Okami Wa Nemuranai

The garden in Wazrof Mansion is famous.

When someone in Mashajain or towns and villages close to it said, 'I've seen the garden', they're referring to how their achievement has afforded them the privilege to enter the vast precinct of Wazrof mansion and even allowed to see the garden. Even among Wazrof relatives, only those permitted by the family head are allowed entry.

The rumor spread to faraway towns as well, most who pay visit to Wazrof would secretly harbor the expectation of receiving the words, 'Well done. You may enter the garden.' And these words would seldom be spoken out.

There were many anecdotes from those who have witnessed the garden.

One speaks how it looks like a deep mountain valley recess complete with the vast vegetation and earthly mounds.

Another speaks of a scenery beyond a running stream with giant rocks, deep pools and cliffs.

There are even anecdote of how it looks like a fairy hamlet under a lake, or a hanging garden with flowers in full bloom.

Wazrof Household has 12 gardens in total. Every single one is an elaborately put together garden of dream.

There are 12 banquet halls attached adjacent to those gardens. The guests have moved from the courtyard to these gardens. The act of guiding so many people without any hint of disorder itself is a display of Wazrof's prowess.

You can go to the adjacent banquet hall from another banquet hall by traversing through the garden. All the invitees are free to visit all the gardens for today.

It's a stand up buffet but there's benches and arbors set up here and there, so you can sit and take a break.

The bigger banquet halls can hold up to 300 people while the smaller ones have capacities of around 50 people.

Each banquet halls are provided with meals and drinks.

Guests are free to move to any other hall from their designated ones, or tour any garden. However, they're told not to linger too long in another hall before going back to their own.

If it rains outside, the plan was to turn each building's first floor as the banquet hall, but fortunately the weather was clear that day.

There were 1789 guests inside the mansion yet they must prepare meals for many more than that. The patrolling knights, the guides, the caterers, the clean up crews, stable hands, gardeners, and also the cooks. Even if some have multiple roles, their number far exceeded the guest list.

They had to run all the kitchens in the mansion all day long at maximum capacity to meet demand, but even that wasn't enough they had to commission restaurants, fine diners and such for additional chefs and food.

Each banquet hall offers completely different set of dishes. There are even chefs who show off their skill in front of the guests. Watching a cook skillfully cut up a mountain of fruit into a beautiful work of art on the plate is exhilarating. The smell of grilled meat stirs up your appetite. These chefs are mostly head chefs of famous diners.

One or more musicians are performing in every banquet hall. The tune differs in each hall. Being able to relish on colorful cuisines and music one normally cannot enjoy without going to distant lands is only possible in this wedding ceremony. Multiple street performers also show off their skill along the halls.

Fujisur was in charge of arranging all the halls, but Findin was also left with many important duties. Findin is a butler aide of Goncourt, currently working as an aide of Norma originally, but Fujisur has taken a liking on this capable mild mannered young man, he took him under his wings. They also found a common interest in history. Findin helped Norma in the publishing works and other miscellaneous stuff in the capital, but once she went back at Mashajain, Fujisur borrowed him.

Led by Findin, Lecan, Norma and Eda went around the 12 banquet halls to greet the guests. Naturally Lecan has no clue who's who at which hall. Speaking of, Lecan was among the very few individuals given permission to see these gardens anytime he wants, but he only walked around it once when Norma and Eda badgered him to, he never actually set foot inside.

The crown prince tried to cuddle up to Lecan in the first banquet hall, but he quickly realized that Lecan was unresponsive to his chatter and went to praise Norma's and Eda's beauty before changing his target to Yufu Heir, Ashidgrein Shadrest.

Ashidgrein shrewdly brushed the crown prince aside and approached Lecan's group to give his congratulations. He then talked about the present situation at Yufu for a bit and then whispered in Lecan's ear about Lady Rubianafale's pregnancy as he left. Lecan tried to talk to Ashidgrein but other nobles had swarmed him.

Viska Kouen was also there, so Lecan thanked him for his timely rescue during the beastmen war and praised his splendid show of valor there. House of Fotos's stock was raised considerably among royalty and high ranking nobles after this.

Lecan said his thanks when he saw Arios.

"Your assistance in rear line during the war was a huge help."

"Well, I was actually at my wit's end back then. Once I got close to them, I could sense how every single beastmen surrounding the Supreme Commander possessed prowess on the level of Lecan-dono when we first met, or even higher. On top of that, the threat level I felt from the Supreme Commander rivaled that of the present Lecan-dono. Pushing my way there would be suicidal. And so, I resorted to cover fire instead."

"Either way, you were a great help."

Afterward, Arios went to talk Marquis of Tsubolt representative, Haydent Notz. Then Julius joined in. A lot of nobles were swarming Haydent, they must have been trying to find the right time.

Zack Zaikaz was present in another banquet hall. Even though he was invited, Lecan didn't think he would actually come considering his age and condition, but he looked unexpectedly well. After expressing his gratitude to Lecan, Zack uttered how he wished to see the thriving of Mashajain and the capital before his last breath.

In another hall, Lecan blew the wine in his mouth when he saw Shira in her Nike form politely talking to Skalabel while pretending to be Shira's granddaughter. Marlia gallantly attended to Skalabel.

He was elated to see Chaney and blurted this out inadvertently.

"This man is the only merchant I trust. You can entrust your valuable stuff for this guy to sell."

This word was overheard by bystanders. Which then spread like a wildfire. And thus, Chaney's retirement plan once again shut off.

Then in another hall, Great Guide Jiza and Elder Termin were having a heated discussion.

It suddenly hit on Lecan, he talked to Jiza about how <Comet Cutter> cut past <Necklace of Intuador>. Jiza then asked him to show her <Comet Cutter>'s magic blade, which he complied. A huge crowd of people formed due to how eye catching it was.

Jiza took quite a long time to analyze the magic before she said 'you can put it away'.

"I've adjusted that barrier to let <Purification> and <Recovery> slip past, but these two magics possess hugely disparate traits, y'see. That ended up opening up a big hole. Nevertheless it still repels all offensive, debuff, abnormal status, and concealment magic known to Magic Research Institute, but this <Comet Cutter>'s magic blade is a completely different kind than your ordinary magic swords, thus why."

She can't readjust Lecan's Necklace, but she's willing to make another necklace with similar performance. However, Lecan must give up either <Recovery> or <Purification>.

Lecan replied, nah, he doesn't need a new one.

Lecan greeted Vouka's Ceres Temple Head, Yuriko when the group stopped by the hall where the priests gathered. He made the promise to visit the orphanage by mistake as he was zoned out during the greeting. 'Ah crap', thought Lecan, but he's unwilling to take back his word.

(How about.)

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

(I take Jericho and Yurika along.)

(Those two should manage somehow.)

(One's even got a similar name to Yuriko.)

"Lecan. I don't agree with leaving your problem to other."

"What? Did I say that out loud?"

"I agree with Eda, dear. Also, you might not notice, but you do say what you think out loud at times."

"Yep, I mean he was like that too when we first met, Norma."

"...Did I really."

It's near dusk before anyone realized.

Watch fires were lit and magic light fires were set up on magic stones.

Clouds hang low in the sky above.

The breeze feels comfortable.

A weirdly dressed performer showed up.

They keep flinging and catching seven colored balls in the air.

The musician changed their tune to a facile one.

"Let's live things up a bit."

Norma pointed her index fingertip high up as she recited <Recovery>.

A sphere of translucent green light emerged.

Then another, and then another.

Norma manifested five spheres of green light in total. The five spheres run level to surround the colored balls of the performer before starting to spin.

"Well then, allow me as well."

Eda spread her hands wide and recited <Purification> after which big blue spheres of lights emerged.

One, two, three, four.

They surrounded the five green spheres Norma created as more and more blue spheres manifested.

Eda produced 30 blue spheres of light in total.

Five light spheres of <Recovery> spinning around on ground level with 30 light spheres of <Purification> surrounding them.

Supposedly, both <Recovery> and <Purification> can only be cast right next to their casters. Thus this spectacle should have been unthinkable normally.

"Hou. Guess I'll tag along too."

Lecan spread his arms high up toward the sky, and closed his eyes for a bit before opening them.

"<Lamplight>."

200, no 300 spheres of lights materialized at once. Those reddish white light spheres surround the light spheres Norma and Eda created, sparkling like stars.

"How 'bout lifting it up higher. High enough for everybody in this town to see."

Nike who had shown up out of nowhere spoke.

That's a tall order, yet Norma, Eda and Lecan lifted up their light spheres.

This many light spheres would vanish right away, thought Lecan.

And yet, they just keep floating up slowly without disappearing.

Lecan turned at Nike, she had her wand out with mana flowing out. The emitted mana enveloped the light spheres Lecan, Norma and Eda created. Whatever Nike is doing must help maintain the light spheres.

Jiza also took her wand out and mimicked Nike's mana emission.

The five <Recovery> spheres Norma controlled started to revolve to the side.

Eda's 30 spheres of <Purification> surrounded them unmoving.

The 300 <Lamplight> under Lecan's control zapped around everywhere like mischievous sprites.

The light spheres kept floating up while maintaining this state.

Everybody forgot to speak as they watched the light show.

High, high, high, and even higher up.

Illuminated with these fantastical lights of magic, drifting clouds in the sky flickered exquisitely.

This mystical spectacle was said to have been visible everywhere in Mashajain that night.