We live in the foothills of Dragon Peak.
This year’s last visitors.
“I’m going to Grandpa’s house tonight.”
My mother said as I helped clean up after dinner.
It’s an annual event.
Grandpa is still alive and well, living in both my father’s and mother’s homes. So, we always spend New Year’s Eve at one of our grandfathers’ places.
Of course, both grandmothers are also doing well.
Both sets of grandparents live in the capital, and they are neighbors. This means my father and mother are from the same school district and have known each other since they were children.
As the night grows darker, many people who will celebrate New Year’s Eve at the Great Shrine will start leaving their homes.
Around that time, we will also leave our home and go to my grandfather’s house.
My grandfather and grandmother are very kind people, and they always greet me with smiles. They are like sunlight.
While I was happily anticipating going to my grandfather’s house and continuing to clean up, someone lightly knocked on our front door.
I wonder who it is. There are quite a few visitors around New Year’s Eve, so I thought it might be an acquaintance of my father or mother, and I headed for the door.
It seems my father and mother didn’t notice the faint knocking on the door.
As someone who often listens to the sounds of the forest, I was able to notice it.
“Yes, I’ll open it now.”
Saying that, I unlatched the door and opened it.
“Um, um…”
“Nnn?!”
Standing at the entrance was Priscilla-chan.
She was shifting her weight restlessly and seemed indecisive.
She was hiding her ears with a large, warm hat and was dressed in fluffy, warm clothes.
And on top of her hat, Nimia, who still seemed a little unwell, was pretending to be a passenger.
“Wh-why are you here, Priscilla-chan?”
What is going on?
I didn’t hear that Priscilla-chan was coming to my house at night.
Or rather, how do you know my house?
“Um…”
Priscilla-chan looked up at me with a troubled expression, as if she wanted to say something.
“What’s wrong?”
My mother came over, looking suspiciously at me, who was flustered at the entrance.
“Oh my, what a cute child. What’s wrong, little one?”
“Uh…”
I don’t understand the situation either. So I couldn’t explain anything.
Priscilla-chan was surprised by my mother, who appeared from inside the house, and hugged me.
“Is she an acquaintance?”
My mother crouched down and smiled gently, so as not to frighten Priscilla-chan.
“Uh, this girl is the daughter of someone I often meet in the Dragon Forest.”
I quickly lied.
“I’ll take her back to her parents.”
“Will you be back soon?”
“I don’t know. If I’m not back, you go to Grandpa’s place first.”
I quickly got ready to go out, scooped up Priscilla-chan, and ran out of the house.
When I reached the road in front of our house, I checked the surrounding presence.
Then, I sensed a familiar presence nearby.
“Mistral!”
I ran towards the presence.
That’s right, Mistral was hiding near my house, watching.
I couldn’t imagine Priscilla-chan coming alone, so I was sure Mistral was nearby.
And I’m sure she lured me out, using Priscilla-chan as bait.
As I ran towards him, Mistral came out to greet me with a troubled expression.
“Wh-what’s going on?”
I was confused, not understanding the situation.
Mistral said he was returning to the village. Priscilla-chan was supposed to spend New Year’s Eve in the village, too.
So why did they come to my house so late at night?
“Um, Priscilla wants to spend New Year’s with Older Brother.”
“Nyah.”
Priscilla-chan, who had been quietly held by me until now, said.
“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t be told no.”
Seeing Mistral’s very troubled expression, I could tell she must have thrown quite a tantrum.
“It seems she didn’t want you to go away again so soon after you came back.”
“Is that so? Priscilla-chan, do you want to be with me?”
“Yes!”
“Nyan.”
Priscilla-chan and Nimia nodded vigorously.
“I see. Well then, let’s all spend New Year’s together this year.”
I thought I had to go to Grandpa’s, but I decided to prioritize Priscilla-chan.
She came all this way. I can’t just turn her away.
“Of course, you’re coming too, Mistral, right?”
“Will it be a disturbance?”
“It’s no disturbance at all. More importantly, are Priscilla-chan and Mistral okay?”
“Priscilla got permission from the village. I’m okay too.”
“Then, there’s no problem.”
At my agreement, Priscilla-chan jumped with joy.
“I’m really sorry.”
It’s rare to see Mistral looking so apologetic.
“No, I’m happy we can all spend New Year’s together.”
It was something completely unexpected. That’s why it made me even happier.
Spending New Year’s with my family is nice, but spending it with important people like this is also good.
“Um, I’m hungry.”
“Oh my.”
Priscilla-chan’s stomach rumbled, and Mistral and I burst out laughing.
Priscilla-chan blushed and clung to me.
“Sorry, sorry. Well then, shall we get something to eat and go to the shrine?”
“Is there something at the shrine?”
I see. Since Mistral is a Dragon Race, she doesn’t know about human customs.
“Well, there’s something rare that you can only see on this day of the year, so I think it’s worth seeing.”
Well, that’s if Mistral is interested in human customs.
“Hmm, then I suppose I’ll take a look.”
“Um, Priscilla wants to eat.”
Is she more interested in food than flowers? Mistral and I laughed again.
“Well, I don’t think the cafeteria is open anymore. But if you go out to the main street, there are many stalls, so you can eat delicious food there.”
“Yay, yay. Let’s go quickly.”
Priscilla-chan immediately pulled my hand and started walking, leading me and Mistral down the dark night road.
Normally, a night road would be scary, but neither Mistral nor Priscilla-chan showed any signs of fear. I suppose it’s not as scary as the forest or Dragon Peak.
If she could come all the way to my house, she would have known the way to the main street already.
Priscilla-chan headed for the main street without hesitation.
Gradually, the number of people going back and forth increased.
By the time we reached the main street, it was crowded with many people.
“It was crowded in Vice Capital too, but it’s amazing here as well.”
Mistral let out an impressed sigh as she watched the flow of people.
“It’s even more so tonight, isn’t it? Everyone wants to spend New Year’s at the shrine.”
“Because you can see something rare?”
“That’s part of it, but after all, we are devout believers.”
I think Mistral and Priscilla-chan, who don’t have a religious outlook, might not understand this.
However, for us humans, the religion that worships the Goddess of Creation is important.
So, it’s natural to want to go to the shrine on important days and special occasions.
“Speaking of religion, I should ask Ruiseine about it sometime.”
“Yeah, I’m sure she’d be happy to tell us.”
“Please be gentle with me.”
Mistral gave a wry smile.
“Um, I smell meat.”
Priscilla-chan pushed her way through the crowd and headed straight for a stall.
How hungry are you?
Mistral and I hurriedly took Priscilla-chan’s hands and headed for a shop selling skewers.
After that, while heading towards a few more stalls wafting delicious scents, we made our way to the Great Shrine in the capital.
Priscilla-chan, holding meat, grilled corn, and potatoes in both hands, followed us with satisfaction.
“I guess it was a bit early after all.”
Although the main street was overflowing with people, the plaza in front of the shrine was not yet crowded with many people.
Still, there was a large crowd in front of the special stage set up at the shrine entrance.
“Is this the rare thing Elnea was talking about?”
Mistral asked me, her eyes wide with admiration.
“Fufufu, who knows?”
“Um, beautiful.”
Priscilla-chan also stopped eating.
What Mistral and Priscilla-chan were gazing at.
On the stage in front of the shrine, the Miko and Shinkan were performing the night Kagura.
The Miko, dressed in much more luxurious and beautiful clothing than the ones Ruiseine and the others usually wear, were dancing.
The Shinkan were playing bells and drums.
To the beautiful and mysterious melody, the Miko danced with slow movements.
“Um, where is Ruiseine?”
Seeing the Miko’s attire, Priscilla-chan was reminded of Ruiseine. She looked around the area searching for Ruiseine.
“Oh my, you’re all here together.”
Then, Ruiseine appeared from the crowd.
“It’s Ruiseine.”
I quickly grabbed Priscilla-chan as she lunged to hug her.
If she hugged her with the food in both hands, Ruiseine would scream.
“Yes, it’s Ruiseine.”
Ruiseine smiled.
“You’re not holding a Naginata tonight, are you?”
Mistral quickly noticed that Ruiseine’s long weapon was different from usual.
“Yes, tonight I have a Shakujo.”
Ruiseine jingled her Shakujo.
Attached to the beautiful decorations of the Shakujo were numerous bells, which produced a clear, ringing sound.
“Um, Ruiseine, aren’t you dancing?”
“Fufufu, I am a Battle Priestess, so my duty is to patrol.”
“Are the people dancing over there specialists?”
“No. The Miko offering Kagura are high-ranking Miko. Their night Kagura can only be seen today and tomorrow, so it is rare.”
“By the way, this is danced continuously for three days and three nights starting now.”
Mistral was surprised by my additional information.
“Ah, of course, the dancers will take turns.”
“…That’s for sure, otherwise they wouldn’t have the stamina.”
“Fufufu, it looks fun and I’m envious.”
“Uuuu, I’m sorry.”
I felt guilty for being so happy while Ruiseine was working and couldn’t be with us.
“Tonight is my work, so it can’t be helped. But please make it up to me next time?”
“Okay, I promise.”
“Um, Priscilla too?”
“No, no, Priscilla-chan is with us tonight, so that doesn’t apply to her.”
“Then, I’ll be added too.”
“Oh my, oh my, then I feel like I’m the only one losing out.”
Ruiseine looked at me with a troubled expression.
Uuu, what should I do in a situation like this?
“Now, you should go back to your work.”
Mistral said, suddenly urging Ruiseine away.
“Ah, Mist-san, you’re so mean!”
Ruiseine disappeared into the crowd, pushed by Mistral.
“Alright, now that the hindrance is…”
I gave Mistral a wry smile as she muttered something ominous.
While we were talking, many people had gathered in the plaza in front of the shrine.
Perhaps it was a good thing that we arrived early.
At first, I thought we had come too early, but thanks to that, we were able to secure a spot near the stage.
“Do you want to watch a little longer?”
I asked, worried that they might get bored.
Especially Priscilla-chan, I thought she might get bored and start doing something, but they were both watching the night Kagura intently.
Perhaps it was because this custom and event were non-existent in the Dragon Race village or the Mimicho Race village, and it piqued their interest.
I decided to watch the night Kagura carefully with everyone.
Unlike my Dragon Sword Dance, the Miko danced with gentle and slow movements.
The music played on bells, flutes, and drums was not modern but unique, passed down from ancient times, and it gave me a strange feeling as I listened.
Priscilla-chan seemed to remember the food and started munching on it midway, but she watched the night Kagura with great interest.
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