Chapter 157: Side Story – Creation Day and Daily Life

Chapter 157: Side Story – Creation Day and Daily Life

Knock, knock.

I open my eyes at the light knocking sound.

For a moment, I thought it was Lily, but since it was a continent-wide holiday, I had told Lily she didn’t need to come in.

……Especially since I’d been dumping over 80% of the shop work on Lily due to various recent schedules.

“Ugh… Now that I think about it, this is my house, so fewer people would come, right?”

I usually didn’t pay much attention to the seasons, but it was the middle of winter now.

It was the end of the year, corresponding exactly to Christmas in my original world.

And, considering that, even fewer people would bother to come all the way here on such a cold day.

Well, I couldn’t ignore the visitor anyway, so I quickly changed and opened the door.

Normally, I would have dressed a bit better, but… given that it was a holiday, and this body is extremely vulnerable to cold, combined with the winter chill, I just went out wrapped in my pajamas and a blanket.

Isn’t the saying “outside the blanket is dangerous” actually solved by moving with the blanket?

As I entertained such silly thoughts, I opened the door to find… a familiar person.

“Ugh… Christie…? Why did you come all the way here…?”

“To find you?”

Christie, whom I had seen a lot for a while but hadn’t seen much recently due to a series of incidents in the Holy Kingdom, was standing there.

Her attire… wasn’t her usual Knight Commander uniform, so it seemed she was also on holiday.

It suddenly made me wonder if someone in such an important position as the Empire’s Knight Commander and Princess could take a holiday like this, but Christie entered my house faster than I could ponder.

…And she also lifted me right up.

“…What is this?”

“Oh, well, you came out dressed in clothes that clearly screamed ‘I just woke up.'”

“……I don’t know what the connection is, but is it okay to just hang out here like this? Wasn’t there immense tension within the Empire?”

“It’s Creation Day. It’s a holiday where even wars stop, so there probably won’t be anyone out and about? Plus, the monster hordes, which were our biggest worry, suddenly vanished.”

Ah, now that she mentioned it, since I had cleanly wiped out the Demon King’s Army, one big problem should be resolved.

Well… the cause would probably be concluded as a division among monsters, wouldn’t it……

“That was you, wasn’t it?”

“……”

Hmm, no, it wasn’t. Christie seemed to know me better than I thought.

Indeed, besides me and the system, there probably wasn’t anyone who knew as much about potions as Christie.

I sensed trouble coming and was choosing my words, but Christie’s finger went up to her lips.

The commonly thought ‘shhh’ gesture. That was it.

“You seem to have caused some complicated trouble again… Tell me tomorrow, tomorrow. Today, I want to spend it with you.”

“Oh…… You know that if I were heterosexual just now, I would have been swept away by that atmosphere, right?”

At the same time, Christie whispered softly in my ear. Wouldn’t any man in the Empire have fallen for such a whisper?

But unfortunately, it had no effect on me, as my body had changed, and I no longer felt romantic attraction to either gender.

Ah, of course, I also like pretty things, so a pleasant smile did bloom on my face.

“……Lucia, do you know your reaction is incredibly bland sometimes?”

“Instead, it’s dramatic at other times, so be satisfied with that.”

“I can’t win with you. More importantly, the reason I came today is… um… if you have time, would you like to spend the day together?”

Oh, it seems I might overcome my solo Christmas, which I never managed to do in my original world, in this other world.

Again, just because my body changed and I don’t feel romantic attraction to either gender doesn’t mean I dislike pretty people.

Therefore, I didn’t dislike seeing Christie like this after a long time.

More than anything, though it’s been a very long time since I thought of it, Christie was originally my favorite character in this novel.

“Hmm… Just a moment, then I’ll first drink some cold resistance potion, and also pack some wind resistance potion……”

“……We’re not exploring a snowy field, we’re just walking the streets of the Imperial Capital, you know?”

“Exactly, it’s cold. I can’t walk around wrapped in a blanket like this outside, so I have to do it this way.”

At that, Christie’s expression showed that she hadn’t seen this unique side of me in a while.

But seeing me, with my small stature, somehow gulping down potions, she must have found it cute, as her hand naturally went to my head.

…Though her hands had calluses, her touch was quite warm, so I didn’t refuse the petting and finished my preparations.

It was our first outing together in a long time, so I felt a slight flutter of excitement.

……Strictly speaking, Ria and the system were present, but they would probably discreetly stay out of the way.

***

The streets of the Imperial Capital were beautiful.

…It was always filled with chases and life-or-death battles here, but in reality, it had a very relaxed and peaceful atmosphere.

People smiled at each other, exchanging well wishes, and laughter never ceased in various places.

……I suddenly felt how much I had been through since coming to this world, rolling and tumbling. Surely the scenery of this street had always been the same.

“Is it strange?”

“…It’s a street I always walk, but a little? It was always a street filled with screams and shouts.”

“……It’s okay. The monster hordes have retreated, and the internal affairs of the Empire are being sorted out, so soon you’ll be able to live comfortably, selling potions as you wish, at your leisure.”

To Christie, who smiled warmly and hugged me, I couldn’t bring myself to say that since I had defied the god, the biggest mountain still lay ahead.

After all, since she was the first protagonist in this world whose fate I changed, Christie was the protagonist I was most attached to.

I didn’t want to worry her unnecessarily… and more than anything, I didn’t want to break Christie’s happy smile, seeing me after a long time.

“…Ugh.”

“Anyway, so, just for today…… let’s put all our worries aside. Okay? Let’s go around with your unnie.”

With the indiscriminate petting happening again, I was easily conquered.

Indeed, it would be strange to be rolling around trying to protect my connections, yet have no time to spend with them.

The threat of the god… I had even repelled the god who entered the Demon King’s body, so there was definitely a day of leisure.

And, perhaps displeased with my attitude, the system, which had been trying to stay quiet, finally exploded and sent an angry message before my eyes.

*It’s true you have leisure, and even if there’s a threat, we’ll stop it, so please just enjoy yourself. I originally intended to just watch quietly, but I can’t anymore.*

‘…I think this is the first time I’ve heard the system sound surprised.’

*Do you think a narrative that only repeats battles, skirmishes, and incidents is a good narrative? Sometimes, sections that drag and unwind are necessary.*

Anyway, only after being nagged by the system and hearing its surprised remarks, I could finally let out a small laugh.

To borrow the system’s expression, it was the relaxation that comes just before the climax and finale, or something like that.

And so, after clearing my mind of complicated thoughts, I looked at the street again.

The street, covered in snow and shining white, was truly beautiful.

“Let’s go, Christie.”

“Is there anywhere you want to go? No, do you know any places?”

“…Anywhere.”

“Hehe, I figured, so I’ve planned the whole course. Leisurely and slowly.”

Christie, saying that, smiled confidently at me.

It was a subtly confident yet somewhat clumsy smile, as if she wanted to tease me… but it didn’t matter.

And so, I took Christie’s hand, one of the most precious connections in my life.

…Because of my small stature, I really looked like her younger sister, but that didn’t matter.

“You’re warm, Lucia.”

“…Ugh?! Wh-where do you suddenly just pick someone up?”

And so, as we walked, occasionally enduring Christie’s teasing, a honest feeling suddenly came to mind.

An honest feeling I had implicitly thought about before but had buried.

Perhaps it was due to the atmosphere, but it was my true feeling that usually didn’t flow out easily, yet today my mouth felt incredibly light.

“Christie, I like this daily life.”

“Huh?”

“They say it’s a repetition of days… but it’s continuous and unending, isn’t it? It has permanence.”

Whether it’s a good book, novel, movie, or event, there is an end.

Therefore, such things are fleeting, and because they eventually conclude, one feels regret and wishes for them to continue.

But daily life. The story I share with the people by my side.

As long as my consciousness doesn’t end, and my life doesn’t end, it continues forever.

Therefore…… more than hardships or events, I liked the everyday.

Of course, it seems I’ve only experienced events and hardships continuously since arriving in this world, precisely for that daily life.

“Of course… it’s good because that daily life is with connections like Christie!”

The permanence of a constantly repeating daily life can lead to boredom.

But…… isn’t it precisely because I have good people by my side that I can love my daily life like this?

My wretched past has faded, memories are hazy, and my current happiness, the warmth of the connections I’ve made in this world, is creating my daily life.

So, now that the huge task of subjugating and appeasing the Demon King’s Army is over, let’s enjoy the daily life I’ve been granted for a moment.

This daily life that I so desperately tried to protect, but have never truly enjoyed.

This daily life that possessed the permanence of each day, continuously unfolding, yet I myself could never truly be a part of.

My smile reflected in Christie’s eyes was brighter and purer than ever before.

For the first time, I truly thought it was a warm winter.