#662: Snow Festival Synopsis Exposition

I gather the farm residents and deliver an impassioned speech.

“Listen up, everyone. We’ve devised a general plan for Orkubo’s Castle this year.”

I bet you’re all curious.

Given the heavy snowfall this year, it’s clear that we can’t hold the event.

The venue will likely be buried in snow and physically impossible to use. Even if we were to go ahead with it, attracting people already struggling with heavy snow in their own areas would be difficult. We might even face criticism for being insensitive to host the event during such a difficult time.

So, it’s just common sense to cancel it.

Still, I’m sure everyone still wants to have fun.

That’s why I came up with an idea!

A way to have a grand time while showing that we won’t be defeated by this heavy snow!

“A snow festival!”

We can make use of this ridiculous amount of snow and entertain our guests at the same time! 

This year, we’ll change the usual program and...

Organize Orkubo’s Castle: Snow Festival Edition!!! 

“A snow festival...?”

“What exactly is that...?”

“Snowfes Teevul...?”

The gathered farm residents seem confused by the unfamiliar term. 

I suppose I’ll have to explain a little more.

“A snow festival is a festival that uses snow!”

Simple as that.

“I see! As Dear’s beloved wife, I understand what he’s trying to say!”

Platy walks resolutely, Norito in her arms.

Our son looks curiously at the silver world he is seeing for the first time. 

...The snow reflects sunlight, so we should probably make him wear a hat.

By the way, our first son, Junior, is already playing in the snow with his goblin guardians.

The conversation went off track. 

Let’s go back to Platy’s statement. 

“As I thought, a married couple can communicate mentally! You guessed what I was thinking, right?!”

“Of course! A snow festival is, in other words...!!!” Platy pauses and says, “A large-scale snowball fight!”

Hm?

“Every winter, we have a snowball fight at the farm, but if we hold it with tens of thousands of people, it will be a festival! Orkubo’s Castle’s contestants vs. its spectators. We’ll divide them into East and West, and they’ll fight and fight and fight until the bitter end! A merciless, brutal battle until the last person standing! That’s the Snow Festival, right?!”

“No!”

Well, a snowball fight can be a fun attraction, but it shouldn’t be the main event in such a festival when it’d cover the entire atmosphere with bloodlust!

“The main event of the Snow Festival is actually... Um...!”

It’d be easier to show than explain, so I piled up the snow around us, compressed it, and shaped it.

“You make any shape you want with snow like this, okay? Snow sculptures, reliefs, things like that, to show off your skills, like that...?”

“SCULPTURE?”

Oh, shush! 

You don’t have to question my work all at the same time like that! 

Sure, the snow sculpture I made was not so much a sculpture but rather an off-putting pile of snow! 

I wanted to make something cool like a David statue, but with my sense of aesthetics, I couldn’t even reach the level of clay figurines!

The Hand of Supremacy’s only weakness is that it can’t exert any effect on the artistic field.

It probably can’t find the “Supreme” because the sense of beauty varies from person to person.

On the other hand...

“Dad, Dad.”

“Huh? What’s up, Junior?”

“Lookieee.”

“Woaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

My son Junior points at a perfect snow sculpture!

What’s with this sculptureeeeeee?!

It’s a figure of a young and strong man, like the ultimate embodiment of human beautyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Who made this?!

Huh?! You did, Junior?!

My child is a geniusssssssssssssssss!

“This is what I’m talking about, guys! This is what I wanted to show youuuuuuuuu!!!”

In other words!

We will make a lot of these with snow!

Then, we invite guests to watch, enjoy, and have fun!

Still, this snow sculpture Junior made is incredible!

Rodin?!

Isn’t this one of Rodin’s works?!

It’s the Thinker!

“I see nowwwwwwwww!”

One of the farm residents, Maelga of the elf group, shows a heightened reaction to the explanation of the snow festival.

She is a member of the elf woodworking team... or rather, she leads it.

As of late, she fancies herself as a sculptor, carving statues and selling them outside. 

Perhaps she’s the most suitable person for this event?

“A statue made neither of stone nor wood but of snow! It is significant to represent the best form with materials that can only maintain their shape in the freezing winter and will inevitably melt and disappear in the spring. In other words, all worldly things are impermanent!!”

“Ah, yeah...!”

It’s best not to debate in this kind of talk and just go along with it to end the conversation quickly.

“Understood! Then, I, Maelga, praised as the person in charge of the farm’s woodworking team, volunteer to lead this program!”

Well, to be more precise, you’re an elf.

More importantly, she’s trying to take leadership on her own accord without anyone asking her. Clearly a sign of a troublesome person.

“My sculptures are very popular in the Demon Capital! Calculated, I’ve sold a total of 4,000 of them! If I build a snow sculpture art museum, it will attract many visitors! It’s a guaranteed victory!”

“Woah there. Enough daydreaming, Maelga.”

Someone appeared to keep the overexcited Maelga in check!

It was another elf, Aileron.

“Maelga...! If you think this genre is your exclusive domain, you’re too short-sighted for your own good!”

“What?! What do you mean, former Boss?!”

“If we’re talking about sculpting with snow as the medium, there’s no reason why I, who always molds clay into exquisite pieces, can’t do it! Let’s use snow to push the limits of creativity!”

I have a feeling something avant-garde would come out of this.

“Maelga! Your sculptures always adhere too closely to reality and lack excitement. This is the perfect opportunity to teach you the fun of creating more abstract forms.”

“That’s my line, former Boss! True beauty lies in the ability to recreate what exists with the utmost skill!”

“You talk like you’re one of those dwarves...!”

Sparks are flying between the elves...!

But it’s not like they’re old friends getting along—it’s just a clash of ideologies between two expressionists who’ve each taken their own unique path.

“Very well! Our bandit group disbanded ages ago! We’re now just rivals competing for the best art! I accept your challenge!”

“Hmph, which one of us is the real challenger? Just so you know, my ceramic dishes have sold 70,000 units in the capital. How many sculptures have you sold?”

“The price per unit is completely differentttttttttttttt!!!”

There’s a competitive mood in the air.

Who would have thought such a heated battle would erupt over snow sculptures?!

“Hold on a moment!”

Suddenly, there’s another interruption! 

Panting with excitement and ready to join the fray...it’s the orcs?!

“We can’t let the elves have all the fun!”

“After all, Orkubo’s Castle is our creation! We can’t let anyone else lead even if the game mechanics have changed!”

“If the rule is to build with snow, then let us show you how to build a snow castle!”

Our orcs, known for their love of building, are brimming with enthusiasm.

They’d probably build a castle out of snow without hesitation. 

A splendid one, even.

Many other enthusiastic people are also present, including the students set to graduate...

“If that’s the case, why don’t we give it a try too? Let’s make a flashy one for our graduation ceremony!”

“It’ll probably just melt away when spring comes, though...” they say

Other elven artisans aside from Aileron and Maelga...

“I’d like to try making something out of ice instead of snow. After all, the transparency of ice is reminiscent of glass...” comments Poel from the glasswork team. 

With everyone psyched up, it looks like this year’s Orkubo’s Castle event-turned-snow festival will go smoothly. 

Amidst our discussion and brainstorming, Junior is engrossed in making snow sculptures, creating thousand-armed Kannon statues.

Isn’t that from one of Kyoto’s most famous Buddhist temples, the Sanjusangen-do?