The people of Tanal Town had no idea that a monumental battle had almost erupted in the old park site of their small town. If the battle had broken out, Tanal Town would likely have suffered the same fate as Clock Tower Village, and its tourists and residents would have faced heavy casualties.
But destiny has no 'if'. The festival celebrations continued in an orderly fashion.
In the evening, the temperature slowly began to drop. However, the town's crowds didn't decrease; instead, they grew, becoming even more bustling.
On the dock, Victor and Robin each held a large glass of iced fruit juice, chatting while waiting for Perona and Mai Hime.
Before long, the two girls finally appeared on the dock in a flurry. They rushed over to Victor, laden with bags of all kinds, barely able to catch their breath.
"Aren't you two tired? And you, girl... drink slowly, don't choke!"
Perona snatched the iced fruit juice from Victor's hand and chugged it down, 'gulp, gulp, gulp'. Mai Hime, blushing, took the juice Robin offered, thanked her quietly, and then eagerly took small sips.
"Phew-ha~~ So satisfying, hehehe!" Perona, who had chugged her iced fruit juice, wiped her mouth, threw the empty glass on the ground, and let out a loud, peculiar laugh.
"Perona, no making those perverted old man laughs! Wipe your mouth clean! Put the empty cup in the trash!" Victor, as their guardian, couldn't stand it anymore and immediately unleashed his ultimate move—'Secret Art: Guardian's Threefold Reprimand'.
Under the formidable might of her older Big Brother, Perona had no choice but to take the handkerchief from Victor's hand, wipe her mouth haphazardly, then pick up the cup from the ground and poutingly go to throw away the trash.
Mai Hime drank most of her iced fruit juice, fanning her rosy, pretty face with her small hand, and said clearly: "Victor, there are so many ingredients in this town I've never seen! And they're so cheap! Shall we go buy some more later?"
At that moment, Perona also returned, pulling Victor and whining, "Big Brother! Only old ladies go shopping for groceries! I found a clothing store, and the styles the owner makes are so trendy~ Let's go together!"
Mai Hime, beside them, immediately retorted, pouncing and hugging Perona, stubbornly saying, "Pepe! Who are you calling an old lady! Rude brat, let me teach you a lesson!"
"Oh dear! Mai-chan, are you rebelling? Pepe-sama is really going to get serious this time!"
Robin covered her mouth, smiling broadly as she watched the two girls bicker.
Victor covered his head, helplessly saying: "...Aren't you two hungry? Let's go, I heard there's a good restaurant in town. Robin?"
Robin smiled and nodded: "It's a restaurant next to the central street, called 'Bee Superman.' It has a lot of returning customers and excellent reviews. I booked a table for four at noon today. Shall we go now?"
Perona and Mai Hime gathered around Robin, their eyes full of admiration: "Robin-san is so capable~"
Victor opened a zipper space on the ship, storing all the things Perona and the others bought. Then, the group set off for the restaurant.
As dusk gradually fell, Victor and his companions soon arrived at the entrance of 'Bee Superman.' It was a three-story restaurant with a retro-style renovation. On each floor, the row of dining tables facing the street had no walls, with several columns supporting the eaves. However, the railings were only half a person's height and appeared somewhat crudely made.
The restaurant's sign hung above the main entrance, with 'Bee Superman' written in a slightly cartoonish font, and a cute cartoon bee drawn beside it. A string of small light bulbs hung around the sign, but for some reason, none of them were lit.
Robin quietly spoke a few words to the waiter at the entrance. The waiter bowed slightly and led them to a table near the street, perfectly sized for four people.
After discussing for a while, they decided to sample Tanal Town's local specialties, so they ordered a few of the restaurant's best-selling dishes based on Robin's recommendations.
Before long, the small dining table was filled with local specialties. Among them were several very unique dishes that even Victor couldn't stop nodding and praising.
'Goma Aka' is fresh red-nosed fish sliced thinly like cicada wings, then sprinkled with a secret sesame sauce and crushed peanuts. The taste is rich and mellow, the fish meat is firm and completely free of fishy smell, perfect for girls' palates.
'Benevolent Sky Prayer' is made by mincing the island's specialty thin chili 'Mercy's Blue' and the mint 'Prayer Leaf' from Chokurikku Island, then coating them in batter and frying until crispy. The spiciness of the chili is perfectly balanced by the unique refreshing scent of the mint. Paired with a dipping sauce made from various ingredients, it has held the top spot in Tanal Town's tourist food polls for almost five years.
'Superman Jack' is very simple to make: eggplant is cut into chunks and pan-fried over low heat until the surface is slightly crispy, then a spoonful of the owner's proud sauce, 'Bee Jack,' is spread on the cross-section. The sweet yet not greasy sauce is absorbed by the eggplant, and with one bite, it bursts with juice. Loved by adults and children alike!
Victor asked the waiter for a bottle of low-alcohol fruit wine. After a toast, everyone ate and chatted cheerfully.
As they ate, Perona felt the surroundings getting darker and darker. She looked around curiously: "Strange? Is the restaurant not turning on the lights?"
Robin smiled sweetly: "You'll soon know why the lights aren't on, Perona."
The street grew increasingly dark. But on Central Street, neither the shops nor the street stalls had lit any lights, all waiting for the most important moment of the Summer Dragon Festival.
Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!
The town's large clock struck seven times, and the most important moment of the Summer Dragon Festival had arrived!
The street surged with people, vying to gather near the exquisitely crafted paper dragon models. The town's militia diligently maintained order. Shop clerks, stall owners, tourists who had come from afar, and residents who had lived in the town for generations all quietly waited for that moment.
And at the exact moment the bell stopped ringing, the creators one after another lit the pre-prepared colored lights with covers inside their paper dragon models. One by one, the glowing paper dragon lanterns, each a different color, completely illuminated the entire Central Street.
Reflective pieces of bright paper fluttered in the sky, and the lifelike glowing paper dragons, like the reformed hero of 300 years ago, stretched their wings amidst the people's celebrations and blessings.
Perona lay on Victor's shoulder, her eyes wide. She had never seen such a magnificent sight. Mai Hime and Robin sat at the table, smiling as they raised their wine glasses and clinked them together.
Victor raised his glass to the colorful paper dragons, then pleasantly drained it.
To that great hero!
The rainbow of lights illuminated the entire Tanal Town, and a sea of joy completely erupted! Both tourists and residents raised their hands and cheered!
Happy Summer Dragon Festival!!
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