Was she ten years old? Other than that girl, there wasnât anyone else nearby. Had she been separated from her parents or her friends? Or did she just get lost alone in the chaos?
After gathering her thoughts, Camilla approached the lost looking little girl on the main street.
âWhatâs the matter? Are you lost?â
When Camilla called out to her, the girlâs shoulders jumped It seemed like she was so absorbed in the sound, she didnât see Camilla coming. Those round eyes that she looked up at Camilla with seemed confused.
âUm, uh, Iâm sorry. I looked without permission.â
âThatâs okay. If you like, you can come closer to watch. Assuming you arenât lost, that is?â
âIâm not lost!â
The girlâs cheeks puffed up as she pouted.
âIâm waiting for my friends. I know how to get back to my house by myself!â
âI understand, my mistake. Then, do take your time and listen⌠Ah, no⌠Wait just a minute.â
As if suddenly remembering something, Camilla looked around the main street. Ruined stalls lined the sidewalks. As she looked, she tried to eye GĂźnterâs stall, that was supposed to be around here.
GĂźnterâs stand was set up in a good position, near the main square. Luckily, it hadnât been damaged too badly. GĂźnter must have protected it well since all the cookery she could see were still in decent shape. As soon as she saw that, Camilla rushed over towards the stall.
Sitting next to his stand, GĂźnter was all alone. He was hunched over like everyone else, exhausted. With a gloomy look towards the square, he sighed.
As he sullenly sat alone, Camilla suddenly burst onto the scene with vigour. GĂźnter turned away from the square to frown at the sudden intruder.
âOi, whatâre you doing? What happened?â
âI need to borrow your stall for a moment.â
âHa?â
Not taking any notice of the dumbfounded GĂźnter, Camilla slipped behind the standâs counter.
The stall was tidy and neatly organized, equipped with a simple to use outdoor stove. So that the stall wouldnât burn down, the fire is completely encased. A net was spread over the charcoals, with a skewer and a bottle of sauce set up beside it.
The meat was left in a stone chest on the ground, well cooled with magical tools.
The flint was⌠next to the coals. As soon as she found it, Camilla lit up the oven. After skewering the meat on one of the spits, she laid it across the netting after waiting for the fire to begin burning in earnest.
âWhat do you think youâre doing?â
Looking into the stall, GĂźnter stared at her, perplexed. It was no wonder. Heâd agreed to take part in the festival and was gearing up to finally enjoy himself, then suddenly his stall was attacked by a group of men. After finally managing to fight them off with whatever he could, the moment he took a break his stall was finally taken over by one lone invader.
âIt should be simple to see if you look.â
But, Camillaâs answer seemed cold. Without turning around to look at him, she continued to grill the meat over the flame.
The meat grilling in the oven was charred with the pattern of the net beneath it. The juices from the meat dripped through the net, falling into the fire with puffs of smoke. Those juices running from the meat was a sign it still hadnât been cooked till perfection yet.
âIt should be simple to see if IâŚ? Oi, youâve stoked the fire too much! Youâre gonna burn the damned stall down! Stop pressing the meat against the dang net! Did you even season that properly!?â
âHow should I know!?â
âArgh, damn it! You tasteless woman!â
GĂźnter scratched at his head irritatedly. Ignoring the man, Camilla continued to keep grilling the meat over the fire.
The oily smoke snaked its way out of the tent and carried a fragrance down the street. The girl who was standing out there suddenly turned to look at the stall where Camilla was working. After looking at it a little confused for a while, she ran up to it.
âWhaaatâcha doing?â
The girl stretched to see above the countertop and look into the stall. Although the meat ended up a little overcooked, it still looked tender and juicy. With a âFufu~n,â Camilla took the skewer off the fire.
âLooks delicious, doesnât it?â
âYepâŚâ
The girlâs eyes were firmly fixed on the skewer Camilla held.
With the girlâs rapt attention, Camilla began to glaze the meat in the sauce just to show off. The sauce was ever so slightly sweet, which alongside the already nice smell of the meat gives off an irresistible fragrance.
As expected, it seemed like the perfect way to pull customers. The girl couldnât take her eyes off of it.
âThat will be five Licht coppers.â
The coin Camilla spoke about was the lowest currency that was in circulation in Sonnenlicht. Five of those coins wouldnât be an expensive purchase, even for a commoner. It was something even children could afford.
However, the girlâs shoulders slumped at those words.
ââŚUm, I⌠I donât have any moneyâŚâ
ââŚWell, usually it would be five coppers. But today, children eat free.â
The girl looked up at Camilla. Faced with those big twinkling eyes, Camilla smiled.
She was hoping that the master of the shop wouldnât get too antsy about her flexing some authority for something like this. In the first place, if things kept up like that he wouldnât have had a single customer at all.
âThank you very much, Miss First Customer.â
As she said that, Camilla held out the freshly grilled skewer.
After taking the gift, the little girl ran off, seemingly satisfied with not going to the plaza after all.
ââŚThe first and the last customer, I suppose?â
With the girl gone, there was no longer any other potential customers both in the plaza or on the main street.
Well, at any rate, one customer was better than none. Even just having seen that one girlâs eyes light up was a little reward.
The fragrant smoke continued to waft up the street. Taking no notice of GĂźnter, who continued to try and lecture her about how to properly cook skewered meat, Camilla smiled, a little lonely.
But, after dark⌠Children truly are wily, after all.
Eventually, that girl came back, and with lots of friends in tow.
âWe heard that children get to eat for free.â
There was a big group of children, all around ten years old. Amongst them, a boy who was probably the leader of their little group spoke up cheekily.
âIt should be free even with this many, right? Please give everyone some.â
There were more than eleven or twelve people in their group. In fact, she saw more coming. Had she gathered all the children her age from around Blume? Giving away that many skewers for free would easily wipe out any hope of a profit margin, normally.
âArenât you plucky?â
âHmph,â Camilla crossed her arms behind the stallâs counter.
Camilla remembered the face of the cheeky brat in front of her. He was one of Klausâ âteachersâ that they had come across, not long after coming to Blume originally.
âYou, youâre Klausâ âmischief teacherâ, arenât you? You truly are just as bad a boy as I imagined⌠Did Klaus tell you to come here?â
As Camilla looked at the boy suspiciously, he returned a stubborn stare. Even though he was young, it seemed like he had just as much of that Blume attitude as the adults in this town.
âWhat kind of attitude is that towards your customers? When you said children eat free, was that a lie?â
âIt was not a lie at all. Very well, Iâll have you all eat for free. However! In return, you have to eat your skewer whilst listening to the singing in the square!â
At Camillaâs shout, the children suddenly cheered.
They slapped each otherâs hands in a way that Camilla had never seen before.
Throughout the trampled ruins of the destroyed festival, childrenâs laughter echoed. It may have taken a different form, but in its own way, this is what Camilla had dreamed of.