The only reason these men were here was because their Sergeant pulled the short straw on a game the other guardsmen were having. He could only picture the men's disappointment in him by being today's watch.

"Alright. You're cargo is clean. Move on." He announced to the merchant who had his goods inspected. "Next!"

It wasn't all bad of course. Guarding the gate also meant that he got to be the first to meet the visitors of today which are often foreigners from a faraway land. The exoticness of their goods were theirs for the picking with cheap prices and often given as a small payment for entering the city. It was a profit, regardless of how much they hated the job.

It was good in the early morning when all the merchant caravans were rushing into the city. Late that afternoon, the crowd slimmed down to a trickle and now only the traders belonging to the local Merchant's Guild pass through anymore.

But just as the guard was about to finish off the last entry for the day, he quickly noted that his next customer wasn't exactly normal.

An oddly cloaked man/woman was the last in line. His/her face was hidden under a straw monk hat. His/her face was covered from top to bottom making it impossible to guess his gender. Those traits alone screamed suspicious.

Silently, the guardsman signaled his two other compatriots and stopped the traveler. "Hold there. What business do you have in the city of Pensee? State your business or held for questioning."

The traveler stopped a few meters from the guard. A gentle wind blew by, rusting the grass on foot. Quickly, the stranger tipped his/her hat up revealing portion of his/her face. "Ah thank goodness. I'm actually at the right place this time."

A manly voice echoed, releasing the tension off the guardsman's shoulders. "State your business traveler."

"Ah, apologies sir. I was looking for the City of Pensee but it seems like my map had a few places that did not exist. I think I may have been duped by that fellow traveler. Anyway. I am a merchant from the city of sand. I was hoping to catch the festival to sell my goods."

The head guard raised a curious brow. "You a salesman?"

"Yes of course! Allow me to show you my wares they are… uwah!" The merchant fell on his feet stumbling over his basket of bottles which rolled over to the guards.

Curious, the guardsman picked one of them up and smelled its contents. Immediately his eyes widened. "This is… Orlasen Wine?"

"Oh? You know your stuff my good sir. That is indeed from Orlasen." The merchant smiled under his mask showing a glint in his eyes. "I recently traveled from Chamboir myself and there was a winery there that had a little extra cargo and decided to sell their stocks a bit cheaper. I simply couldn't resist."

The head of the squad sniffed its contents again before giving the ok sign to the traveler. "These things can fetch a fine price here in Pensee. The nobles will be paying you a visit, I'm sure."

"I do hope to make this journey as profitable as possible, good sir." The merchant tipped his hat and continued. "If that will be all…"

"Well. It doesn't look like you're smuggling anything illegal. And since you're carrying all that luggage on your own, you won't need to go through the boring paperwork like the rest. Carry on."

"Thank you good sir." The odd merchant quietly slipped by, returning the guards to their duties. But before he passed through the gates, he turned back to the squad leader one more time. "Oh and by the way. You wouldn't happen to know where I can find the item shop Recettear, would you?"

The guards tilted their heads in confusion. "Recettear? That little store with the strange name?"

"Yes that one." He nodded. "I was hoping to sell some of my wares there. If you could point me in the right direction, I would be most grateful."

"This is a big city." The head guard explained. "It'll be hard to find a specific store. But I heard that it's been gaining popularity. Last I heard, it was near the Pub at the plaza. You'll probably find someone who knows it there. But the pub only opens at night so you'll have to wait for awhile until the festival dies down a bit."

(Plaza)

"Teehee." Recette let out a childish chuckle as she made her way through the thick crowd. She held her little badge high above her face like she just won a prize of the century and was showing it off to everyone around her. Ever since the chance encounter with her 'Prince', the smile on her face grew wider, if that was even humanly possible. It almost looked as if the girl's expression was locked to that mode for the rest of the day.

"Will you please stop with that ridiculous smile?" The grey fairy asked, getting irked of her partner's gleeful grin. "You're look dumb."

"Ahehehe. I can't help it." Recette replied still holding onto her little token. "My handsome prince just gave me a present on our second meeting. It must be destiny that we met on such a lucky day. Uwa… this is why I love festivals."

"I thought you loved it because of the free food."

"Oh that comes first. But a pure maiden's heart always comes first."

"Pure maiden?" Tear interject only to stop herself. "Never mind. In either case, you shouldn't readily accept a stranger's invitation for a meal. He could've been a thief for all we know."

"If he was a thief then he was probably a good one. Because he stole my heart." Recette added gleefully like a love-struck child.

"Ugh… I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Aww… don't worry Tear. You'll always be my number one so you don't have to be jealous."

"What makes you think I'm jea—hey!" To the fairy's surprise, Recette grabbed her by her waist and pulled her in for a soft and warm embrace.

"Awww… I wouldn't trade my Tear for anything or anyone in the world."

"S… stop that! I told you not to show such display of affection in public!" Tear tried to pry her way out but failed. She felt her body tickled till she began chuckling. "Stop it! People are watching us!"

"Come on. Say it. I love~~ you."

"Alright, alright. I give. I… love you too." Recette let go and again her smile brightened. "Goodness. If there wasn't a day that I didn't have to worry about getting snagged, it would be all too soon."

"Ahehehe. That's better. Now come on! Let's get something to eat." The shopkeeper quickly hopped towards the next destination which was unsurprisingly the food stalls.

From there, you could see tables lined up neatly with benches on each side and to no one's surprise, there were barrels of beer and wine stored on each end making them look like quick drink dispensers.

The smell of alcohol was so strong that even Tear could smell it all the way from her tiny nose. "Ugh. The stench is daunting. This place is so thick in alcohol, you may as well close the pub."

"Uwa… there has to be at least a bagillion of them here!" Recette added. "I guess they're really going all out for the festival."

"A little too much if you ask me." The little fairy sighed before her sights suddenly caught a petty thief sighing with her. "Oh… you."

"Yo Recette and… Extra #1." Charme greeted the two with a little dejected face.

"Who are you calling an Extra!?"

Recette quickly smiled back nodding to her friend. "Good afternoon Charme. You here for the free food too?"

"Undoubtedly she's here for the free drinks."

"Ding ding, give the fairy a prize." Charme chimed back much to Tear's annoyance. "I am here for drinks… and a little bit of food but unfortunately they're only open in the evening."

"Wha! No way!" Recette's heart broke.

"Yeah. It's a bummer. What's a lady got to do to get lush this time of day?"

"There's a reason why people don't sell booze this early in the morning." Tear groaned. "If they did, then productivity of this city will plummet because people get drunk 24/7!"

The thief ignored her reasons and sighed again. "That's just the problem with this town. They're letting a prime opportunity of selling booze in the festival. It's a time to party so why not cut loose with the rules once in awhile, neh?"

"You are hopeless."

But then quickly enough, Charme popped an idea in her head. "Hey Recette. You own a store, right?"

"Huh? Ah… yeah. I think." The girl answered timidly.

"How about you sell booze to me early in the morning and I'll pay ya 200% of the price."

"Don't influence her!" Tear rebuked.

But Recette had no idea of such a thing. After being a shopkeeper for so long, she thought that price was everything. But never had she dealt with anything as beer before.

"Sorry Charme, but we don't have any kind of booze in the store. Maybe next time."

The thief clicked her tongue in response. "Tsk. I guess that's to be expected. What a bummer. If you started selling even those cheap wines, some adult customers might pay ya a visit. Haa… another fun event ruined by the boring one."

"I'm standing right here you know!"

"Oh? Tear? When did you get here? I didn't even notice you seeing as how small you are." Charme added only to fume the little Fay's irritation.

"Why you little…!" Tear was about to trounce her but was stopped by her partner.

"Now now. No fighting you two. Behave." Recette warned. "We're in a festival after all. So we should be in our best behavior."

"Hear that Tear?" Charme teased. "You should listen to your big sister. You can't go being a bad girl. Later you two. I'll see you this evening when the place is open."

"Wait! Come back here you two faced timer!"

"Now now Tear. Don't sulk." After the thief was gone, Recette released her partner and smiled back.

"I am not sulking. I just wanted to give that half-troll a piece of my mind."

"Teehee. Come now. Good friends shouldn't fight."

Tear raised a brow. "In which part of that conversation did you ever think we were friend!?"

"If you were angry at what she said, then that means you're friends." Recette explained only to earn another groan from the Fay.

"I don't even want to argue with that perspective." Tear face palmed. But then their attention was quickly called in when a familiar voice rung their names.

But as the conversation was going, Recette suddenly had a thought. "Hey Tear. Why don't we sell booze at our store?" The fairy raised her brow in curiosity. "I mean, like what Charme said: If we sold booze at our place, we can probably make some big bucks since everyone buys them by the bottle. I was wondering why we didn't thought of it earlier."

"Well it's… because…"

"Because…?"

"I… don't like the smell."

"The smell?" Recette looked back, puzzled.

"Tear? Recette?" Louie the swordsman noted them. Judging from the sweat on his brow and the dampness of his clothes, you could tell that the boy had been hard at work doing all sorts of manual labor. He had been carrying logs, building signs and handling all the menial work like a true laborer who held himself high among the crowd. Even the gloves that he wore seemed to be on the verge of tearing themselves apart if. If it weren't for them, he probably would've had more blisters on his hands than seamstress. "What are you two doing here? The food stalls aren't opening until this evening."

"Oh Louie…" The shopkeeper replied. "Yeah. We just heard. Such a sad thing to have to wait for food."

"Tell me about it." The boy agreed with an equal sigh. "It's like telling a kid to wait for midnight before he can open his presents. I guess they can't afford people pigging out in the middle of the day. Elan was turned away a few hours ago too. I'm betting my money on him winning the drinking contest later tonight."

"It would certainly be a good investment." Tear agreed. "Though I do not wish for alcohol to be mixed with my food, I enjoy the sight of drunkards making a fool of themselves."

"Somehow I get the feeling that you have a different reason to like that contest." Louie sweat dropped. "So are you out shopping? If you're looking for something to kill time with, there's a café that serves some delicious ice-cream and some games being held there."

"Ooooh! Ice cream! That's like my sixth favorite food before ramen and gyouza!" Recette cheered. "What about you Louie? Aren't you gonna eat too?"

The swordsman rubbed the back of his hair with a shake of his head. "Maybe another time. I still have a lot of work to do before my shift ends. Oh by the way. Have you two seen anything odd lately?"

"Odd?" Tear chimed.

"Yeah. People have been going around seeing something weird happening around the festival. Like empty boxes moving around, a red haze coming between them or something."

"Boxes moving on their own and a red haze? A mystery!"

Tear stopped her partner from continuing. "We haven't seen anything like that. But then again we just arrived here a few minutes ago so we wouldn't know."

Louie nodded. "I guess it's probably the sun playing tricks on those poor guys. You two enjoy yourself and try not to get into trouble!" He raised his voice as he ran off to his next job in the distance.

Tear could not help but admire the boy's dedication to his work. Despite being a teen, he handled himself professionally and diligently. It would be no wonder why his service was in high demand around the city.

"Louie really is a hard worker, an't he?" Recette added cheerfully to which her partner nodded.

"Yes. He really is. Unlike some people I know, he's a person who earns his wage through honest work. People should use him as an example of a diligent member of society. He will be respected in this world, I'm sure."

"Maybe we should buy him something." The shopkeeper recommended. "He's been working really hard for us in the last few months. Especially that deal with Griff and Arma."

"Hmm… that wouldn't be such a bad idea." The fairy agreed nodding. "Though he may not look it, he is quite strong as an adventurer. He also saved this town twice over. It would be proper for us to reward such actions with something even if others are ignorant of it."

"Yeah. Well he was our first after all."

"Don't say it like that."

"Eh? Say what?" Tear could only palm her face not wanting to explain the deeper meaning of that sentence.

"Never mind." Tear dropped the subject. "Let's go. I'm sure we can find something suitable for him around the plaza. It would certainly be a productive use of our time before the restaurant opens."

(Gustav residence)

The party was almost in full swing at the prestigious residence of the Gustave family that afternoon. Guests from all over the city, from the common nobles to the aristocrats from the mayor's office began to enter through the flowered gates of the estate. Everywhere you looked you can feel the class going higher and higher as more important citizens and notable names are announced.

Lord Gustav, the host of this party was at the center along with General Nilbert who remained by his side ever greasing the palms of each fellow that pass them by.

"Ah, at last—some culture and class." The Baron declared as he saw the grandeur of the party slowly coming to place. "Spending a day in such a place makes me almost forget the long arduous journey from the capital and the city's filth. I must say that this is will be quite a grand evening for all of us, my friend."

"Indeed Baron." Lord Gustav agreed. "The Harvest Festival is one of few activities that this city celebrates every year. The food will be bountiful this season I am sure."

"As long as we don't have to see that sorry sight, I will be fine. To meet such educated and civilized folk will make up the transgressions."

"Then perhaps we should begin with the wine?" Lord Gustav offered which the Baron gladly accepted a glass. "Here's to our long lasting transaction. I was hoping we could make the arrangements for our deal but I'm afraid…"

"No need to apologize." Nilbert waved it off. "It will take a month before the Royal Army arrives. We have all the time in the world for our little… preparations. A little civilized entertainment shouldn't be ignored."

Their laugh was however, cut short, when Maree's voice cut through them. "Look at you two. It's barely past the better part of the afternoon and already you're drinking." Her presence alone shoved all the guests and servants aside as she strode in unannounced into the hall. Her dress went incoherent with the crescent tattoo on her eye and the jewels that she decorated her body with, glittered as if they were trying to outshine the sun itself.

"My dear. Surely you can give me and my good friend one bottle for the afternoon." The man of the house pleaded.

"You say one bottle… but I know better." Maree added before turning her attention to the military officer at his side. "And you, Sir Rivelle. It's been awhile."

"That it has, milady." The man bowed shallowly, an unwilling smile upon his lips. "It seems plainly obvious where your daughter's beauty and elegance comes from."

"Hmph. So you say…" The lady shrugged his flattery off like they were air hitting a wall. She didn't feel amused by his presence but showed no signs of discontent as she tolerated his presence. Awhile later, she returned her gaze to her husband. "At the very least, moderate your drinking and save something for the guest my love. Unlike the gods, I lack the capacity turn water into wine."

"You tease me my dear."

She smirked. "I speak from experience. Perhaps I should bring that cheap swivel that you've kept in our basement as a late snack."

The master of the house immediately panicked. "No! Of course not! There's no need to go that far. I'll be good. I promise."

"Good." Maree went on her way but stopped short. "Oh… and don't forget to entertain the mayor this time. I already have my hands full with the representatives of the Merchant's Guild."

"Yes of course my dear." Her husband bowed shyly. "By the way, have you seen Alouette? I haven't seen her since breakfast."

"I sent our daughter on an errand." She answered sternly nearly frightening the two men. "Concern yourself with the situation at hand and nothing else, you hear?"

"Y… yes dear."

(Plaza)

Back at the plaza, Recette and her partner were enjoying a rather eventful afternoon having a brief lunch in a small meadow near the plaza. From that perfect spot where the rooftops blocked the sun and the gentle breeze rustling through the trees, it felt as if the whole world was at peace. Were it not for the constant noise of music and chatter from the plaza, even the monks from the monasteries would feel more secluded here than their homes.

"Hua… I wish everyday would be festival day. That way I won't have to work so often." The adorable shopkeeper said out loud after picking a spot by the grass.

"If that were the case, the world would spiral into chaos and anarchy would rule the day." Tear explained hoping to get the girl to understand the dilemma of her statement.

"That doesn't sound too bad. No work means more free time for us."

"Productivity would plummet greatly. Economy would crash and prices will skyrocket everywhere."

Recette thought of it and looked around. "Hmm… that does sound bad. But if people would celebrate every day, then there won't be problems if they enjoy the festival."

"Nothing will be produced, ever."

"Uwa! But the candy store always closes during festival! That would be horrible!"

"That's what you're concerned about!?" Tear face-faulted. "Anarchy and chaos would rule by your sentence yet the only thing standing between us and Armageddon is a candy store? The universe is saved…" You can practically taste the sarcasm from her tone. "Still… I do enjoy a festival once in awhile. It doesn't come every day so we may as well spend the most out of it."

"Yeseri! And a good way to start it off is a good old fashion top of the line, PB&J!"

"PB… wha?" Tear looked at her partner with a confused glance as Recette pulled out a few containers of assorted flavors. "What is that?"

"It's PB&J silly. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

"I understand the acronyms. But what I don't understand is how you can mix such things together?" Tear adjusted her glasses as she watched Recette splatter the two spread on a cut walnut bread. "What kind of mixture compliments the thickness of peanut butter with the sweet texture of jam?"

"Don't judge a book just because the cover is black and white." Recette added cheerfully. "Sometimes if you look inside you'll find a nice drawing or two between the pages!"

"Ha?" Again, the fairy was unable to grasp the mind of her partner who seemed to have taken a metaphor out of context. "Does that even make sense anymore?"

"Come on, try it." But just as Recette was about to offer one of her finely made PB&J, a loud yell suddenly caught their attention.

"Find her!" A patrol of guards rushed forward, darting their eyes as if in search of someone. "Damn. Where'd she go?"

"That slimy fox. We had her for sure!"

"Spread out and search the area." The leader of the group ordered. "She couldn't have gotten far!"

"It seems like the guards are after someone." Tear noted the obvious.

"Wow! So there really are crooks in this time and age." Recette added only for her partner to sigh.

"Crook is such a vulgar word. I prefer the term 'Visceral avoiders of the Law'."

"Visebal… wha?"

"Well it should not be a surprise." Tear continued. "Knowing how big this festival was, there's bound to be elements who would wish to take advantage of such situations. We should remain vigilant."

"Does that mean we get to play Cops and Robbers?" Recette asked with gleaming eyes. "I've always wanted to play that game ever since I was little. It must be pretty awesome. Chasing down crooks, yelling out—'Reach for the sky punk!' or… 'Hands where I can see'em' or maybe… 'Your money or your life!'"

"That last one sounded like something a bandit would say. But no. We are not going against crooks. We should leave the fighting to the guards and Adventurers."

"Hey! Who you callin a crook?" A voice caught them by surprise.

"Who's there!?" Tear demanded, rushing into defensive mode while Recette squeaked.

"Bwah! A crook! Stop in the name of all that is cuteness!"

"What are you two babbling about?" A familiar purple haired woman came from behind the alley, peeking at the two.

Tear immediately recognized the owner of the voice. It was a customer who frequented Recettear for the last few months. But it was a customer that Tear hated the most. With lavender eyes that matched her hair, wearing a dark blue jacket and pants that covered a light yellow shirt underneath, exposing a bit of her belly, came one of the few humans that Tear came to despise.

"Euria…" Tear's lips twisted in a frown as she saw the woman made her entrance like a common stalker. There was a reason for this expression. Ever since their first meeting, Euria had been a thorn in Recettear's side. She was both a 'customer' of their establishment and a con-artist who plotted scam after scam against the citizens of Pensee. Every time she visited their place, she would weave a silly-make-believe story that would bring Recette to tears and selling some cheapskate item for a ridiculous price. All of her sales made a mockery of the gray fairy's finance records. And it was thanks to her that Recette almost missed the mark on the last day of her debt.

Tear had a special place for schemers like her in her heart. Right outside of it where it's cold and wet. She dealt with many scammers like her back in the days with Terme Finance Company and when you try to cheat your way with one of the biggest racketeering operations ever, you usually find yourself a one way trip to the coal mines. But for some reason, Euria has been able to remain under the radar and kept herself afloat thanks to the effort of an innocent girl who actually believed her stories.

"Oh hello again Euria. Did you come for the all you can eat buffet? Sorry but they say that it won't be open until this evening."

"Free food? Bah. What kind of idiot would fall for such a cheap skate con? No profit, no interest."

"Why am I not surprise?" Tear folded her arms giving a fierce gaze that all scammers deserve. "I'm guessing you are the crook the guards were after earlier. Please wait here while I call upon them."

"Ah! H… hey wait a second!" The purple haired prankster pleaded. "Let's not be too hasty. Why'd you have to be so prickly?"

"It is a citizen's duty to report all suspicious and criminal actions to the local gendarme." The fairy added before pulling her partner away. "Come Recette, let us not stay near such ill element less we be considered as accomplices."

"Huh? Wh… wha?"

"Hey hold on!" Again, Euria stopped them. "Alright fine, you caught me. Geez. You really can't beat a loan-shark at her game."

Satisfied with her answer, Tear returned and released her friend. "So what acts of infamy are you performing this time? I'm guessing with the amount of guards out looking for you, you must've done something indecent."

"Those guys in gray are totally overreacting!" Euria defended. "I was jut out for a walk selling some new thingamagick when they started chasing me. I had to run for my life."

"I fear to ask what this… thingamagick is…"

"A thinga…ma… thing?" Recette tried to keep up but failed. "Uh… so what were you selling people?"

A grin flashed over Euria's face. "It's totally legit I tell ya. I just got some booze bottles from the back of the pub and decided to sell them back."

"That doesn't sound illegal." Tear noted before pausing in her sentence. "Wait… what were these bottles filled with?"

The grin on her face grew even wider. "That's the trick. It's not booze at all. I just filled them empty bottles with water! Three times the profit, ½ the cost."

"And you wonder why the guards chased you?" Tear face palmed herself.

"Then aren't you just selling water in a bottle?"

"Details details…" Euria clicked her tongue. "They won't know the difference until they open it and by that time, it'll be too late." She then showed the pair a sample of her product. It was a regular bottle sold in the pub, but its label was worn out from the water in was drenched in. "Easy money."

"I wonder if that easy money is worth the time spent in the big house?"

But just as Recette was about to add more, the voice of the guards suddenly caught her attention. "There she is! Over there!"

"Ah fishsticks! Not again!" Euria bolted on the first sign.

The guards quickly came to Recette's side with a scowl on their faces. "Dang scoundrel! As if selling fake booze wasn't enough, you trying to sell them to minors too!? After her! Get the horses if you have to!"

And just like that, the wave of human hurricanes rushed by, leaving Recette and Tear behind.

"I sure hope they don't hurt her."

Tear shrugged. "If she's lucky, she'll spend the next year doing community service. It would be an ironic change to see her do something selfless for a change."

A sweat dropped from Recette's head. "Oh come on. Don't be like that Tear. She's a good person… I think…"

(Orphanage)

"There, that should do it." Louie said to himself as he put the final touch onto the small wooden board that hung at the top of the entrance. The big bold words spelling 'Lemonade Stand' with a cute orange mascot on the side with a smiley face made all the difference for a side shop. "The Orphanage Lemonade Stall is now officially open for business."

The children below cheered gleefully at the young swordsman who felt like a champion for the day. The whole orphanage was raising funds that day along with the festival. Apparently someone suggested using the fruits that the caretakers have been collecting as a way to raise a little extra cash for the kids. Though it was an old idea, it definitely had its effect on the local populace.

It didn't take long for Elan to get the kids to work by manning stands pretending to be salesmen like Recette. It almost felt refreshing to see all these tiny balls of energy run around until they're out of juice.

"Alright kids, what do you say to our friend here?" The priest in training questioned the little tikes.

"Thank you Mr. Louie."

The boy who was cheered and bowed upon felt his cheeks turn red for a bit as he rubbed the back of his head, not sure whether he was grateful or embarrassed. "No problem at all. You kids have fun now." He didn't even have to tell them when they all scattered to their stations.

He then felt Elan's hand tapping his shoulder. "Phew. Thanks for the assist there. You really save me on a whole lot of mess."

Louie looked at the man puzzled on how he could have helped just by writing on a board. "It wasn't really a problem. But why did you ask me to do something so simple? Couldn't you have written it yourself?"

"Easier said than done." The swordsman gave a quizzical look. "You see these hands of mine? They aren't just for show you know. Do you know how hard it is for someone with these hands to write such bold letters? It's not easy."

"Ah… I guess that makes sense."

The monk laughed. "Tell me about it. The first time I visited this place, I literally had to fix every doorknob and windows I came across. I even broke the roof once. I literally rebuilt half of this orphanage with my own two hands."

Louie sweat dropped. "It… must be really tough having such a… handicap."

"No kidding." Elan chuckled. "Oh by the way. You joining the all you can eat and drink at the plaza later?"

"Wouldn't miss it. Free food and drinks and for once you don't have to worry about the tab."

"Three days in paradise." The priest in training made a salute to the heavens as if he was thanking the gods for granting Pensee such a time every year. "If I drown in booze… tell the guys they don't need to perform CPR."

"Just don't get drunk before the competition." Louie advised him. "I have money counting on you winning the match tonight."

"Ha! That one's in the bag."

As the two Adventurers laughed the day off, one of the orphans quietly approached them with a panicked look on her face. "Uncle Elan! Uncle Elan!"

"Oh? What's up? Did we sell out already?"

The little girl shook her head in reply. "No, it's Caillou. He won't come out of his room."

"Huh? Him again? Wasn't he supposed to be the centerpiece for this sale?" The monk reminded himself.

"We tried to get him out, but he turned the door to ice. We can't get in."

"Ice?" Louie looked back puzzled. He questioned why a young magician would use magic in such a time and place.

"Ah man… not this again." The monk groaned. "This was his idea to begin with. He should be out here helping everyone else."

The two quickly arrived at the orphanage, and true to the girl's words, the door was indeed frozen solid. From the wooden frames to its iron bolt hinges, all had been turned to ice sealing it permanently in a state of stasis. Obviously it was the work of magic if Louie ever saw one.

"Oh boy. He really did it this time." Elan rubbed his head in irritation before knocking on the door. "Hey! Caillou! What in the world are you doing? Come on out."

"I refuse!" A voice from behind the door barked like a bear in its lair. "There's no way I'm coming out with this… this… revolting sense of a…"

"Oh come on now. This was your idea. You've gotta lend a hand too."

"All I ever said was using the fruits at the backyard! I never agreed to this…"

"The lemonade stand can't operate fully without its leader." Elan pleaded. "Now come on out. It'll be a great chance for you to bond with everyone."

"Never! I'm never coming out! I'd rather be burned at the stake than to be seen in this outfit!"

Again the monk sighed. "Well… I guess you leave me no choice." He pumped his fists together rubbing them as if he was trying to spark fire out of his fingers.

"Uh… Elan?" Louie backed away realizing that he was about to do one of his signature moves. "Are you sure you'd wanna do that?"

But the monk waved off the boy's worries. "Don't worry. Like I said, I built half of this orphanage myself. Oooh! Kurai… YAGARE!" And without even waiting for a reply, the monk crushed the frozen door with his burning gauntlets plunking the boy from the other side. "Gotcha."

"Let me go you fake priest!" The young magician demanded as he was grabbed from the collar of his new uniform. Louie expected to see the usual green robes that the boy constantly wore around the city but instead, Caillou was dressed as a…

… something…

The young swordsman couldn't really tell if the costume was a fruit or some kind of vegetable. It almost looked like someone just put a bunch of cloths together and gave paintbrushes to a bunch of six-year-olds. There was a fish tail, cat ears and he thinks there's a bush on its back.

"Well aren't you adorable." Elan teased as he put the whiny mage down. Immediately following was a group of younger kids clamping onto Caillou like he was a mascot.

"This humiliation… this shame… it cannot stand!" Caillou was almost tempted to use his magic to obliterate the costume and everyone around him but the kids stopped him from doing so.

"Oh don't be silly. You look great… and the kids love you. You should consider it an honor to play the leading role in your own plan." Elan hid a chuckle under his mouth.

"You lie! You stupid fake priest! I hate you! I'll never forgive you for this!"

"Big brother Caillou!" Children from the stands immediately came scampering on the boy's costume, pulling him to their side. "Come on! We got lots of lemonade to sell and we need you to attract customers!"

"H… hey! Don't pull me! This costume is fragile!"

"Heheh… do your best out there!" Elan cheered from behind all the while snickering. "Make sure you get a lot of customers!"

"Darn you, you fake priest! I won't forget this!"

Louie sweat dropped from behind. "Uh… Elan. Try to make sure that little stunt of yours doesn't come and bite you back later on."

"Don't worry. That kid might act all tough and mature but deep inside he's still a little tike."

"You really know him well… huh?"

The big man laughed. "I've known him his whole life. You wouldn't believe the amount of diapers I had to change on him when he was just a kid. Anyway… I should probably get to fixing this door before the caretakers find out what happened. Wouldn't want to get into trouble with them again."

"Aha… ha…" Louie forced a laugh.

(Marketplace)

Recette and Tear were out on the other side of the city that afternoon after their encounter with the con-artist. The marketplace which they often came for everyday supplies for the store was just as busy as it were in the plaza. Though many of the stalls were closed off for the day the more dedicated merchants made a point to make a profit regardless of the events.

Replacing many of the stands that stood out for selling scarves, clothes and shoes, were the game stalls which attracted both children and adults to the prizes that they had in store. One of them was a bucket filling contest where players had to use water-hoses to fill up as many buckets as they could.

"Glee! I won!" Recette was one such player who had just scored 2nd place in her prize. "Yepperoni! That's 10 points for capitalism! Ho!"

"Nice shooting there young lady. Too bad you had to miss that last one." The attendant congratulated the girl before handing out her prize. "Here ya go. Pick your prize, any color you want."

"Oh I like blue." The girl gleefully took a cerulean handkerchief from the stall and went on her merry way back. "Phwaa. That was so much fun. I haven't had this much game time since the circus visited the city."

"I see you are enjoying yourself." Tear motioned, sitting on the girl's shoulder. "But please do refrain from spending too much. You'd be surprised how fast money can burn in these kinds of events."

"Ahehehe. Don't be sad Tear. There's plenty of fish in the sea."

"That has nothing to do with this!" The fairy barked back in embarrassment. Apparently, the Fey had spent about half of her pocket money earlier trying to catch a fish in one of those stalls using a plastic sheet spoon but failed miserably every time. "That game was a total scam! How in the world is anyone supposed to catch a fish with such a tiny fabric? If it wasn't for the consolation prize he gave out, I would've reported him to the authorities."

Recette let out a sweat. "Ah… well… I guess all's well ends well. But check this out. I got myself a new hanky! an't it pretty?"

There was just no beating that smile of Recette. Despite Tear's irritation of that fishing game, she couldn't help but feel relaxed whenever that girl shows that smile of hers. It felt calming for her and she believes that's one of the many reasons why customers chose to buy from Recettear.

"Well… if you're enjoying yourself, then I suppose I'll let it pass. How about you get some refreshments before the food fest starts."

"Yepperoni! Two cold drinks for two ladies." And just like the energetic child that she was, Recette bolted off to the nearest food stand forgetting her newly acquired handkerchief on a cardboard box nearby.

"Merde… running off without even checking your pockets. I fear of what might happen if I wasn't around. Now I'll just have to follow and…"

"Tada! Two cold drinks for two ladies!"

Tear nearly fell backward when Recette mystically reappeared in front of her. "Wha? How in the world did you get them so fast!? It's barely been a ten seconds."

"Never underestimate the power of thirst and hunger!" Recette cheered with the two cups in hand. "Now come on. There's another game I wanna try over there." But just as she reached out to grab her handkerchief, the cardboard box suddenly moved forward just out of her reach. "Uweh?"

"Hmm? What's the matter?" Tear questioned looking back at the girl.

"Was it… my imagination?" Recette reached out again and just as before, the box moved forward out of her reach. "Uwah! Did you see that?" The fairy nodded.

"Is there some sort of animal inside?"

But then Recette suddenly recalled what Louie told her. "Hey wait. Didn't Louie say something about strange things happening around the place? Something about moving boxes and a red haze?"

"Hmm… now that you mentioned it…" Tear made a thought. "But wait. Doesn't this kind of remind you of…" But just before she could finish her sentence, the box suddenly bolted away like a dog whose tail just got stepped on. "It ran?"

"Hey! My new hanky!" Recette shouted alarmingly. "Stop in the name of the law!" But to no surprise, the box did not obey. "Come back! Thief! The box thief stole my hanky! Come on Tear, let's chase them!"

The grey fairy however seemed to have a sense of déjà vu set around her. "Wait… could that be…"

"Tear! What are you waiting for? It's getting away!"

"Ah right of course." And the grand chase began.

From that little marketplace, Recette went after the crawling box like a lady possessed. The cardboard box went on a steaming rampage across the district running away like its own tail was on fire. It tore through stands, earning a yell from several clerks and salesmen. It then tripped over a housewife who was taking in the groceries and a man who just bought a new sword. Fortunately the blade was still in its scabbard.

"Stop right there you crook! You can't get away from Sheriff Lemongrass and her Deputy Ace Detective! Your days are numbered!"

This time, the box straddled through a game stand breaking the support beams that held the tent together. Without them, the fabric on top came down crashing along with all the other furniture in the stand.

"Bwah… how… is it… going… so fast?" After a brief chase, Recette began to feel the fatigue kicking in. She was almost surprised on how the box was able to outrun her despite the advantage she had.

"It appears to be using magic." Tear analyzed much to her partner's surprise. "Yes. I've seen this type of wizardry done before. A semi-flight enchantment. It makes the user more agile by projecting the wind around him or herself in the direction that person is facing. It would explain how it is able to tear through those obstacles so easily."

"Aww! No fair! Magic should be against the rules!" Recette whined. "Tear! Can you do something about that air… slicing magic thingie?"

"I could project a similar enchantment on an object and have it collide with the box. The two forces should cancel one another out and stopping that box dead on its tracks."

"An object? What kind of object?"

"It would have to be something small… but also solid so it wouldn't do too much damage." Tear thought for a moment before darting her eye to the little charm on Recette's pocket. "That badge would make an excellent medium."

"Wha!? No!" Recette jerked back the badge. "This is proof of my Prince's undying love! You can't expect me to just hand it over!"

"Relax. I simply need it to stop that cardboard box monster from wrecking havoc. It will be safe."

"Uweh…" Recette wanted to decline but she also wanted to stop that monster from destroying anymore of the city. "Alright. You promise to give it back the same way you got it, kay?"

"I promise. The magic should shield it from all harm after its collision on that box." Recette painfully and reluctantly gave away her 2nd most prized possession and allowed Tear to invoke her magic on it. To her amazement, the charm began to float and you can see drifts of air circling about as if the spirits themselves were dancing. "There, that should do it."

"Wow… I never knew you could do something like that before." Recette said in amazement, forgetting the price of the object.

"And now we just point it in the direction of the box's collision course, calculate the initial and final velocity divided by time and… there!" The fairy shot the charm over to a corner of the street, and just like she planned, the box went headlong into its path, colliding in a loud noise before rolling down towards a garden. "Bingo…"

"That's awesome! It was a direct bulls-eye!" Recette announced in astonishment as she rushed towards the derailed cardboard box which flipped to its side by a tree. "Gotcha now you crook! Reach for the sky!"

"I believe our suspects are too incapacitated to even move." Tear motioned.

"Bwah! Oh no! We might've hurt Mr. Box Man!" Recette quickly moved in and removed the box only to be surprised to find Alouette and Prime down on the grass, their eyes in spiral and little blue slimes dancing around their heads with stars. "Uweh? Is that… Alouette and… Prime?"

"I thought as much." The grey fairy groaned recalling the same event that happened a few days when Recettear first opened. "The only fairy I know who can use that magic so well is her after all."

"Ugh… my head…" The red clad fairy said through her dozy expression.

(Plaza)

Nagi was never one to be showered with praise, but that evening, at the very center of the plaza, she was the center of attention for the crowd. She didn't expect her dance to attract so many people since it was just something the Merchant's Guild ask her to do to boost their sales. She was paid handsomely for her services but she wasn't expecting the perks of fame to follow her.

From children to teens, everyone was asking for her performance like they were tourists from another land. You might wonder if they were attracted to her dance or her beauty. Could be both.

It was thanks to the Guild Master that she was finally given some peace and quiet in her tent behind the dance stage. The Guild Master wanted to keep her there until her next show not because he acted like a jailor, but was afraid of how difficult it would be to find her once she starts walking around these crowded streets. Her sense of direction was (in) famous around Pensee. Some people might get lost in a new street or a new neighborhood, but Nagi takes it on a whole new level.

This woman could probably go from her house to the neighboring store next door and end up in another country entirely.

But the spear wielding woman didn't mind. The dance took a lot out of her and getting some rest before the last show might be nice.

"Lady Nagi." But her solitude was broken when one of her attendant entered the tent. "Your last dance is coming up in a few minutes so I thought I'd give you some tea."

"Oh why thank you. I appreciate it." The lady graciously accepted the drink with heartwarming thanks.

The attendant smiled. "It seems like the crowd outside got bigger since this morning. You're really becoming quite popular with everyone here."

"Oh please, you're embarrassing me." Nagi's face flushed a bit from the praise. "It was simply something I learned back in my hometown. I think I may have gotten a few steps wrong myself."

"But it was really beautiful. You looked like a swan diving onto a pond. It was really graceful and elegant. I've never seen anything like it."

"Now you're just flattering." She chuckled. "But I'm glad that you like it. I hope to do more dances in the future if my Adventurer Job does not interfere."

"I'm sure the restaurants on the other side of the city would love to have you dance for them. I can already picture in one of those giant Amphitheaters with lights works and professional players supporting you. Oh, the audience will be thrilled."

"Now now. The people in the guild are also doing their best here. It's not nice to discredit their work."

"Ah yeah that too. But I was just so amazed you could dance like that. My sister was asking if you could teach her some of those moves."

Nagi let out a laugh. "I would be honored to have such a lovely student. If I'm not so busy I may… hmm?" But then suddenly, the warrior noted a feint presence in the air. She recognized this feeling from her days training with her weapon. It was all too familiar.

"Lady Nagi? Is something wrong?"

The lady stood from her chair, partially wanting to pick up the closest thing that resembled a staff or a spear. "This feeling is…"

"AH! Wait Lady Nagi! Your next dance is coming up. Please don't go outside just yet!"

But Nagi came out anyway. She darted her eyes side to side trying to find the source of that feeling but whoever was holding it in was hiding it well. There were only a few people here at the backstage. Eventually she found a hint of it coming from an oddly dressed man with a straw hat hiding his face. He appears to be conversing with one of the carpenters who were busy maintaining the stands.

By the time she approached them, the man was already on his way out.

"Who was that?" Nagi asked the carpenter who seemed surprise that a famous celebrity like her would be talking to him.

"Oh, Lady Nagi. Please pay him no mind. He's just a merchant passing through the city. He was asking for directions to a store called Re… Rocket-rearing or something."

"You mean Recettear?" The lady caught the name almost instantly.

"Ah yeah. That one. But sadly I live on the other side of the bridge so I have no idea where that is."

"A merchant… you say…?"