Chapter 75

Winter Tree's "Mother"

Fuyuki, who had just returned from the Cursed World, received a letter.

It was a letter from someone claiming to be her mother, about the "past".

The silent Saniwa finished reading it in silence, then tucked it under his pillow and never looked at it again.

She didn't seem to change because of that letter.

And recently, another big event has occurred.

Fuyuki flicked the terminal in her hand and smiled at the group of knife-wielding demons, saying, "Who wants to come with me today?"

The annual festival of the current administration is a rare and lively event for the Saniwa who are stationed in the citadel and have lost their sense of time.

Fuyuki wasn't alone; she was being guided by two senior colleagues.

Dongshu and Qinghe patiently waited for their last companion.

Suddenly, she seemed to spot something interesting, took a step toward it, and then quickly returned.

"What interesting thing did you see?" Qinghe asked her with a smile, dressed in an exquisite kimono.

Dongshu nodded with a serious expression: "Mm."

"Are you any happier?" Qinghe picked her up from the ground. "It's not good for a child to be sullen."

“…I’m not unhappy,” Fuyuki muttered.

However, there are some things that are a headache for her that she cannot ignore no matter what.

The two looked at each other and saw the warmth in each other's eyes.

Qinghe remained calm and said, "Yes, let's enjoy ourselves to the fullest today."

This is their grand celebration.

Such a lively gathering of man-made houses is a grand occasion that only occurs once a year.

"Sorry to keep everyone waiting."

Xuan Ge laughed heartily as he apologized.

Qinghe glanced sideways and crossed her arms: "It's time you changed your bad habits."

"Next time for sure, next time for sure. Come, come, Xiao Dongshu, sit here with me."

The man patted the chair next to him and began to abduct other people's little Saniwa without hesitation.

"Ah, okay."

Dongshu jogged over, not caring where she sat. In the time they had been searching for someone, chairs with soft cushions had been placed on the roof.

She sat down obediently, and the next second Tsurumaru Kuninaga sat down in another chair next to her.

The tsukumogami grinned, its white hair tips peeking out in the night: "Did you receive any surprises, Master? Come and chat with Tsuru."

On the other side, Kogarasumaru sat down leisurely next to Aoharu. The beautiful little ancestor glanced at him with a questioning look in her eyes.

how?

Qinghe twitched her eye in response.

fine.

Kogarasumaru looked at his lord's distorted face, helplessly grimaced, and nodded to indicate that he understood.

His lord is good in every way, but his expression is sometimes really strange.

Dongshu glanced at Xuange silently. It seemed that he still didn't have any tsukumogami by his side, which was really strange.

"So, Master bought me, all fluffy! I want to see, this is quite a shock, oh no, a surprise!" Tsurumaru Kuninaga's cheerful voice brought her back to reality.

"Yes, I think." Fuyuki took out a small toy from her bag and handed it to him.

"Look, it's such an adorable Tsurumaru! I fell in love with it at first sight!" Fuyuki forgot the thought that had just suddenly arisen in his mind, his mind filled with the fluffy version of Tsurumaru Kuninaga in his hand.

With its golden beady eyes, short white hair, and exquisite battle outfit, this chibi version, made of fabric, is full of details and so lifelike that it won't be mistaken for the white-haired tsukumogami next to it.

It's practically a work of art worth collecting!

The wealthy and powerful Saniwa (master) simply waved his hand and bought this adorable, fluffy crane ball. After all, art should not be wasted!

"Wow, that's amazing! Humans always manage to create such novel things." Tsurumaru Kuninaga held up the doll, which was draped in silver gauze under the moonlight, making the entire white crane appear even more dreamlike and pure.

"By the way, is this doll unique to me, or does everyone else have it?"

He asked the question as if it were casual.

Fuyuki didn't notice, saying, "The shop owner only made the crane balls; the others are still in production."

"Oh, I see. That's a real pity."

—That's awesome!

The Tsurugi plush toy was placed back in Fuyuki's arms, its soft fabric pressed against the Saniwa's sore face.

Fuyuki, holding her doll, simply tilted her head slightly and looked up at the sky.

The surrounding rooftops were also densely packed with Saniwa and Tsukumogami, but thankfully the roof of the Manya was sturdy enough.

People filled every corner of the streets, the air, the rooftops, and the houses. The Saniwa all took out their terminals and clicked on the sharing function unique to the fireworks festival.

They looked forward to this wonderful and awe-inspiring moment of reunion, a unique feeling that no Saniwa could forget, no matter how many times they experienced it.

"Bang! Bang bang!"

As the explosion resounded, the entire store went into a frenzy. The Saniwa cheered, the Tsukumogami exclaimed in admiration, and even the Tsukumogami and Kitsunenosukes far away in the citadel shared the breathtaking scenery through the terminal.

Fireworks explode overhead, bloom around us, and blossom at our feet; beautiful "flowers" are everywhere, filling the eyes of the viewers and bringing the ultimate beauty with their utmost effort.

They bloom in the darkness, dreamlike and radiant, like fireworks spirits dancing in the shops and the main building. Their vibrant colors make the monotonous night sky magnificent, and their unrestrained beauty is the greatest celebration.

The bright moon and twinkling stars pale in comparison, and the fireworks soar into the clouds, drawing the eye upward.

However, the fireworks at hand were not to be outdone, swaying and flashing with absolute power, and thus a magnificent fireworks display unfolded.

Explode, burst open, vanish...

They endlessly repeat the beauty of a fleeting moment, yet they leave that beauty forever in people's hearts.

The sounds of exploding fireworks and cheers rose and fell, and the entire Wanwu was plunged into a frenzy of celebration.

Or rather, the entire political situation descended into a frenzy!

Today, strike!!!

"So beautiful..." Dongshu murmured, her black eyes filled with a variety of colors, the first time those black eyes had been filled with such splendor.

No, perhaps it's not the first time.

She tried to grasp at fleeting memories, but they slipped through her fingers. Her tender hands grasped helplessly in the air, but there was only air and the untouchable, brilliant fireworks.

Silver, gold, crimson, cyan, green, gray, and the most mysterious colorless shimmered in the darkness. In a daze, it seemed as if the winter tree had left the roof of the myriad houses and entered a closed space.

But it is not closed off; on the contrary, it is filled with endless joy and melancholy, just like the place of its very birth—home.

"Master?" Fuyuki's shoulder was gripped.

She looked up and saw Tsurumaru Kuninaga's puzzled golden eyes. The tsukumogami stroked his chin and glanced at the dazzling fireworks: "Master, do you really like this? You seem so engrossed. Let's get one in the citadel sometime!"

He raised his hand, gesturing to his idea, his eyes sparkling: "This will definitely be a big surprise! Suddenly... hehe!"

As if he had thought of something amusing, a mischievous glint appeared in Tsurumaru Kuninaga's eyes.

Fuyuki hesitated before declining, "I think we should skip it. Everyone's pretty tired."

She swallowed the rest of her words. Even though she was in another world, Tsurumaru Kuninaga's ability to cause trouble had reached her ears. It was to the point that every sword wanted to come and complain.

Tsurumaru Kuninaga's fighting prowess is among the best in the citadel, and his pranks are just as impressive. No one can do anything about him, so they have to tirelessly bring him into the fighting arena to wear down his boundless energy.

But it's not very useful anyway.

In the few days since Fuyuki returned, the citadel has been unusually quiet, with the only occasional sound being "Wow! Were you scared?"

And harmless phrases like "Ahhhhhh—Tsurumaru!"

Things have calmed down a lot.

Fuyuki comforted himself in this way.

The revelry lasted a long time. The fireworks display was a celebration for the entire political organization. Everyone released their pent-up stress at this time, opening their eyes wide and talking loudly, as if releasing all the troubles of the past few days into the air.

Anyway, nobody will hear it, and nobody will pay attention.

“Hey, Tsurumaru.” Fuyuki grabbed Tsurumaru Kuninaga’s sleeve.

"Are you happy?" she asked.

Tsurumaru Kuninaga nodded, saying matter-of-factly, "It's fun. Of course it's fun to watch fireworks with Master."

This opportunity was obtained only after he used a little trick and finally defeated the many swordsmen of the citadel.

Dongshu gently raised the corners of her mouth, and amidst the vibrant colors of the sky, a gentle and hazy smile spread from her eyes. Her black hair was blown by the wind and clung to her cheeks, giving her an aura that seemed beyond her years.

She said, "Then you must always be happy."

"......Owner?"

—

A few days later, a second letter from "Mother" arrived quietly.

This time, it's an invitation.