Part 3
"---This place is very beautiful, there isn't anywhere in my home that was like here."
Both of them had already strolled around casually for a few hours, the time now was about one hour after high noon.
Asuka sat near a dragon monument carving in the center of the red-windowed corridors that were festooned with red bricks and carved glass.
She wasn't feeling tired, she just wanted to relax and have a good look at the town's appearance.
In contrast, Izayoi was studying the huge emerald-colored glass that was carved to look like a monument of a dragon. He gazed at the monument, sighed while lifting his head and softly spoke:
"Whoa.....This is the first time I've seen such a huge tektite crystal."
"Tektite crystal? It's not glass?"
"Nope, tektite is a type of naturally formed glass, it is a rare mineral that is created with the energy and heat of a meteorite impact. The most famous is Germany's Nordlinger Ries meteorite."
"Germany's....Meteorite? But would there be any meteorite that would fall into the Little Garden?"
"Un, I'm also quite doubtful about this. The colours on it seems to represent the Moldavite crystal....Eh?"
Izayoi stopped his movement, he then set his sights on the billboard that showed the community that displayed the monument, what was written on it was----
"Display by Community [Salamandra]"
Title : Spirit-made tektite carving of the first community's first leader, [Sekairyuuou] Sama.
Creator : Sala
This kind of writing. After a moment of silence, Izayoi appeared to doubt his own eyes as he looked at the billboard once more.
"Spirit-made.....Hey, does that means that this is man-made tektite?"
"Wasn't it supposed to be naturally formed?"
"Yeah. But the creator technically isn't human... Eh, the creator's name is Sala, wow, this is starting to get interesting. If I remember correctly, Chibi-chan actually knows this person, if there is a chance, I would like to meet her."
Staring at the billboard, Izayoi started smiling, harboring evil intentions.
Asuka shot a view at Izayoi's face, she then abruptly asked:
"I've been wondering for quite a while...Why is Izayoi-kun so knowledgeable?"
"Not at all. You should say that I'm filled with trivia instead of being knowledgeable.....Whoa? There are walking candlesticks over there!"
After noticing the two-legged walking candlestick, Izayoi abandoned Asuka, agilely running away.
Asuka hurriedly followed. The walking candlesticks were actually art exhibits, there was a billboard with the name [Will-O'-Wisp] hanging around their neck(?).
"If there are walking candlestick and the flying lantern.....Then where is the pumpkin monster? I heard it comes out during the hallo something, have you heard of it before, Izayoi-kun?"
"Ah?"
Hearing Asuka's abrupt speech, Izayoi stopped his movement while widening his eyes.
"Oi oi, Ojou-sama you don't know too many things already. Are you referring to the Jack O' Lantern? We are already this modernised, at least even you had heard of Halloween this------Ahhhh, that's right~ Ojou-sama you were living in the period after the war right?"
Izayoi turned his upper body and asked.
Halloween was only well-known in Japan during the 1990s. Even if it was a bit earlier, it would only be known after the 1980s. That's why Asuka, who lived shortly after the war, was not too knowledgeable about this.
To Asuka, Izayoi was from the future. As foreign relations established in Japan, the knowledge about current things were quite abundant, and Izayoi just happened to have obtained all the knowledge, therefore, in Asuka's eyes, he was a very knowledgeable person.
Asuka speculated the situation by looking at Izayoi's eyes.
"Is that so.......In the period where Izayoi-kun lived, Halloween was no longer an unusual thing?"
"Thats right, does Ojou-sama like the activities related to Halloween as well?"
"I don't particularly like it, it is just that I've heard of it when I was young....I thought it was a very wonderful event."
Asuka looked at the sky, reminiscing about her past.
She formed a self-deprecating smile.
"From where I was living, it was very boring. Even though the [Financial group Ojou-sama] sounds a bit almighty.... However, the most important people, my parents, were already gone. In addition, I had the power to control people, that's why I had to attend a boarding school, isolated from the human society."
".....Oh? That doesn't really suit your style, didn't you ever think of running away?"
"Yes, you are absolutely right! If I had not received the invitational letter, I was planning to slip away when we were going to my grandparent's house. The destination was......right, in order to celebrate the end of the war, I was going to try and experience Halloween."
Standing at the centre of the corridor, Asuka let out a funny smile. But Izayoi could feel emotions similar to sadness coming from her eyes.
In her boring and dull life that was spent being caged, she should hide her strong vision about the outside world as well as the culture.
"[Trick or Treat!] ---Don't you think these words are quite cute and wonderful? I also want to dress up as a ghost and take candy from adults carrying bitter expressions."
"Do we need to wear a big pumpkin over our heads as well?"
"Yes! Ahhhhh, right, wouldn't it be suitable if I dressed up as a witch?"
That's true, Izayoi gave such a response. Asuka turned around 360 degrees, letting her dress flutter about.
To the usually quiet Asuka, this action let her look more like a proper lady.
"I....I'm very happy that I could come to Little Garden, this is such a splendid place. Although I can't experience the rumored Halloween....But it is better than living my life in such an old place. Living here allows me to carry so much expectation towards every day."
"......Really? Then that is terrific indeed."
Izayoi was silently gazing at Asuka who was constantly turning her body 360 degrees around.
Turning, Turning----Small step, continue turning. Asuka danced until she was beside Izayoi, looking at his face. Her expression did not carry any shadows.
Izayoi replied to Asuka while carrying his trademark smile that was both provoking and mischievous.
"Okay, then we should get going! If we stay here for too long, Kuro Usagi will spot us."
"Yeah, that's right...But, Ojou-sama."
"Hmm?"
"Did you know that Halloween was originally a harvest festival?"
Eh? Asuka was momentarily stunned by that sudden question. Izayoi, ignoring it, continued speaking:
"By the way, there used to be a very huge farmland behind the [No Name] base. If we manage to restore that land, I think this would greatly benefit the community.....What do you think?"
"Yup, I know about that situation."
Asuka discussed this with Kasukabe and Lily this morning, restoring the land would greatly help the community. She then tilted her head with a puzzled face, wondering why Izayoi suddenly brought up this matter.
Izayoi grinned, bringing his face closer to Asuka, he said:
"After we restore the land....We should find a day to host our very own Halloween----What do you think about this proposal, Ojou-sama?"
"You wanted to participate in Halloween right?" Izayoi said while laughing.
Izayoi said [Our very own Halloween]-------There was only one meaning behind those words.
"In other words, you want our community------to host Halloween as a gift game right?"
"Yup, since we are currently living in Little Garden, we should personally experience getting the position as [Hosts]."
The suggestion made by Izayoi made Asuka's eyes glow, she then let out a delighted squeal.
"This proposal is indeed wonderful! Not only will we be able to help the community, it will be very interesting too!"
"Haha, Ojou-sama is indeed very understanding! So we should reserve our first time as [Host] for the Halloween gift game then. Still, we need to make some arrangements regarding that plan."
Asuka's eyes were sparkling with a warm luster, totally different from how she usually acted.
Revealing a rare shy smile, Asuka was thinking about what their future activities would look like, she then intoxicatedly muttered out:
"For us to host the Halloween activity.......Oh, we will have to first restore the land back, then we can carry out the harvest festival."
"Of course. And this proposal can be used to repay Shiroyasha's sympathy towards us, it's like killing two birds with one stone."
"Aiyah? Nevermind Kuro Usagi, but how are we going to repay Shiroyasha?"
"Hmm? Ahh, Halloween was originally a harvest festival to express gratitude towards the sun. It was actually the Celtic rituals-----Nevermind, that part isn't that important. Although the gist of thanking is different, but I don't think she would mind these kind of things."
"Is that so?" Asuka replied.
Although she couldn't understand, but since it was a festival to thank the sun, it was indeed the best method to express their gratitude towards Shiroyasha. Moreover, it wasn't only the problematic children, but even Kuro Usagi and the rest had been taken care of by her.
If there wasn't Shiroyasha, they most likely wouldn't have come to the Little Garden.
Asuka smiled in agreement. The number of reasons to thank Shiroyasha and Kuro Usagi were off the charts.
"Oh yeah, the goal now is for us to be [Hosts] that can be qualified to satisfy Shiroyasha."
"Even if we say that, we can't do anything now. Firstly we must win all types of gift games."
"Of course. Since this is such a huge festival, there are lots of wonderful gift games."
"YES! The festival is currently hosting two major gift games, competition using [Creation-type gifts]!"
"Creation-type? Do we need to do something? "
"Yes! For example, Kasukabe-san's [Genome Tree] is one of those! No matter if it is man-made, spirit-made, god-made, or star-made, you can participate in this game if you have any type of creation-type gifts♪"
"Oh? Even though I can't really understand it, but will we get wonderful gifts?"
"Why, yes! Since we can receive the gifts directly from the new Floor Master Sandra-sama, of course it would be wonderful!"
"Really? Then shouldn't we contact Kasukabe-san, invite her to join? Sorry to bother but could you please pass on this message to her, Kuro Usagi?"
"........."
"YES! Leave this to Kuro Usagi♪ Also, Kuro Usagi should get going, so could both of you surrender yourselves unconditionally?"
Kuro Usagi asked with an amazing yet imposing manner, both of them immediately replied:
"REJECTED!"
At this moment, Izayoi was already starting to sprint off in a fast manner. When Asuka was about to escape, she was pounced on by a flying blonde vampire wearing a maid uniform, Leticia, who restrained her.
"Ah!"
"Hehe, you should give up hope and accept your fate, Asuka."
Leticia kept back her black wings, hugging Asuka tightly while smiling.
Asuka raised both her hands as a declaration of surrender, but not before shouting out to Izayoi:
"Izayoi-kun! You are the last one! If you are caught easily, I will not forgive you!"
"Understood! Ojou-sama, leave it to me!"
Wahahahahaha! Izayoi replied while running through the red-windowed corridors. As a [Highborn of Little Garden], Kuro Usagi was not inferior, she had physical strength that wouldn't pale to most gods in comparison.
"Where are you going to run! Kuro Usagi has had it with you! After Kuro Usagi has caught you, Kuro Usagi will invite everyone to attend Kuro Usagi's beautiful lecture!"
"Ha! What a lovely suggestion there! If you want me to join Indra's dependants Kobo assembly, then catch me first!"
Izayoi then increased his speed. He wasn't running in a straight line anymore, he used the building as a board to jump, arriving on the top of a minaret group. Not wanting to admit defeat, Kuro Usagi ran vertically on the wall, chasing after him.
Crowds who noticed the commotion pointed at Kuro Usagi and shouted:
"Look! It's a rabbit! The [Moon Rabbit] chasing after someone!"
"What is the [Highborn of Little Garden] doing in the lower floors?"
"Did it come down from the upper floors to congratulate Sandra-sama's inauguration ceremony?"
Ignoring the stares from the crowd, Kuro Usagi arrived on top of a roof.
Izayoi and Kuro Usagi stared at each other, maintaining their distance.
".......Let me confirm the rules. If you catch me, it's your win. If I'm not caught today, I win. Is that right?"
"YES. Kuro Usagi will properly discipline you once you are caught, and if Izayoi-san finally escapes---"
"Oh yeah, I was about to talk about that. Actually half the content in the letter was actually a joke."
"Ah~? Is it like that~? So everyone was merely joking, but to use [Leave the community] as a bet? It really is a joke that isn't even funny."
Kuro Usagi mercilessly stared at Izayoi. Looks like this was the reason behind her anger.
Indeed, if one was to casually treat [Leave the community] these kind of words as lenient, there would bound to be disorder in the command chain of the community. Even if they were close, they should maintain proper etiquette. To Izayoi and the others, the prank this time was simply too evil.
Maybe Izayoi had already known the answer in his heart, he smiled while shrugging his shoulders.
"Hmmm, what you said was indeed correct. Using this as a joke has gone too far. If it was a prank that wasn't able to make people laugh by the end of it, it definitely would be uninteresting. That I have to agree to."
"......That means that you will surrender unconditionally?"
"What stupid things are you saying. If we simply did nothing when the atmosphere around us has intensified this greatly, how would the crowd accept it?"
Izayoi pointed somewhere below his feet. There were crowds that gathered due to the commotion, they lifted their heads to face them while nosily shouting things. It was simply a rare sight to actually see a [Highborn of Little Garden], which Kuro Usagi was.
"So I have a proposal. How about we host a fairly short game between us?"
"Eh?"
"Hmmmm, let's treat this as an apology, you don't have to bet anything. Regarding my bet---Eh~ What do you want? How about earning the right to freely command me for one time?"
"Eh----?"
Kuro Usagi was so shocked that she was startled. Because of the surprise, even her rabbit ears couldn't help but stand up.
If one could get the person who overwhelmed the heavens and the earth to obediently obey an order, everyone would want that reward ---However, Kuro Usagi depressingly shook her head.
"That.......That won't do, Izayoi-san."
"Ah? Then should we bet using money? If you find my small amount of money acceptable."
"No......That's not it. Kuro Usagi can understand Izayoi-san's regret. But....But, I think that Kuro Usagi is not right in her mind, so if we want the gift game to proceed.... Then both parties should have the same conditions applied."
This time Izayoi was the one who widened his eyes in shock.
In other words, Kuro Usagi also wants to use the free command as a bet together with Izayoi.
"The gift games can only be conducted when both parties agree. Even if Kuro Usagi wins the gift game involving the punishment, Kuro Usagi won't have a sense of accomplishment. So if we want to play, it must be fair! Kuro Usagi will definitely give Izayoi-san a wonderful lecture!"
".....HAHAHA! Even the trivial Kuro Usagi would say something this arrogant."
Izayoi laughed maliciously, then the playfulness in his eyes faded away. Betting one's own will as the outcome of a game. Since each side hoped for it, naturally they should use their full strength to challenge.
The final round of the match of hide and seek between the problematic children and Kuro Usagi was about to begin.
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