I Can See Evolution Paths

Arthur took Eden’s hand and started walking. Eden was overwhelmed by everything. Glowing lanterns. Music. Food. Beast performances. Hunters telling stories. Magical games. Enormous festival decorations.

Vedas was visibly nostalgic.

Eden asked, "Did you really come to festivals like this?"

Vedas explained that Greenleaf had festivals, but Greenroot’s were different because they celebrated returning explorers.

Arthur immediately liked that idea. "So everyone here has survived something?"

Vedas smiled. "Pretty much."

Arthur smiled.

"Then I definitely like this place."

They continued deeper into the festival.

The streets were packed.

Lanterns floated above the road, connected by glowing threads of mana. Music came from several directions at once. Somewhere nearby, someone was playing a massive drum while another group played strange wind instruments that sounded almost like Beast calls.

Hunters walked through the crowd wearing damaged armor and old expedition cloaks.

Some carried trophies.

Others had their Beast Partners walking beside them.

A few groups had gathered around tables, loudly telling stories about their latest expeditions.

Eden stared at everything. "Everyone looks so happy."

Vedas nodded. "That’s because this festival means something to them."

Arthur looked at him. "Because they survived?"

"That too." Vedas pointed toward a Hunter who had one arm wrapped in bandages. "Some of those people were probably out in the wilderness yesterday."

Arthur looked at the Hunter laughing with his companions. "And now they’re celebrating."

"Exactly."

Mithra smiled. "Greenroot has a saying."

Arthur looked at her. "What saying?"

"Every explorer who comes home has another story to tell."

Eden’s eyes widened. "Then Vedas must have lots of stories!"

Vedas immediately looked away.

Arthur grinned. "That’s true."

Vedas sighed. "Please don’t start."

Eden immediately grabbed his arm. "Tell me one!"

"Later."

"Now."

"Later."

"Now."

Arthur laughed. "I think we’re going to be here a while."

Vedas looked toward the festival. "Unfortunately, I think you’re right."

Arthur smiled. "Good."

He had no intention of leaving quickly.

...

Arthur smelled something delicious, and Eden immediately dragged him toward it. They discovered Mithra and Melo competing in the Monster Cooking Contest.

The judge was a large Beast sitting behind the table, tasting each dish and ranking them. Mithra was standing behind a cooking table with an expression Arthur had rarely seen from her. She was completely serious.

Several dishes were arranged in front of her. Melo sat beside them, staring at the judging Beast. The enormous Beast slowly looked over the food.

Mithra whispered, "How does it look?"

Melo nodded confidently. "Good."

Mithra relaxed slightly.

Then Melo added, "It needs more spice."

Mithra stared at her. "You said that five minutes ago."

"Because it still needs more spice."

"The Beast already looks angry."

Melo looked at the Beast. The Beast was indeed staring at them. "That’s because it knows you’re losing."

"Melo."

Arthur immediately covered his mouth.

Mithra glanced toward him. "Don’t laugh."

"I’m not."

"You are."

"A little."

Melo pointed at Arthur. "He’s laughing."

"Thank you, Melo."

"You’re welcome."

Mithra sighed.

Then the judging began. The Beast tasted the first dish. It frowned. The second. It shook its head. The third. It immediately pushed the plate away.

Then it reached Mithra’s dish. Everyone became quiet.

The Beast took a bite. Mithra held her breath. Melo leaned forward. "Don’t blink."

Arthur looked between them. "Why?"

"If it sees fear, we lose."

Mithra slowly turned toward her. "That isn’t how cooking works."

"It might be."

The Beast chewed.

Then, ROAR!

Mithra’s eyes brightened. "Yes!"

The Beast gave another approving roar. Mithra smiled.

Then it turned toward another contestant’s dish. It took one bite.

ROOOOOAR!

The entire crowd erupted.

Mithra froze.

Melo slowly looked at her. "...We lost."

Arthur burst out laughing.

Mithra looked at him. "Don’t sound so happy."

"I’m not."

"You are."

Arthur smiled. "A little."

Mithra sighed. "Next year."

Melo nodded seriously. "More spice."

Mithra groaned. "No."

...

As they left, Eden suddenly stopped, her eyes becoming enormous. A huge crowd was gathered around a Beast racing track.

Eden’s silver eyes practically sparkled. "Arthur."

"Yes?"

"I want to do that."

Vedas immediately shook his head. "No."

Eden turned toward him. "Why?"

"Because you’re going to get distracted."

"I won’t!"

Arthur looked at her. "You probably will."

Eden’s mouth dropped open. "Arthur!"

He laughed. "Sorry."

Vedas sighed. "I knew this would happen."

Then Arthur noticed someone else near the starting line. "Kong?"

Kong turned toward him. "I race."

Sun stood behind him, looking exhausted. "He’s been bragging about winning for ten minutes."

Kong nodded. "Because I win."

Vedas raised an eyebrow. "You haven’t raced yet."

"I win."

Eden floated forward. "I’ll beat you!"

Kong looked at her. "You are small."

Eden puffed out her cheeks. "Small doesn’t mean slow!"

Arthur looked at Vedas. "You should race too."

Vedas sighed. "Why?"

"Because it would be fun."

Kong immediately pointed at him. "I beat Vedas."

Vedas’s expression changed. "...Fine."

Sun stared at them. "This is a terrible idea."

Arthur smiled. "I’m the referee."

Sun looked at him. "You don’t know the rules."

"I’ll learn them."

"That’s worse."

The starting signal sounded. Kong launched forward. Eden followed. Vedas stayed behind.

Arthur blinked. "Why isn’t Vedas moving?"

Sun sighed. "He’s pacing himself."

A moment later, Vedas accelerated. He passed Eden. Then Kong.

Kong’s eyes widened. "No."

Vedas laughed. "You should have started faster."

Kong immediately chased him.

Eden followed, then stopped. "Oh!" A glowing butterfly had flown past her.

Vedas looked back. "Eden!"

"I’m coming!"

Kong shouted while running. "You’re losing!"

Eden hurried after them. "I’m looking!"

"That’s why you’re losing!"

Vedas crossed the finish line first. The crowd cheered.

Kong stopped. He slowly sat down. "Again."

Vedas laughed. "You lost."

"Again."

Eden flew over, cheering.

Arthur picked up the prize fruit.

Kong immediately turned away. "I don’t want it."

"You came second."

"I don’t want second."

Eden grabbed the fruit. "Eat it."

"No."

She stuffed it into his mouth.

Kong froze.

Sun burst out laughing.

Kong glared at him. "Stop laughing."

Sun laughed harder.

Vedas shook his head. "You’re really competitive."

Kong pointed at him while chewing. "Rematch."

Vedas smiled. "Tomorrow."

Kong’s eyes sharpened. "Tomorrow."

Arthur grinned. "I’ll organize it."

Sun immediately grabbed Arthur. "No."

Arthur blinked. "Why?"

"I don’t trust you."

Arthur thought about it. "...Why?"

Sun stared at him. "Because you’re Arthur."

Arthur nodded slowly. "Fair."

...

Arthur soon spotted Athena at a relic identification booth.

A strange artifact sat beneath a glass case.

The host smiled. "What is this relic?"

Athena stared at it.

She didn’t answer.

She leaned closer.

Then closer.

Athy sat beside her, watching with growing impatience.

"Athena."

"Wait."

"Athena."

"I’m thinking."

Athy sighed dramatically.

Another contestant gave an answer.

The host shook his head.

Athy immediately pointed at him. "Wrong."

Athena glanced at her. "You don’t know that."

Athy crossed her arms. "I know."

Arthur smiled. "You’re judging everyone."

Athy nodded proudly. "Someone has to."

Athena finally raised her hand. "It’s an ancient mana regulator."

The host froze. "...Correct."

Athy immediately smiled. "See?"

Arthur laughed. "You two make a good team."

Athena calmly returned to studying the next relic. "Obviously."

Arthur left them to it.

Arthur smiled. "Good luck."

He didn’t interrupt.

...

A little farther ahead, Arthur spotted Cassian.

Taurus stood before an enormous strength-testing stone.

The Beast casually struck it.

BOOM!

The stone shook.

The number displayed above it jumped.

[98 Points]

The crowd erupted.

Cassian immediately raised both arms. "YES!"

Arthur blinked. "Taurus did that."

Cassian turned. "We did that."

Taurus slowly looked at him.

Cassian patted his shoulder. "Excellent work."

Taurus grunted proudly.

Arthur smiled. "You look more excited than he does."

Cassian ignored him. "That is what happens when you have an exceptional Beast."

Taurus nodded.

Cassian nodded with him.

Arthur laughed.

Vedas whispered, "He’s celebrating like he personally broke the stone."

He nodded. "Maybe he did."

Vedas stared at him. "...Please don’t encourage him."

They kept walking.

...

A little farther on, Arthur spotted Leon and Mephi at another game.

Mephi was supposed to throw a ring onto a target.

Instead, she was staring at the colorful rings.

She picked up a red one. "Pretty."

Leon smiled. "You need to throw it."

Mephi threw it.

It landed nowhere near the target.

She clapped anyway. "Again!"

Leon laughed. "Again."

She threw another.

Miss.

Another.

Miss.

Leon didn’t even look disappointed anymore. "We’re going to win eventually."

Mephi turned toward him. "Are we?"

Leon smiled. "Does it matter?"

Mephi shook her head happily.

Arthur watched them for a moment.

Eden smiled. "They’re having fun."

Arthur nodded. "Yeah."

He didn’t interrupt them.

Neither did Vedas.

They simply continued walking through the festival.

...

Now Arthur participated in a few games himself.

The key was he wasn’t trying.

A relic guessing game, he answered casually, correct. In a throwing game, he casually threw, bullseye. In a navigation game, he immediately identified the correct route, another prize.

Vedas started staring at him. "You’re doing this intentionally."

Arthur said, "I’m not."

Eden said, "You’re cheating."

Arthur said, "How?"

Eden said, "You’re Arthur."

Arthur paused. "That’s not cheating."

Vedas said, "It feels like it."

Arthur stopped briefly at a storytelling area. An older Hunter was telling a ridiculous expedition story. Everyone laughed.

Arthur listened seriously.

The Hunter said, "And then the Beast came out of the swamp!"

Arthur said, "What kind?"

The Hunter paused. "Why?"

Arthur said, "I want to know."

The Hunter laughed. "You’re actually interested?"

Arthur nodded.

Arthur saw an auction happening. Something strange was being sold. He considered bidding, then saw the price. "That’s expensive," he said.

Vedas said, "You don’t need it."

"I know."

"Then why are you staring?"

"Because I want it."

Vedas sighed.

But Arthur ultimately walked away.

...

Eventually, the festival began to slow down. The music became softer. Some stalls were closing. Hunters gathered with their companions, carrying the prizes they’d won throughout the night.

Arthur, Vedas, and Eden returned to the main street.

Eden looked around. "Is it ending?"

"Looks like it," Arthur said.

Eden’s expression fell slightly. "I wanted it to last longer."

Vedas smiled. "That’s usually how festivals work."

"Why?"

"Because if they lasted forever, they wouldn’t feel special."

Eden thought about that. "Oh."

Arthur looked toward the sky. The lanterns were beginning to dim.

Then, BOOM! A massive firework exploded above Greenroot.

Eden jumped. Her eyes widened.

Another followed. Then another.

Red. Gold. Blue. Silver.

The entire sky became covered in light, the colors reflecting across the massive walls and the glowing windows of the city.

Eden grabbed Arthur’s hand. "Arthur!"

"Hm?"

"Look!"

Arthur smiled. "I’m looking."

Beside them, Vedas had gone quiet. Arthur glanced at him. Vedas was staring at the fireworks with a faint smile.

"Thinking about Greenleaf?"

Vedas nodded. "A little."

Arthur smiled. "You’ll see it again."

Vedas looked at him. "I know."

Eden suddenly looked between them. "Can we have a festival when we go back?"

Arthur answered immediately. "Of course."

Vedas laughed. "You’d better be ready."

Eden’s eyes shone. "For what?"

Vedas looked toward Arthur. "Arthur will probably make it ridiculous."

Arthur considered that. Then smiled. "That’s a good idea."

Vedas’s smile disappeared. "...I shouldn’t have said anything."

Arthur laughed. Eden laughed with him.

Another massive firework exploded overhead. For one night, there were no ruins.

No Mirrors. No mysteries. No dangerous expedition waiting beyond the walls.

Just friends. A festival. And the promise of tomorrow.

Arthur looked toward the dark wilderness beyond Greenroot. Then he smiled. "This was fun."

Vedas nodded. "It was."

Eden squeezed Arthur’s hand. "And tomorrow will be fun too!"

Arthur laughed. "Probably."

Vedas looked at him. "That’s not reassuring."

Arthur’s grin widened. "I think it’ll be great."