#407 Orkubo’s Castle Digest: The Spectators

Platy and Junior greeted me after I got eliminated at the second obstacle.

These two always put a smile on my face, no matter the occasion.

“You did great, Dear. Those rolling rocks were pretty devilish.”

Please don’t put into words what just happened, it makes me feel even more bitter...!

Meanwhile, Junior has an “I can do better than that” look on his face.

Does he think he’ll be joining us next year?

But, wait. It just hit me that we’ve got quite the group of spectators here—four mothers and their babies.

First is Platy and Junior. Then there’s Mrs. Astres and the demon prince Goetia, Mrs. Glasya and the demon princess Marine, and Mrs. Varlina with her newborn baby boy— the very first child born to an interracial couple. 

“Congratulations, Mrs. Varlina.”

“This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for your help, Lord Saint...!”

She gives a deep bow, child in her arms.

As a former soldier stationed in the Human Kingdom to supervise a feudal lord, it must be pressuring for her to stand alongside Mrs. Astres and Mrs. Glasya, former members of the Heavenly Four and now demon queens.

Goetia, the oldest of the children group, has grown up considerably.

I wonder if he can walk now?

Maybe he’ll participate in Orkubo’s Castle next year and set a better record than his father.

“Don’t feel too downhearted for losing early in the game. This year’s competition is designed to be fun on our side as well, after all.”

“This side?”

As in the spectator’s side?

The audience is as big as the number of participants, so much so that the goblins established a lost child department in response. 

I know the thought of goblins running a lost child dept. It sounds suspicious, but trust me, this one’s safe.

“They’ve done everything they can to keep the audience busy. Like that over there,” says Platy as she points to Letasreit.

“Come and see, come and see! The battle isn’t just inside the castle!”

What is she doing?

Upon closer inspection, I found some kind of set-up behind her, and customers were rushing to it.

“Whacha doin’?”

“Oh, Saint! Isn’t it obvious? It’s a food stand!”

A food stand!

“The rules are simple: You pick up a bean on the plate with your chopsticks and put it on the next plate! You have to move as many beans as you can in the time limit!”

Is that like, chopsticks practice but as a game?

“Then, you can take home whatever beans you’ve transferred! Soybeans, azuki beans, peanuts, fava beans, natto, you name it! We’re going to outshine the main attraction with our impeccable service!”

Hmm?

“Did you just say natto?”

“Of course, since Holly is also part of this.”

So it’s only natural that natto is present whenever Horkosfon is involved, huh?

I see.

“Is this why you rushed to the scene of the rebellion?”

“Yep! Do you have any idea how much of our blood, sweat, and tears went into setting up this stall? Anyone who tampers with that shall become a sacrifice to the peace gods!”

Huh.

I didn’t know we had other ways to entertain the spectators than just watching the games.

I can even see some people invested in getting those beans, completely ignoring Orkubo’s Castle. 

Maybe I’ll give it a try myself later.

But Letasreit isn’t the only person who plans to make some dough during the event.

“Hah-hah-ha! This is my apex!!!” says Veil.

She’s practically a walking game breaker, so we forbid her from participating in Orkubo’s Castle, be it as an obstacle manager or a player.

Instead, she found her own place where she could thrive.

“I’ll teach these lowly creatures the dragons’ wisdom! Behold the udon that flows like a silken thread!!!”

Veil set up what appears to be a handmade udon workshop.

Her gluten fixation has been nothing short of striking since the expo.

Are you really okay with this, dragon?

Nevertheless, the workshop is a hit with the audience, and they could even take their finished noodles home with them.

Another alternative is to put them into the pork miso soup served to all Orkubo’s Castle players. 

Well, I’m just glad Veil is enjoying the event in her own way.

She was even aggressively harassing Silver Wolf earlier. 

However, there’s an even bigger and more exuberant program going on.

In an open space, further outside the spectator area is a line of long and narrow objects.

They almost look like lined-up canons facing skyward at an angle of about 60 degrees.

No, in a sense, it is a row of cannons.

Although it was not a cannonball but, humans shooting out of it.

Yes, those are the same human catapults used to suppress the rebellion.

“Step right up if you’d like to fly like a bird today!”

“Experience the human catapults that successfully put down the rebellion! It’d be a fun story to tell to your peers!”

Goblins are trying to attract customers.

Yes, this is an attraction where one experiences flying by being shot out of the catapults.

I guess it’s similar to those thrill rides at amusement parks?

Perhaps the closest we can relate it to is a bungee jump.

It was originally developed for Orkubo’s Castle. However, due to space and other constraints, we had to drop the idea.

“I never thought it would be repurposed this way...!”

The human catapult seems to be popular mainly among children.

They’re enveloped in shock-absorbing magic, get on the catapult, and fly after being fired by an orc. They then land someplace safe and secure far away.

Although safety is guaranteed, there is indeed a tinge of anxiety.

Therefore, our goblins fly with the passengers with a belt connecting them.

It is the same system as in skydiving, where the customer and the instructor dive together.

This way, the participants can enjoy the experience of flying and make pleasant memories.

“Oh! My Lord!”

“Would you like to try the human catapult, too?”

The goblins in charge of attracting guests found me.

Hm...

Maybe I will.

I’ve always wanted to fly once.

I’ve been to the bottom of the sea before, so if I fly in the sky, I’d have conquered the land, sea, and air!

As per the rules, I was securely connected to a goblin through a belt, got on the catapult, and was pushed by the orc to fly.

It was fun.

***

Orkubo’s Castle continued with such fun-filled events.

People came in turns for the entire three days, and by the time the event was over, the number of visitors was multitudes larger than the previous one.

This year’s Orkubo’s Castle was another great success and seemed to have given momentum to the third edition.

But now that I think about it...

It has been nothing but a series of festivities lately for us.

It started with the Martial Swimming Competition in the Mermaid Kingdom at the end of autumn.

Then, the farm expo in the Demon Kingdom.

And now, Orkubo’s Castle in the Human Kingdom.

Events have strangely been held in succession in these three major nations. 

I can’t help but chuckle at the thought of how much everyone loves festivals, but thanks to this, we had the liveliest winter ever.

Yes, winter.

An idle season when the land is covered with snow.

Our farm’s location had heavy snowfall, but while we were busy here and there, the snow melted, and the earthy soil began to show.

It’s time for us to get back to our normal lives now that spring has finally arrived.

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i have  a bit of an announcement to make, probably together with tomorrow's chapter ;;