Arifureta After III   Christmas Special After   Ski Trip

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AN: There is an update at 23 December. For those who haven't read it, please start from the previous chapter.

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There was the figure of two people trembling halfway up the advanced course of a skiing spot.

「A, Aiko-sa~~n! Are you all riiight~」

「M, my my my my, my groin feel like it will loosen up buuut, I'm not……fii~ne! Is Liliana-san~ all riiight~~!?」

「M, my my my my, my legs feels like they will cramp buuut, I'm not……fii~ne!」

They spread out their skis until the very limit and they were slipping rather than sliding. The two who were like this were Aiko and Liliana.

They wanted to put the brake and stop, but they couldn't stop, or perhaps they actually intended to ski after a fashion. It was unclear what they wanted to do.

In any case, the two who were spreading out their skis too much with legs that wouldn't stop shaking were amateur skier no matter how anyone looked at them. They shouldn't be in this advanced course.

They became able to slide just for a bit. After that they got cocky and came to the advanced course. There they got taken aback 「What's this, this is practically a cliff」, however their pride got in the way 「We already climbed all the way here, going down with the lift will be embarrassing……」 and they skied down. Now they were regretting it like this.

Now then, just as could be seen from the situation, today Nagumo family came here for a ski trip.

Having said that, Sumire and Shuu were absent. By this time the two of them must be going to a hot spring date just the two of them husband and wife without any outsider present. Shia won a pair ticket from the shopping district's lottery roll, and she presented it to the two filled with her gratitude for everyday.

To that, Sumire said that if that the case they should have everyone came together by paying it from their own pocket, but Shuu said 「She is giving us a pair ticket, it should be fine going with just the two of us at least once a year right?」, so Sumire agreed even reluctantly.

And then, perhaps to hide her embarrassment or something, she suggested (?) so that while they were enjoying the hot spring trip, it would be painful if their son's family just did nothing at home, so Hajime should give service to his family!, and like that it became this ski trip.

Back to the topic.

Aiko and Liliana finally became teary eyed, it was then,

「YAFFUUUUUUUUUUUU!!」

「SOMETHING LIKE THIS ART NOT TOO BAAADD!」

'Brake? What is that, is that tasty?' Shia and Tio were passing through with terrific momentum as though to say that.

Their figure manipulating the snowboard magnificently was the very definition of skill. Both of them were engraving the figure of 8 on the snow surface with beautiful symmetry. Even though they were only learning how to ski today, their figure was like a pro snowboarder.

「……」

「……」

Aiko and Liliana were staring at the back of Shia and Tio that had became small in the blink of eye while trembling all over.

「……nn. Kaori, sloo~~w」

「The grudge of getting dropped from the lift just now! I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ITTTTTTTT-!」

「Wait Kaori! That's ski! It's not a board! It's thin so you understand right!? I'm telling you to wait!」

*SHA! SHA! SHA!* Yue, Kaori, and Shizuku were passing through in that order. Yue-sama kept facing backward, while Kaori was riding on a single ski for some reason, and Shizuku was holding one ski and Kaori's snowboard. They were sliding with high speed as expected.

「……」

「……」

The two had dropped, no, slid down for about three meters from before. *Slid slid, slid slid*. Aiko and Liliana's legs that were spread out too much were already passing through shaking and into trembling now.

Someone, please help……

The two were in the state where it felt like such voice of heart was audible.

The hero of the girls who would surely appear at this kind of time……

Certainly appeared this time too.

「Oo~i, both of you. Are you two going through withdrawal symptoms there?」

It was his voice! They were saved! They wanted to tsukkomi so much at the content of his words, but right now they were in the middle of danger of having their legs almost forcefully spread out. They couldn't be concerned with trivial matter! Thinking that, Aiko and Liliana made a joyful look and turned their gaze to the direction of the voice,

「Faster! Even faster! Myuu is becoming wind nano!」

「My, Myuu! Slo, slow down a bit……」

「It's fine Remia. I'm holding you firmly.」

Myuu, Remia, and Hajime were riding on a sleigh in that order harmoniously while passing through with terrific speed, as expected.

Myuu looked like she was having so much fun. Remia who was sitting between Myuu and Hajime was a bit scared with the speed, and yet her cheeks were blushing slightly because she was getting hugged from the back by Hajime.

It was a really warm family scene.

They instantly passed through though.

The two were completely left behind though.

「I can't anymore……」

「A, Aiko-saa~~~~~nn」

Screams were reverberating from halfway up the advance course.

After that, at an inconspicuous place in the corner of the course, the figure of Liliana applying healing magic to the groin of Aiko who was fainting from fear was seen but……

From the view point of outsider, they only saw a scene of a young girl gently touching the groin of another girl behind cover, after the two somehow got down to the foot of the mountain, they were exposed to inquisitive gazes from the people around.

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「Nn? It feels like I heard a scream just now.」

Hajime felt like he heard a scream from behind and he spontaneously looked back.

「Dear? Is there something?」

Remia asked across her shoulder with an upward gaze. Today's Remia was without her usual atmosphere of smiling holy mother. Her being in the environment of snowy mountain for the first time, her inability to ski at all, and the speed that Myuu exerted as though she was a speed demon were making her twitching uneasily from beginning to end.

Hajime said 「No, nothing」 and smiled wryly while shaking his head. And then, he embraced her once more with even more strength. Tension left Remia's body slightly.

「Hei hei hee~~i! Nano!」

「Myuu, it's fine to be high spirited but Remia is scared you know?」

Hajime tentatively warned her, but Myuu didn't notice because she was getting absorbed in beating the snowboard that was sliding side by side with them.

A sleigh that was being boarded by three parents and child were rushing down in reckless speed at the advance course……

It wasn't unreasonable for the snowboarders who were overtaken to watch that with wide open eyes. Several people were too shocked that they lost their balance and 「AA~~~~~!!」 tumbled down.

While that was going on the foot of the mountain came into view. A lot of people were there, so it would be dangerous if they didn't decrease their speed any time now.

Thinking that, Hajime opened his mouth to tell Myuu to brake. Myuu said that she wanted to steer the sleigh from start to end bringing papa and mama, so he was thinking to leave the stopping to Myuu too.

But, before he could speak,

「Papa! Over there something that looks really fun is happening over there nano!」

「Hm? Aah, half-pipe huh.」

Looking there, there was a half-pipe that could be reached directly from the advanced course. The snowboarders were displaying each of their technique there.

The sight of snowboarders executing technique midair tightly grasped Myuu's inquisitiveness and sense of adventure. Her eyes were sparkling bright, the hands that were grasping the rein clenched tightly.

「Papa! Mama! We will do that too nano!」

「Can you? I also prepared a board for Myuu but――」

「Watch Myuu's technique! Nano!」

Myuu slanted her weight drastically and pulled the rein. The sleigh obeyed the driver's control and changed course instantly! The destination it headed to was of course, the half-pipe!]

「Ah, hey, Myuu! Who will go there using sleigh! Stop it for now!」

「If you can stop this then damn try to stop it! Nano!」

「This brat! She is receiving Shia's bad influence!?」

The face of the smiling holy mother Remia-san was twitching senselessly. She was desperately hugging Myuu on her chest really tightly to stop her, but Myuu whose tension was rising too much and entered a state of high didn't stop!

Hajime-papa put his foot outside to stop the sleigh forcefully.

There was one thing to remember here. Actually this sleigh was an artifact Hajime created for Myuu, but Hajime had the nature of being unable to feel satisfied unless he put romance into a vehicle.

For example, thing like weapon, or transformation……

This time, the romance that was installed into the sleigh for Myuu's exclusive use was……propulsion device.

It has propulsive power so it can slide even in level surface! Great isn't it, Myuu!

「BOOOST~~~~~~」

「Hoi! Myuu! Stop play――」

「ON NANO!」

*BOOM* The sleigh instantly accelerated! Hajime-papa's feet were only digging groove into the snow and didn't function as brake!

And then, before he could forcefully stop the sleigh with another method――

The sleigh charged into the half-pipe!

「YAFUUUUUU NANOO!」

「FUAAAAAAAAAAAAAH」

The sleigh instantly rushed up the curving part, and then……the Nagumo family flew to the sky.

On the ground, the audiences and snowboarders were dumbfounded and astonished at the sight of a family of tree dancing in the sky.

Myuu's joyful voice, and Remia's scream that was rare to hear reverberated.

The sleigh hovered for a moment in the air. The centrifugal force pushing up the sleigh vanished, then the three were thrown out weightlessly from the sleigh.

Remia-mama's soft knitted hat flew. The person herself almost fainted with the white of her eyes showing! The audiences returned to their senses, and they screamed from imagining the end of the family that flew for five meter from the lip part of the half-pipe!

「Haa……there will be punishment later.」

Hajime somersaulted midair. Each of his hand caught Myuu and Remia and he held them in a posture of them sitting on his arms. Both of them reflexively grabbed on Hajime's neck.

Hajime used the centrifugal force from his somersault and caught the sleigh with his foot using the principle of midair spinning kick. He adjusted the way the sleigh was facing and then boarded on it while catching Remia's knitted hat with his mouth.

Next was free falling. The moment he landed on the curved part, he made use of his knee to completely killed the impact. Without letting go of the two he slid, and when he flew out at the opposite side he kicked away the sleigh at the same time, and then landed on the ground with *splat*.

The noisy surrounding of the half-pipe fell dead silent.

But, that too was only for a few moment.

The next moment a loud cheer rose. 「What's that just now!?」 or 「No way, you saw how he caught two people and landed from that height!」 or 「Rather, why a sleigh!?」, voices that were filled with excitement came one after another.

Amidst that,

「Fuwaa. It was fun nano!」

Myuu smiled innocently. Hajime-papa let down only Myuu gently……*pechin-* a forehead flick burst.

「~~~~~~-!?」

Myuu writhed in pain. The soft knitted hat that was matching with Remia offered no defense at all against the impact. Both her hands pressed down on her forehead and she squatted while trembling *purupuru* with teary eyes.

「Myuu. Certainly papa is also bad for installing propulsion device so that you can play even on level ground. But, you were told before playing right? Don't do something that papa, mama, or one of the one-chan told you to stop. You broke your promise.」

「Au……bu, but……」

「Look. Mama was really scared. Does Myuu want to have fun even if you have to trouble your mama?」

Remia-mama was still hugging Hajime. Seeing Myuu's figure being scolded by papa, Remia spoke her usual 「My my」 while scolding her 'bad' like Hajime.

Seeing that, Myuu got dejected. She spoke 「Sorry nano」 wit teary eyes and teary voice.

「Yosh. You are able to apologize properly huh.」

「My my, Myuu. Look, papa isn't angry anymore. Lift up your face?」

Her head was patted by papa and mama. Myuu rubbed her eyes repeatedly then smiled widely.

For some reason 「Oo」 voice rose from the surrounding. It seemed the audiences were feeling moved seeing a bit of family drama.

Or rather, that was how much a center of attention they were.

Remia who was finally mentally recovered from the harrowing experience didn't notice the situation around before, but now she recalled her own state and her cheeks puffed red.

「Say……dear? I'm fine already, so please let me down now……it's embarrassing.」

「Hm? Aa, I see. Here.」

Remia was let down gently. Admiring voice and fascinated sigh leaked out once more from the surrounding people. Remia was undoubtedly a beauty with blond hair. Furthermore, right now she was blushing from embarrassment and other things with moist eyes, strange sex appeal was overflowing from her.

At the same time the surrounding――especially the men were sending jealous gaze like a line of spears at Hajime. Thinking of Myuu's existence and how she called Hajime, it was clear what was the relationship between them.

But, naturally Hajime-san didn't shrink back against such gaze of that level.

He ignored the rabbles as though to say that there was no one here except himself, Myuu, and Remia. He took the hat of Remia that fell off and put it on Remia's hand in a manner as though he was handling a glass artwork.

Hajime adjusted the placing of Remia's hair. Each time his fingertip gently brushed Remia's forehead and ear, Remia would expose a ticklish expression that also looked like she was feeling good.

Seeing that, the men became increasingly peevish.

「Chih. A blonde haired foreigner wife……how did he got a wife like that huh?」

「Even though we here don't even get lucky in picking up girl.」

「Don't say it. I'm gonna cry here.」

「Wait, you guys. The sleigh. It's using sleigh. If we slide on the half-pipe using sleigh……」

「「「We can marry a blond haired foreigner beauty!?」」」

Half-pipe, sleigh――it was the moment a new sport was created.

「Hajime-saa~~n! What are you doing thereee~」

「……Hajime. Ride sleigh while hugging me too. Like Remia. Like Remia.」

「A sleigh……it looks a bit embarrassing.」

「You're right……but, it can be used to slide in level ground too, if it's in a place where there is no one……」

「Rather, I wisheth to be used as sleigh.」

Shia was running at the front while hopping *pyon pyon*, behind her was Yue, Kaori, Shizuku, and Tio. By the way, Yue-san today was a teenage version.

Naturally, the people were making commotion at the appearance of the beauty army. Furthermore, they were approaching the man who was currently displaying a scene of flirting with blonde haired beauty while also holding a cute daughter. The commotion was gradually increasing!

「Shia. You, you were bringing out Myuu in your drive secretly from me aren't you?」

「……I, I don't really understand what you are saying.」

「Your rabbit ears are twitching there. You're really shaken up.」

Even the rabbit ears that ordinary person couldn't see were in plain view for Hajime and co. The rabbit ears were fiercely trembling. It seemed she was guilty.

Hajime stretched Shia's cheeks *munyo~n* and made her to be tearful. Yue and others were gathering around him.

「Half-pipe sleigh……no way. So it's actually that effective.」

「I'll go renting a sleigh for a bit.」

「Wait, I'm going too.」

At this day, people getting sent flying or rolling around showily from trying to slide using sleigh appeared in succession, the ski area was falling into temporary chaos.

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Leaving behind the half-pipe that was getting enthusiastic to a completely unknown direction, Aiko who was walking pigeon-toed for some reason and a completely exhausted Liliana also returned, so they took a break while also wandering leisurely at the facility around the foot of the mountain.

There, they discovered a crowd at slight distance away. Wondering what was going on, Hajime and co also tried approaching.

「Hee, snowball fight huh.」

「……Nn. It doesn't really look like a tournament.」

「Looks like anyone can freely join. Eerrr, let's see here……looks like you can enter a three man team. O, looks like the winning team will be presented with a memento.」

Shia read the nearby plank while saying that. Hearing that Myuu's eyes were sparkling as expected.

Three man team meant that three people from a family could participate. It seemed to be a consideration from the organizer's side, and just as they intended, there were a lot of family participating, fighting each other in three man family VS three man family.

There were three courts, but rather than a serious competition, everyone were having fun in the event.

Furthermore, the snowball had to be created by themselves. There were three defensive walls, the time limit was five minutes. The team with the most survivor at the end would be the victor.

「In other words, it's fine to just annihilate the other team nano!」

What a child with quick comprehension. It seemed she was fully motivated to participate.

Hajime-papa was making a smile that looked like 「Fuh, so it's my turn」. It seemed that he was thinking that there wasn't a slightest chance he wouldn't be picked into his beloved daughter's team.

Beside Hajime, Yue was making the same smile. 「……Fuh. Is annihilation battle what you wished for?」 the vampire princess who was specialized in annihilation class magic was also not doubting even the slightest bit that she would be chosen.

「Tio-oneechan! Shia-oneechan! Let's go together!」

「Hoe? Me? Fufu~n, that's fine! I will answer commander Myuu's expectation without fail!」

「Hou, so you chose me. Myuu, that's quite a discerning gaze thou hath there. My vocation art "protector". I wouldst protect Myuu perfectly there.」

Hajime-papa and vampire princess-oneechan crumbled. Both of them were similarly going 「Impossible……」 in stupefaction.

「Ee~rr, Myuu? Why didn't you pick papa?」

Remia tried asking in the place of the crumbling Hajime. Myuu made an expression as though she was asking something obvious and she spoke her standard for choosing.

「First, what is necessary is physical firepower nano. Then, the only option for attacker role is the bug rabbit Shia-oneechan.」

If it was just an event then it felt like anyone would be fine, however, her reasoning made sense. Her choosing standard was quite something.

「For the other one, Myuu was thinking of Shizuku-oneechan who is good at throwing but……」

It seemed that Hajime-papa and vampire princess-oneechan were out of question right from the start. The two were starting to draw circles on the ground together.

「In case there is someone who specialize in attacking among the enemy, Myuu believed that defensive power should be insured nano.」

「Myuu, thou hath learned tactic really well.」

The player would be out by the time a snowball hit them so defensive power wasn't related at all in this but……starting from Shizuku, Kaori and Aiko and Liliana were making a warm smile.

Until they heard her next words.

「And so, Myuu chose the meat shie――the tough Tio-oneechan nano!」

「Wait a second, Myuu. Just now, thou was about to say meat shield wasn't it? This art the biggest shock Tio-oneechan received in these few years! For the cute Myuu to think of Onee-chan as meat shield, I doth not know how to process this though!?」

It seemed she was also completely receiving bad influence from Hajime-papa.

Tio who was greatly shaken approached Miu while saying 「Tell me that it's a lie Myuu~」. Myuu was also shaken and her gaze darted around……then she made a stiff expression in resolve and spoke.

「Think of it as a good thing!」

「Think of it as a good thing, thou mean it's a good thing to think of Onee-chan as meat shield!?」

「If it's Tio-oneechan you should be happy nano! Rather Tio-oneechan who won't be happy with this is just a mere beautiful Onee-chan nano!」

「Art not that a good thing!?」

「It's a loss of identity~ nano! A loss of character~ nano!」

「Nuguo~, mine self art going to lose in argument~~」

Should she be happy to be called a meat shield Onee-chan, or should she be happy. That was the problem.

Myuu took the worrying Tio's hand, led away Shia who was smiling wryly, then she applied for the registration with only momentum.

Hajime and Yue who were still down were left as they were.

Myuu's snowball fight began through such happenings. Her opponent was a team of female university students. Myuu's team also consisted on only female, both sides had good look, so the audiences were quite roused.

Myuu put Shia and Tio on her left and right. She was folding her arms while standing imposingly. A fearless smile was tugged on her lips. It was as though she closely resembled a certain someone.

The females at the opposing team saw Myuu and started squealing 「Look look, that girl! She is really cute!」「Waa, she is really enthusiastic! So cute!」.

「You can have fun while you still can now. Myuu will show you hell soon, nano.」

「Hajime-san, you cannot speak about other people. It's Hajime-san who is influencing Myuu the most.」

Shia smiled wryly seeing Myuu speaking like a gangster with that cute face.

「Tio-oneechan. When the match begin Myuu want you to go forward. Hold back the snowballs, and when a snowball that Myuu cannot evade come then Myuu want Onee-chan to block it nano.」

「As I hath thought I am treated as meat shield.」

Commander Myuu wouldn't be bothered by trivial thing.

「Shia-oneechan. Myuu don't want to waste time nano. Please do Shia-oneechan's special move nano.」

「Special move? Uu~n, a, something like that is it. Roger desu.」

Like that the snowball fight began! The referee saw Myuu and made a warm smile, then gave the signal 「Start~」 leniently.

At the same time, the females at the opposing team picked the snowballs they had diligently created and threw it 「Ee~i!」 really leniently. Their aim was all over the place, most of them were toward inaccurate direction.

It didn't look like there was any need to use Tio as meat shield. Tio was taking cover at the front line defensive wall while tossing *po~I po~i* returning fire to hold back the enemy with a complicated expression.

「Shia-oneechan.」

「Ay ay, preparation is finished desu!」

「Roger. Target, the enemy's rear defensive wall! Fireee!!」

「Go fly until the moooon! Desuu!」

A snowball that was super compressed with super grip strength was thrown in a way that caused the air to make a strange sound *hyugoh*――

「ABAAAAAAAAH!?」

「Ah……」

「Myu……」

Shia inflicted a powerful friendly fire. The sudden impact that was dealt on her back caused Tio to collide with the defensive wall before her in a posture that was like a shrimp. The defensive wall was half-destroyed from that and she ended up hanging on the top,

「This is……mine, identityyy~」

She murmured such thing with expression of ecstasy before she stopped moving with a plop.

The cheers stopped. The place fell dead silent. The females who were squealing until just now were staring at Tio with pale face.

Amidst that silence,'

「Hi, hit confirmed! Correction shot! Fireee!」

「Ro, roger desuu!」

Commander Myuu was unperturbed! And then, the loyal rabbit held the snowball firmly this time and threw! Accurately, it shot through the side of the enemy team and pulverized the defensive wall at the back! That result was truly like a bombing!

「Hit confirmed! Target destroyed! Effective shot~, fi――」

'Fireee!' Surely that was what would be said. But, before the word was completed a snowball hit Myuu so her order was interrupted. Looking back, the referee was there.

「Disqualified.」

「Aa, yes nano.」

The referee emitted a pressure that wouldn't allow any objection. Aiko and others with Remia-mama at the forefront were bowing their head repeatedly while retreating in escape.

A beat later, scream and cheer reverberated from behind.

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*Roll roll, roll roll* Kaori was rolling a snowball while talking to Yue who were similarly *roll roll, roll roll* rolling snowball beside her.

「……Making snowman is calming the heart somehow.」

「……Nn.」

*Roll roll, roll roll*. The two continued to form snowball silently. Unusually they didn't show any sign of quarreling.

This was an open space some distance away from the ski area. A place that was near the buildings of hotel and inn lining up. It was a public park for relaxing like where the small children would play with snow.

It was a place where it was okay to create snowman and left them there (only in the case they asked for permission and bought decoration item at the stand under management control), and so there were various snowmen and objects in various sizes around.

In a few more hours the blazing light of the evening sun would create long shadow.

If it had to be said why Yue and kaori were making snowball silently in such place,

「We got too high spirited didn't we?」

「……Nn.」

Yue-sama who was excessively taciturn.

When Kaori glanced to the side, Yue was somewhat teary eyed……

「…..Hajime got angry.」

「Yeah.」

After the snowball fight, the group was strolling aimlessly once more and encountered an event of making snow sculpture. The organizer prepared a lump of hardened snow for the participants to carve it into snow sculpture.

There, the two who were starting a stupid fight like usual provoked each other and decided to settle their dispute in this event, but they both made Hajime into the model for the statue they sculpted.

If it was just that, Hajime would just endure his embarrassment.

Even if Kaori used outrageous technique of twin sword art using large chisels, or Yue was pretending to sculpt while forming shape using ice element magic, with each side using foul play and irrational method, and that the place fell into commotion because of that, well, Hajime would surely ignore it because they had fun.

But, the two's quarrel entered into criticism toward each other's sculpture, their statue shifted into naked sculpture that was like David statue, and then they escalated. By the point of time they got fixated at forming the crotch, Hajime's embarrassment burst.

Two beautiful girls were heatedly arguing with each other in front of public eye about the molding of a single man's crotch. In addition, because it was a delicate part, they didn't use any tool and shaped it using their hands, that part of the snow sculpture.

The parents who were participating in the event naturally covered their children's eyes「You cannot watch that!」, the fathers were sending their wide smirk at Hajime, while the young men were sending him murderous gaze, while the girls were getting unjust suspicion of the relationship between Hajime and Yue & Kaori with blushing cheeks.

And so, Hajime smashed the snow sculptures into nothing. He dropped his knuckles on the head of the two who were protesting him, grabbed their collar and dragged away the two who turned limp while leaving the place.

Due to that, the two were self-reflecting a bit while making snowman in a quite place. When Kaori recalled the event, it felt like her face would get on fire.

At slight distance away, Hajime was rolling a snowball that was around two meter. Myuu was taking balance on top of it while walking.

At another place, Shizuku and Aiko were arguing cheerfully with each other about the face part of the snowman, like this or like that, while decorating it.

Shia and Tio were diligently making several moderately sized snowballs.

In addition, there was a snow hut nearby the spot that was planned for the snow man to be put at, Remia and Liliana were inside warming themselves. Both of them seemed to be relatively weak against cold.

The size of the snowball Hajime was making gathered attention from families and couples that were scattered around sporadically. Amidst that attention, Hajime raised his voice to check.

「O~i, how is over there doing?」

In response, Shizuku who was in charge of decoration cheerfully replied.

「Yep, over here is all right.」

「The material is also complete~」

Liliana and Remia crawled out slowly from the snow hut while lifting up some things for decoration.

'Oh, finally they are going to decorate?' The people in the park gathered toward them.

The plan of Hajime and co was to make a specially large snowman――a total height of four meter with three snowballs piled up――right in the middle of the park, with nine small snowmen around it.

There, Hajime suddenly noticed something.

「Ah, come to think of it I forgot the ladder……」

Hajime muttered with feeling like「Ah damn」. Putting aside the small snowmen, the specially large snowman's torso and head would need a big ladder to place them in position.

He had one stored inside his Treasure Warehouse, but he didn't take it out beforehand, so it was hard to take it out with all the gathered attention.

Should he obediently go to a shop to rent it……while Hajime was thinking that,

「Oo~I, you guys. Want to use this?」

「Hm? Aa, that will help……」

An unfamiliar middle-aged man was carrying a splendid ladder on his shoulder while walking toward them. Seeing Hajime opened his eyes wide in surprise, the middle-aged man laughed pleasantly and spoke.

「Haha, it looks like you all are going to make a really splendid snowmen, so I wondered if you will let us participate in the commemoration if you don't mind.」

「I see. So it's like that.」

Looking closer, there was a boy hiding behind the uncle.

Hajime smiled slightly and showed his agreement. The boy's expression brightened.

With that as the beginning, 'Please let us too!', the other families and couples asked to be allowed to join.

Yue and Kaori, and Shia and Tio who were diligently rolling snowballs for the small snowmen were slightly surprised, but when they looked at Hajime, he was smiling slightly and nodded, so they also smiled and rolled snow together with other people.

Seeing participants increasing one after another, Myuu who was on top of the huge snowball puffed out her chest.

「Myuu is the leader nano! Everyone, work hard! We are making snowmen that will last until spring nano!」

There was also an atmosphere in the place. The families and couples that numbered nearly twenty people in the end were all responding「Oo~!」 cheerfully at Myuu.

「Ahaha, then leader Myuu. Please give order to everyone.」

「Mufufu~! Leave it to Myuu nano!」

Hajime's respectful way of speaking caused Myuu to also smile while she started giving instruction energetically.

After that, with the many cooperation they obtained, they completed a total of ten snowmen genuinely under Myuu's instruction.

A snowman with fixed stare, a snowman with rabbit ears, a snowman with ponytail attached, and so on, they were snowmen with trait that closely resembled certain people somewhere.

Even the participants surely could guess which was who. They were giving warm smile to Yue and co who were looking a bit embarrassed.

At the end, Hajime was carrying Myuu in his arms, climbed up the ladder that was supported by the people, and with a relay format the head of the specially large snowman――the head part of demon king-sama with eye patch attached was carried to the top.

「Myuu, don't fall. Put your feet on the ladder firmly.」

「Yes nano.」

Hajime put down Myuu on the ladder. He then received the head part that was brought from below, and then he made Myuu to hold it.

Myuu staggered slightly even with Hajime supporting her.

From below, a lot of participants were watching over them while holding their breath.

Myuu was scolding her arms that were shaking all over while carefully, carefully holding the last snowball……*plop* she set it up on the designated spot.

And then, she sloo~wly took her hands away……

「「「「「「Oo~~~~~」」」」」

Cheers and applauses reverberated all at once!

When Myuu made a guts pose「It's completed~~」, the enthusiasm of the place echoed even further hearing that bright shout of joy that was filled with delighted sense of accomplishment.

Yue and others also exchanged smile with participants who they knew only just now and they thanked each other. They were really having fun.

Hajime hugged Myuu once more while his expression looked as though he suddenly recalled something.

「Oi, Tio.」

「Mu? ……Oo, I see. That wouldst be nice. Leave it to me.」

Tio noticed Hajime's intention as though they were of the same mind, then she immediately left the circle of people.

「Papa?」

「Myuu, bestow those words to everyone. The present will be that.」

Myuu was making a puzzled face. Hajime turned his gaze toward Tio while saying such thing to Myuu.

Myuu's expression turned 'hah' in realization, then she once more remembered what day today was and she smiled widely.

And then, Tio who finished setting up the toolartifact gave a thumb up. Confirming that, Myuu waved both her hands and raised her voice.

「Everyone~~~~!」

Myuu gathered attention once more. Toward them all, Myuu took a deep breath……

「MERRY~~~~~ CHRISTMA~~~S!! NANO!」

And then, she pointed with her finger.

Lured by that, the participants turned their gaze, and there a splendid camera equipment was set up.

It was something Tio pulled out from Treasure Warehouse outside of people's gaze,

The participants who guessed the intention here adjusted their position hurriedly.

Hajime and Myuu were on the ladder. Yue and co were right below the demon king snowman.

The participants were surrounding them.

「Then here we go!」

*Kaclick*. Tio dashed with hurried footsteps and slid beside Yue and others.

And then,

――*pasha!*

After that, a photo that really conveyed the delight from people they didn't even know who were centered around the snowmen and Nagumo family was completed. The giant snowmen and small snowmen would later get reported in TV that they really didn't melt until spring.

Of course, it was possible to mass produce the photo like Polaroid camera right on the spot, so it was distributed to the participants as Christmas present.

The participants, every single one of them broke up while immersing themselves in pleasant fatigue and enjoyable aftertaste with a photo in hand.

「This kind of thing isn't bad once in a while. Merry Christmas.」

While returning to their inn, hajime said that with a peaceful smile.

Of course, Yue and co, everyone similarly,

「「「「「「「「「Merry~ Christmas!」」」」」」」」」

They replied like that.

–

–

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

At the end of the chapter this time, in a relatively unusual event the casts were mingling with ordinary folks.

It's Christmas, so I wanted to write a story that can give warmth as soon as possible.

By the way, a story of making snowman with unfamiliar people……

Is there also those who somehow feel déjà vu?

Yes, its inspiration come from Shirakome's bible, Aria.

In the anime it's [Aria the Natural  Episode 26   From that white gentle town…]

For Shirakome, it's an episode that entered the top 5 of my favorite.

Everyone too, how about feeling warm and fluffy by watching Aria in Christmas?

In any case, Merry Christmas!