LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 244.1
Chapter 244.1. Christmas
Humming “Jingle Bells,” Fuuma Karin walked through the Amatsugahara Special District, leisurely listening to the crunching sound of slightly melted snow beneath her feet. The road ahead was faintly covered with snow, untouched by anyone so far.
Being in the town, heavy snowfall rarely happens. Most of the time, only a light layer accumulates. From January to February, it often piles up quite a bit, but it looks like this month should be fine. Today, no snow was falling, and the sky was appropriately overcast for winter. She could see the few people walking by, muttering about the cold as they hunched their shoulders and hurried along.
Even though there were more open lots and new buildings were being rapidly constructed, the district still felt like a wasteland. Burnt-out ruins, half-collapsed buildings amidst piles of rubble, and abandoned houses with broken doors and shattered windows—many homes remained desolate and uninhabited.
However, with snow blanketing the landscape, everything seemed to be dyed white, offering a somewhat calming effect. Honestly, Karin liked snow. Most people in the district would grimace and say they hated it, though.
After all, when the snow falls, people freeze to death. By spring, it’s a common sight for monsters to devour the corpses. That’s why the people in the ruined town detest the snow. It’s as if even the proof of their existence gets erased by it.
Sometimes, Karin feels the gap between herself and the people of the ruined town. She recognizes she’s privileged in ways they aren’t. It’s a bit of a guilty thought, but watching the once-wrecked town’s residents working with so much energy always leaves her feeling slightly lonely. There’s a wall between her and the people here that she’ll never truly overcome.
The district around Amano Sakimori’s headquarters is called the Amano District, also known as the “Shadow Town.” It’s a name that’s been catching on lately.
When a friend told her that nickname, she wondered, “What’s with the ‘shadow’?” Apparently, it’s because the true rulers of Japan live there. “Oh, is that so?” was all she could manage at the time, mouth agape.
Well, Sakimori is powerful. In just one year, he established a special district with vast lands and numerous soldiers. Even the Three Great Clans have to mind his moods, something the locals take pride in.
It’s an optimistic mindset, but it makes sense that people would want to believe their leader is that great. For the people who were once trapped in misery, Sakimori is their hero, someone who pulled them out of a terrible life. It’s only natural they’d see him that way.
As for Karin, she’d say the Three Great Clans aren’t so easily outdone. Sure, Sakimori holds the reins now, but the Three Great Clans could flip the board in an instant.
Though she doesn’t think it will come to that. Flipping the board would have painful consequences, and Sakimori is cautious. He’s always acting with enemies in mind. He’s even allied with Narashino City, constantly signaling, “Come after me, and you’ll get burned.”
The Three Great Clans won’t act in unison, and if one clan makes a move, the other two would swoop in to aid the burnt party, saying, “We’ll help you—come to our mansion.” Behind their gentle smiles, they hide cunning grins.
Friendships quickly fade when power is involved. At this point, reconciliation is impossible. All that’s left is constant rivalry. That’s how people like Sakimori and Serika were able to rise to power.
A cold winter breeze passed by Karin as she shrank from the chill and continued walking toward headquarters.
“Jingle bells, jingle bells… It’s just so empty here, isn’t it?”
The sound of her humming disappeared into the ruins, so she stopped. She didn’t even know what “Jingle Bells” meant. It was just some song tied to Christmas, apparently. But the kids in the ruined town didn’t know what Christmas was, so they wouldn’t understand it.
She might’ve teased Hana a bit too much yesterday. She didn’t expect her to mistake it for noodles, and so, she couldn’t help herself from lying. It also didn’t help that Jun and the others asked her what Christmas meant while at work. Hana had turned beet red with anger. Karin felt a bit guilty.
It was quiet around her. The snow had stopped, and while walking was a bit tough, that was about it. Unlike the bustling inner town, few people were walking around the special district.
The people in the ruins understood all too well the terror of winter. The cold saps your body heat, and hunger drains your energy. Eventually, you become just another body, waiting for spring to be discovered.
That’s why they avoid going out in the cold, preferring to hole up inside warm homes. It’s probably an instinctual reaction.
From her home to here, Karin had walked through the inner and outer districts. Closer to the inner ring of the outer district, where the moderately wealthy live, stores were playing “Jingle Bells” in front of their doors.
But as the shacks in the outer district became more frequent, things quieted down. The older women were shopping in the black market to prepare for the New Year, but there wasn’t even a whisper of Christmas. The children carrying their bags weren’t begging for presents either, too busy shuffling their feet to keep warm while helping their mothers.
It was probably the same at the Amatsugahara Market. The shops there likely didn’t even know Christmas existed, much less hold any sort of Christmas sales.
As she walked, the stark contrast between the districts became all the more apparent, leaving her in a sour mood. So, she thought she might as well do something nice for a change and adjusted the heavy backpack slung over her shoulder. Inside, a turkey rustled. It had cost her a ridiculous 100,000 yen, but now and then, it’s okay to splurge.
Though Karin came from the inner town, she was originally from the lower class, and she still avoided spending much money. Now, she was a millionaire, with bank managers eagerly visiting her home, asking if she needed anything. But her frugal nature hadn’t changed. Buying that turkey had taken a lot of courage.
More than once, her finger had almost pointed to the chicken next to it, but in the end, she bought it. She even thought, “Karin the Brave is born today.”
“I’ll teach everyone what Christmas is. Maybe even invite Sakimori—if he promises not to touch my cat ears.”
Thinking of her eccentric friend, she chuckled to herself. When they first met, she thought he’d die soon, just like all the other dungeon maniacs.
As she dug through her memories of the past, she sighed and stopped in her tracks. The white-blanketed ruins around her looked deserted, but…
“There are always idiots around, aren’t there?”
[Hidden Weapons]