A Chosen Hero Who Doesn't Want to Be a Hero

At that moment, I regretted my decision to come to the festival as soon as I set foot there with Beth who agreed to pick me up at my house today. As expected, this year's festival is still as busy as usual. Many people were passing by from one booth to another, various booths were popping up on the right and left sides of the street, and so were various booths filled with cooking school owners who were busy sweet-mouthed with prospective parents and prospective students planning to take a cooking class at their school.

To be honest, I actually really hate crowds. It felt so suffocating for me, who really likes quiet, especially when I saw so many people and heard various kinds of noise that managed to make my head feel dizzy. However, I don't dare say how I feel when I come to a festival I haven't been to for a few years, especially when I see Beth's expression, which looks so happy now.

By the way, I was too busy talking about my life that I forgot to introduce my hometown to all of you, dear readers. Introduce the name of the city where I was born and depended on for my life all this time, Eutimia. The center of the largest city the wizarding world has ever seen. Thanks to its population and the largest number of first and second castes in the world, Eutimia has become a center for various economic, political, and scholarly activities. Especially cooking studies, which, of course, is a mainstay in my hometown.

And regarding the festival I'm currently attending with Beth, the name of the festival we're attending today is the Eutychia festival, which means happiness. This is one of the three biggest festivals in the city of Eutimia, namely Lasha, which means light or light, and Calla, which means new. Lasha is usually held mid-year, between May and June. The street will be filled with lanterns of various beautiful colors, followed by fireworks that will decorate the night sky for the whole month. If you're someone who loves fireworks, I can guarantee that you'll love this festival once you come to Eutimia when the Lasha festival arrives.

The next festival is the Calla festival. Usually, the Calla festival will take place in December as the way my town does to celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of the new year. This festival is more focused on folk culture and entertainment such as various folk songs and dances from various cities that come to this festival. There are not as many booths that are open as the festivals that I currently attend, because there is a fairly strict selection to determine who can take part in the festival, and because this festival focuses more on folk culture and entertainment, the existing booths also sell more handicrafts. , decorations, and food and drink.

The last one is the Eutychia festival, the one I'm currently attending. Compared to the two festivals I mentioned earlier, Eutychia is the biggest festival in the city. Because there is no limit to who can participate, everyone can participate in opening their booths on the streets that have been prepared in advance, including the owners of the cooking school I explained earlier. It is indeed a happiness for many people, but not for me. Personally, I like the Calla festival more than any other festival, especially this one.

If it weren't for Beth forcing me to come to this festival, and my curiosity about the clothes Shanon would be wearing at this festival, I would much prefer not to come to this festival at all. I sighed softly, walking after Beth, who, from the way she walked, already looked excited and enjoying the festival atmosphere that seemed so full of people and entertainment.

Every now and then I bite my lower lip to ease my nervousness and worry about the crowd. I want to go home and enjoy the rest of my vacation by creating new culinary creations or reading some of my favorite novels, like Contract with the Devil or My Vampire Boyfriend, for example.

"Slow down, Beth. I can barely keep up with you." I asked breathlessly as I followed Beth's pace, which was still too fast for me.

"It's your own fault for being slow. Even though I've been training for a month with me, it's still slow…"

"I don't want to talk to a gorilla girl like you," I replied in a curt tone, and of course, she replied to my words earlier by poking my stomach several times without hesitation.

It's not fair… I'm just telling the truth and she is beating me up like this? Actually, what did I do wrong, to be friends with a gorilla girl like Beth?

"Once again, I hear you call me like before, this fist will do the talking."

"Teacher Marleen? Beth?"

The voice that called out to us succeeded in making us turn our attention toward the owner of the voice. I was stunned when I saw the figure of the woman in front of me at that time. She looks beautiful in an orange and yellow sleeveless midi dress, with her long wavy brown hair is also beautifully flowing, and the make-up she wears makes her look very cute.

I blinked my eyes several times as if I couldn't believe what I had just seen. I don't think I know her, but she even calls me teacher and Beth as if she knew about us. That means there's a possibility that she's one of my students. But the problem is that I can't remember who the beautiful and cute woman in front of me is right now. I don't remember having a female student this cute...

Before I could think further about the identity of the woman in front of us right now, I suddenly felt Beth's feet stomping on mine with extra strength, snapping me out of my daydream. Then I tried hard not to scream when I felt the impact of Beth's stampede, especially in front of me right now. In front of such a beautiful and cute girl who I can't take my eyes off her and just ignore her appearance at all.

"Oh? Shanon? You've already arrived? Even though I was just about to come to you..."

What? This beautiful girl is Shanon? That student of mine who nearly destroyed my class so many times?

"You... You Shanon?" I asked in a tone as if I couldn't believe what I had just seen. To be precise, I really couldn't believe what I was seeing right now.

The beautiful girl then lowered her head when she heard my question earlier. "It looks weird, doesn't it? I actually wanted to come with a normal appearance, but my older brother, who just came back from his design school, forced me to wear this dress he made for me..."

Thank you, Shanon's older brother! I'm grateful to come to this festival today!

"No. You look really cute in that dress." I answered as calmly as possible.

How can I calm down after seeing Shanon's appearance as beautiful as this? I was so unwilling to show it to other people; I just want to take her home so no one can see her!

Her face, which had looked down earlier, was now starting to lift. Her eyes sparkled with a very sweet smile that made me even more embarrassed.

"Really? Thank goodness… I thought Teacher Marleen would look at me with a strange look," She said in a relieved voice as if she had just finished her final exams.

Beth nudged my right arm with her mischievous smile, "How could he possibly do that? He barely even recognized you because he was so fascinated by how you looked. Am I right, Marleen?"

Which I immediately replied with a sharp look. I tried to divert the conversation before Shanon realized I had barely recognized him. "By the way, who are you here with?"

"With my older brother. My parents couldn't come, so they asked my brother to accompany me, especially since he hasn't been here for a long time..."

"Oh yeah? Then where is your older brother? How come you two aren't together?"

"That… looks like he forgot his original goal."

"It means?"

Shanon immediately pointed to one of the booths, which was bustling with many female visitors. There, a man, who looks like Shanon is busy serving visitors with a charming smile. From what I can see right now, he seems to be the type of person who is very popular with girls.

"He was supposed to accompany me, but instead he was busy promoting his new clothes. He said he didn't want to waste the opportunity to market his work..."

Seeing Shanon's annoyed face, I couldn't help being annoyed at all. The thing is, I actually feel he is very cute.

"Then, do you want to come with me?"

"Then I'll go first, okay? I want to go to meet my other friends. Enjoy your day, both of you! Bye for now!" said Beth, as she immediately left us after blinking her eyes at me.

Good job, Beth! I really like your level of sensitivity!

I stretched out my hand towards Shanon, "So, since she left now, do you want to walk around the festival with me?"

She just nodded in response and gave me a hand to hold. Gosh, should I just take her home? I don't want to let her stay here for long, especially with this cute appearance!

While hiding my current nervousness, I walked while holding her tiny hands. The fragrance of her perfume is so sweet it makes it hard to focus. Several times I stole glances at Shanon and I saw her looking so nervous and worried, it made me feel confused by the attitude she was showing right now.

What's going on with her? Is it because of the clothes she is wearing right now? Or is it because there are too many people here? Or maybe… she wants to walk around with me and Beth, not only me?

"Why? Why are you silent?" I asked, trying to make it sound as usual.

"Th-that's… This is the first time Teacher Marleen took my hand like this…"

"Oh… this?" I asked, pointing to my hand who was still holding her hand, "If you feel uncomfortable, I'll just let go, okay?"

When I was about to take my hand off her, she just tightened her grip on my hand.

"Don't do that. I… like it… When you hold my hand like this..."

I can feel my face turning bright red right now. Looking back, this was the first time I'd held the hand of a woman other than Beth. Not for the reason that I don't like it, but it's because there is nothing that makes me able to hold a girl's hand like I'm doing right now.

"Then, do you mind if I ask you not to let go of your hand like this?"