The cooking competition lasted until dawn, with the orange sun rising to taint the sky with lighter blue as its light pierced the innumerable lanterns that were setting off for their journey to the trail of sky.
The heavenly kitchen had accumulated enough dishes that could last for a lifetime for all forest dwellers within the Domeniul Ceresc. As the champion of both quantity and quality was invited to the large podium, everyone clapped their merriment to the next sect's disciples.
"Shout to Yuoyi, Kiyas, and Lampu!" the Dryad Commentator said as she gestured to the team who was cradling a two meters trophy. "These three Alraunes will be blessed and chosen as the Divine Warrior of this land, thanks to their sheer mental power and cooking skill!"
Many forest dwellers threw their flowers into the air as the clapping from the crowd wouldn't dissipate. On the backstage, there were the Elders giving their applause as they were beaten fair and square.
"Although their cooking wasn't as good as Lord Ouroboros, I want those three to be my personal chef," Damascus said with her eyes gazing at the winner. "I'm thankful that we got a portion of the champion's dishes."
"The festival isn't over yet." Foel lightly smiled. "It will be a long day of celebration for their beloved Deity."
The Ouroboros then gracefully descended from the sky, donning the fiery black dress with translucent mesh of bridal veil below her runic halo. Eyes shut, showing a gentle smile.
Everyone went silent, charmed and petrified by their goddess.
The mother figure of Domeniul Ceresc slowly bestowed their gift in the form of three infinite tier mana crystals, burning in eternal black vapor as they were engraved with a liquify aura of Nerull's Bane.
MF then implanted each crystal to the winning Alraunes' chest, modifying their body with the version of Tunguska Blood that she developed two hours ago to be compatible with a forest spirit anatomy.
Surely, it would protect them from death, while nourishing their body to become the magnum apex of a protector for Domeniul Ceresc.
Ouroboros preached her soothing voice, "The three of you shall be taken under my care. The stars aligned before the pious, mirroring the cloud that would be looked down upon by the tree of you. Until then, I shall take you as my disciples within Lautus Tunguska."
MF then deliberately coated herself with her divine concealment seamlessly to give the illusion of mysteries and sacred encounters. As the beautiful mist that enshrouded the podium was no more, the crowd rallied their applause to fill the entirety of the Domeniul Ceresc once again.
After the ceremony was the festival. The second heavenly banquet was served in a gracious manner. Many of the inspired forest dwellers initiated a fun course of their own to others, filling the event with more entertainment.
One of the endowed forest dwellers even held an exchanging stand where people could exchange something for her belongings. There was also an auction section because of it, then the enthusiasm was spread into the point where the Mandragoras were holding a gambling area with numerous games and rewards.
Of course, none of these would have come into reality if Ain didn't spark the flame by enticing the dwellers to go wild.
Nature was filled with decorations. While the forest dwellers were expanding the festival even more, the family of Ouroboros were holding their own special event in the garden of the mansion.
MF gazed at her enormous birthday cake. Filled with a lot of expensive cream and all kinds of sweets, the fortress of sugar towered four meter to the air as the perfectly sculpted snake of infinity was surrounding the tower, eating its own tail.
With sparkling eyes, MF sliced a portion using her giant knife.
""Happy birthday!!""
"Mommy cut herself!" Primis showed a terrified expression.
Tuli reluctantly sneered. "Primis, that is a cake, not your mother."
"As someone who sculpted the Ouroboros Serpent, I'm devastated." Damascus shed a tear as she maintained her pained smile.
"Well, if enough people believe that the cake sculpture is Ouroboros, then it's Ouroboros." Foel added, resulting in a gaze of mixed feeling from Primis.
'The hell is happening.'
MF gave the first slice of cake on the plate to her beloved wife. "The privilege of the first slice will be given to my wonderful partner. The one that I would've never thought that she would support me to this extent." She cheekily grinned.
Laughter filled the air.
"Say that to yourself." Foel smiled back. "A person who give me a second chance to conquer any hurdle I faced out of nowhere, right after defiling me on a murky swamp."
"I regret initiating that, please don't make people misunderstood."
"Sheesh, Lord Ouroboros seems to be a wild person back then." Damascus sarcastically smiled.
Thankfully, Tuli clogged Primis' ears with her hand.
MF then sliced another one, and she gave it to Primis, her first Ourarian. "This is for you, Primis."
"Uooohh!"
She then did the same to the other family members in sequence. Ki, Ain, Asir, Damascus—Tuli was the last one.
"Why am I the last!?" Tuli tried to hold her tears until her master flicked her forehead.
"Dumbass, be grateful that you got a slice from me." MF chuckled.
"The happiness I received is insurmountable, but your Almighty, how am I supposed to consume this slice of yours?" Ain ended it with a sarcastic chuckle.
Asir joined the conversation. "Ain, I'm sure that you could keep it and turn it into a lucky charm. It will surely aid you in your propaganda."
"Don't call the cake 'slice of me'." MF grinned. "You can enshrine it or give it to your favorite forest dwellers instead."
"I almost wanted to laugh when I heard Asir recommending me to turn it into a lucky charm. Thank the Almighty that I'm not laughing, or else I would be sinning."
Everyone laughed except for Ki and Tuli who were too dumb to understand.
With a private buffet being showcased like a precious diamond, the Elders flocked to the food with the plate in their hands. MF had also prepared many beverages and alcohol on this occasion.
"Cheers!" Ouroboros shouted with enthusiasm.
""For the Longevity of the Lord!"
Time passed like heaven. The same goes for MF, she had never thought that she would live for another day again and again until her 3002th birthday. Everyday was a battle, especially when she hadn't met with Foel back in the day where everything was harsh and painful.
Everyday she shed her skin and flesh, just to survive and strive for what he believed in. Now, she was laughing together with her family, not with maniacal reasons, but with joy and humor. The Ouroboros stared at her wine, deep into her own reflection with contempt. In deep trance, she transported her own soul to her Occult Domain.
In her frame was Cyanotype playing a piano near the core.
"Tarara~ would you care to listen to my present for you?"
"Of course." MF nodded with a smile, closing both of her eyes. "Let me hear you weave the melody, your sunken melody of madness."
The darkness weaved the fingers, tendrils of symphony that orchestrated the soothing choir from the unknown. Unlike the first time they met, the music that Cyanotype gave was vibrant and full of expressive happy tones.
Cyanotype might have been with her master for only a few days, but the bonds that they built were more solid than the stars within the constellation. Unlike the relationship of master and servant, all they had was trust, trust of each other's soul, trust of each other's life, the trust of always being there when the other was groveling in despair.
As the instrumental went on, MF conjured her violin, joining the merry band. It made Cyanotype open both of her eyes for a second, until a satisfied smile appeared on her face and she continued her music.
They communicated with each other through soul to soul. It was temporary but it felt like it would last forever. None of them wanted it to finish, yet here they were, progressing to the magnum opus and ending it with a glorious crescendo.
Cyanotype shed a tear. To remove the guilt of each other on finishing the performance, the Occult Beast moved her fingers to play a light arrangement for a background of a conversation.
"Nobody except yours will truly be matching with my music, Meshia."
MF dropped her violin, letting it be consumed by the unknown. "Once again, I'm thankful for your existence, Cyanotype."
"The festival isn't over, right~?"
"Indeed." MF chuckled. "But on this occasion, I want to meet with another good family member of mine. Huh, we can probably bring a cake and a bottle of wine."
"I'm curious now~" Cyanotype decreased the tone of her ongoing piano play, showing her curiosity. "When will we meet this person?"
Another friend that Cyanotype hadn't met, someone that was able to gain the respect of the cruel and scheming Ouroboros. The Occult Beast's mind wandered within the crevice of theory, trying to see if she could increase her expectations to make everything more enjoyable.