Back at the burger shack, Erik grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat from his brow, his eyes straying to the pool where the water games had been held. The villagers were still buzzing with excitement, and in turn, that had generated the most business the burger shack ever had.

Erik noticed a surge of outsiders visiting from different villages and towns, with some even hailing from the three kingdoms. The word had spread about the peculiar and alluring festival in the small village of Restia, and people were curious. The sight of these newcomers wearing their own traditional garb, mingling with the villagers, and partaking in the festivities brought a smile to his face. It was working. The water park was slowly becoming a reality, and the village was starting to thrive.

He quietly surveyed the different races that had also come to visit, taking note of their reactions to the modern cuisine. The elves, with their pointed ears and ethereal grace, were particularly intrigued by the juicy burgers. One had even asked if it was a rare form of elven food that they hadn't encountered before. Erik had to chuckle at the absurdity of the situation.

As for the dwarves, they were skeptical at first, but the spicy dragon burger's aroma had drawn them in like moths to a flame. Erik watched with amusement as their stern expressions morphed into looks of delight after their first bite. The food was acting as a bridge between worlds, a way to share his own culture with the inhabitants of Windoria.

Even a few other races that Erik wasn't familiar with had shown up, their curiosity piqued by the tales of a burger-slinging human and a destitute mage princess. The variety of species in the crowd was a testament to the allure of the festival. The sound of laughter and cheers filled the air as the villagers mingled with the visitors, sharing stories and experiences.

Erik relished in the sound of coins clinking into the cash register as orders flew out of the kitchen. Alyssa had done a fantastic job training the staff, and they were handling the rush like seasoned professionals. The smell of sizzling meat and freshly baked buns wafted through the air, mixing with the sweet scent of the spicy dragon sauce. It was a smell that was slowly becoming the scent of success.

"What do you make of it, Erik?" he heard Talia's voice behind him, a note of pride in her words.

"Well, I-" Erik froze as he turned and stared at her.

Talia had changed into something that was far from the crimson bikini she had worn for the fashion show. Now, she was dressed in a sleek, black wetsuit that clung to her like a second skin. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she looked around at the festivities.

"Er, things are going great, actually," Erik cleared his throat as he regained his composure. "Anyway, that swimsuit isn't one of my designs, right? Did Geritara come up with that?"

"Indeed, it is," Talia said with a smug smile, twirling around to show off her new attire. "It's made from a special fabric that adapts to its wearer's body and magical abilities. Quite handy for what I have in mind."

Any sense of embarrassment Erik had felt upon seeing Talia's new revealing swimsuit was gone as a feeling of nervousness replaced it.

"What... what do you have in mind?"

"Just you wait and see," Talia winked, her golden eyes alight with mischief.

Before he could question her, the Beggar Princess left in a hurry, apparently eager to get started for the next half of festivities. Erik sighed in resignation as a finger tapped on his shoulders.

"Erik, I just want to thank you again for giving me the opportunity to showcase my designs!" Geritara gushed, his eyes shining with excitement. "I never thought my creations would be so well-received by so many people!"

Deciding he'd deal with whatever Talia had planned, Erik gave the clothing shopkeep a small smile. "Don't thank me just yet. When you start raking in the money- when you start becoming successful outside of Restia Village, that's when you can thank me."

Geritara nodded, his smile not wavering. "I know you're right. But I just can't help but feel a little bit of excitement now. This is just the beginning!"

Erik watched him disappear into the crowd. A couple days ago, Erik had conjured up more clothing tools for Geritara, including an embroidery machine, a serger, and a fancy label maker. The man had been over the moon, his creativity running wild. In fact, just as Alyssa had done with his burger shack and Ricteronu with the construction of the water park, Geritara also made use of Erik's other world knowledge, expanding his clothing shop with his own set of employees.

The success of the three only made Erik wonder with disappointment over Talia's situation. Granted, her goals were out of his hands to help with, considering he didn't have a clue on how to start with her dreams of being a medical sorceress. At least she was trying her best to turn her financial situation around.

"Oi! Are you the human who developed that grand structure over there?"

Erik turned around, taken aback when he didn't see anyone there. Then, he glanced down to see a dwarf standing on a wooden crate, his bearded face a picture of curiosity. The dwarf pointed towards the unopened water park.

"Ah, yes," Erik said, a bit embarrassed at being caught in his thoughts. "That's my...uh, project."

"How'd you build it? I don't see any scaffoldings, nor do I sense any heavy magic in the structure," the dwarf inquired, his beady eyes scrutinizing the water park.

"Heh. From where I come from, magic doesn't exist. So, we had to use a bit of physics and engineering," Erik replied with a smirk. He wasn't certain if the dwarf approved of the water park or not, but Erik was damn sure to take pride in his creation. The dwarf squinted his eyes, looking like he was trying to peer into Erik's soul.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"Looks like you're telling the truth... I respect it," the dwarf grunted, his gruff exterior cracking slightly to reveal a hint of admiration. "We dwarves are terrible at naturally wielding magic, but our craft is something we take pride in. What's your name, Traveler?"

"Erik Park," Erik introduced himself, his hand shooting out for a firm handshake.

The dwarf's grip was surprisingly gentle, a stark contrast to his burly exterior. "I am Grom. Grom McThunderbeard. Grom's short for Gromm," he said with a nod.

Had it been the same Erik who first came to this world, he would've immediately questioned the naming of the dwarf, but after everything he had been through, Erik simply took it in stride. At least his name was simple. "Nice to meet you Grom," Erik said, his eyes drifting back to the festival.

The water games had resumed, and it seemed like Talia had upped the craziness. The crowd was now cheering on pairs of villagers as they held onto ropes attached to large buckets of water, swinging back and forth over the pool. The goal was to dunk their opponents into the water without falling in themselves.

"Say, I heard of a rumor that you harnessed lightning in a metal box," Grom spoke up, curiosity peeking through his gruff demeanor. "Is that true, Erik Park?"

Erik snapped his attention back to the dwarf, a devilish smile blooming across his face. He knew that Grom was asking about the generators, and he wasn't going to give up this opportunity to promote it.

The dwarf hesitantly stepped back upon seeing the expression on Erik's face.

"Ah, yes. The lightning in a metal box," Erik replied, his voice lowered in a soothing tone as he composed himself. "That's a little something I like to call 'electricity'. It's a powerful force that we can use to do amazing things. Like powering this festival's lights and sounds without a single drop of mana. Sorry, without a need for a constant stream of mana."

Grom's eyes lit up with curiosity, and he leaned in closer. "Tell me more, human. How do you do such a thing?"

Erik could practically hear the sounds of coins falling into his hands as he ushered the dwarf towards the back of the burger shack, where one of his generator systems was set-up.

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The rest of the festival went by without any major problems, save for the unnecessary drama that seemed to follow Talia wherever she went. Erik had managed to distract Grom with his tales of 'electricity' and the workings of the generator, avoiding the embarrassment of having to explain the true nature of the water games.

The dwarf's eyes seem to light up with curiosity as Erik explained the synergy between the rune and the generator, which enabled the machine to store lightning magic shot at it. Erik had to briefly stop his explanation and intervene when Talia and Lila playfully fought over who could dunk more people into the pool, their laughter echoing through the festival as they were unaware of what their water-soaked swimsuits appeared to the villagers.

"And now, to conclude the pre-opening of the water park festival, the winner of the swimsuit contest will now be announced!" Talia's voice boomed over the crowd.

Erik couldn't help but feel a mix of dread and excitement as the crowd grew silent. He had been so caught up in explaining his tech to Grom that he had almost forgotten about the fashion show. He spotted Morthanu sitting between two other judges, all of them eager to see the victory candidates once again.

The contestants lined up on the stage, their faces a blend of nervousness and anticipation. Each one had managed to secure votes from the audience and the judges based on their confidence and the appeal of their swimsuits. It was clear that the villagers had warmed up to the idea, with many of them now sporting grins and whispering to each other, sharing their opinions on who they thought should win.

Erik had to admit, the contestants were very attractive, each one flaunting their curves and muscles in the vibrant swimsuits. It was a stark contrast to the traditional Restian attire, and he couldn't help but feel a bit proud of himself for pushing the boundaries of their world.

Geritara stood next to him, beaming with joy at seeing his creations on display. Even Alyssa had taken a moment to step away from the still-busy burger shack to join them.

"I can't believe it," she whispered to Erik, her eyes wide with amazement. "This festival is... it's more than I ever could've imagined."

Erik glanced at her, raising an playful eyebrow. "Yeah? You didn't imagine being the manager of a burger shack, too?"

Alyssa rolled her eyes, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "You know what I mean, Erik. This... this is something else."

She had a point. Festivals like these, while not common in his world either, didn't exactly include fantastical races such as elves, dwarves, and dragons. Erik's mind raced with the implications of his success. If he could pull this off without any major disasters, it could mean a whole new world of possibilities for him and the villagers of Restia.

The crowd grew restless as the contestants were announced. Each participant walked the runway one last time, the excitement in the air thick and palpable. Morthanu took his place at the judge's podium, his stern expression not giving anything away. Talia, dressed in her crimson bikini, was the last to strut down the runway, her confidence unshaken despite the controversial outfit.

"And the winner of Restia Village's first ever Swimsuit Fashion Show is," Morthanu began, causing the villagers to wait with bated breath, "Miss Beggar- I mean, Miss Taliana Pureos Myrian of the Myrian household!"

The crowd erupted in a mix of shock and cheers as Talia strutted back down the runway, her victory lap met with a shower of confetti and applause. The conservative villagers looked on with varying degrees of horror and admiration, while the younger ones clapped with glee.

Part of Erik felt that Talia had rigged the contest, but the other part of him had to admit that she was definitely the most striking of all the contestants. He watched as she took her prize, a crown of water lilies placed atop her head, her smile brighter than the sun.

"Residents of Restia Village and visitors from beyond," Ricteronu approached the podium, much to Erik's surprise. "Thank you all for coming and experiencing what I believe has been the best thing to happen here since its creation."

The crowd roared again, and Erik felt a warmth in his chest that was unlike anything he'd felt before. The festival was a hit, and the people loved it. It was the first time since he'd arrived here that he felt he had done something meaningful.

"With that being said, our lovely Miss Alyssa who's the manager of the burger shack wanted to announce that it will be serving customers all throughout the night, so please feel free to enjoy yourselves. The water park is also nearing completion, and we expect it to open up within a day or two," Ricteronu continued before he paused, scanning the crowd. "To formally end the festival, I'd like to welcome to the stage the man who, without him, all of this wouldn't be possible… the Burger King, Erik Park!"

"Huh?" Erik's heart stopped as the crowd's cheers grew louder. He felt a gentle nudge from Alyssa and looked at her with shock. "Me? On stage?"

"Of course, you," Geritara smiled warmly at Erik, giving him another gentle push towards the stage. "You're the mastermind behind this spectacle."

"N-no, I can't... I'm not good with speeches..." Erik protested weakly, his face flushing.

"Don't be modest, Erik Park," Morthanu approached the three, urging Erik to go up on stage. "Your speeches are powerful. You've managed to convince me to go ahead with this plan and even be a judge!"

"Th-that's because I was using your desires against you, not by giving a real speech," Erik tried to argue, but his protests went unheard as he found himself on stage.