Chapter 160

In the time when people believed in the existence of Santa Claus, everyone must have entertained the same curiosity at least once.

How could he possibly deliver gifts to children all over the world in just one night, with such a vast world?

On Earth, parents were simply Santa, so there was no problem. But in Taoslen, a real Santa exists. He must personally deliver gifts.

The answer is that the Snow Song clan is spread across the entire continent, with designated areas to manage.

By now, on the other side of the continent, instead of a fat Santa, a jaw-droppingly sexy girl might be riding a surfboard in a bikini and handing out gifts.

But that’s not the important part.

Carami and Asies, who have been entrusted with the role of daily Santa Claus, must deliver their gifts before the magic of Christmas ends.

With a bundle full of gifts, they arrived in the first city riding a magical sleigh.

They stopped the sleigh mid-air to survey the situation.

Despite it being early morning, the city decorated with lights and ornaments radiated a Christmas atmosphere.

It looked beautiful, but light was an enemy to Santa. A Santa had to maintain his mystery and sneak in, but light was a primal force that revealed identities.

Like the Santa in a story they had seen long ago, they wanted to go down the chimney.

“Honestly, going down the chimney is a bit much, right?”

It’s fine in stories, but in reality, attempting it would end up with them covered in soot. If someone removed the fireplace from below, they would be barbecued.

But entering through the front door wasn’t an option, so they decided it was best to enter through a window.

Checking the map given by Nicholas to see which house needed which gift, Carami pulled out the present box and handed it to Asies.

“See that green-roofed house? A boy named Ron wished for a toy. Sneak it in, please.”

“By myself…?”

“My clumsy movements make it hard to sneak around, and even if I’m caught, escaping isn’t easy. What are you doing? Hurry up. There are places to visit.”

Carami revealed her determination to stay completely in the sleigh, not because she was terrified of going down and coming back up.

Reluctantly, Asies had to go alone.

She created an ice slide and gracefully slid down, softly landing on the roof. She glanced around to locate the window.

Standing on the second-floor balcony, she threw her gaze through the window. The boy who seemed to be the owner of the room was sleeping soundly.

Asies prepared to enter through the window.

The door was locked.

Carefully channeling her magic, she froze the locking mechanism and broke it. The window easily opened now that the lock had disappeared. Asies entered the room.

The boy, Ron, was dreamily swimming in slumber, unaware of Asies’ entry.

Afraid he might wake up, Asies tread softly and placed the box next to Ron’s head. Then she slipped out.

Asies, having successfully delivered the box, returned to the sleigh.

Carami smiled with satisfaction.

“Well done. You have a talent for sneaking in. Shall we continue with the remaining gifts?”

***

They roamed freely through Santa’s skies.

Upon arriving at a destination, Asies would sneak in discreetly, successfully leaving the gifts behind without getting caught by anyone.

It could be compared to the agile movements of a special forces unit.

They had already cleared three cities.

They had surpassed over ten small villages.

The group arrived in another city.

Asies looked over the ground from the sleigh. Despite the late hour, several people were wandering the streets, mostly couples holding hands tightly.

“Lammi. The people… are holding hands.”

“Well, considering it’s Christmas, it’s likely that they are lovers.”

“Lovers… hold hands…?”

“People often hold hands without being lovers. If each is valuable to the other…”

“…….”

After hearing Carami’s explanation, Asies stared intensely at the hand-holding couples.

“Next is Molly’s house. Get ready.”

Now proficient enough to be called a proper Santa, Asies descended to the ground. The place where she landed was a back alley far from the city’s center.

While the city was beautifully decorated for Christmas, the back alley remained gloomy as usual.

On the wall of the destination wooden house, there was a square hole.

It would have been better if they had left the window open for Santa to enter easily, but there wasn’t even a window. The frigid winter wind blew through.

Perhaps as a blessing, Asies could easily enter the house without having to touch anything as she crossed the window frame.

The house’s layout was simple.

A single room with a living space of about three pyeong.

Bottles of alcohol were scattered haphazardly.

A male figure, presumably the father, snored while holding onto a piece of fabric like a blanket. In one corner of the room, children were huddled together.

Dressed in thin clothes unsuitable for winter, they clung to each other for warmth, but that was still far from enough, and they were shivering.

Asies, having surveyed the room, intended to leave a gift box as before when…

“EEK!”

The older sister among the siblings, Molly, woke up with a start.

Asies couldn’t help but flinch. She tried to stay as quiet as possible. Until now, she hadn’t been caught by anyone, but only this harmless girl had sensed her.

Should she subdue her?

Or escape?

Before Asies could act, Molly hastily spoke.

“Ah, Dad! I’m sorry! Don’t hit me, please. It hurts!”

In the dark makeshift house where even moonlight could not enter, nothing was visible, and she didn’t even think to check her opponent. She instinctively apologized while hiding her younger sibling.

It was actually Asies who was more flustered. The emotion Molly displayed was sadness, while the emotion that collided with Asies was fear.

This was yet another new sensation for Asies. Frozen, she didn’t know what to do.

Waiting yielded no incoming fist.

The snoring continued.

Feeling odd, Molly eventually lifted her head and recognized Asies’ presence.

“Santa…?”

Though it wasn’t clearly distinguishable in the absence of light, the silhouette was undoubtedly dressed like Santa.

“Is it really Santa?”

“…….”

Asies responded with silence.

It was a wordless affirmation.

If it continued like this, it would tarnish the mystery of Santa and the innocence of children that Nicholas and Carami had warned about.

She had already given the gift. Just when Asies intended to leave in a hurry, Molly reached out and grabbed her arm.

“Wait a moment, Santa!”

Molly’s father stirred in response to the commotion.

Molly flinched and then whispered urgently, “Can you take my little brother away? If he stays here, Dad will hit him, and Mom has left us. I’m okay, so please just take my brother.”

“…….”

“Santa doesn’t give gifts to crying children. So, I held back and didn’t cry. Is it because of the gift? I don’t mind not getting this gift, so please….”

Molly returned the gift box that had been given to her by Asies.

This was a first in such a situation, and Asies was not good at improvisation.

What should she do?

The only thing she could do was one thing.

***

“It seems we are almost done.”

The sleigh parked in the sky.

Carami scanned the long, parchment-like receipt she received at the gathering. It listed the cities they had to visit and the children who would receive presents.

They had solved about 80% of it already. It appeared they could wrap up Christmas without incident.

While checking the next destination, Asies came up to them from over the sleigh.

“Did you make it? Only a few places left, but who are those children?”

A small girl named Molly and her even younger brother Marley were trailing behind Asies.

“Those…”

Asies hesitated, glancing at Carami, who quickly grasped the situation.

The thin clothes that were more suitable for summer covered Molly’s small, bruised body. Though they didn’t know who they were, it was clear they were children suffering from abuse.

Carami sighed, and Asies flinched.

“Asies. Did I not clearly say that Santa should not reveal her identity? And yet, not only have you revealed yourself, but you’ve also brought children to the sleigh. What were you thinking?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“If you are sorry, then quickly send them back. There are still places left to go, and if we delay, it’ll be dawn soon. Why are you still here?”

Molly hid behind Asies to avoid Carami.

Asies stood firm, like a barrier against the biting wind.

“I don’t want to.”

“Asies, this is abduction.”

“I want to take them….”

“What do you intend to do by taking those children? Have you thought this through?”

“No.”

There was no way she could have thought of the aftermath.

Yet Asies stood confidently.

“Lammi will help.”

“What can I possibly do to help?”

“…Somehow.”

The response that carried not only confidence but also a sense of shamelessness astonished Carami, who let out a hollow laugh.

When told to ask if she needed something, now she acted as if it were a matter of course.

Asies knew too.

That Carami would grant any request made.

Caught off guard, Asies had learned cunningness.

“Ha. Someone might mistake me for a Santa who grants every wish.”

“…….”

With a sigh, Carami wore a bitter smile.

“Well, since you are basically Santa for today, I’ll allow it this once.”

Carami helped the children onto the sleigh. She dressed Molly in the Santa coat that Asies had been wearing and placed a hat on her head.

“Eh…? Wait….”

“Shh. In accordance with my creed, there will be no free rides. If you’re in the sleigh, then you’re expected to assist. Hold on tight so you don’t fall. With that settled, let’s go deliver the next gifts.”

***

“Wow~!”

The sleigh soared through the sky, ringing with a clear bell sound.

Molly couldn’t take her eyes off the scenery below.

It was a sight one would never see in a dark alley.

Casting aside all sorrow and worry, she beamed like a girl her age should.

Asies looked at Molly with gentle eyes, and so did Carami.

Who would have thought Asies would refuse her orders like this?

Carami shook her head with a bittersweet smile.

The group continued delivering gifts, along with the new little Santa.

Thud.

Carami struck a line through the list.

The recent house was the last.

Seeing the line drawn through every item on that long list, Carami sported a pleased expression.

“Great. We’ve finished everything. The sun will be rising soon, so let’s head back to Nicholas.”

“Molly, what will happen…?”

“I have thought it through.”

She had considered taking them to Doomheim, but ultimately decided it was better for humans to be with humans. Spending time with dwarves wouldn’t be good for their upbringing.

Carami directed the sleigh toward Palanis, the city of adventurers and mercenaries.

Due to the frequent deaths resulting from adventures, Palanis has a particularly high number of orphans.

Adventurers pool funds to sponsor the church to help their fallen comrades’ children. Thanks to this, the church in Palanis has a stronger emphasis on orphanage work compared to churches in other cities.

Here, there would be no worries leaving the Molly siblings behind.

The sleigh landed behind an empty church. Molly, still carrying Marley, stepped off the sleigh. Carami handed a gift box to Molly.

“You need to take this, Molly.”

“But… the gift….”

“This is not a gift. If you’ve done work, you should be compensated. This is your pay for working as a daily Santa.”

There would be no free rides.

And no unpaid labor either.

Molly’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“Really?”

“Of course. I’ll hope you get a gift for your younger brother next year too. If you misbehave, the Death God will come to claim you.”

“……Yes!”

The sleigh soon soared into the sky, and the commotion had attracted the attention of the nuns, who found the Molly siblings. Only after observing that they were returning to the church did Carami take hold of the reins.

It was time to report.

***

“Oh! You delivered all the gifts! Thank you very much!”

In the golden-hued forest bathed in rays of sunshine, Nicholas, tending to Rudolph at the same spot where they first met, sprinted out in slippers. He grabbed my hand and shook it vigorously up and down.

“I don’t know how I can repay you for this kindness….”

“Haha, we had a good experience thanks to you. Well… if you really want to repay us, I won’t decline.”

“Right. I can’t let my benefactor leave with empty hands. Here, take this.”

Nicholas handed over a gift box.

It was an event reward that gave random items when opened.

I recalled that it had previously given quite a decent item.

I tucked the box under my arm.

“Thank you. I hope to see you again when the opportunity arises.”

“Hoho, both of you should return safely. Merry Christmas!”

We left the forest with Nicholas waving us off.

The sunlight felt warm.

I stretched my arms and yawned.

“I’m tired from staying up all night. Let’s head back and rest.”

“And me…?”

“Excuse me?”

Asies gazed at me intently.

“I… don’t I get a gift…?”

What on earth was this about?

Asies was asking for a gift as well.

“Santa doesn’t give gifts, does she? The greatest gift for Santa is finding joy in seeing people happy.”

“But Molly got… a gift….”

Well, that was her gift from the start.

It was just that I had to come up with a plausible reason after she brought them.

But that didn’t seem to bother Asies, who hung her head in disappointment.

I couldn’t stand it anymore; I was curious.

“Alright. I’ll give you a gift. What would you like?”

Asies extended her hand toward me.

“My hand….”

“What, you want me to put a gift in your hand?”

“I want to… hold hands too.”

What a sudden request it seemed.

Was she somehow bothered by the sight of couples holding hands earlier?

Since feeling warmth, Asies had been reaching out for various things, as if she were a baby grabbing onto anything within her reach.

Maybe this was just an extension of that.

Asies still likely hadn’t experienced a person’s warmth.

“It’s not a difficult request.”

I placed my hand over Asies’ thin one.

It felt fragile, as if it would break with a little pressure.

But if I applied pressure, my own would probably be the one to break.

It felt cold, like holding ice.

While the chill emanating from her diminished, it didn’t mean she was free from the curse.

“So, what do you think of receiving a gift?”

“……Warm….”

It wasn’t my warmth; it was just that Asies felt excessively cold. From her perspective, it could feel warm.

As I thought I should slowly let go of her hand before frostbite set in…

“Huh?”

As I began to pull away, Asies tightened her grip on my hand.

She held on tightly and wouldn’t let go.

Staring intently at our clasped hands, she lifted her gaze to meet my eyes.

“Doesn’t this… feel lonely…?”

“What?”

“Lonely…?”

No matter how much I thought about the meaning, I couldn’t understand. However, I felt an uneasy flicker in her beautiful blue eyes focused on me.

“It’s not lonely at all. Thanks to you.”

I responded that way.

Then Asies…

“…Yeah.”

Seemingly satisfied with herself, she broke into a faint smile.

---