episode_0086

“Have you calmed down a little?”

“Ugh. Well, it looked ugly. Sorry.”

“It was cute so it’s okay.”

“Huh?”

Isolette giggled and laughed mischievously.

I was shy and avoided eye contact, so Isolette moved the chair slightly to the side to prevent me from averting my eyes. The distance from her has become a little closer.

“Ed I thought you were very consistent… Now I see a lot has changed. Me too, you too… It’s different from when I was young.”

“I guess so. Because a lot of time has passed.”

“When you were young, you felt like you lived in another world… Now that I have become a great writer and transcendental person, I actually feel very familiar with it.”

“Haha… .”

When I first met her, I was not yet able to properly adapt to ‘this world’.

No, I don’t think I’ve adapted properly now, but… Anyway, it was a time when I was very mentally unstable.

Compared to back then, I think I am definitely more social now.

Maybe I developed my own affection for this world.

“Still not paying attention.”

“Huh?”

“It’s nothing. I just thought, Ed, you see your work from the perspective of the reader, not the writer.”

“Oh, that’s right.”

When translating, I try hard to guess the author’s intention, but in the end, I was not a real author but just a plagiarist.

Even if I try to talk about things like the ‘author’s perspective’, I’m only ignoring the original author.

Of course, I couldn’t explain such a situation to Isolette, so I just nodded and confirmed what she said.

“… … .”

“… … .”

And there was silence for a moment. The sound of the night fog passing through the moonlight settled down quietly.

It’s a somewhat awkward atmosphere.

Finally, I turned my attention back to the book. I should finish reading the book I was reading.

This time Isolette also sat quietly without calling me. I looked back at her, wondering if she had also brought a book to read, and our eyes met.

“… Do you have something to say?”

“Just. I was watching.”

“Yes.”

I’m not sure what’s fun about watching people read books, but… .

If you think about it.

In the first place, there was little I could understand about other people. I turned the page again.

The long night passed like that.

When I turned the last page and closed the bookcase, Isolette was sleeping face down on the tea table. He looked a little uncomfortable as he was taking shallow breaths.

“Hmm. Isn’t it a good idea to leave it like this?”

“Is that a problem worth worrying about? ?”

“Hmm? Are you awake?”

“Phew… .”

For some reason, Isolette got up with a sigh and stumbled back to the room.

Then, he turned around and said hello.

“Have a good night, Ed.”

“Uh, Isolette, you too.”

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Walking the streets of the Empire, you can often see quite strange scenes. To be precise, you can often witness scenes like ‘cosplay event venues’.

A detective wearing a hunting hat and cape coat like Sherlock Holmes, a knight dressed as a medieval knight-errant like Don Quixote, a nobleman wearing a blue tailcoat and yellow vest like Werther, children pretending to be barbarians holding tree branches, a girl wearing a blue apron dress, People sitting on benches reading books and crying or giggling… .

and.

One more change occurred this winter.

“It’s finally Christmas!”

“I was really itching to look forward to Christmas! We’re ready to sell Christmas cards.”

“Whoa, I don’t know how much I spent to acquire the character rights to ‘The Little Prince’ for this Christmas card.”

“But won’t you earn more than that?”

“That’s the key!”

It is Christmas decorated with numerous lights and decorations. Carols rang out everywhere, and merchants decorated their stores with green and red Christmas decorations and began to eagerly attract customers.

In the downtown park, minstrels sang songs about the joys of Christmas, and children burst into laughter in anticipation of gifts and dinner.

“It is said that prisoners will also appear at this Christmas Eve mass.”

“What? Those damned teeth? Animals that run wild at the sight of blood have the shame to enter a church… .”

“What is it like? It’s a good day, so let’s enjoy it together. I also bought Poppy a fur suit for Christmas.”

“Huh. You’re sick. What clothes do you dress your dog in?”

The ‘beasts’ who were not normally seen on the streets also decided to appear in a few places this Christmas.

Because of their birth, they were prisoners who suffered from all kinds of discrimination and contempt… .

The magic of Christmas buries everything under the white snow. Because that’s the spirit of Christmas.

“Are the wizards of the White Magic Tower still there?!”

“They say clouds are coming now!”

“Christmas Eve is coming soon! Hurry! It should start snowing before Mass begins!”

In the sky, white magic tower wizards riding weather observation balloons were dragging snow clouds.

In order to have a white Christmas, it had to snow on Christmas Eve. The wizards of the Gray Magic Tower also used airplanes to cooperate.

“Monk Paul. It’s noisy outside.”

“Yes, brother. Everyone seems to be happy about the birth of the savior. Rather, have you prepared all the cloths and scented candles needed for mass?”

“Yes! Ministers are preparing now!”

“Instead of doing this, I should prepare together. Let’s do our best together.”

Monasteries and churches were also busy preparing for the Christmas Eve Mass.

Along with Easter, it is the most important church holiday.

In particular, since there were so many people scheduled to participate in this Christmas Mass, numerous scented candles and cloths had to be prepared.

“Ugh, be careful out there!”

“Christmas decorations are falling! Avoid everyone─ Huh?”

“Phew, I’m glad it’s not too late. Is everyone okay?”

“Wow! Mo, monster─.”

“It’s Mr. Beetle!”

“Mister! Can you give me a ride on my back just once?”

“Well, if it’s just for a moment… .”

They were so excited that an accident almost occurred, but a hero in the form of a ‘beetle’ swept around the streets and prevented several accidents.

Sometimes I play with kids who want to play.

“Chief. It is said that ticket scalping is rampant. Complaints continue to flow from the front lines due to a lack of police manpower to crack down on illegal trade.”

“Tsk, aren’t you tired of them?”

“Oh, and I also left out a ticket confiscated from a black dealer. The Commissioner’s daughter said she wanted to see this performance—Ah!”

“Ugh. Put it back in its original place right away. What does this bastard think of people… . If we embezzle the confiscated goods like that, will we have the honor of seeing His Majesty the Emperor?”

“Sorry! I will correct it!”

“Anyway, it’s also a waste to leave empty seats that scalpers have hoarded… . Regarding ticket scalping, we need to come up with a plan by cooperating with the theater company. Send an official letter requesting cooperation to the Homer Foundation.”

“Are you talking about the Homer Foundation?”

“Uh. If the foundation decides anyway, most extremes will follow. There is no need to waste our administrative power when we are already suffering from a lack of manpower.”

The imperial theater district was also crowded with couples who came to watch plays together ahead of Christmas.

Many scalpers who were secretly selling tickets for this purpose were arrested. The scalpers confiscated from the arrested scalpers were reborn as charity tickets for children in orphanages through cooperation with the Homer Foundation. If the confiscated scalped tickets from the peak season were sold at auction, cheaper off-season performance tickets equivalent to that amount would be donated to an orphanage.

Thanks to this, children who dream of becoming artists were able to watch expensive performances without feeling burdened.

“This is His Majesty’s airship!”

“Your Majesty is watching me!”

“But what is falling from the airship? Small parachute… ? Something is up.”

“Wow! This is a Christmas card written by His Majesty!”

“There’s also candy!”

In the Kingdom of Haren, the Eternal King’s airship decorated the sky with huge Christmas decorations.

Wherever the airship passed, small parachutes containing packaged candies and gum fell. The children had fun running around looking for candy that fell from the sky.

Carols rang out all over the world.

Christmas spirit. The magic of Christmas that creates miracles even in the most extreme battlefields.

It has taken root in this world in the most splendid and grand way. Anyone who has experienced this first Christmas will never forget this day, and future children who have not experienced it will also spend the year looking forward to ‘Christmas’ without crying.

“Christmas Eve Mass is about to begin!”

White Christmas Eve with white snow.

The streets are noisy with the laughter of children, the carols of minstrels, the touts of merchants and the intimate conversations of lovers.

The church bell rang.

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“Hmm. What is this?”

“Isn’t this a Christmas present?”

“I mean, who left a gift by my bedside… .”

Christmas morning. When I opened my eyes, there was a gift box by my bed.

I wondered if there really was a Santa Claus in this world, so I opened the package and found that there was an old-fashioned book cover and a Christmas card inside.

[Merry Christmas.]

[To my clueless cousin, Ed Frieden.]