Candlelight, Rabbits, and a Banquet · Chapter 1
Welcoming Banquet
Sometimes, results reached through coincidence and mishaps turn out better than things going according to plan.
It would be foolish to always expect that kind of luck and fortune, but...
I suppose it means there is no need to give up too hastily or think negatively just because things do not go as initially planned.
I came to realize that after some time had passed since becoming the Journey Captain...
It was around the time I started to feel somewhat used to life here in Lavistar.
I finished training and was packing my things to return to my quarters when I heard someone calling me.
Lisa
There you are, Captain!
Lisa? What's the matter?
Lisa
There will be a welcome banquet tomorrow afternoon at Candle Square to celebrate your appointment as Captain!
Everyone at Candle Square helped prepare it, so please make sure to attend!
Hmm? Is something wrong?
A welcome banquet...
It feels like a lot to handle.
Lisa
Oh, no need to feel pressured. Even though it's a welcome banquet, it's nothing fancy.
It's just people getting together to enjoy cake and food prepared at Candle Square.
Of course if the guest of honor doesn't show up, we'll probably just eat and go our separate ways.
The cake with the words [Welcome, Captain] written on it will probably be put away without even lighting the candles.
It'd be quite a lonely and awkward welcome banquet.
Well, if it makes you uncomfortable, there's nothing we can do.
Fine, fine, I'll go!
Lisa
Hehe, a wise choice. Then I'll see you tomorrow!
The afternoon of the welcome banquet.
When I arrived in front of Candle Square on time, the members of the Voyager Savior Party greeted me.
Asherah
Ah, Captain! We were just about to head in ourselves.
Luna
Huh? You don't seem very excited.
Hmm... surely you didn't stay up all night imagining how we'd welcome you, did you?
Like, [If it's a welcome ceremony for me, they must have at least prepared a red carpet and an orchestra!] or something?
Do you think I'm you?!
Smile
I heard they prepared some simple but tasty food and a cake.
It's expected that Candle Square's food will lack spiciness.
Personal supply of hell habanero powder secured. Fully prepared.
Are you ready too, Captain?
Yeah, let's go in.
It's my first time having something like a [welcome banquet] thrown for me, so as Luna said, I am a bit nervous.
I said it felt like a lot, but I can't help but feel somewhat excited to see what it'll be like.
When I open the door, it might be far more ordinary or modest than I expect.
Even so, I steady myself so I can keep my composure.
With that resolve, I take a deep breath and swing open the doors of Candle Square.
They said it wasn't a fancy welcome banquet, after all.
Claire
...
Scarlet
...
...Huh...
Claire
E-everyone...
Scarlet
Captain...
This is suuuper fancy!
The scene before my eyes is so far beyond my expectations that my mind starts spinning out of control.
Bunny girls...
A welcome banquet with bunny girls!
Reality far exceeds the 63 scenarios I imagined last night, and even my breathing becomes uneven.
This is...
Is this Lavistar's way?
Is this how Lavistar welcomes people?
Is this how Lavistar welcomes people?!
Asherah & Luna
Wh-what?!
What kind of face am I supposed to make? Wait, what face am I making right now?
Regardless of my will to remain composed, the neurons in my head start generating countless images at the speed of light.
...A bunny girl welcome banquet... Does that mean it starts like... and goes all the way to...
Is that going too far? Then maybe just...
Claire
No!
...
Huh.
Claire
Phew... Captain.
We informed you that today's welcome banquet was postponed due to an issue at Candle Square, did we not?
Asherah
No, I didn't hear anything like that... The welcome banquet was postponed?
Claire
Scarlet, what happened?
Did you not contact the Voyager Savior Party and inform them of the schedule change?
Scarlet
Oh... that... Yes! I did! I'm sure I passed along the message!
Claire
Did you deliver it personally?
Scarlet
Uh... well... I asked Emily... to pass it along...
...Ugh.
Claire
How could you entrust something this important to someone who cannot even remember what happened five minutes ago!
Scarlet
I-I was busy with a lot of things too... fixing and decorating the bunny girl outfits...
Claire
*Sigh...*
What's going on here?
Claire
...My apologies. We intended to inform you that today's welcome banquet would be moved to tomorrow due to certain circumstances...
It seems there was a mistake on our end while relaying the message.
In that case...
Why the bunny girl outfits?
Claire
Ah, this... will take some time to explain...
Scarlet
They are special outfits for an upcoming infiltration mission!
Luna
An infiltration mission?
Smile
...In any case, the conclusion is that they're unrelated to the welcome banquet.
Ah...
Asherah
C-Captain. Your eyes are shaking going haywire!
So there is no bunny girl welcome banquet?
Claire
A bunny girl welcome banquet?
That never existed in the first place!
...La...
Luna
..."La"?
Lavistaaar!
Luna
Bwaahahahaha!
Claire
...We were in the middle of preparing the Captain's welcome banquet.
Ms. Bell had been restless all day, like a hungry puppy.
Even when asked, she said nothing was wrong.
Then she suddenly said she would go buy the cake ingredients she needed and went outside.
Even though we already had more than enough ingredients.
Scarlet
That gravedigger! She did not lift a finger to help with the preparations and just lazed around!
I thought she made an excuse to avoid working and ran off...
Claire
And we did not hear from her at all until that evening.
The moment we sensed something was wrong...
Vera
Hello! *Huff, huff...*
This is Vera, delivering with heart!
Express delivery for [Candle Square Entrance]!
Um... the sender asked for it to be delivered very, very urgently...
It seems like a bit of an emergency!
Claire
...A hastily scribbled note in Ms. Bell's handwriting was delivered.
The note Claire passed to me contained only a short message written in hurried strokes.
What's this...?
[Code 35. Deep Field. Bell]
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