“What did you say this was again?” Brenn was munching on a delectably chewy, soft roll covered in icing. Inside each layer of the rolled pastry was a fine dusting of browned sugar and what must've been cinnamon. A very popular confection in Oresund, but it's popularity hadn't come so far south that it could be found anywhere outside of an expo like this. And of course – Sigi was nothing if not supreme at all things culinary.

Most considered the event as something akin to a university talent show, but it existed more as a way for the academy and Amistad by extension to flex their prowess and continue making vast sums of coin via their import dominated economy. The diversity in edible dishes was simply a side show before the real event began, a sweetroll might sell for a handful of copper but some of the enchanted masterworks might fetch a dozen gold credits or more.

“A sweetroll.” Sigi looked ravishing in the way that she did when she wore normal clothes, her shoulder length hair worn loose under a backwards cap, feverishly tossing the meat and vegetables in a circular pan alongside the rest of her blitzball team. Her engineering course wouldn't begin showing off their various wares or competing with the other academies until the third day of the festival. As expected, 'real' magic got all of the attention, and preference – but if something worked, someone was guaranteed to spend money on it. Even if it didn't make sense, people liked their trinkets. “You like it?”

“It's really good.” Brenn replied with a chuckle. “I hope nobody steals it.”

“Why would anyone steal your sweetroll?” Sigi frowned with an eyebrow raised, her hands never pausing in the working of the cooking utensils. She was good at this, precise control over all her motor skills and a real talent for multitasking. “We have plenty left...”

Just then, a man cried out in indignation. One of the junior professors, Brenn thought his name was Carson or... Curtis? Carlton? In any case, he was shaking his fist at what appeared to be Tyr. “No running on academy grounds, if you're in a hurry, fly!”

“Great idea, Carltonson!” Tyr shouted, turning into a shooting star as fire erupted from the heels of his boots. Not exactly flying, more like a controlled explosion to send him forcefully in one direction in particular. But that wasn't the concern, it was the shaved ice stand that that he summarily destroyed with his rapid descent toward the ground, the women within angrily beating him with long metal spatulas.

“WHAT!? My name is Michael!”

Moments later the corset wrapped form of Lady Ella hiking her skirt up appeared, chasing Tyr with a thick stack of papers underarm and yelling something about not getting paid enough to 'do all of this'. Unfortunately, Tyr was anything if not quick on his feet, leaving her in his dust and vanishing into the crowd. Successfully managing to dodge the spatulas tossed like javelins in his direction, followed by a whole lot of Milanese curse words Brenn had never heard before.

“Huh.” Brenn nodded slowly, not surprised at all. “That's something.”

“He is so lazy in the oddest ways.” Sigi shook her head with a mystified smile on her face. This festival had been quite enjoyable, and it was good to kick their feet up and do something fun for once in a long while. In the metaphorical sense, of course, the blitzball booth remained busy as people demanded autographs and food alike.

“I think he's just afraid of math.”

Lady Ella managed to mark Brenn out by his bulk, compared to the rest of the crowd, cupping her hands around her lips and shouting. “I'll give you a 10% discount for an entire year on all of our stock if you catch that man!”

“Hold this.” He thrust his sweetroll into the hands of a nearby student, pounding off into the mass as Carsontonson called after him angrily. Brenn could forgive many things, but never himself for missing such a phenomenal opportunity at a bargain. Potions and reagents were so expensive... The more he saved, the more he could send back home to the kids.