“Aah, what better thing to enjoy during Christmas-times than some fine wine and sliced ham like they do in the lands named after me.”
Red eyes frowned.
“Hold a minute, you idiot! They weren’t named after you, you were named after them!” Gilgamesh replied with a quickness of a whip.
Nero sighed and looked at the King of Heroes.
“Sensei, at moments like this you should flourish a shower of praising words over me. After all, it is Christmas. You can start your gift-giving to me by adoring me verbally”, she said. “For starters, that is.”
“As if!” Gilgamesh groaned. “Besides, haven’t you already helped yourself to lots of gifts from my treasury??”
“But how else could we enjoy such luxurious food as this beautifully roasted bull-ham? It should be obvious that when eating here at my Domus Aurea, we would be eating only the best”, Nero told him.
“Aaaah! That! That ham! That’s that goddamned bull’s hindleg! And you’re telling me I’ve been eating that thing for the whole time!” Gilgamesh yelled and began spitting out the pieces of the ham in his mouth. “Do you have any idea where that thing’s been!? On whose face it has been!?”
“Excuse me?”
“…..No matter. Just keep that ham away from me. Depending on how you’re going to act, I might find myself wanting to throw you in the face with it”, Gilgamesh answered and slumped lower on the sofa. “So? When are we going to start watching the thing? I want to get these things over fast.”
“But since this is a countdown, you’ll be here twelve days no matter what, no?” Nero wondered.
“I know that. It was a King of Heroes joke. You can laugh.”
………….
There was a moment of deafening silence, and then…
“Let us just watch the story, shall we?”
“Hey! Why are you ignoring me, you good-for-nothing artist! At least it wasn’t as bad as one of your plays!” Gilgamesh complained. This, in turn, finally got Nero riled up.
“W-wha…my performances were always perfect! The poor people did not just understand them!”
“Oooh, that’s right”, Gilgamesh laughed evilly. “For that reason you had to lock the doors to prevent people from sneaking out of the theater, yes, hohohohohoho!!”
“Nnnuuu!! They just didn’t understand them properly! I were and am a magnificent artist!” Nero tried to tell Gilgamesh, but he just kept on laughing.
So, Nero’s face turned into the most dangerous expression of them all.
She began to pout with wet eyes, almost like a kid trying to be strong.
“E-eh!?” Gilgamesh looked shocked. “N-Nero? That wasn’t meant to be taken so-“
“HMPH!”
The small back was turned at Gilgamesh, but even if something Saber-shaped made half of her butt visible to Gilgamesh, he couldn’t help but to think: “Achaa, I might have done something really bad here, if I start to thinking about it properly.”
…….Well, after few seconds, he did add: “….Since she’s Saber-shaped, after all.”
“Well, whatever…..BABBLES? Could you put the story rolling?” Gilgamesh asked.
“Hun-hun-hun!” came the answer.
And so started the short-story of the second day, this time with the title of….
Twelve Days of Saturnalia
Day 2
Iny miny萌え
I guess I’ll start from the beginning.
This is the holiday-time tale of the wonderful and kind magical girl, Kokutou Azaka~
As you might remember from my previous adventure in my school, I am an apprentice magus and a all-in-all lovable girl whose days tend to always be filled with strange events and odd mysteries. But sometimes even I get to rest and just enjoy time with my dearest, my brother, Kokutou Mikiya.
Like today, on Christmas day, as we were happily drinking eggnog and watching variety shows on the television. On top of the kotatsu was a cake that my brother had baked himself, and I must tell you, it was most delicious! After all, what kind of food wouldn’t be, when they’ve been made by the one you love?
So, as you can see, my Christmas was turning out to be absolutely perfect! It even snowed outside, a rare thing in these parts, so there was nothing more I could ask.
W-well, of course I wouldn’t have minded if Mikiya took me into his arms and carried me into the be—
Awawawa! No, I have to focus!
In any event, our Christmas was going wonderfully, and I had no reason to believe it would not continue such manner. However, fate is always putting obstacles in the path to happiness, and that happened today, also.
--------------- In other words, this woman came to visit!
“Yo, Mikiya. Merry Christmas. Azaka too.”
“What do you mean “Azaka too”. Am I some kind of side character?”
For some reason, Ryougi Shiki nowadays owns a key to my brother’s apartment, and before I could stop her or even intercept, she had forced herself inside. Dressed in that ridiculous outfit of hers, and having a santa-hat on her head, she arrived like it had been the most normal thing.
“Ah, welcome, Shiki. Merry Christmas. It seems you’re in a festive mood”, Mikiya laughed.
“You mean this hat?” Shiki looked up at it. “Touko just gave it to me, saying it would make me seem a bit cheerful than usual. For the sake of Christmas.”
“Now that you say it, didn’t Touko-san come?” Mikiya wondered. Shiki shook her head.
“She muttered something about “Christmas cakes” and left the building at the same time as I did.”
“Hooh, unexpected. I never knew Touko-san was the type that liked sweet things”, my brother said in amazement.
--------- Uh, Nii-san, I’m not exactly sure that’s the problem here.
“In any case, have a seat. It’s warm under the kotatsu”, Mikiya offered a place next to him for Shiki, who sat down. “So, how have you been?”
“Nothing out of ordinary. Well, I got a bit absorbed into this one game. Only after I beat around 100 opponents did I realize how much time had passed, and I forced myself to quit”, she explained. Mikiya laughed.
“Wow, you must have been quite a monster in that.”
“In any case, here, Mikiya. Christmas present from Touko. She asked me to bring it to you”, Shiki suddenly said and handed a large present to my brother.
“Ah, thank you. Let’s see…”
Mikiya began opening the package, and soon enough he had spread its contents to the table. They consisted of a weirdly shaped peg-leg, a hook-hand like that one captain in the children stories (which, ugh, involved fairies) and a stuffed toy parrot, which looked quite realistic. It even talked when you pressed its stomach. Sentences like “You’ll never be as popular as your look-alike!” and “Your little sister isn’t as cute!” flowed from inside it.
“Uh…this is…” Mikiya looked a bit confused. I frowned.
“Just what is that Touko-san thinking?” I wondered. But Shiki explained it for us.
“Touko said she had watched the final movie in Blu-Ray, and apparently Mikiya is going to be needing these soon…….whatever that meant”, she told us.
Mikiya shrugged.
“Well, I believe in taking care of what’s given to me”, he said, and put the things neatly to the side.
Suddenly, Shiki turned towards me.
“Touko also wanted me to give this to you, Azaka.”
And I was handed a packet that was considerably smaller.
“It seems clear that which of us is her favorite…” I murmured my musings.
And inside…was a light novel.
”Ore no Imōto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai? …….what is this strangely annoying-sounding light novel supposed to be?” I ask for explanation from Shiki. She simply shrugs, however.
“I dunno. Touko said it would be perfectly fitting for Azaka.”
---------- That damn Christmas Cake! Mind your own business!
“Well, thank you for bringing these gifts from Touko-san”, Mikiya smiled at Shiki. “I’m sure Azaka is grateful too.”
“They were not the only things, though. Here, this is from me”, Shiki answered surprisingly, and fished a normal-sized gift from her jacket pocket.
Mikiya gave her a smile that made me want to make Shiki burst in flames at that spot, but because of Christmas, I calmed down myself. And so, I was forced to grind my teeth together as my brother, looking happier than ever, revealed two tickets from inside the gift. He adjusted his glasses and read the text in the tickets.
“Hmh? These seem to be tickets to that martial arts tournament held in Tokyo. Tournament of One Thousand Blades, or something? Wow, Shiki, these are quite rare, aren’t they? Thank you”, Mikiya said, beaming. “The least I can do is take you with me when this starts, you got the tickets after all.”
“I……don’t mind”, Shiki answered and scratched her cheek.
----------- Muuuuu! I’m gonna need to do something quickly, or else this situation will deteriorate very badly, very quickl-
“Well, I guess that’s it. I need to get going, since I still have to buy some Häagen-Dazs”, Shiki suddenly said and stood up from under the kotatsu. My brother nodded.
“I see. Well, see you tomorrow, in that case.”
“I-I’ll see you to the door!” I hurried to say and stood up with her.
This was unnatural. Shiki would have never left like this, especially if she would have been able to spend some quality Christmas time with Mikiya. I know I would have not. And that was why I knew she was up to something. Something devious. Thus, I followed Shiki to the door like a shark follows a ship, trying to catch if she did anything suspicious.
“Well, I’ll be going”, Shiki said after she had put shoes on, and opened the door.
“Wait a minute. What’s the meaning of this? Why are you turning away from this chance, unlike you would usually do?” I demand a straight answer from her.
For a moment, Shiki looks away and scratches her cheek. Then she finally answer.
“Isn’t it obvious? This is my Christmas present for you, Azaka.”
I’m left speechless. Shiki gives me one final nod, a faint smile, and leaves the house to the snowy streets outside. For few moments I stare after her, and even though she seems to be alone, nothing in her posture seems sorrowful. In fact, her steps seem little…merry? Eventually she vanishes from my sight, and I close the door. Walking back to the living room where my brother and the kotatsu are, I find myself thinking of her words, and how I should use this “Christmas Gift” I’ve been given.
And, so…
When I get back to the living room and my brother greets me, I walk over to him, slide under the kotatsu and snuggle up to him, using his chest as a pillow of sorts. Mikiya looks at me, his face a bit surprised, but then he laughs warmly.
“What’s this Azaka? You’re suddenly as clingy as you were as a child.”
“Don’t think too much of it, Nii-san”, I answer and smile. “I just realized something, and since it made me feel happy, I decided to share my warm happiness with you.”
“And what did you realize?”
“To be honest, I think………..I think that I don’t mind Shiki that much.”
“Meaning?” my brother pushes me to say something more with a smile. I feel my cheeks heat up a bit.
“I guess…she’s a good friend.”
And after that, I have to concentrate on the television. After all, I don’t think I can take it. And by “it” I mean my brother’s smile as she ruffles my hair.
The End
“Huh. Even that perverted woman-slash-child seems to have gotten a good Christmas”, Gilgamesh said as the story finally ended.
Nero, on the other hand, chose to ignore him completely, like she had done for the whole duration of the story. It seemed that the only thing that made her act like a spoiled kid (as opposed to the normal spoiled adult) was judging her skills in arts.
Gilgamesh grimaced. He knew that he would have to do something, or these Christmas specials would go haywire in a way that he did not want to think. Plus the NEKO Spirits were giving him the kind of stares that made him feel like the bad guy. Of course he was the main antagonist in all canon works, but that didn’t mean he always had to be.
“Listen, Nero…” Gilgamesh groaned and started again. “I was bit out of line. I didn’t….uh, mean….what I said. I was just…..guh, hurt since you didn’t laugh at my King of Heroes joke.”
“….Is that it? You did not mean those hurtful words?” Nero finally answered. Gilgamesh hurried to nod.
“Y-yes. That’s right. I actually think that your works are extremely entertaining!” he assured.
This returned the energy to Nero’s eyes.
“Well, that makes much more sense! After all, I am the most magnificent artist in this world, so how could my works be not enjoyable? Haha, and here I actually felt a pang in my confidence!” she exclaimed and stood up.
“Yes, yes, they are really good”, Gilgamesh continued to brown-nose to get the moody host of this countdown to do her job again.
“Praise me more, praise me more!” Nero laughed. “Since you admire them so much, then allow me to perform my own version of “Walking in the Winter Wonderland!”
And from somewhere, a lyre appeared to Nero’s hands.
In that moment, Gilgamesh’s face twisted with terror.
“…………………See you on the third day of Twelve Days of Saturnalia.”
And after having said those despaired words, Gilgamesh got up from the sofa, and escaped with all the speed he could muster.
Originally Posted by Bird of Hermes
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And yes, the trolling presents were great xD
