After breaking up a minor food fight,
"Let's eat!"
As I picked up my spoon and shouted, the others also lifted their spoons, chiming in, 'Let's eat-!'
"Wow, the New Year's stew from the southern regions is pretty spicy."
Junior, who took the first sip, grimaced and stuck out her tongue. Indeed, a complex mix of spices burst forth, and it was a bit spicy.
The hearty warmth was comforting, and I smiled as I swallowed.
"Junior, you've traveled all around the world. How's the food elsewhere?"
"In the North, where I was born, we just add salt and keep it simple. In the East, since it's near the ocean, they use fish meat instead of meatballs."
Fish cakes, huh? Now that she mentions it, I'm craving fish cake soup...!
This time Lucas chimed in.
"In the Imperial Capital, they roast meatballs separately and place them atop a vegetable stew."
"Why make it so complicated?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but the Lord said that such unnecessary steps are in the spirit of the Imperial Capital."
Ah, hearing that, it sorta makes sense...
"Also, my lord enjoys spicing up this New Year's stew with a shot of strong alcohol. He considers it a New Year's Day pleasure."
Lucas grinned as he lifted a bottle of wine from under the table.
"Care for a drink?"
"Sure, pour it."
Trust Lucas to know his stuff.
'...Huh? When did I start enjoying alcohol this much?'
Was it because of that damn Ash? Or maybe because I've been drinking so much at feasts after every defense battle?
As I pondered how my alcohol tolerance had improved, Evangeline, who was spooning her third bowl of stew, chimed in.
"Hey! What are you doing, drinking this early on New Year's Day? You bunch of drunks!"
"It's meaningful because it's the first morning. Heh."
"Senior, you're still recovering!"
"It's okay, I'm all better."
Lucas filled his own glass, mine, and Junior's. Junior grinned as she received her drink. I became curious.
"Junior, didn't you dislike alcohol?"
"Ah, that... I got used to it because of a certain group..."
"A certain group...?"
Then, Evangeline frantically waved her hands.
"Never mind that! Come on, let's all toast!"
Damien is of age but doesn't enjoy alcohol, and Evangeline is still underage even after her birthday this year, so no alcohol for them.
Instead, Aider prepared a sweet beverage for them, mixing pickled fruit and milk jam. He even placed a thin layer of ice on top.
"May you have a prosperous New Year!"
"May this year be filled with good things-!"
Cheers!
We toasted. Evangeline, who gulped down her New Year's drink, squinted her eyes and shivered.
"Kuh...! I hate winter, but this drink is absolutely killer...!"
The wine, which was said to be buried in winter snow and just recently unearthed, was as cold as ice and tasted fantastic.
Hot stew and ice-cold wine. Quite a powerful combination.
We enjoyed a cheerful morning, eating and drinking.
***
Having eaten a full breakfast and feeling slightly lethargic, my party members dressed me in my outdoor gear.
Evangeline put fur boots on my feet, Junior buttoned up my coat, Damien wrapped a scarf around my neck, and Lucas placed a fur hat on my head.
Did you guys practice this beforehand? Why are you so skilled?
Wobbling around like a penguin in my thick outdoor gear, I belatedly asked,
"What's going on? Why are you dressing me up like this?"
Damien answered with a wide grin.
"On the first day of the New Year, we must visit the temple to pray for the goddess's blessings!"
Ah, I see. So this neighborhood has such a custom.
"Normally, the temple operates a bit restrictively, but today, being the first day of the new year, it's open to all visitors."
"Hmmm."
Usually, only the medical facilities within the temple were open to the general public, while most other areas remained off-limits.
But today, even the central hall housing the largest statue of the goddess was open.
It was said that you could receive the year's blessings from the goddess here.
'...Wait a minute.'
Isn't that statue in the central hall the one I destroyed last time? The one disguised as a communication device...
As I broke out into a cold sweat, Damien, who had noticed my discomfort, whispered in my ear.
"...They've carved a new one, so don't worry too much."
"Is that so? I'm not cursed, am I?"
"As for divine retribution... you might face it in the afterlife, but for now, the temple's operations are unaffected. So don't worry!"
Damien said with an angelic smile. Come on, can't you watch over me in the afterlife too?
'...I better make a generous donation.'
I decided to protect my afterlife with the power of capitalism and reached for my purse. Not just a donation, but also to hand out some New Year's money to the kids.
When I stepped out of the mansion, the sky was clear. Just a few days ago, it had been snowing, but today there wasn't a single cloud.
The temperature was low, but there was no wind, making it a refreshing day for a walk.
"Shall we walk to the temple?"
"Oh, that's a great idea, senior! Walking is good exercise, after all."
...Hearing that made me want to just hop into a carriage instead.
"Then I shall have the carriage wait, my lord."
"Ah, y-yes... sure, let's do that."
Too late to back out now, I guess.
So we headed toward the temple on foot.
From the path leading to the temple alone, I could already see that it was crowded. As we got closer, it got even more bustling.
Seems like everyone wants to get a blessing from the goddess and has flocked here since morning.
Among the crowd, one alley seemed particularly busy. As I got closer, I heard a familiar voice.
"Ah, Ash!"
A petite dark-haired girl, dressed in a silver crown and fur coat, energetically waved her hand.
I could see the sharp, shark-like teeth neatly arranged in her smiling mouth.
"Are you going to the temple too?"
"Your Grace!"
It was Dusk Bringar. I nodded my head in acknowledgment.
"Happy New Year."
"Ahaha, yes. May you and your subordinates be filled with blessings this year."
Next to Dusk Bringar was a large pot set over an open flame.
Her knights were busy stirring something in the pot and then ladling it out to people. That's why the crowd had gathered.
"We're handing out Western-style New Year's stew for free."
"Oh, Western-style... But why is it free?"
"The people of Crossroad have accepted our refugees without much discrimination or persecution. Consider it a gesture of goodwill."
I see. So they're sharing their traditional food as a sign of gratitude.
"What's the style of this New Year's stew in the West?"
"It's the Bringar Kingdom way, which is similar since we branched off from the Empire. We pour meatball stew over roasted vegetables."
It sounds like the eating style of the Imperial Capital, but reversed.
"And eating it outside like this is the best! Enjoying New Year's stew in the cold air is something special!"
Dusk Bringar pointed to the people around her who were holding bowls and eating, and grinned.
"Would you like a bowl?"
"No, I'm good. I've already eaten my fill..."
I had refused, but Evangeline and Lucas happily took another bowl each. Stop eating already!
"Wow, this is really good!"
"Hmm. There's a sweetness that comes from the roasted vegetables."
As the two knights enjoyed their meal, Dusk Bringar crossed her arms and let out a hearty laugh, as if satisfied.
"You need to pay more attention to the temperature to make tasty grilled vegetables! That's why I personally roasted them with my breath!"
...Did I hear that wrong? Did the Dragon Lady actually breathe fire to make the New Year's stew? It must be a joke, right?
"Uh, the stew's pretty good, too."
That's when I noticed Kuilan and the Penal Squad each holding a bowl and slurping their food.
The Penal Squad seemed to struggle with the heat, sticking out their tongues and hesitatingly swallowing the stew. With their tongues like that, they did look a bit beast-like...
"Hey, Kuilan. Happy New Year."
"Ah! Captain! Happy New Year to you too!"
"Oh! Great Captain! May your New Year be prosperous!"
Finally recognizing me, the members of the Penal Squad all bowed respectfully. I nodded.
"Do Beastmen eat New Year's stew, too?"
"In our Leaf Tribe, we don't eat stew for the New Year. Instead, we have special dumplings cooked in an oven."
Kuilan exaggeratedly mimed eating a dumpling.
"You have to swallow it in one go. If you miss even a drop of dumpling juice, your luck for the year will run away."
"Seems like you guys can't handle hot food, though...?"
"That's why it's a challenge. Usually, we end up scalding our mouths and suffer for a few days."
So you're basically doing something foolish?
"Next time, if the opportunity arises, I'll prepare a feast of our tribe's traditional dumplings. My brother taught me the secret recipe."
"...I'll look forward to it."
The mention of Kuilan's brother made my mood a bit heavier.
I patted Kuilan on the shoulder, and he resumed eating his stew, blowing on it to cool it down.
After exchanging greetings with Dusk Bringar once more, we headed back towards the temple.
Upon arriving, we ran into three members of the Shadow Squad exiting the temple. I waved enthusiastically.
"Godhand! Bodybag! Burnout! Checking out, are we?"
"Ah, Your Majesty!"
The three elves bowed politely.
These three had been injured during the special forces infiltration incident and were receiving treatment at the temple. It looked like they were checking out today.
"May you all have a prosperous New Year."
"May the World Tree's fortune be with you as well, Your Majesty and everyone else."
Returning their Elven New Year's greeting, I asked,
"Are you all fully recovered now?"
"Yes, nearly. The Saintess said we could stay another day or two, but seeing how busy the temple is due to the New Year celebrations, we thought we'd check out early to lighten the priests' workload."
I see, that's considerate of them.
I glanced at Damien beside me.
"But if the temple is busy, are you sure it's okay for you to be out here?"
"The Saintess assigned me the task of accompanying you, Your Majesty... Hehe. I have to return to help with the temple duties in the afternoon."
Damien grinned awkwardly. This kid has learned to be quite savvy.
I turned back to the trio of elves.
"Did you three have New Year's stew?"
"Yes. It was served for breakfast at the temple. It warmed us up a bit."
"Do elves traditionally eat New Year's stew, too?"
"No. The Elf Kingdom uses a different calendar, so today is not the first day of the New Year for us. There's a few days' difference."
Godhand's face looked slightly wistful.
"And for our New Year's food, we drink warm tea with sunflower honey in it."
"...Along with cookies made from sunflower seeds?"
"'Oh, how did you know?'"
It's because I've just learned that you belong to a hamster-like species that's crazy about sunflowers, nuts, and fruits.
While engaging in such frivolous and New Year's Day-appropriate conversation—
"Ah!"
Turning towards the familiar voice from a distance, I saw Lilly stop momentarily in her wheelchair. She was holding a tray filled with something.
I quickly waved my hand.
"Lilly, Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year to you too, Your Highness. I wish everyone good fortune for this year!"
Lilly, still seated in her wheelchair, bowed her head respectfully and came closer after swallowing her saliva nervously.
"So, Godhand? I remember you mentioned something before, so I tried baking..."
When Lilly lifted the cover from the tray, the aroma of warm pies filled the air. They were filled with nuts and dried fruits.
"I'm not really good at cooking... so they might not be tasty but..."
Some were slightly burnt, and a few had broken edges. Lilly stammered, her face flushing with embarrassment.
"Still, would you take a bite, considering the effort?"
"..."
Godhand blinked in surprise before quickly taking a bite of the pie.
Bodybag also took a bite with a smile, while Burnout removed her mouth gag, shoved a pie into her mouth, and replaced the gag.
"Wow, this is delicious!"
Bodybag's eyes sparkled as she quickly took another few bites.
Nodding vigorously, Burnout, her cheeks full, seemed to agree.
"..."
Only Godhand silently chewed on the pie, his gaze far away, as if recalling some distant past.
"...Um, Godhand?"
Lilly cautiously asked, sensing his distraction. Godhand suddenly snapped back to reality and grinned.
"It's really delicious, Lilly. Thank you for taking the time to make this."
"Oh, well, I just had some free time..."
Flushing, Lilly turned her head away and made a fuss.
Ah, here it goes again. The pink mood is getting thick...
'Just how annoying can this couple be on New Year's Day? Should I just knock them over?' Unconsciously, I found myself pondering.
Reaching for the pie, my two knights—no, my two greedy hounds appeared. Those rascals!
Smack!
After slapping their hands away, I quickly led my party into the temple.
"Alright, let's go to the temple to receive the Goddess's blessings."
"Aww, why! There looks to be plenty, just one bite!"
"I am curious about the taste of pies made by elves, My Lord!"
"Damn it! Read the room, you muscle-headed oafs!"
Even if I don't like couples, I know when to be considerate.
So after overcoming various hurdles, we finally entered the temple—
"..."
From the entrance, it was visible.
Far in the center of the temple stood a large statue of a goddess.
Carved from white marble, the figure embodied the typical 'goddess'—a benevolent face and white wings sprouting from her back.
'...Come to think of it.'
Only then did I start to wonder.
'Who exactly is this Goddess?'