Over the next few days, Erik oversaw the construction of the water park as the burger shack steadily increased in profit. The villagers had grown more comfortable with the machinery, their movements around the crane and bulldozer becoming more natural. Ricteronu had even started to enjoy the power of modern engineering, often asking for more 'tricks' from Erik's world.
Finally, the week of the festival had arrived. Erik meticulously planned the layout of the event, ensuring that the burger shack was the central hub. The smell of grilled meat and sweet pastries filled the air as the villagers set up stalls filled with delicious treats. Colorful banners fluttered in the breeze, announcing the 'Water's Embrace Festival' with cheerful illustrations of splashing waves and dragons.
Talia walked up to Erik as he stood in between the burger shack and the newly completed, yet unopened water park. She looked at him with a mix of admiration and bewilderment. "I can't believe you've managed to do all of this," she said, gesturing to the bustling festival.
"I can't take all the credit. Alyssa and Ric really helped me plan it," Erik said, his eyes never leaving the festival setup that was erected in the village. "But let's not jinx it. We still have to pull it off without any disasters."
Erik glanced at Talia out of the corner of his eye, subtly indicating that he believed she might do something to tank the festival. Talia, for her part, was either ignorant of his gaze, or simply wasn't bothered.
"Don't worry, Erik," she said, her voice soothing and calm. "Everything will go according to plan."
Illyanth trudged up to the pair, nuzzling Talia's hand affectionately. The dragon looked over the festival setup with a yawn.
"Looks like everything's coming together nicely," Talia said, stroking Illyanth's snout. "And what about you, Erik? How are you feeling about the festival?"
"I'm... I'm a little nervous, to be honest," Erik admitted, his eyes darting around the chaotic preparations. "I've never organized anything like this before."
Indeed, as an industrial engineer back in his world, Erik seldom found himself orchestrating grand-scale events, let alone in a medieval fantasy realm. Yet here he was, trying to blend the old with the new, turning a quaint village into a thriving tourist destination.
The festival was in full swing. The scent of grilled meat filled the air, mingling with the sweet aroma of pastries from the local bakeries. Stalls of all shapes and sizes lined the cobblestone streets, displaying a riot of colors and goods. The burger shack was a flurry of activity, with a long line of hungry patrons eagerly awaiting their taste of Erik's culinary concoctions.
With a deep breath, Erik surveyed the bustling festival. The villagers had embraced the modern flair with open arms, their curiosity piqued by the strange contraptions and tantalizing smells. The spicy dragon burger was the talk of the town, and the burger shack was a hit. Even Ricteronu had donned a makeshift apron and was flipping burgers alongside Alyssa and her staff, who had mastered the art of fast food service with surprising ease.
The fashion show was about to begin, and the anticipation was palpable. The stage was set with a backdrop of flowing blue fabric, representing the river that ran through the village. Geritara had outdone himself, crafting an array of swimsuits that ranged from modest two-pieces to more daring, revealing designs that pushed the boundaries of Windorian modesty. Talia, ever the diplomat, had convinced the more conservative villagers to partake by emphasizing the practicality of the garments for the water park.
"Erik Park," Morthanu greeted him as he sidled up to the architect of the entire thing. "I must say, you've outdone yourself. I've had my doubts, especially after the Great Weed Fire, but this festival seems to be a roaring success."
"Not yet, it isn't," Erik murmured, his eyes scanning the festival. "Not until we gain even more visitors from outside the village."
Morthanu chuckled. "You always aim high, don't you?"
"It's not like I want to," Erik muttered under his breath, watching as the villagers lined up for their burgers. The line stretched out of the burger shack and into the street, a testament to the popularity of the new cuisine.
The fashion show was about to start, and Erik knew that was going to be the real test. He had seen the swimsuits and knew that they would either make or break the festival. If the villagers didn't accept them, then the whole water park might just be a flop.
Frankly speaking, Erik had spent quite some time with many of the villagers, trying to gauge how they would react to the swimwear of his world. And if he had to make a judgment, it would be that he didn't know how about half the men would react.
The women, on the other hand, were a different story. They had shown a mix of excitement and apprehension. Some were eager to show off their figures, while others were more conservative and worried about what their families would think.
Erik sighed and shook his head, turning to Morthanu.
"Well, Mr. Mort. Are you ready to judge these lovely ladies in their swimsuits?"
The village elder audibly swallowed, his gaze drifting to the stage where the models were preparing. "I suppose it is a duty that must be done," he replied, trying to sound solemn. Erik could tell he was looking forward to it despite his stoic exterior.
Chuckling, Erik watched as Morthanu eagerly hurried over to the judge's panel before he looked around for Talia. But the Beggar Princess was nowhere to be seen.
Nervous, Erik felt as if he knew what she was up to, turning back to the stage where Geritara came out with a microphone that had been previously conjured.
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"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, welcome to the first ever Restia Swimsuit Fashion Show!" Geritara announced, his soft voice now booming out over the crowd. "Thanks to the generosity of Erik Park and his ideas, many of these fabulous outfits of mine were brought to life! I really hope you guys enjoy the show!"
The crowd roared with excitement as the first model strutted out onto the makeshift stage. Erik's eyes searched for Talia again, but she remained elusive. The show began with a series of modest swimsuits, designed to appease the more conservative townsfolk. They were met with polite applause and nods of approval. Morthanu's stern face remained unchanged as he took his role as a judge very seriously.
Then, as if on cue, the music switched to something more upbeat, and the crowd's anticipation grew palpable. The next set of swimsuits were bolder, with brighter colors and more daring cuts. The models looked like goddesses emerging from the water, their smiles infectious as they showcased their figures.
Erik's heart skipped a beat when he finally spotted Talia standing in the wings, watching the show with a mix of curiosity and amusement. She was dressed in a crimson bikini that left little to the imagination, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders. He knew that look in her eyes; she was ready to cause a scene.
"Oh god, no..." Erik murmured under his breath, his eyes widening as Talia took the stage. The crowd gasped, their eyes drawn to the crimson fabric clinging to her body like a second skin. She had a wicked smile on her lips as she strutted down the runway, the confidence in her stride leaving no room for doubt.
Erik wasn't superstitious, at least, not in the traditional sense, but he found himself physically crossing his fingers and toes as Talia strutted down the runway. The crowd's reaction was a mix of shock and awe. The more conservative villagers looked ready to faint, while the younger ones couldn't peel their eyes away.
"Please just be walking, please just be walking..." Erik's silent mantra grew louder in his head as Talia approached Morthanu. "Talia, do not fuck this up with any antics..."
Mirth danced in her golden eyes as she approached the stern judge, a knowing smirk playing at her lips. She stopped in front of him, striking a pose that would make any fashionista proud. The crowd held its collective breath, waiting for Morthanu's reaction.
With a straight face, he brandished two thumbs up, giving Talia an enthusiastic nod. "Absolutely stunning," he announced, his voice carrying over the murmurs of the crowd.
Erik breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, that could've gone worse," he murmured to himself.
"Great! Now, we'll get to the water games!" Talia announced, a little more energetically than she usually was.
"Hold on, what water games–"
Erik's thoughts were cut off by the sound of laughter and cheers as the crowd eagerly awaited the next part of the festival. He had no idea what Talia had planned for these 'water games', but he had a sinking feeling it would be something wild and completely out of his control. Granted, he had promised Morthanu the possibility of water games, but he didn't actually expect them to happen.
The models began to usher the audience down to the makeshift pool that had been constructed for the festival. Erik hurried to catch up, trying to keep an eye on Talia as she whispered something to one of the burly village men. Suddenly, the man's eyes lit up, and he disappeared into the crowd.
"Hey, Talia!" Erik called out to her, but she was already in the midst of the crowd. He shoved his way through the throng of people, the anticipation of the water games making them restless. He had to admit, she had a knack for stirring up excitement.
Struggling to get to her, Erik nearly collided into Illyanth, who snorted indignantly at him. "Hey, buddy, any idea on what the fuck your owner's gonna do?" he asked the baby dragon, who simply blinked at him. Erik sighed again. "I know you can't talk, I just needed to vent."
When he finally reached the poolside, Talia was already standing atop a makeshift podium, her golden eyes gleaming with excitement. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the grand finale of our festival's opening day!"
Her voice echoed through the clearing, and the crowd grew quiet, their eyes fixed on her. "Today, we shall hold the first ever 'Restia Splash Showdown'!"
"...The what now?" Erik murmured to himself, his heart racing. He had no idea what 'Restia Splash Showdown' was supposed to be, but he had a feeling it was going to be something unexpected.
"This is where we really show our village spirit!" Talia shouted, holding up a large wooden bucket filled with water. "We're going to see who can make the biggest splash!"
Erik felt a cold sweat form on his brow. This was definitely not what he had in mind when he suggested the idea of water games. He glanced around the crowd, hoping to spot any signs of dissent, but the villagers were all smiles and cheers.
"You're going to love this, Erik!" Talia called out to him, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "We're going to start with a simple water balloon toss, and then we'll move on to the real fun!"
Erik felt a twinge of dread in his stomach. 'Real fun' could mean anything with Talia. He watched as the villagers eagerly paired up, grabbing water balloons from a pile.
"Erik, you're up!" Talia called out, tossing a water balloon in his direction.
Erik caught it with a resigned sigh. "Fine. If this is what it takes to keep the festival going."
"The rules are simple! Each pair will throw the water balloon back and forth, taking a step back with every successful catch!" Talia's enthusiasm was infectious, and Erik couldn't help but feel a bit excited despite his reservations. He picked a random partner from the available models, a woman named Lila, who was dressed in a more modest, yet still quite revealing, swimsuit.
"Burger King," she bowed her head in greeting, much to his embarrassment.
"J-just Erik is fine..." Erik mumbled, his cheeks flushing a bit as he took his position opposite Lila. The crowd counted down from three, and the tossing began. To his surprise, Lila had quite the arm on her, and the water balloon arched gracefully through the air, landing in his outstretched hands. He tossed it back with a bit more force, and she caught it with ease, taking a step back.
They continued this dance of steps and tosses, the crowd oohing and aahing with each successful catch. The other pairs dropped out one by one, their balloons popping and drenching them in cold water. Erik noticed both the models' swimsuits beginning to show a little more skin the more wet it became and how the men's eyes of the village- including the village elder Morthanu, who was supposed to be judging the fashion show- were glued to the display.
He couldn't really say anything of course, since he was doing the same thing as them.
The tension grew as Erik and Lila reached the edge of the pool, the crowd chanting their names. With a final toss, the balloon soared through the air, and time seemed to slow down as it hovered for a moment before bursting into a glorious splash of water over Lila. Despite the crowd's, or rather the men's, roar of approval, Erik immediately knew Talia had used her magic to pop the balloon before Lila could catch it.
Even so, she was all smiles as she took her bow, the water running down her body in rivulets. Erik couldn't help but feel a twinge of irritation at Talia's antics, but he knew that she had a plan, and that she was probably enjoying watching him squirm.
"Thank you to everyone who participated in the water games so far! We'll be taking a break before continuing with festivities. And don't forget, at the end, the judges will announce the winner of the swimsuit contest!" Talia announced, waving her arms to signal the end of the water balloon toss.