CH 116

Characters in this chapter:

Sapphiras Perfectio, 2nd son of the Earl of Aldridge

Percival Belisario, 3rd son of Margrave of Vanderwall on the Eastern Frontier

Adeline, Margravine of Vanderwall, Percival’s mother

Sandrion Timberlake, daughter of Earl Timberlake, Theodore’s fiancée

Cristella, Curtis’ fiancée

Susanna, servant in the Belisario household

Anna, servant in the Belisario household

Clarabelle, servant in the Belisario household

Yor cake filled with dried fruits and nuts and crispy gingerbread cookies. Then there’s the Seeds of Happiness Dragee1, which is nuts drizzled with honey and powdered sugar. This is a Yor classic. The seeds of happiness means to sow seeds of happiness in the new year. In the temple, when it’s time for Yor, a few grains are wrapped in thin paper, tied with ribbons, and distributed to the children. Oriens also has a temple, but it would be difficult for children from a remote village to come here.

With this in mind, when I said I wanted to hand out Yor sweets to the children, not only Anna-san and Clarabelle-san, but also Sandrion-san and Cristella-san, who should have been busy preparing for the Belisario family party, helped me out.

Because of the large quantity I had to make, I spent two days making the baked goods and Seeds of Happiness with the help of the kitchen staff. Everyone was surprised at my considerable dexterity, but I’ve been travelling as an adventurer for years. I’m a pretty good cook. I can do most of those things, but tying the ribbons for the Seeds of Happiness was the only delicate thing I couldn’t do. No matter how I tried, the ribbons I tied would get distorted. While I struggle with the ribbons, the women tie them without difficulty. The right and left ribbons are the same length, and they are not vertical or crooked. I thought I’d be happy to receive it if it was tied neatly, so I devoted myself to the role of wrapping and left the ribbon to everyone else.

It was quite fun to prepare while talking about other things. Sometimes Madam Adeline would come to check on us and join in the conversation, but Susanna-san urged her to leave. I told her that as long as she tied the ribbons, I could do the rest on my own, but Cristella-san said that making the children who were going through a difficult time happy is also an important job. Certainly, there is also that reasoning, so I asked her to help me to the end. Thanks to her help, we made a very nice assortment of Yor sweets.

We then put the sweets we had all prepared into baskets. They all look pretty good.

“Do you think this will be enough?”

“Shall I include some mince pies2? These will last a long time too.”

“That’s nice, I’ll have that too, please.”

I fill four large baskets with plenty of snacks. With all this, the children won’t have to worry about snacks for a while.

With these sweets, I’m going to Morris village first.

Today I’m dressed as the Spirit of Yor, wearing a white cloth with holes in the eyes and a laurel wreath on my head. The Spirit of Yor is a spirit who gives sweets to children who have been good on Yor night. They are said to look like white shadows and wear laurel wreaths on their heads. When I was a child, I used to wake up on Yor morning to find a lot of sweets on the table given by the spirits. I’m an adult now, so I know they weren’t brought by the spirits, but baked by my mother. But this year, with the magical beast riots and the rebuilding of the village, the mothers would have no time to bake sweets. So this year, the spirit prepared the sweets.

“Well then, everything is ready! Shall we go then, Percival?”

“Ah.”

As expected, Percival is not dressed as a spirit, but he has put on a white cloak to match my outfit.

At first, I was going to hand out sweets to the children by myself. It’s a long-awaited vacation, and Percival must have things he wants to do. And since I can transfer, even if I have a lot of luggage, I can go around the village by myself without any problems. So, I didn’t tell Percival about handing out sweets. However, when Sandrion-san and the others found out that I was going to hand out sweets by myself, they told me that it would be better to go out together with Percival. For that reason, Percival was suddenly summoned, and he ended up accompanying me. I’m really sorry.

“Please be careful.”

“I’m off.”

After being sent off by the smiling women, I transferred to the entrance of Morris village together with Percival, and the children who recognised us rushed over.

“It’s the Spirit of Yor!”

“Spirit of Yor! I’ve been a good boy! Give me some sweets!”

The children surrounded me and jumped up and down. They are pretty well and happy.

“All right, all right! Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of sweets. Now, everyone line up in order!”

“Yes!”

The children who responded well lined up in turn without fighting. I handed out a packet of sweets to those children one by one. The children who received the sweets all looked happy. The village, which was devastated by a pack of magical beasts two months ago, has been completely rebuilt. Lost lives will not return, but it is a relief to see that the villagers’ lives have not changed.

Among the children lined up was Cleo. When it was his turn, Cleo stared at me dressed as a spirit.

“……Are you the magician onii-chan?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m the magician onii-chan But today’s onii-chan is the Spirit of the Yor. Has Cleo been a good boy?”

“Yes! I help my mother every day!”

Cleo replies cheerfully with a straight face. Even without his father, he seems to be able to live well.

“That’s admirable, Cleo. I have to give sweets to the admirable child.”

I hand Cleo a packet of sweets.

“Onii-chan,……Spirit of Yor, thank you!”

Cleo thanked me cheerfully and ran off with the other children.

By the looks of things, Cleo’s house seems to be fine now. Cleo’s family is not the only one who has lost loved ones. There are many others who have carried the same grief. But time creates distance from grief. The wounds caused by the loss will never go away, but if you can create distance from the grief, you can manage.

Then Percival and I went to some of the surrounding villages, and the four baskets were completely empty.

“Yoshi! Everything has been distributed!”

I’m glad the kids enjoyed it, and more importantly, I enjoyed it too. I’m sorry I put Percival through that, though.

“Thank you, Saphiras. Thank you for making the children smile.”

I was satisfied with myself when I was suddenly thanked, and I looked back at Percival behind me.

Percival, whose blonde hair shines divinely in the setting sun, has a soft, enveloping smile on his face.

Da-dazzling……!

To have the setting sun as his ally, as expected of the Knight of the Sun. No, is this divinity the Saint of the Sun? At any rate, this radiance is too dazzling for me, who just acts according to my desires……”

“……Uu……n-no, I’m just doing what I want to do, so I’m not doing anything to be thanked for……”

“……I’ve met some really great friends.”

I’m glad you say that.

However! But! Why are you smiling so sweetly? Isn’t that the kind of thing you’re supposed to aim at your lover or your mate? This situation, objectively speaking, is strange. Percival, who is beautiful in a godlike way with his white cloak, and me, who is dressed as a slightly goofy-looking spirit of Yor, are facing each other. From the outside, it’s a pretty comical sight.

“I-It’s getting dark, let’s go home!”

I can’t stand it any longer, so I turn around and start walking briskly. However. Due to the fact that I was spinning vigorously, I couldn’t handle the spirit’s long costume and got it entangled in my legs.

“Uu……wah!”

“Sapphiras!”

I was on the verge of losing my balance without taking a step and falling, but Percival’s arm firmly caught my body.

“Haa, I was shocked……Thanks, Percival.”

Because he’s always training, I easily support myself with one arm. But I was saved. I couldn’t get my hands or feet out because of the cloth, so if I didn’t do anything right, I would have plunged my face into the ground.

“Sapphiras is so dangerous sometimes, I really can’t take my eyes off you.”

“Sorry……”

“No, it’s ok. When Sapphiras is in danger, I want to protect you like this. That’s why, even if it’s something like today, instead of trying to go alone, can’t you take me with you?

“Eh?”

I don’t know what kind of face Percival is making behind me when he says that. However, the arm that supports me is warm, and gradually warms my body, which is not wearing a cloak because of the fancy attire.

Suddenly, the fortune-telling of the nomad grandmother passed through my mind.

Even though it’s a strong light like the sun, it’s shining with a warmth that envelops you……

The very strong star on my side is, perhaps, not the goddess, but Percival?

melon: He finally got it!!! He’s reaching enlightenment soon