Magi Craft Meister

In the end, the family spending New Year’s in Kaina comprised Jin, Elsa, and Mine.

“Lord Jin, the preparations are complete.”

“Ah, thank you.”

By the time twilight deepened, kotatsu tables filled the great hall of Nidou Castle.

The heating elements were magic tools built on the same principle as the magic-stone stoves. Even Jin hadn’t had time to sink them into the floor, so it wasn’t a sunken kotatsu.

On each table lay a basket of citran fruit—Jin’s insistence on recreating “mikan under the kotatsu.”

A cat-golem had wandered in and curled into a ball.

Elsewhere were piled the foods and drinks Jin had bought in bulk across the small kingdoms, funded by his very healthy purse.

Guests could eat and drink whatever they pleased. He hadn’t gone so far as to force everyone to eat toshikoshi soba, but noodles were on hand.

Thanks to the brisk work of the five-color golem maids he had called from Hourai Island, everything had been readied in very little time.

Stars began to twinkle in the sky, and villagers drifted in by twos and threes.

“Hey—Jin, long time no see!”

“Looks like you’ve been busy! We’ll enjoy ourselves tonight!”

“Jin—and Elsa, too—you two look happy together!”

Villagers greeted Jin—and sometimes Elsa—at the castle entrance.

By the time night had fallen completely nearly everyone had arrived, except for mothers with newborns who had stayed home.

“Everyone, thank you for gathering tonight.”

When the moment felt right, Jin stepped onto the dais at the far end of the hall and addressed the crowd.

At once the chatter silenced.

“Since this is a New Year’s Eve party, we’ve prepared all sorts of things. If you have family waiting at home, take some souvenirs; feel free to bring a little food back with you.”

Applause followed.

“That’s Jin for you!”

“Generous as ever!”

When Jin opened his mouth again the joking ceased.

“I’ll spare you all a long speech. Thank you for your hard work this year, and let’s have another good one next year.”

With only that, he stepped down.

Cheers and applause rose—“Thanks for everything!” “Here’s to next year!”—and people tucked into the food and drink.

“Whoa, this wine’s great!”

“What a flavor on this meat.”

“These fruits are so sweet!”

Jin sat at a kotatsu with Martha, Mine, and Hannah: Hannah on his lap, Elsa to his right, Mine to his left, Martha opposite. Reiko and Edgar sat directly behind Jin and Elsa.

“Jin, thank you for all your work this year,” Martha said.

“Thank you. Really, Reiko and Elsa and everyone around me did most of it,” Jin answered honestly; alone, he could never have managed everything.

“And that’s how it should be,” Martha laughed. “None of us can do much all by ourselves.”

“More importantly—don’t you have something to say?”

She glanced between Jin and Elsa, probing.

“Uh, yes, well… erm… I—you see, Elsa and I are… engaged.”

Martha didn’t look at all surprised.

“At last, hm? Congratulations, Jin, Elsa.”

“Thank you.”

“…Th-thank you.”

Both answered, cheeks a little red.

“So big brother and Elsa are gonna get married?” Hannah asked.

“But I promised I’d be your bride, remember…”

Seeing Hannah’s crestfallen face, Elsa suddenly dropped a bombshell.

“I’m sorry, Hannah… but Jin-ni is a lord and a noble, so it’s fine for him to have more than one wife.”

Whether she meant it seriously or was simply being sweet, Hannah’s smile returned.

Jin’s own smile was rather cramped, but Hannah, perched on his lap, couldn’t see it.

“Really? Then both you and I can marry big brother?”

“Mm.”

Jin and Martha assumed Elsa was just comforting the child and smiled, but Mine, Hannah’s mother, knew Elsa was quite sincere and could only give a wry grin.

(This girl… Well, if it works for them, I suppose…)

Neither Jin nor Elsa was the type to fuss over such things, so perhaps it would all work out, Mine thought, sighing inwardly.

Reiko, too, hearing Elsa’s words, revised her view of what was “possible.”

As the night deepened, some villagers headed home, some passed out beneath kotatsu, others drank pensively on.

At midnight, as the date changed, the Time Bell installed in Nidou Castle rang once, clear and high. Normally it sounded at morning, noon, and evening; this was a special chime for the new year.

Those who heard it knew the day had changed.

“So midnight really is when the date flips,” Jin mused, listening to the bell.

“What do you mean?” Elsa, beside him, asked. Hannah had long since fallen asleep, and Martha had carried her home on her back.

“Oh—back in my world, apparently people once used sunrise or sunset to mark the change of day.”

“I can see that—something visible.”

“But sunrise and sunset shift with the seasons. High noon, the sun’s zenith, is constant year-round—and the opposite point, midnight, as well.”

“Makes sense. For an accurate calendar, that’s more rational.”

Their talk was, as usual, entirely unromantic.

Stifling a yawn, Mine announced, “I’m off to bed. Good night, Lord Jin, Elsa.”

“Ah, good night.”

“Good night.”

Without noticing, only Jin, Elsa, Reiko, and Edgar remained in the hall.

It was nearly dawn.

Jin invited Elsa to leave the kotatsu; together they climbed to the castle’s highest tower. Reiko and Edgar, sensing the mood, waited a floor below.

“This year—no, last year now—so much happened,” Jin said.

“Mm. I met you, raced, traveled… was kidnapped, and rescued.”

“I met Vina, met Marcia, met Elsa, met Reinhardt… so many people.”

“…Why did you say Vina’s name first?” Elsa asked with a tiny pout, face slightly flushed. She had turned off her antidote magic tool earlier and was tipsy.

Jin remembered that belatedly.

“Huh? Oh—just chronological order.”

It was the truth; Elsa could only accept it.

“Fine. Then this year, look at me first.”

Whether from drink or courage, Elsa said something she would never normally say.

“Right. Elsa, you’re the number one woman for me.”

Realizing what he had blurted, Jin blushed; Elsa nodded happily and closed her eyes. Jin leaned closer to kiss her.

Dawn’s first light touched their faces.

“Happy New Year, Father, Elsa.”

At that moment Reiko arrived with the sunrise, offering her New Year’s greeting. Jin and Elsa leaped apart.

“A-ah, happy New Year, Reiko. I’m counting on you again.”

“Of course, Father.”

“Happy New Year, Reiko-chan.”

What kind of year would 3458 turn out to be for Jin?