Chapter 1025 New Year's Extra Ch : "The Castle of Smiles"
<Author’s Notes>
It may have been late, but I wish everyone a happy new year! I look forward to working with you this year as well.
In the Demon Realm, there is a common custom that the first days of the year is spent eating the food designated by the Six Kings, the pinnacles of the Demon Realm, but other than that, the way Demons spend the coming of the New Year varies greatly from region to region.
In the Underworld King’s camp, a large banquet is held at Kuromeuina’s castle, where many of her family members gather. It’s also customary for Kuromueina to hand out New Year’s gifts to her family.
Those in the World King’s camp sing in gratitude for the year that has passed and pray for happiness in the incoming new year. For the Spirits and Fairies, singing is considered to be their way of communicating with nature, and the New Year’s singing of the World King’s camp is so famous that it attracts many spectators.
The War King’s camp holds an annual battle royale where the entire camp participates, including their King, Megiddo, and his five Executives, the Five Generals, making it a typical event for the battle-crazy War King camp.
In the Dragon King’s camp, Dragons from all over the world gather around Magnawell to greet each other in turn, making it a common sight in the Demon Realm to see Dragons flying towards south when one looks up at the sky on New Year’s morning.
Due to the nature of the Phantasmal King’s camp, they don’t gather together, spending their New Year’s day in their own way.
And finally, the Death King’s camp has no particular rules, but they often imitate the New Year’s culture of the other world.
In the northern part of the Demon Realm, in the Land of Death, the residence of the Death King, Isis, many lively voices resounded.
[ [ You sh*tty fox!!! ] ]
[Nyahahaha, now those are quite the ugly faces you got there~~]
Sirius and Rasal, two of the Death King’s Executives, the Pleiades, were exuding anger as they directed their “pitch-black faces” towards Eulpecula, also one of the Pleiades.
On the other hand, Eulpecula looked very happy as she grasped a battledore in her hand.
(T/N: Battledore is like badminton, just with a small wooden racket)
[Well~~ I’d like it if you stop with the unjustified resentment~~. The ones at fault here are you two being so weak. I’m just following the rules, and brushing ink on your faces…… I don’t have any place on your face to put ink though. Ahahaha!]
[G- Gununu, you b*tch……]
[You’re stirring things up there, you evil fox……]
The three of them were playing a game from another world, battledore and shuttlecock, and Sirius and Rasal had been getting beaten by Eulpecula.
Their faces were covered with so much ink that they were completely black.
[……Good grief, as expected of her.]
[I think it’s reckless of them to challenge Eul in a game like that.]
[That’s true. By the way, Spica…… How are you doing over there?]
[It won’t do, this is just too difficult. Eul~~ How do I play with this?]
Polaris and Spica, who were also playing New Year’s game from another world a short distance away, were struggling a bit and asked for help from Eulpecula, who was still taunting Sirius and Rasal.
[Ahh, you do this and that.]
[……You sure tie that rope very neatly. You really are dexterous, Eul.]
Seeing Eulpecula dexterous display of easily wrapping the rope around the top that she had been struggling with, Spica looked impressed.
Thereupon, Iris, the Head of the Pleiades, approached the two of them.
[You lot, the zouni are ready…… Isis-sama and Kaito have already taken their seats, so let’s move over there. Ahh, Sirius and Rasal, you two clean up your faces before you go.]
[As expected of Head-dono, you sure do your work fast. Well then, I guess it’s time for a nice meal.]
[That’s right! I can’t keep Isis-sama and Kaito-sama waiting. Come on, you weakling duo too, let’s get ready.]
[ [ Gununu…… ] ]
When Iris called out to the other subordinates of the Death King, who were also playing various New Year’s games like flying kites and playing kendama, they went back to the castle, bringing about a lively commotion with them.
In the grand dining hall of Isis’ castle, osechi and zouni, meals that are eaten when New Year comes in the other world, have been prepared, and preparations for the New Year’s Party are in full swing.
As soon as the New Year’s party started on the order of their King, Isis, her subordinates who were close to each other began to enjoy the New Year’s party on their own, chatting happily.
(T/N: Kendama)
(T/N: Osechi)
(T/N: Zouni)
“Ahh~~ Loudspeaker Magic, testing…… Erhem, well then! The New Year’s 6th Super Bingo Tournament has now commenced!!!”
All eyes gathered on Eulpecula, who was standing on the stage especially prepared in the venue, wagging her ten tails as she acted as the emcee.
“Some of the prizes this time were provided by Kaito-sama himself. Kaito-sama! Thank you very much!!! All of you better thank Kaito-sama properly!”
As Eulpecula lowered her head while her tails wagged behind her, Kaito, who was sitting a little further away, lightly waved his hand with a smile.
“Now then, as per usual, the numbers will be drawn by Isis-sama. Isis-sama, if you would please kindly take the stage!”
“……Unnn…… Alright…… Then, the first number is…… 24.”
“The first number is 24. Any idiots who shout bingo now will get a smack of snowball to their face, so keep that in mind.”
As she drew the numbered lottery ticket from the box, the King, Isis, looked happily at the scene in front of her. Looking at her subordinates are very close and always seem to be enjoying themselves…… She feels very happy to welcome the New Year with the people who are her irreplaceable family.
After all, the scene before her now…… is the second dream that she has seen turned into reality……
<Afterword>
? ? ? : [It’s great how the Death King’s camp gets along well with each other, isn’t it…… It’s completely different from my camp. Ahh, by the way, Serious-senpai got beaten up by Kur…… Under King, and is “currently recovering for about 4 chapters”. She got a New Year’s vacation, how great for her…… No, seriously, the way she lost her temper was unbelievable, let’s be careful not to touch upon the rankings in the future……]