Firecrackers!
Or, to be precise, strings of firecrackers!
It was the Wintertide Festival-how could they possibly go without setting some off?
And that posed no difficulty for Arthur.
After what had happened with Nicole (Mrs. Andor) and Cotton, how could Arthur not make extra preparations? He had already had Merlin order plenty of fireworks from the general store while he was there.
And since he was buying fireworks, naturally he had ordered firecrackers as well.
Although this world had no tradition of setting off firecrackers during festivals, they were used in circus performances. Some clowns even wrapped themselves in firecrackers, lit them, and earned the audience's laughter amid the crackling explosions and their own repeated screams. The more miserably they screamed, the more delighted the audience became.
Sometimes, happiness really was that simple.
While Lady Anna and Malinda were still carrying out the dishes, Arthur winked at Linda and Maltz.
Wasn't it time for the Wintertide Feast?
Neither understood what he meant, but they still followed Arthur.
By the time they reached the courtyard, Kuliqi and Kili had already carried two crates of firecrackers and fireworks out of the Safe House in the basement and were crouching beside Arthur.
"Fireworks and firecrackers?"
Linda stared in surprise.
"Mm-hmm."
Nodding repeatedly, Arthur picked up some fireworks and walked out of the courtyard, standing right on Kirk Street. By then, the street was deserted. The patrol officers stationed farther away, along West Merck Avenue, had not noticed anything happening here either. Even carrying away a charred corpse moments earlier had barely stirred them. After all, it had happened outside 2 Kirk Street. Anything was possible there.
Anyone who showed up there had to be mentally prepared for a few things.
So, after handing over the body of the reporter killed by a winter