Chapter 3
Part 1
---That night, the [No Name] held a small party.
The table was laden with lots of special dishes that weren’t seen normally and the children of the Senior group had also joined in the ranks of those who toasted[22] their cups, celebrating with joy.
Kuro Usagi prepared the fish that was caught in the river. After lightly grilling it and frying it, she used a sauce to thicken and coat the fish before plating it up. Looks like she’s spent quite some time preparing the dish and was quite satisfied with her work as well. Needless to say, everyone from the main players to the children were full of praise about the dish but Izayoi…
“Kuro Usagi. I reckon that if you used a vinegar-based sauce instead of this starchy sauce, the fish will taste better.”
---And with that, he effectively killed the mood.
When the party finished, Kasukabe Yō and her Calico cat went to their room to rest.
It was late into the night and Yō sat down beside the window where cool air could be felt brushing in from the outside.
“Hu.” Yō sighed as the night breeze bushed pass her cheeks.
“Calico cat, I can only participate after the start of the Harvest Festival now. Though it is a pity, but I won’t be able to go for the Eve of the Harvest Festival after all.”
“…Is that so. That’s really a pity, Oujo.”
“Un. But it can’t be helped. Izayoi-san really is amazing. He had solved the water shortage and saved Leticia from bondage[23]. Just like the other time, he had also earned my respect from the solving of the previous Demon Lord’s riddles and it was that time that I felt that he really is an amazing guy.”
That’s why—there’s no helping it.
Seeming to have convinced herself Yō gave a slight smile as she gazed upon the starry skies.
However, she had immediately averted her gaze to the ground, seeming to have noticed something.
………How ironic. Originally wanting to seek comfort while stargazing.…..But the brightest one is the full moon on the sixteenth night.[24]
“……However, Izayoi’s not the only one who’s amazing. Asuka as well, to be able to change a barren and desolated wasteland to fertile ground within a month is truly unbelievable.”
“Hmph. That sort of thing isn’t much. We had lived in an era where there’s nothing remarkable about it.”
“That’s because of our advanced technology. If we relied upon the strength of Man to turn the land into a farm…it should have taken at least a few generations to achieve that sort of revival.”
But Asuka's able to finish the ploughing of the land in a month, it was truly a miracle that could be called a [Gift].
Though Yō was also proud of the outstanding results that her friends had achieved, the smile on her face seemed to be a lonely one.
Noticing it, Calico cat purred.
“Is there something wrong, Oujo?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
It’s just that——Yō paused for a while before casting her gaze towards the direction of the farmlands.
“…Calico cat, that farm…... Izayoi-san provided the water while Asuka provided the land. So I had thought that if only I could prepare the saplings for the last step……I can lift my head high and say words like “Hooray! We three made the farm together!” or something like that…So for that end, I had worked hard this time to obtain the rights to participate in the Harvest Festival for a few more days. ”
But it wasn’t enough. Despite having achieved great prizes from the gift game that she was confident of, defeat was still evident.
The friend, who’s the most powerful among them all, even with the initial handicap, had easily achieved a result that far exceeded her own.
And it’s not just the first time. Yō wasn’t able to get the most important achievements in Gift games. Even in the Gift games by the demon lord previously, it was an unsightly defeat before she could even start fighting.
For the aim of fighting alongside the others that aspired to [Defeat the Demon Lords], Yō had wanted to have more time to interact with the Eudemons that inhabited the South Side to befriend more of them as much as possible.
Normal gift games aside, Yō truly understood it from experience that to challenge a Demon Lord in a game, she was still insufficient in her current state.
“Calico cat.”
“Hmm?”
“Izayoi and Asuka. They’re both amazing.”
“I see.”[25]
Calico cat gave a short reply.
Yō then gazed upon the bright Moon on the 16th Night.
“But I ……ain’t as strong.”
“………”
“Sure enough, carrying half-baked feelings when joining the Community isn’t going to work out fine. It’s just by chance that I met great friends……yet I am unable to maintain and support this relationship.”
“……Oujo……”
Unable to find the right words, Calico cat could only silently nuzzle Yō’s hand.
In response to his action, Yō gave Calico cat a light scratch under the chin before carrying him into her arms and curling into a ball while hugging her knees as well.
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