I Will Not Be a Villain! I Will Be Happy With My Brother!

“Wow…it’s really made of snow. It’s amazing!”

In the middle of the town stood a large snow sculpture. Colorful little shops lined up in what seemed like a vast park.

“Hey, Eddie, do you think it moves like a golem?” Daniel said, pointing at the large statue of a god.

“Huh? It moves? Does it really move? Is that true, Dan-niisama?”

“Ah, it’ll light up and move at night. It looks like the real thing, doesn’t it?”

“What?! It moves and lights up? Martin-sama?”

‘That’s a little scary. Let’s not look at it at night.’

“It doesn’t move. It’s glowing because it is illuminated by a magical tool so that we can see it better at night. The festival goes on for three days, day and night. Danny and Marty are already enjoying themselves. Come on, Eddie, it’s about time our father comes out to greet everyone.”

“Yes, Al-niisama. That’s right. It’s a relief that it doesn’t move or light up. It would be troublesome if it got damaged. And what if someone stepped on the statue of a god? It’s a festival, after all.”

“Yeah, right, Eddie’s perspective is really fun.” Daniel nodded happily.

“I want one too. Something like this.”

‘Which one? Martin-kun, do you have a thing for small animals? What, like a stuffed animal?

My brother hugged me tightly and said, “I won’t give it to you.”

I looked at the stage-like area made in the plaza where our father would soon come out, feeling a little distant. Grandes, the capital of the Finley duchy, is a large town located about half a day’s carriage ride from our mansion. We departed yesterday morning and arrived in the evening. We stayed at the lord’s mansion in Grandes, and the next morning, we came to the large plaza to observe our father’s speech.

The Finley duchy was once a place that only had grasslands, stones, and forests, but now it’s one of the richest territories in the kingdom with extensive farmland, including wheat, vegetables, and fruits, as well as grazing land, making it not only prosperous in agriculture but also in animal husbandry.

My older brother explained to me that the Winter Festival is a time for people to express gratitude for the year’s blessings by sculpting a statue of the gods, offering crop tributes, and praying for a good harvest the following year, after the harvest season has ended.

In the plaza, many people were waiting for the announcement of the start of the festival. Near the front, were important people such as nobles and their guards, followed by important people from the city and their guards. Behind them were the city’s leaders who organized the festival, and the knights who protected the city guarded the entire square. All townspeople were waiting around them for the announcement. It was quite complex and confusing scene.

Snow statues were also placed in parks and streets where food stalls were set up, with the main street leading from the square to the park serving as the main attraction. I hadn’t seen them all yet, but there were special statues of Finley territory gods, as well as spirits and sacred beasts. I heard there were also snow statues depicting mythological scenes, as well as a play being performed in front of one of them. It’s a huge festival, and I’m very happy and excited about it.

Suddenly, there was a loud cheer.

“Oh, it’s Father!”

Father, who had a different face from the one we had seen at home, appeared on the stage. His golden hair was sparkling, and his blue-grey eyes glanced at us and softened.

‘Wow, Father is so cool!’

“The fact that we were able to welcome this day safely this year makes me truly happy,” his voice was heard throughout the city, amplified by magic. “This year’s harvest is dedicated to the gods of the kingdom and our great father, God Grandes of Finley. We pray for the gods’ protection in the coming year. I hereby declare that the Winter Festival will begin immediately.”

A deafening cheer rang out. Then, from behind my father, several light flowers rose to the sky.

“Wow! Al-niisama, the light flowers are blooming in the sky!”

“They’re called fireworks. The mages of the territory are the ones who set them off. They’re going to do it at night on the last day too. It’s beautiful, like stars falling.”

“I want to see it!”

“Okay, then Eddie, you need to try your best to stay awake,” James with red hair placed his hand on my head.

“I’ll do my best! I have stamina.”

“Yeah, stamina is important.”

“Yes!”

‘I can’t get sick and be a bother to my older brothers. I must get along with everyone no matter what.’

“You musclehead…”

“Shut up, Marty.”

“You can’t do that. You need to be careful about how you speak. And Eddie might be scared of you”.

“I’m not afraid of Jim-sama, Dan-niisama.”

“That’s right~~Eh~~, I really want my younger brothers to learn from you. What’s with this ‘ho-yo-ho-yo’[1]-like atmosphere?”

“Ho-yo-ho-yo…”

‘Huh? What does that mean? After squirrels and rabbits, the next thing stuffed animals, and then “ho-yo-ho-yo”? What’s that?

“I’ve already told you, didn’t I? That my younger brother is cute. Now, since it’s impossible to go around with Father today, we’ll go with the guards. Let’s start by looking at the statue and then head to the park.”

“Do we have to walk too?”

“No, Eddie. Don’t believe him.”

“You really never get bored, do you?”

“Right? I’m jealous of my father who’s private tutoring once a week.”[2]

“Come on, let’s go. We have to be careful not to get lost.”

“Then, hold my hand, Eddie. Don’t go too far from the guards.”

“Yes, Al-niisama!” ‘Yay! I’m holding hands with my older brother and going to the festival!’

“Okay, then let’s hold hands next, Eddie-kun.”

“After that, my turn.”

“O-Oh, then me next!”

‘Daniel-kun, Martin-kun, James-kun… Yay! Is the plan to become good friends going well?’

“Thank you very much, everyone. It’s nice meeting you three. Brother, everyone is very kind.”

“I’m glad. You became friends so quickly. It’s because Eddie is a good boy.”

In response to my brother’s words, I murmured in my heart, “It’s because I’m desperate,” and tightly squeezed my brother’s hand back.

“The god enshrined over there is Lephelize-sama, the creation god of the Lepherite Kingdom.”

“He’s the most important god, isn’t he?”

‘A very powerful-looking god, like a knight with a sword at his waist. Oh, wait, he’s much greater than a knight. He’s a god, after all.’

“Well, I suppose that’s true. And the god enshrined here is Grandes-sama, the earth god of Finley’s territory.”

“He’s the god of our territory, isn’t he? The earth god seems strong and kind.”

‘This god has a beard and looks very gentle. He is holding some kind of plant and a round ball-like object in his hand.’

The snow sculpture was much larger than when viewed from the square Everyone occasionally stopped and explained things to me, who was seeing it for the first time. Additionally, By the way, the road with the snow statues of the gods had pedestals for dedications to each god, and carriages were prohibited from passing. Both nobles and commoners walked to pay their respects, so magic was used to melt the snow beautifully and prevent slipping and falling.

‘Magic is amazing.’

“It’s thanks to Grandes-sama, the god of the land, that we can harvest plenty of wheat, vegetables, and fruits. This snow statue was made for the festival, but there is a proper bronze statue enshrined in the temple.”

“The temple. The place that fixed my injury before.”

“Ah, that’s a different temple. There is a temple in each land, you see.”

“I see. Do I have to go to the temple?”

“Uh-uh. During the festival, it’s decided that we offer our prayers to the snow statue here, so it’s alright. Eddie’s prayer of gratitude will also reach the gods in the shrine.”

“That’s great. Strawberries, grapes, apples, chestnuts, they were all plentiful and delicious. I appreciate it so much!”

“That’s right. They turned into delicious sweets, didn’t they?”

“Well then, we’ve offered our prayers of gratitude to the gods, shall we go to the park and check out the food stalls?” Daniel stepped away from the snow statue and said so.

Upon hearing that, I couldn’t help but shout, “Yay!”

“Hey, hey! Don’t get too excited and fall over, okay?”

“I-I-I’m alright!”

“…I don’t feel okay at all.” James said, feeling exasperated.

‘That’s awful, James-kun.’

“Excuse me, what’s the difference between ‘food stall[3]‘ and ‘temporary stall?” I asked.

“They’re similar, but food stalls sell food, while ‘temporary stalls’ are small festival shops that sell various things,” my older brother replied.

Martin smiled and continued, “Yeah, usually you’re not allowed to buy and eat on the spot, but you can get away with it at times like this, so it’s fun.”

Then James next to him murmured happily, “I hope they have galettes[4].”

And Daniel added with joy, “Finley has plenty of wheat, so I want to try something unusual.”

Everyone seemed to be having fun, so I also said, “It would be nice if there’s something delicious,” and firmly held my brother’s hand so as not to get lost. He noticed and smiled back, gripping my hand in return.

‘Heehee, it’s so fun and happy to walk holding hands.’

Footnotes

[1] ほよほよ(hoyohoyo) is a Japanese onomatopoeic expression that represents a state of being carefree, happy, and leisurely. I guess James here is saying that being around Eddie makes the atmosphere relaxing, or comfortable.

[2] Daniel is saying he’s jealous of his own father, Howard tutoring Eddie since the latter gets to see Eddie every week. LOL

[3] In Japanese context, both 屋台 (yatai) and 出店 (dēten) refer to temporary or mobile shops, often found at festivals, events, or on the street. However, there are some subtle differences in their meanings and usage.

屋台 (yatai) refers to a small, traditional food stall or cart, often with a roof and wheels, that serves street food, snacks, and drinks. 屋台 (yatai) are typically set up in a specific location for a limited period, such as a week or a month, and are often associated with traditional Japanese festivals, such as the summer festival (natsu matsuri) or the cherry blossom festival (hanami). On the other hand, 出店 (dēten) refers to a temporary shop or stall that can sell a wide range of products, including food, beverages, clothing, accessories, and souvenirs. Unlike 屋台 (yatai), 出店 (dēten) can be set up anywhere and anytime, such as on the street, in a park, or at an event. 出店 (dēten) can also be more modern and may not have the traditional design and atmosphere of 屋台 (yatai).

In summary, while both 屋台 (yatai) and 出店 (dēten) are temporary or mobile shops, 屋台 (yatai) refers specifically to a traditional food stall or cart that is often associated with traditional festivals, while 出店 (dēten) can refer to any temporary shop or stall that sells a wide range of products and can be set up anywhere.

[4] A type of Flat cake, commonly known pastry in French cuisine.