Christmas 2016 Ss (1/2)

Author's note: You'll enjoy this more if you read Mushoku Tensei Jobless Oblige beforehand.

December 24th.

The Magic City Sharia was dyed pure-white in snow.

It was a blizzard that was like every other year.

However, to the people that lived in this town, it was a trivial thing.

It’s been around 40 years since I, Rudeus Greyrat, started living in this town.

Something like snow doesn't matter.

”Jingle hehe, jingle hehe, bell hehehe”

Today's Christmas.

Already, all my children became adults.

They already left the house and made a family, and they all are living independent lives.

Now then, today's Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, yes, that means Santa Claus.

To those who are always clueless and to those who want to receive things and advice, I'd want to lecture them about reality, but only today is different.

One time a year, it's a good day because everybody gets presents from a gramps that n.o.body knows.

Although, I don't usually give out presents to grown-up adults even if they're my own child.

Nevertheless, Christmas it is.

Even if Lara and Lily never grow up, Christmas it is.

However, they come back in this season.

And we spend the new year's together.

I'll take my little grandchildren, and

Yes, I speak differently with my grandchildren.

Grandpas spoiling their grandchildren is like divine providence.

That's why I'll become, Santa Claus.

And I'll spam, presents.

This year, Orsted isn't here.

He received an invitation from Ariel.

It seems Ariel invited Orsted as the ”Christmas Surprise Guest.”

Too much of a surprise will only incur a pandemonic scene of h.e.l.l, don't you think.

Alek always boasted about being able to support really well, but it probably can only get worse.

But well, I declined that invitation to the party so there’s that…but anyway, let’s put that aside

Anyways, it's ”Today, only I am Santa!”

Well, I truly wanted for Orsted to do it, but, you know, it's hard to cosplay as Santa at that age, you know.

But, it's just me, you know, there's no other choice, you know, it's the only way, you know?

While thinking that, I prepared everything for this year.

I wore a red, fluffy piece of clothing, had a white bag, a white wig, and a fake moustache.

I'm now a perfect Santa.

Receiving my wives' protection after talking to them in advance, I'll invade my sleeping grandchildren's rooms.

Just to secretly give them presents.

That's the perfect image.

It seems like Eris finally understood what the purpose of this was, so there's no problem there.

Though, Lily and Chris still believe in Santa, so I can't be seen by those two…

Well, I'll probably be okay.

”Today is fun hehehehe… uu, it's cold… I wish I brought a vehicle.”

I, who finished preparing, opened the office's gate to go to my house.

In the furious snowstorm, I took one step, and

”N?”

For some reason, there was a kachiri sound at my feet.

I guess I stepped on a twig beneath the snow?

The next moment after thinking that,

”Woah!”

Something pulled at my foot, and I was beautifully hanging upside-down.

”What the h.e.l.l!?”

Who is it, who laid such a trap right at the entrance to my company!

Hitogami, maybe!

Hitogami's plot, isn't it!

Only Hitogami would stand to gain from such a plot!

That too-much-free-time b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Just you wait until the next time we meet! I'll d.a.m.n kill you!

”Hitogami…!”

Gnas.h.i.+ng my teeth, I was trying to somehow get out of the rope when I realized that there was a person's figure leaving from the building's shadow.

I can't see well in this blizzard…

The other person probably also couldn't recognize me.

He or she came straight towards me.

With a dignified manner of walking.

Most likely, this was the criminal who set the trap.

Namely, Hitogami's p.a.w.n.

”…Nn?”

As that man got closer, his clothing started becoming more visible.

He was wearing red clothing, and, on his head, was a red hat.

Furthermore, his moustache and hair were full of white, long hair.

And, he had a big, big, white bag.

Moreover, I saw the figures of animals pulling a sleigh behind him.

This was unmistakably Santa.

Impossible.

Orsted and Alek were supposed to be with Ariel!?

No, this is wrong.

When he moved closer, I could clearly see his face.

It was a youthful face.

Way more, compared to me.

A face I knew.

A face that vaguely resembled mine.

”Sieg…!”

He was my son, Sieghart Saladin Greyrat.

My second son that was just employed in the Kingdragon Kingdom.

The animal behind him was Leo.

For some reason, there was great anger horns stuck on its head.

On the sleigh was Lara, who was wearing a coat made of great anger horn fur. Very fluffy.

”What are you doing? You, at this time…”

I had a bad premonition.

A feeling that my son fell into the clutches of evil.

It can't be that those two became Hitogami's followers!

I'll fight the masked Sieg, and last point when I'm cornered and beat, he'll say ”I'm your son…” and cut off my right arm!

With how strong Sieg has grown to recently, it's possible that he could defeat me.

”…”

Sieg didn't answer my question.

In silence, he picked up the bag I dropped and handed it to Lara, who was on the sleigh.

Lara looked inside and frowned.

”How is it, Lara-nee?”

”…No good. No sense at all. No child would enjoy this.”

Guaa!

It shakes my heart, these words!

Well, sure, I might have a bit of an outdated taste…

But I chose them with all my heart! I thought my grandchildren would enjoy it!

“Papa chose it with all his power for us, so you don’t have a reason to complain.”

That’s it Sieg, you tell them!

Wait no, that’s not exactly what I wanted him to say.

I wanted an explanation.

”Sieg, what the heck is this!? Give me an explanation!”

Also, I’d be glad if he could put me down.

I feel blood rising to my head already.

After listening to me, Sieg slowly turned around, and, crossing his arms behind him, he slowly walked towards me.

He seemed to be in deep thought.

I want an explanation, but I don’t want him to go on saying that he was actually one of Hitogami's followers or something like that.

It doesn’t seem like that would be the case after all.

For a dad, a slightly stupid reason would be the best.

“…Papa. What kind of person do you see yourself as when you refer to yourself as an ally of justice?”

Hold on, my child.

Answering a question with another question is a bad habit.

Though, it doesn’t really matter I guess, it must be some sort of preparation for his answer.

Papa understands, so I will answer your question

“…Umm, there's many kinds of allies of justice, so I can't encompa.s.s them all into a single answer”

“Yes, that is true. I think there are many ways of answering that, but you see, for me an ally of justice is someone who ‘makes everyone smile’.”

“U-uhuh.”

I don’t think he is wrong, but still, I wonder why he started talking about that now.

Sieg had a distant look, as if looking towards the day after tomorrow.

Unfortunately, today, we had a big snow storm.

The setting sun couldn’t be seen anywhere in the evening sky.

“When I think about it, back when I was a child, every year I’d look forward to this time of the year.”

“I see, you always looked forward to it.”

”Yeah, but at that day, I knew of the true form of Santa…”

”That day…!”

It's already been around ten years.

Back then, in my job for Orsted I disguised myself as Santa and sneaked into the house.

…And then I fell on Lara’s trap.

That day I was also hung upside down and the cruel Lara used her inhuman hand to strip me of my mask…or well, the false moustache and hat I wore.

I will never forget the look on Sieg’s face that day.

The look that screamed…You liar, so Santa was daddy all along…

The shock from that day must have been so strong that he wanted to be buried in a blizzard like the today’s.

“Back then I felt betrayed, I thought that after all, Santa was just a lie. I felt really hurt.”

“I’m sorry, I was such a careless father.”

I will never forget the look on Lara with the false moustache and the Santa-style hat either, so full of herself like a hunter who just defeated a bear.

I also won’t forget the look on my wives that said “You’ve screwed up”.

I was so ashamed that day.

“But I’ve been thinking about that recently. That all papa wanted was to make us smile.”

“I see, I’m glad you understand.”

“But still…”

Sieg turned to face me.

”Now that we found your true ident.i.ty, you don’t have the qualifications to do it anymore, don’t you think so?”

”What do you mean by qualifications?”

”Santa is real, but you can't meet him. Real but can't be seen. Such a fairytale-like person tickles the hearts of children…”

“Who spouted that…?”

Now that I think about it, I feel like I might have said something like that to Orsted ten years ago or so.

“My teacher told me so.”

I see, so it was Alek.

Orsted probably told it to Alek.

“Since we found you out papa, you don’t have the right to be Santa again.”

“So that’s what it comes down to…But someone needs to be Santa to make the children smile…”

Then I finally understood why Sieg and Lara were clothed like that.

Santa and reindeers. A big sack with presents.

Even a sleigh carefully prepared.

”Yes. Papa's era has ended. From this year on, it is Lara-nee and I will be doing Santa. Hey, Lara-nee.”

While Sieg was saying that, he looked at Lara.

Lara had a bored + this is stupid + sleepy face.

”A pain. I wish you'd do this yourself.”

And so she said, but she was still sticking to her younger brother.

Lara is such a kind person, papa is happy now.

But if possible I wanted her to stop being like that. I wanted her to be kind to papa too.

Still, I see.

They want to be Santa…