The Fairies' "Three Breaths Festival" New Year

New Calendar, Year One.

Earth Month, late December.

The northwestern corner of the continent had entered winter, but the region around Despair Valley in the distant Far East remained sweltering.

An unbroken chain of volcanoes stretched across the easternmost lands. Perhaps that strange terrain was why the region had no winter at all.

Night fell.

A huge crescent moon hung high in the dark sky, surrounded by twinkling stars.

At the heart of the Inbu-An Tribe, one of the three great Orc tribes, thatched huts and wooden houses dotted the ground in a pattern that looked chaotic yet orderly from above.

Chirp, chirp, chirp~

Chirp, chirp, chirp~

Insects chirped like mice from the grass around the houses, mingling with the noisy voices of Orc children.

"The moon's so big tonight."

Yaluer sat on a rooftop, her silver hair falling naturally down her back. She gazed upward and murmured to herself, the stars reflected in her pale eyes.

An unpleasant smell hung in the air: burnt food, sour pickles, fermenting waste, and all manner of other odors.

The Orcs were not particular about their living conditions.

Yaluer had lived here for more than half a year and had grown completely used to the strange smell that never left the air.

Now, unless she paid close attention, her nose simply ignored it.

I wonder how everyone's doing. Looking up at the crescent moon, Yaluer felt a pang of longing.

Still, the Oasis Humans now controlled all three oases in the desert. They no longer had to worry about safety, food, or water.

That's all thanks to the Hero.

A warm smile appeared on Yaluer's tan face. I wonder what the Hero is doing now.

Tap, tap, tap!

A quick patter of cheerful footsteps approached from nearby.

"Yaluer!"

"Yaluer!"

The calls drew nearer,