The Granary’s Secret

“What do you think, South Creek? Should we join?”

“I’m completely uninterested.”

Drawing from her accumulated experience, South Creek swiftly concluded that this endeavor would only squander both time and energy. Having spent several months acclimatizing to this world, she had grown largely familiar with its workings. Barring any supernatural elements, there was little left that could pique her curiosity.

Moreover, she harbored no belief that the old men would produce anything worthwhile. As a sophisticated adult, she certainly wouldn’t stoop to participating in such a childish game.

“I knew you’d say that, though I am rather curious to see what treasures the Village Chief might have hidden for us.”

Despite her words, Fanny’s expression betrayed a similar lack of enthusiasm for the treasure hunt. She took a final bite of the roasted meat skewered on a bamboo stick, chewing thoughtfully as she began to retrace their steps.

“Mama, look! I found treasure!”

Suddenly, a child’s voice pierced the air. Both girls turned their heads in unison, their eyes falling upon the very same little boy, clad only in shorts, who was now sprinting towards them, his face alight with excitement. Clutched in his hand was a small bag brimming with candied fruits of various flavors.

“…………”

“There should be more of that, right?”

“Hard to say, but I doubt the Village Chief would only hide this much.”

Swallowing hard, South Creek envisioned a future where every meal offered a hint of sweetness, prompting her to unconsciously lick her lips. Fanny, whose daily meals were equally unremarkable, also found her gaze fixed intently on the candied fruits in the little boy’s hand, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“Little one, where did you find that bag of treats?”

Fanny approached with a beaming smile, posing her question to the child before them.

“You have to call me Mr. Steven! This is the Village Chief’s treasure, of course! It was hidden in a super obvious spot, so I found it right away. Wait a minute, I’m going to find even more treasure!”

“Is that so…”

Their gazes met, each recognizing the burgeoning desire in the other’s eyes. While these particular items weren’t exactly enthralling, who could resist such an abundance of delicious snacks?

“Then, would you be so kind as to describe it in more detail for us, my dear Mr. Steven…?”

“We’ve decided to get moving, but we have absolutely no idea where to even begin looking.”

“I recall the Village Chief mentioning it had something to do with the Starfall Festival.”

The two girls wandered aimlessly through the streets, their eyes scanning every building around them, as if searching for a hidden clue. Having resolved to participate in the event, they couldn’t simply stand idly by. Yet, despite traversing the village repeatedly for a considerable time, they had yet to uncover anything remotely connected to the treasure.

[The Starfall Festival… I remember it’s held to celebrate the harvest, and it has something to do with the stars in the sky… Oh, and various gods.]

Pondering quietly, South Creek attempted to recall everything related to the Starfall Festival. However, she had always been rather indifferent to such matters, and when Elise had recounted the festival’s origins to her, South Creek hadn’t paid close attention, retaining only a vague notion. Now, she could only regret her past inattention.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck South Creek, a brilliant hypothesis igniting in her mind. A high-pitched exclamation escaped her lips, startling Fanny, who was idly munching on a fruit candy beside her.

“I know! It must be in the village granary!”

“What? What do you know? Why don’t I know?”

“Think about it: since it’s a festival to celebrate the harvest, that means it must be related to food. And when you mention food, the place with the most food is definitely the granary. It’s the perfect spot to hide treasure. Most importantly, if something is hidden in a granary, it’s almost certainly food.”

This analysis, while coherent, faced a significant hurdle. As the village’s emergency food storage, the granary was typically off-limits to villagers to prevent theft, making it an unlikely spot for a public treasure hunt.

“So, can you even get inside?”

Fanny’s question was entirely reasonable. If given the chance, she would have loved to wander through the granary herself; the actual treasure seemed almost secondary compared to the contents within.

“Foolish! Nobody said you had to go inside the granary to find it. Considering what that little brat said earlier, the treasure is likely placed right next to the granary, perhaps even by the main entrance.”

Fanny rolled her eyes, momentarily unable to formulate a rebuttal. The granary wasn’t far from the night market, meaning it was unlikely anyone else would reach it quickly. It was, indeed, a plausible location.

“Then let’s hurry! If we’re too slow, someone else might get there first, and all this effort will be for nothing.”

“Alright, alright.”

Quickening their pace, the two girls headed straight for the granary. Simultaneously, the sky began to dim, its taciturn expanse never announcing the onset of night directly. Only the few crimson-tinged clouds offered a subtle hint of its approach. As they moved further away from the bustling night market, the crowds thinned out, and they found themselves returning to the tranquil, rustic charm of the everyday village.

“Ah, I see it!”

After an indeterminate amount of walking, they finally arrived before the village granary. Though dusk had settled, both girls immediately spotted a wooden sign emblazoned with a distinctly abstract treasure symbol.

“That must be it.”

According to the little boy’s earlier description, every treasure spot featured a large sign marked with a treasure symbol. Frankly, the artistic skill of the person who drew these symbols left much to be desired.

[Candied fruits, dried jerky, or perhaps a bounty of various fresh fruits?]

Their eyes fixed intently on the treasure before them, South Creek and Fanny’s faces slowly broadened into an unspoken smile. In their eager minds, the treasure was already transforming into an array of delectable treats.

“Agreed, half for each of us.”

“Naturally.”

Step by step, the distance between them and the treasure dwindled, its true form on the verge of being revealed.

But then, Fanny abruptly halted. Her gaze lifted, only to find another person already standing beside the treasure.

“Jack?!”

It was indeed Jack Beard, who now regarded them with an impassive expression. With his right hand, he pulled the wooden sign from the ground, tossing it casually aside before sighing.

“It’s you two… I wondered who else would find their way here.”

“When did you get here? How did you know about this spot?”

South Creek’s face instantly clouded over with dismay. If Jack had indeed found the treasure first, their lengthy journey would have been entirely in vain.

“If you two could figure it out, so could I. I merely walked a bit faster, that’s all.”

“…You, you rascal.”

Witnessing all their efforts about to be rendered fruitless, Fanny’s frustration began to boil over.

“First come, first served; those are the rules. Since I found this treasure first, then…”