Chapter 163

“So you developed another weird power…but it definitely helped. Thanks.” “I’m glad you’re safe, Ma-kun. I’ll have to do the same for Wise, Medhi, and Mone. The other children have their own mothers looking after them.” “That’s right,” agreed Hahako. “I, too, am a mother.” “I’m not too sure I can do it as well as Mamako, but as a mother, I have to try! I know one thing for sure—my love for my daughter is every bit as strong.” Dark-Mom Deathmother started patting Porta’s hands. Pat pat pat. Pat pat pat. Patpatpatpatpatpat…it took eighteen pats before Porta’s eyes finally opened. Success! The other three were soon pulled from their dangerous slumber by Mamako’s swift treatment. “Mm?” “Oh?” “Huh?” All safe and sound. As for Hahako… “I know I can do it. I’ll prove I can.” She used Rokubute Mom on the frozen Kings. Her powerful desire to become a mother activated. Cracks appeared in the ice covering them—and the ice shattered. Saved, the Libere Kings were eternally grateful, the distance between them— “Hahako, let go of our hands! What are you doing?” “Well, um…I’m not sure…” “It was snoooowing…and we got sleeeepy…and that’s the last thing I remembeeeer.” “Hahako did somethin’. Can’t let yer guard down!” “Hee-hee-hee. I’m sorry. But I’m glad you’re all safe. That’s all that matters.” Their obliviousness and Hahako’s natural reserve had left things unchanged. How unfortunate. Anyway… The blizzard had stopped, and the skies had cleared. The snowfield was sparkling again. Everyone but Shiraaase was safe and sound, so they set off once more. “No telling when the weather’s gonna turn again,” said Masato. “We’d better hurry.” “No time to waste. Which means…” “From here on, it’s a gentle downslope. Let’s make this quick—using this sled.” Medhi pointed at Shiraaase’s coffin. The lid opened slightly, and the lady inside reached out a hand to give them a thumbs-up. “Seems she’s on board, but…should we really?” “If Shiraaase agrees, I don’t see the issue. Porta, will you raise the coffin’s maneuverability and handling so we can all sled in safety? Maybe get your mom to help.” “Yes! I want to work on this with Mommy!” Dark-Mom Deathmother happily opened her shoulder bag, spying a chance to prove herself. She pulled out runners and a handle, and Porta quickly attached them to the coffin. With the improvements made, the coffin sled was complete. “The three Four Kings on the magic tome, and everyone else on the sled. Ready, Ma-kun?” “So I’m steering, like the hero and party leader should? Maybe not a vehicle I can be proud to drive, but…” Pushed by Wise’s wind magic, the coffin sled started sliding. From the level ground to a gentle slope. Not too fast, not too slow, very smooth. After a while, the area around them opened up. Ahead of them loomed a giant tree, far bigger than those around them, like a mountain made of wood. “That’s huge!” exclaimed Wise. “You could build a whole house from that one tree! What kind of tree is it?” “I’ll appraise it! Hnggg…oh, that’s a fir tree!” “A fir tree…,” repeated Medhi. “Wait, is this event going to be…?” “Yep, seems like it. Here we are!” Masato turned the handles, angling the runners inward and slowing them down. The coffin sled slid to a smooth stop in front of the giant fir. Time to get the details. Medhi cast a resurrection spell. The coffin vanished, and Shiraaase sat up. Somehow she still had runners attached to her back, and handles on her head, but everyone pretended not to notice. If they didn’t point it out, she’d never be the wiser. “I agreed to serve as a sled, but I do not recall granting permission for these improvements! Saori Deathmother Hotta, we shall have words later.” “Now she’s acting like it’s my middle name…that’s almost worse…” It seemed she was the wiser after all. Moving on… Shiraaase had them all gather before the giant fir. “Nice work getting here in one piece. Allow me to infooorm you of your whereabouts. This is where the Saori Hotta Castle once stood.” “That would have been a good place to use the Deathmother moniker…” “And that castle was where we’d originally intended Mammone the Dark God to live. Implementation got delayed, a certain producer took over the data, redid the whole shebang as a Rebellion lair, and used it for nefarious purposes, so sadly the entire set of assets was eliminated. Poor assets!” “My home…” Stare. “Mommy…” Stare. “I’m so, so, so, so, so sorry…!” Mone and Porta’s forlorn stares quickly reduced Dark-Mom Deathmother’s HP to 0. Shiraaase tapped the trunk of the giant fir, getting their attention back on her. “And that brings us to the main infooormation! This event will be—” “Yeah, we know. Christmas! …Ah! Crap, that just slipped out!” They’d used the chestnuts (kuri), vinegar (su), and measuring box (masu) to get here. The giant fir before them was the same tree often used for Christmas trees. It was an easy guess, and Masato had blurted it out in spite of himself. And robbed Shiraaase of her life’s purpose, her singular obsession, her chance to infooorm! But Shiraaase was unperturbed. She was rather immovable to begin with, but this time her lack of emotion was downright terrifying. “Stealing my source of joy, you naughty child. You’re a very naughty child, naughty indeed. We all agree he’s naughty?” “S-sorry! I was naughty. Forgive me…” “You admit you’re naughty, then? Heh-heh-heh.” Shiraaase let out a sinister cackle and then turned to face the others once more. “The event you’re about to join is, as the naughty child said, a Christmas event. I hardly need to explain the concept of Christmas, do I?” “A party, presents—that sorta thing, yeah?” said Wise. “You’re going to have specific groups spend time together as a family, making wonderful memories?” offered Medhi. “Full marks for that answer! This event was proposed by a certain someone who asked to remain anonymous. We shall keep their identity a secret. Isn’t that right, Mamako?” “Yes, let’s keep it secret. Hee-hee-hee.” “That explains it…hoo boy.” Unsurprisingly, Mamako was behind this. Masato glanced at her smile, shook his head, and elected not to pry further. Then Mone raised a hand. “Hold on! I just had a thought. It’s not December twenty-fifth!” “Right you are. But don’t worry, this fir tree has a special function. If you decorate it in a manner appropriate for Christmas, the day you finish will be Christmas Eve, and the next day Christmas. It literally alters the world.” “Whoa, that’s intense.” “It also has one other extremely fascinating function…three Four Kings.” “Wh-what?” They’d been listening carefully, feigning a lack of interest, and snapped to attention when she turned toward them. “I’ll ask you first, Amante. Have you been naughty?” “Well…yes, I have. When I think of everything I’ve done, I’m certainly more naughty than nice.” “How about you, Sorella? Are you a naughty child?” “I dunno about chiiiild, but laughing at bad mothers is my goal in liiiiife, which is pretty naaaaaughty.” “Fratello, are you a naughty child?” “Mm. No denyin’ it. But I ain’t no ‘child’—I’m a grown man.” “So you’re a naughty boy. Very well—everyone, look here.” Shiraaase knocked against the fir’s trunk once more. When she did, the giant fir began to glow. The snow-covered branches lit up from within. The light pierced the bodies of everyone present. Mamako was unaffected. Wise was unaffected. Medhi was unaffected. Porta, Mone, Hahako, Shiraaase, and Dark-Mom Deathmother were unaffected. But… ““““…Huh?”””” With the exception of Dark-Mom Deathmother and Shiraaase, the remaining six unaffected members all stared in surprise. Masato, Amante, Sorella, and Fratello’s gear fell to the snow. They’d vanished… And lying in the heap of their clothing were some very surprised-looking babies, clearly less than a year old.