◈ 345. [Side Story] On the first day of the new year,
after the food fight situation was dried up and stopped.
“thank you for this food!”
When I shouted with a spoon, the other guys raised their spoons with a voice like ‘I’ll eat well’.
“Wow, the New Year’s stew in the south is quite spicy.”
Junior, having had his first drink, frowned and stuck out his tongue. Certainly, the taste of various spices is clearly complex. It’s also a bit spicy.
It was so spicy that I felt relieved, so I swallowed it deliciously, then chinned it.
“Junior, you’ve traveled all over the world. What about other places?”
“In the North, where I was born, I eat it simply with salt. Dongbu is a seaside area, so it is not meat balls, but meat balls made by slicing fish.”
Is it fish cake! Hearing this makes me crave fish cake soup… … !
This time Lucas took the word.
“In Hwangdo, meatballs are grilled separately and eaten with vegetable stew.”
“Why do you eat so complicatedly?”
“I don’t know either, but my lord dissed me, saying that it’s like the emperor to value useless processes.”
Ah, hearing that, I think I understand a little bit… … .
“And your lord made it a New Year’s Day pleasure to drink this New Year’s stew with a strong drink.”
Lucas picks up a bottle of wine from under the table, puts it on the table, and smiles at me.
“Would you like a drink?”
“It’s good! Follow me.”
What does Lucas know?
‘… uh? By the way, since when did I start drinking so well?’
Marquis Is it because of you? No, every time I win a defensive battle, I ate it at a banquet, so this is what happened?
Evangeline, who was scooping the third bowl of stew with a ladle, said something while she was receiving a glass, wondering when her gravity had risen so much.
“no! What are you doing from the beginning of the new year! You drunkards!”
“It is meaningful because it is the first morning of the first day. Huhuh.”
“Senior, you’re still not feeling well!”
“It’s okay, it’s okay, everything is fine.”
Lucas filled me, his own glass, and even Junior’s glass. While accepting the drink, Junior laughed heartily. I was puzzled.
“Junior, didn’t you like drinking too much?”
“Ah, that’s why I drink often because of my stomach… .”
“Keu Yeo Young-yong… ?”
what else is that? It sounds like a dragon cry.
Then Evangeline waved her hand in fright.
“That’s it! now! Everyone, let’s have a toast together!”
Damien is also an adult but does not enjoy alcohol, and Evangeline is still a minor even after her birthday this year, so she cannot drink.
Instead, Ader served them a sweet drink of pickled fruit and milk jam, which he said was a New Year’s drink.
Put some cold ice on top.
“Happy New Year!”
“May this year be full of good things!”
braided-!
we toasted Evangeline, who gulped down her New Year’s drink, frowned and trembled.
“Hey… ! I hate winter, but this drink is really cold… … !”
The wine, which had been buried in the snow in winter and was just taken out, was also delicious as it was ice cold.
Hot stew and icy liquor. The compatibility is pretty intense.
We ate and drank like that and had a pleasant morning.
***
After a full breakfast, the party members who woke me up in a daze put me in street clothes.
Evangeline put on fur boots for me, Junior fastened the front buttons of my coat, Damian wrapped a scarf around me, and Lucas put a fur hat on my head.
Did you guys practice beforehand? why are you so good
I asked belatedly, waddling around like a penguin in a thick street clothes.
“Where are you dressed like this to go?”
Then Damian smiled broadly and replied.
“On the first day of the new year, we must go to the temple and pray for the blessing of the goddess!”
aha. indeed. There seems to be such a custom in this town.
“It’s a temple that operates a little closed in normal times, but as much as today, the first day of the new year, it’s wide open to all guests.”
“Hoo-oh.”
Normally, only the medical facility side is open to the general public, and most of the rest of the temple area is inaccessible.
However, only today, it is said that the hallway of the central hall with the largest statue of the goddess inside the temple will be open.
It is said that it is possible to pray for this year’s blessings to the goddess here.
‘… wait for a sec.’
The statue of the goddess in the central hall… … Isn’t that the one I destroyed last time? Why was it disguised as a communication device… … .
When I broke out in a cold sweat, Damian noticed my insides and whispered to me with a small smile.
“… I just got a new piece and put it in. Do not worry too much.”
“Is that so? Aren’t I being punished?”
“The Heavenly Punishment… You may receive it after death. In any case, the operation of the temple will not be disrupted, so don’t worry!”
Damian smiled like an angel and said: no yanmar! Can’t you protect the world after death?!
‘… I have to donate a lot.’
I will protect my afterlife with the power of capitalism. Promising, I took the bag of gold coins. I need to make an offering and stab some money for the kids.
When I came out of the mansion, the sky was clear. It had snowed just a few days ago, but today there was no cloud at all.
The temperature is low, but there is no wind and it is a pleasant weather for walking.
“Shall we walk to the temple?”
“Oh, that’s a good idea, sir! Walking is also a good exercise.”
… Hearing that, I just wanted to get on the wagon.
“Then I’ll leave the wagon waiting, sir.”
“Ah ah… that’s right OK.”
It’s like picking up words now.
So we walked and headed towards the temple.
From the road to the temple, I already saw a lot of people, but the closer I got to the temple, the more crowded it started.
It seems that everyone has been flocking here since morning, hoping to receive Goddess’ grace.
Among them, one of the alleys was crowded, so I wondered why, but as I approached, I heard a familiar girl’s voice.
“Oh Ash!”
A little black-haired girl in a silver crown and fur coat waved her hand eagerly.
Sharp shark teeth stood out neatly in the smiling mouth of the girl with a wide smile.
“Are you going to the temple too?”
“grandee!”
It was Dusk Bringer. I bowed my head.
“happy new year.”
“Ahaha yes. I wish you and your men all the best of luck this year.”
Next to Dusk Bringer was a large pot on top of a bonfire.
Her knights are diligently boiling something in the pot and scooping it up with a ladle and distributing it to the people. It seems that people flocked to it because of this.
“We’re sharing our Western New Year’s Stew for free.”
“Oh western… But why is it free?”
“Didn’t the people of Crossroads accept us refugees without great discrimination or persecution? Let’s just say it’s a sign of his last name.”
indeed. As a token of gratitude, they are sharing their traditional food.
“What kind of Western New Year’s stew is?”
“The method of our Principality of Bringer is similar since it is a country differentiated from the Empire. We pour meatball stew over roasted vegetables.”
Something seems to have reversed the way and order of eating in the imperial ecliptic.
“And eating crabs out of the bowl like this! New Year’s stew eaten in the cold air is another delicacy!”
Dusk Bringer grinned as he pointed to the people around him who ate with bowls and sighed.
“Would you like a bowl too?”
“No, that’s all right. After eating full… … .”
I refused, but Evangeline and Lucas each received a bowl of porridge. Stop eating!
“Wow, this is fine too!”
“Hoo. Roasted vegetables taste sweet.”
As the two knights inhaled deliciously, Dusk Bringer crossed his arms in satisfaction and smiled wahahaha.
“You have to pay more attention to fire control than meat to make delicious grilled vegetables! That’s why this body directly blew it’s breath and baked it!”
… did you hear that wrong? Are you kidding that the Dragon Lady spewed fire from her mouth to make a New Year’s stew?
“Uh~ The stew is pretty good too.”
At that time, I found Kuylan and the punishment unit eating a sip with a bowl next to me.
The penal unit was swallowing the stew little by little while sticking out its tongue and flinching, as if it were not good at eating hot food. It’s a bit like a beastman with his tongue like that… … .
“Hey Kuylan. Happy New Year.”
“oh! Leader! Happy New Year!”
“Oh oh! big boss! Happy New Year!”
It was only then that the members of the punishment unit recognized me and bowed to me. I chinned.
“Do beastmen eat New Year’s stew?”
“We, the Danpullang tribe, don’t eat stew on New Year’s Day. Instead, I eat special dumplings baked in an oven.”
Quylan said wow and pretended to eat dumplings.
“You have to swallow it in one bite. If you miss even one piece of dumpling juice, all your luck will run away.”
“I don’t think you guys can eat hot food well… ?”
“So it’s a challenge. Usually after that, my mouth gets burned and I suffer for a few days.”
So, isn’t that just stupid?
“Next time, if I get a chance, I’ll make a fire pit and bake a full bowl of our tribal traditional dumplings and serve them. My older brother taught me all the secrets in the past.”
“… okay. don’t expect it.”
When the story of Kureha came up, my heart felt a little heavy.
I patted Quylan on the shoulder, and after a grin, he blew the bowl of whoo and started eating the stew.
We greeted Dusk Bringer one more time and we moved towards the temple again.
Upon arriving at the temple, he encountered three members of the Shadow Unit who were just escaping from the temple. I waved my hand warmly.
“God Hand! body bag! Burnout! Are you on your way out?”
“Oh, Your Highness!”
The three elves bowed respectfully.
The three, who were injured during the previous task force infiltration incident, were being treated side by side at the temple. It looks like he’s going to be discharged today.
“Happy New Year everyone.”
“I wish you and your Highness good luck with the World Tree.”
I asked the three of them who were giving me elven-style New Year’s greetings.
“Are you all better?”
“yes. Almost all better. The saintess told me to stay for a day or two, but… … Seeing that the temple is crowded with the New Year’s event today, I just want to relieve the priests’ busy burden by being discharged in advance.”
That’s what happened.
I glanced at Damian next to me.
“By the way, the temple is busy. Is it okay if you leave?”
“Because the saintess entrusted me with the task of bringing the prince… … lol. I have to help with the temple again from the afternoon.”
Damian smiled shyly. This guy knows how to smoke and has improved a lot.
I asked the three elves again.
“Have you three eaten New Year’s stew?”
“yes. They served it for breakfast at the temple. It warmed me up a bit.”
“Did elves eat New Year’s stew today?”
“no. Because the elven kingdom uses a different calendar than humans… … Today is not New Year’s Day. There is a difference of a few days.”
God Hand’s face softened slightly.
“And we drink hot tea with sunflower honey for New Year’s food.”
“… With a snack with sunflower seeds in it?”
“How did you know?”
That’s because I now know that you are a hamster-like species who are obsessed with sunflower seeds, nuts and fruits.
Well, I’m going to have a conversation suitable for the first day of the new year.
“oh!”
I turned to see the voice of a familiar woman on the other side, and I saw Lily in a wheelchair, halting. He was holding a tray with something in his arms.
I quickly waved my hand.
“Happy New Year Lily!”
“Have a good one, Your Highness. I wish you all the best of luck this year!”
Lily, who bowed in turn while sitting in a wheelchair, swallowed a dry spit and approached us.
“That God Hand? I’ve heard about it before, so I baked it… … .”
When Lily lifted the covering on the tray, several warm-smelling pies were revealed.
Nuts and dried fruits are tightly packed.
“I’m not good at cooking, so… It may not taste good, but… … .”
Some were slightly burnt, and some were chipped. Lily stammered, blushing, perhaps embarrassed.
“Though… Just look at your sincerity, will you take a bite… … ?”
“… .”
Blinking in surprise, God Hand quickly picked up a piece of pie and put it in his mouth.
Bodybag also smiled and took a bite, and Burnout removed the gag from his mouth, then pushed the pie in at once and gagged again.
“Wow, delicious!”
Body Bag said with twinkling eyes, then quickly yawned and bit a few more mouths and
nodded.
Burnout also nodded fiercely with a full ball.
“… .”
Only God Hand was silently chewing the pie.
His gaze is distant, as if he is reminiscing about some distant past.
“… That God Hand?”
When Lily carefully asked if he was worried, God Hand suddenly came to his senses and smiled.
“It’s really good, Lily. Thank you for caring so much.”
“No, I just did it because I had time left… .”
Lily, blushing, turned her head and grumbled.
Oh it’s started again Pink mood Hmong… .
This couple guys have been in trouble since the first day of the new year. Should I flip it over?
My two knights licking their lips and reaching over the pie… … No, I saw two devilfish. You guys!
match!
I cut off their hands and bitten them, and I quickly led my party members and took them into the temple.
“Come on, let’s go into the temple to pray for the goddess’ blessing~”
“Ah, why! It looks like a lot anyway, but only one bite!”
“I’m also curious about the taste of the pie the elves eat, sir!”
“Eight! Get in the mood, you muscle pigs!”
You are making good memories on a good day. I don’t like couples either, but I’m a person who knows how to be considerate when I need to be considerate.
After going through so many twists and turns and entering the temple-
“… .”
It started to show from the entrance.
A large statue of a goddess placed in the central hall of the temple in the distance.
The woman carved out of white marble was a typical ‘goddess’. With a benevolent face and white wings sprouting from her back… … .
‘… Come to think of it.’
I was suddenly puzzled now.
‘Who else is this goddess?’
