Otherworld Company Chapter 215: Most People Think That If Something Happens From A Distance, It Is A Fire On The Other Side.

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　The Christmas party was fun.

　It was a lively space that made me feel as if I was a student again.

　It was a time of nostalgia and a reaffirmation of my inner child that I still had so much to be excited about.

　The party was a party of drinking and singing, with Kaido and Minami in the lead.

　No one was there to stop them, and the party gradually heated up.

　When was the last time I laughed I need to hold my stomach?

“Kukuku, you guys are really interesting.”

　Such a pleasant moment passed in the blink of an eye.

　It was like the calm after a festival.

　Compared to the time when we were making noise, it was quiet and lonely.

　However, watching Kaido, who was drunk and snoring under the covers after making a lot of noise and getting dizzy until the end of the festival, I felt a little funny, and a chuckle escaped from my mouth.

　The feeling of joy that smoldered in my heart canceled out that loneliness.

　Although I drank my fair share, more than a bottle, but I didn’t feel sick or woozy, just a little light-headed and a little jovial.

　When I share a drink with my instructors, I am much more resistant to alcohol than I used to be.

　That is why I can drink at a high pace and still feel fine.

　But that is only because I have been trained by drinking with ogres and undead, a race that boasts an unparalleled strength against alcohol.

　Those who are stronger than normal are now in my dreams.

　The people who were noisy during the Christmas party are now all sleeping together in the guest room.

　Kaido, who was drinking with me to the point of drunkenness just a few minutes ago, is now sleeping in the guest room.

　I was sure I would be hungover tomorrow, so I threw myself into the room with Masaru who had rested earlier.

　Of course, we separated the men’s and women’s rooms.

　Kaido and Masaru were sleeping side by side in the men’s room and would not wake up until morning.

　In the women’s room, Himiku, who also has a strong liver, is tucking in Kitamiya, Minami, and the twin angels who tried to sleep with Kaido.

　The fact that I find it somewhat amusing just to think of that scene probably means that I cherish the time I spend with these guys.

　I quickly get up and go from the guest room to my room, then back to the living room.

“You’re back already?” (Memoria)

“Yeah, what about Himiku?” (Jiro)

“She’s making some snacks in the kitchen. Suela is helping. She seems to want to get some exercise.” (Memoria)

“I see. Well, if Himiku is with her, there shouldn’t be any problem.” (Jiro)

“I hear that worrying too much isn’t good, you know?” (Memoria)

“…I know, but it’s my first child and I don’t know how to handle it.” (Jiro)

“Hehe, I see, but I understand how you feel. Is it because we fell in love with the same man? Sometimes I think of Suela’s child as if it were my own.” (Memoria)

“I see.” (Jiro)

“I don’t understand. You’re trying to hold back your embarrassment, aren’t you?” (Memoria)

“Thanks for saying something nice to me, I’m left speechless. Being able to understand a man’s feelings is also a condition for a good wife, you know?” (Jiro)

“I see, in that case, I want to see your embarrassed face, so let’s be a bit of a bad girl for now.”

　There, Memoria was drinking wine at a table that had been cleaned up to some extent, although the remnants of the Christmas party remained.

　The other two aren’t in the living room, so I wonder where they went, and when I look around, Memoria notices it and tells me.

　And when I worry about Suela, Memoria scolds me with a wry smile.

　I scratch my cheek and sit down next to her with a chuckle, not knowing how much to worry.

　I put aside the thing I had brought with me.

“Would you like a drink?” (Memoria)

“Sure, I’ll have some.” (Jiro)

　I took the bottle of wine and a glass from Memoria and asked her to pour it for me.

　She is a vampire.

　She usually lives on our time, but this is her normal time of the day.

　Vampires are a very physically hardy species.

　I’ve heard from Memoria that she doesn’t need to sleep to a certain extent.

　However, I feel that she is more active during this time.

　After pouring me a glass of wine, she slowly drinks her own wine, which somehow makes me think she is different even though she looks like a human.

　She looks like a person, but she is more like a doll, but she is definitely alive.

　Her body temperature is colder than humans, but it is not without warmth.

　I was looking at her profile, which combines such contradictory elements.

“Hehe, are you mesmerized?” (Memoria)

　Her eyes are the only change as she teases me like a girl who has come up with a prank.

“Yeah, my girlfriend is beautiful.” (Jiro)

　I sensed that kind of atmosphere, and I was not old enough to be embarrassed by such teasing.

　Even though I say I don’t get drunk easily, it doesn’t mean I don’t get drunk.

　Perhaps because of this feeling, I answered her words honestly.

“You’re being honest. I’m glad to hear that, but shouldn’t you be acting a little more shyly?” (Memoria)

“I’m embarrassed inside.” (Jiro)

“Is that so.” (Memoria)

　I honestly think she is beautiful and say honest words, suddenly her normally emotionless expression suddenly collapsed and she showed me a happy expression.

　It is embarrassing for me to see such an expression on Memoria’s face, but it gives me a sense of satisfaction that I could not feel in my life in the past.

　Then a delicious aroma wafted through the air.

“I’ve kept you waiting, Master. I brought you some light snack.” (Himiku)

“Looks delicious.” (Jiro)

　Himiku brought a plate of food with warm steam wafting, a little small for four people to eat, but just the right amount for snacking, and Suela slowly came behind him with the same plate.

　Time and date have already changed and Santa Claus is gone, but from now on, it’s just our Christmas party.

　Himiku has no problem drinking alcohol due to her naturally strong body, but Suela wouldn’t drink in the first place because she is pregnant.

　Memoria is rather energetic as she keeps her pace down with others but this is her time to be more active.

“Yes, here you go too.” (Suela)

“Thank you.” (Jiro)

　And now that all four of us were together, we began the after-party, which was no different than usual.

　After receiving the plate of food from Suela, Suela and Memoria sit on either side and Himiku sits in front of us and our drinking party begins quietly.

“Hehe, the events in this world are also fun. I heard that it was a day to celebrate foreign gentiles, but they weren’t much different from ours.” (Suela)

“In Japan, we haven’t really done it that seriously. If it was from Japan, it would have been quite an extravagant thing, but if it is an ordinary Japanese household, they are probably making quite a fuss about it this time.” (Jiro)

“Is that so, Master? In this world, you don’t do many religious rituals?” (Himiku)

　We slowly sipped our drinks while making casual chit-chat and talked about the differences between this Christmas party and the celebrations in Suela’s world.

　Except for families that cherish a certain religion, events such as Christmas in ordinary Japanese households do not go beyond the realm of events.

　No, if you don’t do it right, there are probably people who think it’s nothing more than an opportunity to have some fun.

　As Himiku says, the only way to pray to God and give thanks for daily bread is to say “Itadakimasu ” with one’s palms folded in gratitude to the farmer, something familiar.

　Only the most ardent Christian would give thanks at Christmas.

“I’d say there aren’t many. There are priests in Japan, and there are also other priests and priests of temples, although they belong to different religions. But, well, there are places where ordinary people gather to pray for something.” (Jiro)

“Is that so? If the residents over there heard that, they might go crazy.” (Himiku)

　God exists.

　We live in a world where if you say something like that, you’ll be looked at as if you’re crazy.

　Can we call it ‘pragmatism’?

　In a world where everything can be explained by concepts such as physics and science, belief in a vague existence such as god is so occult that it has become difficult to accept.

“Maybe so.” (Jiro)

　Recently, we have become so involved in paranormal events that I sometimes think that Japanese people who don’t know about them are suffering from tunnel vision.

　I agree with Himiku’s words, thinking that I, too, have become dyed.

　I also think that the people involved in the temple I visited on one of my business trips would make a fuss about heretics, and there would be a storm of purges.

“So, Himiku doesn’t think anything when you hear this.” (Jiro)

“Religion is a person’s freedom. I don’t need to criticize it, nor do I intend to.” (Himiku)

　In a sense, it is a great thing that Himiku, who had served the object of his faith, would say that people are free to believe or not to believe, but from a god’s point of view it was said that it was a person’s freedom to give nourishment or not.

　I was thinking about the supernatural situations as if it were someone else’s problem, and proceeded to drink.

“Speaking of which, does everyone have any events like this?” (Jiro)

“You mean it’s a Christmas-like event, right?” (Suela)

“Ah, spending time with your lover and giving presents.” (Jiro)

“If you mean spending time with loved ones and family, then the Harvest Festival might be a good place to start.” (Suela)

“Harvest festival? Is it something that’s held in the fall?” (Jiro)

“Yes, it is also called a dedication festival in some regions. It is a festival to offer the harvest to the gods. Generally, it is a time to spend with family and give thanks for the year’s good health, and for single adults, it is a place to meet a lover.” (Suela)

“Huh, something like that. Suela and Memoria have also participated, right? What’s it like?” (Jiro)

““……”” (Suela & Memoria)

　At that time, I suddenly became curious and asked about the celebrations and festivals held there, and I heard that they were similar to the harvest festivals that I know, so I asked them how they were different from the harvest festivals I know. However, Suela and Memoria, who should have had experience, barely reacted.

　Both of them stared at the glasses in their hands, looking like they were unable to speak.

“No, there’s no need to force yourself to say it, right? There may be things you can’t say.” (Jiro)

“No, it’s not that I can’t say it, but it doesn’t matter to me anymore.” (Suela)

“Suela?” (Jiro)

　I tried to divert the conversation, wondering if there was something difficult for them to say, but Suela seemed to have reconsidered and began speaking.

“The harvest festival for us Dark Elves is, of course, mostly about the things I mentioned earlier… but the elders, or should I say married older people, are putting unnecessary meddling—I mean extra help on us young people.” (Suela)

“Unnecessary meddling?” (Jiro)

“That’s right.” (Suela)

　The way Suela speaks with her hand on her forehead, as if saying that just remembering it gives her a headache, makes me think that she must have had a hard time.

“There are stories about the men in the village next door, the men who are the ones who are successful in their careers, and the meddlers who try to get us to get married. Kaley and I didn’t like that, so we joined the Demon King Army.” (Suela)

“It must have been difficult.” (Jiro)

“Yeah, I had fun when I was a child, but…” (Suela)

　When you become an adult, you naturally have to think about your descendants.

　This seems to be more prevalent in the other world than in Japan, and you can clearly see from Suela’s expression that she is seriously thinking about marriage and children.

　And what she refers to as “extra help” or “meddling” is more like arranging an arranged marriage.

　I had heard that the dark elves are a race that does not easily develop romantic relations.

　That’s probably why all kinds of men and women gather at festivals like this.

　They must be doing their best to hit the right number of people at the right time for the future of their race.

　Well, I’m sure it’s not so easy for those who are practiced on…

“By the way, what about you, Memoria?” (Jiro)

　Is there also a hardship unique to vampires?

　I heard that there are no special strong love affairs with like dark elves, but there may be some circumstances surrounding vampires that I don’t know about.

“For the Trading Companies, the harvest festival is the time for raking in money.” (Memoria)

“I see……” (Jiro)

　However, since I had experience in my previous job, I understood everything she said.

　But in Memoria’s case, it was not so much a matter of race as it was a matter of work.

　The time of the year, that is the busy season for work.

“In addition, there are many parties of the nobility and events held by Trading Companies during that period, so I have never been able to enjoy the harvest festival.” (Memoria)

　Perhaps it is a problem peculiar to urban areas, or perhaps it is Memoria’s dislike of crowds, or perhaps it is the fact that she was born into a family that runs a large trading company.

“So I’m glad we were able to enjoy it quietly like we did today.” (Memoria)

“Yes, Memoria is right, Jiro.” (Suela)

　Memoria was like that, but it seemed like the gloomy expression from earlier was just an act, as Memoria was wearing a faint smile as usual, and Suela was wearing a relaxed smile.

　I scratched my head and laughed as I realized that I had been teased a little, and handed them their Christmas presents.

　I think I’ll stay up a little later tonight.

Note for the Day

Although the world is different and there are cultural differences, the fact that people are happy to receive gifts remains the same.