Chapter 430 – #91_Merry Christmas (2)

#429

One.
The greatest festival of Gehenna will be heard by witches, citizens, and even slaves.
A harvest festival instead of Christmas.

Gehenna, which has remained almost unchanged for hundreds of years, also transforms into splendor for three days from the evening of the third Monday in December.
Everyone puts down their duties and even the witch, who is locked in a small room, jumps out and joins in the fun.

The mansion of Count Zemanai was also being redecorated in time for the Harvest Festival.

The wall tree that decorated the hallway, the carpet that turned white like the first snow, and the candlestick that lit up with colorful lights.
A large fir tree was erected like a tree in the yard, and the lantern decorations made of mana water shone brightly.
In addition, ornaments such as small silver bells and canes reflected the lanterns and created a splendid view.

The mansion of Jemonai, famous for its extravagance, cannot stop there.
In the main gallery, models of straw sheaves and various fruit props to thank for the bountiful harvest are displayed, and a model of a large stuffed deer pulling a cart is also decorated.

The props that would otherwise look like a noisy mess are lined up with an excellent aesthetic sense.

“Hey, well decorated.”

Siwoo admired them and walked to the meeting place.

This evening.
Siwoo, her twins, Sharon, Master, and Count Jemani all enjoyed dinner together.

The banquets I’ve been served at the count’s house have always been great, but I don’t think I’ve ever been so impressed with them as today.
A total of rare ingredients from all over the land, sea and air, with the main thing being to eat turkey grilled in oil and butter for a long time with cranberry jam.

It was not a delicacy that only those who know the taste of fine dining could feel, but it was a familiar and intuitive taste to Siu, who is an ordinary person.

Afterwards, everyone gathers around the fireplace with cognac and spends a harmonious time together.
The time for individual dates has arrived.

It was probably because the schedule for the Harvest Festival was booked in the order of Master, Sharon, and the twins.

Among them, Eloa was given the time from 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM the next day.
Although the agreement was made without the person involved, Si-woo, who already has a lot of affection for your woman, can’t complain.
He willingly decided to join.

The meeting place is in front of the fountain in Count Zemanai’s house.
This mansion had many fountains, so I had to decide on a specific place for the appointment, the fountain in the garden near the gate.

I’ll still go on a date When Siwoo arrives, dressed up in fancy clothes.
I was able to find Master leaning obliquely in the moonlight and looking up at the sky.
As usual, her beautiful pink hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she smiled lightly as she met Siwoo’s eyes.

“Are you here?”
“Yeah, didn’t I make you wait too long?”
“Can it be?”
“I could have just come out with you.”

It was a bit funny even when it came out of my mouth.
We were together in the parlor until I changed my clothes and came back.

Siu walked up and stood next to her.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to be in a good mood? It is also meaningful to meet at the place and time we promised together.”

As he approaches her, she suddenly changes into a rather gentle attitude.
It is the first time she and Siu have gone out on a date together since exchanging hearts.
Although the time they spent together was long and their relationship was intermixed, they became conscious of each and every trivial action after they formally went beyond a teacher-teacher relationship and became a lover.

“No wonder…. It’s embarrassing even though it’s nothing different from usual.”

Eloah hid her smile by tying her chin to her sable scarf.
But she couldn’t help it until the corners of her eyes were beautifully curved.
Her heels, which she kept lifting and dropping, were also evidence of her anticipation.

“Kuhm….”

She sees Master, always majestic, excited like a girl on her first date.
Even Siwoo becomes cool for no reason.
She is worried about whether she will be able to escort her well even though her wonderful course has not been planned otherwise.

“Then….”
“Then….”

Words that came out at the same time to break the stillness in the moment of awkward silence.

“You speak first.”
“Teach me first, Master.”

Even the words spoken by the two who hesitated were exactly the same, so there was a strange silence again.
It was Elroa who smiled first.
Siwoo also laughs belatedly, and her somewhat stiff atmosphere relaxes.

“If dating is defined as when lovers meet and spend time alone, this is the first time dating you.”
“I see, I think we spent a lot of time together….”
“That’s why I want to try each one more. As your lover, can I ask you a favor?”
“Just leave it to me.”

Elroa nodded her head and hesitated for a while.
And she opened her mouth as if asking a very difficult favor.

“Her hand… Can I catch you?”
“…….”

Eloah’s appearance as she asked such a question possessed destructive power beyond imagination.
She answered and stretched out her arm so much that she forgot to even hold her hand.

Elroa carefully held Siu’s hand with both of her own.

The difference in hand size is quite large as well as the difference in physique.
Elroa, who carefully touched Siu’s hand, gently intertwined each of her fingers and brought it to her cheek.

“I always wanted to hold hands and walk with you like this.”

Master shows a smile that seems to melt as if he is so happy with just that.

“I’m just going to make my wish come true.”
“…….”
“Will you follow me? There is a place I want to go with you.”

The date between the two, who held hands tightly, began.

2.
Located in the very center of Gehenna, Ars Magna Town is not very large due to its geographical location.

Excluding Levana Bath, which occupies more than 50% of the total area, the size is less than a quarter of Taro Town.
If you go all the way northwest from the town, where Flora’s dressmakers are located, you’ll find one of the most beautiful buildings in Gehenna.

Public garden.
It was the only garden that Duke Tiphareth, who disposed of all his property for the establishment and maintenance of Location Point, did not sell until the very end.

The floating garden, which no one is allowed to enter now, consisted of a glass staircase that spiraled toward the sky and a garden that seemed to float in the air.

The flowers that bloomed without forgetting the season rustled as if praying to the stars, and a gentle breeze tickled my cheeks, completely incompatible with winter.

The two of them reached the garden holding hands by stepping on the dizzying glass stairs, and wandered around the garden leisurely with the moonlight as lighting.
From the garden, which stretches high like an observatory, you can see Tarot Town, where the harvest festival is celebrated in the distance, and you can also see the standing tall mountain surrounded by a solemn mist.

It’s like having a fantastic dream.

“The more you know about Gehenna, the more beautiful it is. It’s amazing.”
“Huh, feel free to take a look. I will specifically waive the admission fee for you.”

Although Shiu has grown accustomed to all sorts of mystical landscapes, he was certain that he had never seen a place as beautiful as the garden closest to the sky.
Said Elroa, who had never let go of her hand since they first met.

“Siwu, sooner or later I will be going on a long trip.”
“What are you talking about?”
“With Duke Keter’s absence, confusion due to his exploits is expected. Perhaps for the time being public subjugation
I guess I’ll have to put in some effort.”

As the day is the day and the place is the place, Siwoo tried to create a romantic atmosphere.
Master’s sudden remarks were enough to embarrass Siwoo.

“Master… So suddenly?”
“It was worth moving for a while. I hated being separated from you, so I just messed around for no reason.”

Public subjugation.
To keep Raffy’s will, and also for personal vengeance.

It was well known to her that Eloah had dedicated her life to hunting her exploits.

But I also know that she has changed a lot since her cowardly witch case.
No longer was she engulfed in her vengeance, she was running aimlessly, and she had a much more relaxed laugh.

Public exploits do great harm to humans.
To annihilate them would be a righteous act and, furthermore, an act that would contribute to justice.

But the human heart is so deceitful.
Even though she knew that she was not the kind of person who would be taken lightly by the threat of public exploits.
Even knowing that the act would save many lives that she did not know her face.

I wanted to dry it.
I wished I hadn’t.
Or rather….

“I will tell you in advance. You will not come.”
“… I was just about to say that I would help.”
“It can’t be.”

Eloa squeezed Siwoo’s hand.
Her firm resolve to never allow it was felt in the power of her small grip.

“It’s different from the time of the cowardly witch. I will be enough of Master’s strength.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s not that I don’t trust you. I still can’t allow it.”

Siwoo’s words were not bluffing.
She has already hunted down the mighty feat Bianca.
She also won a match in sparring with Elo A, who had moderately reduced her strength.
Even though it was what the unconscious Siu did, she has since undergone an inexplicable power-up and has the confidence to develop further in the future.

I wouldn’t know if I had no power.
But how could she let her walk down the dangerous road alone when she could be of help?

Therefore, Siu calmly tried to convince Eloa.
However, Elroa cuts off Siwoo’s words, as if to cut off even the first spur of her persuasion.

“I didn’t mean to say you weren’t helpful.”
“Then why… !”

Eloa, who was walking briskly, suddenly stopped.

There is a tombstone in the place where I looked, and the name Rafi Tiphareth is engraved next to the stone slab of the tombstone.
Even though it must have been a very long time, it was clean and without a single moss, as if it had been made just yesterday.

The moment you saw it
The words and sentences she was trying to paraphrase jammed in her throat.

“It’s the first time I’ve come with someone since I buried Raffi.”
“…….”

Elroa gently let go of Siu’s hand and knelt down in front of her tombstone.
Then, as if stroking the disciple’s face, he wipes the cold tombstone with his hand.
There was an inexplicable sadness in her eyes and fingertips.

“I wanted you to come with me. I’m sure Raffy will be happy too.”
“… You are cowardly.”

She showed all of her heart with her simple movements.

Why is she preventing her Shiu from following along.
What kind of heart are you talking about?

Elroa has yet to give up her own mission.
However, he did not want Siu to get involved in the path of atonement.

Hope barely blossomed in her life, which was like a heap of ashes.
Because I could lose Siwoo again.

“In this case…. I can’t be stubborn….”
“How can that be stubborn? It must have come from worrying about me.”

Elroa asked Siu, her lovely disciple, and her beloved lover.

“I want to say hello to Raffy, so could you give me a moment? Please don’t go too far.”
“… All right.”

Eloa talked to Raffy while Siwoo turned away and smoked a cigarette.

The story of how you were, the story of what you missed, the story of how the world is changing.

And the story with Siu.
Sometimes it was a voice with laughter, and sometimes it was a tone mixed with crying that trembled like a broken heart.
It was a beautiful starlit night.