The three members of Lily’s Group drooled at the sight of the beautifully grilled Kraken legs.
They didn’t directly cut it from a shrunken Kraken. They were awarded a few as a reward for defeating the Kraken and were planning to cook them someday.
Of course, it’s not that they couldn’t get more, but with this amount, everyone could eat to their fill.
[Oh]
[LMAO]
[Kraken?]
[Looks delicious]
[Wow]
[Oh, is that the one from that time?]
[Last time we had crab, this time it’s octopus?]
[Was wondering when we would eat it, but I guess it’s now LOL]
[So jealous]
“Ooh… it looks super delicious…”
“C-can we eat it now?”
“Of course. Help yourselves, one each.”
I served the neatly cut octopus skewers to each of the trio.
White Autumn’s orange eyes gleamed as she bit into her octopus skewer.
“Wow…”
“How is it?”
“Wow wow wow wow wow wow.”
Shaking, White Autumn.
Looking to the side, Joah and Apple Flavors were also trembling and gobbling up their octopus.
“I thought it would be a bit chewy at first, but it’s super tender, right?”
“Totally! Especially the way it melts in your mouth is wow…”
“I grilled it with a lot of effort, you know.”
This is not an ordinary living creature; it’s the ‘Kraken’.
An ancient beast with near-infinite regeneration and tough skin.
So although the octopus skewers looked pretty tough, after grilling them with thousands of fire magic, they transform into tender morsels.
Controlling the heat to prevent the flesh from burning is essential.
Additionally, I brushed the special sauce, used in the production of Celestial Skewers I was researching, onto the octopus skewers and grilled them perfectly.
Watching the trio’s excellent reactions, I bit into my own octopus skewer.
Mmm.
“It’s delicious. Even though I made it.”
[Gimme!!!]
[Why is it only Lily who gets to eat?]
[LMAO]
[Poor Kraken…]
[Octopus cooking is a must]
[Editors are hilarious LOL]
[Great cooking, big sis heehe]
[That’s definitely Lily]
[Reactions are top tier LOL]
[Isn’t it a top-grade World Boss? Doesn’t it have any effects?]
[Does it give a buff?]
“Effects? Of course. It’s part of a World Boss, after all.”
It’s not just any octopus dish. Since it’s a body part from a high-level ancient beast, eating it grants tremendous stats and temporary or even permanent buffs.
I mean, I caught the Kraken and gained far superior abilities, and since it’s so strong, eating it didn’t show much of a difference for me…
“…That system window is on fire.”
“Are you too? My stats are rising like crazy.”
“What is the blessing of the sea?”
The trio is just your everyday folks.
Just by estimating the right stats, they probably became about ten times stronger than before eating.
‘Not that becoming strong makes much of a difference.’
They’re just ordinary people who can’t fight at all.
Still, users have access to system abilities like ‘auto attack’ and ‘auto defense,’ so they’ll probably manage to take care of themselves.
I set down the empty skewer and raised my glass with a grin.
“This is the first gift for our hardworking staff this year. Cooking that makes us stronger as users. Is everyone happy?”
“Loyalty, loyalty!”
“Best boss!”
“I like it…”
“Then everyone, drink up.”
The trio raised their glasses.
I don’t know how much they’ve drunk, but White Autumn and Joah already had rosy cheeks.
[Are we toasting?]
[Yep, yep, yep!]
[Oh hang on, I’m getting a glass]
[I’m holding a glass too, Lily!]
[Permanent stat boost is a bit envious]
[Can we have a lottery for Kraken dishes?]
[Raises glass]
[People are gathering in front of the Elbrite Tree, can’t you come?]
[So many people in front of the Tree, seriously]
“Tree?”
I moved my left hand instead of my right hand holding the glass.
A magic circle using holiness for real-time image transmission.
The image of the Elbrite Tree began to stream above the crackling campfire.
In front of a tree bigger than a ten-story building, users huddled together watching the broadcast, waving their hands in the air.
“Wow. You have gathered a lot, huh? Holding your glasses too.”
“Woah…”
“Looks like it’s at least three thousand people, doesn’t it?”
Even with some restrictions on entry, this many people showed up.
The types of glasses they held were diverse, ranging from ordinary glasses to what you’d question if you could even call it a glass.
Liquor bottles, wine glasses, barrels, soda bottles, tumblers, cans, etc…
Of course, the glasses you’d easily find in Deoen were there, as well as modern items handcrafted by the users themselves.
They stretched their arms as much as they could, trying to get themselves on the broadcast.
“How cute. All huddled together.”
[Wow!]
[I’m gonna be on the broadcast]
[Wow, there are so many people, lol]
[Why are there so many?]
[OMG!]
[Cheers~]
[Am I cute?]
[People are gonna die, lol]
[Cute!]
[Look at the way they’re holding the glasses, lol]
[Wow]
[Look, I’m on screen!]
“Shall we toast?”
“Yes!”
“Cheers~”
As I proclaimed the toast, the trio and the people in front of the tree followed suit.
The three friends raised a toast, and the people in front of the tree joined in.
Fireworks soared into the sky of Elbrite, and the tranquil starry night was illuminated by a beautiful aurora.
The night sky swayed gracefully.
Seeing the endless aurora, I nodded slightly.
“Just for today.”
“…For today, may everyone be happy.”
■
I chatted a bit longer with Lily’s Group and started handing out gifts.
I gave gifts that suited each person’s preferences, but most were things needed in reality, so there wasn’t much I could give right away here.
If they were serious about Deoen, I could provide them with plenty of elements to grow stronger, but that’s not the case.
The three friends received their gifts with smiles, and I received one too.
“A friendship ring! It’s a custom-made design from reality, so it’s the same for everyone. I’m going to share them with my older siblings.”
“Oh? It’s pretty! The design is nice too.”
“Hehehe. I’ll send it separately by delivery.”
Joah gave me a silver ring engraved with my initials, L.
I had never tried on a friendship ring, but… it wasn’t bad.
“The boss’s grace. I won’t forget it until the day I go to the grave!”
“Really?”
“Of course! Please use me for a hundred years!”
“Do I have no will?”
“Thank you!”
White Autumn sent a contract for expensive dried persimmons (which I had sent earlier the day before Christmas Eve) and a slave? contract.
It was a contract written in a handwriting that looked like it was written with the opposite hand, stating that the editing contract would continue for the next thousand years…
It was strange that I had no will, but anyway, I received it.
“A thousand years, huh…”
Isn’t that a bit excessive?
“I knew something would happen.”
“Yeah?”
“Things like that exist.”
I chuckled and shook my head.
The last was Apple Flavor.
Apple Flavor hesitated a bit before handing me a small scarf.
“A scarf, huh?”
“Uh… yeah. I made it myself. I made it in reality first and then made it again here.”
“Oh?”
“Do you… like it?”
“It’s pretty. I’ll use it well.”
Even though I wouldn’t feel cold in Deoen and wouldn’t need a scarf, I could definitely use it in reality.
Above all, the sentiment behind the gift mattered more.
By the way, I gave a bit more generous gifts to the users in front of the tree as well.
This year should have been a happy Christmas.
“Did everyone have fun today?”
[Yes~]
[Yep, yep, yep]
[It was nice and calm haha]
“Hope you all liked my gifts. Now, let’s take a breather and meet up around 9 o’clock to chat about the disaster, okay?”
Time to get back to work.
“See you later~”
[Don’t go!!]
[To Lily]
[There are still a lot of people in front of the tree.]
[Lil’ sis~]
[But when will they take down the tree?]
[I think I saw some celebrities earlier…]
■
“……”
December 26th. 5 AM.
Almost all the people had left, and someone approached the now quiet tree in Elbrite.
She was pure white from head to toe.
Much stronger than before, she wore a robe that concealed her form and quietly gazed at the tree.
Countless gift boxes and notes piled high.
These were gifts left for ‘Lily’ by the users.
Just as Lily had given numerous gifts and buffs to the users, they wanted to reciprocate.
Though Lily declared she wouldn’t accept them, the users were not the kind to listen.
Carefully, she placed her own gift among the boxes.
Plop.
Then she took out a pen.
Better say something in advance.
“Merry Christmas, Lady Lily.”
Have you been well? We’ve been okay in our own way.
It was a bit tough, but we managed to find a ‘road’.
Memories of fighting alongside you come to mind. I wish we could do it again like back then.
“…That might be a bit tough, huh?”
Since things have turned out like this.
“I hope we don’t meet as enemies. I really do.”
Unlike their confident words, it’s still possible that we won’t fight.
“Let’s go. Laguiel. It’s time to close the door.”
“Yes, sister.”
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